Bengaluru: Spiritual leader and humanitarian Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Wednesday said meditation, once viewed with scepticism, has now gained global acceptance, addressing a special event at the United Nations in Geneva marking the second World Meditation Day.
Speaking on the theme “World Meditates for Global Peace”, Gurudev highlighted the growing relevance of meditation in a world grappling with stress, anxiety, burnout, and conflict. The event was organised by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in association with The Art of Living.
“Meditation is no longer a luxury,” Gurudev said, noting that widespread loneliness and mental health challenges demand solutions that stabilise the human mind, not just external systems. He described meditation as a simple yet powerful tool to restore inner balance and harmony, likening it to “pressing the delete button on unnecessary mental clutter.”
Reflecting on last year’s World Meditation Day, Gurudev recalled how over 8.5 million people across the globe meditated together, setting six Guinness World Records.
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, H.E. Arindam Bagchi, said meditation has emerged as a vital instrument for fostering empathy and understanding amid global mistrust and conflict.
