Bengaluru, Dec 22 (IANS): Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's event 'World Meditates with Gurudev' has broken various records and bagged a place in the Guinness World Records, the Asia Book of Records and the World Records Union.
This monumental event, organised by the Art of Living Foundation, brought together millions from across the globe, setting a new benchmark for collective meditation.
The official release from the 'Art of Living' stated, "The first World Meditation Day marked an unparalleled celebration of unity and inner peace. With participants tuning in from over 180 countries, the event showcased the transformative power of meditation as a global movement."
Starting with the inaugural event at the United Nations and culminating in a live session led by Gurudev from atop the World Trade Centre (New York), the day witnessed a wave of meditation sweeping across continents.
The list of records broken included the 'Guinness World Record' for most viewers of a guided meditation live stream on YouTube.
Asia Book of Records for maximum participation from all the states of India in 'Guided Meditation' in a day and maximum nationalities participated in Guided Meditation in a day.
World Records Union for creating the record for the most views for an online guided meditation in 24 hours on YouTube and the record for the most live viewers of a guided meditation session on YouTube. It also marked ?the record for the most nationalities participating in an online meditation session.
The meditation session was streamed live, with millions joining virtually and even physically in large groups to meditate for global peace and harmony.
Before leading everyone into meditation, he said: "Meditation is the journey from movement to stillness. To meditate you need to first go from too much thinking to feeling what is. And then go beyond the feeling towards the inner space. ??If you want to be sane, sensitive and sensible, you need to meditate. Meditation is not inactivity. It makes you more dynamic and peaceful. Even to be a revolutionary, you need to meditate."
The Art of Living's initiative has been praised by global leaders, celebrities, sportspersons, professionals and people from all walks of life and age groups.
The event also garnered significant participation from farmers, educational institutions including those for visually challenged children, corporates, members of the military, health caregivers, researchers and scientists, homemakers, people of indigenous origins and even prisons, demonstrating meditation's universal appeal and impact. The world united in a shared moment of peace and harmony, stated the release.