Geneva |
On the occasion of World Meditation Day, global spiritual leader and humanitarian Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar emphasized the urgent need to adopt meditation as a tool for peace and mental well-being in today’s turbulent world. Addressing delegates and dignitaries at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva on Wednesday, Gurudev noted that meditation, once considered a forbidden or fringe practice, is now gaining global acceptance.
World Meditation Day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly, and last year it witnessed a historic moment when over 8.5 million people across the globe meditated together. Speaking against this backdrop, Gurudev said meditation is not only meant for individual well-being but is equally relevant for societies facing stress, conflict, uncertainty, and emotional distress.
The celebrations for the second World Meditation Day began with Gurudev’s special address at UN Geneva on the theme “Meditation for World Peace.” The event was organized by the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva in collaboration with The Art of Living.
Highlighting the rising levels of anxiety, burnout, and loneliness across age groups and regions, Gurudev stressed that lasting solutions cannot rely only on external interventions. He said stabilizing the human mind is equally important. “Meditation is no longer a luxury for the world. When one-third of the global population struggles with loneliness and nearly half faces mental health challenges, we need a process that connects us to ourselves and releases accumulated stress,” he said.
Explaining the distinction between mindfulness and meditation, Gurudev remarked, “Mindfulness is the driveway, and meditation is your home. Meditation takes you deep within and provides the peace that is desperately needed today. It is not complicated—meditation is like deleting unnecessary files from the computer of the mind.”
He further said that human beings are forms of energy and urged people to reflect on the harmony this energy creates. “Meditation generates harmony around us and purifies our vibrations,” he added.
Recalling last year’s global initiative, Gurudev said that on December 21, more than 8.5 million people participated in ‘The World Meditates with Gurudev,’ making it the largest meditation event ever and setting six Guinness World Records. Participants joined from homes, educational institutions, workplaces, conflict-affected areas, and community spaces across the world.
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organizations, Ambassador Arindam Bagchi, said meditation is not merely a personal practice. “In a world marked by deep conflict and mistrust, meditation is a powerful means to understand complex global challenges, bridge divides, and cultivate empathy,” he said.
Gurudev also reflected on the journey of meditation’s global acceptance, noting that for much of the modern era it was marginalized in the Western world. Beginning in the early 1980s, he played a key role in bringing meditation into mainstream discourse through initiatives in education, conflict resolution, prison reform, farmer welfare, youth leadership, corporate stress management, and community rebuilding across 182 countries.
During his address, Gurudev expressed gratitude to the 192 countries that supported the World Meditation Day resolution at the UN General Assembly, calling it a rare example of global acceptance of an inner science-based practice.
Furthering the initiative, Gurudev will deliver another key address from the United Nations Headquarters in New York on December 19, focusing on the role of meditation in strengthening mental resilience, dialogue, and peace. On December 21, millions are again expected to join him as he leads a short meditation session from the Oculus at the World Trade Center in New York at 8:30 PM IST, marking a moment of collective stillness in an increasingly fast-paced world.
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