What happened when 'Happiness Ambassador' met glam icon of Bollywood Malaika Arora? (EXCLUSIVE)
In an interview with Asianet Newsable AiR Atman in Ravi – Spiritual Leader and Founder of AiR Institute of Realization and AiR Center of Enlightenment, shared his experience after meeting Malaika Arora, whose wellness centre is Diva Yoga.
FollowWith so much buzz around Malaika Arora meeting someone who opened her horizon regarding spirituality, we met the man who realised the wisdom of happiness is in spreading it from Namma Bengaluru to the world. Atman in AiR Ravi was born on October 15, 1966, in Bengaluru. With his boutiques Kids Kemp, Big Kids Kemp, and Kemp Fort, he became a successful businessman at a young age and revolutionised retailing in India.
However, he realised that life is more than simply producing money and at age 40, he closed his firm to pursue H.I.S. work - Humanitarian, Inspirational, and Spiritual work. He recently met Malaika Arora and had a deep chat about spiritualist, mental health and more Here are the interview excerpts with Atman in Ravi (AiR)
Malaika spoke about your journey as a successful businessman. Can you elaborate on your background and transformation?
I started my career in my teens along with my education. I got into the retail and marketing business and transformed the way retailing was done in India, much before the mall culture hit the country. My life was a very successful one and I was conquering the peaks of success, one after the other, until I realised that success is not happiness. Thereon, I went on a quest, a Talaash to find answers to the various questions on life that arose in my mind. I realised that the first peak of happiness is Achievement, the second peak is Fulfilment and the third and ultimate peak of happiness is Enlightenment. This path also led me to Realise the Truth that we are not the body, mind and ego. We are the Divine Soul. This Realisation of the Truth transformed my life. From a businessman, I became an author, singer and philanthropist. This transformation led to a metamorphosis and thereafter, I became AiR - Atman in Ravi... the Soul in Ravi.
You spoke to the Glam icon of the industry. What do you think about the Entertainment industry, as a whole, in terms of Spiritual Consciousness?
While speaking to the Glam Icon, I realised everyone is a SOUL, a Spark Of Unique Life. The Spirit is alive but unfortunately, we are enveloped in ignorance. So, we are lost in this Samsara – the world. We are lost in Maya – the cosmic illusion and lost in Leela – this mega cosmic show of the Divine. I could see the so-called Princess of the Bollywood Industry actually to be a Divine Soul, a Goddess. She aligned with it beautifully.
So, the whole entertainment industry is spiritually conscious but there are layers of the material world that hide their Spiritual Power and this gets them lost and away from Spiritual Awakening.
Artists tend to be creative, and spirituality is an important aspect of their art. Then, why do we see eccentric behaviour or mental health issues in them?
Spirituality is not an important aspect of art. Spirituality is the science of the Spirit. The art that we speak of, is to do with the body, mind and ego, the physical appearance or the physical qualities of an artist. This body, mind and ego create eccentric behaviour and mental health issues too. If artists realise that they are the Divine Soul, they can blend their creativity with spirituality and reach a combination that would give them peace, just as it would give them success.
You have quoted a lot of books written by you, can you name your favourite and why?
I have written over 65 books. I like all of them and don't have any particular favourite book. My books are based on various subjects in Spirituality - Life, Death, Karma, Rebirth, Soul, Happiness, and Peace, amongst others. How can there be a favourite book of mine? My favourite topic is life and each of my books relates to a different aspect of life – What is life all about? Why did we come to earth? Why did we have this human birth? What is the purpose of our life? You will find the answers to all these questions in my books.
'Detached Attachment' - Can you elaborate more? How do we practice it?
When I spoke to Malaika, she was very much interested in a particular book called ‘The 10 Commandments of Detached Attachment'. In this book, I state 10 commandments to follow, if we want to live a life of detachment. The 10 commandments are as follows:
1. Thou Shall Be Free
2. Thou Shall Be Happy
3. Thou Shall Love All
4. Thou Shall Not Have Expectations
5. Thou Shall Not Lose Peace Of Mind
6. Thou Shall Accept And Surrender
7. Thou Shall Not Be Miserable
8. Thou Shall Overcome Ignorance
9. Thou Shall Live With Purpose
10. Thou Shall Live As The Divine Soul
If we follow these 10 commandments sincerely, we may look attached from the outside but deep inside, we would be detached.
What is that one life mantra or message you would like to give to independent and successful women like Malaika? Also, those who may be out of the limelight but aspire for their own identity?
The one life mantra is –
'Success is not Happiness; Happiness is Success.'
Don't continue the race to be an ace,
Because this chase will get you caught in a maze,
And you will never live with grace.
SMILE and SOUL are two words that according to you are integral to human lives. Can you explain how these help in seeking true happiness?
The word or the acronym, ‘SMILE’ is what happens when you smile at somebody. When you smile, you -
S - Spread Sunshine
M - Make Others Happy
I - Inspire People To Rejoice
L - Lower Levels of Negativity
E - Ensure Personal Happiness
Try it! Just smile at somebody and you will find these five attributes of a smile in the word 'smile' itself.
The word SOUL also has an acronym. It is a Spark Of Unique Life. The Soul is what we are. We are not this body that will die. We are not the mind that you cannot find and ego is just a false identity created by the mind. We are the Divine Soul. We are a part of the Divine, the Supreme Immortal Power that we all call, God.
Therefore, both these words SMILE and SOUL are essential and an integral part of our happiness. Without a smile, one cannot be happy and the Soul leads you to Consciousness. In Consciousness, one attains SatChitAnanda - Eternal Bliss in Truth Consciousness.
Can you share one line for readers to stay happy?
Don't try to become happy. Just be happy!
You can be happy, in 'Today',
Be happy, in the 'Now'!
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