I had a question some time back, whether or not should I teach virtues to Adviti. This question came in mind after witnessing a lot of corruption cases in India. I got a feeling that Karma – that a lot of Indic religion followers believe in – does not do justice at least in a visible sense. The inference of Karma missing its duties comes in mind when we see a lot of people wrongdoing and still happily manipulating systems to practically prove themselves to be on the right side of the law.
In the previous blog – teaching virtues to Adviti – I had pointed to a politician. He, at last, got in custody recently. Yet the point remains, is Karma giving as good as it should? Indian judiciary is a long and mostly not very pleasant ending for cases against politicians. Why should anyone teach virtues and ethical practice to offsprings when everything can be bent as needed?
Anand Utsav – course with Guruji Sri Sri Ravi Shankar – had been a great learning and rediscovering. Learning is a continuous process that is still going on. Now, when I have been having some more perspective on myself, I believe I should continue teaching virtues to Adviti that I had been questioning myself off late. The point is – with teaching virtues one must teach the discerning skills as well to the kid.
One must not get carried away by what good or bad others are doing. It is their way of living. Some will be worst off and will get Scott free too, in the court of justice. Everyone must learn the basic ethics in formative years, however, in addition to ethics another learning should be the ability to make a decision who should be treated how.
I was extrapolating to get into a mind. The mind of a person – who left everything and went to the Himalayas. What changed for him, how his mind responded to the alone-ness. What was going on in there – in the mind? Why he left the society and went to the hills? What conspired? How he changed there? Would he be the same changed person when – in case – he comes back to the society?
Can one have the same mindset of a hermit of Himalaya, in the concrete jungles? Can one balance being a hermit in the concrete jungle? Is it true that people find peace of mind in Himalayas? What is different there and here in the worldly city?
My recent experience of Art of living‘s Anand Utsav course has given me few more questions and dimensions. Last week I wrote about listening to the tik-tik of wall clock. My wife entered the room switched on the fan, I missed the tik-tik. This is what happens with us in our daily highly demanding and at times stressful professional life. We miss very many things in the noises of becoming someone, owning valuable things, money, designation etc.
The long and short of all this is balancing the life with awareness and becoming a saint in a professional life. Do we really need to be a monk to be spiritual? Most of us are running to be someone or to achieve something. There is no problem in having ambition and goals; the point is ,it make one restless. Why to be restless and anxious? Is not it a possibility that a person can be centred and yet ambitious? Is not it a possibility of a person being spiritual, professional and successful? These questions have become easier for me to have a perspective after the Anand Utsav course. I would certainly repeat more courses of Art of living.
One can follow the middle path of being an enlightened master without leaving everything. One can be an enlightened master without leaving family. I see future enlightened masters will be successful professionals. These future generation enlightened master would / may not even talk about high flying esoteric spirituality. They will do their work as any worldly person does. These masters will not leave everything for the Himalayas, they may not sell their Ferrari. I think that is what is the lesson of the Buddha – Middle path. I think that is why current generation enlightened master’s are bringing spirituality to masses and to the day to day life.
As Osho said long back, many of the masters will be like the Zorba. Zorba the Buddha (Osho’s book) – “… Zobra is Love and Buddha is Awareness… when you are Zorba the Buddha, you have attained the greatest height that is possible in existence…”
I recently attended a course of the Art of living foundation – Anand Utsav. Anand Utsav is a Hindi word (rough translation “festival of bliss”). Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Guru ji) himself guided the course via webcast. This has been happening for last couple of years in the month of August. I could not attend Anand Utsav earlier. This time, the moment I got message, I was determined to attend it.
Guruji
I am associated with AoL for a long time now, whenever someone asks me about the happiness course (basic course or part I course as it is known), I say only one thing – “Before you die, do Sudarshan Kriya at least once.” There are two reasons for this statement. Firstly everyone has a unique experience because everyone’s life circumstances and situations are / have been different. Further, something inside changes profoundly. Something that is not easy to define. With both these points, I can only say – do it before you die.
So, when I attended the course, thankfully, I had plans of vacation in subsequent week. The course finished on Sunday, I attended office on Monday (a typical chore day) and came the much awaited vacation. It was interesting because during our routine we may not be able to identify or sit back and reflect. During the vacation I could reflect. In my case typical Monday was same, the usual chasing the clock and running to office without contemplation. Tuesday morning we had to travel out. My daughter, Adviti, is an infant. When you’ve infant at home, everything moves as per the infant’s schedule.
We had a plan to start at 7 AM but we started at 7:40 or so. We were late, however it was different from being late on any other weekdays. I knew when we’re late there will be lot of traffic on roads, the Mumbai traffic which irritates me almost daily (can make any sane person insane), was not a problem for me that day. There was no rush to reach somewhere, almost daily it is a race to reaching office. We are running an endless race daily as professionals. This race is in many shapes and forms, right from boarding our regular train, acquiring a seat in bus, owning the dream job / car / home / kid scoring certain score or getting the deal signed by prospective client.
This day there was a difference in my approach to things and situations around me. Few things that made me get frustrated soon, were not making me like that. I looked at the sights on / around highway after a long time with such ease, amusement and astonishment as I did this time around. I was centered / focused from within.
When we reached Mumbai again, I lost wallet, all my credit and debit cards. I had given it to my wife, she forgot it on a counter. She panicked, I did not. With full composure, I handled Adviti, consoled Simple (my wife) and walked where she felt she misplaced the wallet. I inquired and got the cards back full 15 minutes later. Any other day, I might have got more restless than Simple but this day I was not. Even Simple was surprised.. This time when I attended Anand Utsav this something changed in me. I was like this a couple of years back (I remember my MBA days), centered, peaceful and in control. Things changed a lot for me, I needed to attend Anand Utsav long back – Better late than never.
Honestly, you must attend the Art of living Happiness Program once. Just go with the flow, sit in the course, follow instructions until the last day, ask every question that you have on the last day. Do not interrupt yourself from any instruction. Just do as directed without bothering for anything – not even the results. If still you are not sure to attend the Happiness Program – read the blog again – do Sudarshan Krita before you die.
My Anand Utsav (festival of bliss) is continuing will you join me? I am sure you would thank me for this blog post later :).
