Although my day was quite eventful, the standout event was the brief “Art of Living” experience. Thanks to our classmate (Codename “V”), we had some folks from the sacredly followed ‘ Say Yes ‘ (or something along those lines) “Art of Living” Youth wing take away our lunch time to give some insight into their programme. Well, they took away our lunch time, so that automatically puts them in my bad books. Next, they spoke of an ideology trying to suggest a way to live your life in a better way helping you become more enthusiastic, and one guy spoke something about the course helping him find innocence again. I was paying attention for a change 
. I chatted with V last night on Orkut, and she mentioned this –
Home is where the hrt is..n hrt is almost evrywhr..so tht way..dis whole world is my home. wen u hav love in ur heart 4 evry1..den ur heart is also evrywhere..thts my philosophy
…and I replied,
my heart isn’t almost everywhere! it wud be if someone shot it (and it was splattered into pieces) or sumthin…but there’s just one heart! i keep mine in the cupboard safe at home. ooo….philosophy n all haan!!
i cudn’t possibly go around loving everyone…that wud be jus crazy!!
Should’ve sensed the “Art of Living” angle. 
Now I’m not making fun of AoL. I respect AoL for the Philanthropy work and stuff, and I don’t have a problem in anyone who believes AoL works for them. It follows the basic belief that its a free world, and we all have free minds. We’re free to believe in anything we want to believe. After all, nobody really knows why we’re here and anyone who claims to know the secret of life, and the ideal way to live life deserves a hard smack on his face. Life doesn’t come with a set of guidelines, and its best if it is lived that way. There’s nothing wrong is getting drunk, lying, cheating on a test, smoking. No smoker is a bad person. No alcoholic deserves to be shunned. We are who we are for a reason. We’ve evolved into this. Time has shaped our minds this way, not because we didn’t have a strong will to follow our dreams, but because time had in store for us was so much better than what we could’ve dreamt. The world revolves around the basic fact that everything needs to be balanced. There can’t be an unbalanced equation. Nothing can be out of place. If there can be a President (unknowingly) ordering killing of innocent civilians, then a figure like Osama bin Laden was bound to come up to match him. We NEED this negative figure as much as we need a strong, aggressive positive figure. The forces of evil will always be matched by the forces of good.
AoL works best for Philanthropy work. The whole Robinhood “Take from the rich and give to the poor” thing works brilliantly. Rich people don’t mind contributing large sums of tax deductible cash to AoL, knowing that AoL will spend this money properly for good causes. And there’s no doubt that they’ve been doing that. Rich people have traditionally been donating tons of money for gold idols of God and what not; and have never been as active in raising the standard of living of the poor as they have been in the recent past, thanks to the new breed of “spiritual organisations”. AoL also has a religious vibe to it, and although they seem to have followers of all religions enlisted, that religious vibe doesn’t sit well with me. As a general concept, religion creates divide.
Deep within the philosophy of “The Legion”, we have the idea that there is no right and wrong. No good deed or bad. There’s no higher power wanting you to live life in a particular way. Life is free; this is our playground. Smoking/drinking doesn’t make you a bad person. Not quitting smoking when people who care about you show concern does however do make you a bad person. If you can own up to it, if you can strongly justify your actions, however crazy they might be, if you can take responsibility, then you’ve done nothing wrong. Life is short; Life is yours. Smokers often take up smoking because of increased stress, so people shouldnt hate them for taking up smoking thinking they’re trying to act cool. They’re trying to deal with the underlying cause in the best way they could think of. People around them need to understand that. I’ve insisted 2 people in my friend-circle to quit smoking, but there’s a limit to the no. of times I’d ask someone to give up. And if the guy comes up with a good enough justification for his actions, I’d stop. Although I care about him, the bottom-line is, its his life, and I cannot control it. I understand the kind of effect smoking has when you’re dealing with stress. Its my duty as a friend to point out if I find something wrong, to make sure he’s aware of the consequences, but after that its his choice. I cannot go against his free-will, and we’ll continue to be friends just like before pretending I never asked him to quit. Respect free will. Respect his evolution (if he can justify it; coz some people are just plain dumb).
Anyway, getting back to AoL. I don’t see myself being a part of AoL ever. Ever. Ever. I want you to shoot me if I do. AoL conflicts with my personal philosophy at a very fundamental level. My personal philosophy isn’t something taken out of a book or some movie or some guys teaching. Its personal, and crafted just for me and separates things that are important from the unimportant for me. Its important to have an open-mind, and be willing to accept anything else thats out there that fits into your philosophy, so when these guys entered our class today, I was paying attention to every word they said.
The clapping exercise was intriguing, but dude, isn’t that how teachers keep 8 year-olds happy in play-schools?. What it really was, was a glimpse of those innocent times we had that we really miss. It was also a chance to “make some noise” and “disturb the neighbours”, or “defy authority”, all of which essentially bring joy. It may have had something to do with concentration/alertness of the mind n stuff, but c’mon!!!. The thing about AoL is that they’ve got good recruits, and this task of encouraging others to join in is well-crafted with well thought of “pickup lines”, games and activities aiming at improving your psyche, and as they advertise it, unleash your true potential, help you get in touch with your inner-self, and live a better life with concern and love for others. Too good to be true, right?. Sounds like a marketing thing to me!. And these mind-morphing games are passed on from member to member, creating a chain of jackasses. The annoying thing about them is that they keep saying, “You just HAVE TO try it. It’ll change your life”. They’re rigid and refuse to accept their side to be the less-enlightened retarded side. Dude, would you sign-up for a free one week trial for the Taliban? They won’t hurt you, I promise. But they’ll change your life. Forever. What they do is similar to what AoL does you know. The same tricky mind-games, presenting a distorted reality on ideals, mangled up conclusions from books of religion, physical and mental tests. Its all too darn similar. Do what your master says. The words of your master are no different that the tunes of a snake-charmer. Pay more attention to your life and you’ll realize, you’re right where you belong.
Pay no mind what other voices say
They don’t care about you, like I do, like I do
Safe from pain and truth and choice and other poison devils,
See, they don’t give a damn about you, like I do.Pay no mind to the rabble
Head down, go to sleep to the rhythm of the war drums
I’ll be the one to protect you from
Your enemies and all your demons
I’ll be the one to protect you from
A will to survive and a voice of reason
I’ll be the one to protect you from
Your enemies and your choices son
They’re one and the same
I must isolate you,
Isolate and save you from yourself
Stay with me
Safe and ignorant
Just stay with me
Hold you and protect you from the other ones
The evil ones
Don’t love you son,
Go back to sleep
I can’t claim to know what the brains or intentions behind the working of AoL are, but I do have the right to question them. I might be wrong about my opinions, but hey, this is AN opinion, and not the final opinion. This is what I feel happened, not necessarily the truth about what happened.
But I dont like the look of it; dont like the taste of it; dont like the smell of it.
The guys we interacted with seemed like they had been through some kind of crash-course, or they had experienced what sort of activities would get people’s attention. The clapping exercise surely isn’t something one of them cooked up overnight. I almost immediately had a problem with them. They took away our lunch-time.
A few others reasons why I wouldn’t join AoL would be -
- They introduced this as a way to achieve your dreams. One guy gave an example of having asked a bunch of guys at IIT what success meant for them. Most answered money, and he told us their answers (money, money and more money) in a derogatory way and mocked it. Having money as your goal in life is not a bad thing. The world needs rich people. By saying “money” in that way, he had judged this guy who replied honestly to his question. Whatever happened to Live and Let Live?. You, my friend, have no right to judge. Most people have materialistic goals, and there’s nothing wrong in it. “My goal is to love and to be loved by others” could also be judged as a delirious person’s reply who hasn’t faced the harsh realities of life. Sure you may come off to others as someone who’s a loving and caring person. But wait till your faith is tested. The Secret/What the Bleep?! advises changing the world around you by changing your thoughts. It suggests that you could alter your future by changing your present thought-process; that we could control our future. AoL prolly advises something similar, but also for you to take the harsh realities of life in your stride, or to deal with them in a particular way — like “breathing” over it
. AoL prolly also sugests not to give into temptation. Guess what. One of the sweetest of human experiences is in fact, to give into temptations. Its just that you need to selectively choose which temptations, or you might land in karma-trouble :exclaim: . I believe we’re here to experience it all, and we should make it a point to ensure no experience escapes us. We’re only here for a short period of time when your consider there are so many experiences to be felt. 
Live it up! I’ve heard AoL “inspires” people to turn vegans.*pauses to order food* on the menu tonight — Trying out “Can Can’s Chicken Special Rice” for the first time :PMy philosophy goes about the idea that you cannot possibly dream of something greater than what the Universe can throw at you. So you don’t limit what you get to your human imagination of what’s good for you, or what you WANT, but rather be open to the idea that the Universe will always give you what you need. The Philosopher “Jagger” (The Rolling Stones ) mentioned this in the song “You can’t always get what you want”. So if someone asks me what my goal in life was, or what my dreams are, I’d have no honest answer. To be frank I know a 40 year old guy, happily married with an awesome life and job, who still hasn’t figured out what he wants, so to put off the goal-setting process until forever isn’t totally crazy.
- They mess with your head. The only thing worse than someone messing with your head is someone messing with your head and putting “jihad” into it. The way I see it, the basic functioning of AoL is not too far away from the way terrorists brain-wash the minds of the young. The ONLY good thing about AoL is they aren’t teaching jihad. Their teachings are based on the beliefs of Ravi Shankar (and I’m purposely not putting the Sri Sri before his name coz he hasn’t earned it from me, and I’m very ‘kanjoos’). Now the Universe being this vast big mystery created by a higher power of much much superior intellect, no human can possibly state for certain what is expected from us, or what our purpose is, or how we should live our lives. As far as I know, he’s studied ancient religious texts of all religions and drawn conclusions or lessons, and formed this list of to-do and not-to-do things. Whatever he may have concluded, I believe that’s his conclusion. That’s his version of the truth FOR HIM, and him only. To start a course and thrust what you believe to be working for you on others is bloody wrong in my opinion. There’s no denying that a lot of people have changed their lives by joining AoL, and they attribute their “success” to AoL, which is unfair coz they aren’t giving enough credit to themselves. They’re made to believe that AoL changed their lives, whereas the truth remains that they could’ve done it all by themselves too.
- He mentioned “The Secret” which got my attention immediately. Movies like “The Secret” and “What The Bleep?!” (which I personally like) portray themselves as movies that help you unlock your true potential by citing discoveries in “Quantum Physics”, parallel realities and what not. There’s an important lesson to be felt in these movies, although they don’t really provide you with an answer to any secret. These are eventually just products for consumers. So when he said “The Secret” was rubbish, I felt AoL when clubbed in a broad sense is infact, “The Secret/What The Bleep” + yoga + meditation + worshipping Ravi Shanker. Most of these “meetings” that they have include the photograph of Ravi Shanker placed respectfully with garlands and stuff. To me, thats not a way to show respect. Thats idol worship. False-idol worship. He deserves respect for Philanthrophy, but not by worshipping his photos. He might be a “Guru” with knowledge and an “enlightened mind”, but he is no God. If he had even a bit of dignity, he’d demand this idol-worship to stop. I don’t see that happening coz his pics are infact a selling point.
- Another major selling point was who they were and what they had done. It was annoying to hear them say they were from IIT. I mean, what’s your point?. Do you intend to say that since you were in IIT, you represent the few people who are intellectually superior compared to normal graduates, and that since you had chosen to join AoL, we just had to try it out?. I’m sorry man. I don’t care if you’re an IITian. That doesn’t work as a selling point. Neither does it matter that the chic was from Canada. If you ask me, she looked pretty tired!. Not enthusiastic at all. If you’re trying to say “If some NRI can join, why can’t you?”, then buster, that ain’t going to work.
- Their speech revolved around how unenthusiastic we are in our present situation. We don’t enthusiastically say “Yes” when asked to do something. Well dude, suppose you’re in a class full of people, and you know that the others aren’t going to raise their hands up high. Your reaction is always going to be relative to their reaction, out of the fear of embarassment. Its natural; its fundamental; its the way things have been, and will continue to be in the lives of normal people. But if you take a bunch of brain-washed kids who’d say “Yes!” enthusiastically to just about anything (“Could you please clean my room for me?”) because they’ve been trained like monkeys to do just that, then raising your hand up high is the only option, again, to avoid being a stand-out in the “crowd”. Ask me if i wanted ice-cream, and watch my hand try to reach for the ceiling. That was just another lame mind-game. I know my environment, and I know the people in it. You’re asking me to change and be different in my environment, and I won’t coz what’s around me right now works brilliantly for me. If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it!!!.
I’ve got 10-odd friends around me, who know me through-and-through, and have been with me since I was 8 yrs old. What I have is precious. What I have is what most only dream of having. We’ve got a few hot chics too in our group. Now, i didnt attend my college fest this time, and that may seem kinda lame, but to even consider attending the fest. at a time when my dear sis will be celebrating her 21st, and I’ll be making a mad-dash to get her a good gift is preposterous!!!.
- There’s a screening process for the brain-wash. Hmm….I wonder what that’s for. Just like a car-wash place won’t guarantee all stains will be cleared if you car is already is a pathetic condition. Consider this. They try to get a sense of IF your intellect CAN be improved, they check if you’re physically fit, and mentally strong. Once that’s done, you’re eligible for the course. Ain’t that dandy?. It ain’t. They only select people who have the potential for change. They only filter and pick the people in whom they could instill a will to change. If he’s been a good student but strayed away for a couple of years, they’ll take him in. But if he’s failing, say, every alternate year until now, and has a really low IQ/aptitude, and is physically unfit, they won’t take you. Such people don’t deserve change right? They’re destined to be lame forever right?. See my point?. You already have the strength to accept a new lifestyle, to change things around you and start thinking in a new manner. Its just that you need a little push. Guess what magic AoL does for you?. fI was surprised to see V convinced that AoL had worked some kind of a miracle for her, and thats the reason she got into VJTI. Gosh, if someone convinced her about the “Illuminati/Skulls and Bones”, and took her through a ritualistic Induction session, I wonder if she’d think she could become the President and form the “New World Order”.
- Basically, we’re all looking for a way out of the current world situation. The tons of sad, scary, gloomy stories in our newspapers, media; everythings just really sad. We’re looking for something different from the ordinary. We’re required to deal with stress and other tensions. AoL is something different from the ordinary. its a break from the usual schedule. You get to meet a bunch of brain-washed, but kind-hearted, warm people who speaks nothing but good things about you and the world around you. So that kind of helps cheer up your soul. Whenever your soul is bruised and battered by the real world, you can always find a safe, pleasant haven in the company of these well-trained monkeys. But if you ask me, I’d take honest, straight-from-the-heart criticism from a friend, rather than a stranger who’s instructed to be good to people and who’s barely a real friend.
I don’t mean to be hurtful to the followers of AoL. I respect them and the choices that they’ve made. I’m sure the course has made them better people over a period of time, but these are my personal opinions. I don’t want any AoL followers coming up to me to point out to be how incredibly wrong and/or insane i am. And no, I ain’t gonna “try” out your course to “see the truth”. To even risk brain-washing is out of the question. You wouldn’t visit a terrorist camp and ask for a trial, would you?. How is this any different?.
No matter how good this workshop is, basically it does not escape the domain of Sir Greg House’s rule about “Change” –
People don’t change. For example, I’m gonna keep repeating “People don’t change.”
To sum it up perfectly,
Credulous at best, your desire to believe in angels in the hearts of men.
Pull your head on out your hippy haze and give a listen.
Shouldn’t have to say it all again.
The universe is hostile; so impersonal.
Devour to survive. So it is. So it’s always been.
). Especially you Lionel.
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(It’s all about you, isn’t it? Has anyone ever asked him what he wants?! Nooo! 
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The people who already know that think you’re an idiot for joining this group)
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