Heal the victim, heal the world – how Sri Sri Ravi Shankar reclaims lives in war zones, prisons, and rural communities

In an era defined by geopolitical turmoil, pervasive anxiety, and digital burnout, the pursuit of genuine peace often feels aspirational at best.

Yet for world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, calmness is no lofty ideal—it is a practical necessity. His core philosophy remains straightforward: world peace cannot exist without a stress-free individual and a violence-free society.

Born in southern India, Shankar was recognized early in life for his deep meditative propensity and intuitive grasp of ancient wisdom.

In 1981, he established The Art of Living, a global non-profit organization that has grown into one of the world’s largest volunteer-driven humanitarian networks.

Operating across more than 180 countries and holding special consultative status with the United Nations, the organization—alongside its sister body, the International Association for Human Values (IAHV)—has touched over 800 million lives.

Shankar’s work extends far beyond meditation centers.

Honored with India’s prestigious Padma Vibhushan award alongside highest civilian accolades from several foreign nations, his diplomatic efforts have facilitated critical peace talks and trauma relief in major conflict zones, including Colombia, Iraq, Côte d’Ivoire, and Kashmir.

Simultaneously, his foundations have spearheaded transformative rural development across tens of thousands of villages, advancing youth and women empowerment, disaster response, and prisoner rehabilitation programs worldwide.

At the center of his teachings lies a commitment to practical self-development—particularly through Sudarshan Kriya, a signature breathing technique designed to release stored stress and restore balance to the mind.

In this exclusive interview with Egypt Independent, Shankar discusses how ancient breathwork techniques and mindfulness can help address modern challenges, from bridging religious divides to helping young people build resilience in a hyper-connected world.

Interview

With constant distractions and fast-paced lifestyles, how can a universal practice like mindfulness be integrated across our different cultural and religious boundaries?

Mindfulness and praying goes hand-in-hand to achieve inner peace. Both serve as crucial tools to enhance life quality. In fact, meditation and prayer help people nurture their mental well-being.

When you free your mind from worries, you can pray better and focus more.

Whatever your faith is, prayer is indispensable for bringing gratitude and integration in your character.

In light of major global conflicts escalating around the globe today—like the Russia-Ukraine war or the situation in the Middle East—how do you, as a spiritual leader with no political backing, get these warring parties to sit down and talk to you?

I think wars are conceived in people’s minds due to insecurity.

For example, Putin has perceived the west as a threat even though it is not going to occupy Russia. Likewise, there is no need for the Houthis to resort to bombings, but they have perceived them (Saudi Arabia) as enemies.

That flawed perception is the root cause of wars—and that lack of communication is what we can bridge. Since I don’t have any political or personal agenda, people can see this through all my stances and consequently they trust me. I want nothing for myself. I sincerely pursue only peace and happiness to prevail. So that’s how we start a dialogue.

Can you give an example of how your organization actually operates and delivers humanitarian aid in active war zones?

We helped the Yazidis by discussing the safe release of abducted women. After long negotiations, we succeeded in rescuing 450 women from ISIS captivity.

While we are a relatively small organization, we do whatever we can to help.

Besides supporting communities affected by conflicts, your foundation focuses on empowering women in marginalized and underprivileged communities. From your own experience, how does empowering a woman fundamentally change the socioeconomic development of an entire community?

Women are the center of influence in society. This influence is never harsh or aggressive, nor does it push people toward violence.

Instead, it provides psychological comfort, care, and compassion.

A woman plays significant different roles in the lives of those around her: as a mother, a wife, and a sister.

If a woman is unhappy, she spreads unhappiness within the family. So I always aim for making women more empowered, strong, and positive. That is why gender equality and women’s empowerment remain one of our primary missions.

The prison rehabilitation programs created by the Art of Living have been applied globally. How do breathing techniques and meditation help individuals process deep traumas and break the cycle of relapse?

We offer customized programs for prisoners and even gang members.

We have helped 6,000 gang members in Denmark, as well as rehabilitated inner-city gang members in America. Soul cleansing is mainly based on letting go of past impressions- which breathing and meditation crucially help attain, even in individuals with a history of violent tendencies.

In a world dominated by digital distractions, how do you help the younger generation to destress, and develop their own identities away from negative outside influences?

We are deeply dedicated to the young generation to guide them in molding their character and values independently. We tailored several programs– mainly based on yoga techniques–each one target diverse age groups for youth up to 18 to address distinct needs across different life stages.

The foundation even provides children as young as age five with the Prajna Yoga program that unlocks their innate intuitive abilities, and boosts confidence.

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