Navratri Celebrations!!!!!

Navratri represents how the negativity can be conquered by the inherent positive qualities in an individual so that one emerges as a Divine being."

- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Jai Gurudev!

Dear Ones,

It is that beautiful time of the year when the Bangalore Ashram plays host to one of the most beautiful and ancient Homas. What makes the atmosphere even more Divine is the presence of Guruji during these 9 days.

As we take nine months in our mother's womb before we are born, we take these nine days to go back to our source. These nine days are to be spent in meditation, satsang, silence and knowledge. With Navratri Package you can experience the blissful silence of the Navratri special Advanced Meditation Course (AMC) and the auspicious Homas which would happen at The Art of Living International Centre, Bangalore.

SCHEDULE OF VEDIC - YAGNAS
20 OCTOBER, 2012 SHASHTI – SATURDAY MOOLA NAKSHATRA	08:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 05:00 p.m. 06:30 p.m. 09:00 p.m.	SRI MAHA GANESHA POOJA, ANUGYA POOJA SRI MAHA GANPATHI HOMAM SRI MAHA LAKSHMI HOMAM SRI SUBRAMANYA HOMAM SRI NAVAGRAHA HOMAM POORNAHUTI, MANGALARTI VASTHU SHANTHI, RAKSHABANDHANAM SRI CHANDI DEVI KALASA STHAPANAM SRI DURGA SAPTHASHATHI PARAYANAM CHARTHURVEDA PARAYANAM CHANDI HOMAM PRARAMBHAM POORNAHUTI, MANGALARTI
21 OCTOBER, 2012 SAPTHAMI – SUNDAY PURASHADA NAKSHATRA	07:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 05:00 p.m. 08:30 p.m.	SRI MAHA RUDRA HOMAM SRI CHANDI HOMAM POORNAHUTHI, MANGALARTHI SRI MAHA SUDARSHANA HOMAM SRI VISHNU SAHASRANAMA PARAYANAM SRI DURGA SAPTHASHATI PARAYANAM SRI CHANDI HOMAM POORNAHUTI, MANGALARTI
22 OCTOBER, 2012 ASHTAMI – MONDAY UTTARASHADA NAKSHATRA	07:00 a.m.	SRI SHATHA CHANDI HOMAM SRI DWARA POOJA SRI CHANDI NAVAVARANA POOJA SRI DURGA SAPTHASHATHI ADHYAYA HOMAM KANYAKA POOJA SUVASINI POOJA MAHA POORNAHUTHI MANGALARTHI KALASHA ABHISHEKHAM PRASADA VINIYOGAM
23 OCTOBER, 2012 NAVAMI – TUESDAY SHRAVANA NAKSHATRA	09.00 a.m.	SRI GURU POOJA SRI RISHI HOMAM POORNAHUTHI, MANGALARTHI
24 OCTOBER, 2012 DASHAMI – WEDNESDAY SHRAVISHTA NAKSHATRA	09:00 a.m.	VIJAYA DASHAMI

SEE YOU AT THE ASHRAM!!!!!!!!!!

Dark Night of the Soul

 

"Devotion is always there, but sometimes the clouds come in. Faith goes down and up with time. But if it goes down don’t think that it is going to be down there forever. It will go up again.

This is the nature of the mind because the mind goes up and down, and it projects love and faith as if to be going up and down. And it is related to Prana (life force energy). If the Prana is high, then faith is high. If the Prana is low, then the mind will say, ‘Oh, what is this? Am I at the right place? Am I doing the right thing?’ A million doubts come to the mind.

So, when you are anchored to the centre core of your being, when you are so well anchored to the knowledge, only then that stability comes. That is why the saints in the past have prayed, ‘Dear Lord, give me Achal Shraddha; unshakable faith.’
So many saints have sung and have asked for Achal Shraddha, Atoot Bhakti (uninterrupted devotion), unbroken love.

This is all that we can ask for because even that is a gift! When you have love and devotion see what a transformation happens in life. And when they breakdown, see what happens – a sort of inertia sets in. A feeling of hopelessness comes and life appears to be meaningless. It looks like every door is shut and everywhere one finds darkness. It is called as The Dark Night of the Soul in the Christian tradition. The soul has to pass through such a dark night.
But I would say it doesn’t have to pass through it if you are a Yogi (a seeker on the spiritual path).

In the Yoga Sutras, I have spoken about the Nine Obstacles on the Path of Yoga. And how you can overcome them?
Ekatattva abhyaasa – when you are adhering to one principle then you are able to sail through these obstacles; or what are appearing to be obstacles."

- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Happy Janmastami!!!!

Krishna is the formless center which is everywhere. Any attraction from anywhere is coming only from Krishna. Often people fail to see the spirit behind the attraction and merely hold on to the outer shell. And the moment you try to possess the shell, you will see Krishna has played a trick and you will be left with an empty shell in your hands and tears in your eyes.

Be clever like Radha -- don't be tricked by Krishna. Krishna could not escape from Radha, for her whole world was filled with Krishna. If you can see that wherever there is an attraction, there is Krishna; then you are Radha, you are in your center- Sri Sri

 

Significance of a Guru

Significance of Raksha Bandhan

With the beauty that every Indian festive season brings along with itself, there is a significance that is attached to it.

Going through these opens a totally new dimension and further adds to the charm of the celebrations..

The history of Raksha Bandhan as explained by Sri Sri:

This full moon is dedicated to the seers -- the Rishis. It is also called the Raksha Bandhan, which means a bond that protects you. Your bondage to the knowledge, to the master, to the truth, to the Self, all save you. Today the sister ties Rakhi on the brother's hand saying, 'I will protect you and you protect me'

A very Happy Raksha Bandhan to all!!!!