Waves of Happiness

Waves of Happiness “Are you happy Amma?” Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was to ask my mother, when we went seek his blessings at Art of Living International Centre, Bengaluru Ashram sometime in 2009. I had overcome my addiction to liquor through the breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya and the supreme grace of the Master. By his blessings I emerged triumphant and became a faculty of the foundation. Today I have been sober for more than 16 years, which astonishes my friends, colleagues and family. Recently, we were waiting for his blessings. As the Master stroked my wife’s forehead head with a rose flower, he said to me, “Yes, there is something in my mind. Are you a teacher? You should upgrade your skills,” and passed by us. He was happy when I gave a copy of my latest book A Story of Faith and Miracles. I had sent a mail seeking an assignment, post my retirement from the Indian Railway Traffic Service. My mind was gripped with uncertainty. But the Guru knows it all and scripts the events accordingly. Only when one surrenders unflinchingly does the grace flow. We need to expand our bowl for Him to shower blessings. He always says, “You will get what you need and not what you want.” Back in Chennai I had undertaken the Happiness Programme conducted by the Master himself and was soon involved in seva activities. I could overcome the demonic thoughts by conducting follow ups and organising a new programme called Har Ghar Dhyan. Through the help of the General Managers of Southern Railway and Integral Coach Factory we were working on the courses for Railway personnel – officers and staff. Shortly, after a due selection process, I was posted as the CEO of Chhattisgarh East Railway Ltd and Chhattisgarh East West Railway Ltd and I am scheduled to upgrade skills as a member of the faculty. How does this magic work? Total surrender! On 13th May 1956, in the bijou town of Papanasam in Tamil Nadu, a divine child was born to Visalakshi and R.S. Venkataratnam. He was named "Ravi", which means "sun" because his birth was on a Sunday, and "Shankar" after the eighth-century Hindu saint, Adi Shankara, whose birthday happened to be on the same day. Gurudev’s first teacher was Sudhakar Chaturvedi, an Indian Vedic scholar who was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. Gurudev as he is famously addressed worked as an apprentice of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and learnt Transcendental Meditation. He was to chart his own path after a 10-day period of silence on the banks of Bhadravati River in the township of Shimoga. He gifted to mankind the unique rhythmic breathing technique of “Sudarshan Kriya,” and soon the foundation was established. Over the years the organisation has grown manifold and marks its presence in 180 countries across the globe. The bedrock of all the courses of the Art of Living is the Sudarshan Kriya. Alongside are yoga, pranayama, meditation and a host of seva projects. The spiritual Master has focussed on sadhana, seva, satsang, Sudarshan Kriya and meditation. These processes have metamorphosed the lives of millions of people in the world. There are innumerable accounts of His manifestations and reams have been written about them. Gurudev and the organisation have played an epochal role in troubled and violence-hit spots of the globe providing succour to people. The master is an apostle of peace. “Happiness is an attitude. If you are used to being unhappy, even in the best of situations you will still grumble and be unhappy,” says Gurudev