Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will be back in Washington, DC to lead a yoga, meditation and pranayama workshop on May 9-11 (Friday and Saturday, 6-8 pm; Sunday, 8-10 am). It will take place at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, VA and cost $200 (students and seniors: $100). No prior knowledge of the Art of Living courses is needed. This is a rare opportunity to receive insight directly from a major spiritual leader.
For those who are already introduced to the Art of Living program, you can take an advanced course with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, May 8-12, 6:30 am - 9:30 pm. This will include the celebration of Sri Sri's birthday. This 4-day course will also take place at the Hyatt Regency and there may be some overlap between the advanced course and the workshop open to the public. This course costs between $510 and $660 (see the conditions on the registration site).
Labels: art_of_living, dc_yoga
Priyanka asks whether I have access to Ravi Shankar Guruji's audio tape of sudharshan kriya. If you have not taken the Art of Living Level One course (or gone to group sessions, which require that you take the intro course anyways), you will not have heard the taped audio of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar leading a class in this pranayama practice. It's actually a longer, more intense version than the one done on a daily basis. And, of course, there is RS's distinctive, high-pitched voice that becomes a metronome for your breathing.
This tape is reserved only for AOL courses and the group sessions that are led by certified AOL volunteers/instructors. It's also called the "Long Kriya." That means that the RS-led kriya happens under the AOL Foundation's auspices. I am told that each year a new version of the tape is sent out. So if you want to get the full-blown show, you have to participate in AOL activities.
Priyanka, if you need help, get in touch with your instructor or attend a few of the group sessions. The first three steps of the daily practice are standard pranayama (yogic three-part breathing, Bastrika and Omkar) and can be found on the web or in yoga books. And don't worry: it's not a question of doing the kriya right or wrong. Just do it, and let the blessings flow.
Labels: art_of_living, breathing
PRESS RELEASE Campaign for a "Stress-Free, Violence-Free America" Launched at the Art of Living Foundation's Gala Silver Jubilee Celebration at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. I did not see that the big event got much coverage in the U.S press. This Utah TV station did pick up something, but it was geared to an appearance by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Salt Lake City. Ironically, the event got more coverage in Asian media than in the States. Here is the official site of the event and another on a second one -- Art of Living sites tend to proliferate.
Sri Sri has the same message in India as in the States: Ravi Shankar initiative to eradicate untouchability because the Dalit caste is still discriminated against in much of rural India, and perhaps since in the cities too.
By the way, the Washington headquarters has been completely refurbished and is now fully operational.
Labels: art_of_living
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will be participating in the U.S. leg of the 25th anniversary of the Art of Living Foundation here in Washington, DC with a Gala at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on March 28. You can purchase tickets online, with tickets ranging from $50 to $250. There will be other events. The AOL has pulled in a lot of high-profile backers with keynote addresses by House Majority Leader Hon. Steny Hoyer, Senator Joe Biden, Indian Ambassador Vijay Nambiar. The event will be the occasion for unveiling of the Universal Declaration of Human Values. This will be the culmination of more than three or four years of work to increase AOL's presence in the U.S. Capital.
Labels: art_of_living
The Art of Living Foundation's DC Chapter has a physical home, located near Columbia Heights in the District:
DC Center 2401 15th Street NW. Washington DC, 20001<
They will be having a Maha Kriya (large group practice of Sudarshan Kriya) at the new place on Saturday, September 23 at 4:00 pm. They also have a new web site and address: [ http://www.artoflivingmetrodc.org/AOL/Home.aspx ]. There are some pictures of the new headquarters. Very impressive.
Labels: art_of_living
Labels: art_of_living
