Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Chapter 1 - Finding Real Communication  Day 1  Head-to-head communication is through thoughts and words, while heart-to-heart communication is through feelings. People, throughout the ages, have felt that they cannot communicate their feelings.  If we could communicate all our feelings through words, then we would be living very shallow lives. Life is rich because feelings cannot be captured in words. So we use all these gestures - we hug, so that hearts come closer, we give flowers, so that feelings are conveyed.  We put all our efforts into expressing our feelings and still, feelings remain unexpressed. Soul-to-soul communication is silence. When we transcend the feeling level, we become still.  Stillness is at the peak of any experience - that's why the saying, "Be still and know your God". When our eyes are open, we are lost in activity, and when our eyes are closed, we fall asleep. So we miss the point - the point is in between closing our eyes,...

Chapter 6 - The Nature Of God  Day 14 Somebody came to me the other day and said, "I am going to separate from my wife." I asked, "What is the problem? How long have you been married?" He answered, "12 years, but you see, Gurudev, we never went well together a single day."  But how could they live for twelve years? I said, 'If you lived together for twelve years, why don't you live together for another twelve years? You suddenly discovered today that you never went well with each other for so long?" The small mind changes. But when the small mind is unaware of the big mind, then it becomes unstable. The big mind is an expansion. When the small mind becomes silent, it becomes the big mind.  Your experience is that whenever the small mind becomes quiet, you go to sleep. You are never aware of your big mind, the infinite mind, cosmic mind. Jesus said, "My Father and I are one. God and I are really one."  There is this Sanskr...

Chapter 6 - The Nature Of God Day 13  God is the junction of presence and present. Whenever every cell, every atom of the mind and body get totally immersed in the presence and present, you experience something ecstatic, something beyond this world.  An experience of eternity comes. This "Me, Me" dissolves. You say, "I am." This "I, I, I." You find there is nothing like "I'. "Is-ness" dawns. Is. There is something. And what is that something?  You don't know. Tat is presence. A presence where on v knower remains is God. Many people talk in terms of "God is speaking to me, I have a message from God." It is your own consciousness split into two.  One part of your own consciousness becomes God, another part becomes your mind. That is not God. God is the totality. Everything is in God. There is nothing that can be outside God.  Whether good or evil, both exist in God. Which thought is there which has not come from G...

Chapter 5 - Dealing With Feelings  Day 12  Question - Gurudev, when vou have fallen out ot that state of just being and vou are trving to get back to it, is one of the secrets of life learning to love that getting to it as much as loving being, loving the trip back to being as much as being itself? It would be like loving the depression as much as the joy. Gurudev Sri Sri - Yes. When love dawns in you, all these questions do not arise at all, because then this forgetfulness will not come. When we are in joy, we forget. You forgot yourself, you become unaware when you are very happy.  When you are unhappy, you are less forgetful. It keeps you in touch with the mundane but in joy you tend to lose yourself. If you don't lose yourself in joy, you will never be unhappy either.  That means when you are happy, remain in gratitude. That is the only way - when you are happy, feel grateful and serve. How can you then be unhappy? Impossible. If you are unhappy, go o...

Gokarnanatheshwara Temple and Mangalore Dasara  Did you know that the Gokarnanatheshwara Temple in the Kudroli area of Mangalore, Karnataka, dedicated to Gokarnanatha, a form of Lord Shiva was built in 1912 by Adhyaksha HoigeBazar Koragappa under the spirtiual guidance of Narayana Guru, a philosopher, spiritual leader and social reformer from Kerala?  Did you know that Mangalore Dasara is the Navarathri festival held for nine days at Gokarnanatheshwara Temple since 1991 where the decorated idols of Sharada Devi along with Mahaganapati and Navadurgas are worshipped? The Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, also known as Kudroli Shiva Temple in the Kudroli area of Mangalore, Karnataka, was built in 1912 by Billava community leader and businessman Adhyaksha HoigeBazar Koragappa under the spiritual guidance of Narayana Guru, a philosopher, spiritual leader and social reformer from Kerala.  This temple came abo...

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda Did you know that the sight of the "gravity defying" Kyaiktiyo Pagoda (pictured) or Golden Rock, in the Mon State of Myanmar, has been described as "enough to inspire a religious conversion"? Kyaiktiyo Pagoda in Mynmar (Erstwhile Burma), also known as Golden Rock), is a well-known Buddhist pilgrimage site in Mon State, Myanmar. It is a small pagoda (7.3 m (24 ft)) built on the top of a granite boulder covered with gold leaves pasted on by its male worshippers. The Golden Rock itself is precariously perched , believed to be on a strand of Lord Buddha's hair. The balancing rock seems to defy gravity, as it perpetually appears to be on the verge of rolling down the hill. The rock and the pagoda are at the top of Mt. Kyaiktiyo. Another legend states that a Buddhist monk impressed the celestial king with his asceticism and the celestial king used his supernatural powers to carry the rock to its current place, specifically cho...

Kappad Beach  Did you know that the Kappad Beach in northern Kerala is purported to be place where Portuguese mariner Vasco da Gama landed with his 170 men in India on 27th May 1498? The Kappad Beach in Kozikode in northern part of Kerala coast is historically famous as the first land fall of Portuguese mariner Vasco da Gama journey in search of India after he discovered the sea route around the Cape of Goodhope of Africa. This purported claim has been established as a fact by the government of Kerala affixing a commemortaive stone with an inscription, at the excat beach site of Gama's landing, which states: "'Vasco da Gama landed here, Kappakadavu, in the year 1498". But this claim has been countered recently by a local historian M. G. S. Narayanan who states: "Actually [Vasco da] Gama landed at Panthalayini (Koyilandy) in the [Kozhikode] district because there was a port there and Kozhikode did not have one. It does not have a port even now....

Things To Take Care While Planting A Tulsi At Home  Tulsi plant is considered to be the most divine and holy plant. It is considered as the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi. In the Skanda Purana, Hari Bhakti Vilasa states, “just by touching Her (Tulsi plant), one becomes pure.” It is believed that all kinds of sinful people, even a murderer of a Brahmana can become pure by circulating the pure Tulsi. Not only is it religiously important but is also considered as a very vital source of many medicinal properties. This plant is considered auspicious for any thing you do in your life and every home should have her. considered to be the best season for growing this plant.  Before planting or placing a Tulsi plant it is very important to keep in mind the Vastu rules and regulations. This will enable the plant to produce positive vibrations and eradicate all the unnecessary happenings from the lives of the people who stay at that house. Plant should be placed where you get...

I had a deadly incident recently.On 29th October, 2012 I had gone for Vikram Bhaiya’s satsang to Belapur.   On the way back home, the bus was travelling at a very high speed, which ofcourse was enjoyable. But suddenly, a gentleman on his motorcycle came in front of this bus. To avoid the accident, obviously the bus driver instantly pressed the brakes due to which the bus skid forcefully & this force was so enormous that I have gone flying from my seat, onto the staircase of the bus. I did bang my hand & I hurt my leg.But I am thankful to Guruji because if the skid would have been more powerful, I would not land on the staircase, but would have gone straight into the glass of the bus. MIRACLE POSSIBLE ONLY BY BIG BOSS. This is not all, theres one more incident – There is a saying in hindi, “DENE VALA JAB BHI DETA, DETA CHAPAD PHAAD KE”(When the Giver gives,He gives in abundance). But I say, DADIWALA JAB BHI DETA, DETA CHAPAD PHAAD KE, that is because one day I was going ...

MAYIL VAHANAM -PEACOCK .(Tamil-Name-MAYIL) Mayil-peacock is lord Murugan -kartikayan vahana . Lord Murugan is more popular in South India. Kartikaya-Son of lord siva. He is the second son of Siva, and the younger brother of Ganesha, is also known as Kumara, Karttikeya, Shanmukha, Subrahmanya, and many other names. His vehicle or Vahana is the peacock. This is by way of representation that he has entirely conquered pride, egoism, vanity. There is a cobra under His Feet. This is to indicate that He is absolutely fearless, immortal and wise. Shanmukha’s Vahana, the peacock, shows the shape of the Pranava or !. It is of the shape of the Bindu. When the peacock spreads out its tail, it has the round shape of the Pranava. Within it is the Para Brahma Jyoti, which is the form of Murugan or Subrahmanya. The subordinated serpent kept in check by the peacock’s feet shows that Maya or impurity is completely overpowered by the power of Pranava. Subrahmanya came out of Siva’s third eye ...

- Sri Eswaran

Sri Shuba Drishti Ganapathy The word ‘Drishti’ means sight in Sanskrit. A natural or casual look at anything is harmless. But it is believed that the shafts of sight tinged with the element of jealousy have the power of destroying the thing or the person which they strike. From ancient times it is known that a mother fondly applies a black dot on the cheek of her baby with a view to ward off the influence of any evil-eye. Traditional rituals like throwing away a lemon after waving it before the baby a number of times, in order to protect him or her from such baneful influence. Then their is a practice of shopkeepers burning camphor and breaking coconut before their shops on every Friday. People perfom Homas to ward of evil from their homes and lives. As every person’s life is in accordance with his thinking, “a man becomes what his thoughts make him to be “, say the psychologists. Therefore, the only way to solve the problems of the modern man is by channelising his though...

Why Marriages are not held in Margazhi month or Tamil Margali Masam? Margazhi month, or Margali Masam, is a highly auspicious Tamil month. It is the last month before the Uttarayana Punyakalam begins. Some Hindu communities do not hold auspicious ceremonies like marriages in the Margazhi month. This is not a general rule but is followed strictly by some Hindus.  The main reason for not conducting marriages is that people want to use the holy month to concentrate on spiritual activities. The importance of Margali Masam was announced by Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita when He said Maasanam Margasheershoham – among the twelve months, I am Margazhi. Margazhi Month is also considered the dawn period of Devas. The belief is that the Devas who had gone to sleep during the Dakshinayana wake up in the month of Margazhi. A human year is considered to be a day of the Devas. The day time begins with Uttarayana Punayakalam – mid January. The night time of Devas begins during Dakshi...

Maa Vilakku (Rice Flour Lamp) maavilakku for perumal  Maa Vilakku (Rice Flour Lamp) is made during special occasions such as aadi velli,purattasi sani, thai month,margali masam, karthigai deepam etc. To speak scientifically Maavilakku is made of substances that purely benefits mankind. After light is exhausted it is eaten by the people. The mixture of Rice flour and Jaggery will cool the body temperature and removes vaatha and Pittha doshas. Maa Vilakku is a special lamp made with freshly ground rice flour and jaggery kneaded together as a dough placed on a banana leaf with a dent in the middle where we pour ghee,place the wick(thiri) and lit the lamp...we also apply kumkum on all 4 sides of maavilakku and place flowers on/near when we offer to god as shown in the pics. Draw a kolam and place the plate containing the Maavilakku. Decorate with flower. Lit the lamp by chanting slokams of the GOD to whom it is offered. Srivaishnavites used to chant Govinda, Govinda etc. du...

I don't know how to show my gratitude to Gurudev for all the blessings He has poured on me and my family. This is one of the most wonderful incident that I want to share with you all.   It was 28 th of April 2016. Morning when I woke up I could not move my left hand and left foot The left side was paralyzed (I knew it only later). Till the previous night I was normal, did all the work and also finished 90 percent of the packing to go to Ashram to attend the AMP for teachers from 1st May. But now all of a sudden I am unable to move. Quickly my husband and daughter took me to the nearby hospital and immediately medical help was given, starting from MRI scan which showed a clot in my brain and doctors had to decide on the line of treatment. Waking up by 6 and finding myself in the ICU in an hour - I could not comprehend anything nor accept the situation and was resisting everything that was being done by the nurse staff. Suddenly after a few minutes of resistance it dawned on me ...

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