Meditation at the Tuticorin Beach

Tuticorin, besides being a main Port City of India, is well known for pearl diving, fishing centre and shipbuilding. It is also hailed as " Pearl City ” "Muthu Nagar”. An estimated 70% of India's salt is sourced from this area. The AOL Tuticorin hosted the first ever AMC Part II Course by the beach and the experience was beyond words.The participants met on the beach at dawn and dusk and savoured the rare moments everyday. Birds including Garudas, which are becoming rare sights elsewhere, added to the pristine environment. The video above captures the final moments of Sunrise on the last day.

Sri Krishna Jayanti was celebrated by the group alongside the public on 12th Sept 2009 at the exquisite Balaji Mandir of the Port with prayers for rains and peace and they were not in vain. As we are filing the report, the City, which has been under a very long dry spell, is now receiving showers.

AOL is slowly transforming the Muthu Nagar into a Muktinagar.

Shri. Arunji's inspiring lecture to Women Students of GVG Visalakshi College Udumalpet.

About six decades ago, Sri G.V.G Visalakshi College appeared on the academic map of Tamil Nadu as one of the first Women’s colleges. Set in idyllic environs, the college stands as an eternal monument of the philanthropy and foresight of the founder, who envisioned a future of emancipated women hood of the socially, economically and culturally backward rural society of Udumalpet.Thousands have graduated from GVG empowered and and grown into efficient careerists and excellent homemakers. Their value-based education synthesizes arts, science and spirituality. Shri.Arunji has been a featured Speaker of this Institution and over the years has made presentations on varied subjects of relevance to the Youth. This year the topic was : Our Culture, Our Heritage.

Over two thousand students sat in wrapt attention for a good three hours much to the surprise of the College management who eventually saw bright faces emerging out of the auditorium.Quoting excepts from his recent book 'A Tribute to Tradition" Shri.Arunji exhorted the faculty and students to appreciate the scientific flavour and bent in many of our traditions. For instance our tradition of greeting with a Namaste needs to be admired in the context of the on going media advisory from the States that physical hand contact need to be avoided to prevent spread of swine flu!He went into detailed appraisal of the rich culture handed to us - knowledge of the Universe, the primordial Aum, Yoga, Visionary concepts like Unity in Diversity , knowlege through the Divine song of Bhagawat Gita,our healing ragas in music, Ayurveda based food, Festivals. Above all our legends have valuable tips for Communication and managerial skills as well.

Several questions on the subject raised by the students were dealt with by Shri.Arunji true to his trademark style and aplomb much to the delight of the assembly. 90 minutes of satsang that followed transported the audience to divine ecstasy.

Shri. Arunji at the Sri Sri Anandham Inauguration at Coimbatore

Sri Sri Anandam Dhyana Mandapam - Inauguration

Sri Sri Anandham – Meditation Hall Inaugurated at Coimbatore.

Sri Sri Anandham Meditation Hall is located on the Coimbatore - Ooty State Highway about 10 Kms from the City. The spacious Meditation Hall is surrounded by greenery and at the backdrop is a beautiful hillock. With a lot of fresh air and natural ventilation, it is the most appropriate place for conducting our Art of Living Courses. With the blessings of Poojya Gurudev, Shri. Arun Madhavanji , a Founder Trustee of The Art of Living inaugurated the Meditation Hall on 23rd August, 2009. The simple ceremony was made richer with Shri. Arunji’s “Thean Amudham” Bhajans and the timeless knowledge. A large gathering of people from various parts of Coimbatore were fortunate to celebrate “Ganesh Chathurthi” amidst Vedic Chanting, Homam performed by our Vedic Pundits followed by Bhajans and wonderful knowledge.

Dr. G.Bakathavatsalam, Chairman of K.G. Group of Institutions, an eminent citizen of Coimbatore and Padma Awardee, honoured Shri. Arunji and the philanthropic couple and Trustees of the endowment viz. Dr.Sivakami and Shri.Subramaniam.

Here are few glimpses of knowledge conveyed by Shri.Arunji.

“In today’s “Dhina Malar” News paper Guruji has explained the concept of Ganesha as “Nirvikalpam” (attributeless) , “Niraakaram”(formless¬¬¬) and beyond birth and death. It is the same energy which is the reason for this universe, from which everything manifests and into which everything will dissolve. This complies 100% with what “Aadi Shankara” had preached and what Islam propagates. We have to proudly convey this to our next generation and should feel blessed for this birth. Our devotion has been deep and meaningful to Ganesh, the divine who is a combination of the Navagrahas (Nine Planets) and who possess the “Pasankusam” (an axe to cut off all attachments). We are here to inaugurate this Meditation Hall in the presence of that divine force. The Vedic chanting and Homam which took place here have sanctified the atmosphere. We congratulate the couple who, out of their gratitude to the Guru, have dedicated this Meditation Hall and it has been rightly named “Sri Sri Anandam”. All your collective good wishes will help the couple fulfil all their dreams that they have in their life.

Guruji’s message and blessings are that many auspicious events and spiritual programmes should take place here with a lot of charity (dhaanam). Of course a lot of Marriages (kannika dhaanam) are going to happen. When I came here this morning I was astonished by the sylvan and serene surroundings. This place is bound to create good vibes.

We all know that the elephant trunk has got two actions, “Kriya shakthi” and “Gnana shakthi”. It has a very powerful olfactory sense (smelling power) that helps distinguishing and also does work of the hand. It is thus so important to combine “Kriya shakthi” and “Gnana shakthi”. We have to work with the awareness that what we are doing is going to be beneficial to people and be satisfied. Thus a “Nishkama Karma yogi”, as Lord Krishna says in Bhagavath Gita, is one who gets satisfaction in the work he does even while he is on the process of doing it. To think what I am doing is giving me entire satisfaction and so I don’t really bother about the results.

There was an incident couple of days ago in Bangalore when a team of Doctors had been working (or rather struggling) on a patient for 11 hours. Even after the doctors had given up their hope they believed there was some force that was acting to save the life. This shows that God is omnipresent. Once you surrender to the omnipresent, you need no fear.

Knowledge often speaks of the temporary nature of life. The next breath is not in our hands; So Celebrate! Celebration in India starts at our birth and goes on till the end. But as people slackened and stopped celebrating every day, they started lacking in spirit. Hence the festivals came into picture. In India there are over 760 festivals annually while the days remain only 365!

Our ancestors deeply believed in the fact that whatever the 5 elements provide us with, would be taken back by them at some point of time. This is the reason why the Ganesha idol is made out of the clay of the earth which goes back to the earth. We have to celebrate this moment, in which all the 5 elements are intact in our body that we are able to feel, hear, see and sing. If you can’t celebrate this way then celebrate with meditation. It is also a form of celebration by which you are in communion with your soul. So “Gaanam and Dhyaanam”, being our two legs must not be let off. Take all the good things, stop dissecting all the bad and the evil, get off and walk ahead and you will find the red carpet paving the way.

Before concluding, Shri. Arunji narrated a beautiful anecdote, a real incident concerning Alexander Fleming and Winston Churchill to which the audience were deeply engrossed. The World is round and whatever help we do will come back to us. With a tinge of humour he said “Once my friend told me that all wonderful and knowledgeable people are in four corners of the World and I told him but the World is round!" He left the riddle for the audience to resolve.

M.Gopalakrishnan

Rediscover your inner self through meditation

In the past, people had to seek and find solution to distress on their own while today, it has come to their doorstep in the form of intensive meditation, founder trustee and chairman of Vyakti Vikas Kendra, Arun Madhavan of Bangalore, said here on Sunday.

Summing up the proceedings on the concluding day of the four-day Advanced Meditation course conducted by the Art of Living Foundation at Hawa Mahal, he said that the aim of the course was to rediscover the inner ‘self’ by maintaining strict silence, practising sadhana and satsang to help people have a healthy mind and soul. Nutritious food, rest to the body, good company of friends and meditation and silence were the main aspects of the course, he said. Read More

Knowing our heritage

Shri Vaidya Veera Raghava Swami Temple is located in the center of Tiruvallur and is one of the 108 Divya Desams. It is a little over an hour's drive from Chennai.

The town in fact derives its name after the temple. It is one of the seven shrines featuring Lord Vishnu in a reclining position. Azhwars have sung pasurams on the deity. It is believed that bathing in the temple tank, and worshipping the Lord and His consort Kanakavalli with offerings of salt and pepper, is a cure to many physical ailments. Hence the deity is also revered as Vaidya Veera Raghavan.

Legend has it that one of the great devotees Salihothra Muni obtained a boon from Lord Vishnu after intense Tapas and God asked him what he wanted. He asked nothing for him but requested Him to bless all those come to him by removing their illness. The Lord blessed him accordingly. He appeared before the Muni and asked "uraitharkkuriya uL evvuL?"-Which place is suitable for taking rest? Thus, the place came to be known as "Thiru evvuL". The main deity is akin to Lord Ranganatha but His right hand on the head of Salihothra Muni whilst His left held in a position of teaching all Vedas to Brahma who is sitting on a lotus raising from the Lord’s Naval. Whilst this was going on in a chilly weather, the Muni covered Him with his long checked towel and to this day this remains His the Alakaram - a simple long towel.

As a prelude to Pujya Gurudev’s visit to the town and embarking on the Panch Maha bhuta tour, the volunteers in the town hosted a divine satsang on 2nd August 2009 by Shri.Arunji. With the vedic chants of the Ashram pundits floating in the air, the bhajans provided an unusual treat to the assembly. True to the lines 'muppadu mukkodi moovarum yaavarum' there was a celestial treat as well.

Scintillating moments at Sri Villiputtur

Srivilliputtur, the birthplace of Andal, is considered to be among the holiest of the 108 Divya Desam shrines. This is the birthplace of Andal and Periyalwar. As legend would have it, the town was built by two hunters Villi and Puttan. Periyalwar a devotee of Vatapatrasaayee, served the temple, by fashioning garlands out of fresh flowers from the garden which he maintained. Andal his daughter was in the habit of wearing the garland prior to submitting them to the deity. An aghast Periyalwar, tried to stop Andal’s deed, and was directed by the deity, that he indeed preferred garlands which had been worn by Andal, and hence Andal’s name ‘Soodittanda Sudarkkodi’. Poet Nakeeran's words that even divine Madurai Meenakshi's hair is bereft of fragrance has been refuted in this episode that occurred in the very same Pandya Kingdom!
Andal is the author of Tiruppaavai, the celebrated collection of 30 poems.

8th century inscriptions are seen in this temple which has among the tallest towers in Tamilnadu. The 12 tiered Rajagopuram rises to a height of 192 feet and has the distinction of being the State Symbol of Tamil Nadu. Exquisite carvings adorn the shrine.

The ten day Thiru Aadiporam festival in July marks an eventful part of the Temple calendar and the fifth day of the festival is dedicated to welcoming the Gods as suitors to Andal's hand arriving in a pentagon of Garudas.

Shri.Arunji's Govinda nama sankirtan was the highlight of the evening which was heard and enjoyed by thousands from the State of TN, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The magnificently lit assembly hall saw scintillating moments of divine ecstasy and celebration.

First Advanced Meditation Course at Rajahmundry by Shri.Arunji

The team of AP AOL Teachers who were part of this unique experience honored.

Rajahmundry is the cultural capital of Andhra Pradesh. Nannayya,the Adi Kavi of Telugu Literature and Sri Kandukuri Veerasalingam Pantulu hailed as the South Indian Raja Rammohan Roy both belong to this place. Located on the left bank of mighty River Godavari in East Godavari district, Rajahmundry has an old history having been built as a capital city by the Chalukya Kings in the 11th century. New archeological excavations even suggest that the city may have been in existence far before the Chalukyas. Rajamahendravaram as it was called in those days maintained its high reputation and glory as the seat of Andhra learning and culture. The first AMC at this historic town was conducted by Shri.Arunji between 9-12 July 2009 at the Jagad Guru Peetam. The participants were overwhelmed by the blessings of Panchabhutas and soaked with Gyan and Celestial Nectar Bhajans.

Gurupoornima Satsang at Mysore - Shri. Arunji

Shri Arunji's Thean Amudham Satsang at Kanyakumari

The back drop to this satsang was truly divine,The gentle roar of the three oceans, the vibrant Visakha festivities of Devi Kanya Kumari Amman, the majestic 33 year old Indira, the temple elephant aside devotees drawn from different parts of the State soaked into the Celestial Nectar bhajans for almost three hours. In a brief interlude, Arunji reminded the audience that the devotion of Kanya Kumari and her single minded focus on the Divine (Kailaspathy) should be our true inspiration. Whenever our minds get swayed by the influence of maya, Amman's presence serves as a beacon of light from a Lighthouse to take us ashore.

“Sampradaya”- A Tribute to Tradition

A country like India with diverse faiths, languages, cultures and traditions has presented the World with precious treasures like the mathematical concept of zero, the primordial sound Aum, the science of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Buddhism. It is a treasure house of art, architecture; philosophy, classical dances and music

If we turn back to history Lord Macaulay’s following quote in the British Parliament in 1835 stands ample testimony to our rich heritage: “I have travelled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such calibre, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native self-culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation”. From then began the phase in our Nation’s history when people started distancing from our rich cultural heritage and gradually the traditions and rituals began to degenerate. As people began embracing the alien western culture, the strong foundations of our time tested culture were getting corroded.

Most of the societal and environmental troubles that we face today can be attributed to the willful neglect of customs and traditions from childhood. We need to impart knowledge about the rich legacy handed to us by our ancestors to our younger generation and make them remain uncompromising in the authentic principles they stand for.

Shri. Arun Madhavanji, a banker turned theologian from the AOL organisation, has brought out a book to revive the waning precious glory of our culture. He has successfully compiled 22 chapters that illuminate the hidden metaphors behind our customs and traditions. The title of the book “Sampradaya” is befitting as it covers many important aspects of our daily rituals and equally their relevance to health and harmony.

The book is certainly a true Tribute to Tradition. It should give the Generation- next a vivid insight into our rich culture and traditions popularly known as “Sanatana Dharma”. Shri. Arunji puts it ‘Sanatana’ is that which cannot be destroyed by fire, weapons, water, air and which is present in all living and non living things. 'Dharma' being the way of life which is the 'total of all customs and rituals'.

“Sampradaya” has its roots in scientific spirituality. The deep insightful knowledge, with sheer simplicity and appropriate illustrations makes the book so attractive. The message that the book conveys is a priceless gift and should be presented to the younger generation as well to the not- so young ones who will certainly cherish it.

It is reasonably priced at Rs.99/- per copy. Limited stocks available. Contact: Shri.G.Chandrasekarji, AOL faculty, Phone: 94433-49259. Or E-Mail aolcbe@gmail.com for requirements.

M.Gopalakrishnan

Shri Arunji in China.

Seated on the Nanda Devi banquet table at the world renowned Raffles-Beijing ( l to r ) Indian Defence Attache at Beijing,Chitraji and Shri Arunji. The event was hosted by the India Tourism and the Indian Embassy.

A brief report from Shri. Arunji.

China is one of the world's most closely observed and coveted tourism markets for outbound travel. Last year alone some 48 million travelers from China made their way around the world spending close to USD 49 billion making it one of the top outbound tourist market. With the opening of the India Tourism office in Beijing in early 2008, India has planted the seeds for India-China Friendship through Tourism.

The Incredible India evening that took place on 7th April 2009 at the prestigious Raffles - Beijing was an ensemble of India's best classical dancesand the multi faceted cuisine of Taj Hotel group. Interestingly the emerging India fashion was also essayed by the best known Chinese models. The audio visual compared India to a garden of flowers of many colors and shades; all of which while maintaining their own identity, lend harmony and beauty to the entire garden.

Gurudev always reminds us that we have the best to offer to any tourist and India is indeed an adorable tourism destination. The efficient manner in which the whole event was presented to the audience by India Tourism was commendable.

Every one of us must recognise how vital this market is and do our bit to show courtesy with a smile and hospitality to our overseas visitors. They in turn can be our Ambassadors of goodwill to bring more tourists.

The Chinese Foreign Minister and Ambassadors from various countries, Scholars and media were present at this Enchanted evening. It was exciting to meet Chinese alumni from the dance schools of Chennai and yoga practitioners at such an extraordinary event