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Encyclopedia > Art of Living

The Art of Living Foundation, founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, claims to be one of the world's largest volunteer-based non-governmental organizations.[1] Image File history File links AolLogo. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ...

Contents

Stated mission

A non-denominational, educational and humanitarian non-profit organization, The Art of Living Foundation (AOLF)'s stated goal is to uplift society by strengthening the individual through programs that create a sense of belonging, restore human values, develop life to its full potential, and encourage people from all backgrounds, religions, and cultural traditions to come together in celebration and service. According to the Foundation, it has programs in more than 145 countries around the world, and offers a proprietary breathing and personal-development program. As of 2006, it is one of the 2870 organizations that are in special consultative status with UN's Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and one of the 1533 NGOs worldwide associated with the UN's Department of Public Information.[2] The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations assists the General Assembly in promoting international economic and social cooperation and development. ...


International Chapters

The Art of Living Foundation has its headquarters in Bangalore, India at Ved Vignan Manahvidyapeeth or VVM (usually referred to as the Bangalore Ashram)and claims to be active in more than 145 countries. For all financial and management purposes, many countries either have their own government registered chapters or come under a framework of a regional chapter. The Foundation's chief undertaking is to organize Art of Living courses, yoga and meditation workshops, and education and trauma relief in areas of trauma and disaster. The officers of the organization, along with most of its teachers and staff, are unpaid volunteers. All humanitarian programs, disaster relief efforts and training programs are conducted through, or in conjunction with its sister organization, the International Association for Human Values. , Bangalore (proposed to be renamed Bengaluru) (Kannada: ; pronunciation: in Kannada and in English) is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. ... The International Association for Human Values (IAHV) is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 1997 by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. ...

Art of Living Foundation, U.S.A.

The United States chapter is incorporated in California as a nonprofit educational organization. Both AOLF and IAHV are tax-exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code in the USA. According to the year tax return filed by AOLF's American chapter [3], the foundation had total revenues of $3,212,360 and expenditure of $1,883,435 in 2004. The major sources of revenue for the organization are the sale of books and course fees. The organizers and full-time course instructors are paid from the money collected as course fees. As per law, detailed financial documents are made available upon request.[4]

Vyakti Vikas Kendra, India

The Indian chapter is incorporated in Bangalore as a nonprofit educational organization. The organization is tax-exempt under section 80G of the Income Tax act. Tax exemption is also available vide section 35(i)(iii) of the Income Tax act. Every state has its own APEX body handling the information centers in various cities.

Die Kunst des Lebens, Germany

The German Chapter is located in Bad Antogast, Oppenau. The European center (usually referred to as the German Ashram) manages much of the activities throughout the most of. City gate Oppenau is a city located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ...

Other prominent chapters

Sudarshan Kriya

Main article: Sudarshan Kriya

Sudarshan Kriya is a breathing process, based on ancient breathing techniques. It was designed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in 1982, and is a core offering of many of the personal-development, stress- and trauma-relief programs taught by the AOLF. Although the foundation claims that the technique has been patented, no patent records can be found in the US or Indian patents database. Some studies on the effect of Sudarshan Kriya on stress [5], electrophysiology[6][7] and melancholia[8] have been published. An Indian newspaper, Tehelka, publicly described the technique used in Sudarshan Kriya.[9] Sudarshan Kriya is a unique rhythmical breathing process that is said to have been revealed to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar during a spell of silent meditation that he had gone into for 10 days in 1982. ... In medical terms, stress is the disruption of homeostasis through physical or psychological stimuli. ... Current Clamp is a common technique in electrophysiology. ... Melancholia (Greek μελανχολια) is a mood of non-specific depression. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...


Courses Offered

The Art of Living Foundation offers several courses based on Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's teachings and proprietary breathing and other techniques. The course fees are around $200-$400 as of 2006 (with discounts for students and senior citizens), but vary according to the specific course and the location it is offered at.


The participants are also required to sign non-disclosure agreements certifying that they will not reveal, or teach others the course content until they are trained by AOLF to do so, and accept responsibility for any benefits they may or may not derive from the course. The courses are conducted by teachers trained by AOLF. Commonly offered courses include the multi-part The Art of Living Course directed towards beginners, ART-Excel Course for children, YES! and YLTP courses for youth, courses teaching advanced and specialized meditation as well as courses for training teachers.[10]


Silver Jubilee Celebration

The Art of Living's Silver Jubilee was celebrated on 17-19 February, 2006, at the 243-acre Jakkur Airfield. Attendees from up to 100 countries participated in the celebrations.[11] Among those attending were A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of India; Ruud Lubbers, a former prime minister of the Netherlands; Otumfuo Osei Tutu II , King of Ghana; and people of different faiths and walks of life.[12] The highlight of the third day (19 Feb) , was a public mass meditation, "Maha Sudharshan Kriya".[13]


Professional Affiliations & Memberships

AOLF is an international Non-Governmental Organization in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, with accredited representatives at the United Nations in New York, Geneva, and Vienna. AOLF has also worked in formal consultation with the World Health Organization (WHO): "Development of a Global Health Policy for the 21st Century". AOLF is also affiliated with the International Association for Human Values.


AOLF is a member to the following international associations:

  • CONGO (Conference of NGO's in consultative status with ECOSOC of the United Nations), Geneva and New York
  • United Nations NGO Committees: Health, Mental Health, Committee on Aging, New York
  • United Nations NGO Values Caucus, New York and Geneva
  • International Union for Health Promotion and Education, Paris
  • NGO Forum for Health, Geneva
  • National Association of Women's Organizations, Uganda

Criticisms

Along with the popularity, the Art of Living Foundation has faced criticism as follows.


Financial Dealings

As a non-profit organization, the foundation has been criticized for its commercial nature and for charging high fees for the Art of Living courses. A non profit organization, though, is not legally prohibited from charging a fee and some non-profit organizations use fees to pay their expenses (staff, printing, hall and facility rental, etc.), while others depend upon donations. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has also cited earlier issues with non-commitment of the course participants when the courses were being offered for free.[4] Organizers say that the course fee in lieu of the fee for the basic workshop, a participant is entitled to attend "weekly follow-up" sessions anywhere in the world at no additional cost. Full time students and senior citizens are generally offered a discount and courses are regularly taught for free at several places such as prisons, slum areas and at disaster relief areas such as Iraq,[14] after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, New Orleans since Katrina, etc.


The foundation states that the money collected from courses is directed towards its "operating expenses, special service related projects, building improvements and endowments".[15] According to the 2005 tax return filed by the American chapter [3], AOLF had total revenues of $3.2 M (mainly from course fees and public support) and expenditure of $1.9M (mainly in salaries, occupancy expenses and travel) in 2004; however none of the money went towards international developmental or humanitarian programs, disaster relief, scientific/medical research or charitable activity. According to the document, the organizations sole accomplishment for the year was to "teach art of living courses".


Critics also point to the ostentatious ceremonies the Art of Living Foundation conducted to celebrate the Art of Living's Silver Jubilee, as well as the the grand Ashram the organization has built at Bangalore, India.[16] An Ashram (Pronounced aashram) in ancient India was a Hindu hermitage where sages (See Rishi) lived in peace and tranquility amidst nature. ... , Bangalore (proposed to be renamed Bengaluru) (Kannada: ; pronunciation: in Kannada and in English) is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. ...


Patenting and Non-Disclosure

The participants to any Art of Living course are required to sign the non-disclosure statement in the registration form. Critics are said to view this requirement and AOLF's claim of having patented Sudarshan Kriya as conflicting with the foundation's stated goals, though it is not clear which goals this conflicts with. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has stated that the Sudarshan Kriya had been filed for patent, "Because someone else was going to patent it. We patented it so we could teach. Otherwise, it would have become a commercial commodity in the US long ago." [17] Others critics have highlighted that similar breathing practices have existed for a long time, especially as part of Yoga in the form of Pranayama; and charged that Sudarshan Kriya is simply a new marketing term for old exercises. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has responded to such claims saying that Sudarshan Kriya is different and one has to experience it for oneself in order to appreciate it.[17] Statue of Shiva performing Yogic meditation Yoga (Devanagari: योग) is a group of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. ... Pranayama (Devanagari: प्राणायाम, prāNāyāma) is a sanskrit word that means control (yama) of the life force (prana). ...


AOLF registered "Sudarshan Kriya" as a trademark with the USPTO in 1995 and was filed for renewal in 2006, giving it exclusive rights to make commercial use of the term in the USA. [18] However there is no evidence to support Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's claim that Sudarshan Kriya was patented, either in India or the U.S.A.


Effectiveness of Sudarshan Kriya

The Art of Living volunteers have been criticized for making unsubstantiated claims about the effectiveness of Sudarshan Kriya in benefiting patients suffering from not only depression and trauma but also cancer and AIDS. Published research done at India's National Institute for Mental Health and Nueroscience indicates that Sudarshan Kriya and its related practices are as effective as medication and electroshock therapy in treating depression;[8] however this research has not yet been validated and there is no scientific research supporting wider claims for Sudarshan Kriya's benefits. Critics charge that exaggerated and pseudoscientific claims (for instance, the claim that HIV cannot survive in the oxygen rich environment produced by Sudarshan Kriya[19]) mislead patients with serious physical and mental illness and thus prove dangerous and cause harm. The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) is located in Bangalore, and is one of the Asias most reputed for hospital. ... A pseudoscience is any body of knowledge purported to be scientific or supported by science but which fails to comply with the scientific method. ... Species Human immunodeficiency virus 1 Human immunodeficiency virus 2 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS, a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections). ...


The foundation makes no official guarantee or promise of any therapeutic effects of Sudarshan Kriya, although research, personal experiences and testimonials of those benefited are highlighted.


Exaggerated claims

According to an article in Reader's Digest: This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

"There is no doubt, however, that some of its claims are exaggerated. For instance, according to an AOL brochure its “Youth Empowerment Seminar” is compulsory at 10 German universities. A random check by Reader’s Digest at five of the universities revealed that not only is the seminar not compulsory, it is not even part of the academic curriculum. It is offered as a leisure activity, alongside tennis and aerobics." [20]

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has been accused by critics of leading a personality cult, with certain followers in India and elsewhere treating him as a deity. The organization's volunteers attribute this to the ancient Indian cultural norm of referring to a spiritual guide as a guru, and the tradition of having a spiritual master. Most Art of Living programs are taught without this orientation, however, and some programs make little or no reference to the founder, although many AOFL followers greet each other with "Jai Guru Dev" (Lit. "Victory to the divine teacher"). When questioned in talks and interviews, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has occasionally expressed discomfort with his followers touching his feet [21]; however, the tradition of taking a spiritual master is an option for those who choose it and many followers show open admiration for the teacher. Critics complain of certain followers who criticize anyone who questions the organization’s teachings. Notably, many Art of Living volunteers have objected to such (rare) conduct saying that it goes against the teachings of the foundation.


Notes

  1. ^ Art of Living, Texas chapter
  2. ^ UN Department of Public Information
  3. ^ a b 2005 Tax return
  4. ^ a b We are totally transparent. Rediff (Feb 2006). Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
  5. ^ Gerbarg, P., Brown, R. (2005) Stress-reducing programs relieve trauma symptoms, perhaps by stimulating the vagus nerve. Current Psychiatry. 4 (10) 55-67.
  6. ^ Bhatia, M., Kumar, A., Kumar, N., Pandey, R.M., and Kochupillai, V. (2003). Electrophysiologic evaluation of Sudarshan Kriya: an EEG, BAER, and P300 study. Indian J. Physiol. Pharmacol, 47, 157-163.
  7. ^ Naga Venkatesha Murthy, P.J., Janakiramaiah, N., Gangadhar, B.N., Subbakrishna, D.K. (1998). P300 amplitude and antidepressant response to Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY). Journal of Affective Disorders, 50(1):45-8.
  8. ^ a b Janakiramaiah, N., Gangadhar, BN., Naga Venkatesha Murthy, P.J., Harish, M.G., Subbakrishna, D.K.,Vedamurthachar A. (2000). Antidepressant efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) in melancholia: a randomized comparison with Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and Imipramine. Journal of Affective Disorders, 57(1-3):255-9.
  9. ^ Sudarshan Kriya : How The Magic Unfolds. Tehelka (2006-03-04). Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
  10. ^ List of courses offered by AOL
  11. ^ "'Art of Living' celebrates silver jubilee", The Times of India, 2006-02-18. Retrieved on 2007-07-03. 
  12. ^ Art of Living silver jubilee celebrations. The Art of Living. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
  13. ^ Vasuki, K.G.. "Art of Living silver jubilee celebrations end in Bangalore", Yahoo India news, 2006-02-20. Retrieved on 2007-07-03. 
  14. ^ Building Peace in War-Torn Countries. U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
  15. ^ Guidestar profile
  16. ^ Ved Vignan Mahavidyapeeth
  17. ^ a b Salil Kumar (2004-01-14). The Rediff Interview - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Rediff. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
  18. ^ Sadarshan Kriya registered trademark. USPTO. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
  19. ^ AIMS presentation (PDF). The Art of Living.
  20. ^ A. Mahadevan. Face to Face. Reader's Digest. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
  21. ^ Youtube video

Rediff. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Times of India, often abbreviated as TOI, is one of Indias leading daily newspapers, owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Rediff. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO or USPTO) is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides patent and trademark protection to inventors and businesses for their inventions and corporate and product identification. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

  • Official website of Art of Living Foundation
  • Research conducted on the practices taught in the Art of Living Course
  • Official website of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
  • A review of Art of Living Course

  Results from FactBites:
 
The Art of Living by Alan Gullette (743 words)
The art of living thus involves a harmonious existence in which all aspects of one's own being are ordered and harmonized, so that one is a whole being.
Artful living, which is whole and holy, involves, we said, an inner orderliness and sensitivity to the wholeness of the universe.
The art of living also means the art of action, where action comes naturally and has little or nothing to do with the past or future, but deals only with immediate, real needs.
Review of The Art of Living Consciously (2314 words)
Living consciously is indeed not a burden, but an invaluable reward which makes possible happiness and personal achievement.
The Art of Living Consciously accomplishes what it sets out to do: it proves how and why living more consciously is at the core of one’s life force, allowing us to identify and realize our ambitions.
From the introduction to the afterword, The Art of Living Consciously is an invaluable instructional for those who wish to use their minds in order to lead a life of happiness and achievement.
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