Anyone Into Art of Living & Sri Sri Ravi Shankar?

[Neo-hippie]

Aka Guruji

In the past 25 years they've really accomplished a lot!

Anyone,
Peace & love

[niranjan]

Hi, I am Niranjan and I have done the Art of Living course myself. It is a great course and I liked it very much. The Sudarshana Kriya , when done , infuses the body with a lot of energy(pranic energy) and one remains fresh and energetic throughout the whole day . Those with diseases , after doing the Kriya for two to three months , have been able to get rid of their diseases completely. The testimony of thousands who have done the course and got their diseases cured in the process proves this. This is the reason for the spectacular popularity of Art of Living in just a few years.

It should be noted that the Art of Living also offers a meditation technique called the "Eternity Process" which helps one to remember their past lives. Many of my friends , both India and foreign , has done it,and in the process has come to know about their previous lives. The popularity of Eternity Process too, like the Sudarshana Kriya , is increasing, and according to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Eternity Process is also being used in a few psychiatric clinics as well.

[aghori baba]

sri Ravi shankar is just another indian teacher who knows all the gestures and mannerisms that endears the masses and thier wallets. but then someone also has to play that role. con artist?, I doubt it. just a guy giving the people what they want. might not necessarily be what they need.

[niranjan]

sri Ravi shankar is just another indian teacher who knows all the gestures and mannerisms that endears the masses and thier wallets. but then someone also has to play that role. con artist?, I doubt it. just a guy giving the people what they want. might not necessarily be what they need.
I must say Sri Sri is nothing like that. He is charming and articulate no doubt, but he is also extremely knowledgeable about the Vedic scriptures and yoga.

And his yogic technique , Sudarshan Kriya is very popular all over the world,and is also recognised by the United Nations.

[Neo-hippie]

That's right aghori, I had the Great forture of beeing in His presence twice now.
And indeed, He Doesn't want anything from you. His greatest concern in making people smile and happy.
In no way is he, or his image forced onto you whatsoever.
In fact, During part 1 of the course he is hardly even mentioned , it's purely about the Knowledge and the techniques.
and still, he had been named the most enlightened personen of our time, rightly so if you ask me.
He has been nominated for the Nobel peace price several times.

Did you know that for the 25 year anniversary of A of L, they celebrated in India en 2,5 MILLION People where there to celebrate for 3 days...
Let me put that into perspactive a little.
Each year i go to a 4 day festival (Lowlands) Which has about 60.000 visitors (wich is great, 4 days of peace love and happiness, united throught music) Over there they had 75.000 volunteers just to keep the whole thing going!

I Believe Woodstock had 300.000 Visitors
Then Isle of Wight had 600.000...
and here is Art of Living with 2,500.000 !!
In so many ways this was a historical event, World leaders from all over the glode where there. and for the first time in history 2,5 million people meditated at the same time, can you imagine that?

Before you even think of calling him a con-artist, check a few of there programs, and think really, what is it all about;
Take the 5H program;
Health
Hygiene
Housing
Human values &
Harmony in Diversity (meaning the unification of all cultures & religions)
What ells is there in life really? (Humor ;))

The are busy all over the world dealing with Conflict resolution, yes even in Iraq en Afghanistan, Israel... etc...

and if you think it's just for the elite?
they als have a prison smart program working to Properly Rehabilitate Ex-criminals.

They Have adopted entire villages make sure they have Clean drinking water and training the youth for leadership.

Jai Gurudev

[aghori baba]

Neo hippie, follow not blindly...and if you sincerely think he doesnt want your money, then think again.

Niranjan...ofcourse he knows sankrit and the vedas, i do too, and actually teach it for a living, but that means little. The true guru lives within you.
There is a need for an outside guru, (less now than in years past,) for the simple act of shinning the light into your momentary darkness. the rest of the journey my friend should be fully yours. Your apotheization of a guru will fade if you earnestly keep inquiring after real wisdom. No one can give it to you but yourself. namaskar.

[Neo-hippie]

I'm not Baba, did you listen to a word said?

I don't consider His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar as My God or perhaps even Guru.
But he is a Very Enlightend very inspiriting, Great Great Soul and e beautiful man.

Do you think of the Dalai Lama as a conman?

I know The Pope is conman as you would put it.
I know President Bush is a conman.

Gurugi is just the man to counter these forces & factions and i Love Him very much for it.

I'm sure you warn me with the best in tensions, but do you have any idea what we are talking about here?
The Art of Living Foundation really Is NOT a Cult, it's not like the hare krisnas or the sanyasins, en then again, it has a little of those elements in it, since it's a unified thing of all cultures. Even Atheist, Christians, Satanist, Muslims, yuppies and business men could all learn a great deal from it all.

[niranjan]

Neo hippie, follow not blindly...and if you sincerely think he doesnt want your money, then think again..
According to Chanakyas Arthashastra, wealth earned by honest means is indeed important for establishing righteousness.

To set up schools , hospitals, and yogic institutions require money. It doesn't come free. Anyone with an intelligent and logical mind can understand this.



Niranjan...ofcourse he knows sankrit and the vedas, i do too, and actually teach it for a living, but that means little. The true guru lives within you.
There is a need for an outside guru, (less now than in years past,) for the simple act of shinning the light into your momentary darkness. the rest of the journey my friend should be fully yours. Your apotheization of a guru will fade if you earnestly keep inquiring after real wisdom. No one can give it to you but yourself. namaskar.
Yes, there is a need for an outside guru, for some time, till we become sattvic and spiritually evolved enough to tune to the inner guru within you.
But till that time , an outside guru is indispensable.

[aghori baba]

Neo hippie.. You are rather young and due to your enthusiasm and exuberance may be a perfect candidate for cult leaders like sri sri sri whatever. Arguing with you on the lack of holiness of your dear guru is akin to arguing a young harikrishna on Prabhupads lack of true wisdom. It would be a totall waste of time.
I respect your zest for your new hero or god whom by the way i did not say was a con artist, (if you would reread my first post on this subject) as I am sure that your views will change slightly to benefit you with time if you are ardent in your pursuit of pure Dharma.

Niranjan. setting up clinics and helping the needy is the M.O of most cults. Thier NGO or non profit tax exempt status allows them this as a method of siphoning funds to thier own personall needs. Dont use that as your measure of thier pious intent. India where poverty is rampant is fertile ground for all these n.g.o,s put up by this mordern day self acclaimed avatars.
There are some true god men and women out there, but because of the age where currently living in. these great souls remain in anonymity because the first expression of true wisdom is the manifestation of the purest simplicity that knows that all souls are actually one and already enlightened. Maya is what is known through time and space (avidya), and that includes guru bhava. be carefull and cautious of any one who claims to know and promises to enlighten you.
Om sri Ram jai Ram Jai jai Ram. repeat this in your anahata chakra after you read this, and peace will be coming slowly and surely. I will now remain silent on this matter, and may you find and experience shanti....auuuummmm.

[Neo-hippie]

Please Baba, Don't pretend that you know me, because i really did not recognize any of it in myself, and i do have some self-knowledge.
If i really was the hopeless i would have joyned the hare Krishnas, or entered a Buddhist monastery a long time ago.
and as for the age part, yeah, i have been walking the earth this time in this body for 22 years, but does that really mater? i have friends who are 12 and friends who are 55 and we speak on the same level.

and about arguing with people who don't want to listen, how ironic of you to mention that...

peace
Jai Gurudev

[niranjan]

Niranjan. setting up clinics and helping the needy is the M.O of most cults. Thier NGO or non profit tax exempt status allows them this as a method of siphoning funds to thier own personall needs. Dont use that as your measure of thier pious intent. India where poverty is rampant is fertile ground for all these n.g.o,s put up by this mordern day self acclaimed avatars.
There are some true god men and women out there, but because of the age where currently living in. these great souls remain in anonymity because the first expression of true wisdom is the manifestation of the purest simplicity that knows that all souls are actually one and already enlightened. Maya is what is known through time and space (avidya), and that includes guru bhava. be carefull and cautious of any one who claims to know and promises to enlighten you.
Om sri Ram jai Ram Jai jai Ram. repeat this in your anahata chakra after you read this, and peace will be coming slowly and surely. I will now remain silent on this matter, and may you find and experience shanti....auuuummmm.I don't think poverty is rampant in India now. India has pipped Japan as the country with the most number of billionaires (dollar terms) in Asia, and she is second only to the U.S . in this regard.
Also due to the economic reforms and shelving of the ridiculous socialist policies of Nehru, poverty has been eradicated in India considerably, judging by the latest newspaper reports, and many millionaires ( again dollar terms) are arising in India.
Just the middle class in India itself is 310 million strong , and increasing.

And if setting up clinics and hospitals and schools and orphanages is the M.O. of most cults, then let us have more such cults.


<<<<<<There are some true god men and women out there, but because of the age where currently living in. these great souls remain in anonymity because the first expression of true wisdom is the manifestation of the purest simplicity that knows that all souls are actually one and already enlightened>>>>>>

Well, as far as I am concerned they are the most selfish idiots out there, who do not care to share their wisdom and resources to help suffering humanity.

[Neo-hippie]

You know it's funny, if it isn't your consciousness holding you back, it's your surroundings.
If you're into Witchcraft people will say you sold you're soul to the devil.
If you're into Sjammanisme people willl tell you, drugs are bad...
if you find inspiration from a Guru, People assume you are brainwashed,,,

Do you realize what role you are fullfilling just now Brother baba?

Peace

[niranjan]

Well, as far as I am concerned they are the most selfish idiots out there, who do not care to share their wisdom and resources to help suffering humanity.
In retrospect, I must say that there are enlightened masters , who through their very being helps the world, without physically doing anything. However this is not the general rule.

And the examples of Krishna, the Rishis, Buddha, Mahavira, Lao Tse, and Guru Nanak and others are proof of this. Enlightenment is also possible through Karma Yoga, as shown by Janaka and taught by Krishna.

[aghori baba]

niranjan.. I just came back from india in late feb, after a three months stay mostly in the south. My sixth visit in four yrs. I have travelled extensively, and have never ever seen such poverty, not even in africa. indias new found prosperity of which you rightly refered to is true but still minimal. India has many billionares. I was hosted by one in a very lavish home, but outside the gates there were beggers and shanty towns. It was really sad. But I think the spiritual heritage of india though often difficult to feel while in India is amazing and great.

[niranjan]

niranjan.. I just came back from india in late feb, after a three months stay mostly in the south. My sixth visit in four yrs. I have travelled extensively, and have never ever seen such poverty, not even in africa. indias new found prosperity of which you rightly refered to is true but still minimal. India has many billionares. I was hosted by one in a very lavish home, but outside the gates there were beggers and shanty towns. It was really sad. But I think the spiritual heritage of india though often difficult to feel while in India is amazing and great.
And I wish to stay I am in India, and have travelled a lot as well, and I have seen and read a lot of socio-economic changes in the Indian society, mainly due to the economic liberalization and discarding of many socialist practices.
Many towns and areas have prospered considerably. Also the IT revolution has helped us a lot and has brought a lot of millionaires and rich people in India.

India is a land of 1 billion. It will take some time for us to be a rich country again generally speaking.
But I am sure we will come up . Already India's economic clout is talked about world wide , even in the G-7 discussions.

Also wish to state that according to Forbes magazine , India was the richest nation in the world in the 16 th century.

It was the British invasion and the consequent exploitation that has reduced us from the richest nation in the world to one of the poorest on earth.
But even then we are still coming up and is perceived as the next Asian tiger.

And the positives are that we have a good leadership at the moment, our economy is growing at the rate of 8% per annum, and also we have the genetic potential of an ancient civilization.

India now has the second largest pool of scientists and engineers after the U.S.

We also have good work ethics in our culture and scriptures.

So I believe we can rise up again and become a rich nation, if not the richest as we were in the past.

[aghori baba]

India must know that economic success is not necessary going to solve all its problems. Thier entire scripture is founded on this. At the same time it must escape its poverty to fully compete with the west. Its intresting and sad also to know that so much sadness and grief exists within the poor masses of india often displaced due to class, and caste, and this also due to misconsrued religious interpretations. India exports more intellectulals to other countries than any other country. A scientist born into a lower caste though proficient in h/her chosen discipline could still only marry to thier low caste or stand ostricization. India is a great country and a religious mecca for a lot of spiritual aspirants, but still mired in old ways of doing things.
A book currently in the stands by sarah macdonald called holy cow summarises india for me. Its a good read. I love India, and as an American visitor to india wishes her well
and hope that it will truly unite her people from within putting aside cultural religious divides which has built deep chasms of mistrust and hate amongst its people.

[niranjan]

India must know that economic success is not necessary going to solve all its problems. Thier entire scripture is founded on this.
And which scripture says so. Both Chanakya and Tiruvalluvar, in the Arthashastra and Thirukkural , extolls the earning of wealth by honest means , as a strong instrument for strengthening Dharma.

Similar statements was said by the Buddha as well, regarding the importance of a good economy for the spiritual development of the masses.







Its intresting and sad also to know that so much sadness and grief exists within the poor masses of india often displaced due to class, and caste, and this also due to misconsrued religious interpretations. India exports more intellectulals to other countries than any other country. A scientist born into a lower caste though proficient in h/her chosen discipline could still only marry to thier low caste or stand ostricization. India is a great country and a religious mecca for a lot of spiritual aspirants, but still mired in old ways of doing things.Ever heard of the Arya Samaj , the institution founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati devoted to the Vedas and nothing else, and is encouraging and conducting lots of inter-caste marriages, on the grounds that the caste system is not sanctioned by the Vedas. And the Arya Samaj is getting very popular in India.

Other hindu organisations are also working to eradicate poverty by emphasising our natural resources and traditional knowledge along with scientific knowledge , and are also eradicating the evils of caste system.


And may I know what you are doing to help our motherland or the cause of Dharma ?

[Neo-hippie]

On a slightly different note, regarding the spiritual seeking one does...
You see the beauty is that everything is connected, Here another funny link.
I've noticed that Jai Gurudev, Is the standard greeting among art of living practitioners. wich means something like (and i think this is very beautiful); "I give thanks (victory) (salutation) to Guru Dev (or heavenly teacher(who ever that may be, say your fellow man, your neighbor)"
Another figure I've been reading up on is the very interesting G. I. Gurdjieff.(who was a Greek-Armenian mystic from the last century, who also incorporate wisdom from all cultures such as Sufism and Buddhism)
anyway,
do you hear that?:)
G. I. Gurdjieff
Jai Gurudev..
Sound pretty the same to me:)
A funny "coincidence" isn't it? Life is funny like that...

i get these kind of seemingly random connections more and more lately, and every time it feels like a piece of the puzzle is handed to me. which is so joyfull.
Do you catch my drift?

I don't know how any of you experience these things...

[aghori baba]

Niranjan,, prabhu...Nowhere in the popular scriptures of Hinduism is poverty totally extolled. Nor do I pontificate its virtures. The saga of King Janaka stands as a true model for the summation of pious hindu attitude towards wealth. Get it,(money) but dont sell your soul, but all I have heard and seen in india is the exigence and need to join the west in its lavish rancour and economic greed.
It is true that people value what they never had over and above all else, especially money. Its not just India. China, Pakistan, South korea, are all experiencing a simillar boom, and all these countries look upon the mighty west as the country to be like or even surpass.
On the caste thing, come on you must know that it is still an intergral part of peoples daily life in India. I have indian friends right now ostricized from thier families for marrying out of caste. Elizabeth hurly the british actress is currently in the news for marrying a hindu, whose dad cut off for marrying out of cast.

[aghori baba]

As for what I am doing for our mother land. I am simply praying for her. just praying.

[Neo-hippie]

:offtopic:
Yes Yes, the world is a pretty shitty place these days. Many topics are running about Economics en poverty, and i'm glad they are.
But Economics don't interests me that much, because of all the corruption, and i personally don't give a shit about money or meterialisme...
so where were we?

If you please