Utsav - Celebrate Life !!

YES!+ testimonials

2009-08-14T18:17:00.002+05:30

Jai Gurudev,

Some last minute information you can pitch in with:

1. Testimonials of participants: 6-7 sentences per testimonial.

2. Also, we want experiences of people who have done crazy things and
still survived because of this knowledge. e.g., you fail an exam five
times/messed up some huge responsibility, etc. make it funny :-)

3. Young Achievers – participants or volunteers who have excelled
in any walk of life. Write up – 10 sentences with precise details
about the achievement.

Full Name, Age, Profession, City, Email Address, Mobile No. are a must
along with Photograph (in jpg format) for all of the above.

either post your experiences here .. or to yesplusevents (at) gmail (dot) com

love,
Jai Gurudeva!
Dinesh

Poll / Election Results Advice - His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

2009-06-09T00:40:00.000+05:30

Bangalore (India), May 22:
Today, India has a new government. There are two pieces of advice for the new government:
First, advice for those who won. They should think that ‘We won, people have trusted us. So, we should be humble.’ Increase humility. See those who lost with love. Sympathize with them. When a war is fought, it's a different situation: you fight. But when the war is over, the situation becomes different. Embrace the enemy. Start the process of healing wounds.
Now, advice for those who lost. When you lose, what you want doesn’t happen. Then many vikalpas (choices) arise.

Frustration
Depression
Anger

These three vikalpas stop you from going on the right path, they cause harm to you.
The fourth vikalpa is that, ‘This is the Lord's wish.’ This way, we get over the bad feelings, and get on with productive work. Calm your mind, and engage yourself in something constructive. There is little progress if you go into depression. There is progress neither in the Self, nor in society.
The party that lost should think, ‘We tried our best, but what had to happen, happened.’
"Karmanye va dhikaraste ma faleshu kadachana" – Do your duty, without expecting the fruits of your actions. Accept whatever fruit you get - this surrender to the past is true surrender. True surrender to God is not offering fruits, and garlands. Surrendering the garbage of the past to God is real surrender. God transforms this garbage into flowers, and fruits.
So, don't be angry with the past, and don't go into depression. There is no point in hate, and no point in doing nothing. The sign of intelligence is to surrender and move ahead.
This happens in every country. There is war, victory and defeat.
The people who win should show more humility, and be more respectful. They should believe: ‘The other party lost in order to give us happiness.’ If they think like this, then they won't humiliate the happiness-giver, and will respect the defeated.
God knows whom to put where. Accept God's decision. This is how people should think. Victory, and defeat are part of life. Recognizing this pattern, and rising above it, is the sign of an evolved human being.
- His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

SMS Updates YES!+/ Utsav

2009-06-09T00:10:00.000+05:30

Please join the SMS group for updates on your mobile (Any one):
Jgd,
Join Utsav Delhi SMS GupShup group: http://smsgupshup.com/groups/UtsavNCR
To join the group online - click here
To join from your mobile phone, SMS "JOIN UtsavNCR" to 567678
OR
Join Utsav Delhi SMS GupShup group: http://smsgupshup.com/groups/UtsavNCR2
To join the group online - click here
To join from your mobile phone, SMS "JOIN UtsavNCR2" to 567678

Jgd

Atika Di gets Vishalakshi Award

2009-03-09T20:08:00.002+05:30

jgd,
Vishalakshi Awards for this year have been announced at the Bengaluru Ashram by Bhanu Didi

Dilli ki Jaan, our own Atika Ji is one recipient from NCR Delhi - The first YES!+ teacher from Delhi to get it ... (Atika means pure in Arabic)

Congratulations from all your YES!+ fans, Atika Di, We love you ....

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1228463

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?title=Women%20are%20born%20leaders&artid=Ys5HTQqp/Wc=&type=

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Bangalore/Women_are_born_leaders_Ravishankar/articleshow/4090284.cms

jgd

Brahmnaad coverage by different media

2008-12-07T12:48:00.002+05:30

The Art of Living Bureau of Communication has posted all the videos captured by different media groups on its blog. See them all here.
http://www.brahm-naad.blogspot.com/

Brahmnaad in Videos

2008-11-26T09:37:00.004+05:30

Posted by Art of Living

Posted by Jyotsana

Posted by Paulo

From NDTV

Brahmnaad 2008 Celebrations

2008-11-21T23:54:00.007+05:30

Jai Guru Dev Everyone

Yesterday was the first day of Brahmnaad, and it went off as true celebrations of the divine vibrations more than anyone could expect. In the Utsav (YES!+ course in the noon), during the day, Sidharth (one of the AOL singers) sang 2-3 songs in the 'Satsang', and the whole YES+ junta of about a couple of thousands went berserk with that, and danced like anything. It compelled anyone to think, what would be the heavens like in the evening when 1200 sitarists will perform on one stage together for the first time, in the history of the world.
I personally imagined what would the sky and its vast expanse look like with the divine vibrations of those 1200 musicians, churning out some intoxicating symphonies.

Have a look at what I was imagining. And if you think you missed it yesterday, you still have one day left - thats today. Just go there, and grab the pass.

Brahmnaad Pictures

No prizes for guessing who these luminaries are...

Hope you enjoyed. If you missed, do come next whenever and wherever it is.
Jai Guru dev

Q&A with Bawa on Utsav

2008-11-19T14:32:00.001+05:30

This QnA session took place after midnight. After playing a board game since bau's right nostril was working, he decided to sit and have a chat... First he asked all of us, which of our nostril is working ? Right indicates that you would be awake, left means you are going to sleep !

Q) When we are working towards achieving a target, how do handle the feverishness ?

A) Give your 100% and let go. Better still…. First let go and then continue putting your effort.

Q) My mind gets effected because of other people's words and actions.

A) Its normal to be affected… 5 – 10 minutes is ok, 2-3 days is too much. If someone throws a stone in a pond, there are ripples. Even if it is a still pond, there are ripples… But the question is how long it takes for the ripples to fade away.

Q) Sometimes, parents and other factors don't allow us to do seva. How to handle ?

A) There are various ways of doing seva… Doing business, studies or even washing your own plate is a seva… If you are a successful businessman, then many people will listen to you… then they'll come to the course because you told them to…

Q) What is your opinion of Osho ? have you read his books ?

A) No opinion. I don't know anything about him. I am still not done reading Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's books. Respect all follow one. All schools teach you the same syllabus and give you the same certificate, but you go to only one school. All boats cross the river, but you travel only in one boat.

Q) How to draw the line in your business so that it becomes seva…

A) If you are doing business for yourself, then it is not seva. But if you are doing it for guruji, then everything is seva…

Q) What is the difference between ego and self respect?

A) Ego divides, self respect unites… Ego separates, self respect brings together… In ego, you don't love yourself, when you love yourself that is self respect…

Q) I get lot of thoughts during short sudarshan kriya. What to do ?

A) Thats ok. Let the thoughts do their job, you do your job.

Q) During long sudarshan kriya guruji says, 'don't sleep, don't meditate'. But if the whole point of sudarshan kriya is to help us meditate, then why does he say that ?

A) Sudarshan kriya is a cleansing process. It cleanses you and gets you in a meditative state. If you put harpic in the toilet, you first put it, and then wait and only then flush, right?

Help Bihar Flood Victims

2008-10-01T09:17:00.002+05:30

The Art of Living Foundation is greatly concerned about the current flood situation in Bihar and is actively participating in the flood and trauma relief work with the government of Bihar with all its volunteers. We need help from all the corners of the world. Please generously donate for this great cause.
Visit the blog:
Help Bihar Flood Victims

Join the largest tree planting movement

2008-09-29T16:56:00.002+05:30

World Alliance for Youth Empowerment (WAYE)

has initiated The Great Green Project -
a planet wide campaign to plant and adopt trees.
I whole heartedly invite you to join me and make our beautiful planet a
safer, healthier, greener place to live on.

Click on this link to join the campaign:
http://www.itsmytre e.net/invite. php?code= db2305

Art of Living Update on Bihar Floods

2008-09-27T14:49:00.002+05:30

Guruji walked in knee-deep water for 3 km to meet the flood victims

September 25, 2008 by Guru Kripa

Guruji, H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, on Thursday, visited different relief camps in the flood-affected areas of Purnia and Madhepura in Bihar to bring solace to the survivors and take stock of the relief operations undertaken by the Art of Living.

Guruji walked in knee-deep water for 3 km from Jankinagar in the Purnia district to Murliganj in the Madhepura district to interact with the victims. Guruji arrived in Purnia in the morning, counselled the victims taking shelter in the Jankinagar Phulwari camp, where the Art of Living is taking care of nearly 5,000 people.

Later addressing a large gathering of 10,000 people from nearly 50 surrounding villages, Sri Sri advised them to maintain a positive outlook towards life despite the devastation. "Make best use of your stay in the camps under difficult circumstances. As it's going to take some more time for the waters to recede and the rehabilitation process to materialise, utilise the time here to learn new skills," he said.

He announced that the Art of Living would provide vocational training to women in the camps. It has already started training in tailoring skills at the Jankinagar camp. Sri Sri also said the Art of Living would start a campaign to teach reading and writing to illiterate people staying in the camps.

He extracted a commitment from the people not to practice female foeticide and to stop harassment of women. He announced that the youth of the area would be trained under the Art of Living's Youth Leadership Training Programme so that they can shoulder the responsibility of rehabilitation in the area. Urging the people not to lose heart, Sri Sri cited the example of Nagapattinam, which was completely devastated by the tsunami in 2004, and now has been completely rebuilt. "See this devastation as the foundation of a new rebuilding," he said.

Many of the victims shared that they were feeling relieved after attending the trauma relief sessions offered by the Art of Living. Sri Sri also lauded the good work done by the Art of Living volunteers, particularly the doctors, who have come from different parts of India and abroad. Earlier in the morning, the District Magistrate of Purnia, C Sridhar received Sri Sri on his arrival.

Within hours of the flood that has affected an estimated 3.5 million people, the Art of Living has been carrying out a multi-pronged relief operation in the flood-affected areas of Bihar on a war footing. In addition to providing emergency supplies and trauma care to the survivors taking shelters in various camps, the Art of Living is reaching out to more inaccessible areas as many villages are still submerged under water.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

2008-09-22T13:04:00.002+05:30

Q. How to give / who can give comments?

A. Anyone can write comments, provided he has registered with Blogger.com as a user, which can be done in an instant when you wish to write the comment.

We will try to publish most of the comments, including suggestions, comments (positive and critical both), queries.

Q. How to be/ Who can be an author on the blog?

A. Only those who are in the Volunteer Team for Utsav, are AOL teachers, PDS or Brahm Naad coordinators, or are related to AOL or UTSAV in some major way (depending on discretion of existing blog authors) are eligible to be authors.

If you wish to be an author, kindly mention the same in comments to any of the post, give you name and Email ID, and preferably your designation/ responsibility in AOL or Utsav/ PDS/ Brahm Naad. We will send you the invite to be an author asap.

After that, you just have to accept the invite from your mailbox and follow the suit.

If you don't get the invite within a reasonable period of time, you may contact/ call up any of the blog designers. And they will make sure that right action is taken in time.

Q. What is the purpose of this blog?

A. This blog has been hosted to:

1. Market and publicize UTSAV and AOL.

2. Help volunteers and participants get all possible information about Utsav, which is often scattered between various people, and miscommunication happens because of that.

3. Facilitate easy communication between all Utsav coordinators and enable them to help each other with various resources, suggestions, information which otherwise becomes very difficult given that there are more than 100 people in the team (and that too just for YES+ part of Utsav), and all of them can't communicate with all others.
Just post here what you have to say or want to say, with your possible contact details and everyone can read that and contact you back.

Proposed Objectives of Utsav Team for Utsav

2008-09-21T22:55:00.002+05:30

At our meeting today at 21, Vigyan Lok, which was actually a Volunteer Training session by our Dear Atika Di, we all, a team of 100 odd volunteers decided on some objectives for Utsav. We were asked, "What kind of Utsav do you want?". Following were the mutually agreed points:

1. Minimum 5000 partcipants for the YES!+ Course, while maximum can go upto 10,000 and more.

2. Youth from all sections of society shall participate.

3. We will spreasd awareness about Green Earth and Voter responsibility.

4. We will have maximum possible mdeia coverage.

5. Student organisations shall be mobilised for getting more particpants.

6. Government departments shall be approached to help in campaigns against smoking, tobacco, littering etc.

7. We will have Theme song for Utsav.

8. We will have Divine shop and Sri Sri HR stall (for helping youth in employment) on all days.

9. We will have atleast 1000 Auto-rickshaw and rickshaw pullers.

10. We will plan for a bigger Utsav for next time.

Contact Us

2008-09-15T03:18:00.002+05:30

For registrations, sponsorships, queries, comments, suggestions etc., kindly contact: