S2S: ART OF WAR TO ART OF LIVING ------ AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

UNEARTHING THE TRUTH

“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” — Sun Tzu (Sūn Zǐ)

Within two days, Xiao Ming and Anav had arrived at the Kempe Gowda International Airport, Bengaluru and took the NICE Road to reach The Art of Living International Centre.

Their minds were chaotic, surfeited with exposure to spirituality, silence and being seekers.

They had moved several steps forward, gone a few steps backwards, but the video Technology of Spirituality and the interaction with Dr Manikantan was the most appealing to Xiao Ming’s mind and Anav concurred with her.

“No harm in learning Sudarshan Kriya breathing technique from him,” they opined.

Breathing is the first act of life. Within the breath is the unexplored secret of life. Sudarshan Kriya is a powerful yet simple rhythmic breathing technique that incorporates specific natural rhythms of the breath, harmonizing the body, mind and emotions.

The technique eliminates stress, fatigue and negative emotions such as anger, frustration and depression, leaving the mind calm, focused and the body energized, completely relaxed. Sudarshan Kriya brings a profound depth to life, unravelling its mysteries. It’s a spiritual breakthrough giving a glimpse of infinity. Sudarshan Kriya is the unrevealed secret to health, happiness, peace and an insight of life beyond!

Inhale Good Health, Everyday!

Breath is the main source of prana - the vital life-force energy. Prana is the very basis of health and well-being for both, the body and mind. When the prana is high, one feels healthy, alert and energetic. Sudarshan Kriya elevates the prana by flushing out more than 90% toxins and accumulated stress, everyday. Practitioners have reported better immunity, increased stamina and sustained high-energy levels.

Daily practice of Sudarshan Kriya can considerably reduce visit to the doctor, keeping you on a healthy, happy note, lifelong!

Do you know the magic of Sudarshan Kriya keeps smile, happiness intact? And how does Sudarshan Kriya work for happiness?

Have you observed, how much time you take to come out of negative emotions like anger, irritation, frustration, sadness? Through Sudarshan Kriya, one learns to skilfully use the breath to change the way you feel, having a say over emotions. They don’t rule you anymore. Imagine, every day, if anger, irritation, jealousy, fear is replaced with joy, smile, deep breaths and happy life!

“This refreshingly different and at variance from what we have learnt so far, is it not?” Xiao Ming gushed.

“It has a very upbeat and positive note to it,” Anav agreed.

The Art of Living is a globally revered spiritual and humanitarian organisation. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, has developed unique, impactful programmes that empower, equip and transform individuals to tackle challenges at global, national, community and individual levels.

Born in 1956 in Southern India, at Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, He was a precocious child. By the age of four, He was able to recite the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient Sanskrit scripture, and was often found in a state of meditation. He holds degrees in, both, Vedic literature and physics, symbolising modernity with the ancient.

In 1982, Gurudev entered a ten-day period of silence in Shimoga located in the Indian state of Karnataka. The Sudarshan Kriya a powerful breathing technique, was born. With time, the Sudarshan Kriya became the center-piece of the Art of Living courses.

Xiao Ming and Anav were wonderstruck about Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and the organisation called Art of Living.

As they reached the entrance gate of the center, they saw a massive hoarding with a picture of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The duo reached late in the evening and checked into their respective rooms. Xiao Ming and Anav checked into the rooms at Meeravanam, and were impressed with the tastefully constructed rooms.

The two searched the bouquet of courses and programmes offered and decided to undertake the Happiness Programme and the Advanced Meditation Programme, fortuitously being conducted by Dr Manikantan.

Later in the evening, after a spot of jogging to refresh themselves, Xiao Ming and Anav reached Vishala Café. They ordered fresh fruit, sandwiches and some fruit juice, and sat down, observing the surroundings.

There was plenty of banter, the place was lively. Most of the people gathered were involved in animated discussions.

“Meditation is the only way you can transcend the negative thoughts, and then positive thoughts will come to you automatically,” someone announced to his group and Anav and Xiao Ming smiled upon hearing this statement.

By now it was around one-thirty and a fresh lot of devotees had surged in. There was a celebration underway and the group decided to take it up a notch further as they began singing with great gusto.

Sagar mein ik lehar uthi tere naam ki. Tujhe mubarak khushiyan atma gyan ki, Tujh ko hai anant mein jaakar mil jaana, Tu hain sundar phool is sansar ki …

Xiao Ming and Anav realised that this was some kind of a birthday song. As the singing reached a crescendo there was a huge round of clapping.

“You know we all sing this song, celebrating birthdays but very few know the story behind the song. These are precious Guru stories. Would you like to hear the tale?” the teacher asked.

“Sure,” those gathered said in unison.

“Well, this birthday song was drafted and composed in fifteen minutes. One day Gurudev was celebrating the fortieth birthday of a devotee. When the gathering started singing the well-worn birthday song, Gurudev admonished them to stop singing the same old weather-beaten song and compose some new tune. Thus, this song was born, with the blessings of the Master himself,” the teacher said to the amazement of those present.

Noticing that Xiao Ming and Anav had been paying close attention to the proceedings, the teacher asked them, “New to the Ashram? Is this your first visit?”

After the introductions had taken place, Anav shared with the group, “She has been on a massive expedition for a few months now, trying to find answers. We have had several encounters with spirituality along the way … it’s a very long story.”

The teacher swallowed a piece of chocolate plum cake before answering, “It is a razors edge, spirituality and technology, intricately connected and with consummate ease we can shift between the two. I would say technology is like a blade of the knife and spirituality is the handle. A good skill set will allow you to apply butter on the bread, allow you to apply balm to your mind and soul.

After a few more minutes of discussion, the group dispersed. Xiao Ming and Anav felt reassured about their decision. They got back to their rooms and decided to take a short nap and then get ready for their first formal foray in to the Art of Living, through the Happiness Programme.

***************

The clock struck six, as Xiao Ming and Anav reached Buddha Hall in Visalakshi Mantap. Little did they know they would unlearn and relearn life. They were among forty other international participants.

he familiar face of Dr Manikantan soon appeared. Introductions were completed and certain mandatory instructions were passed on.

After a silence of a few minutes, he posed a question.

“Can anyone tell me what yoga is?” Several participants volunteered to answer the seminal question, but none could answer it correctly.

“I heard somewhere in Rishikesh ... yoga has something to do with yuj, a Sanskrit word for union. Is that correct?” Xiao Ming answered.

“Yes, that is right. Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word, yuj which means the cosmic union. The physical exercises are just one component of Ashtanga Yoga as postulated by Maharishi Patanjali.

“Over the course of the next two days we will perform Sun Salutation or Surya Namaskar. This has a profound impact on the abs, gut and solar plexus. You see, regular and intense practice of Surya Namaskar assists in expanding the solar plexus. Normally the solar plexus is the size of an almond. It expands to become as large as one’s palm and this increases our intuitive abilities. That is why Lord Vishnu, preserver of the Universe, is always referred to as Padmanabha, while displaying his palm.”

“The goal of the three-day Happiness Program is to give you the skills, support and training to continue using these powerful breathing techniques once you go back home. There has been a large amount of research which indicates that your cortisol levels can reduce by over fifty percent on the first day you practice, and will continue to improve if you keep
practising. We’ll teach you a simple, effective home breathing practice you can do each day to release stress and start every day afresh: feeling clear, confident and happy.”

That an individual could alleviate anxiety and tightness within body and mind through the power of breath, Xiao Ming had already come to learn. She was stupefied to know that breath releases ninety percent of toxins from the body and is the most important source of energy for sustenance of life.

Dr Manikantan was to simply say, “Our mind is like the sky and thoughts are like clouds which float away. In order to live in the present moment, we should not cling on to the coattails of the thoughts. Our breath is a powerful arsenal in our quiver of arrows to remain in the present moment to be a part of life.”

He continued, “Through the unique rhythmic breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya, one becomes centred and lives in the present moment.”

“Sudarshan Kriya, pranayama and meditation, help to arrest the mind from wandering. The central technique of the Happiness Program is Sudarshan Kriya. It is a simple yet powerful breathing technique which effortlessly draws a person into a deep state of meditation,” concluded Dr Manikantan.

The breathing technique was a blast, with several participants crying, weeping inconsolably, some were laughing hysterically and a few rendered speechless and bewildered as the entire body felt waves of energy surging through.

Xiao Ming was no exception. She cried and laughed. Images of her entire life played like a movie on the amphitheatre of her mind. She saw her childhood, her father working in the coalmines, suffering from COPD, a mother who stitched clothes to supplement income. Uppity and covetous cousins flashed in her mind. Xiao Ming was also to see the manner in which she climbed to the pinnacle of success when Xiōngdì Technologies created the Virtual Buddy app, it’s resounding success and confiscation by the Party. The rise and fall of the app were seen by her vividly.

All the participants were asked to lie down after the breathing technique, in what is known as Yoga Nidra. During the process, the participants were absolutely unaware as to what transpired. She experienced deep rest, as did the others.

The group finally got up feeling enormously calmed. The frayed nerves of the participants were assuaged and they could hardly explain what had brought about the transformation. It was a profound rest which really relaxed them and left them feeling absolutely detoxified.

Xiao Ming declared that she had never slept or rested like this in her life. This was the quintessential truth she was trying to unearth all this while and after the Sudarshan Kriya she felt exultant.

She looked at Gurudev’s photograph and was more than convinced that he was the bearded person she had been searching for. She was in the presence of the Master. Tears of gratitude welled-up in her eyes and she wept like a small child. She felt like an infant who had been separated from her parents and was restored back to them.

Upon completion of the power-packed three-day Happiness Programme, Xiao Ming penned down a few lines.

Today I feel so humbled

Till the other day I was washing only my feet,

At the end of the course my heart does skip a beat

And I pine to worship the Mater’s feet

With tears of gratitude

My small mind has eschewed violence

And the big mind is blessed with gargantuan silence

The flame in my life was possibly extinguished

But the Happiness Course has my made my mind polished

Today the wick of candle is burning bright

My heart and soul, pure and pristine can feel the radiant light

I used to be confused, rattled and befuddled

Today after the Happiness Course I am emblazoned

At the end of tenebrosity there is hope and look forward towards luminosity

After the programme ended, Anav and Xiao Ming were desperate to have a glimpse of Gurudev, meet him and seek his guidance and blessings. But that was not to happen immediately as He was overseas.

Deciding that they would put to good use their time in the Ashram, Xiao Ming and Anav enrolled in the Advanced Meditation Programme, the course of maintaining silence.

Anav’s experience was sublime. He was transported from the concrete jungles of Shenzhen to the salubrious atmosphere of the Ashram where only silence pervaded. The series of Hollow and Empty meditations left him numb. To him this was an experience which no psychedelic drug, alcohol or any artificial substance could ever provide, and led him to a deep meditative state.

The course provided an unshakable sense of stability in their minds to Xiao Ming and Anav. The tranquillity which dawned came to reside in their inner beings. Days after completion of the course, they appeared seraphic and radiant, cleansed and renewed from within.

The participants realised that the Advanced Meditation Course as designed by Gurudev served to increase the quantum of prana. The participants were in an exultant mood, yet not desirous of breaking their silence.

The proficient Dr Manikantan specifically informed the participants about the multiple benefits of the course. Xiao Ming realised that although she had experienced various sessions of seva, meditation, observing her breath and maintaining silence at different points of time, never had she experienced all these facets simultaneously. This made
it singular, distinguishing it from all other similar programmes. Xiao Ming and Anav experienced a complete package which elevated their consciousness. The two seekers experienced a tectonic shift of their thought process, to a balanced approach of left-right equilibrium.

Xiao Ming configured an equation to capture the true essence of the Art of Living, that is attaining a state of equilibrium.

Inner Peace + Outer Joy => Equanimity + Equipoise + Equilibrium

The angelic appearing Dr Manikantan wound up the course by quoting Gurudev, “Meditation changes the structure of the brain, it gives you intuitive ability, inner comfort and relaxation. It helps the brain to recuperate. Meditation and silence have physiological, psychological and spiritual benefits.”

Xiao Ming and Anav could not have agreed more. They also realised that the Art of Living was not merely a video called Technology of Spirituality or Ayur Jagruti. It was so much more, and to them absolutely phenomenal.

Xiao Ming pined to meet Gurudev in person. Anav managed to get the information that He would be back in the Ashram very soon. In order to remain in the Ashram, they enrolled in the Sri Sri Yoga programme. They also registered at the Secretariat, seeking an appointment with Gurudev.

Meanwhile, Xiao Ming and Anav were initiated into yoga the Art of Living way under an accomplished teacher.

The two were quite impressed at the academic qualification of various instructors at the Art of Living. This included technocrats, bureaucrats, serving and retired. Apart from them, there were defence personnel, those from the paramilitary forces, doctors, scientists and successful entrepreneurs. They were bewildered that such a large number of people, so highly qualified, voluntarily and cheerfully offered their lives in service.

What was it that triggered this kind of a reaction? All the successful people were perhaps pining to breach the lack in life through spirituality.

Sri Sri Yoga teacher in his introductory remarks said, “If a person is tired of the competitive or superficial culture that surrounds some mainstream yoga programmes, this is the place to be. Sri Sri Yoga not only improves your flexibility, strength and, health but also deepens the seeker’s self-awareness, and centeredness with a holistic approach to yoga.”

He further added, “Sri Sri Yoga offers a non-judgmental atmosphere so an individual can find one’s edge of stretching without pain, of pushing the seeker without competing. It may be hard to get that spiritual experience in yoga studios that often have a competitive atmosphere.”

The participants appreciated that though people associated yoga with merely physical exercises, there was so much more to it. In the Sri Sri Yoga programme, a practitioner experienced all aspects of a complete yoga practice, including traditional asanas, simple pranayama and guided meditations.

Day four of the course was coming to an end. After putting the participants through seven sets of the Padma Sadhana routine, the teacher took them for a short walk. He changed the venue from the Buddha Hall in Visalakshi Mantap to Radha Kunj which faced a tranquil lake filled with rare plants, fish and crocodiles.

As the group settled down after chanting omkar thrice, they began practising Surya Namaskar accompanied by the singing of melodious bhajans. As the tempo of the bhajans increased so did the pace of the yoga. The greenhorns began sweating.

“This is a perfect cardio as all your muscles are stretched.”

***************

There was a palpable sense of excitement among those present. In fact, the center seemed to come alive as news spread that Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was back.

It was past seven that evening as Anav, Xiao Ming and the entire contingent of the Sri Sri Yoga group assembled in the amphitheatre as the satsang began.

Soon Gurudev arrived, looking radiant. There was a palpable sense of anticipation among all those present. The bhajans continued for a while before Gurudev conducted a meditation session and followed it with a question-and-answer session.

The anchor for the evening read out the first question, “Gurudev, my question is, are sexual energy and meditative energy the same energy?”

Gurudev flashed his enigmatic smile, looked around and took his time before answering the question.

“Hmmm interesting question …Yes, it is only one energy in the body, but it manifests in different forms, in different chakras. Sexual energy, love energy, intellectual energy, sharpness, awareness, anger; all these are related.”

“You would have heard about the seven chakras or energy centres. It is One Energy that manifests itself in various forms.”

“In the first chakra, Muladhara, at the base of the spine, the energy manifests as enthusiasm or inertia. When the same life force energy comes to the second chakra, Swadhisthana, it manifests as sexual energy or creative or procreative energy. The same energy goes up to the navel region, the third chakra. We call it Manipura. Here it
manifests in four different forms, which relate to four different emotions - greed, jealousy, generosity and joy. That is why all these four emotions are depicted through the tummy.”

“You know, jealousy is an emotion that one feels in the stomach. Generosity is depicted with a large tummy, like a Santa Claus. Joy is also depicted with a big tummy, like Lord Ganesha and a Laughing Buddha.”

Gurudev suddenly fell silent, as though in thought and the audience waited patiently for the Master to continue.

“This emotion comes to the Anahata or the heart chakra; here it manifests as three different forms, love, hatred and fear.”

“When this energy rises to the level of the throat, it symbolizes grief and gratefulness. Have you ever noticed you feel grief, the throat chokes, and when you feel grateful also, the throat chokes?”

“The same energy then goes in between the eyebrows to the sixth chakra. And this manifests as anger and alertness. Anger, alertness, knowledge, and wisdom are all related to the third eye centre.”

Gurudev continued, “The same energy goes to the seventh chakra or Sahasrara, at the top of the head and manifests as sheer bliss. That is why when you feel total bliss; the mind immediately goes to the top of the head. Something shoots up to the top of the head and you feel blissful.”

“Actually, the upward movement and downward movements of energy are all the emotions in life. Emotions are nothing but manifestations of energy moving upward and downward in the body’” the Master concluded.

Later the Sri Sri Yoga participants assembled at Buddha Hall sharp at nine for a session with Gurudev. They were all seated on yoga mats and in walked a seraphic Gurudev. His entire demeanour was awe-inspiring.

He purveyed all the participants and started moving between them. The enthusiastic ones began flashing their mobiles and clicking pictures. Xiao Ming with her spine erect was seated in the third row, waiting to meet the “bearded man”.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar passed by Anav, stopped for a moment and turned back and smiled at him. He began speaking with him in Tamil. The conversation, which lasted for a few minutes, seemed an eternity to Anav. He then blessed Anav by placing a shawl around his shoulders. Anav was on cloud nine! This was beyond his wildest dreams!

Thereafter Gurudev continued meeting the participants, stopping here and there. He passed by Xiao Ming and smiled at her and then moved ahead.

Xiao Ming was flabbergasted into silence. She had been sure He would stop and speak with her as he had done with Anav.

After walking around and seeing all the participants, Gurudev asked them about the programme. Several of the participants spoke enthusiastically, except Xiao Ming.

She was almost in tears as the Master had merely smiled at her. She was covetous of Anav who was the blessed one.

Gurudev then spoke a few points on yoga to enlighten them. “A practitioner explores some of the fascinating insights yoga has to offer into the nature of the mind and body and how to live a relaxed, fulfilling life …”

It was 10:00 p.m. and suddenly Gurudev, in his inimitable manner got up and left. An announcement was made that Sri Sri Yoga participants would assemble at six the next morning.

The group trudged back to their accommodation. All the participants were exuberant, barring Xiao Ming. She was absolutely devastated as they moved towards Meeravanam. Anav was exceedingly pleased but realised Xiao Ming was deeply despondent and disappointed.

Xiao Ming finally mustered some semblance of mental strength, courage and asked Anav what Gurudev had spoken to him.

“Well, he enquired about Ramesh. He also spoke about Lord Ganesha …”

“Ramesh! My goodness. Is he a mind reader?” was her response. “And why Lord Ganesha? Xiao Ming enquired.

“It was almost like magic, absolutely inexplicable. Gurudev just read my mind. I was thinking about Ramesh and Gurudev asked as to how he was doing after his ordeal.”

“He also added that Lord Ganesha is blessed with an elephantine mind and humongous ears. ‘Expand your mental faculties and increase the power to listen. It will embellish your personality’, is what Gurudev said,” Anav told Xiao Ming.

“Imagine, Xiao Ming! Is that not out of the ordinary?”

A disconsolate Xiao Ming, almost on the verge of tears managed a suitable response. Her entire journey seemed to have gone awry. Nothing had come of it.

“Gurudev did not even acknowledge my presence or speak to me. I travelled all the way looking for him, only to find nothing. I feel so dejected, just want to breakdown,” Xiao Ming could no longer hold herself back.

***************

The next day, the final day of the programme, and all the participants assembled at 6:00 a.m. Of the forty, only one participant was missing. A doleful Xiao Ming had failed to turn up. The events of the previous night played havoc on her mind and she had decided to stay put in her room.

Someone had knocked on the door at around 5:45, but she had not bothered to answer.

“Xiao Ming … you are hurtling back to the precipice. This is disastrous,” a thought cropped in her mind.

After she woke up, Xiao Ming spent the day sleeping some more and aimlessly moving around the center. She decided to visit all the locales one final time, since the next day they were returning.

After walking and hitch-hiking she returned back to her room, utterly downcast.

“I will not attend the satsang. Gurudev does not care for me,” she decided.

“The lack in my life will continue perennially. The story, the apparition, the Buddha, the bearded man, Xuan Zang’s inspiration and my foray into the breathing technique are nothing but a hoax. I shall go back to the shooting stars. My life and career will end in ignominy and anonymity,” she thought in desperation. Suddenly she was impatient to get back to Shenzhen.

Late in the afternoon, there was an incessant banging at her door. With great effort Xiao Ming opened the door rather reluctantly. “Where have you been all this while Xiao Ming … Look at the number of calls I made, the number of messages I sent. Gurudev conducted a series of meditations today and spent close to two hours with us. Today was the final day and you went missing?”

“At the end of the second session Gurudev even enquired about you. And guess what, someone from the secretariat informed me that our appointment with Gurudev is scheduled at 6:00 p.m.,” Anav burst out.

“But Anav he ignored me…,” was all Xiao Ming could say.

“‘A Guru never puts a disciple to test, for he is fully aware of the disciple’s ability. To make everyone aware of the disciple’s ability, the Guru puts the disciple through the severest of the situations and the disciple being aware of the complete divine-play by the Guru, endures everything blissfully. Hence it is said that the relationship between Guru and his disciple is a subtle and intimate one’. Xiao Ming these are the exact words Gurudev spoke this morning,” Anav exclaimed.

“I have no doubt in my mind that he was referring only to you. You are the chosen one and are frittering away the opportunity,” Anav remarked.

Finally, Xiao Ming gave in to Anav’s entreaties and decided she would give it one more chance. The two of them reached the secretariat at six, with Xiao Ming clinging on to the book on Xuan Zang.

***************

Xiao Ming was awestruck looking at the talismanic Master. This was her second encounter with the modern-day spiritual teacher. Xiao Ming simply broke down seeing him and wept inconsolably like a child.

The ambience was sublime and beatific. The perspicacious and clairvoyant one had a blazing aura and was clad in a starched white dhoti. He looked radiant sporting a sandalwood paste bindi on the forehead.

Gurudev then looked at Xiao Ming and seamlessly took away the book from her.

“You missed the session today and looks like your mind and body were wandering. A true seeker does not meander or stray from the path of truth,” He spoke softly. He looked at the book and continued speaking in his inimitable manner.

“You see Xuan Zang was relentless in his pursuit of unearthing the truth and discovering the authentic Buddhist texts. You have to be robust and resolute. I know his story and I would like to know yours too,” he added.

Xiao Ming was taken aback. Everyone present was attentive to the happenings. She then narrated her entire life story … the journey from Xi’an province, her parents, education, the Virtual Buddy app, the confiscation of the app, about Bao and Bai and the book on Xuan Zang. Before she could continue any further, Gurudev asked her to stop.

He signalled to one the assistants who swung into action. He gifted Xiao Ming with three things; an apple, a small figurine of Buddha and a book on Artificial Intelligence. He then draped a beautiful red shawl (a shawl larger than what he had blessed Anav with the previous night) around her shoulders.

Xiao Ming fell down at his feet. Placing His hands on her head, Gurudev asked her if she wanted to give Him anything. Xiao Ming thought for a moment and then remembered the poem she had written after the Happiness Programme. Gurudev asked her to read it aloud.

Soon it was time for satsang and Gurudev got up and walked to the amphitheatre.

Enchanting bhajans were sung and the devotees were in a state of divine reverie. After that Gurudev led them through a short meditation session.

Once the meditation was over, Gurudev asked the crowd playfully if they were in a mood to listen to a story. Saying so, he walked around for a few minutes before settling down to narrate the story.

“Once upon a time, a Guru was giving darshan to a congregation. People were coming in, bowing down and seeking blessings. The Guru was silent most of the time and when somebody would come and share their troubles, looking for a response, he would say only one thing -You are very lucky.”

One person came to him and said, “I failed in my exam.” The Guru said, “Well, you are very lucky.”

Another came and said, “My wife has left me.” “You are very lucky.”

No matter what problems people shared, the response was the same.

“None of my friends are talking to me” or “I lost my job”, the Guru kept telling them that they were very lucky.

Even though it was the same response, strangely, those people would walk away happily, as though they received the right advice for their situation. After a while, one person came forward and shared, “Pujya Guru I feel very lucky and I am so grateful that I have you in my life.”

When the Guru heard this, he got annoyed and gave this person a tight slap. Even more strangely, this man, with tears in his eyes, started dancing in gratitude.

Another person who was watching all this, got totally confused at everybody’s strange behaviour. But he could not gather enough courage to ask the Guru directly. So, he went to a senior disciple and confided, “I can’t make any sense out of what I saw. Could you please explain to me the meaning of all this? On being asked to give an interpretation of the Guru’s actions …,”

Here Gurudev paused dramatically and asked tongue-in cheek, “Devotees love to do this, isn’t it? They always love explaining the Guru’s actions. Am I right?”

Gurudev continued with the story. “The senior devotee replied, “It was perfect what our Guru did! The first person realized he was lucky because when you fail in an exam, you end up studying more thoroughly. The person who lost his job and the one whose friends left him are lucky because they now have some time to introspect. People
in jobs never have any time and one has to be really lucky to get some time in life to reflect on the Truth, on ‘who am I’. The person whose wife ran away is lucky because now he can learn what mistakes he made in his relationship. He now has an opportunity to become

sensitive to his wife’s welfare and that’s why our Guru’s words made him happy.’”

Gurudev continued, “There are three levels of human consciousness. The first and the lowest is pure inertia, when one does not feel anything. The second is when one realizes that there is misery in life. Buddha took people from inertia to awareness of misery. Every misery wakes you up and that is when dispassion and discrimination dawn in you.
That is why many people become spiritual when they see sorrow in life. The third step is realizing that life is all blissful. This is where the Guru Tattva is needed. In the presence of the Guru, misery gets transformed into bliss.”

“But why did the last person who was grateful get a slap?”

“Because when he said, ‘I am grateful’, he was still centred around the ‘I’. When he got that slap, the Master told him, ‘Me and you? Two? Come on, wake up. There is only One Brahman.’ When you realize this, misery vanishes from life.”

“Usually people exist, they don’t live. Existing without life is ignorance. Living as if you don’t exist is enlightenment. Shoonyata and Poornata - meditation and celebration go together.”

Devotees were in raptures after listening to the story. Once the atmosphere settled down, Gurudev asked Xiao Ming to come on to the podium. She could not believe her ears and was enraptured; she ran to the stage jostling through the crowds and bowed down to the
Master.

Gurudev then asked Xiao Ming to speak about herself and recite the poem she penned after the Happiness Programme, which she did dutifully.

Gurudev looked at her and was expecting Xiao Ming to bare her heart. Xiao Ming received the message and shed copious tears but then soon she composed herself.

“I have been grappling to say something to you Gurudev. I began my movement westwards in search of Buddhism and the bearded man after my experience at Phoenix Temple. And I am convinced today after you blessed with me the statute of Buddha, an apple and the book on Artificial Intelligence that the monk was Buddha and the figurine
of Buddha which metamorphosed into a bearded man is none other than you,”

“You have several things to do ...,” uttered the Master.

Early next morning, Anav and Xiao Ming left the Art of Living International Centre after spending twenty-one days. These were some of their most memorable moments of their lives.

Anav and Xiao Ming left for the airport. Anav had a tectonic shift in his thought process and was to become a firm devotee of Gurudev and of Lord Ganesha.

And what did Xiao Ming gain? She wistfully thought … The shooting stars, comets with a tail of hope, the book on Xuan Zang, all these were no longer part of her life. She lost them all … but she had no regrets.

She had gained a Guru, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a Master in her life.

The journey, which was nothing short of an expedition, to the land of India had been momentous and epochal. She had found, lost and rediscovered the chutzpah for life once again. After her voyage to India, Xiao Ming could view life from a larger perspective.

A lot had altered in Xiao Ming’s method of thinking, but her habit of representing thoughts mathematically remained untouched. She tried to summarize her experience into an equation.

H (x, t) = ∑ (A + C + F + G -N)

Where, H is the happiness experienced at any place (x) and any given time (t), and

A is acceptance, C is compassion, F is a forgiving attitude, G is gratitude and N is negativity.

Of course, she was aware that happiness could never be quantified mathematically. However, through greater vitality an individual can expunge negativity and move up on the curve of happiness. This was the conundrum to be resolved in any one’s life.

“Guru is knowledge. Guru is love. Guru is light. There is no difference between Guru, God and the Soul.” ₋ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Epilogue

“The mission of your life should be to leave a better world behind than what

you inherited.” — Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Once Xiao Ming returned home after her sojourn westwards, she went about her next project. Xiao Ming now firmly believed one thing was an absolute necessity in everyone’s life - a Master or Guru. In all earnestness she set about the task and very soon a crowd sourced app was ready.

This was an app, which in the era of Kalyuga would act as ballast, a cushion for all those gone astray, in fact to ensure no one went astray. The Guru app played the role of the Master. The Guru comforted, guided and transformed the lives of millions across the
world.

The app already had the approval of the Chinese Government as it saw it as useful for arresting the flagging moral values in China’s social fabric, and to prevent the angry middle class from crumbling under the weight of a deepening social crisis and economic downturn. Having felt the pains of an ageing society, the country had to abandon the Mao’s one-child policy. More importantly, it was useful to imbibe moral ethics among Government officials - deemed necessary to bring about further economic reforms.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar launched the Guru app, with Xiao Ming and her husband Lu Yao, looking on ecstatically.

Chapter 17