New York, Dec 21 (IANS) Meditation offers a proven response to mounting mental health challenges facing societies worldwide, Art of Living founder and spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said on Sunday, stressing that inner calm and improved communication are essential to resolving both personal distress and global conflicts.

“Today our whole world is facing many challenges, and mental health is one such serious one,” Sri Sri Ravi Shankar told IANS during an interaction.

“So meditation is the answer for mental health challenges,” he said after hosting a meditation session with hundreds of people in New York City on the occasion of World Meditation Day.

He pointed to rising anxiety, loneliness and a range of social pressures confronting modern societies. “There is anxiety, there is loneliness and a host of other social challenges our society is facing today,” he said, adding that “meditation has proved beyond doubt to be a solution for it.”

Reflecting on 2025 and the transition into 2026, Sri Sri framed the moment as one requiring collective action and empowerment. “This is the time that we come together and collectively address the challenges and feel empowered,” he said.

“We need to empower women. We need to empower the poor sections of our society.”

He underlined the role of values in shaping the future, saying that “compassion, commitment and context to life need to be invoked.”

Addressing conflicts around the world, the spiritual leader said wars and disputes originate in the human mind rather than on battlefields. “Conflicts rise in the heads of people, in the minds of people,” he said. According to him, when decision-makers maintain calm and clarity, pathways to peace become visible.

“So when minds are peaceful, especially those of decision-makers, they will find a way to improve their communication,” he said.

He warned that breakdowns in dialogue often lead directly to violence. “When communication breaks down, that’s when conflicts begin,” he said.

Gurudev said Art of Living volunteers are actively working in conflict zones, including Ukraine and Russia, with a focus on psychological resilience rather than political negotiation.

“We are working everywhere — in Ukraine, in the war zone. Our people are there, our volunteers are teaching soldiers how to meditate,” he said.

He said the initiative has reached thousands of soldiers. “So far, around 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers have learnt meditation, and similarly soldiers in Russia are also learning meditation,” he said.

Describing the impact, Gurudev said many soldiers had been struggling with despair and sleeplessness. “These soldiers in Ukraine who had no hope in their lives felt everything was dark and there was no future for them,” he said, adding that meditation gave them “tremendous inner strength.”

He noted tangible improvements in well-being. “Many of them could not sleep for days and weeks. After meditation, their energy levels improved and they could sleep better,” he said, adding that several such initiatives are underway and have received media attention.

Asked whether India has a role to play in bringing peace to Ukraine, Sri Sri said responsibility is shared globally. “Every country has a role to play. Of course, India has a role to play. Every country has its role in bringing peace to the world,” he said.

On a recently announced partnership with Gallup, Sri Sri highlighted the importance of data in shaping policy responses. He said Gallup’s global surveys help decision-makers confront realities they cannot ignore.

“When the statistics stay in your face, you can’t take it lightly. You have to face it and find solutions,” he said, describing statistical data as essential for understanding challenges across regions.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is the founder of the Art of Living Foundation, a Bengaluru-based global organisation that promotes stress reduction, mental well-being and conflict resolution through meditation and breathing techniques. The foundation operates in over 180 countries and has been involved in humanitarian, educational and peace-building initiatives for decades.

In recent years, he has also engaged with world leaders and international institutions on dialogue, reconciliation and mental health, positioning inner well-being as a complement to diplomatic and political efforts to address global crises.

--IANS

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