Slashdot Mirror

Regards,
Shane

People today are stressed out, and need efficient tools to get back to themselves, from the ever-quickening world around them. With breathing excercises, yoga, meditation and knowledge about the Art of Living, Art of Living Foundation lead by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is one of the biggest hopes for the human race.

First you use the techniques and knowledge to become energetic, happy, relaxed, peaceful and loving. Then it will overflow and you start caring and sharing with others. We are anyways one World Family, and the most fulfilling actions we can possibly do is to do service to others.

Quotes from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Some feeling came into you, unpleasant feeling, and you said, "Should not come, it should not come!" Doing that, you are resisting it. When you resist, it persists. Just observe. See, "Oh!" Go deep into it. Dance; stand up on your feet and dance. Be intoxicated; move intoxicated.
--Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,
Fountain of Joy.

So what if somebody recognizes you: "Oh, you are a wonderful person." So what? In that person's mind that thought came and went. It is also finished. That mind has gone. Maybe they keep an attraction for you for some days, some months, so what? That also goes it also goes.
--Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,
Seva and the Art of Enthusiasm.

From the AOL website: http://www.artofliving.org/ :

In a quarter of a century, the Art of Living and its sister organization, International Association for Human Values, have touched the lives of more than 20 million people in 147 countries. Founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the international humanitarian and educational organization strives to strengthen society by strengthening communities and individuals. The Art of Living has achieved a sense of peace at the individual and societal level through seminars for stress relief, youth empowerment, workplace development and trauma relief, as well as workshops for prisoners and prison guards, drug rehabilitation programs and sustainable rural development initiatives.

In the coming years, the Art of Living will be scaling up its projects in the following areas: peace initiatives, value-based education, sustainable rural development and women's empowerment.

Peace Initiatives

The foundation will bring the Art of Living course to many more communities mired in conflict and work with them to provide peaceful solutions. The organization is also looking forward to working with militant groups in areas such as Kashmir, Beslan and Iraq by encouraging them to pursue their goals through nonviolence rather than violence.

Educational Programs

Also, Art of Living will increase the capacity of its educational programs by building more schools that impart value-based education. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar often says that the universal human values of love, compassion and sharing need to be instilled in young minds to ensure that the world is more peaceful tomorrow. The foundation envisions a peaceful future in which youth are actively engaged in society and work to help their communities' progress and develop.

Rural Development

Aside from value-based education, the foundation will scale up its economic development projects, which provide vocational training for rural youths that allow them to make a gainful living. The 5H program will continue to help strengthen local government and make local government leaders more accountable toward their constituents.

Women's Empowerment

And lastly, the foundation believes empowering women economically and socially will help build stronger families, and in turn, stronger communities. Art of Living works with women in Asia and Africa and plans to set up more women's cooperatives, as well as help facilitate the process wherein women are able empower themselves.

Sources:
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar
AOL International website:

I'm sorry for your wife. I don't know if it will cure her, but it will definately help. Art of Living courses have been successfully given to terrorists, quake victims, flood-victims and many other types of victims. Trauma-relief is a very big priority for International Association for Human Values and Art of Living Foundation. Especially since traditional medicine is not really all that successful about it.

Instead of just me talking about it, you can read more about it, and here also.

I recommend it fully. With an open mind and a genuine wish for healing and relief, I can almost guarantee that there will be much of that. A center should be close by, since it is a world-wide organisation.

There are people in this world that care, and there are ways to relieve any stress and trauma. I'm a volunteer for this organisation, and have seen much that have risen my faith in humanity despite everything else we see in the media.

I recommend you try it. You might just find out like me that there still are wonders in this world. Good luck, and best wishes to you and your wife!

What are the chances for life to live on this earth? If it were too cool, or too warm, all species would be extinct. A little closer- or farther from the sun, *poof*. A little more of this gas, or that, or different weights in the forces. This goes all through the atmosphere, ozone layer, green house effect, water-bed streams down to the tiniest organisms like bacteria, molecules, atomic-forces, quantuum states whisking in- and out of existance.. It is GRAND and then we haven't even begun to look towards the stars, bending of space-time and gravity yet!

Everything is playing a role in a big play. Intelligent design? I don't know anything about that, I just know that there is a Big Mind behind it all. I don't pretend to know how it functions or expect certain things out of it. Especially: it's not just human, so how can we expect to understand it.. Then what's the point arguing about it? Like ants arguing about the demi-god roaming around the garden making large craters.. In fact, I know NOTHING about it, but I know it's there.

Existence is a fact, but LIVING is an Art.

Life is beautiful this way!

"A human being is a part of the whole, called by us Universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest-a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty."
- Albert Einstein

If you go searching for diversity, you'll never run out of it in this universe. Likewise, if you search for unity, everything is in concerted unity. This is a mysterious place..

PLUG MODE ON

The Art of Living courses have strong scientific findings for curing depression among other illnesses. Especially the breathing technique "Sudarshan Kriya" has been studied alot in research, with positive results in independent studies.

These courses are held world-wide to fix stress and other modern-world related syndromes. We're just not living life as it's meant to - to be fun - to be a piece of art to admire, that's why our bodies develop all these sickness. To make us come back to ourselves, unless we ignore it too late.

With the medicines and food available to us now, we should be MORE healthy than ever. However, people are falling into a trap, which luckily is easy to come out of.

Well, it has helped me alot, so give it a go today.

PLUG MODE OFF

PLUG MODE ON

The Art of Living courses have strong scientific findings for curing depression among other illnesses. Especially the breathing technique "Sudarshan Kriya" has been studied alot in research, with positive results in independent studies.

These courses are held world-wide to fix stress and other modern-world related syndromes. We're just not living life as it's meant to - to be fun - to be a piece of art to admire, that's why our bodies develop all these sickness. To make us come back to ourselves, unless we ignore it too late.

With the medicines and food available to us now, we should be MORE healthy than ever. However, people are falling into a trap, which luckily is easy to come out of.

Well, it has helped me alot, so give it a go today.

PLUG MODE OFF

Sounds like you want something more out of life than the regular sheep. I can heartfully recommend Art of Living.

When you begin to see the emptiness in the world around you. You are very lucky. It's the only way out of habitual patterns and endless search for self-gratification.

In time, the emptiness will seem full of life, because space has the biggest potential and energy-level. So go into that empty feeling, instead of trying to fill it with more objects and events. It's different to what we're used, to really go into every feeling and situation 100%, so it's only for those who are bold enough. To flee from it, creates those patterns that you have started to recognize, and patterns limits our options.

It depends what you do on the net, and if it really makes you happy.

And it depends what kind of life you have outside the net, and if that world makes you happy.

For example when I join an Art of Living course for a week or two, I come back invigorated and ready to rock the world. I'd just had an extraordinary time without any computers!

Then I sit down in front of a computer, and all that energy is drained into silly bugs, and a dozens things I have to repair and fix in order to remain sane.

I can imagine if I didn't have something really worthwhile outside the net, like Art of Living, I would miss the online world, just because it's an easy way to hide from it. Obnoxious commercials all over the place doesn't help either, but a walk in the forest and mountains works wonders :-)

If all this seems meaningless, just skip it. It's not a big thing.

Reincarnation? As far as I can see, your response requires an assumption of something I simply don't believe. I am trying to show him that not all endings are good, and not all things need to end. I never said things don't change.

That's ok, it was just a way of showing that _everything_ will change sooner or later. Without spirituality it's hard to see the bigger meaning of that, e.g if you think you only have one experience - in your current body and that's it. But you are free to have your opinion, as I am to have mine, so it's okay. I'm not here to enforce any mental constructs or concepts, as these are useless by themselves anyways. When they are not experienced and truly _lived_, they are just a way to control other people.

No, I'm saying that his attitude lends itself to less than perfect relationships. He has not let himself compromise, so has accepted substandard relationships as a substitute to better ones. There is nothing perfect in this world, but his relationships will end far quicker than normal ones. While he may be unharmed through his non-compromising attitude, he will form far fewer deep and rewarding relationships, and may hurt more others through it.

This is beautiful. You didn't state that in the other posts like that, although you meant it so.

I agree with you, that without making compromises, you will tend to have shorter and more turbulent relationships. However, it is completely up to him to chose his experience. You can show him the consequences of his behaviour, but you cannot "condemn" him saying your way is "better". I get the impression you look down on him for being who he is.. Of course, you're free to do it, but do you really want to? He will certainly oppose you for looking down on him, and not really listen.

About hurting others. You cannot really hurt others, wether intentionally or unintentionally, and I doubt he sets out to do this intentionally anyways. The girls will attract to this type of personality, until they see that this is not who they want to be with. What is this "hurt" you're talking of? It's just a way of not taking resposibility for your own choices and actions, thus rendering yourself a victim. Taking full responsibility, you can never be hurt or you will see that they are always temporary. Freed from internal anxiety you are able to observe the events more objectively and do more about them.

Now why do you say the whole point of the world is to have different experiences? What philosophy is this that says the greatest good is to have a different experience?

Think beyond good and bad. This is just how the world is. I'm not stating what is "right" or "wrong" here. But obviously, it would be quite boring to have the same experiences?

In fact, your whole philosophy is foreign to me - and you aren't doing a good job of explaining it. I'm suspecting you have a strong Buddhist influence, but you are assuming way too much in your response about my underlying philosophy and assumptions. The original poster should be able to understand, I think, that compromise is necessary for forming deeper, better, relationships. Your post, however, I find confusing and foreign.

I follow truth and heart, which I've found in an organisation called Art of Living. You can check out the link in my sig. for more information if you're truly interested.

I got inspired by the other poster, since I found similar strains of thought in what he wrote. I saw that it went straight past you that he indeed have conscious and thought-provoking views on life (although a bit egocentric), so I wanted to add my thoughts on this.

My take on people are that everybody think they know it all, but most people have only pieced together some bits here and there, a few scraps that they cling on to. Sometimes you need to let go of the scraps to grasp something more. But of course, y

Having started doing yoga, breathing exercises and meditation about 2 1/2 years ago, I can't really recommend this enough. However, I do recommend ART OF LIVING and not just any program, because it is so much more than just a yoga-gym. If it becomes like a sport and only for self-gratification, then something is lacking IMHO. People will go tired of that after a while, and seek more genuine experiences elsewhere.

Many practitioners of yoga, never meditate, and vica-versa. Many who meditate, don't even know the importance of breath and breathing. And there's a whole world more: If you don't get the knowledge behind yoga, which originally comes from large volumes of scriptures from the Vedic tradition in India, you're really missing out of the whole thing. In Art of Living, the concepts are presented in very easy format, so that everybody can understand. After all, living is the simplest act we do.

In Art of Living, you learn that living is an art. As with every human activity, it only becomes art when you put conscious focus and effort on it. But we are rarely conscious about how we live, aren't we?

That's why you learn techniques, to cleanse body and mind, in order to better function as a human being. Instead of reacting to events, you can start acting what you really want to put forth in this world. Thus, yoga and meditation is not a goal in itself, but a tool to enhance life.

If this sounds interesting, you might be interested in taking contact with the nearest center at your location. Taking a course in Art of Living is a chance of a lifetime. No other course has provided such deep profound insight and genuine transformation in my honest experience!

Having started doing yoga, breathing exercises and meditation about 2 1/2 years ago, I can't really recommend this enough. However, I do recommend ART OF LIVING and not just any program, because it is so much more than just a yoga-gym. If it becomes like a sport and only for self-gratification, then something is lacking IMHO. People will go tired of that after a while, and seek more genuine experiences elsewhere.

Many practitioners of yoga, never meditate, and vica-versa. Many who meditate, don't even know the importance of breath and breathing. And there's a whole world more: If you don't get the knowledge behind yoga, which originally comes from large volumes of scriptures from the Vedic tradition in India, you're really missing out of the whole thing. In Art of Living, the concepts are presented in very easy format, so that everybody can understand. After all, living is the simplest act we do.

In Art of Living, you learn that living is an art. As with every human activity, it only becomes art when you put conscious focus and effort on it. But we are rarely conscious about how we live, aren't we?

That's why you learn techniques, to cleanse body and mind, in order to better function as a human being. Instead of reacting to events, you can start acting what you really want to put forth in this world. Thus, yoga and meditation is not a goal in itself, but a tool to enhance life.

If this sounds interesting, you might be interested in taking contact with the nearest center at your location. Taking a course in Art of Living is a chance of a lifetime. No other course has provided such deep profound insight and genuine transformation in my honest experience!

There is a beautiful course that certainly has HELPED and/or cured alot of people suffering from various mental illnesses, ranging from depression, autism, ADHD to criminality and suicidal tendencies. It is called the Art of Living course, which features a unique breathing-technique called the Sudarshan Kriya. It has been researched and tested in medical studies conducted in India, the findings proving that it actually helps people.

Follow the link in my sig if you're interested. Or click on this one to read about the Art of Living course: http://www.artofliving.org/c-basic.html

Here is a link to interesting summaries of medical research-papers:
http://www.artofliving.org/apex/research.htm

The course will also help any individual wanting help. The way we live in the world today, with stressful situations and a fast-paced lifestyle, it is a course for everybody who wants to catch up with their breath and calm down. It is simple and perfectly safe, yet very profound, effective and powerful. It is a course anybody can follow and benefit from.

Art of Living is a global international organisation. You may locate the nearest course-location to you in this link: http://www.artofliving.org/contacts.asp. Even if you have to travel a bit to reach the location, the course is definately worth it. It is a course for life, on how to live life in joy, peace and harmony.

Personally, this course has helped me tremendously and is continuing to do so (I practice the techniques taught at the course daily). I personally know many other people from every corner of the world, it has also helped them in many different ways. I will recommend it to everybody, any day.

There is a beautiful course that certainly has HELPED and/or cured alot of people suffering from various mental illnesses, ranging from depression, autism, ADHD to criminality and suicidal tendencies. It is called the Art of Living course, which features a unique breathing-technique called the Sudarshan Kriya. It has been researched and tested in medical studies conducted in India, the findings proving that it actually helps people.

Follow the link in my sig if you're interested. Or click on this one to read about the Art of Living course: http://www.artofliving.org/c-basic.html

Here is a link to interesting summaries of medical research-papers:
http://www.artofliving.org/apex/research.htm

The course will also help any individual wanting help. The way we live in the world today, with stressful situations and a fast-paced lifestyle, it is a course for everybody who wants to catch up with their breath and calm down. It is simple and perfectly safe, yet very profound, effective and powerful. It is a course anybody can follow and benefit from.

Art of Living is a global international organisation. You may locate the nearest course-location to you in this link: http://www.artofliving.org/contacts.asp. Even if you have to travel a bit to reach the location, the course is definately worth it. It is a course for life, on how to live life in joy, peace and harmony.

Personally, this course has helped me tremendously and is continuing to do so (I practice the techniques taught at the course daily). I personally know many other people from every corner of the world, it has also helped them in many different ways. I will recommend it to everybody, any day.

There is a beautiful course that certainly has HELPED and/or cured alot of people suffering from various mental illnesses, ranging from depression, autism, ADHD to criminality and suicidal tendencies. It is called the Art of Living course, which features a unique breathing-technique called the Sudarshan Kriya. It has been researched and tested in medical studies conducted in India, the findings proving that it actually helps people.

Follow the link in my sig if you're interested. Or click on this one to read about the Art of Living course: http://www.artofliving.org/c-basic.html

Here is a link to interesting summaries of medical research-papers:
http://www.artofliving.org/apex/research.htm

The course will also help any individual wanting help. The way we live in the world today, with stressful situations and a fast-paced lifestyle, it is a course for everybody who wants to catch up with their breath and calm down. It is simple and perfectly safe, yet very profound, effective and powerful. It is a course anybody can follow and benefit from.

Art of Living is a global international organisation. You may locate the nearest course-location to you in this link: http://www.artofliving.org/contacts.asp. Even if you have to travel a bit to reach the location, the course is definately worth it. It is a course for life, on how to live life in joy, peace and harmony.

Personally, this course has helped me tremendously and is continuing to do so (I practice the techniques taught at the course daily). I personally know many other people from every corner of the world, it has also helped them in many different ways. I will recommend it to everybody, any day.