Gurukkal Blogs

  Importance of Guru in Life Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh   N amaskaram everyone! From the moment of birth, man possesses a compelling desire. Do you know why? In reality, the desire pertains to survival. In order to ensure survival, he will strive to acquire knowledge. When a baby is born, it inhales, and widens eyes to survey the surroundings. During that moment, his mind assess and comprehend what he has observed in his surroundings Sometimes, it's the sense of vision. Sometimes it’s the sound. Thus, upon hearing a sound, the ear becomes attentive, eyes widen to see, and the tongue extends to explore taste. Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh   All of these actions intend to assimilate information. We say ‘each life starts with a refresher course!’ Every birth begins with a quest for knowledge. While we often assume that the pursuit of knowledge starts only after birth. Scientific evidence suggests that this quest actually begins within the womb itself. Th...

  Conscious Mind Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh   N amaskaram everyone!             The conscious mind, mostly, is either in our past or our future.That’s in fact a limitation of our conscious mind. Either we worry about our future, which mostly culminates into a form of stress, anxiety or unhappiness or we think of our past through our memories.           We could have had several unpleasant events or even sometimes some good memories. So, what I am trying to say is that our conscious mind has two capacities. One is memorising and second is imagination.   Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh               The conscious mind can be described as relatively small in size.If we were to measure the extent of the mind, we could compare the conscious mind to merely the tip of an iceberg. Beneath that, there is vast space of the unconscious mind. Martial arts...

  Kalaripayattu Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh           A fter three decades of training, I have come to realize that Kalaripayattu goes beyond physical exercise—it is a training of the mind. There is a popular saying in Kalaripayattu that "the body becomes eyes." This means that regardless of the direction of an attack, practitioners possess the ability to defend themselves. However, Kalaripayattu offers more than just defensive skills. It cultivates a sense of calmness, confidence, and inner peace, which becomes a defining characteristic of a Kalaripayattu practitioner.             When we examine the fundamental philosophy of practicing yoga, such as the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga, including yama, niyama, asana, and so on, we understand that these practices aim to compose and prepare the mind. Martial arts, similarly, have an immeasurable impact on human behavior, culture, and personal develo...

  Koothambai Sidhar Koothambai Sidhar Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh " Andathukappal akanta sudarine Pindathul parppayadi Kuthambai pindathul parpayadi. "           T he divine light that fills this universe is also within you. Just as we cannot see nothingness or vacuum, we are unable to sense the Brahmam within us. It is because of our ignorance. These lines are by Koothambai Siddhar, who is prominent among the 18 Siddhars. The depth of the lyrics are as impressive as the beauty of their composition. Siddhar tradition is the continuous exploration of the separation and the unity of Parabrahmam and the body or Andam and pindam.           The pursuit to understand the Siddhar tradition is futile without a spiritual angle. Koothambai Sidhar songs are pearls of pure wisdom. The name Koothambai itself is different. Koothambai is an ornament that women wear on their ears. In those times, his mother made him wear them and called him lo...

  Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh The Agasthyarkoodam Trip Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh           A nother “Agasthyayanam” has been completed. The 24th trek or pilgrimage. Every year, the mountain converses with the heart invites motherly affection. The heart leaps, excitement drums up in the mind and yet another pilgrimage begins. Even without us consciously knowing.            As usual, this time to there is a fifteen-member team accompanying from Agasthyam Kalari. 26km walking trail from Bonacaud Forest Station. First-day halt at Athirumala base camp after crossing Karamana, Vazhapindi, and Attayar rivers and the large grasslands.            It is a tougher climb on the second day. Through rocky outcrops and bamboo forests, we ascend above the clouds to witness the majestic summit, Agasthya Darshanam, towering above with an embedded history of eons. It’s a dreamy landscape of immense beauty. Sit...