Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

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Ravi Shankar is a Indian spiritual master (Guru) born in 1956, in a Tamil Iyer family in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, India. He is often referred to by the self-chosen double-honorific "Sri Sri".^[1] He is considered a spiritual leader by his disciples and is the founder of the international Art of Living Foundation that aims to globalise traditional Indian wisdom in ways that are compatible with modern life. Ravi Shankar is also a driving force behind charitable organizations such as the International Association for Human Values, which conducts the 5H program.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Thought and Philosophy 1.2 Current Activities 2 Sudarshan Kriya 3 Community Development Programmes 4 Notes 5 External links

[edit] Biography

According to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's parents and biographies, at the age of four he could recite verses of the Bhagavad Gita [1]. Even at a young age, he was said to be often found in deep meditation. He is a former disciple of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. While his organization claims that he obtained an "Advanced degree in Modern Physics" by the age of 17, very little is known about his childhood, education and early career.

According to a biographical article, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ascended into enlightenment in 1982, after a 10 day retreat into silence, and emerged with the technique of Sudarshan Kriya, a rhythmic breathing exercise. ^[2] In an interview, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said that in 1982, while he was on the banks of the Tunga river in Bhadravati in Karnataka, India, "The Sudarshan Kriya. It came like a poem, an inspiration. I learnt it and I started teaching it." ^[3] He founded the Art of Living Foundation that year to spread this breathing technique. In 1997, he along with Dalai Lama and several others [2], founded the International Association for Human Values (IAHV) to "foster a deeper understanding of the values that unite a human community on a global scale".

[edit] Thought and Philosophy

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's key message is that human beings are nourished, like a banana, by the spiritual values common to all world religions and to most individual spiritual paths, which collectively constitute the "quest for truth" and the knowledge "deep within us that we are part of divinity," while the "symbols and practices" of the different religions constitute only the "banana skin." He admonishes people for having "thrown away the banana" while still holding on to the skin. "Fanatacism flourishes," he writes, "when religious concepts are put before human values." His aim is to foster a secularized, humanized, non-exclusive spirituality that will help people recognize the good in every human being and accept each other for who they are, allowing people to be nourished by "human values." [All quotations taken from "One God, One Truth, One World" by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a booklet published in 2000 by the Art of Living Foundation]

Ravi Shankar emphasizes breath as the subtle link between body and mind, and many of his techniques use the breath as a tool to relax the mind. He also places emphasis on service and volunteers are encouraged to serve others in addition to meditating. According to Ravi Shankar, science and spirituality are linked and not in conflict.

[edit] Current Activities

Every year Sri Sri Ravi Shankar travels around the globe to reinforce the message that all religions and spiritual traditions share common goals and values. His stated vision is to create a world that is free of stress and violence by globalising wisdom, and his programs aim to offer practical tools to accomplish this.

^[4]

[edit] Sudarshan Kriya

Developed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Sudarshan Kriya is the core component of the Art of Living Course. It is a cycle of breaths - long, medium and short. However, since persons taught the technique are required to sign non-disclosure agreements, not much is publicly known about the specific details [3]. Some of the starting asanas and exercises are disclosed in a newspaper article [4]. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has claimed that the method has been patented, although no records to this effect are found in US Patent and Trademark Office, or the Indian patent databases.

The Sudarshan Kriya is claimed to infuse the body with energy and harmonize the natural rhythms of the body, mind and emotions. There has been recent scientific research on the effects of Sudarshan Kriya conducted in India and in the USA^{[citation needed]} Ravi Shankar's Art of Living Foundation offers many programs centered on Sudarshan Kriya, meditation and group-dynamics. In USA, a course fee of $375.00 is charged for the basic course taught by trained volunteer teachers. [5] Often, students are charged a $125 donation to the Art of Living Foundation. The fee varies from country to country and there are discounts available for senior citizens and students. Though designated as a donation, such a fee is mandatory.^{[citation needed]} According to course teachers, sponsorships are available for people in financial distress.^{[citation needed]} The organization teaches Breath Water Sound workshops (or Nav-Chetna Shibirs) in urban slums and villages, and Prison Smart workshops in prisons. These workshops are offered free of cost.

[edit] Community Development Programmes

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has initiated - under the 5H program - several community development programmes which cover development planning as well as emergency relief support and assistance to societies ranging from the urban to tribal level [6].

[edit] Notes

1. ^ A. Salkin, Emperor of Air, Yoga Journal
2. ^ S. Verughese, Lessons in Living Life Positive
3. ^ A. Mahadevan Face to Face, Reader's Digest
4. ^ A Debate with an Islamic scholar Dr. Zakir Naik

[edit] External links

• Official website of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
• Art of Living homepage
• An interview with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
• IAHV homepage
• Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Photos
• Video interview on CNN