Goddess Shailaputri

Navraatri is celebrated to honour nine different forms of Goddess Durga.

Goddess 1: 

The first among the Navadurgas is Shailaputri. Shaila means stone, and putri means daughter. Praying to this aspect of Mother Divine brings strength (like a stone). It brings commitment. When the mind is wavering, chanting the name of this Devi Shailaputri helps the mind to be centered and committed. It gives us strength, courage, and composure.

For more : https://www.artofliving.org/navratri

Celebrating Silence by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Service without attitude

Love without reason

Knowledge without intellect

Life beyond time and events

Is what you are

-H H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Bangalore Ashram, May 16, 1996.

The book Celebrating Silence, authored by His Holiness SriSri Ravi Shankar, who is fondly called ‘Guruji’, is a collection of excerpts from his spiritual discourses. In this book Guruji discusses topics ranging from doubt and fear to love and dispassion, while very subtly giving the reader an idea of the essence what it means to be on the spiritual path or on the path of spiritual enquiry. A great introduction to the teachings of Guruji, Celebrating

Silence tells the reader the importance of and the significance of the values attached to Seva and Sadhana. Everyday, we all encounter something I like to call ‘Trigger situations’- we go about our lives very normally, but there are those moments in which something in us just snaps and causes us to explode.

Here’s a recount of one such experience- It was the end of another mad day at work, and I faced the drive back home- from Bellandur to Vidyaranyapura (a distance of 35 kM in peak hour traffic) a massive undertaking in any situation, especially given the notoriety of Bangalore’s traffic. Eventually, two hours later, after battling horrendous traffic jams at every junction (the flyovers and underpasses were still under construction then), I reached home. As expected, I was ready to pull my hair out while cursing the infrastructure of the city. Reading Celebrating Silence was my daily ritual, and as was my usual practice, I opened up a random page. Those few sentences I read immediately changed my perception- I suddenly realized that nothing was permanent. Every day, every minute, every second is a new one. What is causing hardship today may very well change in the future. I realized the value of staying in, and enjoying the present moment. I realized the frivolousness of my frustrations- not just that day’s, but of all those I could recount.I would like you to look at another, very significant aspect of this situation. All the knowledge and the wisdom is from the ancient Vedic Scriptures and Guruji’s study of them. But, it proved effective and applicable to a situation observable in almost all of our lives on a daily basis, even today, in the 21^st Century. Knowledge really is, beyond time!

Celebrating Silence is a must have for those just venturing onto the spiritual path. For those already on the spiritual path and lookingfor profound yet subtle knowledge, it is the gateway to a warehouse of knowledge and wisdom.

ART OF LIVING’S PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Art of Living’s Philosophy of Education revolves around the overall development of a child
and not merely academic excellence. The Art of Living Educational Institutions thrives to
provide quality holistic education leading to all round development of a child. The children’s own
lives- processes of playing and learning at home- and their cultural milieu are used. It provides for
all areas of child’s development: physical, social, emotional and cognitive through an integrated
approach to facilitate holistic development of the children. The child-centered curriculum provides
ample opportunity for the children to learn through active exploration. It increases one's
awareness on a range of issues – from healthcare to appropriate social behavior to
understanding one's rights - and in the process evolves as a better citizen. Efforts are directed
towards bringing about changes not only in the amount of knowledge gained but also in abilities
to do, to think and to acquire habits, skills and attitude which characterize an individual who is
socially accepted and adjusted.

Salient Features of Philosophy of Education in SSRVM Schools

->An education system where Awareness is nurtured, Innocence maintained and their Smiles are  blossomed.

->The first and foremost principle of education for children is that it is Child Centered. It
focuses on providing the right environment to children, which is conducive to their growth.
It is crucial to education as a child at an early stage is non - programmed and it’s the very
environment in which education is provided which decides as to how the child gets
programmed.

->Love, Care and Compassion is the essence of the entire education process. There is
no place for fear, punishment & tension in the teaching – learning environment and is
absolutely stress free.

->The teaching process is such that it’s not imposed but related to day-to-day practical
environment in which a child grows up. The process of education is such that it is
Curiosity Driven rather than information based. The process is that of SelfLearning
that Build the Skills and nurtures Leadership.

->The education system Instills Self Esteem and Creativity, where the roots are deep
and the vision is broad, the ancient and the new blend together, to instill freedom in
thought, love in the heart and discipline in action. It creates a sense of belongingness
with the whole world.

->Individual attention is provided to each child based on her / his needs and not
general for all. This is significant as none of us have the same levels of aptitude and
learning speed, thus taking care of individual needs becomes imperative.
The teaching – learning process is not through lecture, blackboard, and chalk mode but is
through Interactive classroom processes.

->Discipline among children is brought about not by force but by making them aware of
the benefits of following certain rules and regulations. This understanding among the
children helps them to know why certain disciplines needs to be adhered to in life and
thus again is not imposed but practiced with consciousness.

->The Teachers are Facilitators in the process of education. They Act as Catalysts
in bringing out the best out of each child. They use processes that bring out the inherent
capabilities and potential of a child. They are Soft, have the Aptitude to listen to
children and have Patience. Sri Sri Ravi shankar Vidya Mandir Trust

->The children are provided with ample opportunities to reveal their Interests, Skills,
likings, etc so that the teachers are better equipped to contribute in their development.

->The children learn various skills. The Skills of dealing with oneself, day to day
situations, fine arts, sports, craft, music, culture, etc. Sensitivity and
learning with nature, spoken and vernacular language and conversational
Sanskrit.

->Major emphasis is laid upon the Teacher Child Relationship. The teacher places
oneself at the level of children and acts as a facilitator in the teaching-learning processes.
The teachers make conscious effort to involve children in the entire process of education,
encourages each child to express his or her views which are respected and taken into
consideration by the teacher, thereby boosting up their self-esteem. Every teacher plans
according to needs of her children. They encourage the spirit of enquiry in a child and
help them make their choices based on nurturing the child's interest and learning. A lot of
importance is given to the child's psychology at an early age so that they loose the
psychological fears or complexes they may have towards learning. This encourages
children to think independently and become more responsible.
Regular Field Trips (Exposure Visits) are conducted for the children to develop
their understanding on different matters. Exposure visits are conducted to Post Offices,
Banks, Tailors, Cobblers, Mechanics etc so that learning happens by experience.

Service Initiatives by Art of Living for Girl Child

"When you train a woman, you help the entire family, community and nation."
- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

The International Women’s Conference (IWC) aims to enhance the global impact of women’s work by arranging a platform for dialogue and information sharing. The Conference also integrated The Art of Living’s individual empowerment program with tailored social initiatives designed by the International Association for Human Values (IAHV).

IWC is designed to complement ongoing Art of Living and IAHV initiatives. Examples of these initiatives are mentioned below. Get more information on the Art of Living’s women’s empowerment initiatives. Art of Living’s Women’s Empowerment Initiatives.

A partial list of service initiatives include:

Girl Child Education

Funds accrued during IWC were dedicated to providing scholarships to 500 girl children who attend VVMVP schools across tribal and rural areas of India. Provided with meals, clothes, books, transportation and value-education, the children participate in a deductive approach to learning and on aggregate perform at the 95 percentile on state board examinations. Nearly half of all the children enrolled in VVMVP schools across India are girls.

Women Welfare VISTA, India

VISTA is an independent non-governmental organization dedicated to fighting poverty and gender related injustice in India, specifically targeting marginalized women to empower them. VISTA India is a grassroots project based on the principle of Value Integrated Services To All (VISTA). The IWC has helped this project establish a strong foothold in rural India. VISTA educates women and provides vocational training in sewing and embroidery to make them self-reliant. Many of these women find work in the local garment industry; others work from home to augment family income. VISTA has also instituted a special program called 'Earn while you Learn,' which helps women-in-training take up tailoring orders from individuals and companies. Over 2000 women from 30 villages in Karnataka, India; have been trained so far under the VISTA ‘Earn while you Learn’ program.

India’s Missing Daughters" - Campaign Against Female Foeticide

The Art of Living and UNFPA partnered to address the imbalance in India’s sex ratio as an outcome of IWC 2005. The Founder of IAHV and The Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, joined more than 36 religious and spiritual leaders, representatives from government, civil society and the media to launch a nation-wide campaign that drew thousands against the practice of female selective abortions.


AIDS Awareness - HARA

HARA Program, started in 2009, promotes HIV/AIDS awareness among rural communities, and helps women with HIV/AIDS achieve economic self-sufficiency. To achieve this, HARA educates youth volunteers (“yuvacharyas” ) in villages about HIV transmission, prevention and care. These yuvacharyas are trained for three days by certified doctors. In this training, rural youth are made aware of HIV/AIDS, its causes and prevention methods. The yuvacharyas are also trained to organize awareness workshops and to work with other like-minded, non-profit and government organizations in their area.
To complement the efforts of the yuvacharyas, HARA provides vocational training to affected individuals in skills such as tailoring, pickle making, honey and ghee production and handbags and handicrafts production. HARA also helps participants market and sell their goods. The HARA Program has reached out to 29,196 people between 2009- 2010.


Peanut Butter Project, Zimbabwe

Inspired by IWC 2007, the Zimbabwean delegation worked with local Murewa women to engage in the community-driven development programs offered by The Art of Living. After 797 women participated in leadership and capacity development, 82 formed a group to start a small scale peanut butter production and manufacturing factory. With seed capital and mentorship provided by Art of Living Zimbabwe, the project has provided a sustainable way to build civic engagement and the asset base of women in poverty.

You can read about other service projects of the Art of Living.

Bhanu Didi sings Krishna Bhajan

This is the Krishna Bhajan sung by Bhanu Didi ( Bhanumathi Narasimhan) at Washington D.C.
The bhajan lyrics are as follows:


Krishna Govinda... Govinda Govinda...
Krishna Govinda.. Govinda Govinda...
Govinda Shyama Radhe Krishna...
Krishna Govinda.. Govinda Govinda...
Govinda Shyama Radhe Krishna...
Govinda Govinda Paramananda ananda
Govinda Govinda Paramananda ananda
Ghana Shyama Ananda Krishna
Manamohan Manamohan Krishna
Raghava Keshava Yadu Nanda Nandana
Krishna govinda govinda govinda


You can also read what Bhanu Didi has to say on mother divine and her power.

Sri Sri’s Birthday Message

 Sri Sri’s Birthday Message Sri Sri Ravishankar’s birthday message was unique and simple yet precious. I will quote only 2-3 sentences and explain it. Trust me, if this world understand this, there will be only peace and happiness around. He says, it’s very easy to see God in Guru as we have been groomed like that and we have been told from our childhood that “Guru Govind Dou Khade , kake lagoon paavn; Balihari Guru apno, Govind diyo batay.” (When you get both God and guru together, who do I bow down first, to my surprise, God directed me to the guru) It’s really easy to see god in enlighten and good people. But he asks, can you see God in a foolish or not so good person? It’s not easy and then he also tells how to do that, He explains that if you get a thief do your service like policeman, if you get a patient, serve him like a Doctor. This knowledge looks simple but it’s not. Generally, when a person is told that see God in all forms, it becomes very difficult for him to handle the situations. He does not know what to do with a person, who is not having good outlook, who is not following the norms of the world or who is indulging in unlawful act like stealing, killing or other crimes. His message to serve him / her by seeing god in him, tells you how to be compassionate to anyone who is not on the right path. He tells you to serve a bad person like police man to improve him or make him free from that crime. How beautiful are these lines, when we try to serve even the wrong ones and try to make him useful for the society in some or the other way. I am sure this world will be a beautiful place. Second statement, is about the state of mind when we are at rest. He says your mind keeps the same grudge against someone when you are at rest. Even if you ignore his mistakes or bad behaviour during the working hours due to influence of knowledge, your mind does not leave it. You cling to it again, when you are at rest. He tells us to become completely free from these worries, grudges and have a peaceful rest. This is very true in case of many of us. Even if we somehow stop ourselves to react when someone is not reasonable to you, we do not forgive him from our mind and we keep the grudges inside our mind. Sri Sri tells you to be free from that and have an absolute rest when you are at rest. Do not carry the baggage in your mind.

More Messages on Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Official Blog

Two Steps to Enlightenment

Enlightenment or evolution has got two steps. The first step is from becoming somebody to nobody. It is not getting stuck in something or somebody. You get stuck being somebody in two cases - either you are too special or you are hopeless. People get stuck in the seat. If you don't give them a proper seat, that's it. That pushes their button. “What difference does it make if I sit on the sofa or on the carpet? I remain what I am.” Meditation is from being somebody to becoming nobody. Dissolving of ego is from somebody to nobody.

The second step is from nobody to everybody. That is the state where you feel oneness with everybody, you feel that you are a part of everyone and everyone is a part of you. That is the reason why Jesus said, "If you have to go to my Father, there is no other way, you have to go through me and me alone." Krishna said the same thing to Arjuna. He addresses him in three terms. First he says, "Surrender to Him who lives in everybody's heart". Then he says, "Just surrender to me." And then he says, "Surrender to that divinity that is deep in yourself and get out of this illusion of ‘me’ and ‘you’ and all the separation.”

The whole universe is one organism, one living Being. And each mind is just a part of that. This is the highest knowledge, the universal truth. You are in everybody. Only then the real service also begins. That service is really authentic. You see someone suffering and you feel you are suffering too or you see somebody getting hurt, and you also feel the pain.

See, the body is decaying. Whatever you do, your body is perishable. The direction of body is towards perishing, is towards decay. And the direction of your soul should be towards the immortal, the non-changing, imperishable. As you grow older, your mind should mature and look towards that eternal something that is undying, that doesn't age. That is deep in you: the spirit.

There is so much suffering in the world and that's why we need to be very active in giving this knowledge to as many people as possible. You can. All those who have learned meditation, and all those who have not learned meditation also, just get together, do some reading and satsang, meditate together, eat together; share lives together. Once in fifteen days, once in a month, have a sort of community get-together. And talk about knowledge. Instead of gossiping or talking something just trivial, why not talk about knowledge, wisdom? Putting your mind into something that is eternal is worth doing.

We need to improve the quality of life. Just look at the children when they are in kindergarten, in nursery school; there is so much joy, there is so much happiness, celebration in their life. And, as they grow older, when they go to high school, see how they are? Do they grow in joy, in bliss, in celebration, or are they going towards violence, hatred, unfriendly behavior, stress, frustration, agitation and dullness? Is this what we are doing to the children? And we spend thousands of dollars to bring this suffering on to them. And this we call as education? Losing all the human qualities is called education! That's ridiculous, no?

And this is not an instance here and there. This is widespread, nearly the same all over the globe. Maybe not so much in developing countries but especially in all the developed countries and metropolitan cities - there is absolutely no human quality at all being expressed. I wouldn't say they have died out. They are there but are never expressed. So there is such frustration, such pain, such suffering all over and we need to do something about it.

- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar