Kalviyum Aanmeegamum - Shri Arunji at Tirupur

Photos courtesy Shri. Jothi Ramalingam, Coimbatore, Shri.Sundaresan and Shri.Aravindan Tirupur

The beautiful campus of Jayanthi Matriculation School , situated at the outskirts of the newly formed Tirupur District, hosted a memorable discourse titled “ Kalviyum Aanmeegamum” ( Education and Spirituality) by Shri. Arun Madhavanji, Founder Trustee, of the Art of Living Foundation, Bangalore.

A large gathering of students, teachers, eminent citizens from Tirupur and Coimbatore including our ever expanding art of living family enjoyed two hours of “Thean Amudham “ Bhajans and Timeless wisdom. The evening was specially intended for the students.

Shri. Arunji initiated the event with a “Bhajan” on Lord Ganesha and started his discourse saying “The educational system as it exists today gives students loads of information on various disciplines but not necessarily the skills to convert the knowledge into meeting the challenges of the world and in one’s personal life. There are increasing numbers of early burn out, failed relationships within family and in teams, all due to poor investment in emotional health.”

Further he said “Adding a spiritual dimension to education has become a dire necessity. Spiritual practices help sharpen one’s vision about life and facilitate the art of Self management well. It helps him to look backwards with gratitude, upwards with confidence and forward with hope. It wakes him up to deep reverence to the “Pancha bhutas” of Mother Nature and all its creations.”

Shri. Arunji added further “We need not look beyond the masterpiece ‘odi vilayadu paappa’ by Poet Subramaniya Bharathi. His words have been summed up below to prepare the spiritual foundation by getting connected to Nature and taking responsibility for the world.

Childhood and youth is the time:

• to play, to be active like a sparrow, learning to work together in teams.
• to appreciate the presence of birds and animals, they being our friends on
earth.
• to rise early, to read and to sing fulfilling songs.
• to engage into a sports and games in the evenings
• to adhere to satya
• to develop a firm faith that the Divine love and protection always exists
• to remain fearless in the face of evil and not feel disheartened
• to win over laziness and paying heed to good advices from parents
• to feel grateful for your birth in the land of great saints
• to feel proud being a citizen of India, the land of Vedas
• to eschew differences of caste and status

The ancient verse says “Let there be Peace on Earth but let it begin with me”. Spirituality helps students to achieve that inner peace, to make them dynamic and perform better in studies and in life without destroying their physical and emotional health in the process.”

He highlighted how the Art of Living Courses with the help of simple yoga asanas, Pranayama and Meditation helps the children gain emotional health and sustain the same.

He said the word “Bharatham” is a combination of “Bhavam” Raagam” and” Thaalam” and it is a great boon that we are born here.

Shri. Arunji in his inimitable style narrated how “Lord Hanuman” saved the Nine Planets from the clutches of Ravana and as a favour for saving them, the planets blessed him saying that whoever prays to Lord Hanuman will be able to avoid the malicious effects caused by the Nine Planets” This was followed by the song on “Lord Anjenya – Anjile ondru Petran” and it was really a treat to the ears.

Finally, he spoke on the present global economic slowdown and said it was time for Industrialists and business people to keep honing their skills in their respective field of expertise so that better opportunities shall dawn on them at an appropriate time. He gave a wonderful example from Mahabharata wherein the Pandavas used their hiding period to hone their skills and they prepared themselves fully for regaining their kingdom.

The discourse signed off with the popular Thean Amudham Bhajan “ Vettaliyle Malakattunga” on Lord Hanuman which kept the audience swinging and dancing till the end.