| Interview
with Sri Ananda Giri about the
Oneness Movement
Q1
Sri Ananda Giri, we know that
you are one of the seven disciples
of Kalki, who after establishing
the "Foundation for World
Awakening" in several places
like Argentina, Chile, Uruguay
and India, has been sent to
the United States by Kalki.
What is the message and main
teachings that you are bringing
today to the spiritual seekers
of America?
I have come to bring neither
a new teaching nor a new philosophy
of life; we already have received
a huge number of teachings from
different Saints, Sages, Mystics,
Philosophers and great thinkers
from different schools of thought.
The world is full of philosophies,
religions, esoteric teachings
(revealed to the world), spiritual
practices, techniques of self
development, etc., that set
forth beautiful theories and
ideas of how we should live
or what do we have to do, to
find true "Happiness"
in our lives. The question that
I ask you is that after so much
reading and listening to different
teachings, is there any real
change in our lives? Or, are
we just changing techniques
and philosophies, that keep
us in rapture for a period of
time, and after a while we find
them impossible to follow and
practice? Giving up finally
the possibility to attain a
real and deep change in our
lives?
Q2
If you are not giving us a
new teaching or technique, what
should we expect from Foundation
for World Awakening?
We, as a spiritual movement,
ask you two questions:
1. Are you suffering? And,
2. Do you want to be free from
this suffering?
If your answer is affirmative
to both questions, we embrace
you, and then our Foundation
can help you.
Q3
What do you mean by "suffering"?
In many moments of our lives
we found ourselves experiencing
feelings of boredom, loneliness,
depression, pain and conflict
in our human relationships,
lack of motivation, and sometimes
meaninglessness in many of our
daily activities.
These feelings make us suffer,
because they come generally
with anxiety and uncertainty,
and we don't know if we will
ever be free from these emotions
and feelings.
Inside of us questions arise
like: Why am I here? What is
the meaning of life? Will I
find happiness and love in my
life or is it just a dream?
Where am I going? Is there any
hope for a change or do I have
to give up? What is living?
Do I do what I really want,
or do I feel like a slave of
the impositions of society?
Will I ever experience the real
psychological and spiritual
freedom? and so on and so forth...
Q4
What would happen if somebody
comes and tells you that he
has none of these questions,
because he feels happy and in
peace and that he has found
everything he has searched for?
Not everybody is a spiritual
seeker in this world. The truth
is that only a selected group
of people are in a real search
in their lives. We as human
beings are suffering from a
severe illness which is not
necessarily lack of love, hatred,
pride, greed, envy, covetousness
or egoism, but, we are suffering
with an even greater illness
which is "lack of awareness"
of what is happening inside
us. Most of us walk in the streets
without knowing, why we are
going to our jobs, from where
comes our urge to success, why
should I go to the shopping
malls every weekend, what makes
me buy the latest car model
that just appeared in the market,
what is it that moves me everyday
to action, why should I keep
myself constantly busy, etc.
If everything is fine and if
I were really happy, for sure
I would not have the necessity
of keeping my mind constantly
busy with ideas and projects
for the future.
If we contemplate for a moment
we will see that real happiness
and joy is only found in the
present, but constantly we keep
ourselves busy doing things
for acquiring happiness and
peace in the future, we are
running after a moving train,
which we can never catch.
The sincere spiritual seeker,
first of all, is aware of this
issue and feels the urge to
find a way out of this stressing
and anguishing situation. He
has begun to see the lack of
love and peace in his life,
the lack of harmony in his family
and personal relationships,
and the lack of truthfulness
because he is always involved
in lies and hypocrisies in order
to be accepted in this society.
In the beginning, a spiritual
seeker feels disgusted and sick
of everything, and this is what
really transforms him into a
real and deep seeker of meaning,
into a "Spiritual Seeker".
Q5
Then what are the main characteristics
we should have to be called
Spiritual Seekers?
As I said before: First of
all, the real seeker is recognized
because he does not accept simple
answers but wishes to hear something
that really convinces him, and
wants to discover by himself
what he has been taught.
Secondly, he is aware of the
fact that he is suffering, because
he has tasted it in several
ways, he is tired of it and
wants to be liberated from it
(feeling of loneliness, feeling
of not belonging, nonsense,
lack of true meaning in life,
depression, decay, or the constant
conflict created by following
values other than the ones accepted
by this society).
And the last aspect that characterizes
a spiritual seeker is that he
takes the challenge, no matter
what happens to him, to find
the way out of his suffering.
Q6
A lot of people are searching
for some kind of change in their
lives, and many, who have found
answers in different teachings
feel that they are becoming
better human beings, and feel
secure about the knowledge and
the path they have chosen in
their lives. May we say that
these people are transformed
and that they are freed from
their suffering?
Some of them may have truly
begun the journey of Transformation.
This journey of Discovery and
Transformation is a unique journey,
only a few ones have begun and
advanced deeply towards Liberation.
When we start to follow a new
teaching or spiritual practice,
or start receiving very profound
knowledge, inside of us there
begins a change. We must be
able to identify where and in
what level this change is occurring;
only in this way can we understand
if there is any change at all.
At the moment when we discover
a new teaching or philosophy,
there starts inside of us a
renovation of thoughts, concepts
and creeds. Every change that
occurs in the realm of the ideas,
concepts, beliefs, our mental
schemes, is basically a change
in the level of our mind. It
does not mean that our inner
nature has changed or that our
perceptions of life have undergone
a definite transformation. Instead
of it, a new idea, that can
be wonderful, starts taking
shape and it forms into a new
mental scheme. Maybe we will
see a change in our behavior;
it means we have obtained some
reformation in our lives, which
is very different from having
a profound and real change in
our inner nature.
When there is a real change
in the inner nature of man,
only then can we call this a
true Transformation.
Q7
I am sure that many people
who are reading this article
would like you to go deeper
and give us more clarity into
what is the difference between
Reformation and Transformation.
What we know today as change
and personal development is
basically Reformation.
Modern man has been greatly
influenced by the paradigm of
Science, which has come into
fruition as an analytical and
rational mind. We are perceiving
the world, other people, things
and nature from the standpoint
of ideas, concepts, a mixture
of concepts-ideas, or images
that have been created in our
minds through the past experiences
that were significant in our
lives. Therefore, any change
that occurs in us is basically
a change that manifests itself
in the level of our concepts,
ideas, beliefs and mental schemes.
The teachings we have received
from great Masters such as Christ,
Buddha, Lao Tse, Mohammed, Sri
Krishna, Confucius and many
other great Saints, Mystics
and Sages, have been transformed
into mere concepts and ideas,
and that is the reason that,
despite the clarity manifested
by these great beings, it was
and it is so hard to put them
into practice and follow them
wholeheartedly. There is always
a conflict between the teaching
and our inner nature. The teachings
may be wonderful and we see
the truth in them, and we know
that if we could apply these
great truths in our lives all
the human problems and sufferings
would be solved. But it is almost
impossible to follow them because
our nature is different, and
it is not natural for us to
love unconditionally as Christ
did, and it is not natural for
us to feel detachment from desires
as it was for the Buddha.
If we go more deeply we see
that the inner nature of these
great Masters was different,
their Consciousness was different.
For them, what they preached
and taught was natural, it was
part of their inner nature and
drawn from their own experience.
A real inner change means Transformation,
and it is not a change in the
realm of concepts and ideas
but in your inner world. Your
whole perception undergoes a
deep change, your consciousness
has been altered.
Q8
Please, reveal to us in more
depth the inner process that
occurs in this journey of Transformation.
In this, the journey of Transformation,
changes in the inner nature
begin to occur. At the beginning
of this journey very often there
is an internal crisis, because
our inner structures of thought
start falling, and our ideas,
concepts, creeds and mental
schemes change.
Much of what we have created
in our minds, images, conclusions,
prejudices, our perceptions
of the world, how we see ourselves,
our friends, our family, and
life itself, starts breaking
down along with the security
that we put on those images.
Slowly we begin to see reality,
as it is, without masks, without
false protections, we begin
to perceive things as they really
are.
In other words, what we start
experiencing is not a growth
or an accumulation inside of
us, but a loosening of the attachments,
images, concepts, ideas, sensations,
to which we have been tied up
and that has given us a false
security until today. Remember,
"Transformation is the
journey of Liberation",
it means you begin to feel more
light and free because you have
given away a lot of unnecessary
weight.
Q9
Therefore, if we are not experiencing
this process of structures falling,
does it mean we have not begun
this journey?
Yes, that’s right. That
is why I have said that many
who say that they are transformed
and think they are spiritual
beings are just fooling themselves,
because they have been accumulating
and building up, hence the unlearning
process must be even harder.
Remember that, this is the
journey of humbleness and humility,
that it is not a competition
to see who is more evolved.
Kalki says in one of his Supreme
Truths "Life is a process
of learning and learning is
unlearning". It means that
if we are not unlearning (the
falling of mental structures)
everyday, maybe we are not living
at all!
Q10
As
this process of unlearning begins
to occur in our lives, when
does this unlearning process
end or, we must be completely
void? And if it is so, does
it mean that we should lose
the notion and memory of ourselves?
The answer to the first question
is yes. We must be completely
void and until this occurs we
should go on unlearning what
we have accumulated in our lives.
Our purpose of incarnation in
this planet is to begin our
Spiritual Awakening, and there
is no other reason for being
here. I see that you do not
understand the unlearning process,
and I am going to explain it
further. If we go deeper into
the world of memories, feelings
and experiences of the past,
we will see that the remembrance
of some past experience carry
with it a strong emotional charge
and others do not. This emotional
charge affects us now in the
present. Through our life we
have had positive and negative
experiences that made a strong
impact in our memory, like the
first years of our life, childhood,
years at school, University
period, etc. These past experiences
determine our present conduct
and behavior, and how we perceive
the circumstances of our daily
life. To be able to experience
the present as it is, without
an emotional charge from our
past, and to feel really free
in our daily decisions, we must
be liberated from our past experiences
that carry a strong emotional
charge. Therefore, the unlearning
must occur at this level, this
does not mean you would forget
who are your parents and your
friends, and that you are going
to lose your memories; but you
are not going to be attached
to them. Attachment to these
images that are charged with
strong emotional feelings is
what keeps you enslaved, and
keeps you away from freedom
and from being spontaneous in
the present. Through this unlearning
you are liberated from your
past traumas and bad experiences
such as fear, anguish, creeds
accepted blindly by you and
that you have never questioned,
and ideas of ourselves that
limits us just to certain activities,
which makes us feel we are not
able to realize our real self,
and does not let us apply the
whole creative potential that
we have inside of us.
Q11
If I am aware of the necessity
to begin the journey of Transformation,
what is the next step I should
take?
After being aware of the necessity
and the desire to change, you
should see that every intent
and effort to change your inner
nature might just produce reformation
and not bring the true Transformation
into your life. If we go deeper
into the nature of our mind,
first we will see that our mind
is constantly planning and programming
events, keeping under control
and order the situations and
events that are going to occur
in the day, in the week, in
the month, in the year or even
in the rest of our life. If
a change must occur in our inner
world we must realize that every
change in our feelings, perceptions
and emotions have the characteristic
of being natural and spontaneous
in nature. Every experience
is spontaneous, it is not planned
or organized. I do not plan
to get mad at my wife, husband
or friend, neither do I plan
to feel glad or happy today.
I do not program to feel depressed
on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday,
and be happy the rest of the
week. Therefore, the nature
of the experience and of the
inner world (feelings, emotions,
sensations and perceptions)
is spontaneous and natural.
After seeing the necessity
of a change and Transformation,
I should also realize that the
key to success is not in my
hands and in my own efforts,
because something spontaneous
must occur, an extraordinary
experience must occur, a transcendental
experience, a divine and mystical
experience must be given to
me to get the state of Transformation
and Liberation.
Q12
What is a mystical and transcendental
experience?
As we said in the beginning,
we are suffering and searching
for a meaning in life because
we have not had this mystical
experience. Our life is boring
and we are always having the
feeling that something is missing
for us to be complete. Constantly
we feel emptiness in our hearts
and a feeling of alienation
and loneliness. We may be with
a group of friends or at work
and feel that we do not belong
to this place or to this group
of people. In other moments
I may be in a family party and
still feel I don't belong here
either, even though we are together
there is something that divides
us and makes me feel separated
from others. I may be in a wonderful
and beautiful place; in a mountain
with vegetation around me and
birds, wild animals and a pure
river with crystal water flowing
through it; but while I am there
observing the landscape and
the whole place I feel fine
just for a moment, after a while
I feel I am just passing by
this place, I am a visitor,
a pilgrim that always must go
on in his way, again getting
in touch with this sense of
not belonging. There is something
that does not let me engage
with others and with the rest
of the world. I may share certain
things with others but there
are so many things inside of
me that I have never shared
and I do not know if I ever
will. This feeling of being
individuals and of being separated
from others is born from the
lack of this transcendental
and mystical experience. This
makes us lose the experience
of union and communion with
others. So experiencing this
union and communion with others
is a transcendental and mystical
experience. There are so many
kinds of mystical and transcendental
experiences, in fact they are
unlimited and the main characteristic
is that they are unique and
very different from one person
to another.
Q13
What can I do to have these
mystical and transcendental
experiences?
Many people are craving for
these mystical experiences.
The question that we should
ask ourselves is, from where
comes the desire to have an
experience of this kind?
Everybody has an access to
such mystical experiences that
free us from suffering and give
us much joy and happiness in
our life. We will receive these
experiences immediately if the
desire is born from the real
need for a change in our lives,
but if it is a simple wish born
from curiosity, it could take
a little bit longer.
Q14
If I have the necessity and
I think I am ready for this
experience what should I do
next?
Then you are ready to attend
one of our "ANUGRAHA YAGNAS"
(retreats for awakening the
Divine Love within your heart).
These are retreats of one day,
where you can experience the
awakening of your spiritual
heart, the awakening of your
intuition. Other worlds are
revealed to you, which makes
you understand the meaning of
being in this world, you will
acquire meaning in your present
life, and much more will be
revealed to you in this retreat.
Q15
Who is the source that lets
us experience all this in the
retreats?
The Source that lets you experience
this and begin your journey
of Transformation is Kalki.
He helps you to start this journey
of discovery by giving you these
mystical and transcendental
experiences, guiding and bringing
you to the necessary state,
so that you will be more perceptive
to receive them. After this
discovery and realization has
happened to you, you are in
a new state in which you become
the creator of your life along
with your Antaryamin (Inner
Dweller), and the source of
your future mystical experiences
is now in your heart.
Q16
Do you conduct the retreats
alone or does somebody else
help you in this wonderful work?
I conduct more advanced retreats.
After participating in ANUGRAHA
YAGNA (one day retreats, where
you experience the awakening
of your heart and the root cause
of your suffering is revealed
to you), you may participate
in more advanced and deeper
retreats for entering in a permanent
state of Transformation, which
is a state where we are liberated
from all human suffering.
There are three monks of the
order of Kalki, and also Bhaktas
(devotees) helping me with the
work in America and Latin America.
They conduct retreats, seminars,
conferences, talks, prayer and
meditation meetings, and have
personal interviews with those
who have begun their personal
journey of Transformation. Their
mission is to guide the Spiritual
Seekers in their path to self-realization.
Q17
What are the retreats that
follow the ANUGRAHA YAGNA and
what can we expect of them?
After participating in the
ANUGRAHA YAGNA you may go to
retreats in which we go deeper
in the truths revealed by Kalki
to the world. These retreats
have duration of one day, in
them you will receive GNYANA,
it means Supreme Knowledge that
has the power to liberate you
and guide you to even deeper
experiences. Then there are
retreats for meditation "DHYANA",
that let you get in touch with
inner worlds and internal visions
of your heart and the Universe.
After you have participated
in these retreats you may participate
in the "RETREAT FOR LIBERATION",
which is a 15 days retreat that
is given only in India, in Satyaloka,
the abode of Kalki. To participate
in this retreat in which you
will receive another state of
consciousness, a superior state
of being compared with the one
you live today, you must be
authorized by the monk or the
Bhakta who has been observing
your personal work and spiritual
development.
Q18
In what part of India is Satyaloka
located, the place where Kalki
resides?
Kalki lives in the South of
India. Satyaloka is located
75 miles from Bangalore and
about 150 miles from Madras.
Q19
How much is the fee for participating
in these retreats?
They are completely free, our
only goal as a Spiritual movement
is to produce a Spiritual Awakening
throughout the world.
Q20
Where and when was this movement
born?
Foundation for World Awakening
was born in 1991, in Madras,
India.
Q21
How many followers do you have
around the world?
Over 15 millions.
Q22
Where are the followers of
this Foundation?
Ceylon, United Kingdom, Sweden,
Argentine, Chile, Uruguay, Russia,
India, Brazil, United States,
Canada, Japan, Mexico, Ecuador,
Singapore, China, Australia,
Ukraine and other countries
from the former Soviet Union.
Q23
Who are the other disciples
of Kalki?
1. Paramacharya Sri Sankara
Bhagavad Pada
2. Acharya Sri Sama Darsini.
3. Acharya Sri Vimala Kirti.
4. Acharya Sri Akshaya Mati.
5. Acharya Sri Kaushika.
6. Acharya Sri Maitreyi.
Q24
I know that three of the direct
disciples of Kalki are women,
am I right?
Yes, that is correct.
Q25
It is rare to see women with
spiritual authority guiding
large groups of people, especially
in the religious tradition.
Does Kalki say something about
it?
It is completely a new phenomenon
in India, as in other parts
of the world, that a great number
of our followers are women.
Women have a spiritual potential
that is more easy to awaken,
because they are more connected
with their hearts. Man has mainly
developed his intellect, which
has made him more cold and rational.
Now, in this world there are
greater number of women than
men. What would happen if they
rebel against the rules and
laws made by men in this society,
and instead of trying to imitate
men, they felt proud of being
women and teach men about Love?
Q26
Besides the seven disciples,
are there more persons who spread
the teachings of Kalki?
Yes, as I mentioned before
there is an order of monks and
bhaktas (devotees) who conduct
retreats, talks, conferences
and seminars.
Q27
All of them come from India?
No, they come from all parts
of the world.
Q28
How many monks, nuns and bhaktas
are spreading Kalki's message?
There are 120 hundred monks
and nuns, and the number of
bhaktas is presently two hundred
and growing rapidly.
Q29
What are the statistics concerning
the growth of the movement?
It is growing in such an astonishing
manner that we can no longer
have an accurate statistics.
From what we know, it is the
fastest growing movement in
the world.
Q30
What do you think is the reason
for such an incredible growth?
Today we are experiencing a
unique phenomenon on earth.
And each man and woman that
walk on this planet must discover
it. The coming of Kalki is very
important and is a milestone
in the evolution of man and
of our planet. Our beloved Kalki
is the source of the innumerable
insights, realizations and the
source of the highest mystical
experiences that are awakening
the mystic within the hearts
of the seekers.
Q31
What are the experiences that
people are having in the retreats?
In the retreats, a door is
opened to the mystical dimensions,
and many receive the experiences
after the retreats and seminars.
You may come and read some of
these experiences in another
page of this site.
Q32
Where is the main center of
Foundation for World Awakening?
Our Global Headquarters is
in:
Satyaloka, Jeevashram Campus,
Rajupetta (via) Ramakuppam,
Chitoor District,
Andhra Pradesh - 517 401
India
Q33
You talk about the beginning
of a new Age, and that we are
at the dawn of this Age, is
this the so-called Age of Aquarius
by the astrologers?
It is the dawn of a new Age,
The Golden Age; the Age of Aquarius
is a small age inside the Golden
Age. All the changes that are
beginning to occur in our planet
are representative of the dawn
of this new Age, changes in
the level of perceptions in
man; perceptions of himself,
of the Universe and the Creator;
changes that make us enter into
different stages of growth and
comprehension of reality. From
the standpoint of astrology
we can see a new planetary and
zodiacal cycle for this planet
Earth. Behind these observations
there are profound meanings
that will become clearer as
we experience the trends that
will affect our lives completely.
So this is a phenomenon that
affects not only the planet
but affects YOU. You will feel
it in every cell of your body.
Q34
What are the changes that we
will experience?
Many changes are occurring
right now in our planet, starting
with the physical changes manifesting
in the ecological environment
that surrounds us. Climatic
changes, changes in ocean currents,
and strong changes in the atmosphere
that affect the Earth and all
the living species in it.
As these changes are manifesting
and many more are to come, something
begins to happen to us at a
psychological level, the creeds
we have, the social, economical,
political and cultural systems
begins to shake and collapse.
You just have to open your eyes
to see that we are coming near
a cliff, we are in crisis and
in a society that sooner than
later is going to break down.
Society is a blend of ideas
and beliefs, perceptions kept
alive for some time, and today
it is in crisis. Our social,
economical and political system
is based upon ideas and beliefs;
there is absolutely nothing
real in which we have put our
hopes and securities. Looking
back in history we see that
each ideology in some moment
has fallen down because a new
one takes form, the new is more
real and closer to what man
perceives as truth at that given
moment.
Q35
Then, what is this new idea
or ideology that man is going
to develop as a new perception?
This time it is a completely
new and distinct change. If
we see and analyze the current
situation of young men throughout
the world we can appreciate
with more clarity the phenomenon
that is occurring today. The
teenage period is characterized
by an idealistic feeling, there
is a profound search for truth
and there is born a deep longing
to keep their ideal alive. Seeing
the actual state of teenagers
we find that they are living
in confusion, where all the
ideas have lost power, and there
is a general sense of boredom,
meaninglessness and a total
loss of identity with society.
This phenomenon that we see
very clearly in this example
is what brings us to an even
deeper change, because a new
idea does not attract us anymore.
We had very bad experiences
with ideologies that lead us
to move to a non-believing state.
If you go inside your heart
you will discover that you do
not want another idea that will
control your life for a brief
time, after which you will have
to change it again. We are frustrated
with it and we want something
more permanent and real.
Therefore this is the moment
where each one of us must move
from ideas and beliefs to a
personal discovery of the real
truth.
Q36
What is it that we have to
discover?
Basically there are three discoveries
that must happen to you. In
the first place, you must begin
to discover yourself and know
who you are. Secondly, start
discovering the secrets and
the great mysteries behind creation
that are revealed to you as
you begin to discover yourself.
And the last and most important
one is to begin the greatest
and more wonderful journey that
man has ever undertaken, which
is to meet God personally.
Q37
What do you think about the
future of the planet and man?
There is a truth of Kalki that
says: "Spiritual Regeneration
is the cause of physical and
psychological degeneration".
It means that every change and
difficulty we are experiencing
today has its roots in the spiritual
plane, therefore man is entering
into a new state of consciousness,
where it will no more be difficult
for him to love and have peace
in his life, because this will
be his natural state. Remember,
the change begins with each
individual, it is your consciousness
and your perceptions that will
change and produce global Transformation.
Q38
What do I have to do if I want
to begin my Transformation today?
You have to communicate with
us so that you can be guided
in your journey of discovery.
Q39
What will happen to our society
after many people have begun
their journey of Transformation?
Imagine for a moment a society
where each one of us will take
care of everyone else. We will
be a society where the sick,
the poor, the handicapped will
receive help and love from the
rest. The most important thing
in our lives will be to take
care of each other. At last
we will be a universal family
where there will be no divisions
between countries, religious
groups, social and economical
classes, because we would not
be wearing our masks that are
born from fear, but we will
know each other not from lies
but we will relate with others
from true love. Where the welfare
of the rest will be more important
than personal welfare there
man will meet with what has
been his quest and dream, which
is to feel himself as a part
of a whole, and to be able to
experience a real communion
with his existence, the Universe
and the Whole.
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