By Ajay Tejasvi | Posted on : January 22, 2021
As the new administration comes in, Ajay Tejasvi, Ph.D. Political Science, shares how we can create a strong society, finding common ground with human values.
I recently had an opportunity to share some thoughts with the incoming administration from the viewpoints of faith and mental health. I wanted to share my thoughts on this platform as well as I believe we all have a role to play in ensuring the vibrancy and health of our societies. Here are some excerpts:
I am pleased to represent the Art of Living Foundation, one of the largest volunteer-run non-profits focused on improving mental health and resilience in our societies. Over the past 40 years, our founder, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has created programs that incorporate Breathwork, Meditation, and Yoga to help individuals be the best version of themselves. Please see a short video of President-elect Biden (then-Senator Biden) talking about the work of the Foundation at the 25th Anniversary celebrations at the Kennedy Center in Washington in 2007.
Strong societies need strong individuals
We believe that in order to have strong societies, we need to have strong individuals. For this, we provide practical tools and techniques to help individuals manage their own thoughts and emotions better, to be able to connect to themselves so that they can connect with others more effectively to build conscious, connected communities.
Research out of Stanford, Yale, Harvard, and UCLA on Sri Sri's SKY Breath Meditation technique suggests that it benefits mental health and well-being while reducing anxiety, depression, and trauma - above and beyond other therapeutic and meditation techniques.
As a nation, as a society, and as a world, we have seen an increase in intolerance and a deepening of differences over the past several years. While differences are but natural in pluralistic societies such as the United States, the ways in which we deal with them determines our character, both as human beings, and as a collective.
The next four years
We believe that the following would be important for us to keep in mind as we chart a course for the next four years.
In the Sanatana Dharma, Ahimsa or Non Violence is seen as the highest virtue. It would be beneficial for the incoming administration to push for a change in the societal dialogue through non-violent means - both in terms of communication and actions.
Establish the basis for a multi-cultural, multi-religious education that can help our children learn more about what all the faiths of the world have to offer - in an unbiased and open manner. America is a melting pot, a cultural potpourri that has brought together the best of what humanity has to offer from around the world. Celebrating this diversity will continue supporting the basis for innovations that will help solve the collective challenges being faced by humanity today. Educating our children about our civic responsibilities should be a big part of this. Today in the United States, for every $50 spent per student on STEM education only 5 cents is invested in civic education. Some of the dysfunction in our society can no doubt be traced to this imbalanced approach.
We have to make a strong push to find common ground - we all have more in common than we realize. We need to accept that everyone has different perspectives and priorities. Democracy can only succeed when we operate from a middle ground - find solutions through negotiation and mutual respect for each other.
Programs for change
As an organization, the Art of Living has been working with at-risk groups and marginalized sections of society to help them re-integrate into the mainstream with a broader perspective on life and our role in the world.
+ We support mental health and resilience for at-risk youth in inner-city schools through the Sky Schools program
+ Prevention of suicide in returning veterans through Project Welcome Home Troops and in Universities and Colleges through the SKY Campus Program
+ Rebuilding trust between Police Departments and Communities through the Cities for Peace program and rehabilitation of prison inmates through the Prison Program
+ Supporting educators and corporate leaders with our evidence-based leadership initiatives such as the Corporate program that incorporates Breathwork, Yoga, and Meditation.
We stand ready to explore opportunities for collaboration with the incoming administration as well as partners from civil society, the private sector, media, and academia to take on the mental health challenges facing our society over the next four years.”
Editor’s note: To learn about the Art of Living’s flagship program, SKY Breath Meditation, we wholeheartedly invite you to attend a free breath and meditation online session, Beyond Breath.
Originally published on LinkedIn.
Ajay Tejasvi, a Ph.D. in Political Science, Masters in Foreign Policy, and M.S. in Artificial Intelligence, currently serves as president of Shankara Inc. He teaches breathing and meditation programs from both the Art of Living Foundation and the International Association for Human Values.
