NAVRATRI @ Bangalore Ashram

Navratri – The 9 days of intense poojas, yagyas, devotion, bhakti, singing , meditation..There is nothing more intense that I have experienced before.

This was my first full-navratri time in Ashram. Did the advance course when even Guruji is in silence, followed by 5 days of Homas & yagyas. Ashram was full to its capacity, sometimes even more. And I could see more foreigners, from all over the world, sitting in the poojas with stunning devotion & respect- something I found amazing..! The whole air was so powerful that it would shift something inside you, it just takes you a moment to go blank..close your eyes, and you are gone for some hours- an experience which you would not experience anywhere else! So amazing, effortless, inexplicable, blissful..out of the world.!

Navratri is a time NOT to be missed to be in this earthly heaven called The Art of Living International Centre, Bangalore. If you know people in Art of Living, you would find all those people at this place during these nine days J . Everyday would be a fresh day, and everyone would just look forward to the next pooja! I was wondering , how one cute-small human has changed the entire world..It seemed people from all across the globe have come here in India to attend these nine days of devi shakti..to experience the Goddess and her purity. Yagyashalla, which holds the capacity of thousands of people sitting, used to be so full that I would hardly find a place in case I am a little late! Women dressed up in beautiful saaries n ornaments & men in kurta pajama – with fragrance all over the place. I felt as if world’s most beautiful people were right here- beautiful both from inside & outside.! Everyone would wait eagerly for our Master to arrive.. and as soon as he is in, when the pooja or Homa starts, there would be pin drop silence amongst the crowd except for the mantra chants. The moment you close your eyes, the Sanskrit chants would seep deep down your system, and within a few seconds you would find it difficult to open your eyes! Deep state of meditation, experienced in a few seconds!- something that even the ancient Rishi-munis used to achieve after months/years of tapas!! – and this is the experience of each one sitting there in the Homa. The entire experience cannot be described, cannot be stated in words, cannot be written down.

The mind surely undergoes a lifetime operation..and the effect is not really understandable- but you know that after these 9 days, something in you has changed.. something is shaken..you are something different now…not really the same person. You are much better, you would feel like loving everyone. No situation seems powerful than you. You are a new you, you know J . I believe, the entire experience clears off so many impressions in the mind..you are off  so many evil feelings, you are a fresh new born- ready to get back to life with a new enthusiasm back again! You go beyond your cravings & aversions. You are totally in love!

A Guru life!

Writing my blog after a long long time! Sorry for this ;) I will do my best to be regular from now onwards!

I wonder now, that a life with a Guru is so much different than a normal life.. where you have everything, family, friends, job/college, luxuries, boyfriend/girlfriend- everything to make  you happy, but there is a missing link somewhere..that sometimes you think that may be I am here for a different reason, may be a cause. Definitely my life has a purpose, what is it? Everything is good, but still there is something that I cannot see..something somewhere is hidden, which may be I need to find out.  That the happiness or sadness are just a part of life, there has to be something beyond this..what is it really?? I am happy with everything I have, but still some higher happiness is missing.. some fill in the blank.. May be I need to find something or someone to guide me in this direction? My dear, if such thoughts come to your mind sometimes, or every now and then, then many congratulations to you, that you are progressing subtly on a spiritual path. And that someone who can guide you on this path is no one other than your Guru!

Since childhood, I used to think that my existence has a reason, my friends used to chill out very often, but I used to get bored with them, I was not much interested in all time parties, or wasteful discussions, or boring friend gossips about here & there- someone or the other. I joined such gossips manytimes, but always felt that why am I here? I believed that whatever I shall do, shall be for a reason, a higher purpose. People used to term me as ‘highly ambitious’ or arrogant etc. But now when I have found my goal, I found my right place, I know why I used to get such thoughts. Probably, I was destined to be here, on this path, with my Guru!

People of my age, my old friends get scared of me, or mock or feel  a distance from me often that I will become a sadhu or I do this Guru-Guru business all the time, I have been hypnotized :P or  I don’t act my age!! :D I smile at them and somewhat agree with them that if I was at their position, probably I would have thought this way too! But you know what is my Guru for me ? I would like you to know! When I am in trouble, and don’t know what to do next & I don’t want to do anything wrong.. I get guidance from my Guru. My Guru is my smile, a place I can go and rest anytime, a shelter where I am a child back again, playful and innocent. Now I hardly face situations where I create trouble for myself and for my near & dear ones. I am no more so much selfish, I am much happier. My Guru is someone I can depend upon for any kind of help.. He is that strength which never lets me down. I realized that this lifetime of 60-70-80 years is a very small time of which already 25 years are gone..and each minute, our each act holds an importance. To be happy, live a life devoid of guilt or regrets , like a child- only a Guru can teach. He is the one who will show you who you are, and why are you here on this planet at this time! Yes, He is the love of my life. He is the one, who can accept any mistake I do, but still show me the right path. Yes, this life is entirely different from a normal life, where each moment you feel you are so lucky, everyone seems beautiful, everyday is a new day, and each day you rise in love!

Jai Gurudev!