The aura of Kumbh at Kumbakonam

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27th Dec 2012:

Participants at The Art of Silence course held in  Kumbakonam  experienced the aura of  Kumbh in their deep silence. The visits to the Navagriha sthals with descriptive coverages were invigorating and served to deepen their roots and broaden their horizons. The host team did a spectacular job in ensuring that every one felt at home with care and hospitality. One of the participants from a leading IT firm wrote an interesting critique which is reproduced below:


"Who is this Arunji everyone keeps talking about? I was inquisitive. I met him for the first time during his birthday bash in ashram a couple of years ago. I crashed the party so that I could see Guruji. But, at the corner of the eye, I was wonder why is this fella getting so much attention from Guruji. His music was playing in the background, like the ones mom used to play on the cassette in the early mornings during my childhood. Not my type, I said to myself. But again and again, people kept telling me about him; i kept ignoring. And opportunity knocked when I got to know about the Kumbakonam course in Dec. I badly needed time out from work. Apparently, it wasn’t just AMC, but AMC with Arunji plus Navagraha tour. I was skeptical, because I hated to go to temples, I never believed in idol worship. But I did enroll.
The day arrived, I entered T.S Mahal the location was just adjacent to a large paddy field. I have never seen a field up-close. Ah, that’s something to cheer about. Then, Arunji entered while people sang Vazhiya Vazhiya song. I was like, OK, this man’s got style (including his dress code) but not my type I reminded myself again.

He started with course points. At this point of time, I already had couple of Advance courses, so I had expectations. I was watching closely what he was up to next. Then he opened up a PPT, my first impression "he is not a tech-savvy" was trashed. Good start. Then he went on to talk about a lot of course points plus his own variations of it with humor and stories– along with 'Life, a movie' (Yoga Vashishta),in which he mentioned something about opening a lot of windows (laptop). I could relate to his example. I will never forget this in my life. I had a huge yearning to learn more about death and dispassion, just as I sat, he was explaining about lotus (dispassion/detachment) and Yoga Vashishta (death and movie).

It was time for temple visits, I wished so much there would be just 1 navagraha temple to visit, sadly there were 9, 5 were to be covered on a single day! I was like are you insane!? I wouldn’t go to 5 temples even if you were to trade you i-pad for it. But I did go and it was because of Arunji. Before we left for the temples, he started explaining science behind it (I am not going to say what it is, sit in his course J to know about it). That was the moment I started to fall for him. Somehow, he knew I needed to know why, or I was taking his course because he knew why. Either way, I felt really grateful.

People kept talking about his satsang. I was waiting for him to open his musical notes to our ears and to my happy feet. He did, I didn’t fall in love instantly.  But then he started explaining the songs. It was like expressing one’s feeling/thought in ancient language (Sanskrit or Tamil). Made sense, by then I was in that “feeling” level. Thanks to a butt load of meditation sessions, temple visits and silence. Then he talked about “thought, words and action”. How thoughts transform in to happenings. We are alone responsible for what is happening to us nobody else period. The conscious/unconscious thoughts, we attract the events in our lives. Ok, so I did experiment in the course. Yeah, he was right - another huge dive into his magnetic field. I was hooked.

Gratefulness - a word I often come by, but I never felt it so deep. Temples that we went to he explained how we take things for free and how much little importance we give to the things that is bestowed to us. There was a magical course, that most of it was feeling level than logical and yet there was logical reasoning behind it.The story of challenges in our lives are to make us strong was a big take a way for me. Looking back at my past, he was right. Absolutely right.

Well, it was not the AMC I had in mind, not even close it, but it gave me a purpose, reassured something really deep. I have so much to look forward to in life now! Thanks Arunji!


Jai gurudeva, Rock & Roll

Aparna

Reminiscing on the Kumbakonam experience:

Imagine being on vacation. Imagine what it feels like when your mind comes to stillness, when your heart fills with peace and when your body lets go of all stress, tension and relaxes to such a profound level that you begin to feel rejuvenated and alive again! This is the place of natural being; the place we were meant to experience life from. It is where your peace, your love and your power come from.  Silence takes you deeper into yourself. Meditation creates and revitalizes one’s energy. Celebration maintains the energy and elevates consciousness .Service is how the energy is channeled. 

Observance of silence allows the mind to become still. It is a powerful process that lets you get in touch with a deeper wisdom within yourself, a place of calm and tranquility. Meditation allows you to release deep-seated stress and tension from your body. As a result you get a chance to feel your true self. Celebration lets you experience the newfound enthusiasm for life with all the other participants

Enjoyed such perfect spiritual vacation at the Kumbakonam Advanced course (27^th to 30^th Dec’12), with Dr Arun Madhavan ji.It was a retreat with a bonus of visiting all the Navagraha Parihara Stalas located in & around the venue.  The town is home for its four large, well known temples dedicated to 1) Sarangapani, 2) Kumbeswarar 3) Brahma and 4) Nageswarar.Located in the vicinity are all the Navagraha Temples.

It is said that planetary transits bring about change in certain people's well-being and fortunes for better or worse. The worshipping of planets gives us great relief; the process known as propitiation (Dosha Pariharam).

Planet	Temple
Surya (Sun)	Suryanar Koil
Chandra (Moon)	Thingalur Koil
Chevaai (Mars)	Vaitheswaran Koil
Budhan (Mercury)	Tiruvenkadu
Guru (Jupiter)	Alangudi
Shukran (Venus)	Kanchanoor
Shani (Saturn)	Tirunallar
Raghu	Tirunageswharam
Kethu	Keezhperumpallam

Kudos to the hosting team who had pre-visited the places, studied the traveling time and the time that would take for darshan at each temple. Such meticulous planning before the course ensured that there were no setbacks such as having to skip one or two in the agenda.  I appreciate their organizing skills & take back home this learning of organizing skill. Dr. Arunji was co-relating the visits with our course sessions so well that it was a perfect blend.  Participants got an answer as to why the visits & the course were combined together.

This is my first AMC outside the Ashram & had a wonderful experience.  Dr Arun Madhavanji was fantabulous. He was available with us all the time right from the early morning yoga sessions to the end of the day concluding sessions.  I have lot of things that I (or rather we) carry back home from Dr. Arunji’s AMC course.  I have a big list but I shall shortlist them.  His Simplicity, Punctuality, Presenting skills, Dress Code, Concerns towards the participants, be it local or from outside states, Command over the languages, his sessions were awesome, filled with knowledge, Blissful satsangs, and humor.  He is gifted with a Golden Voice.  He was enquiring us every now & then to see to our comforts, be it with the travel or the stay or during our course sessions or & even before & after reaching our destinations, he was finding if we had reached the venue & have we reached back safely.  Really appreciate his concerns that he has for every single participant.  Felt like we were in the safe hands with the divine & were feeling at home always.  He established the course points so well co-relating with our tour to various Navagraha places.  We could experience it practically & all of us just witnessed the events & every moment was enjoyable.

I learnt from Dr. Arunji that if we visit a temple, we should know a few things that I would like to share with you all.  First is the stala purana, energy centers in & around the premises, stala vruksha & also about the central sanctum sanctorum (high energy place).  We used to all assemble in these energy centers & used to pray & sing together & experience was just awesome & no words to explain the blissful feeling.  In every temple, the temple main priest used to explain us in details of the stala purana & the powers and such history.

I would like to share this wonderful experience as to how Mother Nature answers our prayers.  On Thursday the 27^th Dec’12, we all gathered in Suryanar Koil. The weather was warm & sunny that day.  We stood near the Kalyani of the temple & prayed to the Divine to rain frequently & take care of the farmers who are solely dependent on natural rains.  To our surprise, the same evening it started drizzling & the next whole day from early morning till night it was continuously raining.  We consider living in harmony and understanding with life's myriad forms as a religious act. Our commonality lies in our reverence and connection with Nature and Mother Earth, seeing Her as a conscious, living entity.

All four days were filled with fun filled sessions of yoga, deep guided meditations, and profound processes that cleansed, renewed, and led us to an experience of inner peace and freedom. We used to conclude with the mesmerizing satsang or the knowledge sessions & not to forget Arunji’s power point presentations on Yoga Vasistha –Life, a movie.  Simply Superb.  I sincerely thank Arunji for giving me an opportunity to take fun filled sessions of dance yoga. All the participants too really enjoyed the sessions.  Also, Ashokan ji’s Sukshma Vyayam was amazing along with his singing talent.  It was a good learning experience from him.

Food was amazing & was completely Satvik. Perfectly designed menu, which suited the place & the weather.  Last day’s meal was very grand & outstanding.  In each break there was a surprise waiting for us & we were curious to know what the surprise would be. Not to forget Mr. Ravvichandran’s filler stories – humorous yet with morals.

To support the host team were couple Sunderesanji & Dr.Sarada, Smt.Sivakami and the vibrant Satish ji.   How can I forget Sri.Rajesh who exemplified the planning of infra structure. Many more names behind the scenes & hope they excuse me for not mentioning every name incase if I have forgotten to mention it here. Aside from the host district, people turned up from Delhi, various districts of TN and AP.  What a way to celebrate & start the New Year!!! I think it’s one the best gifts that I have gifted to myself.

The course was typically held at a perfect place & was really a retreat in a place of natural beauty and tranquility.  I conclude here by saying that it’s no wonder that many course participants refer to it as the ideal vacation for body, mind, and spirit.  I would look forward for another course with Dr. Arunji shortly. 

Wishing you all a Happy & Prosperous New Year 2013.

With lots of Love & Wishes,

Srinivasa G V

Ps: Only sign of disappointment was that my camera stopped functioning on the 3^rd day of the course.  Lens error!!! I need to get this fixed.  I will shortly share all the snaps captured by me.