Lap of Master

 

Attending the Isha Gramotsavam was a once in a lifetime experience...the vibrance and energy was

unparalleled and unique .. was just a beautiful movement of upholding the rural spirit,  bringingplayfulnes in their lives ..in the face of adversity and struggles ..

The ISHA home school children came and taught us a jig before the Gramotsavam that was so brilliant and all the 6000 meditators attending the Lap of the Master program moved in joy to their instructions ... We were doing a jig and laughing like kids, all 6000 of us

We frolicked and danced as if it was our best friends’ wedding ..haha .. flinging all care to the wind ..and I was reminded of those Vadodara garba nights where we just danced with no goal in sight but for the mere joy of dancing .. The Sounds of Isha their drumbeats lent a beat and a rhythm and we had the time of our lives .. a 1000 village women performing a simple folk dance in perfect unison right before Adiyogi which added so much colour and joy to the environment

The mascots were Kathakali dancers and a colourful bull that really added colour to the stadium.. and was so extremely different from the usual mascots we see in Sports

Isha Gramotsavam is Sadhgurus vision and is an endeavor to rekindle the rural spirit and bring back the celebratory mode in the rural community. Through sports and an elaborate display of rural culture, Isha Gramotsavam has become a medium to transform society by helping villagers stay away from addictions, breaking caste barriers, empowering women, and reviving the resilient rural spirit.

The guests of honour- Saina Nehwal and Vaishali the chess Grandmaster and the sports minister were left awestruck by the energy .. they said they had seen such excitement only during cricket matches ...

I was frankly quite envious of these ladies sharing the stage with Sadhguru .. what an honor to be in such close proximity with him and speak to him in person … I was swooning like a teenager with stars in my eyes ! Haha

Sadhguru exalted - A spirited individual cannot be stopped ...education and qualifications have nothing to do with it.

The entire stadium then pledged to buy products made in India and promote indigenous industry - it was a moment of great pride for me to be witnessing such a visionary in action, a born leader teaching us what public service truly is..

Sadhguru has always reminded me of Sri Aurobindo , Vivekanand, Osho , Veer Savarkar ...a fierce nationalist and a staunch believer in protecting Hindu wisdom ... in his own words - There has been no civilization on earth as wise as the Hindu civilization ...

Inner engineering and the various meditation programs being offered for inner transformation, Isha vidhya, Isha Samskriti ,Isha Home School, Save soil , Rally for Rivers, Tree based cultivation, Isha Sacred walks Youth and Truth Conversations with the Mystic , Isha centre and Adiyogi established at Bengaluru and USA.. not to mention the Dhyan Linga and Adiyogi that is such an invaluable gift for mankind

In my eyes and mind – If anyone deserves the title of  “Father of the Nation” .. it is HIM

The Isha Samskriti gave their brilliant display of Kalaripayattu that tugs at my heart to the extent that I find my heart welling up with emotion everytime I witness their radiance on stage

Each volunteer, Ishangas, Swamis and Maa gave themselves fully selflessly and joyfully to create the most precious and profound experience for us ... their hands constantly folded in obeisance ... speaking with gentle smiles and eyes and gently guiding us through ... never looking tired despite the stretching schedules ... never complaining .. their hands on their chests in great humility as they spoke ...

It was like Sadhguru has established himself in them.... I have never seen volunteers working with such a deep and profound sense of Seva ...completely forgetting themselves in the process...their love for Sadhgurus vision overpowering everything else ..

Even the food was impeccable ...Fresh tasty satvik and absolutely supportive of the spiritual process we were going through ..meticulously thought out menu consisting of fresh fruit Ragi kanji millet pongal and bisi bhele bhaat.. as promised – healthy South vegetarian diet

.. exactly the kind of balanced hydrating diet our bodies need ...to not weight it.down ...and so extremely sumptuous ...even better than the food we make at our own homes !

All 6000 of us sat on the grass under the open sky and ate this as Prasadam ...absolute quiet and peace as we ate

the cleanliness mentions a special mention .. so spic and span a place .. such sanctity ... even the bathrooms were fragrant ... how is that even possible with such huge programs and meets going on in tandem .. and yet ... I was astounded and grateful ! 

Such effortless efficiency I have not witnessed in the biggest of offices where even well paid individuals love to shirk off their jobs and make millions of excuses for their inefficiency

Here the event flowed seamlessly and with love and not once did the program start even a minute late ..not once was there a commotion...not once was there a scarcity of food for this massive meet who did not shy of second helpings of this extremely healthy and sumptuous food .This was " prasadam ," in the truest sense of the word

Sadhguru spoke emphatically on making our youth physically capable of defending any more invasions on our beloved culture and our spirituality ...

He said if a man is not capable of protecting what is precious to him and his cultural identity then he is not a real man .

He implored - This is the civilization that has everything available at their fingertips ...esp.for women it has never been so good ...So.dont mess it up ! Have some integrity of purpose ...Be true to your Sadhana

Yes wealth is fundamental to your survival but if you make that the basis of your existence then you are bound to suffer .

“Being” to “Doing” to “Having” is the rule of nature and Be first ...doing and having will automatically happen if you are a full authentic life ...and not a muddled up miniscule creature trapped in his mind and memory ...

First learn to “Be” ..just Be a magnificent life ... -- and everything else will fall into place

Do not let your actions define who you are ..let your actions be defined by who you are instead !

Do not do moral or good things ...find a solution to the problems at hand ..just do what is needed in the present context ...uplift the.quality of this moment by being absolutely present and intensely involved ...bcz this is all there is .. the Past and the future are just figments of our imagination ...

Stillness on the inside and Exuberance on the outside ! He implored ...

Raising human consciousness is the most important thing on the planet right now ..

If we do not bring more people to realize this very soon the anchors of society have fallen ..and so will the stability of the human mind ...it is vital to establish a human being as mentally and physically capable in order to rise as a nation ..otherwise a significant proportion of the population is either on a pill or a drug

On 23 rd evening Navratri we were fortunate to witness a striking mytical procession by the Bhrahmacharis commenced with aarti and chanting and frenzied temple dances reflecting the heightened energies of Devi .During the Abhishekam, vibrant offerings of music and dance were made that extol Devi's glory and create an explosion of energy. Her raw power struck our hearts and there was splendour and beauty even in her darkness .

I was left spell bound rooted to the spot transported in time by the sights and sounds that enraptured my senses.

For a person like me who has never indulged in rituals never felt any stirring on entering the most ancient temple s- (not even the Gangotri temple !).. today I found myself doing the Pradakshina like a humble devotee - my head down , my bare feet moving in absolute rhythm chanting " Yoga yoga Yogeshwaraye "in perfect sync with other meditators.. feeling a surreal energy rise in me as I encircle the magnificient Adiyogi ..today just looking at the Adiyogi is so achingly beautiful it sends a jolt through my system ... then sitting in the Adiyogi alayam ..a small dome like space that is reverberating with the energy of the collective chant .. Tears flowing down my eyes I walk back stop and take a detour into the grass ...my bare feet feeling the wet earth. . and I fall to my knees my head raised up to the blue blue sky ...my arms stretched out wide ...the wind washing my body ...howling in my ears and I feel utterly naked .. im part of this symphony ...a heart beat in this grand scheme of the universe and I pulsate in rhythm for those few precious moments ....

I reach the Ling Bhairavi and witness Her in all her splendour. The red vermillion she is bathed with added to her brilliance … and a strange surrender hits me. ..Im down on my knees again doing Devi Dandam ...and I am bawling my heart out ... with not a thought in my head ...her grace washing over me ...caressing me as I cry to my hearts content .. The tears wont stop until my logical mind kicks in again ...I then sit cross legged with the other Sadhaks on the temple floor as they recite the Linga Bhairavi Stuti and I watch myself fall into a trance with those powerful words, a surreal energy  encircling me 

I then descend into the Chandra Kund and feel the coolness and swirling of the clear sparkling water ... i take a dip and I encircle the Submerged Linga with the other Devis clad in red robes.. and I feel like a "divine witch " and I revel in the feeling

Sadhgurus presence is too precious to describe in mere words. He gently guides us in our meditation - until we are all swirling in his energy web and cries of ecstacy escape our lips ...our bodies becoming vessels for the energy he transmits to each of us ....my body rocking and reverberating with the force of his being reflected in mine ... the energy and vibrations of the place and my Gurus presence strip me bare ...rob me of my identity... the Light is too dazzling and stings my eyes until they moisten and flow ...my heart ablaze and expanding till I feel I will burst ... my soul singing with joy ..and I am left gasping for breath ... It is just too much intensity ... and its all I have ever pined for ...

He of course breaks the trance by breaking into one of his jokes or anecdotes and makes us giggle and laugh .. like just after an intense meditation which has set up an emotional frenzy, he suddenly asks us to make the funniest face we can and look at the person next to us .. haha .. he is playful and intense all at once

At one point He has tears in his eyes, a particular song has moved him and he looks at all of us with such compassion , spreading his arms wide like a paternal presence and takes us in his embrace …and only He can embrace 6000 Sadhaks at once and make us feel the embrace as well .. 

The morning 5.30 am Guru Pooja is a collective chant by 6000 Sadhaks and it is too beautiful and powerful to describe in mere words … When we next chant Om Namah Shivay – all 6000 of us -- I feel the overwhelming energy trying to lift me , explode inside me , feed my restless soul until I felt the tears flowing again, my chant becoming raw and more forceful every moment until I had disappeared and only the reverbations remained..

I was just constantly  melting, dissolving inside- all of these 3 days

Its hard to describe these three days..mere words will never do justice to the experience and the realization within myself ...the internal sorcery that was in motion ..

Tears were flowing continuously.. to the point I thought it is natural to always have tears on my cheeks

I am tearing up even now in grief having to get back to " normal " life but with the hope that my Gurus grace stays a palpable living force within me ...and I shall strive to keep it so

I think i would like to be " Atlas Shrugged" straight to Isha Yoga Centre .. I want to do Sadhanapada  so ardently my whole being trembles thinking about the possibility.. to be in aspace where Sadhguru’s presence is so strong in every stone and in every pebble and every leaf … In just 3 days, it felt like home..

It is overwhelming to take in the beauty of this consecrated space and of HIM

Anyone who misses HIM in this lifetime.. a Living Guru in his physical embodiment .. a Brilliant Force of nature .. is missing a vital potent reminder of what real life looks and feels like ....