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Mahashivaratri

It's Mahashivaratri today. And I just missed going to Kerala, where celebrations are on with Guruji.
This is a post on Guruji's Shivaratri message last year.....

Shivaratri is the day of Lord Shiva. Shiva is the lord of meditation and therefore the lord of awakening. Shiva Tatva means to be awakened. Shivaratri is thus an occasion to awaken one's self from all sorts of slumber.Shivaratri is not a night to be slept over. One should try and be up through the night. It signifies being aware of everything you have and being grateful about it. Be grateful for the happiness which leads to growth, and also for sadness which gives a depth to life.

This is the right way of observing Shivaratri.For the pious, the following method of Shiva worship is advisable – sit down in lotus posture, do some Pranayam to stabilize your breath, then indulge in Dhyana, followed by chanting of "Om Namah Shivay". It is the greatest mantra and the devout should drown himself in its Kirtan.

Shivaratri worship leads to fulfillment of a devotee's wishes. There are certain days and time frames in a year that enhance one's mental and spiritual faculties. In such times, whatever one wishes, materializes. Shivaratri is one such day. All this is very scientific.Going to temples on this day is OK but you should remember that Shiva is everywhere. The meaning of Kailasa (legendary abode of Shiva in Himalayas) is celebration. So where there is happiness and celebration, Shiva is present.Whether in Sanyasa or Sansara, you can't escape Shiva. Feeling his presence all the time is the essence of Shivaratri. That is the real Sanyasa.

No worship is complete without offering something to the deity. Shiva is a very simple lord, He is innocent – Bholanath. One just needs to offer bel-patra to him. But in this simplicity is a deep message. Bel-patra offerings signify the surrender of all three aspects of one's nature – Tamas, Rajas and Sattva. You have to surrender the positives and negatives of your life to Shiva and become carefree! The greatest offering is your self.To offer one's self is the key to happiness in life. Afterall, why do you get sad? It is mainly because you are not able to achieve something in life. At such times you should surrender everything to the all knowing God. The greatest power is in surrender to the divine. It's like a drop owning the ocean. If a drop remains separate, it will perish. But when it becomes the ocean, it is eternal!

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DEATHS THAT MADE EVEN TOP DOCTORS WONDER...

This case happened in a hospital's Intensive care wardwhere Patients always died in the same bed and on all Sunday morning at 11a.m,regardless of their medical condition.This puzzled the doctors and some even thought that it had something todo with the supernatural.No one could solve the mystery as to why the deaths took place at 11 AM.So a world-wide expert team was constituted a! nd they decided to go downto the ward to investigate the cause of the incidents.So on the next Sunday morning few minutes before 11 a.m. all doctors andnurses nervously waited outside the ward to see for themselveswhat the terrible phenomenon was all about. Some were holding woodencrosses, prayer books and other holy objects to ward off evil........

Just when the! clock struck 11...and then......


Santa Singh, the part-time Sunday sweeper, entered the ward andUnplugged the life support system & plugged in the vacuum cleaner!!!!!!!!!!

Smoking

Something beyond

All that an aware mind looks for is clarity, clarity of mind. Many a times our perceptions are distorted. What meets the eyes need not be true. We have had experienced this many a times. A stick, half in water and half out looks bend. A board which has the picture of a parrot on one side and the cage on the other side, when rotated along its vertical axis shows that the parrot is in the cage. Now we know for sure that neither the stick is bent nor the parrot is in the cage but our senses deceive us day and night. But all that we believe and know in the visible world is through our senses. And how many times have we doubted them?

There is something more than what seems to exist. Something beyond what the senses can perceive. That ‘something beyond’ makes its presence felt when logic does not work, when planning fail ….something beyond the intellect. It rules …it maintains this creation…and also transforms it…That ‘something beyond’ knows me much better than I know myself…. It is an experience, is a realization, is a recognition…

Love

Preeti

TRIVENI ASHRAM

This was a bright Sunday morning. The YES!+ Pune volunteers, 43 of us, started on our bikes to one of the most fascinating place in Pune. We were on a trip to our very own “Art of Living Triveni Ashram” at Markal, just 30 km from Pune.

The day started with Sudarshan Kriya in the morning. Our YES!+ Teacher Sarthak leaded us through the pranayams and the Kriya.

After that we had a really satvic breakfast along with raagi.

And then started the real fun….
Our Ashramite friend Vikram had already planned some gardening activities for us.

So, all of us wanted to give our physical contribution to see the Ashram garden blossom.

We made chains to pass the soil so that the plants grow firm and strong.

Himanshu, who is regular at the gym, commented that if we continue to do this kind of work daily what kind of biceps and wings we will have.

While all of us were enjoying work, Shashank was making everyone comfortable with shade and water and Vinayak was in the Kitchen looking after the lunch arrangements.

After a physical exhaustion for about 3 hrs all of us marched towards the pious Bheema.

The Triveni Ashram is a blessed land with the River Bheema flowing on one side and the river Indrayani on the other side. Bheema is the same river called as Chandrabhaga in Pandharpur. For the sweating bodies a dip in the Beema was most welcoming. It was not just a dip, but a dump in the river for the next 3 hrs. All those who knew swimming, this was a paradise as the water was clear and deep. Just 2’ from the banks the water was around 5’ deep and towards the middle of the river it should be around 20’ deep. Those who did not know to swim were dumped in the water like buffalos. Well, they were also putting full efforts to learn to swim. Our dear Amit Bhaiya knows to swim under the water. He would go under water at some point and suddenly rise up at some other point.
The river water has the power to heal. Along with relaxation and masti, we also felt enthused and energized.

Lunch was awaiting us. Post lunch was the time for a delicious and sweet sugar cane directly from the farm. Vinayak and Abhijit shared a lot about the cultivation of Sugarcane. By the time it was evening. It was time for knowledge, meditation and Satsang. Humming the tunes we all left to visit the ashram again and again.

Love

Preeti