Tag: ayurvedic medicine

I signed up for part 2 after my friend encouraged me to do so. Additionally, with Gurudev visiting Houston, I was curious to find out who this person was that had such a significant influence on people’s lives. The Part 2 program in Houston in October 2008 was nothing short of amazing. 

Walking up the interlocked concrete roads, uphill, from the parking lot and past the divine stores, I am out of breath when I finally reach this sacred place. Grateful for a spot to sit and close my eyes, I take a moment to catch my breath as the cool breeze offers comfort to my wet back and shoulders. It has been quite a while since I last made eye contact with Gurudev, and I wait patiently, sometimes meditating with my eyes closed before opening them in anticipation of his arrival. 

I used to be an atheist and firmly believed that science alone created the world without the intervention of any god or guru. However, in April 1992, when my friends and I went to a nearby temple,

Once in June 2014, as I walked from my room to the amphitheater for the evening Satang at the Art of Living Bangalore ashram, I stopped on the way as I noticed Gurudev’s car parked outside a hall which was under construction. Two people were waiting for him outside. I peeped in to take a look, there he was, small in height as compared to the tall men he was surrounded with, but towering above them all in demeanor. After a rather unhappy and emotionally turbulent day, I did not feel like going for Satsang. I just wanted to hide in my room and not bother anyone with the sadness and pain that I felt. But here I was, waiting for my Gurudev outside that hall. He was giving instructions for further construction of the hall. As he came out, a smile automatically came to my face and with folded hands, I just stood there looking at him. Once he was done with the inspection, he suddenly looked in my direction and gave a sweet smile and waved at me. I couldn’t utter a word. I continued to smile and stare at him. Then I thought he would just sit in his car and go for Satsang, as he usually does. He never ever walks down from that place to the amphitheater, due to the massive crowds that line up to greet him. But that day he decided to walk. “Ready for the chaos?” said my Master, turning around and laughing lovingly at us. He’s never been afraid for himself, for his own security. He just walks on with confidence! By that time, I was grinning and I was walking right behind him, following his footsteps to wherever he walked. There were only seven of us, so this could happen easily. After a point, I realized that I had come to walk right next to him. He was saying something to someone, but I never heard the words. I just looked at him silently. I felt that words were not needed at that moment. I was overwhelmed that Gurudev and I were walking together. He was walking down to the amphitheater silently, when some devotees turned around and finally took notice of his presence. “Oye” one devotee exclaimed. 

I was attending a 7-day Advanced Meditation Program with Bhagavad Gita Live discourse by Gurudev at our Bangalore Ashram. As I made my way to Saraswathi Hall for the Gita session, my mind and heart were at war. It seemed like I might have to forego serving the vision of my Guru due to a family situation. As I reached the hall, I found two corner chairs vacant in the second row, which was a wonder considering the hall was already overfull. Overcome with stress, 

I first attended the Art of Living basic course (now called the Happiness Program) way back in January 1999 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Though I joined reluctantly, I gave my 100% to all the processes and continued the practice diligently. Doing the course turned out to be a great blessing. I used to suffer from migraine and sinusitis since my school days. It meant living in misery for at least a week as the seasons changed. To my great relief,

Words are not enough to express my gratitude and grace for our beloved Gurudev who has given us such wonderful courses for life. He is my precious love, my God, my everything. I have been helped in many ways, even when I was unaware of it. 

My name is Uthama Shankar, and I am a teacher by profession and a proud mother of two lovely kids. In 2005, my brother introduced me to the Art of Living Program, which I enjoyed immensely. I was actively involved in Seva projects and Satsangs, but after getting married and having children, I couldn’t continue my practice actively. However, in 2017, I met AnupUnnikrishnan Ji, who helped me return to my path of meditation with his constant support and loving guidance. During the lockdown in 2020, I also completed the Sri Sri Sanskar Kendra Teachers’ Training Program, which helped me learn how to nurture children and inculcate Indian cultural values in them.

I was not mainly a devotee of Guruji, but on December 26, 2013, I lost my brother-in-law to mouth cancer. My sister was grieving, as was my entire family. Due to my sister’s unstable emotional state, she drove me out of her house. I was visiting her from the U.S., and at that time, I decided to go and stay at the Bangalore ashram. I went every evening to Vishalakshi Mantap, the main meditation hall (or the lotus hall, as I like to call it), and Guruji was there every day in January 2014. I enjoyed my Ayurvedic treatment and the Sudarshan Kriya. I had learned the kriya while in the US when I was forced by friends a couple of years earlier but was not practicing it. I felt different doing the kriya at the ashram. I felt as if I was happy for no reason. I had dreams of Guruji during my Ayurvedic treatments. In mid-January, I entered the hall with my mother, who had come to visit me at the ashram. Guruji asked if it was anyone’s birthday during that week. I celebrated my own birthday recently, but my husband’s birthday was on the 16th. Everyone whose birthday it was stood up, so I too stood up and shouted, looking towards Him, that 16th was my husband’s birthday. He was throwing flowers at all the people, but He saw me, and took a garland from His hand, and threw it towards me. It landed precisely around my neck! Everyone inside the hall shouted and gasped. My mom, who was next to me, had tears in her eyes, and she was proud of me. Till then, I was simply going to the ashram blindly. I recently joined the Sahaj Samadhi course in August 2022, but until then, I didn’t realize the magnitude of my experience. Now when I meditate, He sits in front of me.