Moments so Far ...

The Art of Living presents Breath and Meditation Workshop (The Happiness Program) A 4 day online program that teaches you a powerful rhythmic breathing technique called Sudarshan Kriya, Pranayamas, Yoga, Meditation, and Practical Wisdom for Everyday Living. Course Dates Dates: May 7th to May 10th, 2020 (Thursday- Sunday) Morning Batch 6:30am - 8:30am Registration link https://www.artofliving.online/registration.php?event_id=464337 Mid Morning Batch 10am - 12pm Registration link https://www.artofliving.online/registration.php?event_id=464343 Evening batch 6:30pm - 8:30pm Registration link https://www.artofliving.online/registration.php?event_id=460676 For offline queries and registrations: 9900267098, 9886020052     9008519977 and 9591088600 Why you should learn sudarshan kriya   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A27L9oknmic To know more - https://www...

I on the path, still walking through the paper creating bamboos… The path you take is where you will go. What you see is what you get? If you see vibration you will relate to it. If you see the packaging around vibration you will be lost to it. You’re eyes are on the decoration. The package. You are missing the decorator. The vibration. Every human is a vibration and acquires the wrapping papers to package themselves around it. Thus defining and redefining their identity. This happens over many lifetimes. This is not a single doing. The distractor is more busy. Or it seems so. How the vibration creates wrapping papers is mystery? I don’t know, not sure of you though. But fact is that you are a bundle of papers packed like a Russian doll. Now you get curious. More interested in the paper theory. Questions comes to you. How do I unwrap paper? Why should I unwrap? If you have come this far in reading then there is something in you whi...

Can you ask the mind? Do you mind if I take a dig at you? When you want somebody’s attention you will do all gymnastics to draw their attention. You will jump, crack joke, act funny, push yourself through to be noticed for a while. When you look inside. Do you find somebody sending thoughts to allure you, grab your attention, a bait to hook you? If you are attracted to the thought then the thought stays and links up another and then another and … a thought leading onto another — courtesy Indrayani the elephant at Art of Living international ashram If you let the thought go then it goes away just like the cloud. Have you wondered to explore who is that that sends the thoughts. First randomly and then sequentially, logically… Or thoughts just come for you and there is no force behind it. What’s your take? No matter if there is a single thought or flood of them, why do humans aspire to be free of thoughts? Is our real nature t...

Mind flows like the river. It has not seen the ocean but still carries own in search of the ultimate bliss that it has glimpsed but not yet become.  The water finds the lowest point. The mind becomes humble. Humility blossoms. The water overcomes the rock solid obstacles. The mind develops patience and perseverance. A never give up attitude. The water irrigates the fields and leaves fertile soil. The mind shares stories of hardship, toil and makes inside and everyone around light. The water jumps and cuts through hilly terrain. The mind exhibits its youthful exuberance.  The water keeps flowing. The mind keeps exploring the new. The clouds come and meet the mountains. The rivers of life are born. The seeds of mind are fresh from pure rich showers of rain.  The river is born. Streams innocently flow and bubble down the hills. Gathering experience and water to form rivers. They become lazy and lame in fields, dwindling wherever the slopes takes ...

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...

The last question of the session was Who decides when I get enlightened? < Nakul's Answer came spontaneously as > You. Its YOU.  Ok, its time to wrap up. Next session is on sunday 31st July at 9PM. Jai Gurudev. Baffled. Confused. Broken. I was lost. All my definitions were flying in the sky, scattered clouds. Mind was unsettled. How can it be? How can I decide when I want to be enlighten? Is it so straightforward? Is it so easy? What about karmas? What about grace? Mind was flooded with queries. . . . The best type of answers don't have questions. The deepest questions have no answers. . . Who is this YOU that Nakul was referring to? Was it me in my current disposition? Will it be me in some future evolved disposition? Where will I be and what will I be in order to be THE YOU that Nakul was referring to? . . story time . . Gadhi was a pious brahmana who once lived in Kosala. He went to the forest and meditated for 8 months. When...

The subtle combo of mind+intellect+memory+ego runs in self-feeding cycle. Ego brings forth the I-ness. Ego nudges the memory to bring into focus an incident/situation in which it triumphs or suffers. Memory nudges the intellect to argue on the situation. Intellect creates the argument and prepares the mind to have the argument. The mind comes into existence with the thoughts germinated in the intellect. The thoughts hail or destruct the ego. And the journey of life begins. You are born. Why are you born? A little story. Once Vishnu was in BrahmaLok and everyone came forth to welcome him except Sanath Kumar. When you get "don't care" in dispassion then its arrogance. Vishnu sensed this and cursed SanathKumar to spent one lifetime on Earth as punishment, as a journey to dissipate this arrogance/egoness. At that moment SanathKumar also cursed Vishnu to spent a lifetime on Earth while he was there and so Shree Ram was born. So tell me why were you born? hmm.. Even...

The purpose of life is to be liberated. Your life is designed for liberation. The life is a progression towards liberation. Q> What is liberation from? A> It is from your ego. Q> Who is the guardian of ego? A> The mind. Q> Can you compare this progression of life to something? A> Its like the river cleaning the impurity thrown into it and making it spotless, clean. It is the nature of the river to clean. After some travel the impurity becomes pure, loses its identity, loses its ego. You just merge. Q> Need another example, not so clear? A> Imagine a fire in the forest. Wood burning and smoke rising. The smoke can rise only to certain height, the smoke will travel certain distance. After some rise, some travel, it disappears into the space. It simply merges, loses its identity. Our life is also like that. Its an opportunity for us to paint on an empty canvas. It's upto you to make this progression enjoyable or full of hassles. We may drag l...

It has been a difficult emotion, expressed indifferently and at unexpected moments in life. It has affected my parents, me, my spouse, my children, my colleagues and somebodies whom I have directly or indirectly interacted in past. But it was a call to the SBI call center which brought the anger expression into perspective. I had ignored my SBI current account for few months. I was out of freelancing since a while and there was not much action happening there. But I happen to see the yearly statement by chance while making a bill payment. I noticed that on 2 occasions the bank had fines me for around INR 650. Instantly sent them email. Not satisfied called them up. A lady agent received the call and explained that “rules say” If you do not maintain a minimum balance of INR 10000 per quarter you will be charged around INR 650 per quarter. I explained that I was not aware of the rule. She said, she cannot even take a complaint as it was crystal clear rule wh...

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...

Mind loves games and deception. It gets trained to like sadness and becomes master in duping you to believe that sadistic is its nature. As you attempt to deviate from the set pattern it hits back with more vengeance. मन दुःख की आदत डाल लेता है।  आपको ऐसा लगने लगता है की यही आपका स्वाभाव है।  और जब आप इससे दूर होने की कोशिश करते हो तो मन अपने बल से इसे दबोच लेता है। जब आप छोटे थे तो अपने स्वभाव मैं थे।  खुश थे।  खुशद थे।  लेकिन फिर बीमार पड़े, कस्ट हुआ , लोग आये , वह भी आये जिसने कभी ध्यान नहीं दिया और आपके मन ने धारणा  बैठा ली "अगर मैं दुखी रहता हूँ तो सब मुझे पूछते हैं ". ओर फिर शुरू होती है ज़िन्दगी भर की लड़ाई।  अहंकार और दुखी मन की मिली भगत मैं आप कभी डूबते हो तो कभी उठते हो।   यह पाप सिर्फ मेल की एक परत है।  इसको ज्ञान की गंगा मैं डुबकी लगा कर धो डालो।  फिर आप आपने असली स्वभाव मैं डुबकी लगाओगे। जिसमें सिर्फ आनंद है शांति है बेहतर यही होगा की आप जल्द से जल्द जीवन जीने की कला सीख लें और इस जीवन मैं मस्त हो जायें। When you...

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...

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...

Karma is impression to act. It is an act. An act is something which is not natural. It is a put on. It is not your nature. You know actors act. It is the same act. Most acts driven by law of karma are inevitable. They need to be performed. They need to be experienced. It is like a dish which needs to be consumed when you are hungry, you have no choice. During the performance you can choose to participate or complaint. When you participate in action the karma dies a natural death. When you analyze,complain and make a noise about it then it keeps on adding to the chain of karmas. As long as you have karma in your account you will come to this world. This world is imperfect and it will remain so. Your urge to correct and make things alright is a sheer waste of time for your evolution. The more you want to correct the more you will fall in trap of karmas. There is no such thing as perfect world. There is only perfect spirit, a perfect self. You have sever layers of existence as per...

प्रेम छुपा नहीं सकते हो वो आंखों से झलक जाता है कदमों मैं दिख जाता है वाणी मैं पुकारता है होठों पे मुस्कराहट बनता  है हर पल तड़पता है खुद को व्यक्त करने को असंभव को संभव करने मैं सदियों से इंसान प्रेम की अभिव्यक्ति मैं कितने जीवन बिता चूका है लेकिन जो अस्तित्व है उसको अभिव्यक्त नहीं कर पाया है खासकर महिलायें जो जियों जान से अपने परिवार की सेवा करती हैं फिर परेशान रहतीं हैं कि कोई उन्हें प्यार नहीं करता न बेटा , न बेटी , न पति , न बहु इस दर्द मैं जीवन गुजार देतीं हैं उस प्यार की अभिव्यति ढूँढती हैं जो संसार मैं इंसान से आधी अधूरी ही हो पाती है ऐसा ही कुछ सत्य का हाल है जो सच है वोह चुप नहीं सकता और उसे जानता है वोह उसका सम्पूर्ण अभिव्यक्त नहीं कर सकता इसलिए कुछ मान के चलो कुछ जान के चलो सबको गले लगाते चलो Truth cannot be hidden neither can it be expressed Same with love It just shows in the glistening eyes of beholder from the spring in his walk in the sweetness of his talk in his ever broadening smiles for no reason there is g...

Sunday evening Wavering mind Monday morning rudra puja in ashram to go or not to go good soul kundan mahesh and saraswati messaged and confirmed agnihotra homa offering happens at sunrise 6:40 was todays time I was pushing my luck the good souls waited rice met fire chanted in glory of mighty sun, Lord Prajapati As Gurudev walked  up a little cloud covered the stare of rising sun forming a natural umbrella he was floating up the stairs i was brimming with joy smiles beyond ear to ear no reason but still as the rudram begun the universal tour was on i traveled from little bickering to  universal souls eyes resisted opening but had to catch a glimpse of the master on the throne the arti was offered all hands went up and front and returned to the forehead blessing the self a sudden burst of energy flowed down from top in a natural rhythm the heart throbbed tears simply flowed magic happens on monday morning at...

become hollow become empty as you lose body you gain space body is limited space is unlimited body binds space unwinds expanding endlessly dropping the hold feeling the release letting go allows energy to manifest enormous, infinite powerful witness the divine merge and dissolve when she comes you just go losing little identities taming energies is my master's pastime when generous at right time we too get a glimpse into his might beyond energies he just smiles

Too much into that world can make you a blue star Too much into this world can make you pole star which one you prefer aim for the pole or go blue A little bit of that world can energize, cleanse coming back into this world can ground, humble not always there neither ever here somewhere in between is the golden star the golden glow the beautiful soul that is ever new ancient too in between the two world is the world of you yours truly your-self