If i had to broadly classify my life so far - There are 3 major milestones
1) Life before Sri Sri - Life after Sri Sri
2) Life before marriage - Life after marriage
3) Life before son - Life after son
Today's post is just - Life after Sri Sri
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| My COOL Guru - thats how he guides me in life - from the front seat :) |
I was cruising along life quite beautifully even before i met Sri Sri. (in hindsight i know because he was always there watching over me)
I must have surely had some really spiritual karma, because even before i did the Art of Living course (which i did as soon as i turned 21), i had by some by some very well planned conspiracy, already completed doing the following spiritual programs
1) The Chinmaya mission Youth camp
2) The Vipassana course @Igatpuri (10 days of silence and 10 hours of meditation each day! Quite intense i must say - superb all the same)
3) The Rajyoga shibir by Brahmakumari @ Mount Abu
4) Exposed to lots of Yoga and meditation by my aunt
5) Was born into a highly religious/spiritual family. BIG elaborate poojas and yagyas were part of life and almost each person had their own separate spiritual Guru. So we had a really huge Mandir(temple) at home where all Gods, Goddesses and Guru's rested together in peace and harmony. At that time i didn't realize the value of this exposure, but as i grew up i realised that this superb religious family with great acceptance of all Gods and Gurus actually laid the foundation for my spiritual belief - realising that the Infinite natural intelligence is the same. All Gods, Goddesses and Beings are just a manifestation of this same energy.
Completing so many spiritual programs, surely didnt make me feel very COOL with my friends then, but i am really happy now, as it gave me lifetimes of experiences in one short lifetime.
I resisted for a long time before i gave in to my dear cousins', Sona & Dimpy's insistence on doing the Art of Living Part I Course. The part I course was an eye-opener for sure, but what got me hooked for life was the Part 2 course or the Advance Meditation Course, as it was called then.
A series of miraculous incidents happened from the minute i arrived @Pune in a scenic lovely sports hostel. The course itself connected me to Guruji in a way that only a disciple/devotee can understand. I knew i had come home.
Of course my first meeting with Gurudev had some beautiful moments that just cemented the bond for lifetimes!! (Fevicol ka jod to phir bhi tut jaata hai - Guruji ka jod kabhi nahi toota!! :))
From then on life took on meaning. It became so magical, beautiful. Not so much changed in the outside environment. The change took place in the INSIDE environment - and that changed everything!!
That's when i understood that the purpose of life is to live a life of purpose!!
Life had found a beautiful purpose - to spread Gurudev's knowledge to as many beings as i possible could!!
All of my family and friends and enemies (if any) were cajoled, convinced, threatened, bullied into doing the course (Each one blessed me for it later).
That connection with Gurudev has sustained me and helped me sail through the highs and lows of life so smoothly :) That anchor of knowledge and devotion which i have in Gurudev has never ever failed me till now.
Slowly as i pursued my Spiritual path which besides lot of introspection and experiences, included Lots of Advance courses and any other course offered by AOL, organising courses, intro talks, or just about any Seva project, spending more and more time with Gurudev and many other Senior Teachers at the ashram @Bangalore, Teachers Training course Part 1 & 2, and being certified an Art of Living teacher, I explored my mind, my fears, my insecurities, my perception, my attitude - and OH! It has been such a beautiful revelation.
I'm hoping i can articulate some of these life-changing lessons for you. Though there is no substitute to actually experiencing this yourself - sometimes reading about someone else's experiences shortens our own learning curve.
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Love
Alpa
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