Ravi Shankar (spiritual leader)
Ravi Shankar (born 13 May 1956) is an Indian spiritual leader. He is frequently referred to simply as "Sri Sri" (honorific) or as Guruji or Gurudev.[6] He is a spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living Foundation created in 1981, which aims to relieve individual stress, societal problems, and violence.[7] In 1997, he established a Geneva-based charity, the International Association for Human Values, an NGO that engages in relief work and rural development and aims to foster shared global values.[8][9] For his service, he has received some of the highest awards of several countries including India, Peru, Colombia, and Paraguay. In January 2016, he was awarded the "Padma Vibhushan" by the Government of India.
Life
Ravi Shankar was born in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, to Visalakshi Ratnam and R. S. Venkat Ratnam. He was named "Ravi" (a common Indian name meaning "sun") because his birth was on a Sunday, and "Shankar" after the eighth-century Hindu saint, Adi Shankara, because it was also Shankara's birthday.[10] Ravi Shankar's first teacher was Sudhakar Chaturvedi, an Indian Vedic Scholar and a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi.[11][12] He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the St Joseph's College of Bangalore University.[13][14] After graduation, Shankar travelled with his second teacher, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi,[15] giving talks and arranging conferences on Vedic science, and setting up Transcendental Meditation and Ayurveda centres.[16][17]
In the 1980s, Shankar initiated a series of practical and experiential courses in spirituality around the globe. He says that his rhythmic breathing practice, Sudarshan Kriya, came to him in 1982, "like a poem, an inspiration," after a ten-day period of silence on the banks of the Bhadra River in Shimoga, in the state of Karnataka, adding, "I learned it and started teaching it".[18]
Shankar says that every emotion has a corresponding rhythm in the breath and that regulating the breath can help elevate the individual and help relieve personal suffering.[19]
In 1983, Shankar held the first Art of Living course in Switzerland. In 1986, he travelled to Apple Valley, California in the US to conduct the first course to be held in North America.[20][21]
Sudarshan Kriya
Sudarshan Kriya (Sanskrit: सुदर्शन क्रिया sudarśana-kriyā) is a breathing-based technique[25] that is a core component of the Art of Living courses and "the cornerstone of . . . Art of Living Foundation's trauma relief programs".[25] It involves Ujjayi breathing and bhastrika in vajrasana followed by rhythmic breathing in sukhasana.[26]
A number of medical studies on its preparatory practices have been published in international peer-reviewed journals.[27] A range of mental and physical benefits are reported in these studies, including reduced levels of stress (reduced cortisol—the "stress" hormone), improved immune system, relief from anxiety and depression (mild, moderate, and severe),[28] increased antioxidant protection, and enhanced brain function (increased mental focus, calmness and recovery from stressful stimuli), among other findings.[29]
Spirituality
Shankar teaches that spirituality is that which enhances human values such as love, compassion and enthusiasm. It is not limited to any one religion or culture. Hence it is open to all people. He feels the spiritual bond we share as part of the human family is more prominent than nationality, gender, religion, profession, or other identities that separate us.[22]
In Shankar's view, "Violence-free society, disease-free body, quiver-free breath, confusion-free mind, inhibition-free intellect, trauma-free memory, and sorrow-free soul is the birthright of every human being."[23]
According to him, science and spirituality are linked and compatible, both springing from the urge to know. The question, "Who am I?" leads to spirituality; the question, "What is this?" leads to science. Emphasizing that joy is only available in the present moment, his stated vision is to create a world free of stress and violence. His programs are said to offer practical tools to help accomplish this. He sees breath as the link between body and mind, and a tool to relax the mind, emphasising the importance of both meditation/spiritual practice and service to others. In his view, "Truth is spherical rather than linear; so it has to be contradictory
| Sri Sri Ravi Shankar | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
|---|---|
| Founder of | Art of Living Foundation, International Association for Human Values,[1] World Forum for Ethics in Business[2] |
| Personal | |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Born | Ravi Shankar 13 May 1956 Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Guru | Maharishi Mahesh Yogi[3][4] |
| Literary works | Celebrating Silence, An Intimate Note to the Sincere Seeker, God Loves Fun, Ashtavakra Gita, Patanjali Yoga Sutras, etc. |
| Honors | Sri Sri |
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