FW: [esatsang] Esatsang digest for Oct 14 2012

-----Original Message-----
From: esatsang@lists.artofliving.org [mailto:esatsang@lists.artofliving.org] On Behalf Of Esatsang
Sent: 15 October 2012 10:50
To: esatsang@lists.artofliving.org
Subject: [esatsang] Esatsang digest for Oct 14 2012

Topics in this digest

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1. DSN first time in Philly!!!!!!!!!! Meet your True self

2. Blessings course by John Osborne in November

3. Guru Puja Course (P1 & P2) this Oct/Nov at Blore Ashram!

4. Navratri Utsav & Special Advance Course at Pune Triveni Ashram - 2012

5. Swami Paramtej reveals the secrets of Navratri @ Do Good, Feel Good Event on 14th Oct 2012

6. Navratri Celebrations: Live Webcast!

7. Significance of Pilgrimage

8. "PRANAYAM DHYAN SHIBIR" with KASHI BHAIYA..!!


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From: Dhwani Shelat <dhwani.shelat@artofliving.org>
Date: Sun, Oct 14, 2012 at 7:25 PM
Subject: DSN first time in Philly!!!!!!!!!! Meet your True self*******


Course Date: November 1st-4th
Course Location: International House, Philadelphia, PA Course Teacher: Patti Montela (Learn more about her at
www.thetravelingmystic.com)

Course Registration:
http://secure.artofliving.org/course_details.aspx?course_id=13285

Pre Requisites for the course: Part 1, Art of Silence and 1 year of Sudarshan Kriya Practice


Dhwani Shelat
Dhwani.Shelat@artofliving.org
201-681-5432
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From: Meera Nagaraj <meera.nagaraj@artofliving.org>
Date: Sun, Oct 14, 2012 at 10:16 AM
Subject: Blessings course by John Osborne in November

John Osborne, one of the senior most teachers in the USA, after conducting a blissful Intensive Art of Silence course at the San Francisco Bay Area has agreed to come back and offer the Blessings Course between Nov 1-4, 2012.

At the Intensive course, the participants got to experience the secret magic channel of Guru's grace from John, which he is himself! I thought of sending this exciting news to this group, if in case you wanted to come to him to tap into a piece of his secret channel! All outside of the town registrants will have arranged housing at the volunteers. If you are already a Blesser, do not miss this opportunity to let someone else experience it by getting them towards their registration.

Please register at:
http://secure.artofliving.org/course_details.aspx?course_id=13064

Love and Jai Guru Dev!
Meera Nagaraj
510 825 7462

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From: Course Guru Puja <gurupujacourse@vvmvp.org>
Date: Fri, Oct 12, 2012 at 10:13 PM
Subject: Guru Puja Course (P1 & P2) this Oct/Nov at Blore Ashram!


Guru Puja is a thanksgiving ceremony remembering all the ancient Masters who have brought this knowledge of self.

In the presence of a Master, fullness dawns and Gurupuja is one of the highest expressions of devotion and gratitude to the Master.
Under the loving guidance of Bhanu DIDI, one experiences divinity through learning, chanting and then performing the Gurupuja.
The course days are filled with Guru Stories, ancient knowledge and an overwhelming presence of the Master.

The Guru Puja Course is of two parts

Phase One: This course teaches Puja Chants and explores the mysteries of Vedic Knowledge and traditions.
Phase Two: This course brings the qualification necessary to invoke the lineage of Spiritual Masters

The details of the next Guru Puja Course - Phase 1 and 2 (in Oct-Nov 2012 at the Art of Living International Ashram, Bengaluru) are given below –

Guru Puja Phase 1 – 27th October to 1st November 2012


Check in Date: 26th October 2012
Check out Date: 2nd November 2012
Eligibility: Art of living Teacher OR

TTC‐1 +2 AMC + Sahaj Samadhi Course OR

4 AMC + Sahaj Samadhi Course


Guru Puja Phase 2 – 3rd to 5th November 2012

Check in Date: 2nd November 2012
Check out Date: 6th November 2012

Eligibility: Guru Puja Phase‐1 + 6 months' gap

The application forms are attached.

Note:
• Please ensure that the form is signed and sealed by the Apex Body/Coordinator/ Board.
• All the forms to be routed via Apex Bodies/ Local Country Coordinator/ Board only


• Limited Seats. Please send the DD/make online payment only after receiving your invitation letter.
• DD to be drawn in favor of VVMVP payable at Bangalore
• Last Date: Phase 1 – 25th September 2012 & Phase 2 – 30th September 2012



Contact Us
Email: gurupujacourse@vvmvp.org Phone: +91 80 32976908 Postal Address: Guru Puja Desk, VVMVP Campus, 21 km, Kanakpura Road Udayapura, Bangalore ‐ 560082, India

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From: Shridhar Damodaran <shridhar.sevajoy@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 12, 2012 at 12:42 AM
Subject: Navratri Utsav & Special Advance Course at Pune Triveni Ashram - 2012


Navratri Utsav and Special Advance Course at Pune Triveni Ashram - 2012


Along with the Navratri Homas, we are also having a Navratri Special Advance Course (ie., The AOL Part 2 Course) in Pune Ashram. This is a Residential Advance Course from 16th to 19th October 2012. (The Advance Course is only for those who have done the Art of Living Part-1 Course)

The Art of Living Part 2 Course is a chance to use the beautiful tools of yoga, silence and meditation to dissolve blocks and expand awareness.

Rest and rejuvenate the mind and body in the best way possible with one of the senior Art of Living Teachers, Shri Naresh Patadia ji!



Course details :

Dates: 16th to 19th October 2012.

(Reporting on 15th Oct. evening 7pm; or after prior intimation, 16th morning 6.00am).

Course Contribution : Rs.3500/- only


Navratri Homas Schedule :


This year Navratri Poojas will follow 3 days format. (Oct 20, Oct 21, Oct 22).

20 OCTOBER, 2012 SATURDAY
: 07:00 a.m. : RUDRABHISHEKAM
: 09:00 a.m. : SRI MAHA GANPATHI HOMAM & SRI NAVAGRAHA HOMAM
: 05:00 p.m. : VASTHU SHANTHI HOMAM

21 OCTOBER, 2012 SUNDAY
: 07:00 a.m. : RUDRABHISHEKAM & SRI MAHA RUDRA HOMAM
: 05:00 p.m. : SRI MAHA SUDARSHANA HOMAM

22 OCTOBER, 2012 MONDAY
: 07:00 a.m. : SRI NAVA CHANDI HOMAM
: 12:30 p.m. : MAHA POORNAHUTHI


Spread the news to all members and enroll them too along with yourself.

Lets take up this opportunity to experience our deep inner peace, joy and silence.



Seats being very limited, we request you to confirm your seat at the earliest.
For any queries, 9765999121 / 125 / 127.



With warm regards,
Shridhar,
98500 52752,
for,
VVKI Pune

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From: One World Family <oneworldfamily@artofliving.org>
Date: Thu, Oct 11, 2012 at 11:10 PM
Subject: Swami Paramtej reveals the secrets of Navratri @ Do Good, Feel Good Event on 14th Oct 2012

People of South America were enthralled by his very presence. About 8500 souls experienced deep meditation during the biggest course ever in Argentina. After creating waves of happiness and change in South America, Swami Paramtej is now making his way to enlighten the users of one-world-family with the "Do Good, Feel Good" Series.

Navratri: The energy from the pujas creates benevolence, brings you closer to self realization and also brings success in the world. It is amongst the holiest festivals celebrated at a time so sacred - will be the main topic of the session by Swami Paramtej. So come and immerse yourself in his knowledge and presence. Guess what; you will also have the chance take a sneak peek into his personal story of transformation and journey to this path.

Join the event now, visit: http://events.one-world-family.org

Now you have an opportunity to send a video question to Swamiji. Record your question in not more than 30 seconds video and upload it in Youtube. Email us the link at info@one-world-family.org before Saturday, 13-Oct-2012, 1900HRS IST. The selected questions will be played live during the event for Swamiji to answer. The subject of the email should be "Video Questions for Do Good, Feel Good Event with Swami Pramatej"

Join the event now, visit: http://events.one-world-family.org

For any information, feedback and queries you can contact us at info@one-world-family.org.

In Service,
Nitesh Amesar
One World Family Team
www.one-world-family.org
www.artofliving.org

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From: Harshal Jadhav <harshalpjadhav@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, Oct 11, 2012 at 11:12 AM
Subject: Navratri Celebrations: Live Webcast!


Watch the live webcast of Navratri Celebrations 2012 in presence of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar from Art of Living International Center, Bangalore!

Details are on: http://www.artofliving.org/navratri-webcast
Share this with All!

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From: Vinay Girotra <girotrav@shriamba.com>
Date: Wed, Oct 10, 2012 at 9:51 AM
Subject: Significance of Pilgrimage


Significance of Pilgrimage

Q: Dear Gurudev, how and when did the twelve Jyotirlingas (literally meaning 'pillar of light', a sacred divine shrine of Lord Shiva) come into existence? Please shed some light on this.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, every Jyotirlingam has a different story behind how it came to be. There is a Sthala Purana (local folklore or legends) attached to each. For example, Lord Rama went to Rameshwaram and established the Jyotirlingam there by worshipping Lord Shiva.

The aim was to unite all the people of India by one single thread of devotion.
Different people in India speak different languages. In Kashi (now Varanasi) there is a different language, in Rameshwaram there is a different language.
In ancient times, people were told to visit Rameshwaram, and then from there they were told to go on a pilgrimage to Kashi and bathe in the holy Ganges.
After that they were told to bring back with them the holy water of the Ganges from Kashi to Rameshwaram and offer it to the Jyotirlingam there. And after that, they were told to take the offering back to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
The intention behind doing this in the olden times was to bring a sense of national unity (by visiting these holy shrines situated in different parts of the country).
It is not that Lord Shiva requires your offering of holy water. What would Lord Shiva do with it? All the water in creation belongs to Him.
Taking holy water of the Ganges from Kashi to Rameshwaram has no meaning or importance to Lord Shiva. Yes, but there is a certain significance in it for the country.

When people undertake pilgrimages together to different parts to the country, they establish bonds of friendship with one another.
See, people from South India go on a pilgrimage to the Amarnath Shrine in North India. So this pilgrimage becomes a medium to connect and unite the people from Kanyakumari in the south with the people from Kashmir in the North. The pilgrimages become a medium to do this.
And whenever we do anything with a sense of sacredness and purity, our entire consciousness starts blossoming. That is why all the twelve Jyotirlingas were never kept in one place or one state. Some were in the north, some in the south, some in the west – they were distributed all over.
And in those days, all those places were very difficult places to travel to.
It used to be so difficult to reach there. One had to go through dense forests, dangerous valleys, city ruins; or on the top of high snow capped mountains, etc., to reach the shrines.
For example, Kedarnath shrine is situated deep in the Himalayan range.

In this way, by establishing Lord Shiva through His sacred shrines in different parts of the country, the holy sages and saints of those days built a unified nation.

Also, it is said, 'Tatropajagmur bhuvanam punana mahanubhava munayah sa-sisyah prayena tirthabhigamapadesaih svayam hi tirthani punanti santah'
- Shrimad Bhagavatam (Canto 1, Chapter 19, Verse 8)

This means that wherever a holy saint sits, that place itself becomes a holy place of pilgrimage. So many saints have visited these holy places, meditated there and have done Tapasya (penances), and that is how the sanctity and glory of these places has grown over time.

However, today you find that these places are unclean and mismanaged.
Nowadays, so much milk and other offerings are offered carelessly in a wasteful manner at these places, without the sense of devotion or faith.
They just rush you through the rituals and the oblations. This is not Pooja.
Worship which is done mindfully, with a sense of devotion and in a meditative state becomes Pooja in the true sense.
If you just do Pooja to fulfil your own selfish desire or appetite, or to fulfil some monetary obligation, then you are only fooling yourself. So one should not do that, you should do it with a feeling of devotion.

When the Rudram (a series of verses recited in praise of Lord Shiva) is being chanted and the Shivalingam is being bathed with water, we should simply close our eyes and sink within, into our own Self. We should go deep into meditation. Then that is meaningful.
We should experience that eternal vastness of the Shiva Tattva (Tattva means principle or element) which is manifest everywhere as the blissful Chidakasha (the Space of Supreme Consciousness).

Q: Gurudev, is it necessary to visit temples if one has a direct connection with the Guru?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Visiting temples is more of a cultural and sociological phenomenon. Of course there is a spiritual flavour to it also.
But that is not essential.
You can sit at home and feel the temple where you are.

For the sake of keeping the culture and tradition alive, and to bring a sense of sacredness to our children and our youngsters, it is good to take yatras (spiritual pilgrimages), and go to temples also, once in a while. It is not because there alone you can seek God, but to keep traditions alive.
That is why we have celebrations, and pilgrimages are kept to unite people.
So it is more for a social cause.
You can do your meditation and sing bhajans (devotional songs) at home, but when you come here, to the Ashram, and we meditate together, sing bhajans together, then there is a rise in the collective consciousness. Your collective energy rises, and it has a different flavour.

At the same time if someone asks, 'Can we not just meditate at home?' I say, definitely you can. You should sit and meditate at home as well, and sometimes you should come here as well. It is the same for temples also.

Q: Dear Gurudev, why is the path of spirituality so difficult and trying at times? Sometimes I feel life was much simpler when I was ignorant.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Spirituality is difficult? (Sri Sri smiles) Who says so? If it is difficult, how could you be smiling?

Before you were insensitive, now you have become sensitive, that is it!
When you are thick skinned, nothing matters at all. You do not feel anything. You just simply carry on with your life. But when you become sensitive; when the cloth becomes pure and white, even a small stain or dot appears big, that is all.

Spirituality is not going to bring you misery at all.
It is said, 'Heyam dukham anagatam'. It is the principle of Yoga, the goal of Yoga; the aim of Yoga is to stop the misery that is yet to come.

Q: Dear Gurudev, can you please speak about bondage? Why does the soul feel trapped, and what are the causes of bondage?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ignorance is the cause of bondage. And why there is ignorance? There is no answer to that.
Why has the Divine first created this ignorance and then the means to get out of it? That is why it is called Leela (a game or play of the Divine).
It is like asking, 'Why do we have a football match? Why are there two courts with some coaches and some players on one side, and some on the other side, pushing the ball from this side to that side? Why do they not have their own balls and stay in their own courts?' Then there is no play!
So because of ignorance there is a play, there is the game. That is why the whole world is called the Leela of the Parampurusha (the Supreme Divinity).

Q: Gurudev, there is a saying that a seeker should not mistake understanding for realization, and realization for liberation. Can you please explain this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Who said this? I do not have the habit of commenting on someone else's sayings.
Understanding is intellectual. Experience is subtler than that. And beyond experience is liberation – when you know you are not the experience but the experiencer.

That is why it is said in the Bhagavad Gita, 'Nastibuddhi rayuktasya nacha yuktasya bhavana, Nacha bhavayata santihi asantasya kutah sukham'
(Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 66).
If your individual mind is not united with the Universal self that is deep within you, you will neither have intellectual sharpness, nor will you have emotional lightness and clarity.

Q: Gurudev, please talk about the sound vibrations and how do they operate through thoughts? Like how in meditation we take our Mantra.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It works! That is it! How it works, we do not know.
See, nowadays there are sensors on different objects, and when you touch them, the light comes on. Just your touch can open the locks.
Your telephone works by a simple touch of yours. Your laptop and iPad works this way as well. All this happens just with a touch, isn't that so?
So, all the five senses – touch, smell, taste, sight, and sound, they are nothing but electromagnetic vibrations. Science can explain this very well.

Q: Dearest Gurudev, I realized that I am but a small speck amongst your ocean of devotees. Yet I feel confident that you love me and are aware of my needs. Is that my ego that makes me feel that I am special to you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, it is perfectly alright. You should feel special.
That is why it is said – Anupama (unparalleled, wonderful), Advitiya (unique, without a second), Aprameya (incomparable, immeasurable). These are the qualities of the Atman. The Self is incomparable.
So you can feel very special about yourself – no problem. But do not place any demands. As long as it remains at the level of feelings within you, you are safe and everybody else is safe. But if you say, 'I am very special, so give me this privilege', then it will be very difficult.

I want you to feel special.

Q: Gurudev, sometimes what we fear the most is the very thing that can set us free. So why has God put this fear in us? There was no need for fear.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Fear is just love turned upside down. So when there is love, a little bit of fear also comes.
Knowledge, Vairagya (dispassion), Wisdom – these are the things that can help transform the fear back into love again.

When love turns into attachment that is when fear pops up. So through dispassion and wisdom, keep love in its pure form.

Q: My dear Gurudev, is failure in worldly life important to get back the focus on the spiritual path?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No. You do not need to fail in order to get the focus.
Do not put such a sankalpa (impression or resolve) in your mind. It is not a necessary thing.

Q: Gurudev, you are very generous. You have fulfilled all of my wishes, but I have not fulfilled all the commitments I made to you. I want to know whether, will you punish me, or will you keep fulfilling my further wishes.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: (Laughter) Why should I reveal it to you now? I will leave you guessing about it.
You better fulfil your commitments before you wish for something more. I do not want to make you a greedy person. Otherwise you will become so greedy.

When you know that your desires are getting fulfilled, you should desire for bigger things, not just things for yourself. Have desires for the nation, for the world, for humanity.

If your desires are for achieving something bigger, and bringing this knowledge to the people, then that is more meaningful. Then you are growing.
You should take a sankalpa, 'Let the knowledge of Vedanta reach thousands of people; let Yoga reach thousands of people.' You should cultivate such desires in you.
Actually you cannot cultivate a desire, but this is the right direction for desires.

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From: Chandan Prasad <jgdchandan@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Oct 11, 2012 at 12:47 AM
Subject: "PRANAYAM DHYAN SHIBIR" with KASHI BHAIYA..!!


First Time in Howrah & Hooghly "PRANAYAM DHYAN SHIBIR" with KASHI BHAIYA..!!

Date : 23 - 24 - 25 November'12.

Time : 6:30 AM - 8:30 AM.

Venue - Bally Jute Mill Playground. (2 Mins walking distance from G.T.Road & Railway Station).

Donation Passes - 200/-, 300/-, 500/-, 1000/-.

For More Details Contact : 9239-23-24-25, 9804-148-148.

--
Thanks & Best Regards,

Chandan Prasad
+91-9231861886
+91-9804148148
संगच्छध्वं - Let's move together
Visit: www.artofliving.org

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