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Art of Living was introduced to Taiwan by Vita Liao, the first Chinese teacher, in February 1993 where two courses were conducted, one in Taipei with nearly 40 people and another in Tainan with almost an equal number of people. Now there are totally 17 teachers in Taiwan. Among them, there are 16 part I teachers, 2 ArtExcel teachers, 1 young adult teacher, 1 eternity process teacher, and Vita herself is also a Sahaj Samadhi Meditation teacher and a Part II course teacher. Throughout Taiwan, about 2 courses are conducted every month. Island wide, thousands of people have benefited from the art of living courses.
 Sahaj Samadhi Meditation courses are regularly conducted in Taiwan due to the fact that the only Chinese Sahaj Meditation teacher is living here. This is an unique and advantageous condition for the meditation to become popular among the Art of Living members here.
In April 1993, H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar visited Taiwan for the very first time. That was 2 months after he made Vita the first Chinese teacher. In his very visit, he conducted the very first Part II course for about 80 people. Again, in November of the same year, he visited Taiwan and conducted the second Part II course for nearly 100 people. In the following two years he came once each year. His special attention and favor on Taiwan was deeply felt by all the Taiwanese devotees. In response to this, there was soon a group of Chinese seen chasing him around in all the major international courses every year: in Switzerland, in Germany, in Lake Tahoe U.S.A., in the Canadian ashram, and of course in the Indian ashram in Bangalore. In each group there were at least 20 people. Though many of them were dependant on translation, you would not feel that they had any language barrier at all, for love transcends language, and connection is also independent of language.
In 2002, Sri Sri made Vita a Part II course teacher. From then on, more and more people were able to take the part II courses locally in Taiwan. Presently, there are 3-4 Part II courses conducted in Taiwan every year.
Every year, Art of Living Taiwan organized at least one group of people to take the international advanced course in the Bangalore ashram. Additionally, starting from 1993 up to 2000, Taiwanese groups were often seen in Switzerland, Germany, the States and the Canadian ashram courses. All those courses brought devotees much closer to the master, not only physically, but also in the heart. Deeply touched by his love, their hearts melted, connection with the master was firm and natural, and their devotion to the master blossomed in a beautiful way.
 Since the first DSN course conducted by Sejal Thakkar in 2001, there have been 4 DSN courses in Taiwan. All the courses were responded favorably by the participants. Through the very profound Padma Sadhana technique, the spiritual knowledge therein, people learned how to create a more divine society by breaking through the barrier that one set for oneself and the boundary that one had with others. The DSN course is now conducted in Taiwan at least once a year.
In July 2001, two Art Excel courses and one Young Adult course were conducted in Taiwan by Sahil Jagtiani, a visiting teacher from India. In a few months’ time, Ken and Teresa were made Art Excel teachers, then in 2003 Grace was made a Young Adult course teacher. Presently, these courses are conducted regularly in Taiwan during school summer and winter vacations.
From August 14 to 28, 2004, the first Sri Sri Yoga Teacher Training Course Phase I was conducted in Taiwan with about 60 participants in Taiwan. It was conducted by none other than Krishanji. The course participants responded overwhelmingly well. This called for the second Sri Sri Yoga TTC 1 to take place in Taiwan in April 2005 with a simultaneous TTC 2 happening. In total, there were 90 participants in the phase I and II courses. 15 people were made Sri Sri Yoga teachers from the TTC II course. Ever since then the Sri Sri Yoga courses have been regularly conducted in Taiwan in different places.
People who came to the courses found Sri Sri Yoga tremendously natural, easy and interesting. Those who had taken some other yoga courses in the past, yet found yoga was very difficult to do, have now started to enjoy the practice and they have started to do it more regularly. A lot of healing experience was also shared. In Taiwan the courses are offered in two formats; there is an intensive 6-day course which is the key to making people get into the yoga momentum and to help them appreciate the benefits more in an experiential way. And there is an 8 week continuous course, with one yoga session per week. People who have finished the intensive course generally appreciate this format of course.
 To date in Taiwan, these 4 day free courses have been offered to the aged people’s houses, poor and underprivileged people, nursing staff, mental rehabilitation societies, special women’s groups and some entrepreneur employee groups. All Participants responded very well. The Women’s Groups of the Farmers’ Association in Chu Shan and Shui Li Villages of Nantou County, the nursing group of Tainan City Hospital, the employees of the Taiwan Farming Committee, the Life Adjusting, Love & Care Association of R.O.C. are a few groups among those that have enjoyed this free service program.
The program not only helped people reduce stress, but also brought them laughter, a sense of belongingness and gave them skills for better body, and mind health.
Through the introduction of Taiwan After-care Association, the Art of Living Prison Program was brought to the Taipei Tu-Chen Detention Center starting in March 2004. Up to November 2005, many more than 1000 prisoners in Taiwan have benefited from this program.
The Art of Living Prison Course in Tawan is a program of 5 days, with each day consisting 2 sessions and each session lasting 2 hours. It is now conducted regularly in Taipei Tu-Chen Detention Center and Taichung Detention Center. The course happens once every month in Taipei Detention Center, with about 60 inmates in each course, while in Taichung Detention Center, there is a course once every two months with about 100 inmates in each course.
Other than the regular group breathing practices and singing/chanting of bhajans, Art of living members in Taiwan often gather for family Satsangs and potlucks. The most observed celebrations are: Sri Sri’s birthday, Guru Purnima (teachers’ Day), Navaratri, and Shivaratri where people usually sing, meditate and also have group breathing practices.
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