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Held to foster India's ancient heritage of classical music, a concert organised by the Art of Living (AoL) Foundation saw veena exponents from Bangalore and eight other cities across Karnataka play away at the Bangalore Palace grounds Wednesday evening.
The concert had veena exponents and their disciples plucking the stringed instrument to churn out some mesmerising music.
“In happy times your love for music is spontaneous. In tough times music can soothe, heal and destress you. So, make music an integral part of your life. Veena is the most ancient instrument known to mankind. Its resonance is unparalleled, captivating and takes you to another dimension,” AoL founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said on the occasion.
Exquisite compositions based on ancient ragas like raga hamsadwani, dhanashree, brindavani, kaapi, hindola, mayamalawagoula, revati and mohana were rendered, enthralling the audience.
“The inspiration behind this concert was the AoL’s 'brahm naad' event in 2008 in New Delhi that brought 1,094 sitarists on one platform for the first time. It made me realise that we need to create platforms to uplift practitioners of ancient arts and enhance the exposure of Indian classical music,” said Suparna Ravishankar, secretary at the Ranjini Kalakendra (Centre for Performing Arts).
Organisers AoL and Ranjani Kalakendra hope the unique concert would gain entry into "The Guinness Book of World Records".
“We always recognised music as a profound means of experiencing harmony with oneself and organised many events of music and dance,” Ravishankar said.
Source: Deccan Herald
More Wisdom Quotes from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar - Click Here
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Palestinians and Israelis will participate together for the first time in a programme by Art of Living (AOL) NGO called Break Your Walls, a week-long culture and meditation workshop from 10 to 16 April.
According to the NGO, approximately 25 Israeli and Palestinian youth (aged between 18 and 35) will participate. The Israeli delegation consists of both Jews and Arabs.
"Joining them will be a group of Europeans. All participants vary in traditions, cultures and religions," a statement by the European NGO reads.
At Break Your Walls, participants will explore interactive group processes, relaxation exercises and a number of cultural activities to bridge all differences. They will learn new ways to cope with stress, conflict, negative emotions and how to deal with pressure.
Initially the Wall Project was created in 2004 for Jews living on Israel's border with Gaza which was undergoing major bombing attacks. Participants at the time engaged in a number of trauma workshops and cultural activities to deal with their stress.
With Arab-Israeli relations currently tense, Dr. Dafne Paz, who lives in Israel, decided to establish the project to break the group and individual mental walls and to help both cultures to learn to co-exist.
Source: Ahram Online What is meditation? Click here and find out its benefits
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The Art of Living and Ranjini Kalakendra will host a historic event, titled 'Sahasra Veena Jhenkara', which will showcase 1008 Veena artistes on one platform in a first-of-its-kind concert. Scheduled to be held March 28, 2012, the concert will take place in the presence of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, spiritual leader, humanitarian and founder of The Art of Living. The initiative will showcase Veena exponents from Bangalore, Mangalore, Udupi, Mysore, Kollegala, Mandya, Tumkur, Chitradurga, Shimoga, among others and will include performances by Senior Vainikas Veena Gurus with their disciples who will play together in this historic event. The music for this 1008-piece veena orchestra is based on ancient ragas Hamsadwani, Sriraga, Mohana, Mayamalavagowla, Brindavani, Kapi, Dhanashree (Thillana), Yaman and will also showcase a special composition of fusion music in Raga Malika.
Bengaluru, Karnataka, March 20, 2012 /India PRwire/ -- The Art of Living and Ranjini Kalakendra will host a historic event, titled Sahasra Veena Jhenkara, which will showcase 1008 Veena artistes on one platform in a first-of-its-kind concert. Scheduled to be held at Palace Grounds, Bengaluru on March 28, 2012, the concert will take place in the presence of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, spiritual leader, humanitarian and founder of The Art of Living.
Speaking about the event Dr. Suparna Ravishanakar, Secretary, Ranjini Kalakendra and Ph.D. in Music said, "The inspiration behind this idea was the Art of Living Brahm Naad event that took place in 2008 and brought 1094 Sitarists on one platform for the first time in the world. It led me to realize that we need to create forums that will not only uplift practitioners of the ancient arts but will also enhance exposure and awareness of Indian classical music."
The initiative will showcase Veena exponents from Bangalore, Mangalore, Udupi, Mysore, Kollegala, Mandya, Tumkur, Chitradurga, Shimoga, among others and will include performances by Senior Vainikas Veena Gurus with their disciples who will play together in this historic event.
''The purpose of music is to create silence deep within you and the purpose of silence is to create dynamism in life. This concert is a musical Yagna where hundreds have joined together to create that silence and bring that dynamism in life." Said Shri Ravindra Prasand, Art of Living spokesperson.
The music for this 1008-piece veena orchestra is based on ancient ragas Hamsadwani, Sriraga, Mohana, Mayamalavagowla, Brindavani, Kapi, Dhanashree (Thillana), Yaman and will also showcase a special composition of fusion music in Raga Malika.
The Art of Living has always recognized music as a profound means of experiencing harmony with oneself and has organized many events of music and dance. Coming from different religions, castes and sections of society, artists have performed together in previous concerts like:
Naadha Vaibhavam - 5,000 Carnatic muscisians performing in unison in Chennai.
Antarnaad - 2,750 Hindustani classical vocalists in an enchanting spectacle in Pune.
Brahm Naad- 1,094 sitar artistes from across the country in New Delhi.
Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Art of Living -3,500 musicians performing together for the first time in Bangalore.
Source: India PRwire
Click here and Drop your concerns now!
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It is interesting to see how yoga nidra, where we literally do ‘nothing’, can do wonders for the body and mind. I find yoga nidra as restorative as sleep, or even much more than sleep. It offers benefits that go deep down to the subtler levels of our personality. Let’s see how.
Yoga nidra can be better than sleep
Yoga nidra – my first understanding of this word was ‘sleep during yoga’. It was only after Sri Sri Yoga teacher, Dinesh Kashikar explained yoga nidra that I discovered it wasn't yoga sleep. He said when you work with awareness (mind not wandering elsewhere), the work gets done better and faster. So true, I thought. He went on to explain that nidra means a relaxed state of mind but when we add awareness to it, it becomes yoga nidra. As we become aware of different parts of the body, relaxation is much more effective. But when we sleep, everything shuts down, including the awareness, and so relaxation remains incomplete somewhere. I reflected, how I would hit the bed every time I felt tired and worn out, yet feel lethargic and tired in the morning as though I hadn’t slept at all! When I started doing yoga nidra after my morning yoga postures, I felt relaxed like never before. My daily dose of yoga nidra not only charges up my body, but also calms my mind. I work better with a clear and focused mind.
Often emotional and mental patterns would continue from the previous day. But, as I experienced, these patterns erased after a yoga nidra session. It is as if someone pressed the refresh button. Following yoga nidra instructions, you can experience a state of absolute bliss too.
Vinitha Nishit, a DSN Course participant, echoes my thoughts when she shares, “On days I feel low and my mind is clouded with unnecessary negative thoughts, I lie down for a short yoga nidra and the change is very evident. I feel a lot lighter; my cluttered mind clears up. I think positively and the energy to work is tremendous.”
Click here to read more..............
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Spirituality is ultimately a journey from the head to the heart and there are few cases as compelling as Rajaque Rahman’s.
Rajaque, who holds a masters degree in Mass Communication, worked as a journalist with publications like the economic times for close to a decade before he became an Art of Living teacher. He now travels extensively in North-East India to teach Part-1 and Youth Leadership Training Program (YLTP).
He was first introduced to the Art of Living by a doctor, on one of his many attempts to find a cure for his severe migraines.
“Journalists are usually cynical about spirituality. Also given my background, it took a lot of convincing for me to attend the Part-1 course. Ultimately I decided to do the course in 2000,” says Rajaque.
“During the course, I found nothing against my religion or beliefs and the knowledge really touched me. It was love at first sight with the knowledge.”
He finds it hard to describe the many changes that the course had brought about in him.
Click here to read more..........
More Wisdom Quotes from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar - Click Here
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Jai guru dev Dear ones,
As you all know that with the inspiration of Sri Sri, the Art of Living has organised several megaevents to preseverve, protect and promote india's ancient heritage.
Continuing this trend of spectacular mega musical events, there comes a new symphony in Bangalore called Sahasra Veena Jhenkara.
Click here find the video which has all the details of the Program including on how you can participate in this spectacular mega event happening in Bangalore on 28th March 2012.
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Since Typhoon Sendong devastated entire communities in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City last December, over 340,000 survivors have been trying to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Apart from dealing with the loss of over 1,000 people and over one billion pesos in damage to property, the victims' psyches have also been greatly damaged.
While many organizations have pitched in to provide food, shelter and clothing, other groups have focused their efforts on psychosocial intervention. Among these groups is the Art of Living Foundation, whose volunteers have flown in from Manila, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to give trauma relief workshops at evacuation and relocation centers.
With assistance from Save the Children, Child Fund, and the advocacy group Sulong Kagay-an, their goal is to attend to the survivors' emotional wellbeing. They help residents recover from depression and cope with stress through breathing techniques, meditation, and yoga.
“Whether it may be a fire, an earthquake, or in this case flash floods - anyone, no exceptions, would naturally feel trauma and stress long after the calamity has happened. We're here because we believe that the first step in recovering is being mentally and emotionally equipped,” says Art of Living Philippines Chapter Head Nameeta Dargani.
The foundation has reached over 2,000 people so far, but they wish to support thousands more. “The vision now is to train people who are actually in the barangay and in the relocation center so they can follow it up and to have sustainability in what we do. Because we have food, shelter and all these things, but we need them to reconnect to who they really are and become more responsible and more productive,” says Art of Living teacher and CDO resident Julie Ang, who spearheaded the program in CDO and Iligan.
Click here to read more........ |
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Jaigurudev Dear Ones!
Check out the New - Art of Living's Browser App!!
This app gets installed in your browser as an extension and you can easily get all the updates from there!!
Download and install from: tiny.cc/browserapp
More features will be added to it soon. Do share your feedback on the same
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Eleanor Alfred (42) of Harare, Zimbabwe lovingly known as Mai Tafara (mother of Tafara, her home suburb) shares her life’s story:
"I was diagnosed with HIV along with my husband. He passed away some years ago and after this, I too fell ill. Things were difficult for me, but I got better.
I decided to look after people infected with HIV. I started looking after 20 HIV-affected children aged between 1 - 16 years in Tafara, Mabvuku and Caledonia farm in Harare in 2006 where I met a couple. They helped with the things I needed for my charity work and introduced me to The Art of Living.
Click here to read more............. |
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Vibrant, ambitious, class topper - Kamlesh Barwal, born in an affluent business family was also a mischievous girl. “My friends and I were so intolerably naughty that we would be given our class attendance so long as we stayed out of the professor’s way.” Her ambition to make it big in the world of business had her pursue Management Studies (MBA).
Destiny however had other plans! A serious ailment and medical treatment robbed her of enthusiasm for life. The dreams and aspirations now all seemed far away.
“Way back in 1998, my neurosurgeon, Dr. Rupak told my mother about this breathing technique called Sudarshan Kriya. Though he had himself not experienced it, he had read about it in many newspapers and magazines and was convinced that it would bring back the smile on my face.”
Her mother lost no time. “As it was important to get me out of my shell she found out about the Art of Living course in the town, which was fortunately happening in just a few days. It was only the 3rd or 4th one happening in my hometown, Shimla and the teachers were to come from Bangalore.” Soon enough, she found herself on the course along with most of her friends and cousins, all pushed by her mother.
With the Art of Living course life was no longer the same. “Having shuttled between the ICU and home for months, the experience had a healing effect on me almost immediately.”
Click here to read more.......... |
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She once dreamed of pursuing a career as an interior designer. She became an Art of Living teacher and loves seeing people recognise the beauty within - an interior designer in the true sense!
Born on the 6th of May, in Pindi, Pakistan, Shahnaz Minallah comes from a long line of Sufi saints from the ‘Kakakhel’ tribe. It resulted in her having a deep spiritual background, significant in shaping a divine outlook. She spent her childhood years with her parents on their tea estate in Bangladesh, where she was first home-schooled by her mother, and then, later, was sent to a convent school, where she was educated by nuns.
The partition of East and West Pakistan brought Shahnaz and her family back to Pakistan, leaving behind their well-established life and belongings to begin a new life. She graduated in Law and Political Science, married and gave birth to two children, Sharmine and Sharez. Her married life was accompanied with plenty of travel. She eventually settled in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
In 2001, after she had sent her children abroad, to pursue their education, her life took another dramatic turn; She was in the conference room of Elixir, a software company, in which she was among the board of directors. “I wanted to do landscaping and interior design, shares Shahnaz, “But I was not sure if I wanted to tell people how to put their curtains and carpets. I wanted to do something very different’ and that’s when an Art of Living teacher, Naushad Thariani came to Pakistan.”
The ways of The Art of Living were quickly adopted by Shahnaz. She started to believe in ‘one world family’, moving from family structures to a limitless, and an international commune awareness. She started to feel, that getting the right people together, at the right time, for the right purpose, can work wonders in any situation.
Click here to read more........... |
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The largest hand drum ensemble consisting of 1230 people playing tabla drums enters the GUINNESS BOOK Of WORLD RECORDS. It was achieved by the Art of Living Foundation (India) at Humbarwardi Estate, Solapur, India, on 17 January 2012.
Source: Guinnessworldrecords.com |
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GUWAHATI: Dreaded cadres of several militant groups in the state, who have laid down arms to join the peace process, are now heading for prominent meditation centres for 'spiritual reformation'.
Forest minister Rockybul Hussain, in a reply on behalf of chief minister and home minister Tarun Gogoi in the house on Monday, said 500 surrendered rebels are being taken to the Art of Living Foundation and 260 others to a Vipassana meditation centre in Bengaluru as part of a rehabilitation programme initiated by the state government.
This is the first time since the first batch of Ulfa laid down arms way back in 1992 that the rehabilitation initiative for ex-rebels has been taken beyond soft bank loans, stipends and vocational training.
"We are arranging to take all militants who have laid down arms and returned to the mainstream in 2012 to these meditation centres for spiritual as well as vocational training," the minister said in his reply to a written question by AGP legislator Prafulla Kumar Mahanta.
While at the Art of Living Foundation, the rebels will receive training in attaining strength and responsibility to serve society, besides spiritual awakening, Vipassana, an ancient technique of meditation rediscovered by Gautam Buddha, is the universal remedy for universal ills.
According to Hussain's reply, under the rehabilitation programme, 463 other ex-rebels have been absorbed in the Assam Police force. "In order to ensure that surrendered militants can lead their life independently, we have been training them through various organizations, apart from giving them land for farming; several agricultural farms run by former militants have come up in the state," Hussain stated.
In 1992, the state government had arranged for soft bank loans for surrendered militants. In 1998, the Centre introduced the surrender and rehabilitation scheme under which all surrendered militant had to stay in rehabilitation camps and were paid a monthly stipend of Rs 2,000 each for one year. This scheme was modified in 2005 and all surrendered cadres were given aid of Rs 1.5 lakh to start life afresh.
Source: The times of India |
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Jaigurudev Dear Ones,
A Mega Event Yogathon is going to happen across India on 7 April 2012, World's Health Day!
Register Now for FREE! And be part of The Yogathon Challenge!!
Click here for all the details on this marvellous event |
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Suad is a 35 year-old widow with five children. As an immigrant without any identification papers, it was very difficult for her to find a job. After taking the Women Empowerment Program tailoring and trauma relief courses, she had the vocational skills and self-assurance to start working and earning a living as a tailor in her neighborhood. Now she is one of the most active tailors in her community and confidently supports her family.
The Art of Living Foundation Women Empowerment Program in Iraq addresses women'semotional and psychological needs and gives them the skills they need to achieve economic stability for themselves and their families.
The women undergo trauma relief workshops to release the build-up of stress and tension accumulated daily from fear of attack, lack of security, trauma from the loss of friends and family members and the responsibility of often being the sole breadwinner and caregiver to their families.
Vocational training builds confidence and economic independence
Once a sense of stability and inner peace is established, the women are able toimplement the skills learned in the training programs. They have the confidenceand enthusiasm to change their lives and care for their families. They have the tools to achieve an economic status, where self-sustainability and community leadership are possible.
Click here to read more............... |
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A group of kids… boys and girls… dressed in white…saffron bands tied on their foreheads…prancing on the floor in synchronization…with a peculiar instrument in their hands, called the ’Lezim’…
‘R-mall,’ a plush shopping and entertainment hub in Mumbai, saw a different 26th of January, as India entered its 63rd year of being a republic nation. A group of 65 boys and girls performed the ‘Lezim,’ on the floor of the mall, as shoppers gathered around and watched with keen interest.
‘Lezim’ is a folk dance from the state of Maharashtra, and it gets its name after a musical instrument; a unique wooden stick, with jingling cymbals attached to it. The children, who performed this traditional dance, were from ‘Pandurang Vidyalaya,’ a school run by the ‘Vasant Dada Patil Education Trust.’ The school provides free education to the underprivileged kids of Mumbai. The Art of Living works with the school, and had collaborated with them for the event. Richa Gupta, an Art of Living faculty has conducted ‘Bal Chetna Shibir’ for the school children. In fact all the kids who performed the ‘Lezim’ on Republic Day were ‘Bal Chetna Shibir’ graduates.
Click here to read more.......... |
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He owes his positivity to his spirituality, so much so that he feels that his political path has been a spiritual experience. Indeed some of the best politicians that India has had strong spiritual connections.
Balasaheb Darade, is a faculty member of the Art of Living Foundation. He also has a NASA participation certificate for working on the Mars Rover and Deep Impact Mission, holds masters degree in nanotechnology from the University of Cincinnati, and was an entrepreneur in the U.S.A, returned to India last year to work for his country.
Armed with the experience of working as a core member of the India Against Corruption Movement (he lead a team in Cincinnati) and his own rural development project titled “Shankara”, Balasaheb stood for the Zilla Parishath elections in February (2012) and won over 50 % of the votes (he won 4087 votes).
“That’s the highest ever margin for an independent candidate in Maharashtra,” he points out.
Click here to read more.............. |
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| Naatya Vismayam (largest KATHAKALI performance with 150 artists) organised by Art of Living enters Limca Book of Records!!! |
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Children are colorful. They are creative by nature. They can be molded into any shape, especially the ones in the pre-teens. However it is unfortunate that this tender phase of children, specially the underprivileged one are sometime exploited and used for unethical purposes. And yet there are ones who see this tender phase as that of learning and blossoming. They invest their time and energy voluntarily to teach these kids lessons of life and love. They introduce them to a world of colors, creativity and music. They impart education in a holistic aspect.
‘Prerana Sahayata Society’ is one such voluntary effort of about 11 women from sector-70 in Mohali, Punjab. Realizing and understanding the need of a holistic growth of underprivileged children, the Society has partnered with The Art of Living and are working with the children of Matour village, focusing on their physical, mental, social and spiritual well being.
Click here to read more.......... |
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“We used to go in the slums, sit on the streets and do satsang, children and some people used to gather to listen. Then one day they told us that they had a room which we could use for our programs, that’s how it all began.”
There are 30 slums in Bangalore that have been adopted under the ‘Divine Karnataka Project,’ a YLTP (Youth Leadership Training Program) initiative. The YLTP teachers and ‘Yuvacharyas’ spread across these slums train the youth in computers, spoken English and soft skills, further, giving them job orientations and preparing them for employment. Put in yoga, meditation and ‘Sudarshan Kriya,’ these youth from the slums are being empowered, and the number is only increasing.
I had a privilege to visit one of these slums. It was a warm and sunny noon; I got down at Majestic and took another bus to Okhlipuram, where I was to meet Rukmini ji, a YLTP teacher and a ‘seva’ warrior; one of the three women who started the work in the slums of Bangalore. Standing across the street in a pink kurta and white pajamas, salt pepper hair matured with service, she greets me with a smile. I sit behind on her scooter, and she takes me to Srirampuram.
Dayananda Nagar, in Srirampuram didn’t come across as a slum in the literal sense. Closely crowded two to three storied buildings, narrow lanes cutting across shops and kiosks, children running around barefoot, it looked more like a concrete village. We stopped and parked in front of a three storied building, climbed up a narrow staircase to the second floor and entered the center. A group of over 20 people were sitting in the first room, listening attentively to Radha, who was teaching them English. As we entered they all greeted us with a Jai Gurudev! Rukmini ji took me into the second room inside. Over 20 computers were sitting on the table. “We teach computers to them too,” said Rukmini ji watching me looking around, “we have two batches, one in the morning and one in the evening.”
Click here to read more........... |
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Jaigurudev!
On the occasion of World Health Day, 7th of April, 2012, Yogathon Event will be conducted all across India in schools, parks, colleges, stadiums, prisons, rehabilitation centers, orphanages, clubs and other venues.
The event will be conducted in the morning from 6:00am to 7:30am and in the evening from 5:00pm to 6:30pm.
Register yourself now as an participant on www.yogathon.in
If you would like to organise Yogathon in your city, then you can fill the interest form on the website
This unique event, 'Yogathon Challenge' will inspire people to learn Surya Namaskar, participate to check how many rounds they can complete.
The Yogathon Challenge allows you to participate to the best of your ability. It challenges you to complete 54 sets (108 rounds) of Surya Namaskar.
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Art of Living and Bharath Gyan cordially invite you to the launch of their latest book 2012-The Real Story. The event will be held on the 9th of March, 6 pm, this Friday at Reliance Time Out, 3rd floor, Mantri Mall, Malleshwaram, Bangalore.
The book will be launched by Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah, former Chief Justice of India. Mrs. Jija Madhavan Harisingh, IPS and former Director General of Police (DGP), and Mr. S. T. Ramesh, IPS and former Director General of Police (DGP) will be the dignitaries.
The authors of the book Shri D.K. Hari and Smt. D.K. Hema Hari will be making a 'not to be missed' multimedia presentation on 2012-The Real Story, on the occasion of the book release.
We welcome you all with your family and friends.
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Jaigurudev Dear Ones,
Most of you would be knowing that from last few months we are showing the live webcast of all the satsangs and Maha Satsangs with Guruji.
The knowledge shared by Guruji in satsangs & mahasatsangs in transcribed and uploaded on a special link on artofliving's website within 2 days!
the link is http://www.artofliving.org/what-sri-sri-said-today
In case you wish to receive email notifications of all these satsang talks directly in your inbox, all that you need to do is subscribe to these posts on the link below!
http://artofliving.org/knowledge
The translations are available in following languages:
- English
- Hindi
- Marathi
- German
- Spanish
- Russian
- Portuguese
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It is rare to see a smiling, calm and an energetic policeman (women included) on the streets of India. But, for the citizens of the far northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, this won’t be a rare scenario.
Being a policeman, is not an easy job. There are prejudices about the men and women in uniform. Often, they are the topic of unpleasant conversations. Even though it is a government job, with lifelong pension, it is quite a frenzied one. Erratic working hours, unethical practices, constant demand from the public, pressure ‘from the top,’ lack of appreciation and recognition, and unsupportive infrastructure builds up to the stress and frustration. To top it, they face the ire of the public and the media, if something goes wrong in maintaining law and order.
Stress is the core reason for unethical practices by the police. Recognising this fact, Ms. Rama Tewari, an Art of Living Faculty, with the strong initiative of ‘Anugrah Shiksha Seva Sangh’(ASSET), SP Isaac Pertin, (Lohit district) and PS Lod Tari, (Mahadevpur), conducted a series of ‘Stress Management Programs’ for the police personnel, in November 2011. A team from ASSET, had met with the Home Commissioner Tajom Taloh, and the DGP (West) Robin Hibu, and briefed them on The Art of Living’s Stress Management Programs. It was understood that the program would be of great help to the state’s police personnel, whose jobs have become tougher in the face of rising law and order problems.
Read more......... |
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Times of India, Bhanumathi Narasimhan.
Who: Bhanumathi Narasimhan, director of The Art of Living's women and child welfare programmes.
You know her as: The Art of Living (AOL) founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's sister. She's the woman behind the 175-odd rural schools run by the volunteer-based humanitarian NGO.
What's more dear to you - religion or spirituality? Spirituality (smiles). It leads to the wholesome development of an individual and touches the deepest core of your being. It's all-inclusive, it encompasses religion and more. Spirituality unites at a time when religion is still dividing humanity.
Lakhs around the world look at your brother, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, as a man of God, if not some sort of modern avatar. What do you see him as? It is not a question of seeing; having experienced his divinity throughout my life, I fully agree with the lakhs of people who believe the same.
How often do you pray, and are your prayers answered? Prayer is natural. When the heart is touched, prayer happens. I don't count my prayers, and the blessings are in plenty.
Which gender is blessed with greater potential to seek spirituality? Spirituality transcends gender. It is not about being a man or a woman. Science says that every person is made up of the feminine and masculine. You can identify yourself with one or another and be partial. But in spirituality, you rise above gender. When you meditate, you are not man or woman. You drop labels.
Rock satsangs are a big part of the AOL atmosphere. What's music got to do with spirituality? When the heart melts, music dawns, dance happens. Music is an essential part of the flowering of human potential. It brings refinement in our evolution. It is a significant part of spiritual growth. In the space of music, questions disappear, wonderment dawns.
The publicity AOL receives, the fees charged ( 1,500 for a basic course) and the hard-sell have lent it the image of an elite spiritual tuition class. What would you say in defence? Spiritual practices free us from stress, bring enthusiasm, peace and joy. These are no longer luxuries. They are necessities. When a person benefits from something, they like to talk about it. So it is natural that AOL receives publicity. Further, the value that people attach to something is unfortunately measured in how much they pay for it. The fees then help a person stay committed to the practice. But once the benefits are experienced, perspectives change. The fees from our courses support our projects in rural areas. So indirectly, participants benefit from the merit of contributing to the betterment of society.
Source: TOI |
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Speaking Tree, Bhanumathi Narasimhan.
Tantras are techniques, skillful ways of handling the mind. It is skill in action. The tantric methods make use of yantras and mantras which together help a seeker to transcend the body consciousness and be established in the space of the Self. Tantras make use of these yantras and mantras with a specific purpose to heal or create harmony at the physical, emotional and spiritual levels. This is the real purpose.
However tantra has been understood as a negative term. This is what happens when one tries to use the techniques with a selfish or harmful intention. It requires a mature intellect and pure heart to wield these techniques in their full capacity for the benefit of humanity.
The study of tantras is like an applied science for the mind. It is a higher psychology which involves moving through the body to the higher Self. It helps till the ego level. Only mantras can transcend the ego level to the level of the Self. Because we are in the body, we need to take care of the body. Tantras can cleanse the body and mind of any vikaras or distortions. When used for general well-being, it has curative effects for psychiatric ailments, fear psychosis and so on. One can exercise power on the mind through the tantras.
Tantra is a research field. Real tantric scholars are a few. It is like holding a PhD. A doctorate is not awarded for individual benefit. There is value in it only when the study is beneficial for humanity. It is the same with tantras. In fact, if it used with a narrow-minded motive, then there are side-effects. Any seeming benefits are also short-lived. A child cannot attempt a PhD.
Similarly, if one attempts the tantras without being qualified and without the proper guidance and expertise, it can instead create illusions in the mind which in Sanskrit is refered to as Yogamaya. Further, failure in the attempts can lead to depression. Even among the mature beings, not all need to do PhD. The path of tantras has to be treaded very carefully. It is bound by cause and effect and the laws of karma. In research, learning happens to a great extent through trial and error. Even in this process, if any harm comes to anyone, the research scholar will reap the consequences.
Tantras give access to the ancestors. They enable travel in time, both forward and backward. If the tantras are available in the hands of an immature or selfish person, using it for short-term benefits, it can take a destructive nature. That is why it was guarded as a secret. In this creation, it is difficult to categorize anyone as a good or bad person. Transformation is continuous. That is why the gurus would study the disciples and only the eligible student is given this field of knowledge.
The Guru knows when our intellect is mature and heart is pure. The Guru knows when we are ready to receive this knowledge such that it can be of use to the society. Only a lit candle can light another. That is why it is important that we receive this knowledge from the Master. Otherwise, we can find many yantras and mantras and their tantras in the books and even on the internet but it may not help us in any way. Instead it could be harmful if not used correctly.
This skill involves a fine balance between intelligence and innocence. Without innocence, intelligence can cross over and become manipulative. It is like balancing on a razor's edge. Tantras are like double-edged swords. You can remove the tumor with it but if you are not careful, you can hurt the limb. In the hands of a child, it is not of much use. Instead it can be dangerous. But in the hands of a surgeon, it is life-saving. The knife in itself has no value. Following any extreme can be harmful to oneself and to others. That is why the supervision of the guru is essential. The guru teaches you to be skillful in action. He guides you to be intelligent without losing your innocence. He shows you how to follow the middle path.
Source: Speaking tree |
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