Sudarshan Kriya™ is a unique breathing technique that eliminates stress, fatigue and negative emotions such as anger, frustration and depression, leaving you calm yet energized, focused yet relaxed. Sudarshan Kriya™ incorporates specific natural rhythms of the breath which harmonize the body, mind and emotions. Through the regular practice of Sudarshan Kriya ™ and adopting lifestyle changes, many people around the world are leading stress-free lives while carrying out all their regular responsibilities.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of The Art of Living, cognized Sudarshan Kriya on 17th September 1981 on the banks of the Bhadra river in Shimoga after ten days of silence and fasting. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of The Art of Living, explains how Sudarshan Kriya™ works: “The breath connects the body and mind. For every emotion, there is a corresponding rhythm in the breath. Just as emotions affect our patterns of breathing, we can bring about changes in our mental and behavioral patterns by altering the rhythms of our breath. It flushes out anger, anxiety, and worries, leaving the mind completely relaxed and energized.”
Rhythms of breath
Your body and mind have particular rhythms. For instance, you experience hunger and the need to sleep at different times.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar elaborates: “There is a rhythm in nature. Similarly, there is a rhythm in the body and in the emotions (of the mind). If you observe your thoughts, you will see that your doubts and anxieties also have a rhythm. There is a particular time in the year when you experience the same emotions. Sudarshan Kriya™ restores the harmony between the body and mind. When these rhythms are in sync, we feel a sense of harmony and well-being. And when these rhythms are not in sync, we experience discomfort and discontent.”
For every emotion, there is a corresponding rhythm in the breath. Just as emotions affect our patterns of breathing, we can bring about changes in our mental and behavioral patterns by altering the rhythms of our breath
– Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
He continues: “After Sudarshan Kriya™, many people feel so pure and so clear, and so complete, because the consciousness which was stuck in the matter, the material foreign to it, was released from that and came back home. That is the sense of purity, the feeling of purity. We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep, we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our bodies and minds. Sudarshan Kriya cleanses the system from the inside.” Over 100 independent studies show the benefits of the deep stress detox carried out by Sudarshan Kriya on the mind and body
Sudarshan Kriya™ benefits include:
- Relieves from symptoms of anxiety, depression, (Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder) and stress levels
- Reduces impulsivity and addictive behaviors
- Improves self-esteem and life satisfaction
- Increases mental focus
- Induces better sleep
- Enhances immune function
- Reduces blood pressure
- Improves respiratory function
Who can learn and do the Sudarshan Kriya™
Anyone who wants to level up their quality of life and live stress-free can do the Sudarshan Kriya™. People from all walks of life and of all ages are experiencing the benefits of Sudarshan Kriya™. Students and working professionals have experienced improved focus and productivity. Entrepreneurs and homemakers have experienced better energy levels and health. Ex-militants and prison inmates have let go of violent tendencies and been rehabilitated into the mainstream. War refugees and victims of violence have been able to release their past traumas and lead regular lives
Below is a snapshot of the immediate benefits from doing the Sudarshan Kriya
Deep detoxification and immunity boost
Breathing can remove 90% of toxins from the body. The rhythmic breathing of Sudarshan Kriya detoxifies the body at a cellular level. Studies show that Sudarshan Kriya increases the number of natural killer cells in the body that limits the spread of microbial infections and tumors. Hence, the practice increases one’s immunity.
Relief from stress, anxiety and depression
Taking care of your mental health is very important in today’s demanding world. Because if you don’t, you will be in the clutches of burnout before you know it. Sudarshan Kriya™ practice for 20 minutes daily helps significantly reduce the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya in relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Better sleep
Quality sleep is essential for the revival of tissues and organs in the body. Poor sleep quality affects your mental and physical health too. Daily Sudarshan Kriya™ practice is an easy way to sleep better. The breathing technique helps improve the quality of sleep by three times.
Stronger heart
India accounts for approximately 60% of the world’s heart disease burden. Our lifestyles demand us to tend to our hearts daily. Sudarshan Kriya™ is the most efficient practice to strengthen your heart. Studies show the practice reduces heart rate and blood pressure. It also improves one’s cholesterol profile and respiratory function.
Sudarshan Kriya practice™ for 20 minutes daily helps significantly reduce the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone
-Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Manage your emotions daily
Every emotional state is linked to a specific breathing cycle. Using rhythmic breathing cycles, Sudarshan Kriya™ helps one manage negative emotions better. You will become calmer and mentally resilient if you practice it daily.
How Sudarshan Kriya was cognized
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who cognized Sudarshan Kriya™ in 1981 shares what inspired him to sit in silence for 10 days: “I had already travelled around the world. I taught yoga and meditation. But still, I was concerned about how to help people live happily. I felt something was lacking. Though people do their spiritual practices, their life is in compartments. When they come out in life, they are very different people. So, I was thinking about how we can bridge this gap between inner silence and the outer expression of life. During the silence, the Sudarshan Kriya™ came as an inspiration. Nature knows what to give and when to give. After I came out of the silence, I started teaching whatever I knew, and people had great experiences. They felt clear from within.”
Sudarshan Kriya™ eventually became a cornerstone of all programs of The Art of Living, the organization Gurudev founded in the same year.
