5 min readNew DelhiMay 10, 2026 08:06 AM IST
You started The Art of Living as a holistic life philosophy. Would you say that people understand it better almost five decades later?
When we started it in 1981, there was a lot of prejudice about meditation and yoga, not only outside but within our own society. It was not the ‘in thing’ to do, certainly not for younger people. So, I gave these disciplines a new name, The Art of Living, to spark some curiosity. Once visitors experienced Sudarshan Kriya, pranayama and meditation, they found it transforming. Their lives changed, their attitudes changed and they became much happier.
That’s why we called our self-development programme the Happiness Programme. Then to go into a deeper level, we took people to five-day silent retreats. As you know, silence is the mother of all creativity. We brought people of various communities together in the spirit of vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world is one family). We had programmes for all age groups and strata of society — from prison inmates to executives and decision-makers — telling them about the wisdom to suit their profession and their life as such. Then the movement became very popular. Of course, there were challenges, resistance and prejudice. Traditionalists didn’t like it because we were not quoting or teaching any scriptures or asking people to follow any rituals. Atheists had their own bias. Now it’s catching up; we have programmes in 182 countries.
You have helped with conflict resolution as a mediator. Should spiritual leaders be a part of political interventions?
One of the main reasons for conflicts is breakdown of communication. First, people just get stuck on one position and are not ready to listen to others. Second is trust deficiency. Spiritual leaders carry a lot of trust with them. It’s not just in the dollar bill that you say, ‘We trust in God.’ Spiritual leaders really trust in God, trust in the oneness of humanity, love, compassion and human values. People know and recognise that. Therefore, they are more likely to listen to a spiritual leader compared to someone who is a political leader or is driven by self-interest.
Another issue today is the lack of a broader vision about humanity. Ego and egotism have caused pain and suffering in the world. War is the worst act of reason. When there is a war, you talk to either side, they both will have reasons. They are right because it’s based only on their logic. They lack the broader and long-time perspective of issues.
Recently, a lot of spiritual leaders have been appearing at political events. Should there be a line between moral guidance and political intervention?
The spiritual leader’s job is to transform individuals. Through individuals, they reach out to groups, communities and society at large. And the community and society are an area of interest for political leaders. But spiritual leaders don’t go by their interest, they jump in when there is a crisis or catastrophe, sometimes in institutions and before governments, to bring relief and solace to people.
Today, conflicts are going so deep into individual and family life. Depression and mental health are big issues. So, it is important to resolve conflicts as they have a big impact on young people. When they adopt spiritual practices of meditation, develop an attitude of service, that inculcates a value in everybody’s life.
We live in a digital era where attention span itself has become a commodity. Has modern technology altered human consciousness?
When children become dependent on gadgets and screen time, their creativity goes down, they are unable to focus or listen and their perception level drops. That’s why they need digital detox and at least a few hours of deep rest. So, meditation becomes relevant. Ideally, I would say 20 minutes to half-an-hour a day should be enough. Consider it a mental exercise like your physical exercise.
Can science and spirituality co-exist?
It depends on how spirituality is understood. Broadly, there are two approaches — oriental and occidental. Oriental spirituality aligns naturally with science because it encourages questioning, logic and direct inquiry. It moves from the material to the ethereal, from matter to consciousness, seeing them as part of the same continuum rather than separate domains. This is why traditions like ayurveda, yoga, and astronomy have long been integrated into every day and spiritual life. Occidental spirituality, by contrast, has often placed greater emphasis on belief first — the idea that faith precedes experience. Spirituality is approached as a path of exploration and experience rather than unquestioning belief.
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