On Tour with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar  

Sri Sri gave useful insights, stating that health is not mere absence of disease but it also includes welcoming happiness in life. He said, Ayurveda has, not yet reached the level of respect that Chinese medicine has got today.

Each one of us, and the government also has this responsibility to take Ayurveda to that level. We need to pay attention to our environment.

We have to totally integrate Yoga and Spirituality. We have to include these in our lives. Only giving medicines to people won’t work. It is equally important to inspire them to pay attention to rest, yoga, and meditation.

Sri Sri addressed the issues surrounding mental and physical health. He spoke about how in the East over 5000 years ago, there was a concept of social well-being, where you are healthy only if you are happy mentally, physically and socially. He also expressed shock that nearly 30% of Europe suffers from depression and Doctors predict the number to raise to 48% in the coming decade.

“Mental well being to me is improved perception, improved observation and improved expression. Like, the body grows from the time you are born to the age 21, 22 and then the body starts deteriorating, our mental age, our mental well being should grow

simultaneously from childhood we need to keep improving our perception, observation and our expression this has no age, usually psychologists say 50 or 40 it stops, at middle age our mental observation, expression starts deteriorating. I say if you are practicing yoga or meditation this doesn't happen. There is no decay of your mental well-being”.

In his fifth visit to Sri Lanka, Sri Sri blessed over 10,000 people at the mega event titled “Uniting Hearts and Minds” at the country’s largest indoor stadium, Sugatha Dasa in Colombo.

Sri Sri also inaugurated and delivered the keynote address at the international conference on promotion of mental well-being organized by the World Health Organization (WHO).

H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar inaugurated the Dassera Celebrations atop the Chamundi Hills in Mysore, in the presence of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, by lighting a lamp and offering flowers to Chamundehswari.

Sri Sri hoped the festival would strengthen the values of honesty and friendship in society. He commended the government for introducing the ‘Grameena Dasssera’ (rural Dassera).

“Spiritual essence unites the hearts and minds of people.” said Sri Sri as he embarked on a ‘Spiritual Awakening Tour’ in Tamil Nadu.

On the first day of the tour, Sri Sri also suggested that the 1.25 lakh Sri Lankan Tamils living as refugees in the 112 camps in Tamil Nadu should be given immigrant status like their counterparts living in Europe and America.

“It is just humane to give hope and opportunity to these people living in Tamil Nadu”.

He also called for a signature campaign by the citizens to absorb the Sri Lankan Tamils into the mainstream of Indian society. They should be given ration cards, homes, jobs and citizenship.

The tour aims at reviving ancient Indian value systems and traditions. Temple visits, tour of the Pancha Maha Bhootha Sthalas (temples that epitomize the Five elements), prayers and meditations. Sri Sri’s tour of the Pancha Maha Bhootha Sthalas is of particular significance.

It is believed that the universe and our body is made up of five elements (tatvas) – Air, Water, Fire, Earth and Ether –which are called Pancha Maha Bhoothas.

In the Indian culture and tradition, temples epitomize these Pancha Maha Bhoothas, besides being centers of learning, knowledge and culture which enrich value systems. Sri Sri will be launching environmental sustainability campaigns along the different spots of the tour.

Sri Sri encouraged a Tamil gathering to pray for Tamils in Sri Lanka at the Sivananda Ashram in Val Morin.

Before the public address, Sri Sri attended a prayer meeting and was honored at the ashram.

The Vice-Rector of the University, Prof. Dr. Laszlo Hornok confers Sri Sri with the title, Professor Honoris Causa

Sri Sri spoke at the 10th Annual International Conference hosted by the Szent Istvan University. The University conferred Sri Sri with their highest honor, Professor Honoris Causa.

To promote an understanding among various religious groups in India, especially in light of the attacks on minorities, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar attended an inter-faith conference in Mumbai on June 12.

This event was the “first official meeting between the pope's representatives and top Indian Hindu religious leaders”.

Cardinal Jean-Louis Pierre Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue; Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt; Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swamiji and Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai shared their perspectives on increasing inter-faith understanding.

With the aim of globalizing human values, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar recently visited Lithuania. He emphasized human values, and a broad-minded approach to find solutions to the global challenges of fanaticism and terrorism.

“Every child needs to know about every religion of the world. Today, a big problem is fanaticism. Education about the human values of every religion will solve this problem,” Sri Sri said in his address at a public forum on May 31.

Sri Sri’s called upon the Prime Minister of Lithuania, Andrius Kubilius on June 1 to deliberate on solutions for global problems.

He also met with Vytautas Landsbergis, member of the European Parliament and ex-chairman of Lithuania on May 30.

Many residents sought Sri Sri’s guidance on meditation and stress-elimination breath techniques at an advanced meditation course held between May 30-June 1.