GOOD MORNING 2009

As the earth is rotating and crossing time zones, the world is celebrating and welcoming the new year. There is enthusiasm all around. Pune celebrated new year with satsang, singing, dancing, knowledge and meditation. Rishi Nityapragyaji graced the evening. Everyone was dancing at the stroke of 12:00
The meditation was so deep and knowledge so profound yet simple.

• All our "raag", i.e. attachment is responsible for the "dwesh", i.e hatred (opposite values complementing each other). Like if you have 'raag' for freedom, then whatever takes away your freedom becomes the reason for your 'dwesh'. This raag and dwesh can be associated with people or with our own thoughts also. This is what decides the quality of our life.
• We should be taking big responsibilities and for this 'committed skillful efforts' are required.
• He talked about the "nishchay buddhi" in the Bhadwad Geeta. Whenever some realisation happens, take a commitment, a nischay.
• Rishiji also talked about our 'connection to the Divine' and to pray if you are not able to feel the connection.

The new year has also brought new sankalpas. Art is long and time is fleeting.......

love
preeti

Ring out the old, ring in the new....Ring, happy bells

It's another end to another day
It's another end to another year and the sweetest moments i spend were in the presence of Guruji.......

I wish you all a very happy new year....

Wishing you lots of fun (but please don't follow it.....) and celebrations in the new year.

love

One of my favourite poetry

This poem was a part of our curriculam at school.....got it after a long time...

छोड़ घोंसला बाहर आया,
देखी डालें, देखे पात,
और सुनी जो पत्‍ते हिलमिल,
करते हैं आपस में बात;-
माँ, क्‍या मुझको उड़ना आया?
'नहीं, चुरूगुन, तू भरमाया'

डाली से डाली पर पहुँचा,
देखी कलियाँ, देखे फूल,
ऊपर उठकर फुनगी जानी,
नीचे झूककर जाना मूल;-
माँ, क्‍या मुझको उड़ना आया?
'नहीं, चुरूगुन, तू भरमाया'

कच्‍चे-पक्‍के फल पहचाने,
खए और गिराए काट,
खने-गाने के सब साथी,
देख रहे हैं मेरी बाट;-
माँ, क्‍या मुझको उड़ना आया?
'नहीं, चुरूगुन, तू भरमाया'

उस तरू से इस तरू पर आता,
जाता हूँ धरती की ओर,
दाना कोई कहीं पड़ा हो
चुन लाता हूँ ठोक-ठठोर;
माँ, क्‍या मुझको उड़ना आया?
'नहीं, चुरूगुन, तू भरमाया'

मैं नीले अज्ञात गगन की
सुनता हूँ अनिवार पुकार
कोइ अंदर से कहता है
उड़ जा, उड़ता जा पर मार;-
माँ, क्‍या मुझको उड़ना आया?
'आज सुफल हैं तेरे डैने,
आज सुफल है तेरी काया'

Presence of mind helps.

In a shop a man asked for 1/2 kg of butter. The salesperson, a young boy, said that only 1kg packs were available in the shop, but the man insisted on buying only 1/2 kg. So the boy went inside to the manager's room and said "An idiot outside wants to buy only ½ kg of butter". To his surprise, the customer was standing behind him. So the boy added immediately, "And this gentleman wants to buy the other half!!!!!!".

After the customer left, the manager said "You have saved your position by being clever enough at the right time. Where do you come from?" To this the boy said, "I come from Mexico. The place consists of only prostitutes and football players!!!!!" The manager replied coldly, "My wife is also from Mexico". To this the boy asked excitedly, "Oh yeah? Which team does she play for?"
Presence of mind helps, never panic!!!!!!!

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji talks about terrorism

What, according to you, is the solution to the menace of terrorism? If everyone follows the 'eye for an eye' principle, what will happen to this country?
I am very concerned about what is happening. 'An eye for an eye' is not our culture at all. Yet, we cannot take things lying down. We cannot stop educating people about our values. The message of Indian ethos and spirituality, which emphasise on ahimsa (non-violence) and the truth, will have to be conveyed across the board.What do you think about Hindu terrorism?
Fringe elements in Hindu society, who think they can avenge terrorism by perpetuating terror themselves, have brought disgrace to Indian culture. Milking political mileage and giving undue publicity to such cases have only strengthened the jihadis. Let our media and politicians know that sensationalising, politicising and giving undue publicity to this case, even before the accused is proven guilty, has proved to be a shot in the arm for jihadis.
Our late Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare had mentioned that in the last two months, 90 per cent of the time and manpower of the agency had been spent on this case. All this has cost the nation heavily.

Lieutenant Colonel Purohit reportedly attended some Art of Living meetings. Will there be a screening process in the Art of Living courses to ensure that such elements do not attend meetings in the future?
No. In fact, we welcome everybody to the Art of Living. Our mission is to work with fundamentalists and extremists to transform them into loving human beings. People from all backgrounds come here and so do ex-army people. We have programmes for army personnel and many of them visit our ashram to seek blessings. Naxalites Maoists, jihadis have all attended our programmes.
We don't discriminate and we don't ban anybody from attending the AoL sessions. I wish they had come here much earlier and participated in our training programme. Perhaps they came here to find some peace and solace.

What can spiritual gurus do to ensure that terrorism is wiped out? What plans does AoL have in this regard?
Some religions have a dogmatic and untouchable attitude, and that should be removed. For example, what happened to author Taslima Nasreen is a shame on the democratic and liberal image of the country (Nasreen was forced to leave India after violent protests broke out against her writings in Kolkata). The government should shift its focus from the minority-majority culture and should give multi-cultural, multi-dimensional education to all.
Religious and spiritual institutions need to come together and pledge to work towards protecting our country. We need social leaders who are satya-darshi (truthful), sam-darshi (equanimous), and door-darshi (farsighted). Let us also resolve to first examine the qualifications of those whom we elect. We need to protect our country from those who manipulate issues for their personal gains and lead by playing vote-bank politics.
Art of Living has been conducting various rehabilitation programmes for prisoners and convicts. The results are so positive that one has to witness it to believe it.

Can terrorism be wiped out through the message of peace?
Any action that is undertaken without inner peace only leads to regret. And peace does not mean inaction. One has to use all methodologies to curb terrorism. We have to do it through education and persuasion. Force should be used only when nothing else works.

What is your message to all those practising terrorism?
Meditation and Sudarshan Kriya have transformed the aggression and violence inside people into compassion, love and care.

LIFE IS A CELEBRATION ON THIS PLANET.