As 2020 comes to a close, the anxiety, fear, and frustration associated with the year come to a close too. 2021 is a fresh canvas for all of us to write new beginnings. You can choose to start it in many different ways - by learning a classical art form, becoming a yoga teacher, developing a good habit, or simply filling it with meditative silence, and empowering wisdom. Here are 10 ways in which you can do something new and uplifting this new year.
Include that special frequency in your 2021 mornings
Tune into the Art of Living Radio any time of the day from morning to evening. An energizing treat, it features bhajans, talks of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and special programs. You can access the radio as a feature of The Art of Living app, available on the Apple store and Google Play Store. Listen to it every day and you will have something positive and uplifting every day of the next year.
Read Gurudev’s wisdom commentaries
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has decoded ancient scriptures in written, audio, and video formats using his hallmark simplicity. Some of these scriptures include the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Ashtavakra Gita, and Narad Bhakti Sutras. His commentaries on these scriptures hold life-transforming wisdom that will help you navigate the post-Covid-19 year with strength and unshakeable calmness. Explore these commentaries here.
Learn a classical art form
This new year, nurture the artist in you. Learn a new instrument, a dance form, or singing. Learning a classical art form is good for the mind, body, and soul. The Art of Living, under its new initiative, the World Forum for Arts & Culture, is now offering online certified three-month foundational courses in Kathak, Bharatnatyam, tabla, mridangam, flute, Hindustani vocals, and Carnatic vocals. The courses are taught by master trainers; you can learn at your own pace and at your own convenience. By the end of the course, you will be able to perform a short piece yourself. Explore the courses here.
Become a yoga teacher with a certified online program
Expand your horizons this year by becoming a certified yoga teacher. Join Sri Sri Yoga’s online certified Yoga Teacher Training Program. The program provides nearly 200 hours of course content which you can watch at your convenience. It also includes live sessions with teachers. The certified program will allow you to teach yoga anywhere in the world. Check more details here.
Watch ashram satsangs online
If you have been to The Art of Living International Center in Bengaluru, chances are that you have attended the ashram’s blissful satsangs. With the pandemic putting a stop to these evenings of music at the ashram campus, many of us have experienced the same bliss through the online formats. Here is some good news: You can now book an online satsang with your favorite seasoned singer.
Participate in Shivratri & Navratri celebrations
Shivratri and Navratri are two of the most popular and stellar festivals celebrated in the ashram. If we are able to get out of the pandemic situation, we may have on-ground celebrations at the ashram too this year. Be on the lookout for further news. Nevertheless, like every year, you can enjoy the celebrations through our live webcasts.
Read the memoir of a spiritual seeker
You can include this inspiring memoir on your reading list. Three decades ago, successful banker Rajita Kulkarni Bagga met Gurudev and her life took a 180-degree turn. In her memoir, The Unknown Edge, she writes about her life-transforming journey with a realized spiritual master and how her two seemingly disparate worlds of spirituality and corporate career complemented one another.
Visit the ashram
After several months of lockdown, the Art of Living International Center, Bengaluru recently opened for visitors with just a few restrictions. Plan a visit to the ashram this year and catch sight of Gurudev too!
Join Gurudev’s wisdom series live
Every year, Gurudev decodes scriptures in special wisdom discourses. Last year, he gave online discourses on the Narada Bhakti Sutras and Murugan Rahasya. This year too, he is likely to maintain the tradition and we suggest that you don’t miss out on the opportunity to listen to wisdom - straight from the Master. Participate in his online discourses or join the on-ground ones in and around your city this year.
Go on a silence retreat online
Begin the year with silence and deep meditations. The Art of Living’s online silence retreat is the perfect opportunity for you to experience the deep rejuvenating power of silence. An ideal getaway for the soul, the program is packed with powerful guided meditations and processes, yoga, pranayama, Vedic wisdom, and Q&A sessions. Every element of the retreat is geared towards helping you get in touch with your inner space of solidified silence. Reserve a place for an online silence retreat here.
We hope your 2021 is filled with joy and abundance in the company of all these spiritual treats!
