Rimjhim in "Art Of Living"

Quite often it caught my attention whenever in newspapers or pumplets I used to see the picture of a long bearded man, smiling with caption- “Art of Living”
It has been always attracted me for the spirituality running in my veins which I inherited from my grandfather and father. During school time I remember my nature was agnostic. Fasting was just a fun and a play for me instead of worship or hardship, though I never managed to keep a fast for the whole day that time, but I sincerely tried. :)

My first encounter with the mediation happened when I was in class 9th. My father sent me for the camp organized by “Chinmaya Yuva Kendra”. I stayed there for four days with one of my cousin sister. I was an introvert girl, not too open to strangers and there were people belonged to very rich families. Those four days turned out as a nightmare for me. I was in utter pressure of inferiority complex. My middle class status in front of those flamboyant, rich, convivial people overshadowed my soul completely. I felt like to run away from there. I’ve been very comfortable to my school “Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya” for being with the students who were like me. The world outside seemed too big and I found unable to adjust myself in that large space. But still I led a disciplined life for those four days, learnt some yoga and meditations and the guru’s preaches helped me to elevate myself a bit but it was not enough to compensate my covert low feelings.

In Mumbai, I got an opportunity to do basic course of “art of living” which held at our society hall last year. The teacher “Aarti Ma’m” who was taking our course adulated it in a way that made us more enthusiastic and curious about it. One thing which I didn’t like very first day that Aarti madam almost ordered that if we absent even for 1 day, we have to stop coming afterwards (today I can understand the reason). That means it was compulsion to be present every day and that too at exact time. Now it was troublesome for students especially the ones who are accustomed to bunking lectures and getting late everyday for the college. The discipline we left in our school and now again this much pain, just can’t ready to accept it.

However, there were exercises and yoga sessions. Some questions and answers and then the most important, attractive, enigmatic feature which is called “sudarshan kriya” happened. I experienced its amazing power to make the whole mind calm and centered. The first kriya is a bit troublesome, as it is said that the negativities comes out after being through such rhythmic state of breathing, so first few times people tend to suffer from headache and some mild sufferings of back pain or asthma (if they have) attack. I felt the heaviness in my brain but next day when the kriya completed it all vanished.

The whole experience of “basic course” was okay kind of. It was neither too good nor too bad. I still disliked bhajans and satsang. It remained as boring for me as they were earlier. The only good thing for which I felt extremely thankful and grateful that I received the proximity of a “guru” and he was none other than sri sri ravishankar.
He possesses terrific eyes that are capable to halt the all thought process going on your mind. Though I was unknown of him and I had seen him only in the photo but still felt the establishment of the connection of my soul which directly goes to him and through which I received the gift of “smile”. And an assurance that whatever will happen someone is always there for support.

I had been for a grand “guru pooja”. That day Aarti madam instructed us to remain our eyes closed from the very beginning. It was july or aug morning 6 am. Although Mumbai remain devoid of cold, but mornings use to be cooler. I became a bit anxious and restless that would I able to close my eyes just for bhajans for so long. The pleasant breeze of morning helped me by taking me in its veil. The journey of ecstasy begins from here. I don’t know and I can’t explain in which world I was lost. Perhaps this is why guruji says that “joy” is inside us, we are ignorant and just need to discover it. I didn’t open my eyes, bhajans started and for the whole bhajan sessions I kept my eyes closed and each nod of music kept spreading the new enthusiasm inside. When the pooja finished, I came back to this world. I wondered that the same thing my sister too experienced. In her eyes, in her smile I saw my reflection. The ecstasy was the just beyond the level of explanations. I had never even dreamed that bhajans can be this much soothing and having such a magical effect on minds.
Whatsoever it was, I was glad and again thankful to the holy God that at such a tender age he had sprinkled his blessings on us by providing us a “Guru”

The one thing which touched my heart from the 1st day was a thought of Guruji that until we feel our self the part of this world we can’t be happy. The whole idea is-everyone in this nature belongs to everybody, since we all are the form of one divine and hence we all are one. The all misery as well as beauty and afflunce in the world is ours. We are simply not here to change the society, we just can't do but we are here to contribute. And for what we contribute affects the increment or decrement of prosperity and misery. So the introduction part was designed as, saying “I belong to you” followed by the name. Somewhere deep inside my heart the phrase, fascinated me in a way that I had just glimpse of the vast greatness of “Guruji”

"I belong to You" :)