The Guru Connection...

This is my 1st post n like Vasudha di said, even im an amature experimenting with blogging, so this post is not gonna be very hi-fi n slick but just simple n direct dil se!

All of us in this Z- 5 family are ordinary youth just like our peers yet so distinctly extra-ordinary. What makes our lives so different n exciting is the one magical thread that binds all of us together i.e our dearest Guruji and his unconditional grace. No languages & words are capable enough to discribe who is He or what is He for us. It can only be experienced by the few lucky and very special ones who come and take this course.

Sharing with you, one of these miracles that changed my life 360*!

It was monday, 23rd june 08, our Yes!++ i.e advance course had come to a memorable end. Most of us were leaving by evening but i was leaving early, in the morning by flight to reach back for my exams which were a day after. We all attended Rudra Puja - a grand Puja performed every monday morning in the Aashram in reverence to Lord Shiva.

I left the aashram by 8:45am for the Bangalore airport.

The Rickshaw Ride

In electronic city of Bangalore, with electronic meters in rickshaw, you still have to bargain before boarding!! So after some bargaining with the Kannada driver in his horrible hindi, I boarded the autorickshaw.

I started my journey with a blissful feeling of contentment n peace unlike the previous times when I would leave this second home of mine with a heavy heart. Stealing few last glipmses of the magnificent Vishalakshi Mantap, a thought ran in my mind, that even if I die the next moment, there won't be any regrets. Along the ride, I was enjoying the sight of Bangalore city in its wee hours.Banglaore is no different than aamchi Mumbai. Just that the hoardings and huge banners were in a language completely unknown and uninterpretable to us!!

It was around 10:15 am and my rickshaw was on the expressway.

Suddenly there was a loud collision with a terrible jerk!When I opened my eyes i saw my cellphone lying on the road. I got down, picked it up,turned around and the most scariest sight was staring back at me. My rickshaw was badly crushed, its windshield shattered and the driver lying unconcious on the wheel with blood gushing out from his face!

For few seconds I was just blank.. and then all of a sudden i heard cars honking all around me and saw people frantically signalling me to move away. The next moment a man was pulling me away from the center of the road, the traffic was stopped,3 people pulled out the unconcious driver ,whose face was so badly cut and he was immediately rushed to the hospital. Another person removed my luggage that was stuck inside. A traffic officer standing besides me was staring at me with a look of shock and amazement, asking again n again whether I was alright or had some injury..

A huge storm of emotions was welling up in me.. I was shocked, scared, confused.. felt like crying as I was stranded in an unknown place all alone with no transport and my flight within one n half hours.

...and GRACE in progress
Gathering courage, I took my bags and started walking, suddenly a man came running to me and asked if I needed help. I frantically explained that I had to reach the airport asap. He quickly led me to a nearby bus stop and stopped an official airport bus and helped me board it. After settling down, I slowly started digesting all that had just happened. I couldnt stop the tears of gratitude after realising that there was not even a scratch on my body!! I always wanted to experience some miracles in life, but here Guruji had actually gifted me my life back.. Its impossible to express what I was feeling then, I had never ever felt soo lucky! !

At this time I just wanted to speak to anyone of my friends back at the aashram and incidently at that time, all of them were meditating at Sumeru. After a few futile attempts, Neharika answered my call and hearing her voice I just felt so happy, couldnt hold back those joyful tears.. was so happy to be alive n be able to talk to my friends once again!

Till I reached the airport my friends kept talking to me, making me feel so comfortable n relaxed. On reaching the airport I came to know that my flight, instead of going directly, was now supposed to go to Mumbai via Kochi . Taking my own time I freshned up, had a cup of coffee n proceeded towards the check-in counter. To my surprise I couldn't find any other passengers lined up there (I thought I have reached before time). I went ahead, got checked and as soon as I came out, an airhostess came running towards me asking if my name was Shivangi. I thought how come she knows about my accident, that she is running towards me with so much concern, did I just become famous! The next moment I hear my name being announced on loud speakers all over requesting me to board my flight urgently.
This lady started running with my bags. We were immediately joined by one more officer who was giving orders on his walkie-talkie to send a van. It was so funny :) .. I was being escorted like a VIP!! The van took me quickly to the flight and I was immediately rushed inside and in next 2 mins the plane took off. I just couldnt believe, the whole damn flight was just waiting for 'ME' to board!! Wow !! I just wanted to shout out loud and tell Guruji how much I loved him.. and, it didn't end here.. He didnt leave any stone unturned. A girl sitting few seats behind me came up to me saying that she had seen me before as she was also from the advance course, going to mumbai. And it so happened that she was staying very close to my house.. so i was home dropped, lavishly in an air conditioned taxi :))

Just recollecting all this has made me nostalgic : ).. I couldnt have ask for anything more!

One more beautiful thing which happens on our course, is the friends that you get.. You are woven into the most pure, divine and priceless friendships one could ever find on planet earth. And especially in advance courses, the bond formed here with your friends is simply magical... So those who have not yet taken a YES!++, just register asap u just cant imagine what you are missing!!

Like Bawa puts it.. In Art Of Living we dont believe in miracles... we depend on them! So..have Faith, Believe and Know.. that you are so damn lucky to be on this path.. n as Guruji says.. Give miracles a chance in ur life :)))

Lots of love,

Shivangi.