Any reason is a good reason to celebrate for celebration is the nature of our Spirit. New year is a time when the spirit of celebration engulfs the whole world. This is also an opportunity to reflect on the year gone by and take stock of what lessons we learnt. In life, things are to be learnt and forgotten – learnt so that you do not repeat the same mistakes and forgotten so that they do not leave you traumatized. We began the year on a very sad note with the Nirbhaya incident. The whole atmosphere in the country was that of disbelief and anger. Although this year too had its share of tragedies – both natural and man-made, there were many positives as well. Many thought that the wave against corruption that arose in the country two years ago ended as a lost cause. But that wave has sustained and become a genuine collective resolve to build a better India. The credit for this goes to the youth of our country. The Lokpal Bill that has been passed, although not perfect, is a step in the right direction. The high voter turnout in state assembly polls last month is also a very encouraging sign and shows that we have woken up as a nation. At the same time, a lot needs to be done. The most immediate task at hand is ensuring that everybody around us is registered for voting before the general elections in 2014. Click Here to read the complete article...............                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest

Four Powerful Ways to Happiness

Celebration can be attributed to any reason, because the nature of our spirit is to celebrate. The new year is a time when the spirit of celebration engulfs the whole world. This is also an opportunity to reflect on the year gone by and take stock of the lessons learnt. A celebration has social, emotional and spiritual components. Often, we focus on the first two and forget the third. True celebration happens when the spiritual aspect is attended to. Very often, people ask me how I see the future. And I say that the future is for them to build however they want it. The unwise regret the past, think the future is destiny and are miserable in present. The wise see their past as destiny, the future as free will and are happy in the present. However significant the events of the past year were at the time, looking back, you cannot see them all as anything but a dream. Reflecting on these events, what stands out is the impermanent nature of all things. Events are like stones and pebbles in the great river of time which keeps flowing unabated. In life, things are to be learnt and forgotten -- learnt so that you do not repeat the same mistakes and forgotten so that they do not leave you traumatized. Here are four ways to a happier 2014: Make Meditation a Part of Life: Modern life's demands lead to stress and restlessness, which can be released through a few minutes of meditation. Meditation gives you deep rest. The deeper you are able to rest, the more dynamic you will be in activity. It is the best tool to wipe your mind clean of all past impressions that weigh you down. Often, we get pulled in different directions and are unable to devote time to ourselves. We do not take out the time to think and reflect. This can leave us dull and tired. A few quiet moments everyday are the source of creativity. Silence heals and rejuvenates and gives you depth and stability. Sometime during the day, sit for a few minutes; get into the cave of your heart, eyes closed, and keep the world away. Serve: Make a commitment to make this world a better place to live. Do some acts of kindness without expecting anything in return. Service alone can bring contentment in life. It creates a sense of connectedness. When you bring some relief to someone through selfless service, good vibrations come to you. When you show kindness, your true nature, which is love and peace, come to the surface. Feel Grateful: Our love, faith, and belief should be deep-rooted, and then everything else moves on its own. The feeling that "I am blessed" can help you overcome any failure. Once you realize that you are blessed, then all the complaints and grumbling disappear, all the insecurities disappear and you become grateful, contented and peaceful. Spend time with Nature: If you are not amazed by the magnificence of this creation -- your eyes are not yet opened. Tell me, what in this creation is not a mystery? Birth is a mystery; death is a mystery. If both birth and death are mysteries, then life is certainly a greater mystery. Being completely immersed in the mystery of life and in this creation is samadhi. Just like we live in the outer world of events and circumstances, we also live in the inner world of emotions and feelings, which we are not always aware of. The distance between the outer and the inner worlds is just the blink of an eye. Yoga is the skill of keeping attention on the inner world while acting in the outer. When you are lost in the outside world, there is disharmony in the inner world and life is like a war. When you are established in the inner world, there is clarity in the outer world and life becomes a game. Source: Huffington Post                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest

In Every Heart, Lord Resides

You know, when I was in school, there were so many intelligent boys and girls in my class. And all of them thought, “I am going to be somebody.” Do you know, the dull students have done much better than them. They are doing very well in their lives, better than all the intelligent students. Nature has its own plans. In every heart, the Lord resides. Honour everyone, respect everyone - humility will bring that in you. Your good deeds, your Knowledge, skills, can all give you such pride, that you are somebody. The best Knowledge can bring you an awareness that you are nobody. So many people say that only through Knowledge can you cultivate humility - no, not cultivate, only through knowledge can you enliven that humility. But some other people say that they depend on each other - love and humility. Love and Knowledge go hand in hand. Others say it depends on each other. Knowledge and love, they go together. Only when you have love, do you take interest in Knowledge, you like to know about it. Suppose you have no love for astronomy, would you ever become an astronomer? Can you be a good astronomer? Not possible. If you love physics, then you can be a good physicist. So because of love, you gain knowledge; because there is knowledge, then you grow more in it. So they complement each other. But, again I tell you - Love is the final. Love is the fruit. Love is the end. Any amount of Knowledge you may have got, all the Knowledge leads you to love. You may go to a swimming pool, you may go onto a diving board, but you have to let go of the diving board, you have to jump into the water. Whether you jump on this side or that side, any corner, but you have to jump. If you go to a swimming pool and you hold onto the board, can you swim? If you hold onto the railing, can you jump into the water? No! Just by reading the menu card, your hunger cannot be satisfied, can it? Similarly, just by looking at the architectural plan of a home, can you relax in your home? Just with the plans there? Same way, simply having Knowledge is not sufficient. Love is needed, the experience is needed. Simply reading is not sufficient, but the experience alone will quench. Knowledge is like reading the menu card, love is experiencing it. And so, those who are desirous of liberation or freedom should only go for Divine Love. What does that mean? Have Knowledge, but immerse in Love. Just sing, dance, be drawn in ecstasy. Now how to do that? “Okay, I am ready to walk on the path of love. But what is it? How to do it?” The great teachers have sung the means for this. That is why these are called Sutras, hints, to you. They never give you advice that cannot be fruitful, which cannot be looked into, which cannot be attended to. The Rishis have never left you hanging in space; they have always understood where you come from, where you are, and how to guide you in the next step. Source: The New Indian Express                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest

Homosexuality not a crime - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shares his views on Indian Supreme Court's verdict of declaring homosexuality a crime. Homosexuality should not be considered as a criminal offence, says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Click Here to view the video !                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest

Sri Sri Ravishankar visits Mandapam refugee camp

Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Sunday visited the refugee camp at Mandapam near here and spoke with Sri Lankan refugees. Talking to newsmen here after his visit of the camp, the Art of Living founder said Indian Government should either provide the refugees citizenship or provide them a decent livelihood without retaining them in the camp for a long time. He also expressed anguish about plight of the Tamils in Sri Lanka and assured that they would coordinate with all the Tamils to infuse a fresh lease of life into them. Ravi Shankar wanted to distribute dhotis, sweets and food items to the refugees, but the police and revenue officials prevented him from doing so. Ravi Shankar also met fishermen when he condemned the attack on the innocent fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navay. Source: Zee News                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest

Shivratri Special Advance Meditation Course with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Dates: 26th Feb. - 2nd March 2014 Venue: Art of Living International Ashram, Bangalore Register online: www.bangaloreashram.org For details call: +91 80 67262626 / 27 / 28 Visit www.events.artoflivinguniverse.org for updated mega events around the world !                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest

Spiritual Temple Tour – Be one with The Divine from 13th - 16th December, 2013

We invite you for a very special opportunity to travel with Gurudev for 4 days. Book yourself today for "Spiritual Temple Tour" – Be one with The Divine from 13th December - 16th December, 2013 The program would begin and end in Bangalore - India. The program involves travelling through Madurai and Rameshwaram. You would get to see beauty of the land, Hills, Mountains, Fields, Rivers & Sea! On the move you would witness the Pujas and Maha Satsangs with Gurudev. What to Expect: 1) 2 Maha Satsangs. 2) Special enclosure at every satsang venue. Other Important Guidelines: 1) All arrangements for transport from Hotel to satsang venue have been done. 2) At Madurai and Rameshwaram arrangements will be made for shared accommodation. We want the passenger to have freedom for sightseeing or visiting different temples. For registration and details write to gita@sumerutravels.com or Call: Gargi: +91 93143123319, Gita: +91 7795844650.                 Note: Unable to see the above images? Please click on 'Display images' in your mail Art of Living Universe: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | YouTube | Pinterest