The Bhāgavatam states:
anādyavidyā yuktasya puruṣhasyātma vedanam
svato na sambhavād anyas tattva-jño jñāna-do bhavet (11.22.10)[v29]
“The intellect of the soul is clouded by ignorance from endless lifetimes. Covered with nescience, the intellect cannot overcome its ignorance simply by its own effort. One needs to receive knowledge from a Guru who knows the Absolute Truth.”
The Knowledge Sheet was my go-to, most awaited reading material for the week since the 1990s. No matter what the theme was, like millions of others from places as far-flung as Fiji, Patagonia, Mongolia, Russia, South Africa, or Switzerland, I felt that Gurudev’s words for that week were only for me. It was what I needed to hear, to grow, to become more refined, to get strength. Most importantly, it was the realization that someone in pristine white robes, whose eyes were oceans of compassion and whose smile was pure joy and mischief, though far away on another continent was aware of what I needed and cared enough to somehow have this message serendipitously transmitted to me via email, or fax or in a Satsang. What started in 1995 in Big Sur, California became a movement with people waiting with bated breath to know what Gurudev spoke, what he did, who went with him. It literally was Gurudev’s personal and intimate note to every seeker of knowledge.
Eventually, these got compiled into volumes in various editions that remained at my bedside at home or on my travels. Going through any phase in life, randomly opening a page in the book, miraculously were the answers I was seeking.
The CALL
In October 2020, Gurudev called me and said “Jaina, I want you to join a call. Keep the Knowledge Sheets books with you.” Now all of us know how special it is to receive ‘that’ call from Gurudev, to hear his love and energy poured into you through that most mundane of instruments in your hands.
Amidst the global pandemic and a severe ashram lockdown, this daily ritual on zoom with Gurudev and His tribe of sincere seekers became a lifeline as we eagerly joined the daily ‘Knowledge Call’.
It was a transformative and privileged experience with a varied group – Bawa, Dinesh, Kashi, Tanuja Limaye, Sharmila who had been part of the teams that had worked with Gurudev when the Knowledge Sheets were first written; Mamta, Richa, Kavita, Nakul, Montoo, Suketu among others.
Each day, one of us would read a couple of Knowledge Sheets to Gurudev watching in wonder as he listened intently, reflected upon a sentence, changed a word, debated a punctuation mark. His forehead focused in concentration at one juncture, laughing at another, asking our opinion at a third; and reminiscing days gone by, devotees who had merged with him, the early tours and nascent years of The Art of Living. The levity and gravity of reading and reviewing, making notes was a cathartic and liberating process for each one of us in that group. We laughed helplessly, cried with devotion, listened to Sufi music, teased each other, and often got teased by Gurudev too. A standing joke was that no matter what time of day it was, I was ready and dressed in my sari and jewelry at home.
From one perfection to another
Why did Gurudev need to revise and review An Intimate Note to the Sincere Seeker? It was perfect. An oft-asked question. Gurudev has said that we move from one perfection to another.
The Guru’s actions and words are not always easy to decode and understand.
However, my take is this: The shastras say that the disciple may grow old but the Guru remains eternally youthful. Knowledge is Eternal yet there is a context of time and place in the world of duality, in the Samsara. Gurudev’s approach has always been to move with the times without losing the purity and perfection of what IS. The revised Knowledge Sheets provide a fresh perspective to this timeless knowledge.
Why should you have this book if you already have the earlier edition?
- There are absolutely fresh new Knowledge Sheets that haven’t appeared anywhere else earlier! So go for it!
- Rereading the knowledge, abhyaasa, swadhyaya, manthan makes it well-founded in your consciousness, gives you deeper insights into yourself and your mind!
- And, you have the bonus of these being re-edited by Gurudev Himself. Every word, punctuation mark, and edit matters. The Guru Vani (The Word of the Guru) is considered the most powerful word. Nature and cosmic energies conspire to make that word a reality.
These are Gurudev’s words for everyone to make a reality in their own lives!
Every single Knowledge Sheet is an intimate workbook in getting ourselves future-ready and being anchored in the most powerful time of all – the Present Moment.
Get yourself future-ready
Our world has changed, perhaps forever, since the pandemic hit us; the proliferation of social media has transformed the way people think, behave, communicate and emote. Whether you think you are on a spiritual path or not, every person on this planet requires some guidance from time to time. Even to reach a destination, we need Google maps; to learn a simple skill like driving a motor car, we require an instructor. What then of navigating the complexities of life, relationships, success and failure, communication issues, emotional turbulences, career challenges? One needs the words of a person who is a Master of life, who has conquered the opposites of raga and dvesha, and who can serve as a lamp in dark and troubled times.
Gurudev says in Knowledge Sheet number 5: “See the world through the eyes of the Master.” This book is just about that – seeing the world through a lens of compassion and with awareness, flowing through challenges like a river, understanding the vastness of your consciousness, and in the process becoming a better, happier, and more successful person.
We hear much talk of 21st century skills such as innovation, creativity, adaptability, resilience. The buzz words are “Get yourself future-ready!” Every single Knowledge Sheet is an intimate workbook in getting ourselves future ready and being anchored in the most powerful time of all – the Present Moment.
I have worked with Gurudev closely and intensely while running His office for almost a decade and a half. However, the experience of working on the Knowledge Sheets with Gurudev was unique, an incomparable journey of growth and self-study. I am convinced that anyone who peruses this, a new reader as well as one who is familiar with the Knowledge Sheets, will find this a compelling and enriching journey to inner peace and freedom where your inner voice, creativity, and intuition find effortless expression in the often chaotic and confusing world outside.
AUTHOR'S BIO:
Jaina Desai is a lawyer by education and has dedicated her life for over 2 decades to the cause of the Art of Living founded by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. A deep believer in the role of spirituality, human values, and inner peace in solving societal conflicts, Jaina is a senior international faculty of the Art of Living. She is serving on the Board of Trustees of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir Schools which runs 95 educational institutions including the Sri Sri College and Hospital for Ayurvedic Sciences and Research and the Sri Sri University.
She has headed the Secretariat of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with a special focus on International Affairs and Digital Media Communications for 13 years having vast experience in the area of International Relations. During this period she strongly influenced the global strategic direction of the Art of Living through an important phase of growth including being part of the managing teams for the Art of Living’s 25th, 30th and 35th-anniversary global celebrations of the Art of Living in Bangalore, Berlin, and New Delhi respectively.
Jaina has been a moderator and speaker at several editions of the International Women’s Conferences of the Art of Living. She has represented the International Association for Human Values at several seminars and conferences including the Global Network for Rights & Freedom’s Geneva Conference in February 2015. Jaina was also invited to Harvard University to deliver a guest lecture on the role of inner peace in global conflict resolution. She is a senior international teacher of the Art of Living programs
Jaina has been Director of the Art of Living Silver Jubilee, 30th and 35th-anniversary events held in Bangalore, Berlin, and New Delhi respectively.
An avid reader and well-versed in 5 languages, she lives at the Art of Living International Centre in Bangalore, India.
