Guruji in Australia

Here are some wonderful photos from the camera of Mr. Rick evertz Australia.
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For an interview Channel 9 Australia

Guruji walks the talk.

Guruji voting during the Lok Sabha Election.

Selvi Jayalalitha meeting Guruji

PEACE MISSION: Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar interacts with AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa in Madurai on Thursday. They discussed the Sri Lankan Issue.

India should intervene in Lanka crisis: Sri Sri

The ongoing civil war in Sri Lanka is the worst tragedy since the 1971 war with Pakistan, according to Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar. "Thousands of civilians in Sri Lanka are caught in the conflict and are on the verge of losing their mental balance," he said on Friday after returning from a three-day visit to the war-torn country.

He described the current situation: "The operation has been successful but the patient is dead."

He said over 3 lakh refugees are confined to camps, and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse plans to keep them in those camps for a long time.

"I appealed to the Sri Lankan government to send the refugees home as soon as possible. The international community, too, is apathetic to the crisis," he explained. Read More

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar asks Sri Lankan govt to take care of civilians

New Delhi (PTI): Worried over the humanitarian crisis in the conflict zones of Sri Lanka, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has appealed to the government of the island nation to take care of the civilians trapped in the war zone.

During a three-day visit to the country from April 20-22, the founder of the the Art of Living met Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and requested him to resolve the humanitarian crisis.

He also conveyed to Rajapaksa the desire of the Tamils, who are staying in camps, to return to their homes soon in Northern Sri Lanka. Read More

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The Indian government has let down Lanka Tamils, says Guruji.

CHENNAI: The Indian Government has let down Sri Lankan Tamils and so have the politicians, said Art of Living Founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.


Addressing mediapersons here on Wednesday after a three-day visit to the strife-torn island, Ravi Shankar said more than 70,000 Tamils were displaced, over 1,000 killed and 25,000 injured according to some of the displaced he met.

"We are witnessing an enormous human tragedy. People, who have done well in their professions, are as good as beggars today. There should be immediate efforts to stop the tragedy,'' he said. Read More

From the Hindu

Sri Lankan civilians 'escape' rebel stronghold - 22 Apr 09

Video Courtesy AlJazeera.

“You will soon return to your homes in peace”, Guruji tells displaced in Sri Lanka

Art of Living Founder and humanitarian His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar concluded his three-day peace mission to Sri Lanka assuring the displaced Tamils that they would return in peace to their homes very soon. “A new dawn is in the offing. Stay calm and peaceful. The Art of Living Foundation & I are right with you in your hour of need.” Sri Sri said after visiting a camp for Internally Displaced People (IDP) in Vavunia, Sri Lanka.

Sri Sri's visit gave vent to suppressed emotions and also gave a ray of hope that someone cared for them. An engineer in one of the camps said, "We will lose our mind, we are going crazy as we are here for four months." Read More

Guruji's visit to the Camp click the link

Kundapur: 'Naxals Create Impediments in Nation's Progress'

Kundapur, Apr 20: Spiritual head of Veda Vijnana Maha Peetha and Art of Living Foundation Bangalore Sri Sri Ravishankar noted that the serene and beautiful environment of the Malnad is getting polluted by naxal activities. "The youth are straying away from the mainstream, under the influence of doctrines preached by some people. Let us wish that their minds will get transformed soon," he wished.
He was addressing a religious meeting convened on the occasion of the Brahmakalashabhisheka, reconsecration of family deities, Shatachandika oblation, mass Satyanarayana puja and other religious rituals held at Kamalashile temple, Siddapur in the taluk on Sunday April 19.Read More

Gurji to visit Sri Lanka on 20th April 2009

Apr 18, Colombo: India's Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is to visit Sri Lanka on April 20, sources said.

He is expected to stay in the country for three days. During his visit, he will meet Buddhist monks and will travel to Vavuniya to oversee the Art of Living Foundation humanitarian relief work there.

He is also expected to meet Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar started the Art of Living Foundation, an international nonprofit educational and humanitarian organization, in 1981.

Sri Sri responds to Advani's letter

BANGALORE, APRIL 14, 2009: In appreciation of Advani’s letter, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has said that religious and spiritual leaders are in touch with the grass-root populace on a daily basis and it is wise to take their advice on things concerning people.Read More

Amol Shende in Iceland

The icecaps of the mystical city of Reykjavik, Iceland, melted by the warmth of the blazing glory of Amol’s musical presence. Read More

Guruji's Interview on TV9 USA

Srlikanka issue politics in India elections vote for change Guruji's interview TV9 USA

News Headlines - Video of Interview with Swami Sadyojathah

Interview with Swami Sadyojathah

The Lahore attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team was yet another reminder of the growing threat of terrorism in today's world. You could call it 'Munich Olympics attack re-visited', though in Lahore, fortunately, the Sri Lankan players escaped with just minor injuries.
Even weeks later the cricketers were still reeling from the aftermath of the attack. That's when Sri Lanka president Mahinda Rajapaksa decided summon the expertise of Art of Living teacher Swami Sadyojathah.

Sadyojathah, who is at the Art of Living International Ashram in Bangalore under the tutelage of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, conducted a four-day trauma relief programme for the cricketers.

In a detailed conversation with Chief Sports Correspondent Harish Kotian, Swami Sadyojathah talks about the programme he undertook with the players and the secret to healthy living.

Can you describe the course you put the Sri Lankan cricket team through?
The Art of Living foundation got an invitation from the Institute of Sports Medicine Sri Lanka on behalf of his Excellency the President of Sri Lanka [Mahinda Rajapaksa] to conduct the trauma relief programme for the Sri Lankan cricketers, who went to Lahore. Based on that I went there and had an eight-hour workshop spread over four days; the entire Sri Lankan team, except the two players who were in hospital, underwent the programme. They all enjoyed it; they felt it was a good break for them to move ahead.

When you met the players, did you feel that they will still in a state of shock? Were they still suffering from that trauma?
In fact, many people and the media were asking me about the trauma that they were going through. But, interestingly, in our style of Art of Living we conduct the same programme. We don't sit and just make them talk about the trauma. That is because they have spoken a lot about the trauma in the media and that was happening for nearly two weeks.

So, the four days that we spent together, I didn't ask them anything about Lahore and they didn't tell me also. It was like past is past and finished. It was about how to bring your mind to the present and move ahead. They had the belief as well and they wanted to do something as a team.
They felt this course was a good break for them. For the first time after the Lahore attack the whole team was in the same room, sitting for two hours everyday and learning the breathing techniques.

Did anyone approach you personally during the four-day course asking for help to overcome the shock?
No. We didn't have that session. They all, as a team, underwent the process. Some people did come to me, but all of them wanted to learn more about the yoga and breathing techniques.

Would you say they have got over the episode and are ready for life and returning to playing cricket?
Yes, definitely! They had already started going to the ground and practicing cricket. They believe they don't want to get stuck in the past and want to move ahead in life.

Did you meet the two cricketers, Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana, who were hospitalised after sustaining bullet injuries?
Yes, I did meet them. In fact, before the course started, the Institute of Sports Medicine wanted me to meet them, so I visited them in the hospital. Since they were not able to do the course they said they will do it as soon as they can.

Many of the cricketers have come out in the open and praised the Sudarshan Kriya breathing technique. Can you give us a brief on it?
The Sudarshan Kriya is a very beautiful breathing technique that his Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has given to this world. It is a very simple and, at the same time, very powerful breathing technique. In fact, by this breathing technique, what happens is that the toxins get released from each and every cell of the body in a short span of time. Once you learn the breathing technique in the Art of Living programme you will know how to practice it everyday just for 10-15 minutes.
So you just got to do it for say around 10 minutes of breathing in 24 hours any time of the day wherever you are as simple as that. It has a very deep profound effect on the body and mind and gives deep relaxation. So once body and mind gets totally relaxed you become more dynamic and you will be able to do much more in a short time in a more effective way.
This Sudarshan Kriya is so powerful that once they start doing it as part of their everyday follow up sessions, the past will not affect them at all.

So you mean to say breathing techniques can you help over come mental trauma?
Yes, most definitely. In our day-to-day life we are experiencing that our breath pattern and emotions are connected. For example, if you are very happy, inhalation is prominent; if you notice it is deep inhalation, like you are enjoying the fragrance of a flower. When you are sad, exhalation is prominent, like sometimes you say a deep sigh. And when you are angry you can notice fast breathing.
So it is very clear that breath pattern and our emotions are connected. But, as of now, it is one-way traffic or a one-way street, like when you have different emotions you have different breath patterns.
But you have to make it a two-way street where using different breath patterns you can handle the mind and emotions.

Will you go back again and help the Sri Lankan cricket team if needed?
In fact it came from them only that they would like to have Sudarshan Kriya as part of their recovery programme after every match. They have a recovery day after a game where they do other processes; so they want Sudarshan Kriya as a part of that and they are also keen to do follow-up sessions, whichever part of the world they are. The Art of Living is present throughout the world so it easy for them also.

Do you also follow cricket or some other sports?
Yes, if I get time I do watch.

Don't you think the Indian cricket team could also benefit using this breathing technique?
Yes; in fact everyone should do it.. The quality of your action depends on the state of your mind. If your mind is calm, centred, balanced, happy or joyful your action will be like that; but if your mind is frustrated, irritated or stressed then your action will be according to that. So the whole theme is to make the mind calm or focused, because that what everyone needs, especially the players.
I am sure the Indian cricket team will also benefit from this programme and they are most welcome if they want to do it.

The Art of Living course is meant for mental conditioning, but can it also bring relief from physical pain?
You should see the full definition of health. His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has given this definition of health in which he says you have to see health in seven dimensions that is body, breath, mind, intellect, memory, ego and self.
These are the seven layers of existence. We all know health as disease-free body, but it is not just that. It is a combination of disease-free body, quiver-free breath, confusion-free mind, inhibition-free intellect, trauma-free memory, ego that includes all, and sorrow-free soul.
So only when all these seven layers of existence are taken into account only then you can say that you are healthy. So these breathing techniques and the other programmes that we do cater to each layer of existence; it is holistic.

You have also helped tragedy-struck people in other parts of Sri Lanka, mainly during the tsunami in 2005. Can you give details on that?
Wherever our help is required, our volunteers go there. We have done work is Kosovo also after the war, then in Lebanon and Iraq. In fact, in Iraq we have local Iraqis who conduct Sudarshan Kriya programmes and we also have Iraqi Art of Living teachers.

His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has also visited Iraq twice and we trained the youth there; it is a ongoing process.
And during the tsunami, immediately after the tragedy struck, I went to Sri Lanka. The first week after the tsunami I visited Jafna. Already it was affected by war for the past 20-25 years and on top of that the tsunami happened. It was in a very bad state. That is when I took the volunteers and teachers from India and other countries to start the work there.
(Message kind courtesy Ms.Raji Swaminathan, Chennai)