“A true winner is one who smiles through all life’s challenges.” Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
When asked “What is the best advice to give to young children?” Sri Sri Ravi Shankar replied:
“God has given you the greatest gift, your smile. Don’t let it be dropped by adults. Maintain it when you grow old also. So, deepen your roots and broaden your vision.”
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has designed many programs for youngsters ( YES, Art Excel, Sri Sri Sanskar Kendras) so that youngsters get the right mix of ancient time-tested values with current educational developments. He explains:
“Life is like the tree. The roots are old but the shoots are new. Life needs to be combined with old and new. Only old is no good and only new is no good. Life is a combination of the ancient and modern. What do you think?”
Encouraging youngsters to contribute to the social fabric in constructive ways that enhance their skills and broaden their vision, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar advices:
“What we receive we should give back to society, and as students you have received so much education here, now see how you can put that into use in life.”
“Education is meant not to just make us tablets of information but living examples of high standards of ethics.”
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar points out that –
“The trouble in today’s world is not because of lack of education but because education is being misrepresented, misused and misunderstood.”
Giving the example of our Art of living school located in a Naxalite region, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shares:
“A decade ago, the only thing the children wanted to be was naxalites because that was the only vocation they were ever exposed to. The village was a picture of poverty and malnutrition with a heavy atmosphere of fear hanging over it. With the school coming up, there was laughter and discussions among the village folk in the evenings.”
“The open library exposed people to new ideas. Recently, the first batch of children graduated from the school and many of them have enrolled for college – something that has never happened in this area. Suddenly, there was hope for a new life among people. Many villagers went out and looked for jobs and that has changed the economic condition of the area.”
Elaborating on the plus points of a good education Sri Sri Ravi Shankar states:
“Education is to make us such strong personalities, which would spread harmony, which would bring progress in the society and spread love and compassion. This is what I strongly believe. So we need to educate ourselves and people around us. Education is to make one a strong personality, a personality which would stand up to criticism and give constructive criticism. A personality which would create friendliness all over, which has humor and a sense of belongingness along with it and this is what the world is looking for today.”
Personality Development and Lifestyle 