  This was right after I did the Yes+ (youth empowerment skills workshop of the art of living foundation) Course six years back. I did the course while I was in the second year of my P.G (MCA) & it was placement season then. I had to clear a backlog paper of the previous semester so I thought I hardly had any chance of being eligible for any good company’s placement process. Three reputed IT MNC's came to our campus in a week's time & I was eligible for only one of them. But I couldn't go beyond the aptitude test round for that company. Then came the news that Infosys Technologies had selected our college for the very first time to be part of its mass recruitment drive. Usually the eligibility criteria for Infosys are such that only the above average grade students become eligible for placements. I couldn't even imagine myself for it. Click here to read how Kartik got his dream job with Sri Sri's blessings Wish to share YOUR Guru Story with the whole world? Mail it to us at mygurustory@artoflivinguniverse.org and we will share it with everyone. Jai Gurudev!       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 |
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
The Dream Job
Sunday, July 28, 2013
The Formless One
 Many miraculous incidents have happened in our family ever since we are into the Art of Living. I would be pleased to share one such occasion with everyone. Just this morning at around 8.45 am, as usual, I went for a walk alone in the streets here in New Jersey ( A city in the United States ). I had kept my cell phone in one pocket & my ID card in the other pocket of my pants. Hardly had I walked for ten minutes, when I found that my ID card was not in my pocket anymore. This took me by complete shock. I had no idea as to where it could have disappeared all of a sudden. I was clueless. I couldn’t believe how this could happen. I felt terrified just thinking of the pain I would have to go through to get another ID card here in USA. It would not be an easy procedure as a lot of formalities need to be completed before getting an ID card over here. Feeling helpless yet hopeful, I walked back through the same street to search for my ID card. Thought I should try finding it, though I was not sure where it had fallen. It seemed like a mystery. But yet I wanted to try, I had nothing to lose. I was not quite successful in my efforts of looking for it as it had been a long while and there was still no trace of my ID card. Click here to unfold this beautiful Guru Story
Wish to share YOUR Guru Story with the whole world? Mail it to us at mygurustory@artoflivinguniverse.org and we will share it with everyone. Jai Gurudev!
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Thursday, July 25, 2013
The Power of Blessings
 I was working with the ICICI Bank Ltd. as an Officer at the Rajkot Main Branch. On that day, in the morning itself, one boy came to withdraw Rs.50,000. It so happened that by mistake, I paid him Rs.5,00,000 instead of Rs. 50,000, that means I paid Rs.4,50,000 as excess amount. This was a very big mistake on my part. This mistake could cost me my job and future career. Just then…..... Unfold the beautiful Guru Story, click here Wish to share YOUR Guru Story with the whole world? Mail it to us at mygurustory@artoflivinguniverse.org and we will share it with everyone. Jai Gurudev! 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 |
Monday, July 22, 2013
My True Translation
 In the year 2003, I went for my first Part 2 course (Advance Course) which was scheduled to happen in the Bangalore Ashram in the presence of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. This was just a month after I had completed my Part 1 Course (Basic Course). Since it was my first visit to the Ashram (The Art of living International Center), I was not well aware of the course logistics relating to stay and food, but I took a leap of faith and landed there to attend the same. After reaching there, I learned that it was supposed to be a Kannada (a traditional South Indian language) Part 2 Course, which meant that all the talks and sessions would be conducted in a language that was unfamiliar to me. Then to my relief, I was told that the course participants would be divided into two groups based on the language of instruction, Kannada and Hindi (a common language in India, well know to many). This was done for the convenience of those who were not well versed with Kannada. I felt it was a great idea considering the diversity of language and culture prevalent in our country. Once the course started, everything went on smoothly. The silence started on the second day and took me into a whole new world of absolute peace and bliss. But there was only one thing that was disturbing me at that time. After the course, during the Satsang sessions, Guruji would conduct the knowledge talks in Kannada. I was quite lost during those sessions as I could not grasp even a word of the language. Due to this, I had to attend the translation sessions post the Satsang at the Vishalalakshi Mantap (a beautiful structure in the Ashram built for meditation and discourse) to make sense of the knowledge talks. I was thus very anxious for Guruji to conduct the discourse in Hindi or English which would help me understand the same, that very moment. I did not know what to do about it as I was in silence and could not speak to the moderators to get this issue solved. So I decided to pray to my Master about this situation. Then to my surprise, on the fourth day of the course, Guruji spoke in English! He spoke beautifully on the topic of “Vairagya” (Dispassion). I felt that the talk was meant for me as I could relate to every word He uttered. I was extremely joyous to know that my silent prayer had been answered. It really strengthened my faith in the divine, the faith in me. But a strange thing happened after the Satsang that night. All the course participants were called for a translation of Guruji's talk. I was a bit puzzled as I did not understand why an English talk would require a translation? With wonder in my heart, I went to the VM to clear my doubt. On a piece of paper, I wrote my question (as I was still in silence) and passed it on to the teacher. Her reply astonished me. She said that Guruji had spoken in Kannada in that evening’s session and not English. She also confirmed this by a show of hands from the participants which evidenced the fact that the talk was really in Kannada itself. Slowly this mystery unfolded to me. Guruji had spoken in Kannada only, but I heard it in English. This was nothing less than a miracle for me. It was Sri Sri’s answer to my prayers. My loving Master took care of his disciple. Though I was in silence and could not voice my problem to anyone, HE heard it and solved it. He gave me what I needed at that time. However petty our needs may be, they are surely taken care of. Such instances just bring you closer to the divine, closer to your very own Self. They take you into a trip inward and help you discover the magic of life; the true essence of our being. Jai Gurudev! Nikhil Wish to share YOUR Guru Story with the whole world? Mail it to us at mygurustory@artoflivinguniverse.org and we will share it with everyone. Jai Gurudev!  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 |
Sunday, July 21, 2013
The Power of Longing
 It was last year during Holi when Guruji was on a tour to MP (Madhya Pradesh) and Rajasthan for a Maha Satsang in Udaipur which was held on 10th March 2012. We as a group of teachers from Baroda started early in the morning for Udaipur for the first time having hired a private vehicle. After a journey of about 7 hours we were about to reach Udaipur. Since everybody was longing for Gurudev’s darshan, we tried to contact the local teachers & resources to find out Gurudev's whereabouts but did not succeed. Having got tired we finally decided to go to circuit house to relax & go for satsang in the evening directly. We still had to ask for directions to reach the circuit house from the locals. At one of the turning points having V junction we took a chance & choose the road with the upward direction. After heading for about 3-4 kms we noticed dead end in front of the main gate of some big hotel. In order to reverse the vehicle, me & my friend got down to show direction to the driver owing to the hilly terrain. Suddenly she noticed a pilot car standing in the porch of the hotel. Excited we asked the watchman on the gate for any special guest inside & to our great surprise it was Guruji in there for some conference & was about to come out! Hearing this all the others in the vehicle literally jumped out with utmost joy and surprise. Within a short while Guruji came out & we had His darshan in a small group of 10-15 people only. Deeply satisfied all of us forgot our tiredness and were so grateful to Guruji for fulfilling our wish so miraculously. It is true that when deep longing and devotion hails, one automatically reaches to the divine. Jai Gurudev! Anjali Paknikar Baroda (Gujarat) Wish to share YOUR Guru Story with the whole world? Mail it to us at mygurustory@artoflivinguniverse.org and we will share it with everyone. Jai Gurudev! Note: On special occasion of Guru Purnima you will receive a special Guru Story on 22nd July 2013. Stay tuned! 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 |
Thursday, July 18, 2013
A Divine Intervention
 Guruji, my wonderful Guruji, only you could have done this. I prayed to you with all my heart and you responded with all yours. I don't know what good I have done to receive your grace but I'm glad for whatever it is. This particular experience of mine has only strengthened my faith in you. Well, our car, a Toyota Innova, was stolen on 12th May, 2013. It was devastating news, as it was our dream car which we bought just two months back with our hard earned money. I was instantly reminded of the Instant Blessing Seva and I smsed for your divine intervention in this hard time immediately. I sent the first message on 23rd May and on 24th we received the news that the thieves involved from Guwahati had been nabbed. My husband who is a simple business man, but sharp and courageous, was involved in the operation along with the crime branch from the first instance. This was the first stage when the police caught the thieves here in Guwahati. But then things did not move much here and I became disheartened, almost gave up, and even expressed my resentment in front of Guruji’s pictures adorning my walls. But being the ever adoring father that you are, you did not forsake me even in that hour of despair. By the last week of May, we had almost given up hope as we did not have any inkling as to what next. Instead of asking for the car in my prayers I began asking for strength to bear the loss and tide over the financial disaster that was staring us in the face. I even shed tears of anger and yes I know, you understand. However, whenever I looked at your smile, I felt hopeful within. It always seem to be saying, “If I'm smiling, how can you be crying? It will all be fine.” My husband was in total despair. Whenever he faces problems, and believe me, we’ve have had our share of them, he bottles up and there is this wall which I cannot pervade. It makes it tough for me. We have a seven year old daughter who depends on our love and attention. I coulnot show that defeated face to her and had to act strong. Somehow, gathering a little courage, I tried to speak to my husband about travelling to Manipur where the car was supposed to have been taken, to personally see this thing to its end. Surprisingly, he agreed and on 2nd June, he flew down to Manipur with 3 police officials. There wasn’t much hope that we would get the car back but the police over there was very co-operative. On the morning of 3rd June, after sending my daughter to school, I opened the ART OF LIVING site and sought blessings from Guruji and even dropped my botheration there. Yes, a lot of doubts laced my write-up. I wasn't sure and yet there was that instinct that kept on pushing me. I guess you could call it 'traces of faith'. At night I called up my husband to know the latest update. Deep inside, I was hopeless waiting for a miracle to happen. Somehow I was expecting him to say the right things. To my utter shock, I was told that the car has been traced to some local influential official and that was not very great news. It again made things look bad as we were anything but influential and I would only be another task to get the car back from a top notch official like him. We were told that the number plate had been changed and the engine and chassis number had been erased. What more, even the colour of the car had been changed! Just as I was speaking to my husband, he told me that he had a call waiting from the district SP. Somehow the next few minutes my heart became very light and of course I had a vision of the smiling form again. Five minutes later, my husband calls me to say that "I'm driving the car. They have brought it to the Hotel. The Manipur police have done a wonderful job!!" This was a miracle!! We were elated! I could only blurt out, "Don't forget to say a word of gratitude to Guruji." Yes, we have got the car back and all I ask for now is that my husband should get back home from Manipur safe and sound. No I don't doubt it anymore. I can't stop smiling and my eyes keep on welling up by themselves since then. It’s like there is so much to receive and so much to give as well. Gratitude is all what I feel for you, Guruji. I have never met you. I'm in no way linked to Art of Living. I've never done any course. I know the opportunity will come soon. I have seen you only once when you had come to Guwahati. And that is another Guru story in itself, how I reached close to the stage, from my allotted seat in the Galleries of the Nehru Stadium. (No I did not jump barricades, nor bribe anyone to do so) Yet in all moments of despair, whether big or small, I’ve been inspired and strengthened by your thoughts and your smile. I honour all that you do and how you connect in this way with those who seek you, though it’s all beyond my understanding. But Guruji, it gives us hope to meet our challenges and immense confidence that things will be fine. Of course, I need to thank all our dear and respected ART OF LIVING Blessers who help us remain calm in adversity. Lots of prayers for all of you and may we continue to receive the divine showers. Also a lot many of our relatives and friends have been with us intensely all throughout this nightmare and may Guruji's grace touch all their lives. Lots of prayers for all of you out there. Jai Gurudev! Sangeeta Bhattacharjee Wish to share YOUR Guru Story with the whole world? Mail it to us at mygurustory@artoflivinguniverse.org and we will share it with everyone. Jai Gurudev!  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 |