Upcoming events in the Month of March

12th March Advance course with Rishi Vidyadhar at Goregaon.
13-15th March Sahaj Samadhi at Goregaon.
12th March DSN with Vishwas Bhaiyya at Mulund . Contact:9820733771
17th March mega course all over mumbai.
27-29th March Sahaj Samadhi meditation at Chembur 8am -10am and Worli eve 5:30pm-7:30pm

Rudra Pooja on Shivratri

Since we were coordinating the dahisar Rudra Pooja we could not make it to Kollam...in my heart I was wishing that we could do a Rudra Pooja at my house....just as I was thinking about this in a few minutes Swami Vishnupad asked us....if we cud have a Rudra Pooja in the house...Vishwasji and I could not stop looking at each other...and felt that Guruji listens to every word of ours.
In the evening we went to rudra pooja in the eve...which was organized by all our Bombay volunteers. Vikramjis melodious satsang had everyone singing and dancing in bliss.

This is an what Guruji said about Shivratri,
Dvaita bhav se bhakti aur bhakti se advaita ke aur jane ka adbhut utsav hai Shivaratri.Shastro me kaha hai ki shivamaya hokar puja kare, shiv ki aradhana kare. Hamare shareer ke kana kana may shiv tatvo ko jagrut karke shiva ki puja karte hai.Shiva bholenath hai, hum bhole bhav se baithate hai puja me.Shiva phul ko aur kato ko bhi swikaar karte hai. Hum bhi apne sadguno ko samarpan kare taaki guno ka ahamkar na lage. Avaguno ko bhi samarpan kar de jiske saath hamne taadaatma bana liya hai.Shivji neelkanth hai. Jahar peeke amrut dene wale hai. Hamare chetna may bhi wo shakti hai jo nakaaraatmak tarango ko badal dene ki kshmata rakhti hai. Saara krodh, vidhvesh, aur ghatak guno ko bhi samarpan kar de. Shiva mangal hi mangal denge.Hamara shareer arbo karbo anu parmanu se bana hai. Ek ek kan spandit aur pulakit ho uthatha hai. Sari prakruti utsav manati hai.Shiva rudra bhi hai. Adharma aur annyaya ke prati krodh bhi jatate hai. Annyaya ko sahana bhi paap hai. Is drushtikoon se dekho to shiva sampoorna hai. Is paramtatva shivatatva ko apne me jaanke apne me maanke, bhole bhav se baithe.Log guruji ki jhalak pane se santusha ho jate hai.Puja ke shurvaat me sankalp me hamare vishal man me hum desh aur kaal ko smaran karte hai. Bhav magna, bhavpoorna vaataavaran me jo sankalp late hai, uski siddhi hoti hi hai.Gita me kaha hai " yagno daan tap paavanani manishinaa" mane aisa saamuhik yagna sampoorna manav jati ke liya vardaan hai.Neelkanth – ananthMritunjaya – jadata mitakar chaitanya ka udaya hota hai, Dukh mitkar santosh ka avirbhav, Ashanti mitkar prasannata cha jati hai…Aksar log mandir jate hai, kaamnaye leke jate hai. Yaha sab aabhar vyakta karne aaye hai. Kisi bhaya ya loobh se nahi aaye hai.Art of living me ye ek khaas baat hai, yaha krutagyatapoorna, gada gada kanth se bhav vibhor hoke loga aaye hai. Pooja poornata se pragat hoti hai. Man prasanna hota hai to pooja sahaj hi ubharti hai.(during namo namo part of rudra pooja) Man apne srtoth ki aur jane lagta hai use namah kahate hai. Tarka, vitarka, janane pahachanane wala man sharanagat hota hai use namah kahate hai. Naman or pranama – jaha man nahi hai.Amruttatva, Gurutatva, Shivtatva tino ka milan hai Shivratri. Tino ek hi hai, aakaashvat vyapt hai. Eshwaro Gururatmeti murti bhed vibhaginevyomavat vyapt dehaaya dakshina murthye namah Sara brahmanda shiv ka sharir hai. Roop mein Aroop ko pujana aur Aroop mein Roop ko poojne ka anokha parva hai "Shiv Ratri". Har roop mein vahi hai aur usi ke andar sabhi samaye hai. Vaidik mantro ke uccharan se jo oorja paida hoti hai, us oorja ke mantra snaan se tan, man aur vatavaran pavitra hota hai. Kuch log apni khamoshi mein bahut kuch keh jate hai. Guruji vaise hi hai. Guruji kam bolte hai aur bolte hai to maan lubha jate hai, aur unki khamoshi mein bahut kuch kar jate hai.
Shiv ko Bhootnath kehte hai. Panch bhooto ke ve malik hai. Sara sansaar panch bhooto ka khel hai : Prithvi, Jal, Vayu, Agni aur Akash. Isiliye isko pra-panch kehte hai. In sab tatvo ka sanmaan karna hi (bhagavan)Bhootnath ki pooja hai. Aaj ki sadi mein log sabse zyada paryavaran ke prati chintit hai. Paryavaran ke prati samvedansheel rehna hamari puritan paddhati hai. Hum laut ke vaidik sanskrutiko dekhe to, prithvi ka sanmaan karte hai: kuch khodne ke pehle pooja karte hai… nadiyo ka, pahadho ka samaan karte hai. Pooja mein paanch tatvo ko leke hi pooja hoti hai. Aarti, Pushp, Jal, Sughandh adi sabka prayog hota hai. In paanch tatvo ka malik hai Shiv aur in Shiv-Tatvo ko jagrut karti hai Shiv Puja. Bahya puja to gaun hai, manasik puja shrestha hai. Guruji Dhyan karate hai to manasik puja ki anubhuti hoti hai.

The mind is still greedy....guruji does rudra pooja.....next day morning.......after shivratri....in my heart I was thinking I am going to miss it........in a few mins coincidentially swamiji also said we should also have rudra pooja in the morning like guruji....so even this wish got fulfilled. A lot of devotees had come and we had an amazing satsang.

Glimpses of Kamla Vihar Satsang on 10th February with Rishi Vidyadharji

With the divine blessing and grace of our Guruji, we celebrated an evening filled with love, knowledge and bliss with our dear Rishi Vidyadharji at Kamla Vihar Sports Club, Mahavir Nagar Kandivili (West) on the 10th of February 2009.

Divine music flowed as Harshal and Kris sang melodious bhajans and every person sang and felt the music move them.

The Question and Answer session with Rishiji washed away a lot of dust accumulated on the minds. Rishiji's knowledge, wisdom and wit gave answers to one and all.

A few excerpts of Rishiji's session as shared by Devenbhai,

Rishiji, spoke about the importance of knowing where to use head(brain) and where to use heart... we have to us our brain when we are doing business,purchase,research ,bargaining etc. and use our heart when we do sewa,or when others need us.

He spoke about what to do when LUST is troubling us. he replied to do sadhana,sewa,satsang regularly,eat satvik shakahari bhojan,use cold water for bath(only when it is extreme) ,pay attention on thoughts with sakshibhav and feel presence of master around us...

He shared benefits of all course....specially he said part 1 is dial up connection,part 2 is broadband connection and sahaj is wifi broadband. With sahaj mantra you are connceted directly.

On terrorism Rishiji said,
"it is not because of action of terrorist ..but it is because of inaction of all of us ...this is happening." All of us need to wake up and take steps to increase the Satva in our society to stop such inhuman acts from occuring.

Every person present had an experience of peace and calm as Rishi Vidyadharji guided us all through a meditation for 25 minutes.

Guruji's Message on Valentine's Day!

"Make God your Valentine. We will never be ditched, deceived or deprived,” said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at a Satsang in Kolkata on Saturday when the city was in the grip of the Valentine’s Day fever. The Art of Living founder said the world is so distraught because of the absence of love. “Even if there is love, the problem exists. Because, there is wrong expression of it. Love without wisdom (gyan) can also bring trouble. If love comes with wisdom, there will be joy, satisfaction and benediction, “ he said addressing a crowd at the Rabindra Sarovar stadium. On the attacks on people celebrating Valentine’s Day, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said: “The extreme reaction comes out of fear. Our culture, heritage is not so fragile that one celebration would destroy it. There should be due respect to decency and decorum. But if you apply force against the violators, they will only increase. Force is no solution. Let it happen, if something is bad, people will reject it automatically. “ The Art of Living Guru prescribed five steps to get out of sufferings. First, you have to understand the time you are in. Secondly, do some Yoga and Sadhana. Yoga will stop bad things from happening in your life. Thirdly, think that you have overcome many a problem in your life and will eventually also overcome the problem causing your suffering. Next, you must understand that there are people whose suffering is much worse than yours. Put yourself in the seva’ of that person. Finally, have complete faith in nature’s law no suffering is perpetual. Suffering will come and go. “There are two modes you can be in participating and witnessing. We apply both wrongly and end up being unhappy. You must participate in joy and witness suffering. Whenever there is happiness, participate no matter whose happiness it is. When there is suffering, observe it. But what we generally do is that we only participate in suffering, whoever’s it is. But when there is real cause of happiness, we become its mere witness,” he said. Jai Gurudev !!

On our 4th Wedding Anniversary!!

As we complete four years of our marraige!!!!!

Mahashivratri

Shiva tatva relieves you of all agony .

The word 'ratri' in Sanskrit connotes that which relieves you from the three types of agony - Ethereal, Mental and Material. This brings rest to the three instruments: the body, mind and speech.
The festival most sacred to Shiva devotees falls on the fourteenth night of the new moon, during the dark half of the lunar month of Phalguna, some time between February and March. This is Mahashivaratri or the great night of Shiva.
Shiva means good, benevolent. Ratri' means that which gives rest, takes you into its lap and comforts you. Shivratri is that which brings such a deep sense of serenity and benevolence.
Shivratri literally means that night which infuses the Shiva tatva, or the transcendental, into the three instruments. Samadhi is often referred to as Shiva Sayujya, the presence of Shiva, a concept that's difficult to explain. Kabir Das calls it the koti kalpa vishram, a billion years of rest consolidated in a moment. It is like the deepest possible rest with alertness one could have, which brings freedom from all identities.
Shiva tatva is Omnipresent. The whole point of realisation is to be conscious of it in its depth, yet to be awake to its non-dual glory, in one's awareness, in the depth of Samadhi. It is as if a wave is being skilfully conscious of the vastness of the ocean. The jagran in Shivratri is not just forcing oneself to be awake or watching movies or singing bhajans aloud. It is all about keeping awake and being inward... and reaching the witness consciousness by being consciously aware of the inner rest that sleep anyway brings on an everyday basis. When you surpass a certain layer of sleep, the rest of samadhi or Shiva sayujya happens.
It is only wakefulness that brings out this knowledge in the consciousness and Shivratri is the night to celebrate the wakefulness of one universal consciousness without falling into the unconscious sleep state. Breaking the pattern of unconscious sleep gives you a glimpse that you are not a mechanical apparatus but a legend in the creation. To recognise the Shiva tatva , you have to be awake.

The eternal being, lord of the universe, supreme ascetic, the non-dual being, the cosmic dancer, the destroyer and the protector – Lord Shiva.

This year H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji celebrates Shivratri in Kollam, Kerala.

For devotees in Mumbai we have organized Shivratri celebrations.

We will have Rudra Puja, Meditation & Satsang the 23rd February 2009 at Dahisar Sports Foundation Ground, Opp Vidya Mandir Road, C.S.Road, Dahisar (East) Mumbai. At 6.30pm .

Rudra Puja will be performed by Swami Vishnupaad Ji & Veda Acharyas from Art of Living. World renowned singer & guitarist Shri Vikram Hazra will lead divine celebration & music after the Puja. People can take a sankalp in the Rudra Puja being performed.

Contact 310 99 999.

The day will come!!

A devotee, Siddarth Sharma has written this poem after completing his Part 1 course.

The day will come....

I am writing this poem with all my heart,

For a special someone who stands apart.

Cause he is someone who reaches out,

to all the people in a cloud of doubt.

The kriya HE teaches is just like a treasure,

it makes us enjoy life's simple pleasures.

HE brings us together, he makes us One,

the more you give the more the fun.

The vision he shares is fo all to see,

The change we seek is for us 'TO BE'

When everyone walks, HE is the One who runs,

to have a world without bombs and guns.

All this just for a better tomorrow,

A world with joy devoid of sorrow.

But, this my friend is a distant dream,

If we don't get out and we don't scream,

That is not the responsibility of only a few good men,

To make us realise we're only human,

So let's all follow him, so our world we can save,

Just be yourself, JAI GURUDEV!!!!

27th Jan till1st Feb 2009 - Part 1 course.

Kandivali has created a new historry in the AOL of the western suburbs of Mumbai by enrolling 141 new registration for part I begining from.27th jan till1st Feb. Love, Enthusiasm, confidance, joy, togetherness and smiles are piping out of everyone's face and you can see nothing but, fun..joy..laughter and haappiness..The grace of the Master was torrential and everyone was enjoying this nectar.....

I am sharing an experience one of our course participant Mr. R.K Menon has shared with me.

Jai Gurudev,

Yes, that is the new mantra that I have learnt in the past few days. I would like to share with you my experiences of the Part 1 Course of The Art Of Living of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji better known as GURUJI. More information is on their official website www.artofliving.org. My course was of 6 days (Tue to Sat – Morning 6am to 9am) and (Sunday Morning 6am to 2 pm). You also have an option of evening timings 6 pm to 9 pm and Sunday will be same timings. Our batch consisted of around 141 people from all parts of city and all communities. There were Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains with us. The overall experience was great. They taught us breathing techniques which consist of a simple Pranayam, Bastrikka and the great Sudarshan Kriya. You feel very light after the kriya. I saw people crying, laughing, dancing after the kriya. My personal experience of the kriya was like I am travelling in the outer space with all the planets around me. I feel a powerful internal vibration post kriya and get a lot of relief from my chronic backache. It gives you a great amount of energy to carry on your day to day routines, with less amount of stress. I request people who have already done the course to give advance tips to me and people who haven’t done the course to do the Basic Part 1 Course. Your own breath can do wonders on you.

When the angels meditate....

A couple of months back, on 4th december 08, at Kamala Vihar Sports Club, Mahavir Nagar, Kandivili(West), we had conducted a meditation programme for world peace which was atteneded by more than 1000 people..we held a meditation which made the people participating feel calm and peaceful...Devenbhai has captured all of us in his camara and when he has sent it to us IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE THAT IT WAS NOT ONLY WE BUT ANGLES FROM HEVEN CAME DOWN AND PARTICIPATED IN THE MEDITATION..making the function brighter and more meaningful. Just see photograps and count angles.. !! This is the TRUE MEDITATION !

We have a lovely explanation about angels by our dear Bawa on his blog: http://bawandinesh.name/angels/

Cabbage Soup

CABBAGE SOUP
A soup that I love and my Dear wife served it to me all the time.

Cooking Time : 40 mins.

Preparation Time : 20 mins.

Drinking time : 2 mins

Serves: everyone around

For the stock
225 grams cabbage
225 grams white pumpkin - lauki
1 potato

Add topping of
1 finely chopped carrot
1/2 teacup finely chopped cabbage
2 teacups white sauce ( Use wheat flour no maida please)
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper to taste

For the stock
1.Cut all the vegetables into big pieces. Add 7 teacups of water and cook in a pressure cooker.
2.When cooked, pass through a sieve.

Next
1.Heat the butter in a vessel and fry the vegetables for the topping for at least 3 to 4 minutes.
2.Add the stock and cook for at least 20 minutes.
3.Add the white sauce, salt and pepper.

Don't forget to say Jai Guru Dev before you drink it.

A Small Story…

A boy and a girl were playing together. The boy had a collection of marbles. The girl had some sweets with her. The boy told the girl that he will give her all his marbles in exchange for her sweets. The girl agreed. The boy kept the biggest and the most beautiful marble aside and gave the rest to the girl. The girl gave him all her sweets as she had promised. That night, the girl slept peacefully. But the boy couldn't sleep as he kept wondering if the girl had hidden some sweets from him the way he had hidden his best marble.

Moral of the story:
If you don't give your hundred percent in a relationship, you'll always keep doubting if the other person has given his/her hundred percent.. This is applicable for any relationship like love, employer-employee relationship,friendship etc., Give your hundred percent to everything you do and sleep peacefully...

The Devi Effect

Once Guruji was speaking about Devi's, how they handle all the key portofolios of the universe. Goddess Saraswati handles knowledge, Goddess Laxmi holds wealth and success, Goddess Durga destroys negativity. When Guruji sat in the car there were only men in the car, that is when I said Guruji you spoke about all devi's holding key positions and only the men get to travel with you. So, HE said to all the men, it's the day of the Devi's today....so all the ladies get to go for a drive....and HE let all the women drive with him.

Women are born leaders - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Women are born leaders: Sri Sri Ravishankar
7 Feb 2009,
Bangalore : Girls dressed in langas with lamp in hand -- the firstgeneration literates in their family -- came all the way from villages. Tinytots dressed as fairies with golden wings came from special schools in thecity. They along with several women congregated at the lotus-shapedVishalakshi mantap on the Art of Living premises to celebrate the ThirdInternational Women's Conference on Friday.More than 750 women from over 65 countries, including 250 from rural India,are participating in this three-day conference titled `The Light ofLeadership -- Integrating Global Perspectives' organized by the Art ofLiving and its sister organization International Association for HumanValues.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, in his inaugural address, called women bornleaders."This inherent quality in them needs to be nurtured. Usually peoplethink women are emotional but they are also great intellectual geniuses andexcel in planning, executing or any other department," he said.The conference will address various socio-economic issues that includeconflict resolution and counteracting terror -- woman as a peacemakers; andthe role of women in overcoming the global financial crisis. Dedicated toeducating the girl child, all proceeds will go towards the cause. The nexttwo days will have speakers from the media and the social and politicalarena addressing current issues.The Vishalakshi Awards, instituted in the memory of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar'smother, were also given away to deserving women from across the world.Tales of courageAmong the thousands, a few did stand out for various reasons. Mumbai-basedRajitha Kulkarni was trapped at The Taj on 26/11, just yards away fromdeath. But her miraculous escape inspired a heart-rending poem, `If only Imet thee' inspired by the silhouette of the terrorist who missed her!Sanjana Goel, 43, from Himachal Pradesh, is yet another inspiring example.Afflicted with a genetic progressive disorder, she has been confined to thewheelchair since she was 13. But now, she is a successful businesswoman andalso runs a campaign for the cause of disabled women.

An Evening with our Rishi Vidyadharji - You all are Invited

Let us all come together with our friends and families to soak ourselves in knowledge and satsang with our dear Rishi Vidyadharji.

  

ON      : 10th February 2009

AT       : Kamala Vihar Sports club, Tennis Court,

             Mahavir Nagar, Kandivili (West), Mumbai.

FROM : 7.30pm TO 10pm

COME ONE, COME ALL !!!