Oct 21
Antoine’s Story
Antoine is a super YES!+ teacher from Montreal… He was the guy who made me fall in love with Settlers of Cataan, one of the bestest board games i have ever played and knows more about the effects of diet choices and lifestyle choices on the environment that anyone else i know, but this post is not about all that…Maybe Antoine could do a series for our blog on that some other time…
He is right now teaching a course at a place called Iqualuit near the North Pole! He sent me a beautiful mail and i just had to share it with everyone…
Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa
Hi Swamiji (Swamiji is our very own Swami Sukhchaitanya ex Delhi, now settled and looking after Art of Living in Canada)
Thank you for your amazing guidance on the phone yesterday. Everything you told me about creating a family, doing Puja, being their spiritual guide…it felt nice but I had no idea how to make it happen! It turns out I didn’t have to do anything, it just all happened effortlessly and spontaneously on its own.
Yesterday night when I returned home after Day 1 of the course, I sat with my 2 hosts Emma age 24 and Jessica age 22. Jessica is addicted to pot and Emma is an alcoholic. I told them I wanted them to become completely drug and alcohol free. Not just for the 6 days of the course but for life. I spoke to them about how drugs and alcohol was destroying their community and said: “It’s better to put liquor in the garbage than to put garbage in your body. Are you ready to throw it away?”
The analogy was too good; Jessica got up, opened the fridge, and gave me her last beer can. She said: “Here you go, I don’t want this anymore.” I asked her to bring me whatever pot she was smoking as well. She went to her room, brought a plate that had a pipe, rolling paper, and little lump of weed on it.
I turned over to Emma, the 24 year old with the 8 year old daughter. I said: “Your cousin did a brave thing. Is there a bad habit you want to surrender as well?”
She went to the kitchen under the sink and brought me 4 bottles of hard liquor. She was hugging the bottles with such attachment. She couldn’t let go of them. Then she finally gave me 3 of the 4 bottles. The last one, a bottle of Kahlua, was her favourite. She said she wanted to keep that one for her birthday party. I looked at her and said: “In that case, keep them all, it’s no use.” Before I could hand her back her 3 bottles, she had kissed her Kahlua goodbye and surrendered it to me.
I turned back to Emma and felt she was still hiding something. “You must have a bigger stash of weed somewhere?”
“No this is it.” she replied.
I lovingly told her “You can’t hide secrets from me. I’m here to take care of you!”
She went back to her room and brought back a large Ziploc bag filled with weed. She looked a little embarrassed as she was revealing her addiction.
She held on to it saying: “This is worth 250$. I can’t throw it away, I already paid for it. I’ll finish smoking this stash and then I promise I won’t buy any more after that”.
I told her “I don’t care about a measly 250$, I’ll give you 250$ if that’s want you’re concerned with. What I care about is your health and your future.”
Jessica and Emma started consulting each other in Inuktitut, their native language. They had come to a consensus: “We promise we won’t smoke it but we can’t give it to you. We rather get our money back by selling it on the streets.”
“What good is that? If you improve your health by destroying the health of others?” They had to agree, and she handed her bag of weed over to me. I put everything on the kitchen table and said I wouldn’t flush it because it had to come from them. They were both staring at their addictions with such attachment as though they were about to surrender their new born babies. Their breathing was heavy, they were trembling at the thought of having to give it up for good. Emma was holding back some tears. “It’s ok to cry, we are family here” I told her.
She got up, took the liquor and flushed it down the kitchen sink. Her attachment to the poison was so strong, she was sniffing above the sink to imbibe herself with the smell of Baileyes, Rhum and Kahlua one last time as it was going down the drain.
Jessica felt inspired by her cousin’s heroic move. She took her weed, we walked over to the toilet, and she emptied her stash and flushed it. The moment was so intense for them, they were trembling as I hugged them both.
Antoine
I was proud of them. I told Emma it was the best thing she could have done for her and her daughter. She felt some truth in that, walked over to her room and brought a whole other crate of liquor she had ordered in by ship this summer. “This is all I have left” she said as she surrendered it. “There’s 500$ worth of alcohol in here.” she said. I was really proud of her.
“But what will I do on my birthday if I’m the only sober one?” she asked. I said “This year on your birthday you will not waste yourself. Your birthday should be an occasion to grow in wisdom. You will invite Art of Living people for your birthday and you will have a nice time.” I asked her cousin if she would support her and organize an Art of Living get together for her on her birthday. She agreed as Emma started pouring her alcohol down the drain more confidently this time, three bottles at a time. She felt so relieved.
Jessica noticed her cousin’s relief and walked back to her room to bring another bag, this time filled with magic mushrooms. This was her last stash. She flushed the mushrooms down the toilet saying: “Anyway this stuff is stupid, the only reason it makes you hallucinate is because it makes your brain bleed”. She was sure of herself this time.
Jessica said: “I feel so much lighter now. This house will be drug, cigarette and alcohol free from now on.“
I told them: “I am proud of both of you. Had you sold this stuff on the streets, what kind of role model would you have been? Today you took a stand and became a leader in your community. You are now role models and can inspire others to do the same.” Emma was so touched. It felt as though she had been called a loser by many people in the past. Today someone was calling her a leader.
I warned them that the days ahead would be really hard because the temptation would come back to haunt them and they had to be strong and inspire each other to stay clean. I reassured them I would be there for them.
They really wanted to come out of it for good, but it was apparent that they were not confident they would have the strength to do it. You could tell they were going through a lot of emotions and were both quietly praying for help and strength not knowing where to find it.
So I took out a picture of Guruji, lit a candle, put an asan on the couch, sat on it, and invited them to come closer and sit with me. I told them: “Now, we will sing the most ancient prayer in the world. It brings strength, blessings, and protection to those who hear it.” Just by seeing Guruji’s picture and hearing those few words they immediately felt confident that everything would be fine. I sang the Guru Puja as they sat at my feet holding hands with their eyes closed. They had tears of gratitude. The moment was so serene; the whole atmosphere in the house had changed. Peace had dawned. They sat in silence for a long time afterwards as we meditated together.
I gave them each a blessing and sent them off to bed telling them to sleep with a blanket of grace.
When I arrived 2 days ago, the vibrations in the house were so intense; I was awake for most of the first night. But last night, everything had shifted; there was finally an atmosphere of calm and peace in the house. Guruji had done his magic once again, changing people’s lives forever!
Today there are 2 more people who walk on the planet with Guruji in their hearts.
Jai Guru Dev.
ps You can directly write to Antoine, his email id is antoine.tinawi@artofliving.ca
(14 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Tonijy!! Was just reading your email that I saw Bawa has put it on his blog! That’s extremely inspiring! Keep rocking Iqualuit (and Montreal)! JGD
OMG!!! This story is so touching that I could hardly believe it… but I still can believe it … because the experience of transformation is in here somewhere … very beautiful!!!
That was really great.
Jai Guru Dev.
Beautiful…it felt as if i was there, watching all this happen…
i guess we all should take out a moment and thank Guruji in our own ways, for being with us always…for his immense Love and grace…
love u guruji..
thanku bau fr sharing such a wonderful experience…
its very touching and inspiring.. hats off to this great knowledge we have got!! love jai gurudev
Awesome and Very Inspiring. BTW, did you get the Settlers of Catan in Bangalore? Been trying to hunt it for my kids without luck!
No, i got my copy from oz… unfortunately these superlative board games are not available in India …
Great read, truly inspiring.
Regarding Settlers, I read about it in your blog and wanted to get it. So in Fulghum fashion (remember the clock for Christmas) i brought it and presented it to my wife. Now, my wife is definitely smarter than the average bear and saw right through my charade. So now she refuses to play with me and even when we have friends over or vice versa does not join in. So i do not enjoy the game as much. Well at least hopefully i have learned my lesson.
Confess to your crime, and invite her to join up on at least one game … let her win
then she will play
Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa
That was beautiful, beautifully written and so full of grace. Rock on Anto!
Wow! very beautiful. I hadn’t seen a story of overcoming hard addictions such as drug abuse. very moving….
wow..amazing!
Amazing transformation! Wanted to do this for one of my friend.
And am doing it! JGD
Amazing Grace How Sweet the Sound
That Saved a Soul like Me
I Once Was Lost But Now I Am Found
And Grace Will Lead Me Home!!!!
thanks khurshed.
antoine’s a darling.. it’s amazing to hear of this good work…. and now i recollect from my first dsn with swami sukchaitanya talk of such problems among cold location dwellers.
it’s so sweet. i just hope more people are able to realize that even with people without such problems, there is work to be done.. it is in this part where i have unfortunately seen people give up.. it is the untouched diamond of where seva is needed and it may be it will be the last frontier after all the “big” problems are resolved.
very cool e-mail indeed……
jai gurudev.
Hey thats my story too..
]
Antoine of my story is Anjana Didi..
I am so grateful to her..
I dont know how it works but as I draw parallels, i guess only satsang works I mean company of Guruji and AOL people.. Many of my friends have done the course but they went back to meet those who had not done the course I never went back to junkie friends apart from asking them to come on course… and I those who stayed there dont want to come back.. [they call me dagebaaz (traitor) which I am proud of
So inspirational..felt as if i was der wd patricia and erika witnessing d whole episode..cud perceive Guruji’s grace throughout..wish to b similarly instrumental in transforming my and others’ lives..
Jai Gurudev.!
Amazing!! We can only hope to serve like that more and more!
Awesome.. Jai Gurudev…
this is going to be my mail to my friends who i want to introduce to aol.
the scene came alive like a movie. antonie cracked through the barriers so many times in that one conversation, it was beauty and grace and calm in one go. this is centerdness.
Jgd Bau
This post brought tears of gratitude in my eyes for the master………………..Hats off to Guruji and his messengers!
Love
Meghana
Loved every word of that post[email] Thank you bau for sharing!!
Antoine.. Great Job!!
Guruji Rocks!!!!!!!
Bau, the blog is just so alive with Guru’s Grace!!
and your posts!! 
Thank you…..
JGD!!
Soo very beautiful .. and truly inspirational. Work that really makes a difference in the world ..
Your blog is amazing ..
ps do ask Antoine to write about lifestyle and food choices that affect the environment .. would love to read that ..
Bau I am putting this mail in my blog after you say YES…. Even when I took YES!+ in Mangalore, there was this person who stopped smoking on the first day according to our rules, as I had challenged him
. Then after their first Kriya, he was so surprised that he on his own took the decision to stop smoking. Its so nice that his mother got his son back… Parents spend so much money on them and they get into such high activities and Guru’s Grace gets them back to the track. He did not want to share this on the last day. But I knew he would, because it was so overwhelming for him as well… Guruji Gratitude is so small world in this Life of Yours….
Love You Bau & Dada
love
Vini
Just give credit to Antoine
Bau the first comment had grammatical & prepositional errors…so here it is all corrected…
. Then after their first Kriya, he was so surprised that he on his own took the decision to stop smoking. Its so nice that his mother got her son back… Parents spend so much money on them and they get into such high activities and Guru’s Grace gets them back to the track. He did not want to share this on the last day. But I knew he would, because it was so overwhelming for him as well…
Bau I am putting this mail in my blog after you say YES…. Even when I took YES!+ in Mangalore, there was this person who stopped smoking on the first day according to our rules, as I had challenged him
Guruji Gratitude is so small world in this Life of Yours….
Love You Bau & Dada
love
Vini
jgd
bless all u guys for living gurujis vision. it was soo touching…n u know i cry easily…this was v. easy. i had heard that people come out of such habbits after feeling gurus grace…but this was so real…so strong that one cannot help but b touched by the event.He who has posted the event…hats off to him for handling the issue the way he did.lov u.jgd
ps. how do i mail it to my pals frm here?
mom, just copy and paste this http://bawandinesh.name/antoines-story/ into your mail and people will go directly to it to be able to read it
Jai Gurudeva!
love
khurshed
wow! Your mom commented
i had tears in my eyes while reading dis..!! it is his blessings which hv changed pplz life completely..!! its beautiful 2 c hw de’ lives of ppl r really transformed…!!! <3
GOOSEBUMPS!!!!!
Love
jai gurudev
minnie
this is just too good!
Jadugar ka jadu phir ek baar chala… JGD!
woWWWW….. lovely
Guruji’s miracles working through HIS teachers…. Deeply touched , Antoine … by your experience… So awesome… to be HIS instrument…. Liked the way you signed off : Today there are 2 more people who walk on the planet with Guruji in their hearts.
Thanks Bawa….. Jai Gurudev!
Love,
Sudha
Thank you Bawa for passing this on!
Tony, you continue to be an inspiration for me.
Next time I’m in MTL we’ll have to play a game of Settlers!
JGD
simply beautifulllll……. was so inward. Reinstated teh fact of my purpose in Life.
touching…. simply grace… inevitable tears…. Jai Guru Dev!
Dear Sir,
Tears of gratitude flows through my heart not from my eyes i am choked
This was a most most wonderful happening, I’m deeply touched…
Beautiful! But why is this filed under ‘jokes’???
Mistake click … corrected
What a lovely story! Truly amazing stuff…May God and Guruji continually give Emma and Jessica the strength to go on in such a pure fashion! Wow…A LOT MORE people in India should know of this example!!! This can easily be a 2 minute video: ‘Based on a true story’ and publicised…will be so inspiring!
Antoine..
I was crying when I was reading the story–
JGD!
Whoa!!
Toni!
What a lovely story…you are an inspiration! Thank you
love love love
Maria
You people are real fanatics. There is something called a middle way folks.
As far as me is concerned, i love to have an ocassional cognac with my 90 year old grand amma.
beautiful story!! had tears after reading this..
Jai Gurudeva
tat’s extremely beautiful…
lots of love
JGD
who wrote it?
I am quite sure that its Dinesh bhaiyya!! (oh! god I hate to call u “bhaiyya”)
Antoine himself wrote it … fairly bovious from the title no?
Recently I came across a beautiful post about getting rid of bad habits in a little known blog (run by one of our AOL devotees of course). Please go through the blogpost to assess for yourself.I think your young readers will benefit a lot from it. The linke is: http://ddash.blogspot.com/2009/11/of-habits.html. It will be nice if you could inform your readers about this may be through your next blogpost.
Thank U Mr varadraj for liking by blogpost and publicizing it. however My blog is not that little known as you might assume because statistics from google analytics say I have at least 100 visitors everyday. Of course many (as you yourself have done) who visit my blog do not leave comments on my blog. I would be happy if my article abiout habits reaches youth.
Dear Bawa. I have always been a fan of yours and I have included your blog to my blog not only on my personal blog but also on a number of blogs and websites that I run as webmaster (www.aolcbe.org). Could you please include http://ddash.blogspot.com in your blog roll? By the way my nick name is Baba.
I am still crying, and hope the two girls are happy in their new found freedom! Thank you Antoine for inspiring and enabling such change! All my love…
Simply amazing
I am new to these guru stories but it feels as if i have read them when i was in school! Would love to know more about these heroes (Emma and Jessica), wondering if they still away from the poison and living the blissful life under the in ageing blessing tree of Shri Shri!
Bawa is it possible to find?
Jai Gurudev!
A really inspiring story from Antoine. Thanks for reproducing it here and sharing it with us Bawa.