NEWS: There is No Way to Peace. Peace is the Way. And Meditation Can Help, Too.

CULTURE: There is No Way to Peace. Peace is the Way. And Meditation Can Help, Too.

Gosh, it seems that the US war effort in Iraq might be a bit off base. According to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, one of the world's most popular spiritual leaders, yoga and meditation--not force and violence--is the path to resolution and stability.

Fifty-five lucky men and women were chosen by the Iraqi government to live on an expansive spiritual retreat in southern India for a month, where they study meditation and rhythmic breathing.

Also living at Sri Sri's retreat and practicing regular meditation are about 150 Arabs from Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan and Lebanon, who apparently mix easily with two dozen Israeli participants.

Peace? Meditation? These things will not bring the rich men money like wars and arms sales!!!!

Pfffh, whatever. This is obviously a conspiracy by the Incense Corporations. Halliburton? More like... Nag Champa...burton...

And to think we all laughed.

Let's send Brad Warner to Iraq and end this war now.

I spent 5 months doing volunteer work down in New Orleans from December through April of this year. While I was there I became involved (although basically only socially) with the Art Of Living people down in New Orleans. They had been there since shortly after the hurricanes.
The Art of Living helps not only in war torn areas, but in any area where there is stress and difficulties. They were helping the victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita learn to better deal with the stress, depression, and other aspects of being victims of not only nature but man-made disasters.
I also had the good fortune to see Sri Sri while he was down there and I can personally attest to the impact that one person can have on others. I joined in with his breathing techniques and his meditation and can honestly say that I have not felt so relaxed in many years. Unfortunately I never got a chance to do yoga with one of the volunteers from Art Of Living due to my commitments with my organization but she was a regular at many of our different facilities/programs.

Yay! Nonviolence to the rescue!

Excellent video!!! But what about Maharishi and Transcendental Meditation? They do good work too. I have been meditating for a little more than 34 years. When I started, I was a hopeless mental patient.

I'm sure it gave them hope to move out of Iraq!

+ Infinity

It'll never work. Meditation is way more boring than what's going on now. How the fuck do you market that? How will you recruit hoards of youngsters into the righteous ranks with a slyly gubberment-sponsored video game? "Check it out kids! The Powers That Be (TM) have a new video game. It's called "Resident Monk: Peace Warrior". You get to be one of eight sects, and your character sits cross-legged for hours staring at a number of things (a white wall, a candle, a drawing of a squiggle) while chanting mantras that you can live mix in real time! Peace was never so... exciting."

You see? This thing is flawed from the top down. I say peace is doomed...

[added:]

...and unmarketable...