Satsang: Non-Template Way to Bliss

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This article comes out as someone pointed me to a Facebook post by a dear friend and fellow Satsangi whose perspective I deeply respect, yet it sparked a need to share a different side of story and asked me, what would be my take. When it comes to spirituality, we must recognize that every individual walks a unique path, there is no single formula that works for everyone. Spirituality is not a specification based product that comes off an assembly line in a standard size. It is a deeply personal journey where what brings one person to tears of devotion might bring another to a state of silent reflection, and both are equally acceptable. In the end it is all about the journey of an individual from “Where they are, to What they are.”

Satsang and Bhajans are beautiful because they do not demand one rigid way of being. While finding stillness is a powerful outcome, for a significant many, it may not even be the goal. For many seekers, true aim is Bliss. This usually leads to a choice between two experiences, Shanti, which is peace, and Ananda, which is ecstatic joy.

Singer becomes the Song and Dancer becomes the dance

Art of Living Satsangs thrive on this very freedom, remaining non-prescriptive so that every seeker can find a rhythm that feels like home. There is no rigid template to follow, instead, these gatherings embrace spontaneity, allowing for a natural flow between meditative silence and high-energy celebration. This flexibility ensures that you are never stuck in one way of being. You have full permission to choose path that suits you today and change it tomorrow as your inner journey evolves. By avoiding a fixed format, these Satsangs stay fresh and alive, making spirituality a lived experience rather than a forced ritual.

Satsang means being with truth, and truth is not always quiet. Sometimes it is a loud, joyful celebration. Those who prefer slow, meditative songs believe that the aim is to calm the restless mind. For them, music is a bridge to meditation where slow rhythms steady the breath and help focus on the silence between notes. On the other hand, fast medleys and high-energy singing belong to path of devotion. These fast tempos help release emotions and bypass logical mind. When people clap and move together, energy builds up until it turns into pure bliss. For many, sitting still is hard because mind is racing. High-energy Bhajans take that restless energy and channel it toward Divine until it naturally settles into a deep, unexhausted quiet.

If someone feels fast Bhajans are not good, they are most likely looking only at the quiet side of spirituality. But traditional Bhajans often begins slowly and ends in a fast, ecstatic peak. Just as a dancer becomes the dance, a fast song allows a singer to get lost in the sound until the singer becomes the song. Not everyone finds the divine in a cave,  many find it in the beat of a drum and collective voice of a crowd. Stillness and bliss are two sides of same coin. Stillness cools the mind while bliss lights up the heart. If a medley makes you feel joy or brings you closer to the divine, it has done its job.

That shift from peak excitement to deep silence is exactly how devotion is designed to work. It is a cycle of expanding and then absorbing. High-energy singing acts like a spiritual spinner. It moves so fast that daily worries and ego are thrown away. In that state, you are not thinking about God,  you are feeling the vibration. When a fast medley suddenly stops, the silence that follows is not just absence of sound. It is a charged, sweet stillness. Because your body was just at a high level of energy, sudden drop into rest makes peace feel tangible.

Our team’s experience has shown us that music is a powerful catalyst for this transformation. We ensure that we always have a mix of fast and slow Bhajans to cater to needs of most of our participants. We have also realized that a non-stop medley of Bhajans from slow tempo ones to fast ones (especially those dedicated to Bhagwan Krishna), automatically results in a dance of energetic bliss among the participants. While at the same time, stillness is a practice some work at. For many in our sessions, stillness is result of singing so fully that silence becomes inevitable. Neither way is superior, but high-energy path creates a collective wave that carries everyone along. Essentially, Bhajans provide the fire of bliss and silence provides the ash of stillness. One lights you up and other settles you down. Both are essential parts of same flame.

Catering to Young and Old Alike (Shanti or Ananda?)

As I understand (I could be way off mark too) from various discourses of Pujya Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, varying speeds of Bhajans are a deliberate tool for harmonizing our inner state. The fast, rhythmic chanting is designed to shatter mental inertia and release stagnant energy, using high-tempo celebration to pull a scattered mind back into the present moment with intense dynamism. This energetic phase awakens enthusiasm and creates a sense of collective unity that leaves no room for worry. In contrast, the slow and meditative melodies are intended to lead the consciousness into a state of profound rest, allowing the nervous system to settle and the mind to transition from activity to deep silence. By moving through these different rhythms, Satsang effectively balances the logical and emotional hemispheres of the brain, using sound as a bridge to reach the stillness of the self. Ultimately, Gurudev suggests that the outer music is simply a means to cultivate an inner silence that empowers us to be more effective and centered in our daily lives. Satsang balances logical left brain (through knowledge) and emotional right brain (through music)

Shankara Jayanti – Art of Pursuing Truth Together

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श्रुति स्मृति पुराणानाम् आलयम करुणालयम्।
नमामि भगवत्पादम शंकरं लोक शंकरम्॥
shruti smriti puranam alayam karunalayam
namami Bhagavadpadam Shankaram Loka Shankaram
I bow to the blessed feet of Shankara, who is the abode of the Vedas (shruti), tradition (smriti), and Puranas, the abode of compassion, the benefactor of the world

Shankara Jayanti is a special day when we celebrate the birth of a truly remarkable teacher, Adi Shankara. He was born many centuries ago in a small village Kalady in Kerala on the Panchami Tithi (5th day) of Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of the moon) during the month of Vaishakha month (around April-May). Even as a young boy, he was incredibly wise, and he grew up to travel across the entire country of India, carrying a message that changed the way people think about life, God, and themselves. It would not be an exagerration to state that we the followers of Sanatana Dharma practice it with clarity only due to the relentless efforts of Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya, the incarnation of Lord Paramashiva. Twelve centuries ago, the great Acharya spread the Upanishadic import of Advaita touring all over the country.

To understand why he is so important, think of a time when people were confused about the many different paths and beliefs in our ancient traditions. Adi Shankara stepped in like a beacon of light. He did not just preach, he wrote brilliant explanations of our oldest scriptures, like the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads. He taught the idea of Advaita, which simply means that at the deepest level, we are all connected. He reminded us that the same divine spark that lives in the universe also lives within you, me, and every other person. He taught us that we don’t need to look far away for the truth, it is already inside us. Adi Shankara also wrote beautiful songs and prayers that are simple enough for anyone to chant and find peace in. He showed us that you can be both a great thinker and a person filled with pure love and devotion.

Adi Shankara did so much more than write books. He was a great builder of unity. With great foresight, Sri Adi Shankaracharya established four Amnaya Peethams in the four directions of India. He set up four main learning centres in the North, South, East, and West of India. These centres were like anchors, keeping the spirit of our culture strong and connected across such a huge country. The lives of the Acharyas and their efforts to continue the mission of Sri Adi Shankaracharya are remarkable and unique. By their own conduct and by their discourses, the Acharyas of the Peetham teach Dharma and instill the need for paying gratitude to Sri Adi Shankaracharya among the masses.

Four Amnaya Peethams in 4 corners of Modern India

On Shankara Jayanti, people honour his memory with a lot of love and respect. Devotees often wake up early to pray and read his teachings. In temples and at the learning centers he founded, there are special ceremonies where his image is honored with flowers and offerings. It is a day of reflection, where people spend time thinking about his words, chanting his famous verses, and trying to bring his message of kindness and inner peace into their daily lives.

Adi Shankara Jayanti Mahotsavam

His gift to the world is simple yet powerful: he taught us to look past the things that divide us, like labels or backgrounds, and instead recognize the oneness that binds all of humanity together. He gave us a path to live with clarity, courage, and a calm mind. When we celebrate Shankara Jayanti, we aren’t just remembering a figure from history, we are celebrating the timeless wisdom that helps us lead better, more meaningful lives today. He taught us that we are not small or limited, we are part of something much greater and more beautiful than we often realize.

One of the most famous stories from Adi Shankara’s life involves a meeting on the narrow streets of Varanasi. As Shankara was walking to the river Ganges, he encountered a man who appeared to be from a marginalized Chandala community (community who lives in graveyards for disposal of corpses) accompanied by four dogs. Following the social customs of the time, Shankara’s disciples asked the man to move aside. However, the man turned and asked a profound question: Whom are you asking to move? This body, which is made of the same earth as yours, or the soul, which is the same in all of us? Shankara immediately realized that this was no ordinary man, but the Divine itself teaching him a lesson. He prostrated before the man, acknowledging that someone who sees the unity of all beings is the true Guru. For mankind, this event is a powerful reminder that spiritual knowledge is hollow if it does not lead to social equality and the recognition of the same divinity in every human being, regardless of their status.

Humble Shankaracharya bows to the Chandala after realizing the non-dual truth that the same divinity resides in every being, high or low.

Another moving anecdote occurred at the very beginning of his journey. Before leaving home to become a monk, Shankara promised his mother, Aryamba, that he would return to perform her final rites. Years later, sensing her end was near, he travelled back to her bedside. Despite being a Sanyasi, who traditionally cuts ties with family and does not perform funeral rituals, Shankara defied convention to fulfil his promise to the woman who gave him life. He composed the Matru Panchakam, a beautiful tribute to a mother’s love, and performed her cremation himself. This act teaches us that even the highest spiritual path does not excuse a person from the duty of gratitude and compassion. It shows that true wisdom is not cold or detached but deeply rooted in the heart.

Son’s Eternal Love, a symbol of compassion and duty

There is also the well-known story of the Kanakadhara Stotram. While begging for alms as a young student, Shankara visited the home of an incredibly poor woman. She had nothing to give him except a single, wrinkled amla fruit, which she offered with immense sincerity and tears in her eyes. Moved by her selflessness despite her own hunger, Shankara prayed to Goddess Lakshmi. Legend says a shower of golden amlas fell upon her house. While the miracle is beautiful, the deeper lesson for humanity is about the power of intention. It teaches us that the smallest gift given with a pure heart is more valuable than the greatest treasure given with pride. It highlights that the universe responds not to the size of our wealth, but to the depth of our kindness.

Shower of Gold, manifesting a shower of golden gooseberries on a devoted woman

One of the most famous and inspiring stories in Adi Shankara’s life is his debate with a great scholar named Mandana Mishra. This wasn’t just a simple argument; it was a legendary meeting of two of the greatest minds of that time. Mandana Mishra believed that the most important part of life was performing rituals and duties, while Shankara believed that the path to true freedom was through knowledge and realizing our connection to the Divine.

They agreed to a debate that lasted for many days. To make sure the debate was fair, they chose an incredible judge: Mandana Mishra’s own wife, Ubhaya Bharati, who was known for her immense wisdom. She placed a garland of fresh flowers around the neck of both men and said, The person whose flowers wither and fade first will be the one who has lost the argument, because it shows their mind became tense and agitated.

Grand Debate respectful dialogue as the path to unity overseen by Ubhaya Bharati

For over two weeks, they discussed deep questions about life and the universe. Throughout the debate, Shankara remained calm, peaceful, and clear. In the end, Mandana Mishra’s flowers began to fade, showing that he had been defeated by Shankara’s logic and inner peace. True to his word, Mandana Mishra became a disciple of Shankara, later becoming one of the most important leaders of his mission.

The significance of this event for us today is very beautiful. First, it shows us the power of peaceful dialogue. Shankara didn’t use force or anger to change someone’s mind, he used reason and kindness. It reminds us that we can disagree with others and still treat them with total respect.

Second, the role of Ubhaya Bharati as the judge is a powerful message about the importance of women’s wisdom. Even in those ancient times, it was recognized that a woman’s intellect and fairness were supreme. Finally, it teaches us that growth comes from being open-minded. Mandana Mishra was a famous scholar, yet he was humble enough to change his path when he realized there was a deeper truth. It tells us that no matter how much we know, we should always be ready to learn and evolve.

Finally, the way Adi Shankara approached debates throughout India offers a lesson in intellectual grace. He would travel to meet the greatest scholars of other schools of thought, not to insult them, but to engage in Shastrartha, or logical discussion. He won over his opponents through the sheer strength of reason and clarity. This approach established a culture of Vada, the pursuit of truth through dialogue rather than through force or ego. For the world today, this is a vital lesson in how to handle disagreements. Shankara showed that we can respect those we disagree with while still standing firm in our truth, proving that ideas should be shared through peace and intellectual honesty.

Healthy Intellectual Debate, not bull-dozing or insulting

Shri Gurubhyo Namaha

Success Needs Soul to Survive

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I received a longish query about my LinkedIn Profile Headline  Spiritualising Work and Humanising Workplace. Reproducing it verbatim below:

Mr. Suresh, your striking headline resonates deeply with me, though I’ve faced challenges applying these principles in a competitive corporate environment, specifically when met with pushback for suggesting that traditional practices like meditation can enhance individual contribution. I would appreciate your perspective on whether spiritualising work is primarily an individual journey or a systemic corporate responsibility, and how one can demonstrate that a humanised workplace fosters sustainable high performance rather than trading off efficiency for metrics. Given our current cold, data-driven landscape and the rise of automation, what practical first step do you recommend for a leader to begin spiritualising their team’s view of labor, and how can we effectively keep the human element at the center of corporate strategy?

Though I am no expert to prescribe, I can only write about my experience on this and what worked for me. Everyone’s journey is unique and we need to find our paths. I have only tried to practicethis aspect as a Mission and can discuss what it really means to me. BTW! this has been my Linked In headline for nearly 10+ years. Here we go….

For many of us, life is split into two boxes. One box is for office, bills, and worldly objectives (ambitions, growth, money etc). The other box is for temple, meditation, or prayer. We often think that being spiritual requires sitting in silence on a mountain, far away from the noise of a busy market or a demanding boss.

But this division is unnecessary. Spirituality is not an escape from life, it is a way of living life more deeply. In fact, our entire professional mission can be summed up in one powerful shift which is my Headline on Linked In: Spiritualising Work and Humanising Workplace.

Working Happily instead of Working for Happiness

Bringing Soul to the Workspace

Work is where we spend most of our waking hours. If we keep spirituality separate, we are essentially living biggest part our lives in a soulless vacuum. In Indian tradition, concept of Karma Yoga teaches us that work itself can be a form of worship.

When we focus on Spiritualising Work, we perform task with full focus, honesty, and without being obsessed only with result. Software engineer fixing bug with total integrity or teacher helping student with genuine care is doing something deeply spiritual. We don’t need to quit job to find peace, we need to bring peace into job. Instead of working for Happiness, work Happily

Power of Human Connection

Often, corporate world feels like machine where people are just numbers. This is where second half of the journey comes in, Humanising Workplace. Spirituality in office is not about chanting, it is about empathy. It is about seeing colleague as human being with fears, dreams, and family, rather than just resource or rival or just as a pair of Hands.

By treating people with dignity and kindness, we turn cold office environment into space of growth. This is not just soft skill as many want to describe, it is Hardest and much needed Skill , it is highest form of spiritual practice in modern world. No, it is not a theoretical or Ashram stuff. It is easy to practice and I see it done in many successful enterprises

Worldly Challenges as a Mirror

Our professional journey provides the best lab for spiritual growth. It is easy to feel peaceful when sitting alone in a quiet room. Real test of our character happens when:

  • A project fails at the last minute.
  • A colleague takes credit for our work.
  • The market goes down and stress levels rise.

These worldly moments are mirrors. They show us where we are impatient, where our ego is too big, and where we lack balance. Instead of seeing office politics or financial stress as distractions from our spiritual path, see them as the very tools that help we grow. An umbrella can protect you from sun and rain, but if you develop the ability to withstand the heat and cold, whether an umbrella or other protections doesn’t matter.

Balance of Dharma and Artha

Many Jigyasus (seekers) think that chasing wealth or making money (unless it is printing your own currency) is vulgar. In Indian Philosophy Purushartha (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha)  talks about four fundamental goals or purpose of human life. It suggests that a balanced and fulfilling existence requires pursuing these four pillars in harmony, rather than focusing on just one. Spirituality is not to advise one to ignore wealth or success. Concepts of Dharma (duty/righteousness) and Artha (prosperity) go hand in hand. We can strive for a promotion, buy a house, and provide for our family while staying grounded.

The secret is detachment, which doesn’t mean we stop caring. It simply means our internal happiness is not a slave to our bank balance or our job title. We should drive the car, the car should not drive us.

Integration is the Goal

Spirituality is simply the quality of our consciousness. If we are kind, mindful, and ethical while navigating the real world, our worldly journey becomes our spiritual journey. There is no need to wait for retirement or a pilgrimage to start.

Integration of work and individual

Every email we write, every meeting we attend, and every challenge we face is an opportunity to practice being a better version of ourself. When we commit to Spiritualising Work and Humanising Workplace, life stops being struggle between work and soul and becomes one beautiful, continuous flow. It is about wearing a formal 3 piece black suit as comfortably as wearing a white Kurta and Pyjama.

I would prayerfully like to acknowledge the source of this power I developed over a period of 25+ years – Pujya Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Founder of The Art of Living

What I have practiced with great success in major part of my 38 year old career so far, is to mirror what I learnt from observing what Pujya Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji of Art of Living has been saying and doing. Though these may not be the exact words, I have reproduced from the notes I have been keeping since 1998 (and in far greater depth and details from 2000) in my own words. If there is something awfully distant or erroneous (literally or philosophically) fault is mine.

Pujya Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Time is not linear. It is circular. What goes around, comes around. Do good to the world and good comes around many folds, it is just a matter of time. World is unthinkably infinitely good to us than we are to the world.

He has often spoken about how the banana of spirituality is hidden inside the peel of religion, it is the core essence that makes life work. In worst of situations (there is never dearth of it that is thrown at Gurudev on every second basis, He has shown us ways to do it, by being an example Himself. He says, Worrying doesn’t make any difference, but working does, spirituality gives one the strength to work. Spirituality is not a retreat into laziness or escaping responsibilities. Instead, it is the energy source that allows you to work harder and more effectively without getting burnt out. In one of His talks on business ethics in a WFEB conference, Gurudev highlights that intuition, getting the right thought at the right time, is the secret to success. He explains that spirituality clears the mental cobwebs, allowing a professional to access their intuitive faculty. When you Spiritualise Work, you aren’t just being good; you are becoming sharper and more creative because your mind is calm.

What I loved the most in this context and has worked for me very well is what he has said on the Human aspect of work life. In every meeting or talks, Gurudev emphasizes that the spiritual bond we share as a human family is more important than our professional identities.  He says, True leadership stems from recognizing the human element behind every workplace label, moving past titles like difficult boss or lazy subordinate to acknowledge individual stresses. By replacing rigid hierarchy with a friendly, empathetic approach, leaders can effectively humanize the environment and build genuine rapport. Ultimately, while rules may curb negative behaviour, it is a broader spiritual outlook that cultivates the inherent goodness required for a truly harmonious office culture. That in real is Humanising Workplace for me

He compares the modern workplace to a pressure cooker. Meditation and breath (Sudarshan Kriya) act as the safety valve. By keeping your inner space clean, you ensure that you don’t bring the stress of the office home, and you don’t bring the ego of your position into your human relationships.

Finally, Gurudev describes spirituality in the workplace as Equanimity. He says that Success is a smile that no one can snatch away. Whether you win a contract or lose one, staying centred is the highest spiritual practice. Spirituality brings a sense of commitment and a work culture. Taking responsibility is a vital component for any company’s progress.