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You are invited to join us for the New Year Celebrations with Sri Sri via webcast.

Date: 1st Jan 2015 | Time: 12:30 AM IST

Link: www.artofliving.org/webcast

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Real Conversion is What Happens Within

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The purpose of religion is to bring enlightenment to the individual, happiness in society and to move from limited individual identity to universality and communion with the Divine. At their core, all religions have wisdom and human values which are universal. Customs and traditions were moulded by people and their way of life at the time; that is why they are diverse. In terms of their origin, all religions are expressions of divine inspiration.

The whole idea of converting from one religion to another comes from a very narrow mindset — that one is better than the other. We need to see things from a broader perspective. Just like different flowers come up and blossom in different places according to their climate, different religions arose according to the need of the time and place throughout history. Similarly, just as a flower gives its fragrance to everyone equally, the wisdom in this world, from whichever religion it may be, does not belong only to one community; it is the collective heritage of the whole of humanity. Jesus’ message, Buddha’s teaching, the knowledge of yoga and meditation are relevant and beneficial to anybody in the world.

Converting religion does not bring salvation. The notion that you will be closer to God by changing religion is baseless. You get closer to God by feeling connected, internally. Inner transformation is real conversion. If you really want to convert, convert from violence and frustration to a loving and peaceful space within. Religions of the far east — Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Shintoism, Taoism — always existed in harmony. Their main goal was uplifting consciousness and giving knowledge. Nobody told people that their way was the only way and everybody else would go to hell. In fact, people who think they hold the key to heaven create hell for everybody. Due to the cultural diversity in India, religion and regionalism has been a significant factor in politics. Luring poor people to converting by tempting them with money and other short-term benefits is an act of exploitation and is only done for ulterior political motives. However, people are realising these sinister designs.

We need to educate people to take pride in whichever religion they belong to while honouring other religions; to broaden vision and deepen roots. This can be done by introducing multicultural, multi religious elements in education. If children grow up knowing a bit about all religions, they develop a sense of respect and belongingness with them. They do not grow up to be fanatics thinking that their religion is superior and others need to be ‘liberated’ and converted.

Our foremost identity is that we belong to One Divinity; we are all part of one human family. Then come these identities of gender, nationality and in the end, religion. Conflict arises when instead of identifying with Divinity, we identify with divisions. This sense of identity with humanness should prevail among all other identities. If we are able to focus on this universality, establish this sense of Oneness, then we would have achieved something great in this century. At a time like this when religious polarisation is driving people apart, all that the world needs is love and understanding.

Source: Speaking Tree

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Ishavasya Upanishad Discourse by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

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Ishavasya Upanishad is considered to be the superior most of all Upanishads.
All the other Upanishads are said to be commentaries on the verses mentioned briefly in the Ishavasya Upanishad. It contains many hints which show an extraordinarily piercing insight to who we really are. It contains a mystical description of the Self and both, the seen and the unseen, world.

As Sri Sri gives a commentary on the timeless wisdom of Ishavasya Upanishad in the Art of Living International Center, Bangalore, we invite you to watch it LIVE or recorded from wherever you are!

Date: 17th - 19th Jan 2015 | Time: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM IST

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY!

If the timings do not suit your time zone, you can still watch the recorded webcast according to the webcast package you choose.

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Christmas Celebrations - Join us Via LIVE Webcast

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Dear Ones,

You can be part of the Christmas Celebrations with Sri Sri via LIVE Webcast.

Date: 25th December 2014 | Time: 12:30 AM IST

Link: www.artofliving.org/webcast OR via Sri Sri App for Android and iPhone!

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Sneh Milan: Live Webcast at 6 PM IST today

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Dear ones,

Join us for Sneh Milan, an interfaith congregation to boost peace and harmony amongst people of all religions, from Art of Living International Center, Bangalore via Live Webcast at 6 PM IST on the 18th of December.

Watch on www.artofliving.org/webcast

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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar speaks on UN Declaration of June 21st as World Yoga Day

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I congratulate Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the United Nation’s declaration of World Yoga Day. It is very difficult for any philosophy, religion or culture to survive without state patronage. Yoga has existed so far almost like an orphan. Now, official recognition by the UN would further spread the benefit of yoga to the entire world.

India is the land where yoga was born and we must finally take the responsibility to spread it everywhere, starting from classrooms. This will help young people to move away from gun culture and violence.

Yoga is a lifestyle and should not be mistaken for only asanas. A disease-free body, quiver-free breath, stress-free mind, inhibition-free intellect, obsession-free memory, ego that includes all, and soul which is free from sorrow are the signs of a perfect yogi. As Krishna said in the Bhagvad Gita, “Samatvam Yoga Ucyate” – equanimity in the individual is a sign of yoga.

When Art of Living programs started in the early 80s, yoga was seen as being practiced by freaks and Himalayan yogis standing upside down or on one leg. That is one of the reasons why we called our program, the Art of Living, a generic term that people could relate to across races, religions and cultures. It was Paramhansa Yogananda, and then Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who brought respectability to yoga in the West. In the last 3 decades, the Art of Living has taken yoga to 152 countries and has 26,000 yoga teachers worldwide.

Source: Sri Sri's Official Website

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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Speaks to Arianna Huffington

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Praising the government's decision to have a ministry for yoga, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar told Arianna Huffington, editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, that while India has a health ministry, traditional systems tend to get ignored in present scenario. ​Huffington interviewed Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Bangalore at his ashram on December 6, 2014. The two spoke on a range of issues, including the guru's recent visit to Iraq, conflict resolution, rebirth, the benefits of meditation and India's future prospects.

Q: The Indian people will rediscover all this tradition you teach about - I love what you said earlier about the country being like a plane ready to take off with ministers as pilot - do you see a real change?
Sri Sri: Let's hope. Already things are moving in the right direction with dynamic people with more enthusiasm. I think they will be able to do it.

Q: Is there something in the spirit of the times that is ready to accelerate the change?
Sri Sri: Yes you are right, the collective consciousness is changing, people are willing to take a step forward than being in the same routine thing; people are ready to plunge into action and that can make a difference.

Q: You have been talking about reducing stress and also about promoting peace - do you see a connection between stress and violence?
Sri Sri: Of course there is a connection. Violence happens on two occasions - one is when there is wrong indoctrination, if they think they kill someone they can go to heaven, then they do it. Second is if people feel upset, stressed or are tense, they have an inner wound or scar, then they they engage in violence.

Q: As you are engaging people in India, including young people, to do service, to give an hour to service, to improve the country, what is the response?
Sri Sri: See there is tremendous response; young people are coming in big numbers.

Q: You said that what creates depression is lack of idealism and being of service helps find balance. Is this so?
Sri Sri: Yes, service helps people. If you think only your problem is biggest problem then you get bogged down and depressed. But if you see you can be useful to many more people on the planet; that there are many more things you can do, then you engage in (constructive) activity.

Q: Even when you were in Iraq recently, you went to help people there in danger from ISIS and who are facing tremendous suffering - through meditation and service. That's very interesting as most people would not expect people in danger to be of service or meditate, isn't it?
Sri Sri: You can see that young people in those camps have started helping others in danger. Young women took to arms to protect themselves form and this is very stunning because ISIS believes one can never be killed by a woman for then, they would not go to heaven. When women yazidis and others took to guns then ISIS people ran away. We could help many women there who went through tremendous trauma because when they are in trauma meditation helps them come out of it and puts their life back on track rather than getting depressed and feeling the trauma always.

Q: How does meditation help one do that?
Sri Sri: This I don't know, but I know it does!

Q: You are also a scientist; you studied physics and now more scientific evidence is emerging of this connect between practicing meditation and staying calm.
Sri Sri: I leave it to scientists to do the research. Many scientists have said that meditation helps. I see this on a day-to-day basis; thousands of people come here (Art of Living Foundation, Bangalore) to meditate.

Q: And breathing and yoga, too, the way you practice it here?
Sri Sri: Yes, there are several sets of yoga practices and exercises, not one for everyone; it is designed according to age group -including for children.

Q: And therapeutic, too?
Sri Sri: Yes.

Q: You have spoken about how you came up with the breathing technique (Sudarshan Kriya) after ten days of silence and you said 'silence is the mother of creativity'. So, in this very noisy world, how can we find silence?
Sri Sri: We need silence to keep sane, so make it a priority. It is not necessary for there to be lot of silence; even three days (of silence) in six month is enough to rejuvenate your whole system and that's what happens here and in other places like in even in USA we have people in North Carolina ashram where people come for the weekend or week long retreat and they go back rejuvenated.

Q: Where does sleep fit into that?
Sri Sri: Sleep is essential because sleep gives different type of rest than meditation; both are necessary.

Q: So much of the modern world dismisses meditation as being not productive but you say it makes you more productive. How much do you sleep?
Sri Sri: I can manage with three hours of sleep. One hour is good enough for meditation but when you practice, a stage comes when meditation is with you throughout - you don't have to sit and do it but the calmness is present throughout.

Q: That's why you have the three day Art of Living course?
Sri Sri: That is the first introduction when you learn about seven aspects of our life like body, breath, mind etc and you learn better techniques to deal with stress and relationship problems. You can express yourself better. Then practitioners come for advanced meditation classes, a five day programme that is usually residential and more experiential, more about connecting with yourself, understanding your own emotions and working through them. We have another programme for expressing the potential dynamically in your social situation; that is more on how you can overcome your limitations or you can enhance your abilities.

Q: I love how you are smiling and you are teaching us to smile a lot. You say even if you don't feel like it, 'fake it and make it' and then little by little it becomes natural?
Sri Sri: I don't say fake your smile but it works when you smile in meditation, as it relaxes your muscles and the smile seeps into your system.

Q: Do you thing the new government, with its priority to revive traditions with a minister for yoga, will penetrate into villages to touch the people who are suffering?
Sri Sri: Good to have separate ministry for yoga. We used to have a health ministry; all this would come into that and in the big scenario traditional systems got lost. People never got the priority they should have got. And this is economically more viable also. If a woman in a village is suffering from anemia and there are remedies that can be made available at one-tenth of the cost with traditional medicine, then why not?

Q: That's why you have new products in your vedic school?
Sri Sri: We have a research institution, so we do come up with new products, from time to time.

Q: As you said, we cannot just hear the body we have to hear the mind, too?
Sri Sri: Yes, holistic approach is best.

Q: You have done so much in conflict resolution; is there a secret about conflict resolution that you can give us?
Sri Sri: What works is being unbiased and not having an agenda - when you go and meet people with open heart and mind and understanding, when you project that you understand them from where they come from, then you are able to build a bridge between conflicting parties.

Q: What is the hardest conflict resolution you experienced?
Sri Sri: Almost every one of them is difficult to handle. There were 23 million yazidis now reduced to one million people - their untold, unspoken suffering. they were being forced to convert, 'either you die or you convert' or 'either convert or become slaves'. You know about all this. It is painful to see that problem. And also in Sri Lanka when I was involved; that was tough, too.

Q: How do you deal personally with suffering?
Sri Sri: We have so many good volunteers

Q: How do you deal with absorbing the pain and suffering you see personally?
Sri Sri: In myself? No, it does not affect me at one level. I am not insensitive but I don't get affected or drawn into it.

Q: Is it because you cannot see those people or understand?
Sri Sri: Two things - seeing it from a broader perspective that there is a power in control of the whole world and something happening and another level this situation is there to show your compassion, your love, and your caring and so you should act on that.

Q: You talked a lot about death also and how death can help us find perspective on life. I am Greek and Socrates used to say said practice death daily and integrate it into your life (not in a morbid sense). What can we learn from bringing death into our lives, talking about it?
Sri Sri: The awareness that we are all going to die one day suddenly opens up a different aspect of our consciousness that there is something in you that will never die. You don't die. At the same time make life more vibrant and there is more presence remembering that one day you are going to die, you will not bicker over small things; mind will move away from negative impressions like anger, jealousy, hate and greed. You will see this is all so insignificant and nothing affects you then. Nothing, no event can make a dent in your consciousness. That's why love, knowledge of death and meditation are all synonymous; all have similarity, connection. Knowledge of death, not death itself;am last person to condone suicide am totally against suicidal tendencies, because you are hankering after some desire and your inability to cope with life you want to commit suicide - this is wrong. You need to understand death as inevitable in life and it will come at that time when it has to come and it only gives a larger dimension to your life.

Q: Was there a moment that you became sure that you are not going to die?
Sri Sri: We all are not going to die; that something will survive the body - soul, consciousness - I never doubted that.

Q: Since you were four years old when you recited the Bhagwad Gita?
Sri Sri: Yes, I know I have come here before.

Q: Is this your last life?
Sri Sri: If I want to come back, I can come back!

Source: TOI

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Secrets of Happiness

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Join in the Live webcast as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar reveals the 'Secrets of Happiness'!

Date: 4 Dec. 2014 | Time: 7 PM IST onwards

Link: www.artofliving.org/webcast

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Independent Body Should Check Deras and Ashrams: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

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As an increasing number of so-called spiritual leaders are found to be mired in murky controversies – the latest being the arrest of Rampal of Haryana, the common man’s faith in their claims of godliness has hit a new low. Senior reporter Jyotsna Jalali caught up with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of Art of Living, at Panchkula on Thursday, to elicit his views on the mushrooming of self-styled godmen and its impact on the spiritual movement. Excerpts:

Why do we need spiritual leaders in this age of education and rationality?
Spirituality keeps people healthy and sane. People need to have faith in themselves and in a superior power. Spiritual leaders help in guiding people.

People’s faith in spiritual leaders is getting eroded as so many self-appointed godmen have been exposed as crooks?
In this country, any Tom, Dick and Harry can become a politician or declare himself/herself as a spiritual leader without any proper education, common sense, work-experience and training. We need training for both these categories.

Is there a need for an authority or a regulator to check individuals/organisations claiming to be spiritual? Should the government intervene?
We need to have an independent council of spiritual leaders, rationalists and intellectuals to keep a check on ashrams and deras. The council should be independent and absolutely without government interference. If the government is involved, it would try to use these spiritual organisations for their own political needs. There should be an independent body to look into all FIRs registered against ashrams in the country.

But, governments and politicians court godmen of all shades as their followers form a votebank?
You should ask the government, but there are such people in every field. We should not be painting everyone with the same brush. If you find one rotten apple, you can’t say all are rotten or that you will stop eating apples.

Why did you attempt to persuade Rampal to surrender when his followers were violently clashing with the police?
No one is above the law. None at all. He (Rampal) should have definitely followed the law. No one asked me to persuade Rampal to surrender, but I did it on my own. When I learnt what he was doing and was creating his own army, I thought of putting some sense into him. I tried calling him up, but he didn’t respond to my calls.

Should spiritual leaders be possessing firearms and ammunitions in their deras?
Spiritual leaders need no such stuff. We are not a failed society and state, where people have to fend for their own safety. We have a vibrant democracy and don’t need to be afraid of anything. A person who keeps firearms fears an attack on his person. True spiritual leaders have no such fear.

Why only India has so many spiritual leaders? What will be your message to them?
India is the democracy of spirituality. That’s why we have so many saints. For the spiritual leaders who are doing good work, I have no message and nothing will get into the head of those who do not do good.

Source: Hindustan Times

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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Meets Iraqi Religious Leaders Over ISIL Insurgency

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Deeply perturbed by the ethnic violence in Iraq, Indian spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has met senior Iraqi religious leaders in the US and said that dialogue is the only way to establish long-term peace in the war-torn country.

At the 'Art of Living Retreat' at the scenic Blue Ridge Mountain in North Carolina, Ravi Shankar met two Iraqi Shia leaders.

He has plans to hold talks with Iraqi Sunni leaders too, initially through Skype and will travel to Europe next week to continue the dialogue process as part of his effort to impress upon Iraqi religious leaders to convince their followers against violence to achieve their goal.

"The way the killings are happening there (in Iraq), we are trying to push for the last chance... If there is any chance to bring them (Iraqi religious leaders) to negotiating table and have a dialogue," Ravi Shankar said.

"Keeping that in mind, we are making all our effort to make a dialogue between the warring factions," Ravi Shankar said after the initial round of talks with Iraqi religious leaders at Bonn city of North Carolina.

"Religious leaders have a big role to play here. They can give orders to their followers to stop violence. Peace can't just happen only with the politician. It has to come from the ground level. The trust needs to be rebuild upon and the religious leaders should come together," the Indian spiritual leader said, adding that he has also spoken to Indian Muslim religious leaders in this regard.

"Start the dialogue and put an end to the ongoing violence," he said with Iraqi religious leaders standing by his side at the Art of Living Retreat.

Participating in the peace dialogue, Sayyed Mohammed Al Attar, a Shia leader, said that Shias of Iraq want peace and live in harmony with the Shunnis in the country and sought the help of Ravi Shankar in brining all the religious leaders of the country on a table for a peace dialogue. "This is a great peace mission (by Shankar)," he said.

The Bonne dialogue was also attended by Sheikh Mustafa Akhnoud of the Imam Ali Centre in Virginia.

Al-Attar said that the Sunnis in Iraq have adequate representation in the government and the political set up.

But they want full control over power, which they can get only through democratic means and not through violence and ethnic cleansing, which is currently being attempted by the leaders of the Islamic militants.

"It (situation in the country) would be worse, if they (religious leaders) do not start the dialogue," Al-Attar said.

"The situation could be even worse without a dialogue. It is high time to initiate dialogue. So we being very neutral between both the parties, I thought we could play a role and god willing hope to get some success," said Ravi Shankar.

The Art of Living Foundation has quite a few centres in Iraq with about a hundred of its teachers working inside the country.

Source: First Post

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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Spiritual Leader and Activist, Travels to Iraq to Promote Yazidi Rights

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What can meditation do to help a war-torn nation heal?

This is a question spiritual teacher Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has been asking for decades and one that has be a primary concern of his since war broke out in Iraq in 2003. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's spiritual community, The Art of Living Foundation, first started doing work in the country that year when volunteers traveled to Iraq to run medical camps and teach meditation classes.

That work continues today but has taken on greater immediacy in recent months as the Islamic State unleashed a rein of terror on Christians, Yazidis, women, journalists and any who came in their way.

Of particular concern to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and The Art of Living is the plight of the Yazidis in Iraq, an ethnic and religious minority with ancient roots which has been systematically persecuted by the Islamic State and by al Qaeda before them.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said in a press statement:
“This is the one of the worst genocides of the 21st century. Yazidis are an ancient community on the verge of extinction. Several members of this community visited me here in the United States and pleaded for help to rescue the people from the ISIS onslaught. Christians, Yazidis and Kurdish Shias are languishing in camps in Erbil, Duhok and Khazir. Yazidis who were a community of 23 million have now been reduced to 1 million over the years.” Reports of the Islamic State's treatment of Yazidi women have been particularly harrowing and include stories of rape and sexual slavery. To address this dire situation, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar traveled to Erbil, Iraq on Nov. 19-21 to host a conference on Thursday in conjunction with the International Association for Human Values (IAHV), which he founded in 1997, and the Kurdistan Regional Government on "Protecting Women & Bringing Peace and Stability."

Joining him to speak at the conference is Dr. Yousif Muhammed, President of the Kurdistani, Mawahib Al-Shibani, director of IAHV, Bayan Nouri, Iraqi Minister of Women, members of the Iraqi Parliament and others. During his visit Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will also meet with Yazidis in refugee camps in Lalish, where the Yazidis' principal holy site is also located.

The Art of Living, which Sri Sri Ravi Shankar founded in 1981, has worked in conjunction with the IAHV in Iraq over the years to provide support in the form of medical treatment, vocational training and distribution of water, food and other basic needs.

Beyond these efforts, though, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar aims to bring Yazidis and other oppressed peoples in Iraq the tools of mindfulness, meditation and breathing techniques, which The Art of Living's website says can have a profound effect in treating stress and trauma brought on by violence.

The organization outlines the strategy on its website:
Understanding the needs of this humanitarian crisis, Sri Sri’s Iraq peace initiative has a two-pronged mission: providing stress relief and disaster management techniques to overcome personal stress and helping people pick up their lives through service initiatives. The Art of Living has proven that individual inner peace can be a powerful tool in resolving conflicts, and is spreading the message of peace and non-violence to Iraqis, through its specially tailored programs.

Source: Huffington Post

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Spiritual Leader and Peace Ambassador, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to Visit Relief Camps in Kurdistan

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Global humanitarian and spiritual leader, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today called on governments of Europe, America and India to save the thousands of Yazidis trapped in the Sinjar Mountains in Iraq. Sri Sri will be visiting the relief camps next month where IAHV will also hold a conference in the Kurdish capital of Erbil on November 20th titled "Protecting Women and Bringing Stability and Peace" inviting regional political and religious leaders, youth leaders, community activists, peace builders and international delegates.

Since the early stages of the ISIS insurgence in Iraq, over 1.5 million Iraqis have been internally displaced or forced to flee across borders for their safety. The International Association for Human Values (IAHV) and its partner organization Art of Living Foundation which have carried out work in Iraq for the past 11 years have been working for the past six months to bring relief to refugees and internally displaced people (IDP). From its base in Erbil, the team has brought relief in the form of food, water and hygiene products to 5 different camps, each camp sheltering 550 Iraqi families, totaling about 2500 families.

"This is one of the worst genocides of the 21st century. Yazidis are an ancient community on the verge of extinction. Several members of this community visited me here in the U.S last week and pleaded for help to rescue the people from the ISIS onslaught. Christians, Yazidis and Kurdish Shias are languishing in camps in Erbil, Duhok and Khazir. Yazidis who were a community of 23 million have now been reduced to one million over the years," Sri Sri said.

Throwing light on the condition in the strife-torn land, he added, "Thousands are trapped in the mountains with no food or water. 7000 Yazidi girls and women, aged between 9-35 years, have been taken captive by the ISIS. We have rescued and rehabilitated a 15-year-old girl victim of gang-rape and are rescuing many other women trapped and being sold by ISIS for as little as $10. Basic needs are being distributed in the camps." Additionally, some Kurdish Members of Parliament who participated in IAHV's Transformational Leadership for Excellence (TLEX) training last June also came to visit the camps, meeting refugees, assessing their needs and distributing relief items.

IAHV is currently in discussions with the Ministry of Youth to launch a youth Peace Ambassadors program, giving them skills in peace-building and conflict resolution.

IAHV is a non-profit founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar as a global platform for humanitarian initiatives that solves problems by uplifting human values.

Source: Market Wired

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Help Yezidis from extinction: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

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Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Tuesday urged the governments of Europe, the US and India to save the thousands of Yazidis trapped in the Sinjar mountains in Iraq.

"This is the one of the worst genocides of the 21st century," Ravi Shankar said in a statement here.

"Yazidis are an ancient community on the verge of extinction. Several members of this community visited me in the US and pleaded for help to rescuing them from the ISIS onslaught.

"Christians, Yazidis and Kurdish Shias are languishing in camps in Erbil, Duhok and Khazir. Yazidis who were a community of 23 million have now been reduced to one million over the years," he said.

"Thousands are trapped in the mountains with no food or water. About 7,000 Yazidi girls, aged between 9 and 35 years, have been taken captive by the ISIS.

"We have rescued and rehabilitated a 15-year-old girl victim of gang rape and we are rescuing many other women who are trapped and are being sold by ISIS for as little as $10."

Urging Kurdish and Arabic people to help Yezidis, Ravi Shankar said: "I have planned to visit these relief camps soon."

Since the early stages of the ISIS insurgence in Iraq, over 1.5 million Iraqis have been internally displaced or forced to flee across the borders for their safety.

Source: Business Standard

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Diwali Celebrations 2014 - Photo Gallery

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Dear one,

Spellbinding pictures of Diwali Celebrations 2014 has been uploaded exclusively for you on Art of Living Universe Website.

Click Here to view them now!

Share with all!

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Inner Truth: Middle Path of Mistakes

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Mistakes do happen. But what we often do is go on repenting, 'Oh! I made such a mistake', and feel guilty. Or we pretend as though the mistake has not happened, and then strive to prove that it is not a mistake at all. Both these approaches harm a person. One is denial and the other is getting stuck in guilt and shame about the mistake; so much that you fall ill because of it. So, one should adopt the middle path between these two. When you have made a mistake, do not go on repenting over and over again about it and become miserable. At the same time, do not deny that you made a mistake. The middle path here is to realise that you have made a mistake and that you have learnt something from it. Then move on. No one commits a mistake deliberately. Mistakes simply happen because of a lack of awareness. Once awareness dawns within you, then you should simply realise that you made a mistake out of ignorance. By realising this you come out of the mistake. At the same time, pointing out someone else’s mistakes all the time and making them feel guilty about it is also not good. Then they will go on distancing themselves from you. Making others realize their mistakes without making them feel guilty is also an art. You have to do it skilfully and then pat them on their back encouragingly and say, 'Come on, move ahead. It is alright. Mistakes happen. I have forgotten it, so you also forget about it'. Do not let anyone stay stuck in guilt or continue feeling like a culprit. A person who is made to feel like a culprit all the time will only go on committing more and more wrong deeds. He will never improve his ways. So to save the mind, you have to first save it from both the culprit and victim consciousness.

Source: DNA

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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to Aid Nashville in Finding True Happiness

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Nashville will get its chance to find true happiness when international peace ambassador Sri Sri Ravi Shankar comes to speak at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center on Oct. 21 at 7 p.m.

Shankar will guide Nashville residents through a meditation event titled "Secrets to Being Truly Happy," which coincides with his foundation's Truly Happy platform.

"We are here for just 60-100 years," Shankar said in a press release. "This short span of life we spend on this planet is better spent happily and spreading happiness instead of bickering for various things, conflict, and war."

Named one of the five most powerful people in India by Forbes Magazine, Shankar travels to more than 40 countries and 200 cities a year to meet with world leaders, mediate in conflict situations and oversee initiatives in meditation, self-development, corporate leadership, youth empowerment and prisoner rehabilitation.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: www.trulyhappy.org/nashville.

Source: Tennessean

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Guru of Joy Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to visit Chicago

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His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a global humanitarian and founder of the Art of Living Foundation, will visit Chicago October 23-25, 2014. A world peace leader and a happiness expert, Sri Sri's visit marks a unique opportunity for Chicagoans to take the Art of Living Happiness Program and learn meditation to gain deep insights into managing one's mind and emotions and live a truly happy life.

Sri Sri's vision of a violence-free and stress-free society has united millions of people around the globe. This trip follows his visits from earlier this year when he launched a multi-city Stress-Free, Violence-Free campaign in the U.S. On July 12, 2014, Sri Sri unveiled the global happiness platform called Truly Happy that allows individuals to experience, track and grow happiness. Sri Sri is now coming to Chicago to empower individuals and strengthen the local community. The Happiness Program teaches practical tools to manage the mind and emotions so that an individual can live with greater purpose and fulfillment. This dynamic workshop allows one to tap vast possibilities within and discover one's unlimited power and freedom.

"An incredible leader who has transformed the lives of many, Sri Sri has offered lifestyle techniques which greatly enhance the quality of one's mind and hence the quality of one's life. This is a rare opportunity to spend time with him and experience happiness through the skillful use of the breath," said Scott Barsotti, president of the U.S. Art of Living Foundation.

Source: Broad Way World

Click Here to know more upcoming Mega Events with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar!

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Art of Living Guru to Grace the First Convocation of Sri Sri University in Odisha

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Art of Living Guru and founder of Sri Sri University, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar would grace the first convocation for the charter MBA batch of 2012-2014 of the university at the Mayfair convention centre in Odisha’s capital city on September 3.

The function would be attended by chief minister Naveen Patnaik, besides Higher Education minister Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi.

The Sri Sri University Award for Excellence will be distributed to outstanding students on the occasion.

The convocation will also feature the launch of Sri Sri University’s Master of Arts Program in Good Governance by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

The two-year masters program aims to train young leaders in political, corporate, NGO, political and administrative governance.

The program is designed to create ethical and effective leaders who wish to participate in electoral politics, become CSR (corporate social responsibility) managers in the corporate sector, promote or manage civil societies or NGOs, aspire to become civil servants or public relations managers or join the policy think tank in governments, nationally and internationally. The event will also feature the launch of the Post Graduate Program in Financial Markets, a collaborative program with the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd which offers the program only in three other premier institutes in the country.

Speaking about the significance of the convocation at a press briefing here, vice chancellor of Sri Sri University Dr KC Mishra said convocation is full of symbolism. It is a ritual which proclaims the glorious inheritance and traditions of the University. Sri Sri University is dispensing with the regalia worn at the time of convocation as it is not a tradition having spiritual and cultural bearing.

“The first convocation of the university remains most nostalgic as it goes into the annals of history,” he added.

Source: Odisha Sun Times

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Individual Peace will Pave Way for World Peace: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at Jamia

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Individual peace is the key to world peace and global harmony, said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Addressing students, faculty and staff in Jamia Millia Islamia, the spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said that whatever quality and goodness we possess should be shared with the world at large that would contribute to harmony.

"Education", he averred, "is not about acquisition of information but development of self through awareness. It an instrument to transform human beings into humans." Bemoaning the conflict around the world, particularly in Iraq, Syria and Gaza, he said that it was because we refused to accept diversity which the world offered. "The quest for homogenization is a malaise", he felt. The global society, he went on to add, was like a bouquet which had numerous flowers of various hues and scents. It was imperative for us to accept diversity and plurality of the world.

Giving a few tips in respect of meditation to students and staff, he observed that it helped to relieve stress and promote oneness with our environment. He observed that 20 minutes of meditation is equivalent to 6 hours of sleep in terms of relaxation of mind and body.

Answering questions posed by the students, he advised them to remain focused on their goals to ward off distractions offered by the world. He said that self-awareness was the key to conflict resolution.

Later, interacting with the academic officials of the university, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar extended his best wishes to Jamia Millia Islamia for its future endeavours. He showed his keenness to collaborate with the Outreach Programme, Jamia Millia Islamia through the Art of Living Foundation to take social, health-care and community services to Jamia's neighbourhood. He extended his best wishes and personal regards to Prof. Talat Ahmad, Vice- Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia who could not attend the event owing to his pre-occupation with an on-going research project in Uttarakhand.

The event was organized by the Outreach Programme, Jamia Millia Islamia and it was widely attended by the students, faculty, staff and people from the neighbourhood. The event was presided over by Mr. M.P. Sharma, officiating Dean, Faculty of Humanities & Languages, JMI.

Source: Two Circles

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Sri Sri to visit Odisha to Attend the First Convocation of Sri Sri University

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Spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to visit Odisha on September first week to attend first convocation of Sri Sri University on 3rd September at Mayfair Hotel in Bhubaneswar. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will attend the convocation as Chief Guest.

His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a renowned spiritual leader and multi-faceted humanitarian whose mission of uniting the world into a violence-free family has inspired millions of people worldwide. The icon of non-violence and universal human values, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is the founder of Sri Sri University.

Envisioned by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji, the Sri Sri University was established as a centre for world-class education so Indian students do not have to leave the country in search of what they perceive to be better opportunities.

The Sri Sri University takes pride in offering a curriculum that enriches both domain expertise and life skills. The Art of Living Programme is an integral part of the curriculum at the University. The programme equips the students with tools and techniques to handle stress as well as understand and handle their minds, without which any education is incomplete.

Thus the university offers an education that is a blend of Western innovation with the spiritual values and wisdom of the East.

The Sri Sri University today offers value-based education in specialized areas of study including management; yoga; governance; and the performing arts.

The University is located on a 185-acre campus between Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack. The campus includes the admin block, a well-equipped computer lab, a well-updated library, auditoriums, comfortable hostels, Vidya (skill training centre) and a cafeteria. The campus also includes sports and recreational facilities including a basketball court, a gymnasium and a cricket ground adjoining a jogging track. The campus is Wi-Fi enabled, with 24*7 connectivity.

The academic block of the Faculty of Management Studies, an eco-green building as per the vision of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, offers fully air-conditioned spacious class rooms with LCD projectors as well as faculty rooms, a language lab and tutorial rooms.

The computer lab has more than 150 workstations with an IT infrastructure that parallels any international university. While two of the auditoriums, with a seating capacity of 300 students each, feature state-of-the-art audio visual facilities. Apart from hosting technical events, the auditoriums are also used for the health, wellbeing and spiritual integration of students.

The university offers a rich, vibrant learning environment, in a healthy campus that is virtually smoke-free and alcohol-free.

Source: Orissa Diary

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Live Webcast - Janmashtami Celebration at Bangalore Ashram

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Join us via live webcast as we celebrate the festival of Janmashtami with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Date: 17th August 2014
Time: 8 PM IST onward

Link: www.artofliving.org/webcast

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3 More Days to Go - Bhagavad Gita LIVE + Recorded Webcast!

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"To retrieve the mind that wanders here and there and to bring it back to the Soul which is the source of all strength, Lord Krishna gives this Vibhuti (miraculous secret) to attain perfection." - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

A Commentary on the 10th Chapter of Bhagavad Gita (Vibhuti Yoga) by Sri Sri.
Date: 17th - 19th August
Timmings: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM IST | 6:00 AM - 7:30 AM GMT

Join us as we demystify this secret, book your webcast now: www.artofliving.org/bhagavad-gita

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Live Webcast - India Way Forward

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Join us for a live interaction with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar via webcast on India Way Forward.

Date: 15th August 2014
Time: 6 PM IST onward

Link: www.artofliving.org/webcast

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Israel-Palestine: The Only Way to Resolve Conflict

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The first thing needed to resolve conflict is to build trust between the two sides. But a long history of bitter war between Israel and Palestine makes this difficult. There have been talks to resolve the dispute earlier but they have not been effective due to the absence of trust. Attempts at ceasefire have not been long lasting either.

Often war rhetoric unites people in a strange way. Nationhood and religious ferocity take it beyond borders complicating a local issue and making it an international one. A conflict arises over small differences initially but when it runs into decades, it become a career for some on both sides and instead of resolving it, their intent is to keep it alive. Blinded by hatred and narrow-minded political motives, these fanatic elements, often occupying positions of influence, become numb to the suffering that their own people go through due to violence. Even in this case, liberal leaders on both sides who have made efforts to establish friendliness have come under fire by extremists from their own side. The conflict thrives on fanaticism in the garb of righteousness.

A prolonged war gives rise to generations of people who grow up without ever knowing peace, thinking of it only as a distant, impossible dream. Distressed by volatile emotions created by volatile circumstances, many of them end up joining the fight and become fuel to sustain the conflict.

Every conflict should be seen beyond its regional identity. To end the vicious cycle of violence, leaders should place humanness above religious identity, irrespective of nationhood. Dialogue based on trust is essential for peace. The door of dialogue should never be closed even if it may sometimes be hard to find solutions. In this effort, all vested interests like the arms lobby should be kept out. Often Track 2 diplomacy (people-to-people contact) works well. Public polls clearly indicate that people on both sides are eager for a peaceful settlement. Leadership on both sides have to evaluate their commitment to peace and consolidate public opinion towards it instead of inciting aggression. This is the only way.

Source: Speaking Tree

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Sri Sri Yoga Level II in Presence of Sri Sri at Bangalore Ashram

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Date: 25th - 29th August 2014 (First session at 8 PM on 25th)
Eligibility: Sri Sri Yoga Level 1

Contact:
Call: +91 80 67262626 / 27 / 28 | Email: programs@vvmvp.org

Click Here to register now!

Art of Living Mega Events in presence of Sri Sri is now available on Art of Living Universe Website - Know more

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Upcoming Live Webcasts with Sri Sri (Schedule for August 2014)

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Dear one,

Below are the scheduled live webcasts in the month of August 2014.

• 7th Aug. 2014: Satsang with Sri Sri at 7 PM IST.


• 17th - 19th Aug. 2014: Bhagavad Gita Discourse on 10th Chapter by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
  Register to watch on www.artofliving.org/bhagavad-gita


• 17th Aug. 2014: Janmashtami Celebrations in presence of Sri Sri at 7 PM IST.


• 27th Aug. 2014: Satsang with Sri Sri at 7 PM IST.

Link to watch: www.artofliving.org/webcast

For Smart Phone users:
Android: http://tiny.cc/android-webcastapp
iPhone: http://tiny.cc/iphone-webcastapp

Note: Any change in schedule will be updated on webcast page!

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Download the Sri Sri Calendar for AUGUST 2014

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Dear ones,

Download AUGUST 2014 Calendar with beautiful picture of Sri Sri (Gurudev), by visiting the Art of Living Universe website : www.aoluniverse.org/SriSriCalendars

PS: Send us a blank email to calendars@artoflivinguniverse.org and get notified as soon as the new calendars are uploaded.

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Bhagavad Gita Special Programs with Sri Sri at Bangalore Ashram

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Be part of the discourse on the 10th Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in the Special Bhagavad Gita Programs at the Art of Living International Ashram.

Advanced Meditation Program with Bhagavad Gita
Dates: 17th - 21st Aug 2014

Blessing Program with Bhagavad Gita
Dates: 17th - 19th Aug 2014

Online Registration: www.bangaloreashram.org
For Details Call: +91 080 67262626/27/28

You can also join commentary by Sri Sri on the tenth chapter of Bhagavad Gita through online webcast.
Register before 31st July 2014 and avail an early bird discount of 30% on all the webcast packages at www.artofliving.org/bhagavad-gita

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Maharashtra Special Advanced Meditation Program with Sri Sri at Bangalore Ashram

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Art of Living International Ashram welcomes all devotees from Maharashtra for a special program with Sri Sri!

Maharashtra Special Advanced Meditation Program in presence of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Date: 1st - 5th August 2014
Eligibility: 1 Part I / YES+ / Happiness Program

Register online: www.bangaloreashram.org

Mega Events with Sri Sri from across the world is now available on Art of Living Universe Website: http://aolu.co/AOLMegaEventsWithSriSri

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Webcast: Discourse on Bhagavad Gita by Sri Sri

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It has been a pleasure in bringing Gurudev’s wisdom to you through our wisdom posts. We sincerely hope that these pearls of wisdom have eased your way on the path and made your life more contented.

As we step into the holy month of Shravana, we are glad to announce another opportunity to soak in wisdom from the eternal storehouse of knowledge - The Bhagavad Gita.

After shedding light on the ninth chapter of The Bhagavad Gita - The Royal Secret in April, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will now guide us through the tenth chapter - The Infinite Glories of the Ultimate Truth.

In the tenth chapter, Lord Krishna reveals to Arjuna of being the origin and source of everything. He also reveals unto Arjuna how HE is the ultimate cause of all spiritual and material existence, and the embodiment of eternal bliss.

This August 17-19, join us for an exclusive webcast commentary by Sri Sri on the tenth chapter of The Bhagavad Gita and know Lord Krishna like never before.

Timings:
17th - 19th August 2014: 11:30 AM - 1 PM IST

Register before 31st July 2014 and avail an early bird discount of 30% on all the webcast packages.

Register for the webcast at www.artofliving.org/bhagavad-gita

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Guru Purnima 2014 - Photo Gallery

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Dear one,

Spellbinding pictures of Guru Purnima Celebration 2014 has been uploaded exclusively for you on Art of Living Universe Website!

Click Here to view them now!

Share with all!

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An Interview with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

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Recently I had the honor to talk to one of India's most respected teachers Sri Sri Ravi Shankar while he was visiting the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina. His mission and work has spread around the world as he offers yoga and meditation for a stress free world of peace. I wanted to ask him why silence was so central to his teachings. He said, "In silence we get back our energy which is lost in the outer world. In being so busy in daily life, we do not see the center core of who we are. We are more then our five senses. It is important to go to the source of our being, beyond the mind, beyond emotion."

I explained that in the West, people have difficulty going into silence. He agreed, saying "mental busy-ness is contagious". I pointed out that there are few teachers like him that embody silence. When his students sit with him, they can feel for themselves his presence. His inner silence is contagious and this is a support to find the presence of silence within the students. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said,"People can find this silence on their own through breathing exercises and yoga. They find silence as they slow down. It is important to find silence if they want to find themselves."

I asked him to explain further and he said, "There are actually three kinds of silence.
First is the silence of no talking. This is very beneficial for people just to be aware of what they are saying and how much energy they spend talking. Second is the silence of stillness. This is the silence inside of us that is detached from the noise in the world. This inner stillness is very important if we want to understand and grow as a spiritual person. Inner silence frees us from the noise of the world. And thirdly, there is the silence of oneness, oneness with the entire universe. This is the course silence takes inside of us. Oneness is the goal of silent practice."

I then asked how does one stay in this silence of oneness and he responded, "It is practice. Retreats and then longer retreats and soon this oneness is always present no matter what is going on in the world around us. As we find this silence of oneness we also find patience, blissfulness, contentment, and very important, we find our creativity. Silence opens the place inside of us of creativity.

Then he shared how he offers these courses in silence to veterans of wars and how upon finding the silence of oneness, their emotional wounds were healed. "After a few brief sessions," he said," they were much better."

Then I asked, what the process looks like as we go further into silence. He said, "As we go deeper in silence there is deeper contentment. Oneness is Godliness. There is no God separate from this. The questions we have are answered in this place of silence and oneness."

My time with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was brief but in these minutes, I could feel his pure silence & joy. He is speaking, simply, directly, true words for a noisy world. His teaching is true words for the noisy world inside of us. He offers the Art of Silence Course at the International Meditation Center in Boone, North Carolina. Although I have no relationship with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and have never attended his retreats or been part of his organization, meeting him briefly I was reminded of the best of India and Hindu teachers. They follow a long tradition of skills and understanding developed many centuries ago which are as relevant as ever to our modern era. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is famous for his commitment to silence and his joy. Talking to him it was clear how they come together. Finding the grand oneness inside of him there was an obvious joy in his speech, his being, his abundant presence.

Source: Huffington Post

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