Since I cant stop thinking about those days, and that night, and since no one around me really wants to know how it was, I might as well blog it.
Step by step. Here is an account.
When I first heard about NSP (Nithya Spurna Program) :
At the end of the
two day wash, sorry, the ASP (Ananda Spurna Programme), we all danced. To Tamil rock bhajans. One of the ladies, she was saree clad with hair combed back severely into a tight plait, started jumping before the music started. After the music started, she jumped across the room, around us, within us, like a charged up monkey. No, I have never seen a monkey dancing, but if I did, I guess it would have as much energy as this otherwise sober lady.
Later I got to know her, she is a mother of two. When I asked her how she dances so (errr) well,
she answered in half a sentence:
"Earlier I was shy, but after NSP..."
--------------six months later--------------------------
What happened at the NSP:The special ingredient in this NSP was the presence of Swami Nithyananda. And what a presence he has!
Miracle no 1:
I am not too fond of crowds, but I can take them. For a while. It is always a little strenuous to be at peace with yourself in a packed local train compartment. The relief at coming out of the train is akin to getting out of tight clothes.
So I was a little apprehensive about the prospect of living with two thousand people, for four days and nights.
However, the place was so well organized, additional temporary bathrooms, multiple counters for serving food, etc, etc, but this is just the realistic explanation.
What really worked was how each one of us got systematically dipped into the nectar of bliss and became one with each other.
Miracle no 2: Everybody danced. In that 2000 packed hall, there was space enough to barely jump where you stood, and raise your arms straight on top: but, every single body danced. I was one of few who got on the plastic chairs to see swami dancing, in fact, I matched my jumps with his. There was no fear of falling, because those who did, fell on others.
Each session started with swami coming in to music, sitting down with the question slips. As he sorted the questions, the DJ would up the music and we would be up dancing. Three minutes, and the swami would touch his mike, the music would immediately stop. He would answer a couple of questions, with minimal words, 'Don't worry, I will take care' or 'Blessings. It will be ok.'
and as he would let go the mike, the music would start again.
' What is spirituality? ' someone asked swami.
'Being blissful and allowing others to be blissful' he said.
On the last day, after the anand darshan, I had the luck to watch swami dancing from a distance of five feet. It was the most graceful, relaxed, happy, sensuous and hypnotic dance I have ever ever seen. I am usually happier dancing myself than watching people dance. But watching swami dance was something dancing within myself.
Miracle no 3 : We
tationed all night.
'Since we have come here to meditate, we might as well do a bit of it between the dancing.' Swami said. And so we all died and then awoke, we did the mahamantra humming, we expanded to the cosmos and back, actually I don't remember much what all we did. Rather, my experience was that it all just happened, without much effort.
Swami made us write down all our guilt's, (incidents we wish hadn't happened) and then we closed our eyes and went through the list. Re-living , he said, is relieving. Soon the entire hall was howling away.
And then he played a neat trick on us. Promising us the world, he asked us to write down all our desires. House, car, world trip, (a hut in Tiru), whatever we have ever wanted. And then, we were all made to stand, and do a deep breathe in, hold, deep breathe out, hold, repeat, visualize all your desires coming true, repeat, repeat, I don't remember what explanation he gave, but we all got so spaced out, all the desires, thoughts just evaporated.
'Happy family, all I want is a happy family' was the last thought I had before I went completely blank.
And the last tation, the one all of us were dreading, sitting up all night, eyes closed, the only instruction was to meditate on darkness. Meditate on darkness! And not sleep! I kept standing up to fight drowsiness, what with my neighbor snoring away.
But after around one AM, I started
seeing the darkness and my goodness, its the most beautiful sight in the world. For one, it is endless. It has depth. It is mesmerizing. My body was blessed with a deep penetrating restful awareness.
Swamiji promised us that this tation will cure insomnia and yes, I have been sleeping very well ever since I came back, and, more important, I get up fresh and early.
the most touching moment: was when swami fed us curd rice. I came down for dinner and saw a very very long queue. I wondered what was the occasion and saw that swami was serving himself! I couldn't even say thank you when he served me. It was the tastiest curd rice I ever had with tears of utter gratitude flowing down my cheeks. Needless to add, curd rice is now my favorite food.
Some clicks: Clicks are moments of 'Yes! I always thought so, but you have put it in words.'
1. Swami : Sitting on a sofa and watching cricket is the stupidest way of passing time. The players are getting the exercise, all you do is sit indoors in one place and say 'Yey!' And the worst thing is that a game has become a matter of national pride and shame.
2. Swami: It is not necessary to ask questions to the master. As long as you have questions, even well formulated, intelligent questions, it signifies a dependence on words, a student -teacher relationship. In fact, it is a deep attachment to slavery. Slavery to concepts.
It is much more significant to have communion with the guru, to just be in the presence.
An invaluable health tip:Its called
Oil Pulling. Technically speaking, it should be called oil swishing. I mean, how does one
pull oil?
Instructions: The first thing in the morning, before you brush your teeth, before that glass of water, take a spoon of sunflower refined or sesemese (til) oil, yes, put it in your mouth, and swish it around for twenty minutes. The first couple of days you might gag within the fifth minute, and that is fine. After swishing it, pulling it through the teeth, throw it out, it has a lot of toxins. Then you can brush, have your coffee, tea, whatever.
Benefits: Oil pulling is basically a detoxifying process. It cleans out the mouth of its millions of bacteria: many diseases start in the mouth. The person who recommended oil pulling to us, says it helps him to sleep better, his blood pressure has regularized, and, most important, the inner chatter has reduced. A little research on Google says that oil pulling can cure diabetes, arthritis, dental problems, ulcers, etc, etc.
Personal Experience: The first three days, I was aware of salivating more, which means the system was working better. Yesterday I looked at my tongue in the mirror. Its not been this pink since I was a little girl! Aches and pains in the body are minimizing. Digestion has improved. Hunger has increased. Yesterday I had planned to go on a fast. I ended up eating double!
Here is a link to
oil pulling secrets.
Meanwhile, I take your leave to dance! I have bought three music CD's (and not one book), all in Tamil. I am getting free form slavery to concepts, words, language.
