The Art of Living Foundation

 Posted by

Sadanandhan R.B
Ramankodath house
Nayarambalam. P.O
Kerala, S.India

       The Art of Living Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving society by strengthening the individual. We do this by offering programs that eliminate stress, creating a sense of belongingness, restoring human values, and encouraging people from all backgrounds, religions and cultural traditions to come together in celebration and service.

The Art of Living is one of the largest volunteer based NGOs active in over 140 countries. It is one of the most multi-faceted organizations in the world and works in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. Art of Living Foundation implement educational programs and, in partnership with the International Association for Human Values (IAHV, http://iahv.org), various humanitarian service projects that:

Uplift the individual by offering simple, effective techniques that eliminate stress and increase joy and enthusiasm.

Make a difference in community by emphasizing social responsibility and inspiring individuals to give back to their communities.

Foster global change catering to the need for moving from limited identifications of nationality, race, religion and culture to a broader understanding of the unity of human life, which can help to bring about a more peaceful world.

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.
 

Courses Offered

The Art of Living Course, Part-I Course
Most commonly referred to as simply the 'Art of Living Course,' this is the standard workshop offered by the Foundation. [8] The course lasts about 20-25 hours over 5-6 days. The Sudarshan Kriya is introduced through this course along with other breathing techniques, knowledge, and processes. The format of the course is sometimes tailored for specfic groups:

APEX Course - "Achieving Personal Excellence" is a workshop formatted for a corporate setting.
College Program - This is offered to college students through university campuses around the world
The Art of Living Prison Program - Part of the Prison Rehabilitation program offered to inmates and juvenile offenders in many countries.
The Art of Living Course, Part-II
This course has a pre-requisite of having done a Part-I course. This course is usually offered over a long weekend and is often residential. Participants are in silence for some of the course, which includes meditation and other processes. 
The Art of Living Course, Part-III Course (Advanced Course)
These longer residential course are a more extended version of the Part-II course and often in the presence of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Sahaj Samadhi Meditation
An effortless meditation technique taught by the foundation, this course is usually offered over 3 sessions.
Sri Sri Yoga
The course goes beyond yoga asanas (poses), covering points from physical anatomy, diet, etc.
Yoga and Meditation camp (Pranayaam Dhyaan Shivir)
Usually conducted by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar himself, the course lasts from one to three days.
ART-Excel Course
All Round Training in Excellence is a course designed for children. The course is sometimes specialized for certain age groups.
YES! Course
"Youth Empowerment Seminar" is a workshop designed for teenagers.
YES!+ Course
YES-Plus is an enhanced version of “Youth Empowerment Seminar” for the young adults and college students.
DSN
DSN stands for 'Divya Samaj ka Nirmaan' (Creating a Divine Society) and according to AOLF is designed to break personal boundaries and limitations, and empower the participants into becoming more active in community service projects.
Breath-Water-Sound Course

A free 3-day workshop offered where time and logistics or other circumstances make it difficult to organize a Part-1 Course. BWS is usually offered through AOLF's sister organization, the International Association for Human Values, during trauma relief and disaster recovery experts and in rural or tribal areas of the world.
 

TTC 1 & TTC 2
These are Teacher Training Courses offered in two 15-day training phases. Not everyone who completes a TTC becomes an Art of Living teacher.