Gurudev and the Making of a Global Community
Social scientists talk about "community" as if it has an existence of its own; as if no matter what we do as individuals, our communities will always be there. But in reality, real people must put real work into building communities and keeping them vibrant.
Few people have put as much work into building communities as Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
"Gurudev" is not a name, nor is it a title. It is a description. Mr. Shankar is afforded the title "Sri Sri" (twice respected) as an honor. But he is called "Gurudev" (divine teacher) because that is what he is: he is a teacher who helps others recognize the divine in themselves.
Gurudev is not a specifically religious teacher, and the Art of Living Foundation that he founded forty-five years ago is not a religion.
Gurudev is more of a spiritual inspirer, someone who inspires people of all religions to come together to create community. His Art of Living Foundation is a global charity that brings people together in pockets of community all over the world.
Some of those community nodes may consist of only a few tireless activists, while in Gurudev's native India some Art of Living gatherings can bring together millions of people in a single celebration.
All of this has been accomplished without an exclusive ideology or binding manifesto. Everyone is invited to participate in the Art of Living. Though Gurudev is from India and his methods are grounded in traditional Hindu practice, his message and appeal are universal.
Although much is written about Gurudev as an exceptional individual, his real accomplishment is his record of inspiring others to service as well. No one person, however capable and hard-working, can create a community. A single leader can only create a following.
Gurudev is not a leader with a following; he is a teacher with a legacy. Instead of followers, he has millions of students, many of whom go on to become teachers themselves.
That's the difference between a cult and a community. A cult follows one person. A community is self-regenerating.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was born on May 13, 1956. He has devoted his seventy years on Earth to teaching through service, and the Art of Living Foundation he founded in 1981 will continue that tradition long after he is gone.
But Gurudev's impact extents far beyond than his personal teaching, or the charitable good works of the Art of Living Foundation. Many people who have never even heard of Gurudev are living better, fuller lives because of the sense of global community that he has helped foster. That's because we all depend on the strength and support of our communities in order to realize our true potential as human beings.
On Gurudev's seventieth birthday, it would be remiss not to congratulate him on a lifetime of service. But it would also be remiss to forget that Gurudev's real impact has been his inspiration of others.
Many people have the capacity for hard work; few are able to inspire others to hard work. Gurudev has inspired millions, and through those millions, millions more.
It is only as a result of the hard work of community-builders like Gurudev that we all have communities to live in, to depend on, and to turn to in our times of need.
The Art of Living is not the world's only community-building organization, but it is one of the largest, and one of the most active. Through its work and the work of those it has touched, Gurudev has made the world a warmer, more supportive place for everyone.
We can all be grateful for that, and wish Gurudev and the entire Art of Living community a very happy birthday this May 13.
Salvatore Babones is the executive director of the Indian Century Roundtable and the author of Dharma Democracy: How India Built the Third World's First Democracy.
