Moments so Far ...

The English birthday was on 5th oct. The tithi (hindu lunar calender) birthday was to be on 7th oct (Durga navami). Today was Durga Astmi, the 6th oct. The shata chandi homa had just concluded in art of living international ashram in Bangalore in continuation for celebration of 9 days of navratri (honoring and invoking mother divine in her various forms). pandal He was hungry. He left the pandal and the broken plastic chair behind. When he entered the packed pandal he only desired to find a chair to sit. Within few steps he saw a lady moving a chair from where it was to another location. The chair was empty. He just looked around and their were no claimant to it. It’s right support was broken. He did not care as he could now sit cross legged. The Vedic chants from Devi mahatmyam transcended him to another world. yagnashala He walked past the yagnashala, went past the cows, only to be blocked by the secure barricades to facilitate smooth exit of HH Sri Sri Ravishankar (Gurud...

If you are fortunate enough to be an Art Of Living teacher then the refresher's meet is exclusively for you. It is a time to revive, rejuvenate and revitalize yourself to refocus. Many a times in life the world takes over, maya overpowers. Those times you need a greater force, a greater power to shake you, wake you and reawaken you. That strength and conviction lies with senior art of living who have been with GuruDev for so many years, for whom Gurudev himself have laid the path, have himself done the course correction. In their narrative you find hope, you get empowered and you become more free. In their presence you get light. The master does give personal time, cancels appointments with dignitaries to be able to spend more time with teachers. In these 3 days of TRM he creates time for his teachers. Everything is well taken care of from accommodation, to exclusive and exquisite food. If you have not become Art Of Living Teacher yet then TRM is a strong enough reas...

If you were a child going to a fair with your father and in the hustle bustle of crowd you lose contact with your father. You were holding your father’s hand and somebody came in between and then a stream of people rushed in and you were thrown in different direction. What will happen to you? You will search for your father.  Then the colors of fair might attract you and you will be lost in them for a while.  You will suddenly remember your father and run around to find him. Then the sounds of fair might attract you and you will be lost in them for a while.  You will suddenly remember your father and run around to find him. Then the lights of fair might attract you and you will be lost in them for a while.  You will suddenly remember your father and run around to find him. Then the circus in fair might engage you. You may come into the act of the circus and then go elsewhere and then come again. In between you may remember your fat...

If you are angry then its due to lie. If you are angry then its on unreal. If you are stuck then its due to lie. In comparison you get stuck. In competition you get stuck.  In wanting more you are stuck. When you are stuck and not able to unstuck then you are angry.  If you are angry then its due to a lie.  If you are angry at something or someone then its unreal.  Your stomach pit is wrenching tight, you get mad at yourself “all these years of sadhana and spiritual practices seems to have failed.”. Then your tightness is a lie, your sadhana is a lie, your spiritual practice is a lie. Why waste rest of your life trying to fight a lie? What will you get if you win over a lie? What is the point of spending so much energy against a lie?  What will you prove in the end? That it was a lie. All along you have known its a lie and still you are spending time proving its a lie.  This world is full of lies. What is the po...

What is the root cause of anger? If someone lies then we get angry with them. If something was promised and not delivered we get angry. If we wanted something and it did not get fulfilled then we get angry. But if everything is lie then where is competition, comparison, complex (inferior/superior) ? Can you pause for a while and reflect on the lies for a while? What do you get? Some freedom, sense of relief. This knowledge can lead to being careful or careless, responsible or irresponsible. I am dhaval, yet I am not I am married, yet I am not I am father, yet I am not I am son, yet I am not This world has some aspects which are real and some which are lies. Yet this world is lies, and everyone here is bundle of lies. This mind is full of lies, so many times the thoughts have betrayed us, yet we keep relying on it. Love is the biggest lie. Daily spiritual practices are lie. Every thought born in mind is lie. Every word spoken is a lie. Even Gurudev...

Sudarshan kriya is your friend. It is there with you from your first breath to the last. And in every step that you take in life. The rhythm keep changing but they always come back to original. Kriya gives you the experience that you most care of. Kriya takes away and washes off the experience that you least care of but which still has been coming back. It clears you of your pain. Step by step. Everyday. It takes you closer to your original being. It gives you glimpses of your true self. Just like a true friend, in good as well as in bad time kriya is there by the side. Every morning it prepares you for the day. Each day it helps to recover your life, your naturalness. It has been your friend since time immemorial, and will continue to do so beyond your memory. It is not just a breathing technique. The technique is only disguise. The truth of kriya is incomprehendible, beyond reason, beyond faith. I dont know 99% of time why kriya works. Even in remaining 1% I am n...

The visvaroopa विस्वरूप दर्शन of divine happens when devotee is deeply connected. Has total trust and believes in the ways of unknown, unseen. There are two kinds of people in the world. One who are feeling helpless and hopeless that no matter what they do the earth is going to collapse. Others who say that God is doing everything so what can we do and laze off, careless . Both the extremities are not healthy.  Krishna says - I have taken care of this universe from time immemorial (सनातन काल से) and will continue to do so. There is a natural law which runs the entire show and it will continue to do so. You just have to believe in that and continue doing your part with hope and help . That power is ever present to help you in every step of your life. Recognise it.  That grace is required to carry us through. Effort can only help us swim in calm waters but if there is rough sea then a helping hand is required. No matter how much effort you put as ...

It was a chance meeting with Dr. Divya (fondly called as chechi).  She stays in art of living ashram @ bangalore but was on a friendly visit to Ragini's house post our volunteer's meet. Bala insisted to take a quick shower and come into volunteers meet post Guru Puja. What unfolded was unexpected, pleasant and shocking? A path resetting exercise if you wish.  We had rare opportunity to hear Chechi/Ragini/Pawan in unison in Guru Puja followed by heart rendering bhajan from Ragini. Dr Divya ji spoke at length and here are some drops of knowledge for you too. Its not verbatim and some interpolation and extrapolations are there too. -- The reason we are born again and again is because we have this belief/thought or संकल्प  that " its not ok ". Whatever is not ok happens in next lifetime. It could be stuff like how can they get divorce? how can he be killed in car accident? how come material things don't attract me? how come I am not a successful busi...

You have eyes, ears to engage in the world, to benefit the world. If you are only lost in meditation with closed eyes then what is the use of these eyes. They are given to do some karma , तुम्हे कर्त्तव्य करने के लिए आँखें , कान और शरीर दिया जाता है, जिससे तुम कर्त्तव्य करो और कर्म करते करते जब राग द्वेष उठें तो उनको इस्वर मैं समर्पण कर दो।  when you engage in the worldly affairs it is natural for you to get attracted to certain aspects of the work and hate or dislike certain aspects of the work. When these attractions or aversions come then is the time for you to surrender them to me and move on with your work. This is spirituality. यही अध्यात्म हैं।  व्यवहार मैं अध्यात्म आ जाये तो जीवन पूर्ण होने लगता है. इस्वर को अपना मान लेते हो , उससे संबंद जोड़ लेते हो तो इस्वर भी बुद्धि देने लगता है. कभी कभी रति/भक्ति और ज्ञान एक साथ आते हैं और अधिकतर पहले भक्ति प्रेम आता है और फिर ज्ञान आता है, बुद्धि  आती है. जब बच्चा जन्म लेता है तब  जानता की माँ क्या है लेकिन फिर भी वह...

You know there are 5 ways to depress the mind. The same 5 ways are to uplift the energy levels of the the mind. Time - the mind simply goes down for no reason. There is not much you can do here except pray for the times to change. Food - The right amount and type of food at the right time can keep you energised. The excess intake of food may depress you. The more depressed you are you may take more wrong food at wrong time and the vicious cycle continues. State of body - Some disease or illness can also bring down the energy of the mind. Here everyday pranayama and sudarshan kriya and other yoga practises keep body out of sickness and inactivity and inertia.  Singing-dancing -  otherwise known as satsang wherein you chant, sing and glorify divinity in its various manifestations, you increase your energy. This also helps release emotional blockages. Seva - Doing something for others. Not being lost in your own world 24/7. When you come out of your own world and exchange...

Yesterday in evening satsang, someone asked Gurudev a very valid question? Will there be a time when all humans will be happy or will they always be in pursuit of happiness? Gurudev replied  It is like asking will all flowers bloom at same time? No, Every flower has a season, every flower withers. It is like asking will there be sunshine always? No, somedays are cloudy, all days end in night.  But happiness has touched every heart at some time or other. Is it not? Tell me one person has not been touched by happiness at any point in their life. When happiness comes by itself it is the fruit of your karma. Your past deeds and actions suddenly make you feel happy someday. Your karma also makes you miserable and ruthless on other days. You remain in grip of karma as long as you are in ignorance.  Post ignorance is the phase of acquiring knowledge, assimilating and creating a understanding of who we are and why does it have to be this way? Once the viveka (discret...

What is art of living? What does it mean to you? Art of living has taken a holistic approach to resolve human mind and life. It has sudarshan kriya, a breathing technique to give you most powerful of experiences in the shortest available time. If you do vipassana or any other technique then you may feel a sensation on 8th or 9th day of the course. In sudarshan kriya you get the same sensation in 10 mins or maybe half an hour. When you do the art of meditation or the advance/part 2 programme, you go deepen into the depths of the spirit and discover soft skills that were non-existent before, beside the supernatural experiences. If you just like to sing and dance then AOL (art of living) has satsang every evening at art of living international ashram on kanakapura road in Bangalore from 6:30 PM. On most days people have questions and on all days people get answers. If you believe in a social cause like environment or rights of girl child then AOL has collaborated with UN bodies...

Most traditions are time tested and are part of custom because of the knowledge that they are based on. Then some more were added by ignorant beings over the past few centuries. Now its difficult to find the scientific basis of all because science is also limited knowledge. But here are the few which have been explained and understood. Doctors with MBBS degrees said turmeric was pigment, a colouring agent in food and not required. Turmeric has been used in India for over thousands of years in food, bath, religious rituals etc., Only in the last decade scientists found that it was the greatest anti-oxidant, something that can even fight cancer. In India, people with janeyu (the thread across body) circled it around their earlobe before answering nature's call. Now, it was not to lift it up or to prevent it from entangling it with something. Scientists did the research and found that when back of the earlobe is pressed then it eases bowel movement. I tried it this morning and it...

Nature gives you a burden which you can handle. The challenges are there to push the envelope, to help you cross the bridge. Nature first makes the tail and then puts it on animal. It does not put the elephant's tail on rat. Otherwise, the poor rat cannot even lift it.  Similarly, when you have problems in life know that it is to refine you. For example, diamond is cut to bring out the shine, gold is beaten to bring out the shape needed for beautiful ornaments, sandalwood is rubbed against stone for the fragrance to appear.  In the spiritual path you too will be pushed to the limits and beyond to refine you. For example, if you have acquired and strong, overpowering and manipulative character over lifetimes then how does nature bring back humility and humbleness in you. Say, it gives stammer to few people so that they suddenly feel weak and powerless, not able to speak even the common words and shaken to death. It humiliates them to prevent them from humiliating o...

Why do you need to impress friends? They are anyway your friends so why spend energy impressing them. If you try to impress them they would likely to get jealous. In jealousy they would do you harm , more than good. Why do you need to impress strangers? They don't matter to you. So in either case you are at loss. So WHY IMPRESS? It is important to be in knowledge. Do soul searching once in a while. Do not bother to question self too much and everyday. Once in a while if you ask " who am i? " its okay, not everyday. Everyday has to be balance between the spiritual kindling and worldly actions. Everyday you need to meditate and read/listen some knowledge. Some ashtavakra geeta or patanjalai yoga sutra or some yoga vashista. Some knowledge. You know, post death only knowledge goes with you, everything else is burnt and lost here. Just like a child who goes to sleep but on waking up remembers the poem she learnt last night. You too go into a long sleep when you d...

Once Gurudev ( +Sri Sri Ravi Shankar   ) met an ancient rishi (saint) who used to simply praise. ANyone and everyone who went to him would only get praise. Gurudev asked him, why dont you give holistic feedback, also talk about their shortcomings and help them improve? You know what the saint said. The pain in his life will tell him about his mistakes.   Similarly, Gurudev also gives long rope to people around him who cheat, lie or are simply lethargic. After a while they come back and fall on his feet and beg pardon, which he has anyways already given. You know the biggest characteristic that stops your growth is LETHARGY. You laziness. If you overcome that than dynamism comes in your worldly outer life. You need dynamism (DSN) as well as deep and peaceful inner silence (part 2 / advance course) happening through your day. If you keep complaining about rising prices, inflation and do nothing about it then you are dud. If you take action as simple as growing ...

Why is there so much trouble and pain in and around us? It's simply to keep the compassion alive. Otherwise compassion will be a thing of past. How about a movie where the actor gets up, gets ready, goes to work, does work, comes back, eats and then sleeps. And this continues for many days. Would you like such movie? Chances are that you will not like it. How about a villain in movie or a tough situation? Then the movie has action and excitement. God also loves fun. In that sense, he is just like you. He gives just enough trouble so that you experience the opposites. Even in a natural calamity when people perish they go and merge with him, they they come back again based on their karmas. In marriage too we are engrossed with what the partner does and behaves? We go to extreme and bend over hell to change and transform them. But what happens? Either they change or they remain same . Its not important what happens to them. Its what happens to you that is more important. G...

भाव से भव  होता है। भारत मैं सदियों से गाय को माता का स्थान दिया गया। इसलिए आज भी गाय के दूध को माँ के दूध की जगह इस्तेमाल करते हैं। इसलिए देसी गायों मैं जो प्रोटीन/ protein पाया जाता है उससे हमारे स्वास्थ्य को लाभ होता है। जबकि विदेशी गायें जैसे जर्सी गायें मैं जो प्रोटीन पाया जाता हे उससे तरेह तरेह की बीमारियाँ होती हैं। लेकिन बेवकूफ इंसान को यह दीखता नहीं और वो धंधे के चक्कर मैं ज्यादा दूध वाली गाय के पीछे दीवाना है। देसी गाय के मूत्र से भी कई प्रकार के कैंसर को भी दूर किया जा सकता है। Faith brings forth life. The indian faith in the cows have created a breed that has superior quality of milk. The milk is considered equivalent to mother's milk. The type of protein in desi cows is beneficial to human growth and health. The cows from foreign lands like jersey cows contain a protein that is harmful to human consumption and is responsible for many a disease. There are three types of faith that we need. faith in the self faith in society faith in the unknown/God ...

Today saw the video in which Dr. Eben Alexander described his near death experience. Gurudev has been citing his example in last few satsangs as to how an ardent christian went into coma and found that heaven is pure bliss, a light and sound show. Tremendous light and continuous resonance of sound of OM. In the video poor Oprah is dramatically asking and interrupting with nonsensical questions like How does God look like? What is his face like? Is it it or he or she or no gender? Bhagvad Geeta says only fools limit the God into human face or appearance. She further probes the sound of OM as coming out of OMniscient, OMnipotent etc., Nice try but silly question. OM has no beginning and no end. Our true name is OM. We are born out of OM and we merge into OM. In between we are given a name in this human form which we wrongly attach to and consider as our identity. Buddhist have called OM as अनाहत। The sound that is made by single hand clap.  आहत  is the sound of clap mad...

Idol is representative of what is attractive to us. We have made Radha-Krishna to be so beautiful, cast in marble, with silken dress, jewellery, with lots of flowers and fruits and food in and around them.  It is simply to arrest the busy mind. To stop it. So that it can close it eyes after witnessing the glamour and see inside. The real beauty within. The godliness within. The beautiful self.  मूर्ति प्रतीक होती है एक विस्वास की। इसलिए उसे प्रतिमा भी बोलतीं हैं। सब धर्मों मैं कुछ न कुछ प्रतीक है। यह सिर्फ हिन्दू धर्म मैं ही नहीं है।  पहले मंदिर भी ऐसे बनाते थे की उनमें सरे आकर्षण बहार होते थे। पहले परिक्रमा लेने से बहार के आकर्षण से थक कर जब तक मंदिर के गर्भ मैं आते थे तब उधर कम अँधेरे मैं कर्पूर के प्रकाश मैं परमात्मा की मूर्ति के दर्शन होते थे। यह प्रतीक है की तुम भी अपने अन्दर के ईस्वर को प्रकाशित करो। उसके पश्चात बहार आकर बैठने की प्रथा थी। बैठ कर ध्यान करते थे आँख बंद करके। तब जेक अन्दर के जो दैवी गुण हैं वो उजागर होते थे।  अब तो फटाफट का काम है...