Benefits of Meditation

What are some of the best/top-rated programs at Art of Living Foundation?

October 9, 2021 By Art of Living Leave a Comment

The top-rated programs at the Art of Living Foundation include the world-renowned, evidence-based SKY Breath Meditation course that’s globally transformed the lives of millions, along with their signature programs Sahaj Samadhi Meditation™ and the Silent Retreat.

Rooted in ancient tradition and backed by science, the Art of Living provides the most comprehensive meditation experience available, with tools and techniques to alleviate stress and cultivate a powerful sense of well-being—that lasts. With opportunities to deepen your experience beyond the course via ongoing guided journeys in their app to help you thrive and build a transformative habit.

Here’s a glimpse of their top-rated programs:

SKY Breath Meditation

Exclusive to the Art of Living Foundation, it is a 3-day live online course guided by certified instructors, with 2.5 hour daily expert-led sessions where you learn the powerful evidence-based breathwork meditation practice, SKY Breath Meditation.

Created by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Art of Living founder and master of meditation, SKY Breath Meditation has been documented in over 100 independent, peer-reviewed studies to significantly decrease stress and anxiety and increase physical and mental well-being—all through the science of breathwork. This life-enhancing practice works as an instant natural stress reliever, using specific rhythms of the breath to quiet the mind and create effortless meditation. Research has demonstrated that by practicing the techniques taught on the SKY Breath Meditation course, levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, are reduced from the very first session. And there’s more—the practice has been shown to increase immune cell count, improve sleep, lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and increase life satisfaction. SKY enables you to raise your energy, manage your emotions, and find lasting ease, all with tools for a lifetime. To learn more about SKY Breath Meditation, you can join a free live online intro session—click here to reserve your free spot.

Sahaj Samadhi Meditation™

Sahaj means effortless. Samadhi means a state of true meditation. Simply put, Sahaj Samadhi Meditation™ is an effective, personalized way to easily enter into a deep meditative state. Using the power of ancient sound, or mantra, to effortlessly cut through mental chatter and connect you with a state of deep rest and relaxation.

It’s a natural, evidence-based technique shown to boost mood and heart health, whilst providing a lasting calm with clear focus and reduced stress and anxiety. The benefits are immediate, tangible, and cumulative, and the practice itself is relaxing and enjoyable—and you can learn the technique, and become fully proficient, live online in just a few hours with a certified instructor! It’s also the perfect complement to SKY Breath Meditation. Learn more

Silent Retreat

The perfect vacation for the mind, body, and spirit. A 4-5 day online Silent Retreat is a profound spiritual immersion expertly guided and crafted each day, live online with certified instructors, featuring a mix of restorative breathing practices, daily yoga, deep wisdom, silence, and powerful guided meditations. You’ll watch mental chatter quieten as peace and tranquility unfold into the profound depths of inner silence. And with advanced practices to take your SKY Breath Meditation experience to the next level, you’ll release deep layers of stress to emerge deeply rested and rejuvenated, with an extraordinary sense of renewed vitality and perspective—benefits that have been said to last the year! You can learn more here or join a free online intro session to discover the hidden power of silence.

An Art of Living program is the beginning of an ever-deepening and evolving journey to living with more fulfillment and peace, with tools for daily life.

What is the science of meditation?

October 9, 2021 By Art of Living Leave a Comment

Over the past two decades, scientific research into meditation has grown exponentially and continues to. It’s known that a regular meditation practice provides a spectrum of mental and physical health benefits.

Here’s what science has discovered so far, plus an evidence-based meditation technique backed by rigorous research.

Studies have shown that meditation serves as a powerful mind-body tool for a diverse range of needs. From anxiety, depression, and stress reduction, to improved sleep and immune function, smoking cessation, reduced blood pressure, enhanced brain health, chronic pain management, and more. However, researchers have concluded that further studies into specific meditation techniques and their subsequent benefits on participants are needed. Currently, many studies view meditation as a generic practice—that all effects are equal—but it’s important to recognize that different techniques produce different results.

There’s mindfulness meditation, breath-based meditation, loving-kindness meditation, transcendental meditation, guided meditation—to name a few! And what’s rare is to find scientific studies that focus on the benefits of specific meditation practice, but they do exist.

What type of meditation is backed by science?

There are a few, and SKY Breath Meditation (SKY), exclusive to the Art of Living organization, is one of them. Over 100 independent studies conducted on four continents, and published in peer-reviewed journals, have demonstrated a comprehensive range of benefits from practicing the techniques taught on the 3-day live online SKY Breath Meditation course. This breath-based meditation is scientifically validated to support practitioners in the following areas:

Stress reduction: After just two weeks of practicing SKY, meditators had a 56% reduction in the stress hormone cortisol—with results from the very first session.

Improved sleep: SKY significantly enhances deep sleep. Plus, more time is spent in these deeper stages.

Anxiety and depression reduction: Research has demonstrated that SKY provides a uniform rapid response. From the very first SKY session, the well-being hormone prolactin begins to notably increase. And research shows within one month, there is a 68-80% remission rate for both depression and anxiety.

Immune support: The number of Natural Killer cells produced by the immune system is considerably higher in people who practice SKY than the population at large. Additionally, research shows lymphocyte count increases by 33% in SKY practitioners in just six weeks.

Heart health: SKY lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. And a recent study out of the University of Arizona/Harvard showed SKY practitioners showed fewer cardiac signs of stress before a stressful event.

Brain health: SKY participants have greater mental focus and an increase in alpha waves—found within the slow, relaxing meditative state. Additionally, SKY has been documented to increase the brain protein, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), responsible for laying down new neurons, new brain cells.

Life satisfaction: A recent Yale study supported previous independent studies that showed SKY significantly increased those qualities that make life most worth living—happiness, serenity, optimism, energy levels, social connection, and quality of life.

In conclusion, there are many practices out there, but if you want a specific technique that’s been scientifically validated to positively impact your mental and physical health, then it is worth exploring SKY Breath Meditation. ^_[^{_{View all independent research}}^_]
To learn more about SKY Breath Meditation, you can join a free live online intro session—click here to reserve your free spot.

Benefits of Meditation

July 2, 2021 By Art of Living Leave a Comment

How can the benefits of meditation change your life?

In their Art of Living reviews, our previous participants share how adopting this evidence-based technique has helped them achieve a renewed sense of relaxation and self-awareness.

What Are the Benefits of Meditation? - Art of Living Foundation — What are the Benefits of Meditation? Art of Living Foundation

Practicing meditation comes with many benefits, both mental and physical. At its core, meditation is about regaining control of your mind. By meditating, you can quiet the chaos that surrounds you. Depending on your perspective, this practice can benefit either your mental or physical health—or both.

The Mental Benefits of Meditation

balance your emotions

One of the most incredible benefits of meditation is its ability to help you recharge on an emotional level. Meditating aids your emotional balance, which is reflected in reduced anxiety and depression and even increased compassion and care for the world around you.

increase your focus and awareness

Immersing yourself in a meditative calm can not only lower stress, but also help you to become more focused. Taking a moment to embrace the tranquility of meditation can truly renew your perspective and your approaches in life.

The #1 Benefit of Meditation is Decreased Stress

Both a benefit to your physical wellbeing and mental health, daily meditation can decrease stress. The effects of stress on the human mind and body are incredibly damaging. It is so important for both your physical and mental health to reduce stress as much as possible. By introducing meditation into your daily routine, you can achieve just that!

Like most things, a person can benefit from meditation the most when practicing a tried and true, evidence-based technique. At the Art of Living Foundation, our interactive lessons help introduce people just like you to simple and effective techniques that rely on breathing exercises. Find out how our students of the past and present are benefitting from our sessions!