YOUTH FROM OMAN: Wa- Alaikum-Salaam (And upon you be peace). Guruji, there are lots of accidents and drugs. How do we help the youth?
GURUDEV SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR: We already had one Youth Leadership Training Program (YLTP) in Oman, and I heard from so many that this has made people happy. I think we have to multiply this, multiply ourselves. I invite lots of volunteers to come forward, where you can help people with problems like alcohol, drugs or depression. Sitting with them, talking to them and sharing your love and beautiful energy with them, will help them to be back on track, right? We can convey a lot through our own vibration, our own energy. Of course techniques are essential; we should help them with the techniques as well as the training program. More and more volunteers are needed, who can take a week off, a month off, or even one year to serve society, and I welcome them all! Let us all join together and help our youth to come out of this shaitan-menace called drugs and alcohol. We have to get rid of these two evils in the society.
YOUTH FROM OMAN: I have only one question that something may not be sure about it. What about those people, who don’t believe in the Art of Living? What about those people who don’t want to change? Because they are Arabs and they are Muslims.
GURUDEV SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR: We must understand that spiritual practices like yoga, breathing and meditation, are not against any religion. So, no religion can say, this is no good, which can give you happiness and energyLet us remove this prejudice from our mind, and help others to get over the prejudice. Techniques that can help us release the stress are good for us. Any technique that can help you be to be happy and peaceful, to find the inner happiness, inner joy, and devotion; that is good. We should not say that this is against our religion; I tell you, it is not. You can ask many scholars in the world, and they all agree with me. Now, no religion will say don’t find inner peace or inner happiness. Like medicine, Ayurvedic medicines, like herbs; they hold good in any part of the world. Ayurvedic herbs don't see if this person is a Hindu, Muslim or Buddhist or Christian, I will help you or cure only this person, it doesn’t say this. A herb cures irrespective of one’s religion; like the medicines we take, like technology in the world. Though cell phones were invented in Europe, anyone can speak on the cell phone, and it works for everybody; religion doesn’t come in the way. In the same way, yoga techniques or the Yoga exercises; take it as an exercise, breathing exercise; they help anyone who is in need. So, it is not contrary to anyone’s religion. In fact, it helps one to pray deeper in their own tradition or whatever one is following. Should people have this misapprehension that maybe this is Hinduism, no doubt, yoga has come from India, from Hindu tradition; but it is very secular and anyone can benefit from it. Yes? Just like Unani medicine; the Unani medicine has come from the Arab tradition, Islamic tradition. Still it helps people all over the world, right? Dates are grown in Arab countries, but they are sweet and everybody around the world enjoys them. Similarly, yoga was formed in India, nurtured in the Vedic tradition, but poor people all over the world today are getting benefit out of it. If we boycott yoga, it is only we who are losers, right? The tradition won’t be losing anything, it continues. If we say this is no good for us, then we are the losers. We need to make people understand. I think this is misinformation. If we properly make people understand that these exercises are good for us, then I don’t think anyone will say no for it.
