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...

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...

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...

With a cushion in hand slipping below me As I squatted bent down to sit my eyes went for HIM HE was in nadi shodhan The other eye covered in the shadow of palm the one eyed SAINT looked deep into me HIS eyelids fluttered eyes rolling up the look pierced through me My movement stopped my glance was stuck HIS eyelids shut My eyes closed the rudra puja chantings had already begun Body lost Mind went down ages Outlines of emotions people and situations the sam veda chants took consciousness further away uncharted territories sometimes familiar om namah shivaye brought back the life to its present moment monday morning blues were set to begin Eyes went locking HIM with stare Every movement noticed Every gesture followed And then the eyelids seemed to move opened to give a glimpse the intense look sharpened something within just a fraction open with immense power HIS eyes went shut again Opened and closed a few times now only loo...