Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why should I discover my Soul?
Because that is your real identity. When we realize our Soul, we are liberated from all misery and suffering and from the cycle of death and rebirth.
2. What is the guarantee that there is life after death?
Just like the Law of Gravity makes us infer its existence because anything that is thrown up is pulled back to earth, so also, we infer that there is life after death because of the Law of Karma. We see young children being born in fortunate or unfortunate circumstances. This is not luck. We infer that it is the rebirth of the ME – Mind and Ego, that has left the body at death.
3. Can astrologers predict what will happen in life?
Yes, they can. But there is no guarantee that the prediction will be right. There is more chance that what the weatherman predicts will come true. Man is incapable of decoding God's plan on earth, be it looking at palms or the stars.
4. Can I be reborn as an animal?
Some Eastern religions that believe in the Law of Karma strongly advocate this is true, while some deny it. What is important is to realize that we will be reborn, if we are not liberated. We should focus on being liberated, rather than planning to come back to planet earth. Our goal should be Realization, Liberation, and Unification.
5. Can I take my money with me to my next life?
Yes, if you know what bank there is in heaven and the currency that works there. Can't we see that a dead person doesn't even take a penny, even if he is a millionaire? Then why do we even ask such a question?
6. Will we meet our loved ones after we are reborn?
When we take birth, we leave behind memories of our past life, our loved ones. Do you remember the loved ones of your previous life today? This should make us understand that when we leave our loved ones, we move on. We do not return. The body returns to dust and is not recreated.
7. Will the actions of this life be carried forward to the next life?
Actions of this life will come to an end at death. But each and every action of ours, good or bad is recorded by the Law of Karma. Whatever Karma we have created, based on our past actions, it will be carried forward life after life as we are reborn in a new body.
8. What exactly happens at Death?
At death, the Divine Soul within departs. There is no breath. And the body returns to dust as it is cremated or buried. But the one who was alive in the body is the ME – Mind and Ego. At death, one of the two things happens. Either we will be reborn as per our Karma or if we overcome our ignorance and realize the truth while alive that we are the Divine Soul, not the Mind and Ego - ME, then at death there is no rebirth. We are liberated and united with the Divine.
9. Is it not true that my mother and father created my life?
Of course, they did! The act of copulation caused the two cells to fertilize. But the Soul within is the work of God. Many couples try very hard, but they do not give birth to a child. While we must respect our parents for causing our birth and taking care of us, we must realize that the life within us is Divine. It is the work of God.
10. What exactly is the Ego?
The feeling that 'I am me' and 'This is mine' in every individual is the Ego. It is the sense of identity that every human being has, and it remains with us till we die. It is the Ego that gets angry when its wish is not fulfilled.
11. How can I achieve Happiness?
You cannot achieve Happiness. You have to be happy. Happiness is a state of being, not a product, a person or place that will give you happiness. Things, people, and places may only give you momentary pleasure.
12. What is the best way to overcome life's problems?
Expect problems, and acknowledge them. Face them, fight them, finish them. Realize that a problem-free life is an illusion. Go one step further to realize that life itself is an illusion and all problems will disappear in the end. So learn not to worry about problems.
13. Why does God make me Suffer?
God doesn't make us suffer. God is not sitting in some control room taking care of the suffering of 8 billion people. God has created the universe and to control everything he has instituted universal laws. One such law is the Law of Karma. If our deeds are bad, then, to redeem our sins, we have to suffer. Whatever is happening in our life depends on our own actions that are returning to us. Let us not blame God for it.
14. How can I discover my intellect?
All human beings are blessed with an intellect. Animals and plants are not. The intellect is the one that has to control the mind as it wanders and makes us miserable. We have to activate the intellect, and this happens either through realization, the grace of the Divine or the guidance of a Guru or Spiritual Master.
15. What is the true meaning of Success in life?
People think success is achievement, money, wealth, name, and fame. But real success or achievement is to realize who we are and why we are here. The ultimate success of life is to realize that we are the Divine Soul, to be liberated and to be united with the Divine, as we escape from the cycle of death and rebirth.
16. What is the purpose of life?
The purpose of life is to realize that we are not this body and mind, to overcome our ignorance and to realize the truth about ourselves. The ultimate purpose is to move from self- realization to God-realization. Most people think that the purpose of life is to be happy. But this is not true. There is a bigger purpose and we must find that.
17. What is the Law of Karma?
The Law of Karma is a universal law that states as you sow so shall you reap. We human beings are born. But what decided our birth – when, where, to whom and in what circumstances we were born? It was our own past actions, our Karma. As per the Law of Karma, which means action, every action of ours is recorded and must be redeemed. One day, the body dies. But the one who was alive, the Mind and Ego, ME is reborn as per its Karma. Thus, some children are born blind, while others in the lap of luxury. This is not luck. It is the Universal Law of Karma, of Action and Reaction. It is the same law that ensures that apples don't grow on mango trees.
18. Which is the best religion in the world today?
All religions are good. They teach us about God and how to pray. Unfortunately, they are only kindergartens and they do not help us to graduate to spirituality, which is the university of God and theology. Religions make us believe in God, but they don't show us the true method to realize God. Thus, we believe in our religion and go round and round in circles, and our life is over! We don’t realize God.
19. How can I meet God?
God is not somebody that lives far away in heaven. God is the very power that is within us. Because we do not realize the truth about God, we keep on searching for God, when in reality, God is within us. Thus, the best way to God is to realize the Divine within, to realize God in the temple of our heart. Then, we can feel God's Divine presence all the time.
20. What is the way to go to heaven?
There are no flights, trains or buses to heaven. Neither can you walk to heaven, because heaven is not a place that we imagine it to be. We experience heaven or hell right here on earth itself. It depends on our actions, our Karma. Our Karma will decide whether we will experience the bliss of heaven or the torture of hell, as we are reborn here on earth.
21. Should we not do our duty, rather than renounce?
Of course, we must do our duty. But we must realize what our biggest duty is. It is to realize who we are and why we are here. To achieve this, we have to renounce the physical cravings of this material world and escape from the prison of duty, lust and shame. Therefore, we must do our worldly duties but not forget our spiritual duties and renunciation of desires is one of them. By not renouncing our cravings, we will remain as prisoners in this world.
22. Why should I give up this life and pray to God?
We cannot give up our life to pray to God. We have to commit our life to God. We have to choose God, and this is a wise decision for it will lead to peace and bliss. What we think is pleasure from the worldly life, is a recipe for disaster. We must learn to live prayerfully.
23. God hasn't done anything for me, then why should I love God?
Your very existence is due to the grace of God. Unfortunately, we don't count our blessings. God has given us eyes to see, ears to hear, nose to smell, tongue to taste, and a skin to touch and feel and love. Should we not be grateful? Every moment of life must be spent in expressing our gratitude.
24. There are so many Gods, who is the real God?
Because we have been taught that the God of our religion is the only God, we live with this belief that different religions have different Gods and there are many Gods. However, the truth is that there is only one God, one Power, one Creator. We may call this God by different names, but the Power is one.
25. What are some of the best tips to enjoy life?
The best tip to enjoy life is to understand who we are – we are not the body, not the mind or ego, but the Divine Soul. Then, it is to live in the moment – to be happy in the now, and not live in the yesterday that is gone, or tomorrow that is not yet born. It is knowing that God manifests in everybody and everything around us, seeing the Divine in all. There can be no better way than this - living with ecstasy, with Nirvana, with total peace, bliss and joy.
26. How do we stay enthusiastic in life knowing that everything is fake and superficia