Art of Living Rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit

 Today we place a lot of emphasis on education. We all believe that knowledge is an asset – but sometimes forget, in the pursuit of ‘success’ that how to live in harmony. Sometimes education means more that book learning and university–it might mean learning how to live well… Everywhere one turns today, one faces stress. Life is hectic, frenetic, and stress saps one mentally, emotionally and physically. People are realizing that the quality of their lives is suffering in the process of accumulating wealth and material comfort. So they are turning to meditation, yoga and healing methods for peace of mind and happiness. One practice that seems to have caught on in a big way is art of Living. Sri Sri Ravishankar, a spiritual leader, founded this course. Born in Bangalore, this spiritualist presented the world with the Sudarshan Kriya technique, which forms the base of the Art of Living course. Today this concept has caught on in India and the West. Sri Sri Ravishankar advocates the message of love and peace in these increasingly troubled times. He has been quoted saying, “The only true security that can be found in this world is in the very process of giving love.” Sudarshan Kriya is a special breathing technique developed by him. It apparently activates the mind and body to release stress and tension and supposedly has an intense impact on the mind, body and spirit. From ancient times it was recognized that the breath has a powerful impact on us mentally, physically and emotionally. Sudarshan Kriya teaches a special pattern of breathing that releases stress, negative emotions and toxins. It rejuvenates and revitalizes the body, mind and spirit. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar believes strongly in the power of this technique and he says, “We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside. The breath has a great secret to offer.” Apparently, medical research has proven the valuable effects of Sudarshan Kriya. A friend of mine, who has an extremely nervous disposition and is prone to sudden, unreasonable bouts of temper, swears by the effects of the Art of Living course. She believes that it has helped to calm her down. Earlier if even the slightest thing went wrong, she would either panic or fly into a rage. Today, she is able to accept and face challenges in a much calmer fashion. My mother, who is overweight, is diabetic with a heart condition, high blood pressure and a knee problem. She went for the basic course in the Art Living, and came back feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. She claims that her leg problem improved considerably. She also believes that the course has eased a lot of tension in her life, and helped her to cope with problems in a much better way. Her health has improved drastically after taking the course. The Art of Living Course incorporates modern approaches with our ancient spiritual legacy in an attempt to help people rediscover the silent inner core of their being. Apart from Sudarshan Kriya, Hatha Yoga, meditation and breathing techniques are taught. The breathing techniques include Pranayama – breath control. Sudarshan Kriya, Ujjayi (a breathing technique that increases lung capacity) and Bhastrika, a special breath/pranayama combination that invigorates and purifies the system. They also teach a unique sequence of Hatha Yoga postures called Padma Sadhna. Their meditation practice, Sahaj Samadhi, is simple and easy to follow The Art of Living basic course teaches techniques to eliminates stress from the system and a way to cleanse the system and revitalize it. The basic course is spread over 22 hours, which could be over four evenings and a weekend. The advanced course is open to those who have already taken the basic course. This course intensifies the knowledge previously gained in the basic course. One of the important traditions it teaches, is the tradition of silence. Preserving silence is supposed to have significant effects on the system. Apart from revitalizing the body it provides deep relaxation both physically and mentally. There are corporate courses on offer too. These offer techniques to excel in the workplace. If each individual is balanced and in control of their emotions, their potential to contribute to the organisation is greatly enhanced. There are specialised courses to cater to the needs of people with special requirements. These include courses for children and teenagers called the ART Excel Programme, The Art of Living Course on Campus for college students, and even courses tailor-made for people suffering from cancer, HIV and depression. If you wish to change your life for the better and ease stress and emerge refreshed and renewed, maybe you should contact the Art of Living Foundation in your city or town. Course fees are reasonable and the proceeds are used for charity. The techniques they teach are simple and easy to put into practice and if one continues to practice regularly, the benefits are there to stay.

from THE HINDU