Art of Living

About the Founder

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a humanitarian, spiritual leader and an ambassador of peace and human values. Through his life and work, Gurudev has inspired millions around the world with a vision of a stress-free, violence-free world. He has designed programs that provide techniques and tools to live a deeper, more joyous life and has established nonprofit organizations that recognize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality, and religion.

Art of Living: An Overview

Operating in 180 countries, The Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) is a non-profit, educational and humanitarian organization founded in 1981 by the world-renowned humanitarian and spiritual teacher Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. All of the Art of Living's programs are guided by Gurudev’s philosophy: “Unless we have a stress-free mind and a violence-free society, we cannot achieve world peace.”

The Art of Living community is diverse and attracts people from all walks of life backgrounds and religious orientations. 

Courses

The Art of Living Foundation offers numerous highly effective educational and self-development programs and tools that facilitate the elimination of stress and foster deep and profound inner peace, happiness and well-being for all individuals. These programs, which include breathing techniques, meditation, yoga, and practical wisdom for daily living, have helped millions around the world to completely transform their lives.

Service Initiatives

In addition to these courses offered globally, AOLF, working in collaboration with The International Association for Human Values (IAHV) and in special consultative status with the United Nations Social and Economic Council, has successfully implemented numerous humanitarian projects and service initiatives including:

• conflict resolution programs
• disaster relief
• sustainable rural development
• empowerment of women
• prisoner rehabilitation
• education for all
• environmental sustainability

Mission

It has been said of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar that not since Mahatma Gandhi has one person united so many people of different races, religions, traditions, economic and social status, and nationalities, creating a One World spiritual family across the globe. 

Gurudev’s message is simple: “Love and wisdom can prevail over hatred and violence.” Happily, this message is not just a slogan, but through Art of Living Foundation has been and continues to be translated into action and results.