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My ex-boss kept pressing me to join for AOL - Art Of Living basic course. I am not a follower of any Godman, so resisted by saying that I have been engaged in Tanjore Painting classes, so this will be too heavy for me. AOL - Art of Living, founded by Sri Ravishankarji is fastly becoming a fad among the corporates as well as upper middle class citizens, not only in India but around 155 countries. It is almost in the verge of becoming a cult.  "Leave Tanjore Painting classes and join AOL" said CM. I reluctantly gave in and enrolled for AOL classes. I have heard everyone raving about AOL, how it did wonders for them.. blah, blah. So I took my mom because at this point of life she is more stressed than me. Also the loneliness started taking a toll on her. We both attended the basic course last week. Is AOL a very much hyped? Or is it worthy toiling for a week?

Answer can be both - Yes and No. Why Yes? Many people join with the expectations that AOL will miraculously cured the medically disowned patients, AOL will make a sea change in personality. If Yes, why do we need doctors, police etc.., let everyone do AOL and keep them healthy both mentally as well as physically. Again most of the people join AOL thinking that it is a new respiratory practising system (Sudharsana Kriya). In that way AOL is extremely hyped, but in a wrong way. Art of Living - as the name suggests teaches us the beautiful art to live simple and happy. Many people tend to overlook it. The Sudharsana Kriya revitalises us and gives an wonderful exhilirating feeling after you do it.

Many people (mis)understand this as bliss. If this alone is what you want to achieve, then why do Sudharsana Kriya? You can achieve the same through sex and masturbation. Can you recall anything you remembered during the sexual orgasm? You achieve a divine mindless state even if for few seconds. Infact "Da Vinci Code" speaks about the ancient practise of attaining divinity through sexual unision. So do I say masturbation / sex is better than Art of Living / Sudharsana Kriya?

No.. I prefer to say that Art of Living is much more beautiful. It not only teaches you about the respiratory practise for a healthy life, but also a whole set of lectures and discourses paving a way to a healthy mindset. AOL talks about rediscovering the happiness within yourselves, how much to take responsibility for actions around yourself, creating and maintaining a positive energy around you, infecting the happiness to people around you. AOL helps you in discovering the untapped vibrant vedic practices that has been seeped in our ancient culture for years. I love AOL just for one reason - truly Indian. At the end of the course, you will definitely feel like going back to our simple roots.

For a voracious reader like me, AOL could offer only something little very novel. But what I got at the end of AOL? A vindication that I am not exotic as many people told. The concepts that AOL teaches were mostly practised by me even though unconsciously or in a small scale. So finding a set of like minded people had given me an immense confidence of pursuing what I believe in.

I sincerely suggest whomever reading this blog to enroll for AOL. It is a beautiful way of celebrating our life. A lamp like guidance in the dark & hard path of living honestly. A therauptic way of observing happiness and troubles in a third person's perspective and solving it. On the whole, AOL is an experience everyone MUST undergo atleast once. Don't forget to follow what you have learnt. If you believe in "tickling bliss" through respiratory technique ALONE, please look for other avenues via sex.

{oshits} for this AOL demystifying...

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