As Sri Sri Turned 63, 450 Million In 156 Countries Participate In The Celebration
- As Sri Sri Turned 63, 450 Million In 156 Countries Participate In The Celebration Through Service, Chanting And Meditation For Peace
Ongoing post-traumatic stress relief workshops in affected parts of Odisha, community meals in Christchurch, menstrual hygiene workshops for over 1000 girls in India, celebrations in 618 free schools, blood donation drives and other activities organized under the theme of ‘Commit To Something Higher’
13 May 2019, Bengaluru: The only lesson learned from global events in the last one year is that the world urgently calls for peace and healing among communities. Inspired by his life breathed in service of others with the unwavering intention to share the message and tools of peace and inner happiness with people across identities, religion, class and backgrounds, 450 million Art of Living followers in 156 countries brought in the 63rd birthday celebrations of the global humanitarian leader and spiritual guide, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, with multitudes of service activities, chanting and an online meditation for global peace.
“Love in action is service,” says Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who founded The Art of Living, one of the largest volunteer driven organizations in the world, in 1981, “Your first and foremost commitment in the world is to do seva, or service. If there is fear in your life, it is because of a lack of commitment. The very thought, ‘I am here in this world to do seva,’ dissolves all your worries. The ultimate purpose of life is to be of service.”
From working towards rebuilding Odisha after cyclone by providing post-traumatic stress relief and counseling all over the state to organizing community meals in Christchurch, New Zealand, from national tree plantation drives in Bhutan to stress relief workshops in 15 Latin American countries, from nation-wide blood donation drives in Nepal and all over India, to rehabilitation training programs for hundreds of Indian prisons, from 63000 cu m silt removal in Maharashtra and cleanliness drives, to re-educating over 1000 girls on menstrual hygiene in rural schools, government offices and children’s’ homes, and chanting and celebrations in all the 618 free schools in slums, rural and tribal areas run by The Art of Living, millions world over participated in the service initiatives organized in each chapter, under the theme of ‘Commit To Something Higher’.
Gurudev’s Birthday celebrations in the local chapters
· Locally, in Haryana, The Art of Living volunteers organized a blood donation camp where 68 unit blood was collected.
· In Jharkhand, food distribution in Nirmala Liprosi hospital, Govindpur, Jharkhand for 170 patients.
· Volunteers in Dhanbad, Jharkhand celebrated 13th May with school children where community meals and games were organized for 80 children
· In Madhya Pradesh, a mega follow-up session was organized in Chindwara for those who have undergone Art of Living programs before, followed by a cultural program in Bharat Bharti school.
· In Himachal Pradesh, Prison Smart Courses were organized for 540 inmates in 5 prisons and Happiness Program for 450 people were organized at 18 Locations.
· In Punjab, blood donation camp was held in Chandigarh on 13th May along with Satsang.
· Amravati volunteers took a sankalpa to remove 63000 cubic meter silt from ‘Shekdari’ Well in Gavhankund village.
· In Bhutan, trees plantation in Kharbandi Gumba, food and juice distribution for senior citizens in Zangtoperi Lhakhang and then group Sudarshan Kriya practice followed by lighting 108 lamps, cake cutting and community dinner
