January/February 2011 Community Spotlight
The Art of Living
by Michael Fischman
How do you increase life energy?
According to spiritual leader and humanitarian His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, one of the best sources for prana or life energy is the breath.
Sri Sri, as he is called, is the founder of the nonprofit Art of Living Foundation and the International Association for Human Values, both volunteer-based organizations whose service programs and personal development workshops have impacted more than 25 million people around the world.
The breath is the link between the body and mind, and if used skillfully, it can be an easy way to relieve stress, improve health, quickly get over negative emotions and uplift people.
“Most illness can be handled through breathing exercises,” says Sri Sri. “Proper breathing can improve the blood circulation, neurological health, physical health and mental health, [and is] very important for energizing our system.”
The specialized breathing techniques that Sri Sri teaches are based on the yogic science of breath, which is more than 5,000 years old. His techniques include a rhythmic breathing practice called Sudarshan Kriya, which takes advantage of the discovery that every emotion has a corresponding rhythm of breath. Major corporations, schools and even the military have embraced the breathing techniques that are key features of Sri Sri’s programs.
Learn more about these breathing techniques at www.artofliving.org or attend an Art of Living workshop on Feb. 15 at New Renaissance Bookshop.
— Michael Fischman, president of the Art of Living Foundation