Ashram Yoga : India's Spiritual Tradition » Love http://ashramyoga.org Where yoga, spirituality, ashrams, and people come together. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:52:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 en hourly 1 Spiritual Relatives http://ashramyoga.org/spiritual-relatives/ http://ashramyoga.org/spiritual-relatives/#comments Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:43:00 +0000 admin http://ashramyoga.org/spiritual-relatives/ Please visit the following you tube site and listen to Sri TT.Rangarajan on spiritual relatives. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-3CQmT0EHk Don’t look in to what you don’t have. Look how much you can do with what we have & out of that what can be done. In a platform with Kapil Dev before sharing he expressed that he will not be able to share more than 5 minutes, but that 5 minutes what he shared was the content discussed over all. Sachin Tendulkar & Bradman never felt that they are short, instead they made the world to talk every thing bigger about them by their achievements in life. To do business if you require 2 crores & you don’t have today, think with what the Rs.2 lakhs what you have today how to make that in to 10 lakhs, then 1 crore then 2 crores eventually you will get your own ways to achieve what you want. So just need to focus with what we have & out of that how much we can achieve. Once we start focusing with what we have automatically things will unfold to reach where we have to, You will ask ok, how to know how much I have & how to find out this. Simple Count your blessings not your curses. Always ask yourself Why Me God for all these blessings & not Why me God for all the sufferings. My Blessings in my life so far, What I feel is Spouse = I got the BEST one. Today I am what ever I am because of her without her sacrifice & understanding me I could have not made. Children = Beautiful Kids, Very understanding, upcoming Legendry people. Father = In his 45 years of life he has created a name for himself in the world. Today we are recognised in the social community all because of his efforts. My r Grandma will always say it is easy to make money with money. Your dad has made money without money in hand. The way you people are doing business today even a lady sitting will earn that use to be her quote whenever we come late for the lunch or dinner or we come home late from the office. That kind of hard work my father worked & not only created wealth for us but even he created good name for him in the social so that for us it was easy to walk his path. Mother = Very Loving, If there is any difference of opinion(or arguments) with in our 3 brothers her heart will cry still we become normalcy. She will always tell I don’t want any thing other than you people or together and live a long Happy life. In todays world more than this what we want from our mother such a lovely person from the heart. Brothers = When I matured enough my 2 brothers are in the roll of my father and today I am what I am all because of their love, they never said no to me for any thing. 10 years when I was striving to get back in to the automobile industry I have applied each & every company and had spent money in lakhs only for application, Presentations all these things. But for not even a single time they have stopped me what ever I was doing. They where so co-operative & the BEST they gave me in my life. Friends, Relatives = WOW, I can say I have got the best of all as without their love & wishes we could have not been any where. Business = Today I am running SKODA dealership in bangalore but for me 10 years of striving I got in to a business where my heart was, but that 10 years of in explainable experience I got out of it now I am feeling that is required for me to work on my vision & mission today. Yes I have got the BEST business opportunity and today with this platform I am going to create a new world in near future. Teachers & Mentors = Till today I have come acrossed only with the BEST teachers, I am in the best of best in hands and be sharpened by every one. I am really proud that all my achievements in my life is their hard work on me to make my self what I am today. GURU = Yes without HIS blessings even I cannot move my fingure. He is the one who plays his role through me. I am just a instrument of HIM & I know very well HE will take me HIGHER, give me DEEPER & Lead me Beyond. Through me he will make that the surroundings of me to TAKE them HIGHER, Give them Deeper & Lead them Beyond. All this will not happen if HIS blessings are not their. After today’s 52 Thoughts program it took more than 45 minutes to come out of the impact from the program. Yes. I am sure that I know how much blessings I have in my life & with what I have and I will make the BEST of it. To conclude if I don’t express my gratitude to all of my blessings I feel I will be incomplete. Thank you so Much. Loving you so much, Thanks & Regards, Suresh Bafna.

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Spiritual Relatives

]]> http://ashramyoga.org/spiritual-relatives/feed/ 0 In communion with God http://ashramyoga.org/in-communion-with-god/ http://ashramyoga.org/in-communion-with-god/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:44:00 +0000 adam http://ashramyoga.org/in-communion-with-god/ By Padma Narayanan The Hindu devotee’s God is endowed with all beauty. He is a paragon of all qualities ever conceived by the imperfect human mind and yet He is in some special way part of the devotee’s psyche. If a devotee occasionally forgets all mores of propriety and sees the divine form as someone dearer than anyone or anything else, that very closeness making all apparent inequalities disappear; and if all kinds of liberties are taken with that God, can that familiarity be faulted? Would it amount to sacrilege or blasphemy to bless God Himself or take Him to task for not coming to the devotee in his/her time of need? Our poetry is rich with any number of songs that, under the veil of ridicule adore our Gods and Goddesses, display a unique intimacy. Do we not have a Vaishnavite saint losing himself in the beauty of the Lord that he breaks out spontaneously with verses blessing the Lord that He may live for many years? WE HAVE AN ENTIRE TREASURE OF SONGS AND POEMS BELONGING TO THIS UNIQUE GENRE. WE HAVE DEVOTEES WHO CHIDE THEIR GODS FOR BEING INDIFFERENT TO THEIR NEEDS, SO MUCH SO THAT THEY ASK FOR THE INTERVENTION OF THE LORD’S CONSORT TO ADVOCATE THEIR CASES BEFORE HER HUSBAND. ‘WHEN HE IS ALONE WITH YOU, HAPPY IN YOUR COMPANY, WILL YOU REMIND HIM OF HIS OBLIGATION TO PROTECT ME?’ SINGS RAMADAS (‘NANNU BROVAMANI CHEPPAVE’). DEVOTEE NONPAREIL Saint Tyagaraja’s language is always direct and conversational. His identification with the Lord is so complete that now and then the dividing line between the master and the servant disappears. This servant of Rama has known his master so well and for so long that he indulges in certain leniencies in the way he communicates with Him. Very often, there is a tone of impatient mockery in Tyagaraja’s voice that is so endearing. The saint-poet wonders in one of his songs if Rama is indifferent towards him heeding the advice of someone. “Who did you listen to and so will not come to my help? Or are you not here?” (‘Evarimata’ – Khambodi). In another song the saint makes a bold attempt to ask the Lord, “Have you not yet considered coming to my protection? At this time of my agony, how can you bring yourself to sport merrily with your wife?’” (‘Mathilo Yochan’ – Kolahalam). The devotee-divinity relationship is so personal and intimate that the devotee is able to question the implied indifference that the Lord displays towards His bhakta. Wondering what could have caused such indifference, Tyagaraja questions, “Are you scared you’ll lose your wealth if you appear before me?” (‘Ethita Nilachite,’ – Sankarabharanam) and “Perhaps your grace will fall on me only if I own elephants and wealth?” (‘Tharithapu Lekha’ – Saveri). “REMEMBER YOU OWE ALL YOUR GRANDEUR TO HAVING MARRIED OUR JANAKI.” (‘MAA JANAKI’ – KHAMBODI) REMINDS TYAGARAJA. IN ANOTHER SONG HE EVEN DOUBTS IF RAMA HAS LOST ALL CONTROL OVER HIS SUBORDINATES: HE ASKS, “HAS YOUR MOUNT, THE BIRD-KING GARUDA, REFUSED TO BRING YOU TO MY SIDE SAYING THAT THE EARTH IS TOO FAR FROM THE CELESTIAL SKIES?” (‘NAGUMOMU’ – ABHERI.) “RAMA! HAS ANYONE WHO ASKED YOU FOR HAPPINESS EVER GOT IT? … SURPANAKA EXPRESSED HER DESIRE FOR YOU AND HAD HER NOSE CHOPPED OFF. DURVASA CAME EXPECTING A SUMPTUOUS MEAL AND FELT FULL EVEN BEFORE HE HAD EATEN,” CRIES THE POET IN DESPAIR. SRI RAMA IS EVEN ACCUSED OF BEING A CHEAT! “O, YES! HE PREACHES WELL. BUT HIS FAME AS ONE WHO GRANTS BOONS AND PROTECTS HIS DEVOTEES ARE ALL EMPTY WORDS.” (‘VARIJANAYANUDA’ – KEDARAGOWLA). AND MORE DIRECTLY, “YOU SAY SO MANY CONTRADICTORY THINGS. WHAT CAN I DO? YOU ARE LIKE THE ONE WHO ROCKS THE BABY AND PINCHES IT AS WELL!” (‘ATLA PALUKUTHU’ – ATANA). THERE ARE MANY MORE SUCH GEMS IN THE OCEAN OF TYAGARAJA’S SONGS THAT BRING A SMILE TO ONE’S LIPS. THE DEVOTEE IS IN SUCH TOTAL COMMUNION WITH HIS CHOSEN LORD AND LIKE A FOND MOTHER, LOVING WIFE AND INTIMATE FRIEND DOES NOT SEE THE NEED TO HAVE ANY RESERVATION IN EXPRESSING HIS EMOTIONS OF THE MOMENT. THE DEVOTEE-GOD RELATIONSHIP IS AS MUCH SACRED AS IT IS PERSONAL. SUCH IS THE TEXTURE OF A HINDU DEVOTEE’S LOVE FOR HIS PERSONAL GOD THAT THEY ARE ALMOST ONE. IS THIS KIND OF UNINHIBITED LOVE, A PREREQUISITE FOR THE ULTIMATE REALISATION OF ONE BEING DIVINITY ITSELF, AFFIRMING AN ADVAITIC STATE?

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In communion with God

]]> http://ashramyoga.org/in-communion-with-god/feed/ 0 Havikoro Doing Hip Hop Workshop in the Slums http://ashramyoga.org/havikoro-doing-hip-hop-workshop-in-the-slums/ http://ashramyoga.org/havikoro-doing-hip-hop-workshop-in-the-slums/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 00:23:27 +0000 admin http://ashramyoga.org/havikoro-doing-hip-hop-workshop-in-the-slums/

Havikoro, brought through the American Consulate – American Center program, came to connect with our EKATVA kids and other Manav Sadhna children to help bring exposure to the hip hop culture and art form. Hot!

]]> http://ashramyoga.org/havikoro-doing-hip-hop-workshop-in-the-slums/feed/ 0 Slumber Party Music Video: “Aloo Chat!” http://ashramyoga.org/slumber-party-music-video-aloo-chat/ http://ashramyoga.org/slumber-party-music-video-aloo-chat/#comments Tue, 30 Aug 2011 21:51:36 +0000 admin http://ashramyoga.org/slumber-party-music-video-aloo-chat/

We had a slumber party yesterday and in the morning after breakfast, all 16 kids, bharat and i decided to do some quick extra curricular activities and put together a quick, fun rough music video :) fun. fun. fun.

]]> http://ashramyoga.org/slumber-party-music-video-aloo-chat/feed/ 0 Virenbhai Getting Down! http://ashramyoga.org/virenbhai-getting-down/ http://ashramyoga.org/virenbhai-getting-down/#comments Sat, 27 Aug 2011 17:08:37 +0000 admin http://ashramyoga.org/virenbhai-getting-down/

When we asked Virenbhai to take part in dancing with the kids in the kite flying dance, he obviously declined. But after enough of the kids requesting, he couldn’t resist. This is our short but joyful glimpse of Virenbhai taking part in the kite flying dance choreography for the EKATVA show.

]]> http://ashramyoga.org/virenbhai-getting-down/feed/ 0 A “Sour” Party http://ashramyoga.org/a-sour-party/ http://ashramyoga.org/a-sour-party/#comments Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:31:11 +0000 admin http://ashramyoga.org/a-sour-party/

A delightful day of cooking together, turns into a ‘distastrous’ ingredient mishap, leading to a horrible dish, that everyone in the end, eats together with love :)

]]> http://ashramyoga.org/a-sour-party/feed/ 0 Dad does Magic for the Kids http://ashramyoga.org/dad-does-magic-for-the-kids/ http://ashramyoga.org/dad-does-magic-for-the-kids/#comments Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:28:18 +0000 admin http://ashramyoga.org/dad-does-magic-for-the-kids/

My dad, came from Los Angeles with a bag of tricks up his sleeve, literally….Well, not up his sleeve. But he did bring magic tricks with him. And shared his delightful goodies with the kids.

]]> http://ashramyoga.org/dad-does-magic-for-the-kids/feed/ 0 Art Of Living – Knowledge Sheet 13 – Book 1 – A LIAR IS INNOCENT http://ashramyoga.org/art-of-living-knowledge-sheet-13-book-1-a-liar-is-innocent/ http://ashramyoga.org/art-of-living-knowledge-sheet-13-book-1-a-liar-is-innocent/#comments Sun, 21 Aug 2011 14:40:28 +0000 admin http://ashramyoga.org/art-of-living-knowledge-sheet-13-book-1-a-liar-is-innocent/

This is from An Intimate Note to the Sincere Seeker Book 1 by Art of Living. The knowledge I am reading was given by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on 06 Sep, 1995 in Bangalore Ashram, India. — A LIAR IS INNOCENT A dear person whom you trust lies to you and gets caught. What do you feel? 1. Sadness 2. Anger 3. Cheated 4. Disappointment 5. Compassion 6. Let down 7. Loss of respect 8. Wonder 9. Shock 10. Embarrassment Recently when someone lied to me, I felt happy and more love, for they were not a good liar. Had they been a good liar, they would not have been caught. I thought they were so innocent that they could not even lie properly. They lie and get caught. If they had not been caught, how would you know they were a liar? So . . . you can never know a good liar. The person you call a liar is not a good liar and they are innocent. Aren’t they? And so . . . ha ha (laugh). You need not go through all the listed mental gymnastics. Instead melt and dissolve in Love. — Jai Guru Dev

]]> http://ashramyoga.org/art-of-living-knowledge-sheet-13-book-1-a-liar-is-innocent/feed/ 0 Art Of Living – Knowledge Sheet 23 – Book 1 – BOREDOM AND SADHANA http://ashramyoga.org/art-of-living-knowledge-sheet-23-book-1-boredom-and-sadhana/ http://ashramyoga.org/art-of-living-knowledge-sheet-23-book-1-boredom-and-sadhana/#comments Sun, 14 Aug 2011 14:39:41 +0000 admin http://ashramyoga.org/art-of-living-knowledge-sheet-23-book-1-boredom-and-sadhana/

This is from An Intimate Note to the Sincere Seeker Book 1 by Art of Living. The knowledge I am reading was given by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on 15 Nov 1995, Bangalore Ashram, India. — BOREDOM AND SADHANA What is boredom? A repetition without interest or love causes a monotonous state of mind; that is boredom. It overshadows the Self. A practice or abhyasa is again a repetition whose purpose is to destroy the boredom and reunite with the Self. In this process the practice itself creates boredom and as you continue, it penetrates the boredom and destroys it once and for all. Whether the practice gives you joy or boredom, it must be continued. Only the practice or abhyasa can annihilate the Mind. Self is Love and Love is always repetitive. That is why love letters are simply repetitive and there is no boredom there. If you are bored with yourself then how much more boring you would be for others. Root out the boredom in you through deep and continued meditation. Wake up and Walk up. — Jai Guru Dev

]]> http://ashramyoga.org/art-of-living-knowledge-sheet-23-book-1-boredom-and-sadhana/feed/ 0 Finding Nature in the City http://ashramyoga.org/finding-nature-in-the-city/ http://ashramyoga.org/finding-nature-in-the-city/#comments Sat, 06 Aug 2011 12:16:08 +0000 admin http://ashramyoga.org/finding-nature-in-the-city/

Tina Didi invited us over to her wonder, Gujarat Award-winning garden where daily it takes 18 man hours to water the garden. With our 16 kids and few volunteers we were able to pretty much cover it within an our. Giving our kids a chance to play, enjoy, feed the earth and find nature in the city.

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