The history of the Oneness Deeksha phenomenon goes back to 1984 when Sri AmmaBhagavan started a school in South India. The school was called ‘Jeevashram’ (meaning ‘where life is lived without stress’). It was a boarding school for children from the first to the tenth grade. At the most there were 180 students living in the school. Every day there were also about 200 children from villages around who were allowed to study for free since they could not pay for their education. Children from all religious backgrounds, Muslims, Hindus, Christians etc., were welcome. The school had no particular religious or spiritual motives except that the founders of the school, Sri AmmaBhagavan, carried a grand vision that sprung from an awareness of the true nature of man.
They envisioned a world wherein conflicts and suffering no longer exist, where every individual is naturally a global citizen, concerned with all of life and lived in peace, happiness and harmony. This noble vision constituted the founding principle of the Jeevashram School wherein children were brought up in an atmosphere of love and joy and where inner fulfillment and happiness were placed ahead of material achievements and success.
The school also focused on helping each child to discover what he or she had a passion for, with special emphasis on how they could relate to life and to each other. Spirituality was not a subject in this school, but Sri Bhagavan put up large boards across the campus that brought forth his profound vision of ‘liberation for all’ through some of his teachings like:
Your thoughts are not your thoughts
Your mind is not your mind
Your body is not your body
The self is only a concept
While the profundity of all these teachings and the connections it bore with the grand vision of their beloved ‘Director Sir’ and ‘Madam’ (as Sri Bhagavan & Sri Amma were referred to then) held not much relevance for the children, they felt incredibly loved, seen and completely accepted by Sri AmmaBhagavan and never missed even the smallest opportunity to be in their physical presence. Sri AmmaBhagavan’s selfless compassion and care made them conscious of even the slightest signs of comparison sparking within the children, and they took immediate steps to help the child overcome such emotional hurdles and feel accepted. The school was one that valued every single child’s life rather than its own academic ambitions. Children were encouraged to participate in sessions called ‘samalochana’ (‘thinking together’ in Sanskrit) and to contribute their ideas and suggestions to run the school as well as to solve problems that might have come up. Spirituality was not seen as meditation or prayer, but more as the art of relating to another without any sense of hurt, guilt, or deceptive images. In this complete absence of fear and comparison, an immense flowering of intelligence had occurred in the children and the school made news for being the only school in the entire province that had no failures in the state-level examinations that were held in the 10th grade. Many of the Jeevashram students today pursue highly successful careers and also live fulfilled lives for this was the holistic education that was offered to them. Although the vision behind founding of the school was obviously much greater than merely imparting education, Sri AmmaBhagavan patiently waited for it to be naturally revealed.
The year 1989 heralded the beginning of an immensely great spiritual phenomenon amidst the humble settings of this school, the phenomenon of Deeksha or the Oneness Blessing. The very same Golden Ball of divine grace descended into many students. This divine descent unleashed a phenomenon of divine grace and inner transformation in the students that was incomparable with any other spiritual phenomenon of our times. Many students and parents were swept by this wave of grace and the whole school had suddenly transformed into a heaven on earth, with so many children experiencing a variety of states of consciousness accessible only to the great yogis and saints of yore.The spiritual aura in and around the school premises was so intense that even passers-by used to experience a very ‘dense’ silence even as they walked near the school walls, and some used to even get physically dysfunctional, with their body movements slowing down and sensory experiences being heightened under the impact of the immense divine grace that poured out of the school premises. In almost all these experiences, the students experienced the descent of this bright golden ball and aptly named it as the ‘Golden Ball of Divine Grace’. Further, as they communed with this Golden Ball in their hearts, it revealed to them that it was issuing forth from the consciousness of Sri AmmaBhagavan and even chanted back the same mantra that Sri Bhagavan had chanted in his childhood. Thus, through a direct experience, the children discovered that this was indeed the very same Golden Ball that had appeared to Sri Bhagavan when he was just 3 years old and into which he had impregnated his divine consciousness.
The children also had amazing mystical journeys in space and in time and some even started visiting their families astrally. They would even report to their parents over phone or in person as to what was happening at home the other day when they had ‘visited’, and the parents were left dumbfounded! There was a very deep transformation that had occurred in their consciousness and many of the parents were deeply fascinated and yearned for the same kind of experiences. To this effect, the first spiritual course for the parents of the children was held in April 1990.There were however a few parents that were displeased with this spiritual phenomenon in the school and expressed that they had not sent their children to become saints and sages but successful doctors, computer professionals, engineers etc. By then, Sri AmmaBhagavan too began to feel that this phenomenon, if left to work uncontrolled on people without sufficient preparation, would not result in the smooth transition and the collective Awakening they envisioned. Hence, they withdrew the phenomenon only to release it in a more prepared way whereby people would be ready enough to experience such a massive descent of divine grace. It is their divine intent that constitutes the basis of the Oneness programs, wherein people are prepared through a series of spiritual practices, teachings and ancient rituals to receive the immensely beneficial effects of the Deeksha phenomenon.
The school had now fulfilled its purpose. Sri AmmaBhagavan realized that it was time to really start the work they had been preparing for all their life, namely to help humanity awaken to Oneness. In the year 1994, the last of the students graduated from the original, academic form of the school. The school was now renamed ‘Satyaloka’ (the ‘abode of truth’) and became the first spiritual center of the Oneness Movement with courses being offered to raise the levels of human consciousness. The numbers of thirsting seekers that thronged the school campus soon outgrew its capacity and subsequently two other spiritual centers were established in Somangalam and in Nemam not far from the city of Chennai. While the spiritual centre in Somangalam actively functioned for a very short period of time, Nemam continues to be one that is thronged by large numbers of Indian people every day. The programs offered at Nemam cater more to the Indian masses and take the route of awakening people to divine grace through ancient Vedic rituals.
While a few followers from other parts of the world had visited India earlier to participate in Oneness retreats, the first official inauguration of the Oneness Movement outside India happened in 1996. In the years that flowed by, Oneness flourished across other continents and countries basically through direct personal experience and word-of-mouth, with ever more people being drawn to Sri AmmaBhagavan’s vision of Oneness in the year 2012. Today, Oneness has reached out to more than 300 million people from across the world, with more than 60,000 active Oneness Deeksha Givers in India and abroad growing in numbers every single day, that work tirelessly to bring this phenomenon of Oneness to their fellow human beings. After Sri AmmaBhagavan had chosen to withdraw the Deeksha phenomenon in 1989, it remained a highly esoteric phenomenon for almost 14 years until August 17, 2003, when Sri AmmaBhagavan once again opened the floodgates of this divine phenomenon for the whole world. In a very massive public gathering at Nemam, in the physical presence of Sri AmmaBhagavan, more than a 100,000 people received the Oneness Blessings or Deekshas and experienced amazing transformation and various states of consciousness.
Ever since, the Deekshas have become the most important element of the Oneness programs, and Sri AmmaBhagavan’s divine intent or ‘sankalpa’ has made it possible for many thousands to be initiated as Oneness Deeksha Givers worldwide. Upon being formally initiated as Deeksha Giver, one’s consciousness is attuned to Sri AmmaBhagavan’s divine consciousness, thereby facilitating the descent of the Golden Ball of Divine Grace into every person that receives Oneness Deeksha from them. The Oneness Deeksha is a major leap in humanity’s spiritual journey, for it directly affects the neurobiology of the brain and results in a direct experience of Consciousness. Since the phenomenon is primarily experiential in nature, throughout its unfolding it has thoroughly been embracing every faith, belief system or spiritual tradition. Hence, people of practically every national, cultural or religious background feel an immediate sense of comfort since the Oneness Deeksha only awakens them to their own truths, their personal Divinity and their own sacred Self. Even scientists and political leaders are fascinated with this phenomenon that transcends belief and lands you straight in an experience of Reality. The Oneness Deeksha is very popular even among highly academic circles for its immensely empirical and dogma-free nature.
They envisioned a world wherein conflicts and suffering no longer exist, where every individual is naturally a global citizen, concerned with all of life and lived in peace, happiness and harmony. This noble vision constituted the founding principle of the Jeevashram School wherein children were brought up in an atmosphere of love and joy and where inner fulfillment and happiness were placed ahead of material achievements and success.
The school also focused on helping each child to discover what he or she had a passion for, with special emphasis on how they could relate to life and to each other. Spirituality was not a subject in this school, but Sri Bhagavan put up large boards across the campus that brought forth his profound vision of ‘liberation for all’ through some of his teachings like:
Your thoughts are not your thoughts
Your mind is not your mind
Your body is not your body
The self is only a concept
While the profundity of all these teachings and the connections it bore with the grand vision of their beloved ‘Director Sir’ and ‘Madam’ (as Sri Bhagavan & Sri Amma were referred to then) held not much relevance for the children, they felt incredibly loved, seen and completely accepted by Sri AmmaBhagavan and never missed even the smallest opportunity to be in their physical presence. Sri AmmaBhagavan’s selfless compassion and care made them conscious of even the slightest signs of comparison sparking within the children, and they took immediate steps to help the child overcome such emotional hurdles and feel accepted. The school was one that valued every single child’s life rather than its own academic ambitions. Children were encouraged to participate in sessions called ‘samalochana’ (‘thinking together’ in Sanskrit) and to contribute their ideas and suggestions to run the school as well as to solve problems that might have come up. Spirituality was not seen as meditation or prayer, but more as the art of relating to another without any sense of hurt, guilt, or deceptive images. In this complete absence of fear and comparison, an immense flowering of intelligence had occurred in the children and the school made news for being the only school in the entire province that had no failures in the state-level examinations that were held in the 10th grade. Many of the Jeevashram students today pursue highly successful careers and also live fulfilled lives for this was the holistic education that was offered to them. Although the vision behind founding of the school was obviously much greater than merely imparting education, Sri AmmaBhagavan patiently waited for it to be naturally revealed.
The year 1989 heralded the beginning of an immensely great spiritual phenomenon amidst the humble settings of this school, the phenomenon of Deeksha or the Oneness Blessing. The very same Golden Ball of divine grace descended into many students. This divine descent unleashed a phenomenon of divine grace and inner transformation in the students that was incomparable with any other spiritual phenomenon of our times. Many students and parents were swept by this wave of grace and the whole school had suddenly transformed into a heaven on earth, with so many children experiencing a variety of states of consciousness accessible only to the great yogis and saints of yore.The spiritual aura in and around the school premises was so intense that even passers-by used to experience a very ‘dense’ silence even as they walked near the school walls, and some used to even get physically dysfunctional, with their body movements slowing down and sensory experiences being heightened under the impact of the immense divine grace that poured out of the school premises. In almost all these experiences, the students experienced the descent of this bright golden ball and aptly named it as the ‘Golden Ball of Divine Grace’. Further, as they communed with this Golden Ball in their hearts, it revealed to them that it was issuing forth from the consciousness of Sri AmmaBhagavan and even chanted back the same mantra that Sri Bhagavan had chanted in his childhood. Thus, through a direct experience, the children discovered that this was indeed the very same Golden Ball that had appeared to Sri Bhagavan when he was just 3 years old and into which he had impregnated his divine consciousness.
The children also had amazing mystical journeys in space and in time and some even started visiting their families astrally. They would even report to their parents over phone or in person as to what was happening at home the other day when they had ‘visited’, and the parents were left dumbfounded! There was a very deep transformation that had occurred in their consciousness and many of the parents were deeply fascinated and yearned for the same kind of experiences. To this effect, the first spiritual course for the parents of the children was held in April 1990.There were however a few parents that were displeased with this spiritual phenomenon in the school and expressed that they had not sent their children to become saints and sages but successful doctors, computer professionals, engineers etc. By then, Sri AmmaBhagavan too began to feel that this phenomenon, if left to work uncontrolled on people without sufficient preparation, would not result in the smooth transition and the collective Awakening they envisioned. Hence, they withdrew the phenomenon only to release it in a more prepared way whereby people would be ready enough to experience such a massive descent of divine grace. It is their divine intent that constitutes the basis of the Oneness programs, wherein people are prepared through a series of spiritual practices, teachings and ancient rituals to receive the immensely beneficial effects of the Deeksha phenomenon.
The school had now fulfilled its purpose. Sri AmmaBhagavan realized that it was time to really start the work they had been preparing for all their life, namely to help humanity awaken to Oneness. In the year 1994, the last of the students graduated from the original, academic form of the school. The school was now renamed ‘Satyaloka’ (the ‘abode of truth’) and became the first spiritual center of the Oneness Movement with courses being offered to raise the levels of human consciousness. The numbers of thirsting seekers that thronged the school campus soon outgrew its capacity and subsequently two other spiritual centers were established in Somangalam and in Nemam not far from the city of Chennai. While the spiritual centre in Somangalam actively functioned for a very short period of time, Nemam continues to be one that is thronged by large numbers of Indian people every day. The programs offered at Nemam cater more to the Indian masses and take the route of awakening people to divine grace through ancient Vedic rituals.
While a few followers from other parts of the world had visited India earlier to participate in Oneness retreats, the first official inauguration of the Oneness Movement outside India happened in 1996. In the years that flowed by, Oneness flourished across other continents and countries basically through direct personal experience and word-of-mouth, with ever more people being drawn to Sri AmmaBhagavan’s vision of Oneness in the year 2012. Today, Oneness has reached out to more than 300 million people from across the world, with more than 60,000 active Oneness Deeksha Givers in India and abroad growing in numbers every single day, that work tirelessly to bring this phenomenon of Oneness to their fellow human beings. After Sri AmmaBhagavan had chosen to withdraw the Deeksha phenomenon in 1989, it remained a highly esoteric phenomenon for almost 14 years until August 17, 2003, when Sri AmmaBhagavan once again opened the floodgates of this divine phenomenon for the whole world. In a very massive public gathering at Nemam, in the physical presence of Sri AmmaBhagavan, more than a 100,000 people received the Oneness Blessings or Deekshas and experienced amazing transformation and various states of consciousness.
Ever since, the Deekshas have become the most important element of the Oneness programs, and Sri AmmaBhagavan’s divine intent or ‘sankalpa’ has made it possible for many thousands to be initiated as Oneness Deeksha Givers worldwide. Upon being formally initiated as Deeksha Giver, one’s consciousness is attuned to Sri AmmaBhagavan’s divine consciousness, thereby facilitating the descent of the Golden Ball of Divine Grace into every person that receives Oneness Deeksha from them. The Oneness Deeksha is a major leap in humanity’s spiritual journey, for it directly affects the neurobiology of the brain and results in a direct experience of Consciousness. Since the phenomenon is primarily experiential in nature, throughout its unfolding it has thoroughly been embracing every faith, belief system or spiritual tradition. Hence, people of practically every national, cultural or religious background feel an immediate sense of comfort since the Oneness Deeksha only awakens them to their own truths, their personal Divinity and their own sacred Self. Even scientists and political leaders are fascinated with this phenomenon that transcends belief and lands you straight in an experience of Reality. The Oneness Deeksha is very popular even among highly academic circles for its immensely empirical and dogma-free nature.
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