Hmm... where do I start? Well, working with a wonderful team of volunteers to make this a reality, from meeting Ms. Sharmila and team at a Coffee Shop on Kildare Street, agreeing to make videos and managing social media, to meeting Swami Jyotirmayah ji and attending the Dublin Mind Body Expo at RDS on Saturday morning straight after my Bollywoond Night that very Friday night was quite an experience, lol! Though Gurudev may not be that well-known in Ireland, however, the crowd we pulled at The Helix on 17th November was nothing less than a miracle.
Who is Sri Sri Ravi Shankar?
An Indian spiritual leader admired and followed by millions all over the world. Founder at Art of Living, a volunteer-based NGO providing social support to the people founded in 1981. He later established the International Association for Human Values, a Geneva-based charity focusing on relief work and rural development with the aim to foster shared global values in 1997.
Born in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu born to father R.S. Venkat Raman, was named 'Ravi' as the day of his birth was a Sunday dedicated to the Hindu God of Sun and 'Shankar' comes from an ancient Hindu saint, as Gurudev shared his birthdate with Adi Shankar. Sri Sri after graduation from Banglore University with a Bachelor of Science travelled with his teacher, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, giving talks and arranging conferences on Vedic science, and setting up Transcendental Meditation and Ayurveda centres.
What is the Sudarshan Kriya?
In 1982, Sri Sri went into a deep transcendental silence for 10 days and this practice came to him in a poem, an inspiration on the banks of the Bhadra River in Shimoga, Karnataka. He states that he learned it and started teaching the rhythmic breathing practice to people around him. Sri Sri travelled to Switzerland in 1983 to host the first Art of Living course and then to Apple Valley, California in 1986.
Sri Sri believes 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.
Ireland Meditated on 17th November '19
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a humanitarian, teacher and peacemaker.
He founded global non-profits the Art of Living and the International Association for Human Values - two of the largest volunteer-run non-profits in the world - to help relieve stress and trauma, teach human values, and increase happiness. Scientific research on his programs has shown that they significantly decrease anxiety, stress and depression while making people feel happier and more optimistic.
He has created trauma-relief and meditation programs for at-risk youth, war veterans, prisoners and survivors of disaster and has personally played a prominent role in promoting peace in a number of conflict zones in the Middle East, India and Larin America.
16 Universities have awarded him with honorary doctorates for his peace-keeping efforts.
He has also received 37 governmental awards, he has been featured on CNN and the New York Times, contributes to The Huffington Posts and has authored more than 40 books.
UNESCO named him one of the most 'Outstanding Speakers of the Century' and Forbes ranked Sri Sri as the 5th most influential person in India.
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