Jan 7
News from the Winter Break 2009-10
Winter Break 2009-10 was the best YES!+ program we have had so far. 1382 young people from many parts of India and the world had an absolute blast.
We started with the Challenge of the seven levels – a super fun bonding activity on day one, masterminded by Priya Mani and Gowri Shankar with plenty of interference from me… You will hear all the stories about this one from everyone who has gone back 
The Challenge of the 7 Levels
Then the Advance Courses started and almost everyone kept strict silence (except for the very, very few who confuse an Advance course with a picnic) and had extremely deep meditations, and sublime experiences. All the ashram departments where the Winter Break participants did Seva were utterly impressed with their sincerity and dedication. Harshal, Shilpa and Krishnan took over the satsangs and we were treated to glorious soul stirring music every evening.
Satsang
At around midnight on New year’s Eve, Dinesh and I chanted the Guru Pooja in the last few minutes of 2009 into the first few minutes of 2010. This has been our tradition of almost 15 years, and the entire group joined us in welcoming the New Year 2010 in Silence and Gratitude… Then we had a rocking Satsang for about an hour after which treat of treats, there was a live web telecast of Guruji’s New year satsang at Bad Antogast the German Ashram!
Morning Sadhana
January 1st went by pretty quick, with everyone getting into smaller groups with their teachers and coming up with ideas and forming strategies to get even more people to Guruji’s beautiful Knowledge in this year.
We had an array of inspiring speakers on January 2nd and 3rd to talk to everyone about their personal passions. Topics covered were Dynamics of Creative Thinking by Montoo Bassi, an idea expert and creative genius, the brains behind the Polo Mint with a Hole ad, Understanding and appreciating Indian Classical Dance form of Kathak with Dr. Shila Mehta, a scintillating talk on a few aspects of Astronomy in Ancient India with Hema Hari from Bharath Gyan, Dhaval Bathia taught some simple but really effective Vedic Maths techniques, Aspects of Cranio Sacral therapy (CST), with some demos and a few easy techniques with Dr. Bente from Denmark, one of the best practitioners of CST in the world, an intimate chit chat with the ex chief justice of India, Justice Venkatachaliya, Suhas Gopinath one of the youngest CEOs just 21 years old had an interaction, Avijit Bhattacharya MD and CEO Tata Securities talked about investing and finance and Shantanu Prakash of Educomp gave a brilliant presentation on Entrepreneurship. Dad also made a quickie guest appearance and told a story about how he bought his first scooter by investing money in shares.
I talked very briefly about set theory and infinity from Mathematics and played a Chopin Waltz
Every single speaker was impressed with the level of participation and appreciation that the entire audience gave to him or her and said that they were privileged to talk to such wonderful, dynamic young folk.
Vikram flew in from Dubai, especially for a Satsang Concert that evening. Miso and Ajay accompanied him. Julia a trained opera singer from Russia and Gavin from Australia who is a flamenco guitarist and part of the band Urban Gypsies also joined Vikram for a few numbers. Both happened to be on the international TTC. Needless to say it was an absolutely splendid end to a marvelous day.
Ajay, Vikram, Julia, Miso and Gavin
Then the moment that we all had been waiting for, Guruji floated onto the stage just as everyone was opening their eyes after meditation and charmed every single soul in the audience with His beautiful smile and deep, simple and powerful Knowledge. I was watching Him from the side of the stage and waves of gratitude were overwhelming me. I felt so blessed, so very grateful, so special. He also led everyone into Yoga, something i have only ever seen Him do with a TTC…
Winter Break 2009-10: First sight of Guruji
The surprises were not over. This year we had decided to give everyone some mementos of their time on the Ashram and so, everyone got a pen with the YES!+ logo, a DVD with videos of me, dinesh and rashmin, lots and lots of photos of Guruji, the Ashram and me and dinesh and 2 bhajans recorded live during the winter break of harshal and a really, really cool t shirt designed by our very own Rupal.
The Advance Course teacher modelling the t shirt
We wanted to give everyone custom designed eco cloth bags too, but those didn’t come on time… Also all the people on the winning teams of the Challenge of the seven levels got a certificate and some cool gifts
The 7 Levels Certificate
Sunday evening Satsang Guruji dressed up as a mage right out of any good RPG, complete with cloak, staff and crown! I sincerely dont remember what He said, was too busy doing utter emotional listening
The Mage
And yet, it was not over, Guruji came to the Winter Break session yet again and spent another precious hour delighting everyone, except of course for the very few silly ones who were in such a hurry to leave, that they didn’t wait for the end of the course.
Monday morning dawned and we had a Rudra Pooja with Guruji physically there, and everyone was lost in meditative bliss listening to the ancient chants recited by our children from the Vedic School… Almost half of the people left that afternoon and missed the very special personal Darshan that Guruji gave every single person who stayed back that evening.He took his time and interacted with almost everyone chit chatting with them as He walked in their midst.
Everyone went back with the hearts full of gratitude, their minds calm, settled and serene and with intentions of super dynamic activity to make a difference in their own way to the lives of people around them.
130 young people have opted to go full time with YES!+ and pursue a career with Art of Living, and many will be joining our team this year as soon as they finish their education.
Everyone including Guruji felt that it’s just too long to wait an entire year for this Bliss again and so with Guruji’s Blessings, in the last week of June 2010, we have planned the summer counterpart of the Winter Break course… Summer Magic! Everyone also felt this wonder needs to be shared with many, many more people and so we have all decided to make a bit of History and have the largest ever YES!+ Advance course with 10,000 people during the Summer Magic program.
Not only are we making History, but we are also altering the Geography of the ashram! Guruji has already instructed the Ashram construction team to make 500+ new rooms and create a hall that will host the 10,000 people who will come for Summer Magic…
Exciting times ahead for all of us!
Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa
(14 votes, average: 4.71 out of 5)
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Tags: Winter Break
Aye Aye Aye.. Wonderful post!!
Great Work Priya mani and Gowri Shankar..
Wowie.. that was powerful powerful OMG post! thanks for posting..
Aye Aye Aye.. Best post of the year!!!
Great Job every one who organized such a big course…
Wow! Bawa. Thanks for the update!
Oh My God!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is awesomeeeeeeeeeeeee. I am certainly not missing this one…
Love u…….
Jai Gurudev!
Dear Bawa,
This was the bestesttttttttttttttttttttest New year I have ever celebrated The upgrade followed by silence , followed by ur humorist’s answer , last but not the least guruji darshan and guruji’s blessing(I got it twice from him):)))) my life is still filled with gratitude .
Thanks a Lot Bawa & Dinesh For giving me such an wonderful New year
LUV U Both
Sudha.P
Wow….Rocking….
Awesome !!! simply awesome !!! finally the Mumbai university engineers have something to cheer for !! ” Summer Magic ” sounds great !!!! Bauu do post some videos from the winter break sooon !!
Lov
Jai Gurudev !
mhmm
The most insanely awesome course ever!
Bau…
Awesome..would be an understatement…SUPAFANTABULOSLY AWESOME
JAIGURUDEV!!
And there were still some lucky fellows who had morning Sadhana with Dinesh bhaiya!
Wow Bau. I am feeling grateful and jealous at the same time after reading your post
Grateful that your coverage lived out what I missed and jealous of all those that were physically there experiencing it. Having missed Winter Break after time off from work for TTC, am def not gonna miss Summer Magic at any cost.
Was planning to come on 31st for the Guru Pooja and for the sessions but then fell sick and had to cancel my trip @ last moment. So missed my hatrick of winter-breaks.
Love u Bau n Dada. And great work for all those who worked on organizing it. Also heard a lot of stories from Deepak n Ashwani who were there in Ashram then.
Jgd,
Vijay
I missed it big time bau … My request is dont make the winter break an annual affair… Please do have a similar kinda of a thing in summer for people who cant attend the winter break… Please bau..
It’s mentioned in the post, Vinay. Summer Magic Jun 2010!
again last week of june 2010 will be egjaam season for all the engineering guys in karnataka… So on behalf of all the engineering students of karnataka, we want it thrice a year…
It was a fantastic advance course indeed and a great post.
Wish I’m young too to do a YES+ program!
WOOOWWWWW!!
What splendour and beauty!
Jai Gurudeva
Wish I was there too
<3
I have no words to explain wat i am going through. I gave a good screen play to your narration .. how much did i miss.. come what may .. i will make to Summer Magic…
Waiting to see the Winter Break videos..
Jai Gurudeva
harsha..
Can’t wait for summer magic!!!
No words to express the excitement of even reading this post. Can’t imagine how amazingly fabulous it might have been!
Heaven is here!
JOYGURUDEV!
I’m INNNNNNNNN in d Summer Magic !!
. . . .
Damn!!! i mean WOW!! ..
1. I was actually growing concerned that u werent updating even on the two days u told u wud update the blog .. and this post almost makes up for the whole WEEK ..
2. I Just missed this advance course .. and as i read it .. there was that familiar ‘u-missed-out-dude’ feeling rising in me ..
3. The end however gave me such immense delight ..
..
Summer magic it is!!
Jai Gurudev!
WOW!!! Superb!
Wow…what a post!! almost felt like being there…but yeah- being there would have been a different experience altogether!!!
ohhh….this is super cool i am surely going to be there for the summer magic one….
and this is such a wonderful post…
jgd…
chakowwwwwwwwwwwwww………………………..
harkuch
total guru+ dev vala experience…..
Dear bawa
Thank u very much for the update its really a wonderful course which i have ever experienced and u people(bawa and dinesh) simply rock………….. I did advanced earlier but this was the “BEST” No doubt about it……………………..Time just flew like that 10days are over and i m back to my home town now………and the session with u (BAWA) when we were in silence was amazing……….:) I could not resist myself from laughing and it was like my tummy will fall down that day…………………. A LIFE TIME EXPERIENCE………………..in my life
with lots of love teja
maaaan..jst feeling the grace…
bawu..awesome post…luuuuv uu GURUJI..
some more info about summer magic prgm?
Wow….this post is the best for awakening startling emotions within the readers who were absent from winter break ..
I’m so jealous of all the winter break participants..yet so happy…. Can’t believe i’d experience this ever!!!
Baws,
It is difficult to hate you and that too for a person like me who loves you. BUT, dont put posts like this ok – it is too good with too many pictures and tempting words.grrr.
And – I was also watching guruji video and went to meditation sitting in work here – I heard some of AOL people in Atlanta did the same thing hehe.
And, now yes+ goodies – gosh – way tooooooooo goooooooooo
hmmmmmm…. its was absolutely awesome post. I couldnt make it to winter break but surely felt the pulse and energy in the post.
By any chance I’m not going to miss the next summer magic.
Wonderful post. The way you described it felt as if i was there.
Wow so many surprises! Excellent post!
Lovely post Bau… Got Blissed out … Getting Tears of gratitude … Definitely coming for Summer Magic !! JGD
Bauuuuu, I never knew about this program
Waaannnh !!!! (a huge cry).
I have missed so much
The speakers topics seem sooo intresting !!! I have missed it big time !! really.
But I am delighted that summer magic is there
The post is awesome…couldn’t stop till the end of it.
Felt as if everything was happening right in front of my eyes
Thanks for the photos
yes bau.. this was an amazing advanced course.. the best i’ve done till date..
and these little gifts have made it even more memorable..
and thank u so much for your love we got here…
After spending a good ten days in ashram, i just didn’t want to leave…!have still not gotten over the winter break bau.. it was soooo amazing.also as it was soo exclusive with the amazzzing upgrade, the coolest t-shirts, and the other ‘winter break 09-10′ goodies… in fact the t-shirt is like my own comfy meditation attire
and also it’s so personalised.. you know it feels as if i’m going to come back in a few days and ashram felt like my original home!! you’ve done soo much too get these bright smiles on our faces, for which a BIGG THANK YOU from my side..
i’m soo grateful to you and dinesh da for the bestestest new year gift, also as had it not been this winter break, i wouldn’t have been able to experience what an eye-contact with Guruji is, which i had been longing for…
thank you sooo much and miss you.
lots and lots of love,
jai gurudev
its soo awesom in reading dis blog…soo hw awesom d course would…b????????
will certainly do d summer adv crs…….[:)][:)]
jai gurudev
Is summer magic gng to be for 10000 Youths?
gr8
Jaigurudeva.
yes
What’s an RPG?
RPG = Role Playing Game
Isn’t all life an RPG?
Bau,
Thank you so much for this post. I was 99.99999999% close to attending the winter break. Had already paid the course fees and the train tickets well in advance. But had to travel for work abt a month ago. I missed being at the course so muuuuuch. Now after learning that you all had such a great time, I am having mixed feelings.
Love,
Viraj.
wow wow wow !!!!
:):):)
bau bau bau …….awesome post. to d ppl who didnt come for d winter break….ppl u missed d most beautiful thing which was happening on dis planet earth durin dose days!!! i loved each and evry momnt of my stay in my own home …banglore asharam….utter happiness joy nd peace
Bau, Dinesh Da! too good to put in words. Bless me so that I can get 1000 people this year in the courses here in US.
Love
Dinesh
wow wow wow wow wow ….. i missed the winter break this time bau, will be coming for the next advance course… feel excited completely….
one word -
awesome!
WoooooW!!!
Amazing..! Apart from the Advanced Course( which had to be blissful), the various other talks would have been a nice experience I’m sure! And Guruji’s presence..Wow..thats like an icing on the cake..! Congratulations to alll of you who made the event so big and so successful !
Jai Gurudeva!
i read pg no. 52 celebrating silence still my JJJJ level is not reducimg….!!!!!!aaahhhh i missed it!!
First of all, congratulations to the whole volunteering team and participants for a beautiful course. As vijay said, I too felt grateful and jealous reading the post.
Thanks Bawa for the post. I wont miss Summer magic for sure.
still have your answer linking enlightenment to set theory on my blog
but im happy im jealous of something good…haha
you have succeeded in making me (and all others who were not there in winter break) feel badly jealous.
that was the idea
and reading your blog after the winter break is itself is a treat
was thinking that I’ll read it at aashram cyber cafe once out of silence but I’m happy that I didn’t two two posts by DB nd You niceee…….
Love
Jai Guru Dev
JGD Bau…
I totally agree with Vinay…Bau, we will please make it atleast a thrice a year affair Bau..Many of us sure missed it dearly
But its ok…Looking forward to Summer magic
JGD
Kumar
ya i second Kumar’s suggestion, we want it thrice a year…
Bawa and Dinesh Dada!!!!!!!!!!!!
its such a wonderful feeling to have been part of this lucky group of people who got to see Guruji from such close quarters so many times a day..Thank you so much for everything..JGD 
this was hands down the bestest New Years celebration I have ever been part of!!!!!
1400 people dancing to Om Namah Shivaya after the Guru Pooja at midnight was Divine!!
Amazing experience..Im still experiencing the high
Btw…Hats off to Priya Mani and Gowri Shankar ..!!
JGD
Kumar
I’s waiting for this post like anything since I myself was certainly there. And I’ve to admit that my New Year couldn’t have been better than this. It certainly was amazing. Actually amazing would be an understatement for an experience like this. It’s the 3rd day since I’m back to my normal life but emotionally I’ m still there in the Ashram. I really don’t feel like returning to the usual state of mind that I used to be in before the winter break. The first thought that ran across my head when I landed at the Delhi airport was “When is the Next flight to Bangalore?
”. It surely was such a phenomenal experience.
Meeting Guruji was again a miraculous experience. Jumping off the windows of VM or the fences of the Amphitheater to have a glimpse of Him was again fabulous.. No words for it..
I’m also really thankful to Bawa & Dinesh bhaiya for being the icing on the cake (the cake being the Ashram & the YES ++).
& I’m also thankful to this post because my parents were very apprehensive for sending me and of course I’d to fight and fabricate stories for coming to the Ashram
. But Guruji’s grace everything’s at peace as of now after looking at this post and watching the DVD. Hopefully everything falls into place like this. Looking forward to the Summer Magic now..
Jai Gurudeva!!
This was my 1st advance…
but had truely blissful experience…i want to spread this awesome experience…
bau plz plz uplod some more videos of the course..waiting to come back again desperately…
…A BEAU……….experience…summer magic is a nyc thng whch will happn bau…!!
JAI GURUDEVA…!!!!!!!!
Am there for the Summer…can’t miss the Summer Magic!
Reading it was like being there – enthralling!!!
I wonder what it is like being there. For sure many more from here in the US need to experience it.
Much love
Naveen
Really a wonderful post. Thanks. Please keep posting. Soooo nice
Guruji(in this pic)=Omniknight!!
Yes+ Advance Summer Magic.. I am going to be there…
Happy New Year Bau.Loved Guruji’s pic too …
Love you
Jai Guru Dev
JGD!!!!!
bau you are great and your father is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!..
Dinesh bhaiya told us at Delhi airport when he was leaving back for Bangalore after the sahaj course that don’t just come back from aashram as soon as the course gets over, stay 2 3 days,spent some time at aashram, rule of the aashram that never book the return tickets while going, which in fact is an inbuilt function in my case like default setting , staying back for those 3 extra days was FUN with super cool Darshan”S” personal time with the GURU
love
minnie
Bauuuuu….feeling so so jealous of all who had been there the same time having a burning dezire to b a part of the summer magic..!!!This truly must have been the bestestr new year gift::):):)
Thats cheating!!
Guruji meets everyone personally n dinesh bhaiya takes the morning sadhna.N all this had to happen only after I left the ashram:(:(
ths WINTER BREAK ’09 was such an amazing nd dynamic experience tht every single moment is crystal clear in my mind….
Thnks every1 for making it happen nd “SUMMER MAGIC” m waiting…
JAI GURU DEV
Look at the Tejas brimming in Dinesh’s face. (Grace & Sadhana)
Jai Ho ! GuruDev
Love Ya All !
Wow bau!! Summer Magic is just what we needed!
Love u lots..
JAI GURUDEV BHAIYA:-)
I want to thanks GOD for blessing me with such a great life changing course. I m missing winter break very much .it is just a unforgetable and wonderful time of life .
i love u bhaiya and gURUJI
missing all this
missing all this precious momnt….and delhi yes!+ team.
love
3 years back when I did my 1st Yes!+ I was like WOW!!! The best 7 days of my life and in few months I experienced an Advance course and that was WOOOWWW!!! Even better 4 days of life…
and then Yes++ and that was WOAH!!! another 5 best days of life…
and then meeting more awesome teachers and ppl from all over the world & ‘her’ and more Yes++ & river rafting & DSN’s & Sahaj & Eternity & Blessing course & Health n Happiness & Shivaratri with Guruji & Navratri and the WAH! WAH! meter kept moving up n up…!!!
And then Winter break last year was the best celebration ever..I got answers to so many doubts and so much clarity n courage..another 8 best days of life!!
Aur dekhte hi dekhte By and By the whole life becomes Wooww!!! So beautiful, magical & full of Love n Celebration (with challenges thrown in ofcourse, for contrast
)
Aur this time I was in Ashram for 40 days – TTC followed by volunteering for Winter Break n assisting Yes++ – Icing on the cake with Cherry on top…and I had the task which Girls would murder for – to watch Dinesh Bhaiya’s eyes!!! : ) : )
And then in walks Guruji with the Charm full swing and the cape and the Hat and the twinkle in his eyes…1st time I was with Him along with other ‘older’ Yes!+ teachers separately in Ganga Kuteer and that was another WOW!!!
This Winter Break even bettered last perfect God level winter break….!!!!OMG!!! WOOOOWWW!!! : )
Move aside TED, here comes STED! : )
Upgrade would really get a Six Sigma Award for flawless execution n Hogwartz award for vision..!!!
Priya really is a star..!!! So are Gowri n Abhi n Rupal..!! It was such a sight to see them work entire nights under pressure and deadlines n Bau : ) but without any hint of stress, having fun all along the way..!
Leaving Ashram after all this was literally like leaving home and my own family!!!
Bau, Dinesh Bhaiya & JD Bhaiya – THANK YOU would not even begin to express the learning, growth and fun I am having with you. You Rock!!! : )
this post has 71 comments and all are idotic. that is typical characteristic of a cult where every body is made brainless. out of these 71 comments hardly any analytical or critical or intelligent comment.
And a lot of self agrandizement,
And so you decided to put 3 there to even things out?! thanks a lot!
… your brains show 
Not to admit mistakes and justfy everything – ipso post facto – that is typical cult charcteristic. Of course I admit you are different from the robotic aol lots.
Thanks
You seem to have done a lot of research into cults… I sincerely invite you to check out everything about Art of Living with an open mind… giving freedom to people to express themselves in whatever way they want to
This doesn’t mean reading stuff up about it… i mean, come and do a few courses, and then PRACTICE the techniques and the Knowledge taught… You might just join up and become a “cultist” yourself
Jai Gurudeva!
bawa
bawa….
whty dont v hv something like summer break too?????
We will, its called Summer Magic … tentatively scheduled last week of June
bauu,
i want to be there in june ..please tell me the dates and payment details:):)
Will be up very soon
where can i register for YES!+ Advance course with 10,000 people during the Summer Magic program………….?
details about that will be put up in the next few days … and btw, it will be with only 5000 people, our asham still cannot have 10,000 people together for so many days for a course
hey,
which all course will the summer magic consist of? I only want to do the yes++ so what r the specific dates for that i need to make travel arrangements?… nd how do i only book for the yes++?