SINGAPORE – There is a rhythm in nature that is seen through the changing of the seasons. Similarly, there is a rhythm in humans that helps maintain the balance of mind, body and spirit.
This inspiration for a stress-free mind was conceived by spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in 1982. After a 10-day observance of silence on the banks of the Bhadra River in Shimoga city, in the Indian state of Karnataka, he says he received the breathing technique “like a poem, an inspiration”.
In India, “Gurudev” is the nomenclature reserved for a spiritual leader of global standing.
The 67-year-old peace ambassador was in town recently for a full-day masterclass, which was part of Art of Living Foundation’s (AOLF) The Journey Within: Wisdom Series here on March 24.
AOLF is a non-profit organisation founded in Bengaluru, India, in 1981 by Gurudev, which has teaching centres in more than 180 countries. The one-day sold-out session was held at The Theatre, a 1,541-seat performance venue at the Mediacorp campus in Stars Avenue. Ticket prices ranged from $150 to $1,000.
Speaking to The Straits Times a day ahead at the Shangri-La Singapore hotel, he welcomed a steady stream of guests in a capacious Valley Wing room, clothed in a pristine white robe.
Gurudev says he is on an urgent mission to raise awareness of mental health as the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated a gathering storm over the last 10 to 12 years.
“I have seen a spike in mental health disorders during and after Covid,” he notes. “When we started in the 1980s, the word ‘wellness’ was a luxury because everyone was more concerned about working hard to build a future for themselves and their families.”
He says that, today, mental wellness is not a want, but a need. “Just take 10 to 15 minutes a day for self-care,” he suggests. “Take a break from the outside world, go for a walk in the park or put on your earbuds and listen to soothing music. Dental hygiene is important. And so, too, is mental hygiene, which helps boost your positive energy.”
At his five-hour workshop here, he taught a breath-based meditation technique based on the “Sudarshan Kriya”, which seeks to harmonise the body, mind and spirit. “Its regular practice clears all the cobwebs in the mind and gives one clarity,” he says.
With mental clarity comes the ability to rein in the mind from swinging to extremes such as aggression and depression, he adds. “On the physical level, these programmes help boost the immune system, making your body strong and healthy. On the emotional level, the disciplines help make your emotions more vibrant.”
Participant Bavani Deyvi was not aware that almost an hour had zipped by during a meditation session at the masterclass on March 24.
“I thought it was just 15 or 20 minutes,” recalls the 56-year-old assistant director of nursing at a healthcare institution. She attended the session with her husband Alpesh Pradhan, 56, a senior project manager.
She last saw Gurudev at an AOLF seaside retreat in Singapore 26 years ago, and says his “magnificent smile” and gentle demeanour left an indelible impression. “His calming presence, his soft voice and his compassion made me and my husband find inner peace instantly.”
Another participant, Ms Svetlana Rao, 40, was struck by Gurudev’s insights into life.
“He talked about complex concepts such as life purpose with such profound simplicity,” says the Russia-born Singapore permanent resident, who is a certified pilates instructor here. “We were taught at the masterclass that the purpose of life was to see how beautiful life is and how helpful we can be to everyone around us.”
The masterclass was part of AOLF’s global commitment to promote mental health wellness through evidence-based programmes. For more than four decades, the non-profit has spread the mantra of global peace through “stress-free minds and violence-free communities”.
In June 2023, Gurudev highlighted the urgency for governments to address global mental health issues at a European Parliament think-tank meeting.
“Mental health is one of the greatest challenges the world is facing today,” he said at the conference held in Belgium, referring to the World Health Organisation’s World Health Report 2022 that showed one in eight people in the world live with a mental disorder.
“Whether it is in developing or developed countries, in war or peace zones, it is an issue that affects the entire world.”
In November 2023, the results of a study published by the United States-based Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine showed that the practice of the Sudarshan Kriya yogic breathing helps in promoting a healthier lifestyle in working adults.
It was conducted by international researchers Robert A. Sloan and Divya Kanchibhotla on 531 working adults in Singapore.
In 2023, global market research and consulting firm Ipsos released the results of its World Mental Health Day survey. It found that close to half – 46 per cent – of Singaporeans place mental health as the biggest health problem facing the country today, followed by cancer (38 per cent) and stress (35 per cent).
Singapore is the eighth stop in Gurudev’s 11-country Far Eastern tour in 2024, which will see him stopping in Malaysia, as well as Jakarta and Bali in Indonesia next. This is his second workshop in Singapore – he was previously here for a two-day workshop in 2017.
In 2023, AOLF held its fourth World Culture Festival at the National Mall in Washington DC in the US, to celebrate his vision of reviving universal values for unity through love, compassion and goodwill.
More than one million people attended the three-day global yoga camp from Sept 29 to Oct 1, including former United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar.
