Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

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Ravi Shankar was born May 13, 1956 in Tamil Nadu in India. His parents named him Shankar since his birthday matched that of the 8th century CE Hindu saint, Adi Shankara.

It is said that at the age of four he could recite verses from the Bhagavad Gita and was often found in deep meditation even at a young age. Some of his followers of the Art of Living movement claim he received an advanced degree in physics at the age of 17.

At early age, Shankar's father delegated him to the care of the known guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Shankar became a disciple of him. Shankar joined Maharishi's entourage, taught the Vedic pundits at Maharishi's charities, and soon became the Maharishi’s favorite disciple.

In the early 1990s, Shankar added the honorific Sri Sri to his own name Ravi Shankar after the renowned sitarist Ravi Shankar claimed that the guru was capitalizing on his fame.

Shankar said that in 1982, after a ten-day retreat into silence on the banks of the Bhadra river in Shimoga in Karnataka, India, the "Sudarshan Kriya", a rhythmic breathing exercise which is the foundation of the Art of Living courses, came to him "like a poem, an inspiration". Shankar says that every emotion has a corresponding rhythm in the breath, and believes that regulating breath could help people with their suffering.

Shankar founded the Art of Living Foundation in 1982 to spread the breathing technique. Along with Dalai Lama and others, he founded in 1997 the International Association for Human Values (IAHV) "to foster on a global scale a deeper understanding of the values that unite us as a human community."

A Divine Journey: Life Sketch of Gurumaa

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From time immemorial, turmoils have shaken the earth. When such turmoils happen, mother earth summons such celestial bodies like sages, hermits, ascetics, mystics or enlightened souls in human form to guide humankind out of disasters. Anandmurti Gurumaa is one such celestial being who stands out amongst the galaxy of spiritual leaders.

Born on the 8th of April 1966 at Amritsar in Punjab, India, she is not only a convent educated arts graduate in the worldly sense, but Master of Life and Beyond. She has been a mentor, counselor and a guide to people around her right from her schooldays. As she says, 'A rose is born a rose, and need not do anything to be a rose.' As a child, her home was always being visited by spiritually evolved people. When at the early age of fifteen, she went for a pilgrimage and was surrounded by admirers and seekers, it was not a surprise for the family. She travelled through her teens and by the age of twenty four settled down in Rishikesh in a hermitage.

But destiny wanted her to spread her wings far and wide so that she could reach out to the maximum number of troubled souls. Soon she was seen on television, which made her available to millions of viewers worldwide. She established her Ashram in Gannaur, Dist. Sonepat, Haryana where various residential retreats and workshops are being held throughout the year. The ashram is a place full of positive energy, tranquil and calm, full of natural beauty, which enables the seekers to evolve naturally under Gurumaa’s guidance. But soon her work spread and Soon she was seen on television, which made her available to millions of viewers worldwide now she is based in Gannaur, Harayana. Where she is available to her disciples year around where various residential workshops are organized. Her ashram is a beautiful place with beauty and empty spaces to rejoice and evolve spiritually.

Persona par excellence

Anandmurti Gurumaa showed extraordinary signs of a mystic in the making early in life. From the very beginning she was being blessed by mystics and sages right at her home. From the tender age of nine, Gurumaa would put such questions before her school teachers and others that they would be surprised by her sharp intellect and deep insights into spirituality. Those around her felt it remarkable that a child of her age could ask such profound questions.

Gurumaa received her education from a convent school. Once it so happened that a missionary came to her school to deliver a talk on moral science. Gurumaa stood up and asked the missionary: Who is God? Have you experienced His presence? Have you read about God from the scriptures or are you saying what comes from your own experience? The missionary did not answer her questions but went straight to the Principal. When Gurumaa and her parents were called to the Principal's office, the missionary requested that their child with her exceptional abilities be trained to spread the message of Christ. But she could not be bound by the shackles of religion.

From an early age, Gurumaa showed a special affinity towards the seers. She would listen to their talks and ask them various questions. They would happily answer all her queries as they knew she was not just curious but had a genuine desire for knowledge. . Gurumaa also started writing poetry at an early age. These poetic expressions came from the depth of her heart. They are her innocent offerings to the divine where the divine is seen as the beloved and sometimes as a friend.

Gurumaa had also begun in her own way to deliver satsang even while she was a schoolgirl. After school, she would rush to deliver her satsangs. People were drawn to her and made every endeavour to be a part of that Amrit Varsha.
Website : http://www.gurumaa.com/