Art of Living Foundation
A volunteer-based international nonprofit that offers breathing, meditation, yoga, education, humanitarian relief, and social-development programs.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Art of Living Foundation is a volunteer-based, nonprofit humanitarian and educational organization founded in Bengaluru, India, in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. It developed around stress-management and personal-development programs using breathing practices, meditation, yoga, and related teachings. Its best-known technique is Sudarshan Kriya, a structured breathing practice taught through introductory programs that are marketed in many countries under names including the Happiness Program and Art of Living Part I. The foundation began with educational courses in India and held its first Art of Living course in Shimoga in 1982. International expansion followed in the 1980s: Ravi Shankar taught the organization’s first international course in Switzerland in 1983 and conducted early North American courses in California in 1986. The organization has since built a network of centers, teachers, volunteers, and retreat facilities. Its international center is located on Kanakapura Road in Bengaluru, while other major facilities include centers in Germany, North Carolina, and Quebec. Although its initial focus was personal well-being, the foundation broadened its activities into humanitarian and social-service work. Its areas of activity include disaster response, trauma relief, prisoner rehabilitation, rural development, environmental sustainability, women’s empowerment, poverty alleviation, youth education, and public-health volunteering. Many initiatives are conducted with or through legally separate affiliated bodies, particularly the International Association for Human Values, which Ravi Shankar co-founded in Geneva in 1997. The foundation’s Indian programs are also associated with Vyakti Vikas Kendra India, a registered public charitable trust. The organization received special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 1996. It subsequently promoted programs such as Prison SMART, youth and school initiatives, disaster-relief interventions, Mission Green Earth, Volunteer for a Better India, river-rejuvenation projects, rural electrification, and agricultural training. Its courses have been adapted for groups including prisoners, adolescents, disaster survivors, refugees, soldiers, and displaced communities. The foundation’s educational ecosystem includes the Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir school network, Sri Sri University in Odisha, the Sri Sri College of Ayurvedic Science and Research, and the Sri Sri School of Yoga. These entities have distinct institutional or legal structures and should not automatically be treated as divisions of the foundation itself. The organization presents its work as a practical synthesis of breathing, meditation, service, and values-based education, drawing in part on Advaita Vedanta traditions. Independent research has examined Sudarshan Kriya, the Youth Empowerment Seminar, and other interventions, although the evidence base is mixed and some publications concerning Sahaj Samadhi were retracted in 2021 over reporting of a preregistered trial outcome. The foundation has also faced criticism and litigation, including a 2010 defamation and trade-libel case involving anonymous bloggers who published allegations about it. It remains an active international nonprofit whose public profile combines wellness education, volunteer mobilization, humanitarian work, and the public activities of its founder.
History
The Art of Living Foundation was established in Bengaluru in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar as an educational and nonprofit organization. Its early work centered on courses intended to help participants manage stress and improve personal well-being through breathing practices, meditation, and yoga. The first Art of Living course was held in Shimoga in 1982. The organization then developed a system for training teachers and began expanding outside India. Ravi Shankar conducted the first international course in Switzerland in 1983 and held early North American courses in Apple Valley, California, in 1986. During the 1980s and early 1990s, the foundation’s principal activity was the delivery of courses and the development of an international volunteer and instructor network. Sudarshan Kriya became the central breathing practice associated with its programs. The Bengaluru international center, established in 1986, evolved into the movement’s principal global hub. Its Vishalakshi Mantap meditation hall was inaugurated in 2003. The foundation’s public role expanded during the 1990s. In the United States it operated as an educational and humanitarian organization from 1989. In 1996 it received special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. In 1997, Ravi Shankar co-founded the International Association for Human Values in Geneva. IAHV is separately registered and has its own ECOSOC status, but it has worked closely with the foundation on humanitarian relief, trauma rehabilitation, rural development, and peace-related activities. The organization subsequently moved beyond individual wellness courses into disaster relief, prisoner rehabilitation, environmental programs, poverty alleviation, and community development. After the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, it conducted trauma-relief programs in India and Sri Lanka and supported educational infrastructure for affected communities. A peer-reviewed study reported reductions in post-traumatic-stress symptoms among tsunami survivors who received a breathing-based intervention. The Prison SMART program adapted breathing and stress-management practices for incarcerated people, while youth and school programs extended the organization’s educational model to adolescents and underserved communities. Environmental and rural-development work became more prominent in the 2000s and 2010s. Project Vidarbha trained farmers in organic and low-input agriculture, rainwater harvesting, and multiple cropping. Mission Green Earth promoted large-scale tree planting. The Volunteer for a Better India platform, launched in 2012 with civil-society and United Nations-linked partners, organized health camps, civic participation activities, and public campaigns. From 2013 onward, river-rejuvenation projects addressed water shortages through recharge wells, watershed structures, restoration of step wells, and tree planting in parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Rural development programs also included solar microgrids for villages without reliable electricity. Ravi Shankar became increasingly visible in peace and conflict-related initiatives. He participated in contacts connected with Colombian government–FARC negotiations in 2015, was associated with peace-building efforts in Manipur in 2017, and served as a mediator in the Ayodhya dispute in 2019 after appointment by India’s Supreme Court. The organization and its affiliates have also reported trauma-relief and meditation work among refugees, displaced people, soldiers, and children affected by armed conflict. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Karnataka government authorized the Bengaluru international center to serve as a care facility for asymptomatic patients. The foundation also organized Mission Zindagi, a volunteer response during the severe 2021 wave in India. In subsequent years it reported programs for Ukrainian communities and disaster-relief assistance after floods and cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh. The foundation’s broader ecosystem includes educational and professional institutions associated with the Sri Sri name, including the Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir school network, Sri Sri University, the Sri Sri College of Ayurvedic Science and Research, and the Sri Sri School of Yoga. These bodies have their own legal or regulatory identities. The foundation itself remains a nonprofit, volunteer-supported organization with centers in many countries and a portfolio spanning courses, retreats, social service, humanitarian relief, and peace-oriented activities. Its methods have been studied in randomized trials and other research, including work on Sudarshan Kriya and youth programs. The evidence is not uniformly positive or conclusive: two later reports on a Sahaj Samadhi trial were retracted in 2021 because of shortcomings in reporting the preregistered primary outcome. The organization has also encountered legal controversy, including a 2010 lawsuit against anonymous bloggers who identified themselves as former teachers or followers and published critical material. Despite these controversies, the Art of Living Foundation remains active internationally and continues to combine a recognizable wellness curriculum with volunteer-led humanitarian and civic programs.
- 2021
Mission Zindagi COVID-19 response
[1]The foundation organized a volunteer relief initiative during India’s second COVID-19 wave.
- 2019
Ravi Shankar appointed Ayodhya mediator
[1]India’s Supreme Court appointed Ravi Shankar to a three-person mediation panel for the Ayodhya dispute.
- 2013
Kumudavathi River project begins
[1]The foundation began a multi-year effort to improve water recharge and ecological conditions in the Kumudavathi River basin near Bengaluru.
- 2012
Volunteer for a Better India launched
[1]The foundation and partner organizations launched a civic and volunteer platform covering health, voting awareness, and social action.
- 2008
Mission Green Earth launched
[1]The foundation launched an environmental campaign focused on large-scale tree planting.
- 2003
Vishalakshi Mantap inaugurated
[1]The main meditation hall at the Bengaluru international center was inaugurated on 17 January.
- 1997
International Association for Human Values founded
[1]Ravi Shankar co-founded IAHV in Geneva as a separately registered humanitarian organization.
- 1996
UN ECOSOC consultative status
[1]The foundation received special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
- 1986
Bengaluru international center established
[1]The organization established its principal international center on Kanakapura Road in Bengaluru and expanded its North American teaching activity.
- 1983
International expansion begins
[1]Ravi Shankar conducted the foundation’s first international course in Switzerland.
Products and positioning
A global nonprofit combining meditation, breathing techniques, yoga, volunteer service, and humanitarian programs to promote personal well-being, social resilience, and peace.
Breathing practice
Sudarshan Kriya
A structured rhythmic breathing practice developed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and taught as the central technique in several Art of Living programs. It is presented as a method for relaxation, stress management, emotional balance, and meditation preparation. Independent researchers have examined it in studies involving trauma, mental health, and general well-being, although research findings should not be treated as proof of every promotional claim.
Introductory wellness course
Happiness Program
The foundation’s principal introductory course for adults. It combines instruction in Sudarshan Kriya with breathing exercises, meditation, practical discussions, and elements of yoga. The course is delivered by trained teachers through local centers and online or residential formats in different markets.
Meditation course
Sahaj Samadhi
A mantra-based meditation program intended to teach participants a regular practice for settling attention and reducing mental strain. A registered trial examined its use in late-life depression, but two later result papers were retracted in 2021 because the journals found that the preregistered primary outcome had not been properly reported.
Yoga program
Sri Sri Yoga
A yoga offering incorporating postures, breathing, relaxation, and meditation. It is delivered through the foundation’s centers and teacher network and is positioned as a complementary practice for physical flexibility, concentration, and general well-being.
Prisoner rehabilitation
Prison Program
An adapted program for incarcerated populations that uses breathing, stress-management, meditation, and values-based instruction. It is associated with the wider Prison SMART approach and has been reported in prison settings outside India, including South Africa.
Youth development
Youth Empowerment Seminar
A youth-oriented program delivered through the foundation’s humanitarian network and IAHV. It combines breathing, meditation, communication, and personal-development exercises for adolescents. A 2013 study reported lower impulsive behavior among participating high-school students relative to a control group.
Controversies
2021
Retractions in Sahaj Samadhi research
Two papers reporting results from a registered Sahaj Samadhi trial were retracted by their journals after concerns that the preregistered primary outcome had not been reported. This is a research-reporting controversy rather than a finding that the foundation itself committed research misconduct.
2010
Lawsuit involving anonymous critical bloggers
The foundation sued two anonymous bloggers who said they were former teachers or followers and had published critical posts. The claims reportedly included defamation, trade libel, copyright infringement, and disclosure of trade secrets. The supplied reference does not provide a complete account of the final disposition.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Mission Zindagi
India
A volunteer-led relief effort during India’s second COVID-19 wave, alongside the use of the Bengaluru international center as an authorized care facility for asymptomatic patients.
Outcome. The initiative provided pandemic relief through volunteers; the supplied material does not establish a consolidated beneficiary total.
- 2013Kumudavathi River Rejuvenation
India
A water-restoration effort near Bengaluru involving local authorities, environmentalists, and volunteers. Work included recharge wells, boulder checks, step-well cleaning, and tree planting.
Outcome. By June 2014, the reported activities included five revived recharge wells, 74 boulder checks, 18 cleaned step wells, and 2,350 saplings in seven villages.
- 2012Volunteer for a Better India
India
A civic-volunteering platform launched with NGOs, United Nations-linked bodies, and civil-society groups. Activities included public health camps, voting awareness, and responses to violence against women.
Outcome. The initiative organized health camps and civic-awareness activities across Indian communities.
- 2008Mission Green Earth
India · Global
An environmental campaign promoted with United Nations-linked partners that sought to mobilize tree planting and public action on climate change.
Outcome. The campaign announced a target of 100 million trees; a verified final total is not established in the supplied sources.
- 2007Project Vidarbha
India
Volunteers worked with farmers in six districts of Vidarbha on organic and low-input farming, rainwater harvesting, multiple cropping, and stress-management education.
Outcome. The foundation reported that the project was reduced in scale after government funding was withdrawn following a farmer-loan-waiver announcement.
Brand decisions
2020
Bengaluru center adapted for pandemic responseOtherBackground
India’s COVID-19 pandemic created demand for additional care facilities and volunteer relief.
Action taken
The Karnataka government authorized the foundation’s Bengaluru international center to function as a COVID care center for asymptomatic patients.
Aftermath
The foundation also developed volunteer relief activities, including Mission Zindagi during the 2021 wave.
2012
Civic-volunteer platform createdStrategyBackground
The foundation sought to connect its volunteer network with public-health, civic-participation, and social-action activities.
Action taken
It launched Volunteer for a Better India with United Nations-linked bodies, NGOs, and civil-society organizations.
Aftermath
The platform organized health camps, voting-awareness activities, and other public campaigns in India.
2008
Expansion into environmental campaigningStrategyBackground
The organization had broadened its mission beyond meditation courses into humanitarian and social-service activity.
Action taken
It launched Mission Green Earth, a large-scale tree-planting and climate-action campaign.
Aftermath
The campaign added environmental mobilization to the foundation’s international volunteer portfolio.
1997
Separate humanitarian vehicle establishedStrategyBackground
The foundation was expanding from courses and personal well-being into international humanitarian and social-development work.
Action taken
Ravi Shankar co-founded the International Association for Human Values as a separately registered organization in Geneva.
Aftermath
IAHV later became a major vehicle for relief, trauma rehabilitation, rural development, and related initiatives conducted alongside foundation programs.
Recent events
- 2022
Art of Living reports programs for communities affected by the war in Ukraine[1]
Other
The foundation and the International Association for Human Values reported providing breathing and meditation programs for soldiers, displaced civilians, and children from occupied territories following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- 2021
COVID-19 response includes Mission Zindagi[1]
Other
During India’s second COVID-19 wave, the foundation organized a volunteer relief effort called Mission Zindagi. Its Bengaluru international center was also authorized by the Karnataka government to operate as a COVID care center for asymptomatic patients.
- 2021
Research publications concerning Sahaj Samadhi are retracted[1]
Other
Two papers reporting results from a registered trial of Sahaj Samadhi for late-life depression were retracted by their journals over failure to report the trial’s preregistered primary outcome measure.
- 2019
Ravi Shankar participates in Ayodhya mediation[1]
Other
The Supreme Court of India appointed Ravi Shankar as one of three mediators in the Ayodhya dispute.
- 2008
Foundation launches Mission Green Earth[1]
Campaign
The organization launched a tree-planting and environmental campaign, promoted in partnership with United Nations initiatives, with a stated goal of planting 100 million trees.
- 1997
Art of Living co-founds the International Association for Human Values[1]
Other
Ravi Shankar co-founded the separately registered International Association for Human Values in Geneva, which later implemented or supported many humanitarian and social-development programs associated with the wider movement.
- 1996
Art of Living receives United Nations ECOSOC consultative status[1]
Other
The foundation received special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, formalizing its recognition as an international nongovernmental organization.
Sources1 sources
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