BANGALORE: Young leaders from eight SAARC countries sat in a classroom practising pranayama and meditation. Taking them to a 16-minute destressing session was spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar.
The venue was Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM-B) where Sri Sri attended the South Asian Peace Conference conducted by the Blue Ribbon Movement.
When the spiritual guru spoke about peace within, the enthusiastic youngsters tried out destressing methods. Sri Sri took them through the basic steps of breathing exercises and meditation.
When the session was over, it was time for a question-and-answer session with Sri Sri. The posers ranged from his belief in God, to maya and chanting. Excerpts from the session:
You have a programme called the Art of Living. What's meant by this?
We do everything for life, but fail to appreciate life. This art is appreciation of the gift that is called life.
Is it true that the lines of your hand determine one's life?
There's some road map, but it's not 100% rigid; it's felxible. Don't worry about the lines on your palm, they will keep changing.
Why is it difficult for us to accept religious differences?
If you have travelled around, you'll realize that India is a real example of communal harmony. Except for a few stray incidents, which are insignificant, it's more or less peaceful.
Is peace possible without God?
Without a belief system, peace is possible. That is what even the Buddha preached. We have to be more open, we have to take good things from everybody.
Do you believe in God?
What do you mean by God? If you say God is love, then I believe in it. If you say God is energy, then I believe in it.
What do you expect from the youth of today?
I want you to take charge of the world. I want you to get into politics, cleanse and spiritualize it, socialize business and secularize religion. Only then will the world be a better place to live in.
Why is there a conflict in the South Asian region?
I have the same question. If every country in this region gets together, the economy will boom. We have the largest number of young people. Instead of eradicating differences, we need to bind them and leverage the strength.
Read the article on THE TIMES OF INDIA.
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