Ans. Yes, pregnant women may attend the workshops. Please read the 'Disclaimer' page on this web site carefully. Those that have watched Swamiji's workshops on TV will know that he frequently mentions the do's and don't's of Yog asanas and pranayam for pregnant women: kapal-bhati, bahya pranayam, and agnisaar kriya for example, should NOT be attempted. Most asanas should be avoided in favour of light, stretch exercises. Pranayam attempted should be done lightly and without any strain whatsoever. The workshops are for toning the body, mind and soul. There will be enough of the latter to compensate for the physical restrictions.

Ans. A broad range of processes are introduced during the course. This includes: Sudarshan Kriya®: This technique is the cornerstone of the course and is a powerful technique reintroduced to the world by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Pranayama: Breathing is normally an unconscious process. Through the practice of pranayama's, you will learn to consciously govern the breath so that it brings harmony into your body, mind and spirit. Purna Yoga (Yoga of Fullness): The Art of Living believes that the practice of yoga postures can and should be enjoyable, restful and expansive. The simple postures that you will learn can be done by all and will bring rejuvenation and centeredness into the midst of our busy lives. Living in the Present: The Art of Living Course includes a number of processes to help you to live more fully in the present moment. These processes can open your awareness to a whole new way of being! All of the techniques and processes that you learn on the course can be practiced at home every day, so that the gifts of the course can continue to unfold and grow in your life.

Ans. Due to the large volume of letters received by Patanjali Yog Peeth (India), it is not always possible to reply to these promptly. For a speedier response, the following email and telephone contact details should be used for follow-up on open queries.

Ans. Art of Living Foundation is dedicated to serving society by strengthening the individual. We do this by offering programmes that eliminate stress, create a sense of belonging, restore human values, love, compassion and encourage people from all backgrounds, religions, and cultural traditions to come together in celebration and service. In short the goal is to put the smile back on every face.

Ans. Hari om. Thanks for your comment on our new website. please keep visiting and introduce to your friends and dears. With love and blessings, SWAMI ANAND GIRI.

Ans. Meditation is a simple process Of watching your own mind. Not fighting with the mind Not trying to control it either Just remaining there, a choiceless witness. Whatsoever passes you simply take note of it With no prejudice for or against. You don't call it names That this should not come to my mind That this is an ugly thought and This is a very beautiful and virtuous thought. You should not judge You should remain non-judgmental Because the moment you judge, you lose meditation. You become identified. Either you become a friend or you become a foe. You create relationships. Meditation means Remaining unrelated with your thought process Utterly unrelated, cool, calm Watching whatsoever is passing. And then a miracle happens: Slowly slowly one becomes aware That less and less thoughts are passing. The more alert you are, the less thoughts pass The less alert you are, the more thoughts pass. It is as if traffic depends on your awareness. When you are perfectly aware Even for a single moment, all thinking stops. Immediately, there is a sudden stop And the road is empty, there is no traffic. That moment is meditation. Slowly slowly those moments come more and more Those empty spaces come again and again And stay longer. And you become capable of moving easily Into those empty spaces with no effort. So whenever you want you can move Into those empty spaces with no effort. They are refreshing, rejuvenating And they make you aware of who you are. Freed from the mind you are freed From all ideas about yourself. Now you can see who you are without any prejudice. And to know oneself Is to know all that is worth knowing. And to miss self-knowledge is to miss all. A man may know everything in the world But if he does not know himself He is utterly ignorant He is just a walking Encyclopaedia Britannica. Freedom without awareness is only an empty idea. It contains nothing. One cannot be really free without being aware Because your unconscious goes on dominating you Your unconscious goes on pulling your strings. You may think, you may believe that you are free But you are not free, you are just a victim Of natural forces, blind forces. So there are two types of people. The majority Follows the tradition, the society, the state. The orthodox people, the conventional The conformists ? they follow the crowd They are not free. And then there are a few rebellious spirits Dro

Ans. There are one hundred and twelve methods of meditation, but witnessing is an essential part of all one hundred and twelve methods. So as far as I am concerned, witnessing is the only method. Those one hundred and twelve are different applications of witnessing. The essential core, the spirit of meditation is to learn how to witness. You are seeing a tree: You are there, the tree is there, but can’t you find one thing more? – that you are seeing the tree, that there is a witness in you which is seeing you seeing the tree. The world is not divided only into the object and the subject. There is also something beyond both, and that beyond is meditation. So in every act...and I don’t want people to sit for one hour or half an hour in the morning or in the evening. That kind of meditation is not going to help, because if you meditate for one hour, then for twenty-three hours you will be doing just the opposite of it. Meditation can be victorious: witnessing is such a method that it can spread over twenty-four hours of your day.

Ans. Meditation involves concentrating on something to take our attention beyond the random thought activity that is usually going on in our heads. This can involve a solid object or picture, a mantra, breath, or guided visualization. Typical objects employed include a candle flame or a flower. Some people use pictures, such as a mandala - a highly colored symmetric painting - or a picture of a spiritual teacher in a high meditative state. Mantras are sounds which have a flowing, meditative quality and may be repeated out loud or inwardly. The breath is also a common focal point. Finally, guided visualization is also considered by some to be a form of meditation. A guided visualization can help to bring one into a meditative state; also, visualization may be used once a meditative state has been reached to produce various results.

Ans. Thoughts are nothing but your experiences and expectations.Just keep watching your thoughts as a witness, slowly they will start disappearing.

Ans. Developed in India, Yoga is a psycho-physical discipline with roots going back about 5,000 years. Today, most Yoga practices in the West focuses on the physical postures called "asanas," breathing exercises called "pranayama," and meditation. However, there's more to it than that, and the deeper you go the richer and more diverse the tradition becomes. The word "Yoga" means union. Linguistically, it is related to the Old English "yoke." Traditionally, the goal of Yoga is union with the Absolute, known as Brahman, or with Atman, the true self. These days the focus is often on the more down-to-earth benefits of Yoga, including improved physical fitness, mental clarity, greater self-understanding, stress control and general well-being. Spirituality, however, is a strong underlying theme to most practices. The beauty of Yoga is in its versatility, allowing practitioners to focus on the physical, psychological or spiritual, or a combination of all three.

Ans. He is omnipresent, omnipotent and omnicient. He doesn't create the world. He menifests in all forms. He lives within you too. When you experience him within you and others, all your questions stop. With regards, Swami Anand Giri (On behalf of Swami Ji )