KB News Desk
As South Korea continues grappling with rising workplace stress, burnout culture and growing conversations around emotional wellness, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s global meditation and mindfulness movement is attracting increasing international attention.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is the founder of the Art of Living Foundation, a global humanitarian and wellness organisation established in India in 1981. Headquartered in Bengaluru, the organisation now operates in more than 180 countries through programmes focused on meditation, breathing techniques, mental wellness, education and humanitarian relief.
While Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is best known in India as a spiritual and humanitarian leader, his teachings around stress management and emotional resilience have increasingly found audiences among professionals and younger urban populations worldwide.
That message resonates strongly in South Korea, where long working hours, academic pressure and social isolation have contributed to rising public concern around mental health and emotional burnout.
Long before mindfulness became a mainstream wellness industry, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was promoting meditation and breathwork as practical tools for reducing stress and improving emotional balance.
The Art of Living Foundation’s best-known programme, Sudarshan Kriya, uses guided breathing exercises and meditation practices designed to help people manage anxiety, fatigue and emotional stress.
Today, the organisation conducts workshops for students, healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, corporate employees and communities affected by trauma.
Apart from wellness programmes, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has also expanded the organisation’s role into humanitarian and peace-building work.
Volunteers associated with the Art of Living Foundation have participated in outreach programmes across conflict-affected regions including Iraq, Colombia, Kashmir and areas affected by political instability.
During the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the organisation conducted meditation and trauma-relief sessions for civilians dealing with stress and displacement caused by the war.
The organisation has additionally invested in educational programmes, environmental sustainability initiatives and vocational training projects.
In India, the foundation runs schools for underprivileged children and supports projects tied to rural welfare, sanitation and water conservation.
As South Korea’s wellness economy continues to expand — particularly among younger professionals seeking work-life balance and mental health support — meditation-based movements are increasingly becoming part of mainstream lifestyle conversations.
Supporters of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar often describe his teachings as accessible and practical rather than strictly religious, helping broaden the Art of Living Foundation’s global appeal.
Critics, however, continue debating the long-term effectiveness of spiritual wellness programmes compared with conventional mental healthcare systems.
Still, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s growing global influence reflects how mindfulness, emotional resilience and stress management are becoming central conversations in modern urban societies.
