Satyam Param Dhimahi

Guruji had said to chant "Satyam Param Dhimahi" in small groups.
(Satyam Param Dhimahi: May truth and divinity permeate my intellect /consciousness)

HE said by this chanting, Satyam eva Jayate (Truth alone will triumph) will then become more and more apparent.

For me, Guruji is a living breathing example of Truth.
I have heard HIM say several times during satsangs that "Truth is that which never changes" and Guruji's point of view is never ever changes.  It may not be immediately obvious sometimes, but with patience and faith - it will ..

It is therefore a matter of great concern when a land whose motto is Satyam Eva Jayate is rife with corruption. But as can be seen, all the various movements are just a sign of how Truth will triumph!!

Sri Sri as I know HIM - a great honour and privilege

This video was shot around a year ago in the Ashram Studio and surprise of surprises it was featured on the www.artofliving.org homepage (as visible from India) on Guru Purnima day (July 15, 2011)

What can I say.....
I feel honoured and privileged to have a Guru in my life, that too a Guru like Sri Sri.
Go to  The Art of Living India home page  ( in the main flash image carousel there is an image titled Being with the Master with a  link to the video on youtube).

Conflict Resolution: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Naxals a.k.a DIALOGUE IN ACTION!

The current headline grabber in the newspapers is Naxalism and the Government of India's response to the crisis. It is interesting to see people of different hues taking position and talking and talking and talking....

-  Some would justify the Naxals violence. They would  point out how the corruption and uncaring attitude of Government officials was the reason for Naxalism and use this to justify their violence as a reasonable means of protest
- Others would justify the Governments plan to fight the Naxals
- Others would support the Governments gesture to the Naxals to get into a dialogue and renounce violence
... and keep talking and talking and talking

Lets see what Guruji has to say on this:
HE has said that
- the 'naxal' youths are good and committed people, just disillusioned by the corruption, apathy / non responsiveness from those in power. They are not to be treated  as outcasts, rather  they need some love and tender care.

- HE is willing to take up their cause with the people in Government if they give up their violent means and has urged the public to also support them in their efforts to join the mainstream 
Click here to watch Guruji speak:

Lets see what HE has done..

- HE has convinced several Naxal leaders to participate in the electoral process.
Click to read an article in the Wall Street Journal  and   Another article from The Times of India

- HE has inspired Naxal leaders to lay down their arms and change their approach.

Click to view Naxal leaders transformed

-  Transformed youths who have either received training from Naxalites or  been at the receiving end from the Naxals/Govt (caught in the crossfire), who have resolved to bring about a transformation in the society. Not only have they overcome their personal losses, they have been inspired to  build schools, wells and water pumps,  provide health care facilities and teach meditation!!    Click to read OR Click to watch

I don' t understand these politicians who go on talking about using military force. If  you are really serious about making a difference and want to use force, why not  use the GREATEST FORCE  (love, spirituality)  instead of settling for some small guns and puny bombs!

Conflict Resolution 101

www.artofliving.org got a new look today.

I was intrigued by the rather novel menu headings -especially Action for Peace and while browsing through the same, it  triggered  this train of thought:

Q: What does it take to create a conflict?/ What are the reasons behind a conflict? ( I thought this was easy)
- Lack  of sattva
- Stress
-  Difference of opinion/religion/political views/upbringing/race/
- Huge egos
- nothing! A conflict can start out of absolutely nothing!

Answer: Any or all of the above and many more that i haven't listed here!!


Q: What is absolutely essential e to resolve a conflict?
- Great diplomatic skills
- Good Education
- Good people skills
- Lot of courage and patience

Answer: Something is missing..., can't say what.  Each answer only seems partially correct and at the same time quite capable of not making  even the slightest difference. There must be some X factor...

Thats when i stumbled upon the following:

-  'White one' unites two warring tribes in Ivory Coast:  About Dipali Patel, a wisp of a girl from Mumbai India, was instrumental in dissolving the mistrust and disharmony between the Deula and Guere tribes in Ivory Coast  (Click on    Sustainable peace in the Ivory Coast  to read more). She and The Art of Living Foundation were honoured by the Ivory Coast Government.

Really interesting,  what all can happen when people meditate together :).

San-gachhad-wam, A mantra for this age

The blog title  means " Let us move/progress together" marks the beginning of the last hymn  of the Rig Veda.


While I am no authority on the Vedas,  I am nevertheless captivated by the economy of expression in this phrase.  It seems to convey everything that is worth communicating to one another. It makes a call for progress to be achieved TOGETHER, not at the cost of the other, not by pulling down the other... truly revolutionary (although a very very very very ancient idea :)


One could brush it away as a utopian fantasy or on the other hand use it as a clarion call to inspire and to unite.


During the public meeting to kick-off the Meri Dilli Meri Yamuna campaign on March  16, 2010, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji gave another dimension to the 'clean-up' campaign. HE urged everyone present to see this as a campaign against pollution - not just in the river, but also against pollution in the form of hatred, greed, jealousy, lust, anger, depression,.. and with spirituality as the foundation, the success of this  campaign is guaranteed.


HE then invited Mahesh Giri ji to address the gathering. The dynamic Guru sevak who had been involved in the preparatory work with hundreds of volunteers of The Art of Living said in no uncertain terms that where Sri Sri was involved success was inevitable and then  made everyone present at the meeting, hold their neighbours hands and  repeat this phrase, several times...


San-gachhad-wam

San-gachhad-wam

San-gachhad-wam

......

I truly felt that this was a mantra for our age and time

Then and Now ..... Meri Dilli Meri Yamuna

The water was poisoned and the villagers neither entered the river nor did they bring their cattle. Of course, what to say of the birds, they had long abandoned this stretch of the river Yamuna.


The above lines seem to aptly describe the Yamuna of today as well as the Yamuna of 5000 years ago!


More than 5000 years ago, Sri Krishna, little more than a young boy then,  encountered a similar situation when the dreaded five-hooded serpent Kaliya had poisoned the waters of the River Yamuna making it dangerous and unfit for the innocent villagers.  The story goes that the young Lord,  on hearing of the predicament, ventured into the water,  daring Kaliya to stop him. Sure enough, there was a fight, the news of which brought all the villagers rushing to the banks,  fearful for the life of their darling Krishna.  But what they saw was the young lad, dancing on Kaliya's hood !!!  Kaliya accepted defeat and left vowing to never disturb the peace and purity of the place!!


If it was Kaliya's poison then, now it is 3.6 bn tonnes of untreated sewerage that flows into the river daily!!!  Then a young Sri Krishna (almost) playfully evicted Kaliya, Now Sri Sri Ravishankar , who refuses to grow up:),  is the catalyst and rallying point for millions of citizens of India's capital to raise the banner for cleaning the holy river.


Today (March 16), the Krishna of our times - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is formally launching the Meri Dilli Meri Yamuna  - an initiative to clean and revive the holy river. An initiative which was started by enthusiastic Art of Living volunteers, with the blessings of Sri Sri,  soon caught the interest of the citizens of India's capital. Now there are a whole host of partners who have pitched in - as though proving the dictum for this age: Sanghe Shakti Kaliyuge i.e. In the age of Kali, the Sangha (the group) is the source of Shakti (power).


Visit Meri Dilli Meri Yamuna for more info...


and truly when Sattva is at the core of the Sangha, the power that it gives rise to is unstoppable...