Gurudev in Northern California – Bay Area

Gurudev in Northern California – Bay Area is a week of spiritual and meditation programming with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the Art of Living Center Oakland, on Lakeside Drive in Oakland, California. It is a stop on Gurudev's tour of the United States, and it suits anyone in the Bay Area who wants to spend time with a well-known meditation teacher and the Art of Living community, whether they are long-time practitioners or simply curious about breath-based meditation.

The event runs for seven days at the Oakland center. It sits between Gurudev's Los Angeles visit, which comes just before, and World Meditation Day, which follows it.

About Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a spiritual teacher, humanitarian and peacemaker. He is the founder of the Art of Living, which he established in 1981. It is a non-profit organization that blends ancient wisdom with modern science, with a particular focus on stress reduction and mental well-being. His own site describes him as a teacher, author and visionary whose teachings help people reduce stress, find peace and expand their vision. His stated vision is a violence-free, stress-free society.

He teaches breath-based meditation techniques for total well-being, and the site says his teaching has touched the lives of over one billion people worldwide. The rhythmic breathing practice Sudarshan Kriya is part of the Art of Living's work. He has said it came to him in 1982, after a ten-day period of silence on the banks of the Bhadra River in Karnataka.

Born in 1956 in a small town in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, he showed a deep interest in spirituality and meditation from a young age. He studied with several spiritual leaders, including Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, before founding the Art of Living. His teachings emphasize inner peace and self-awareness.

The Setting

The Art of Living Center Oakland is at 1547 Lakeside Drive in Oakland, in the East Bay of Northern California. It is the base for the week, so everything for this stop takes place in one familiar place rather than across several venues.