Rajes Govender, 69, South Africa
‘Cancer-free now, yoga helped me through the most challenging time of my life’
Yoga has always been a grounding force in my life and a big part of my healing journey. After doing several Art of Living yoga courses and yoga classes at the gym I found subtle changes were taking place in my relationships, my mind and my body. I am a retired school principal and have had a demanding job. I found that after doing yoga, meditation and breathwork, I was able to handle stressful situations better. I was calmer, more relaxed and my relationships improved. The most significant impact that yoga had was when I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Cancer (Non Hodgkins B grade Lymphoma) in 2018.
Although my body was weak, my mind was strong and after meeting with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and having treatment at Sri Sri Ayurveda Hospital I was even more certain that I would recover fully. Incidentally I was diagnosed in India and had my 1st treatment there. As sick as I was at that time, I would get up in the morning and lay a towel or blanket on the floor and do my yoga asanas. It made me feel so much better and on my worst days it was what lifted my mood.
I know my daily practice of meditation, yoga and breathwork helped me sail through this life-threatening disease. There were decreased symptoms of vomiting and nausea. It helped me eat healthier and I experienced less pain and fatigue and the strength and balance I gained with years of yoga helped me become flexible and strong enough to withstand all the prodding investigations, diagnosis and treatment during what was one of the most challenging times in my life. Today, I am free of cancer and all medications. I practice yoga daily and feel more grateful, blessed, beautiful and energetic than I've ever felt. Yoga has enhanced my spiritual well-being.
Gratitude and love for knowledge and practice.
Dr. Sumana
‘I am a doctor treating Covid-19 positive patients and I have not tested positive even once’
After doing the Happiness Program of The Art of Living, yoga has become part of my daily routine. Without my knowledge, it has prepared me to face this pandemic. Being a doctor, I am responsible for the treatment of Covid-19 positive patients. It is a miracle that when my colleague doctors got infected once, twice, even thrice; I was never tested positive. It's all the grace of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravishankar. Thank you yoga and Shakti Drops.
Jagriti Vora
‘Yoga is not only learning to touch toes, it is learning to bow down.’
I think I never took yoga seriously until the age of 20. I remember yoga classes being conducted on the roof of my next building. So I started on a whim. I’d love to say that I was hooked from then, but I wasn’t consistent in my practice. It took more than 20 years for me to begin practicing at home and the last 8 years I’ve really connected with yoga, pranayama and meditation.
It has become a thread that runs through my life. Through all the pain it is there in the background constantly. Like a teather pulling me back to earth, grounding, centering, holding, stabilising, positioning and balancing.
It goes far beyond asanas. Yoga to me means learning about generosity and ultimately about love and happiness. More than anything, yoga reminds me that our thoughts create our reality. So we might as well be positive. It makes me realize that yoga is not only touching your toes, but it is how you learn to bow down as well.
Archna Mishra
‘I have more energy for my children.’
I started doing yoga and Sudarshan kriya from May 2021. The difference I have felt is immense. Earlier, when I got sad or angry, the feeling would take a long time to dissipate. Now, I can handle my emotions better. I don't dwell in the negativity of anger or fear for very long. I'm now able to use my energy in more positive things in life like focusing on my children's studies and their well-being.
Rahul Sharma
‘Everything that you do with wisdom is yoga’
I was so restless and feverish to achieve things in life. I used to refute the concept of being content. Whenever I read, ‘become content’, I felt that is not how work can be done. I came to realise that only deep rest within and contentment can bring the best in the outer world as well. It seems opposite to the intellect but actually that is how it works. I realised yoga is not exercise or just doing asanas. Yoga is actually life in every moment. Like Jacky Chan said in Karate Kid 2, “Everything that you do is Kung Fu.” Everything that you do with wisdom is yoga.
It is the only way to achieve all the dimensions of life. There is no other option but to be honest. All those who seek to achieve big are already or eventually realise that yoga is the only way to do all that skillfully. Yoga comes as a blessing to me and for all humanity.
So to all those students, entrepreneurs and dreamers who want to achieve and become happy, if you are being restless, become centred and then work. You will see things happening. Miracles will happen.
Ananya Chakraborty
‘In the pandemic, my body went from a source of stress to a source of love, strength and positivity.’
Staying indoors 24*7 and having extreme work pressure had degraded my health completely. I was diagnosed with PCOD years ago but could manage it with exercise and diet. However with the pandemic I was sitting for long hours in front of the computer screen with minimal physical activity. My health was getting poorer by the day. My mind was so negative and full of worries. I knew I had to change something. I started yoga. I was very new to it and didn't know how to proceed. I watched YouTube and tried spending at least 20-30 minutes everyday. Slowly I could get back my sense of energy and could see my mind growing stronger. My body no longer felt like a source of stress but a source of love, strength and positivity. And then one of my friends suggested that I join the Online Breath and Meditation program.
I thought that yoga was only for the body until I learnt the Sudarshan Kriya. I understood how much of our behaviour and mental clarity affects our health. I have been practicing Sudarshan Kriya and Yoga for many months now. I have got a wonderful teacher who herself is associated with the Art of Living. I took it to the next level by doing the Advanced Meditation Program which helped me cope with the growing fear and stress of the surging number of COVID Deaths and escalating fear of the virus. And honestly I am a changed person from that girl who felt negative, being locked inside our home. I am happier and fitter.
Most importantly, I no longer feel stuck even indoors. I find peace inside me and I am much more productive in my work. I thank the Art of Living for teaching me something that I can use for a lifetime. I know that Yoga and Meditation are now an integral part of who I am and feel very blessed to be part of this big family of Art of Living. I am a learner and will continue to learn the true Art of Living.
Uma Bhatt
‘Feeling fearless in a pandemic’
The whole world is working to boost immunity in the body. I am doing exactly the same, but with absolutely no fear. Everything we are doing may help us not catch Covid-19. But what are you doing to not catch fear, anxiety, hopelessness or sadness? Just like you can care for your body, you can care for your mind too.
Padma Sadhana and Sudarshan Kriya is how we took care of the body and the mind. My practice helped me and my family strengthen immunity. Gurudev's advice to not eat sugar also helped us a lot. In the lockdown Maha Rudra Homa and daily live guided meditations by Gurudev helped us to overcome the fear of the virus. We took precautions but never feared the virus. We live with this feeling that the Divine is taking care of us.
