Computer Trg Center - Seva Project

After 2 months of work, it all finally shaped up the way we wanted. Endless phone calls and emails, visits to various prospective donors, amazing experiences of grace, a couple of delays - HE finally pulled it off.

A beautiful Guru Puja, satsang preceded the inauguration and prasad was distributed afterwards.

A 10-computer training centre at a children's home in Pune with a lot of help from individuals and the industry. The seva team will start training courses for the children very soon.

UPDATE : Write up by Sakaal Times.

Jai Guru Dev,

Guruji on Anna Hazare, corruption

Bawa and Dinesh's call to action .

Jai Guru Dev,

Art Of Living, IAHV for Japan

The slowly unfolding horror that is Japan today is there for everyone to see. I was waiting and praying for our response and finally found some information on the IAHV web site. While a team is being put together, the disaster fund raising has already begun. Please donate today (Choose Japan Earthquake Relief from the drop down).

UPDATE :  Guruji's message:  Text . Audio.

Jai Guru Dev,

Happy Diwali !

As has become our annual tradition, we celebrated Diwali this year with children from a remand home in Pune. They danced - we clapped , we sang - they danced - we had sweets together - everyone was in deep bliss and in gratitude to Guruji for this wonderful path, techniques and knowledge that can touch the soul of a king and an orphan equally.

Wish you all a blissful, knowledge filled, satsang filled, love filled, joyous Diwali 2010 !

Jai Guru Dev,

The Truth About Negative Blogs

If you've been running into "garbage blogs" that are defaming Guruji and the work of Art Of Living, and felt your blood boil - you are not alone. I just came across this great rebuttal by Swami Sadyojatah,  on the blogs of at least 2 senior Art Of Living faculty and thought I should highlight them as they provide an inside perspective on what could be motivating people to write rubbish about Guruji and the Art Of Living Foundation.

http://www.kashikar.net/2010/08/the-truth-about-the-negative-blogs-%E2%80%93-by-swami-sadhyojathah/

http://vinodmathur.blogspot.com/2010/08/truth-about-negative-blogs-by-swami.html

Jai Guru Dev,

HELP HAITI

Q: Guruji what do we tell people that have been through a calamity?

H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Tell them to give all their worries to me. Disasters and calamities also have a positive side to them. They bring people together.There is a new creation after every calamity. Nothing is permanent. In every crisis there is an opportunity. The Chinese word for crisis contains the word opportunity in it. Every crisis reminds you to smile, makes you aware of the impermanence of everything, even ourselves. So instead of sitting and blaming, lets see how we can move forward, rebuild and help others.

IAHV, the humanitarian sister organization of the Art of Living
Foundation, is already mobilizing relief efforts in Haiti.

Please donate generously at : IAHV- Haiti Disaster Relief Online Contributions

Jai Guru Dev

A Spellbinding Evening

It was an affair to remember, to cherish, to experience, to meditate, to dance, to be grateful. 2750 voices sung as one, swaying to the baton of Shri Shashi Vyas. Chitra Roy's mellifluous rendition of "Sarya Vyapini" as none another, Shankar Mahadevan in his element as he rendered "Bhola Shankara Bhola", powerful politicians behaving like meek rabbits in HIS amazing presence, a superbly enthusiastic Pune crowd.....ANTARNAAD!










Surely the gods and angels in heaven would have taken a break from their evening duties to watch the program on Sanskar channel :D . The evening reminded me of a similar event in the not-so-distant past - Feb 18th 2006, during the Art Of Living Silver Jubilee when thousands of south indian instrumentalists rocked Jakkur Airfield. Well Antarnaad was the first such event where vocalists were involved.

Imagine a satsang where 2750 trained voices chorused along with the lead singer. The conductor must have felt like GOD - one twitch of his hand and 2750 voices rose in crescendo. Words run out....

Jai Guru Dev,

Health & Happiness , Antarnaad

What a way to start the New Year 2010 !!!! Join us in Pune for 2 amazing events with Guruji

http://artoflivingpune.org/antarnaad/requestpass.asp

Learn practical tools from H. H. Sri Sri Ravishankar on how to achieve and maintain health and happiness in our modern day hectic world. Sri Sri will cover a wide array of topics like eliminating stress, challenges faced in day to day life, handling emotions, responding to life style changes, cultivating healthy habits and many more things.

http://artoflivingpune.org/antarnaad/antarnaadpass.asp

Watch Antarnaad Live !

Jai Guru Dev,

Why Should I Do This Course ?

If you have taken an Art Of Living Course or are a volunteer, then no doubt you've asked yourself this question from time to time. A course is announced, a senior teacher is visiting town, the volunteer team is formed and the phone calls begin .

A conversation from many years ago :

Caller : Hi Jai Guru Dev

Me : Jai Guru Dev

Caller : Hey did you know that ABC is coming to town to teach the XYZ course ?

Me : Yes

Caller : So you have to take it

Me : Why ?

Caller : Pause. Because it is the most wonderful course that has ever been offered by Art Of Living.

Me : Did you not say this the last time Course MNO was being offered ?

Caller : No No. You don't understand -this is the BEST course ever. You must take it. All strong volunteers must take this course.

Me (under pressure trying to figure out a way to end the call) : Yeah thanks for informing me, I'll check my schedule and call you back.

Caller : Yeah sure. Please sign up today ok ! JGD!

Me : Ok Thanks Byeeeeee JGD. (Thinking : Talk to you like NEVER again)

Whew !

Often times I have thought - Why so many courses, and Why do we have to take them all and Why is there so much pressure to take them ? Initially these thoughts irritated me to no end. But I have finally made my peace with them. There was a time when I could but refused to take courses. There was a time when I could and did. Now is a time when I yearn for an opportunity and am willing but cant. Interesting phases of life -huh ?

I thought I'd write a little FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) to myself. These are questions my little mind brought up from time to time and the answers gleaned from interactions with helpful teachers and volunteers, introspection and experience. Whether you agree or disagree - hopefully you'll find them interesting.

Q> Why do you call it a course ? Isn't this knowledge available freely or in books or on the internet ?
A> Some things can't be read up in a book. Like learning to play the guitar or playing football. You need a teacher. The modern commercial mind understands 2 things - time and money. Isn't it ? When someone asks you to do something - what are your 2 questions ? How long does it take ? How much will it cost ? RIGHT ? So there you go - thats a course.

Q> Why are there so many courses in AOL ? Part I, Part II, Sahaj, DSN, Blessing, TTC1.....?
A> In the ancient days a student would go to the ashram of a master and serve and learn at his/her feet for about 8 years gaining all the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the choppy waters of life before returning to his/her worldly duties. Today this is not possible for most of us in our commercial modern world. Also our modern day education has no provision to teach valuable life skills that truly equip us to navigate the pressures of life. Hence Guruji (Sri Sri Ravishankar) has created these little courses (packets of Grace I call them), that can be taken one at a time with a limited time/money commitment. Once you take one and practice it, you will see the profound effect it has on some dimension of your life. If you want to grow, take the next one, if not - well !

Q> Why does the course cost so much ? You say it is priceless - why charge so much ?
A> The course is priceless - not worthless. Do you see the difference ?

Q> Last time the same volunteer said that the previous course was the most wonderful. Now he says this course is the most wonderful. What should I believe ?
A> There are 3 degrees of praising in the English Language : Good, Better, Best. All AOL courses are the BEST in their own way. What can the poor volunteer do ? The English language falls short of ways to describe one's experience and infinity.

Q> I am doing great on all fronts - health, friends, job, studies, fun. Why are you asking me to do this course ?
A> Do you buy home insurance after it has burnt down ? Health insurance after you've been admitted to hospital ? Start saving money after becoming bankrupt ? Life can be like the Titanic - icebergs in the form of karma lurk around unexpected blind corners. When the ship of life does hit one, what would you like to be holding in your hands - a life jacket or a violin :) ?

Q> No but seriously WHY should I take this course ? And for WHOM ?
A> You have to figure that out. Sometimes I took a course because a friend was going. Sometimes because my favorite teacher asked me to. Sometime just to see who this International Traveling teacher that everyone was raving about was . Sometimes for Guruji. Sometimes I was choice-less. No matter what the reason, I NEVER regretted my decision. All the skills I gained are applicable at every moment in my life these days.

If you asked me today - I would say that I want to take all that my dear Guru has to offer to me in this lifetime of mine. Not to please a teacher / volunteer - but for myself. After all who benefits after a course - it is me !

This post had to be written. Like it or not :) There - the years old itch has been scratched !

Jai Guru Dev.

Seattle Vigil For Mumbai Victims

Several other Indian organizations partnered with Art Of Living and held a candle light vigil for the Mumbai victims at the Red Square on the University Of Washington (UW) campus in Seattle.

Words of wisdom from the local AOL teacher - David Longenecke.

http://dailyuw.com/2008/12/4/vigil-held-mumbai-victims/

Go AOL Seattle ! Go Huskies !

Jai Guru Dev,

Sri Sri Ravishankar in Mumbai

UPDATE : For those that missed the broadcast on Sanskar TV - here is a web link that some kindred soul put up. Watch it while it is still up there.

http://www.pitechniques.com/aol/traumacare/meditationlive.htm

Join us in our quest to create a peaceful, stress-free society.

What : Sri Sri will conduct a special prayer, pranayama and meditation session for all Mumbaikars

Where : Priyadarshini Park & Sports Complex, Nepean Sea Road

When : Dec. 6 at 6:30 pm.

Have Burning Questions ? Click here

The Art of Living Foundation is conducting trauma care and counseling sessions, following the recent terror attacks in Mumbai.

Helpline numbers: +91-9821620948, +91-9967477004, +91-9820612152

Jai Guru Dev,

Insurance

This post is somewhat on the lines of my earlier post Long Term Investing, but i've been reflecting a lot about what my association with the Art Of Living, daily practice of the Sudarshan Kriya and Guruji have meant to me over the last 7 1/2 odd years and was inspired to write this.

We all buy insurance for various things in life. Home insurance to protect ourselves if god-forbid a catastrophe like a fire should happen. Life insurance to make sure our loved ones have financial security if something were to happen to us. We insure our vehicles such as cars, bikes to ensure that an accident does not leave us with hefty bills.

All this to protect what ? Items that we hold dear to our happiness and peace of mind ? We pay a premium now so that we are protected in the event of an unforeseen event that we don't know about and in fact don't want to have happen to us at any time. Ironically there is an aspect of spirituality here too. We insure to protect something, while knowing at the same time that it won't last forever. Implicitly we acknowledge that nothing will be safe forever.

And life is quite unforeseen isn't it ? As I have experienced too. Life is full of surprises. People get sick - extremely sick at times. Accidents happen. Jobs are lost. I have personally had to use health and auto insurance.

But the greatest insurance to me through life's travails has been my spirituality. Through tough times, traumatic times, unforeseen challenges, physical and mental pain, disappointments - the only thing that had steadfastly stood by my side is my sadhana, satsang, knowledge and the grace of the Guru. The ability to keep my mind sane through tough challenges and keep the faith strong - even smile sometimes through problems - has been the most precious thing to me in the last few years.

I've been reading the papers and often read news of young, highly qualified professionals/ students committing suicide for various reasons - job stress, family problems, a failed love affair, loneliness - and it pains me. Not just because a promising life was cut short, but because he/she did not have the tools and techniques to handle the agony that the situation in life was presenting. Looking around me, i see that it is the need of the moment - a way to handle our stresses and challenges without giving up,or collapsing, or destroying our health - and facing life with equanimity and smilingly.

Now as I face the most challenging (so far) phase of my adult life, I am glad I bought insurance many years ago - the Art Of Living course. It serves me each day, each moment, when I need it - unfailingly. It helps me manage this complex beast called the MIND and calm it down - no matter what. It helps me dispose off the garbage accumulated during the day and be free.

This to me is the REAL Life Insurance. I am grateful for the grace of the Guru that brought me to this precious knowledge when I most needed it. And it is my duty now to reach out to others so they may have these most precious tools when they need it too.

Are you insured ?

Jai Guru Dev,

An Award :)

I am inspired to join Art of Living, reading this blog. This award is for you.

Kiran just gave me an award :)

Thanks Kiran, much appreciated : All I can say is that your statement above makes the 80 odd posts on this blog over the last year or so - worthwhile !

I'll just dedicate it to my Guru.


Jai Guru Dev,

Long Term Investing

What is good investing ? For a completely finance-challenged person like myself, it would be investing in those things - money, education, possessions, health, relationships that would keep me comfortable in the long term.

Everyone invests for a return. Otherwise there is no point investing.

Good fitness means good health at an older age and less vulnerability to health problems. Having money means that when the rainy day arrives, we are not running helter-skelter to meet our needs and those of our family. Positive relationships would mean having good company and friendships and hopefully help when one needs it. A good education means increasing the probability of getting a good well-paying job.

For how long do these investments keep me company ? No longer than I am in this body. And how long am I going to be able to keep this body ? 1 hour / 1 day / 10 years / 50 years. Do I really know ? There is a finite time limit on the ability of my investments to give me a return.

Ever thought of investing for the real future ?

Sadhana - Sa (forever) - dhana (wealth) : that wealth that stays forever.

The scriptures tell us that the mind is just energy. Physics tells us that energy is never destroyed - just transforms from one state to another. Whether one believes in rebirth or not - it is a living scientific reality around us. How else do you explain a 1 year old infant suffering from an incurable disease or a 90 year old person living a healthier life than someone half his/her age. How does one explain Adi Sankara who united India with his knowledge and attained enlightenment at the age of 21 ? Or a Sri Sri Ravishankar who chanted the Bhagavad Gita at the age of 4 ? Or........

Numerous examples exist in our daily life that tell us of the effect of the mind and the impressions it carries from lifetime to lifetime. Mind - Energy - never destroyed but taking on different bodies from time to time and manifesting those impressions in that body. A cleaner mind with fewer negative impressions = a better and happier life in this body.

So - you are not this body. Your mind never perishes. You - the spirit never die !

Wouldn't you rather carry a cleaner and purer mind with you ? Would you rather not carry the rubbish of this life time on to the next ? In the light of this do not all other investments (though important) seem short term ?

Diversify your portfolio. Invest really long term. Invest in you.

Do the Art Of Living course.

Jai Guru Dev ,

Stood Up and Spoke Out

Today after Long Kriya, about a 100 of us stood up and took an oath to support and implement the goals of the Millenium Development Goals program of the United Nations. What we heard was not new, but for a mind just cleansed and more aware with long kriya, some facts were very hard-hitting :

• 30 thousand children D I E every day of poverty .
• 3 thousand youth fall prey to HIV every day .
  

and many more I cannot readily recollect .

It was a solemn and sincere 10 minutes of standing with our hands raised as we took a pledge. S Bhaiyya administered the oath in his signature sincere yet enthusiastic manner.

Somewhere a sense of deep gratitude arose for everything I have in life and a sense of empathy towards those who don't.

We each pledged to plant a tree, put some money and food aside every day that would be put towards the cause of eradicating hunger and poverty.

We ended with an unusual but interesting slogan :)

I ACCEPT - WE ROCK - LIFE IS A CELEBRATION

Jai Guru Dev,

An Interesting Life

Swami Maheshgiri is known as one of the power-teachers of AOL . Dad took a course with him last year and was impressed with his enthusiasm and powerful style. I just came across this link about his life prior to and after meeting Guruji - nice reading .

http://www.maheshgiriji.net/maheshauto1.html

Jai Guru Dev,

That First Look

It was Guru Poornima 2001 at Lake Tahoe, CA , USA. A few of us who had recently completed Part I (then known as the Basic Course) were driving up to meet Sri Sri Ravishankar - the founder of the Art Of Living Foundation. My thoughts were varied as we drove up.

I was not yet a devotee. I had only just finished my course. I had no clue or direct experience of AOL as an organization. It was the July 4th long weekend and all my friends were out traveling / celebrating .

I vaguely remember my sharing at the end of the Basic Course -....ramblings....more ramblings....teacher says ' say 1 thing' ....I say: "This is going to be an important part of my life from now on" .

Well it was important enough for me to say "No" to my friends on a long weekend and join a bunch of singing, ecstatic folks driving 5 hours north up to Lake Tahoe to see someone, I knew nothing about .

When I look back I realize, this pull was irresistible, I had no other choice.

We were accompanied by people that were mostly strong devotees. Occasionally they would ride along for a small part of the journey and sing bhajans or talk knowledge or discuss Guru stories. All this was strange to me.

Finally we reached the beautiful South Lake Tahoe and drove along to the resort where Sri Sri was conducting an advanced course. We parked and started walking towards the venue when IT happened.

A frail looking man with flowing hair and a beard was walking towards a car parked in front of the venue. Accompanying him were about 10 swamis - evident from their shaven heads and saffron robes. Those were the days when Sri Sri was still relatively accessible in the US. He walked to the waiting cars and waited for the swamis to take their seats first . I still distinctly remember him saying "Banni....Koothkoli.....Koothkoli" (Kannada for 'Please come - be seated').

As he passed me, I waited and stood still not quite knowing what the appropriate response ought to be. I was not yet in love - just saw Him for the first time - respect I did have - not really sure . Thus spake my mind as He passed me and gave me - the look - and as I bowed - walked on .





"Banni ...Koothkoli.....Koothkoli"....the cars were filled up and He was gone . Little did I realize then that the LOOK would change my life forever.

My next opportunity to see him was at satsang that evening - my first satsang with HIM. The room was abuzz....Divya, John and other old-timers rocking the satsang, folks in the room seated with eyes closed, folks at the edge swaying in a trance....all strange yet strangely comfortable and acceptable. 'J' and I were asked to sit close to the stage which we did...and after a while we left. We had decided to only stay for that day (looking back I feel like a fool) .

As soon as we left the room, we looked at each other and said the same thing " I still don't think he is God or anything :)" . Looking back I always smile broadly.

Looks :

A devotee , NR , now in the Bay Area, tells me of his look. Guruji arrived for satsang in the Bangalore Ashram and passing him , gave him the look. Since that moment, NR did not smoke or drink or while his weekends getting drunk with friends. His life changed and he is an AOL teacher today .

Someone shared something beautiful about their "look" today - so beautiful and true : His look was more loving than a mother's, more concerned than a father's ,more intimate than a partner's and more caring than a friend's. I could not have said it any better.

Over the years there were many more such looks - each one a definitive milestone on the path of grace and growth . More about them in later posts.

Did you have a look that influenced/changed your life ? Please share it in the comments.

Jai Guru Dev,

Art of Living For Bihar

As anyone following the news in India these days would know, the state of Bihar in northern India has been devastated by floods. Hundreds of villages have been inundated and lakhs have been left marooned, homeless, hungry......

Art Of Living and its sister organization, IAHV are working actively in the affected areas to bring material and other relief to the victims .

Details/updates : http://help-biharfloodvictims.blogspot.com/

Sri Sri Ravishankar, the founder of Art Of Living has appealed to everyone to support this cause.




How can YOU contribute?

CREDIT CARD: Please go to our secure website http://www.iahv.org/donate.asp to make a donation. (Choose Disaster and Trauma Relief - Bihar Flood Relief)

CHECK/MONEY ORDER (in the USA only) : Please make them payable to IAHV and mail to: IAHV, 12121 Quadrille Lane, Bowie, MD 20720.

For in-kind contributions or volunteer in the affected areas, the local VVKI offices can be contacted to donate money and other supplies .

Pune Contact :

Pune Information Centre. 405, 'Citi-Centre' Bldg.,Opp. Ayurved
Rasashala, Karve Road.,Pune. (Tel.: 020-25411821, 020-64002463, 9423005328)

UPDATE : Guruji visited Bihar to personally meet the victims of the flood disaster and review Art Of Living's relief work . Here is a wonderful video of Him addressing some affected victims :



Jai Guru Dev,

Achaah Akinchan Aprayanthna

The Daily Sutra arrives everyday. Occasionally the mail brings in a beautiful knowledge sheet. Sometimes though the sutra / knowledge sheet are like a bolt of lightning. So clear, precise, addressing just the problem I thought I was having and could not overcome.

I restarted my regular practice of Sahaj Samadhi meditation a few weeks ago as life began to normalize a bit. Somehow though the meditations were quite disturbed...thoughts, more thoughts, resolutions ,plans, projects, title of my next blog...all kinds of stuff that didn't quite help the meditative process.

'T' forwarded this beautiful knowledge given by Guruji at the recently concluded TRM (Teacher's Refresher Meet) at the Art of Living Bangalore Ashram.

Guruji gave the secret to go into meditation/samadhi. He said just remember three things before you go into meditation.

1. Achaah
2. Akinchan
3. Aprayanthna

Only when your mind is established in these three you can effortlessly go into samadhi.

Achaah - Being desire less! I want nothing; no desires for anything worldly or spiritual else the mind is either caught up in the outside world (people-relationships, bills, payments, laundry etc.), thinking about it or looking for some spiritual experience (light, fragrance, out of body experience etc.) in meditation. This is the biggest impediment to get into your being.

Desirelessness is bliss!

Akinchan - I am nothing! Dropping the 'I' for sometime, else the mind gets irritated even on the smallest of disturbance, noise. Even a door bell, barking dog or sound of utensils in the kitchen can drive you away from the center. And the mind goes 'I am meditating and people are making so much noise! I need to teach them a lesson!'

Dropping the 'I', I am nothing!

Aprayanthna - No effort! Meditation is effortless; you don't need to put any effort. Like you go to have a massage, you just lie down and the masseur gives you the massage, you don't have to do anything! Do you?

Let the divine work for you !

- Sri Sri Ravishankar


Needless to say - the kriya and meditations have been much better since. I just hope that this knowledge stays in my awareness each time I sit down for kriya or meditation.

Jai Guru Dev,

Cross Country

August 15th was India Independance Day. Belated Happy 61 India !

To commemorate the glorious occasion, Art Of Living, Pune organized a tree plantation at 10 locations - part of Mission Green Earth. I happened to attend one at Baner Hills at Baner, Pune.

Getting there was tapas - no less ! Once I entered village off the main road i went off completely and overshot the entrance to where the plantation site was supposed to be. I called the coordinator who told me to head back to the village and climb a *few* steps to a temple and cross over to the plantation location.




I started climbing the steps to the temple. Nice trek I thought - haven't been exercising a lot lately ! The steps kept going and going as if testing my resolve. I reached the roof top and looked around.



No Trees Being Planted - No People - No Nothing !

Panting, I went to the roof and looked far out - about a mile away on another hill were a group of people. W H A T ! - the mind went. I just climbed thrice as many more steps than I sometimes have to when the lights fail and the elevator in my apartment gets stuck .

I called the coordinator and he confirmed my suspicion. Waving to me from a distance he told me to get over T H E R E IF you can. The mind went - I am already late - whats the point - lets go back.

But something else said - you've already come so far - keep going .

Long story short - I got there - and helped plant just 1 sapling - as if it was waiting for my arrival. The coordinator, G, had a nice comment as I arrived, panting, gasping for breath - "Kriya Ho Gaya Aate Aate" ? (Did you finish Kriya trecking over here ?) :)

Sure Did G !







Though I didn't do much to save the planet on this day, I did learn an important lesson. It reminded me of what the teacher said last week at Long Kriya.

Dus Nikalte Hain - Ek Pahunchta Hai ! (Ten start this journey - One Arrives) .

This path too is full of steep precipices, long treks, moments of hesitation and despair - but its important to keep going.


As Longfellow wrote in "A Psalm of Life"

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

Is our destined end or way;

But to act, that each to-morrow

Find us farther than to-day.

........

Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.

जय हिंद ! Jai Guru Dev !