The Art of Living Foundation: USAReviews of artofliving.org

I was shocked to find out that this establishment does nothing to compost…everything goes in the dump.It’s sickening to think of the waste per day.. Art Of Living are quick to brag about how much business they have and yet they are damaging the environment…it is shameful & hypocritical Art Of Living! I also found it very dangerous to walk the only path connecting the lower buildings to the upper buildings…crumbling steps and loose rocks very unstable. This is negligence. I appears that management cares more about profit than people.

Nowadays they are insisting on CASH payments only which is dodgy and not in line with their Published policies. In a way they are Tricking you, i.e. At the time of registration they don't mention about Cash payments confirm all ok and ask to book/submit International Flight to Bangalore art of Living Ashram and then Once you booked flight they mention about Cash payments. I have even requested them I prefer to make Digital payment but they bluntly refuse. I have evidence of All these communication if needed.

I completed the Happiness Program (2017), Advanced Silence Course, Sri Sri Yoga Teacher Training (2018) + Level 2, Blessings Program, Volunteer Training Program (VTP), Shakti Kriya, and countless satsangs and follow-up events. I showed up fully, practised sincerely, and genuinely wanted to share these tools. What I experienced instead was a clear hierarchy: I was never “whole enough” or “Indian enough” to be approved as a Sri Sri Yoga teacher or to lead Happiness Courses. The message was consistent — attend more courses, do more Kriya, volunteer more. My trauma and sense of displacement were never acknowledged; they were met with “just keep doing the practices.” In 2021, during an Art of Living yoga event, I was ejected from a vehicle and left on a motorway in heavy rain, with fast-moving traffic and no safe way to retrieve my belongings. No one from the organisation followed up to check on my safety or wellbeing. Instead, decisions were made based on one-sided accounts, and my reputation was affected without due process. In March 2024, I attempted to return and teach yoga sessions for Kriya follow-ups, in full compliance with their requirements — maintaining a clear separation from my own yoga and Ayurveda work and agreeing to sign the relevant UK and European teaching agreements. When I raised the 2021 incident and asked for basic accountability and respect, the response focused on administrative steps rather than addressing the safeguarding concern. I was told that attempts had been made to contact me, that “both sides were damaged,” and that “there’s nothing we can do now except allow you to sign the agreements and teach.” This response reflected a lack of accountability and a failure to engage with the seriousness of the incident. In 2025, I continued attending Kriya programs elsewhere, hoping for a different experience. Unfortunately, similar patterns emerged. During one event, another participant scratched my car. When I raised this, the response was not to investigate or resolve the situation, but to reassure me that the individual “would never do such a thing,” and to offer an apology only if I felt hurt. There was no accountability, no attempt to address the damage, and no formal handling of the incident. I was again encouraged to “accept people and situations as they are.” In practice, this meant that harmful behaviour was minimised rather than addressed. This reflects a broader issue in the teachings. There is a strong emphasis on acceptance and not questioning others’ intentions, but this can come at the cost of accountability. Harmful behaviour is often reframed or dismissed instead of being properly addressed. While these teachings may be suitable for individuals seeking basic wellbeing support, I found them to be potentially harmful for those with significant trauma. Encouraging unconditional acceptance without accountability can reinforce unsafe environments rather than resolve them. In my experience, this approach prioritises spiritual ideals over basic human responsibility. Instead of empowering individuals to process and address harm, it can lead to avoidance and emotional suppression. The organisation presents itself as upholding principles of equality and inclusion. However, in my experience, access to opportunities appeared shaped by informal hierarchies rather than transparent or consistent criteria, with limited support when concerns were raised. After years of commitment, I realised my training and wellbeing were being treated as conditional — something to be permitted rather than respected. I chose not to sign the agreements. This is not the “stress-free, violence-free” community that is advertised. While the practices may help some people, if you are looking for trauma-informed support, fairness, and genuine inclusion — this may not be the right environment. JGD — but not anymore. Leena Joynat (Sri Sri Yoga Teacher Training 2018)

Art of living Frankfurt. The organizer did not have an answer about the charity projects Art of Living supports as they say. It would need time to look things up she said...;)

I read about the breathing practice that they teach in the book Breath by James Nestor and was interested in learning the practice. From the start, I noticed that the organization was vast and operated in a very "corporate sales" type of way. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the five free videos and signed up for the introductory class (three hours, three consecutive days, on Zoom, all for $300). The website states "Flexible rescheduling at no additional cost." I attended the first two sessions. To my surprise, only a small part of the time was spent on the actual breathing/meditation practice (certainly less than an hour). Much of the time was simply endless talk. As someone who has been involved in prior meditation practices, self-help, therapy (and is a licensed psychologist), I was not interested in all of that and found it forced, boring, and tedious. Nonetheless, I was polite and listened and participated as needed. The second session ran over 3.5 hours (half an hour longer than promised) and I was really not pleased about that - not only was it tedious, but it was also disrespectful to the participants who had committed on the basis of a set ending time. Nonetheless, I planned to complete the third session and attempt the breathing practice. However, a serious family emergency came up. I immediately emailed the instructor to explain (in detail) why I would not be attending. I was told - both by him and others, and repeatedly when I asked again several days later - that I would have to repeat the ENTIRE three sessions in order to be given access to the breathing App, i.e., that I could not join a third session as I was requesting. I frankly thought this both ridiculous and again quite disrespectful of my time. What it tells me is that this group is more interested in docility in its participants than anything else - probably because it seeks to enroll them in more courses and involve them more deeply (in what may be a somewhat "cult-like" or perhaps "cult adjacent" organization). Clearly I had hit a wall when I refused to redo the first two sessions (something for which there was no real need whatsoever, given at least average intelligence and the ability to follow simple directions). Not to mention the fact that, if the breathing/meditation technique is as effective as they say it is, the rest of the course should be largely unnecessary. Therefore I am giving this organization one star (at best). There are other breathing techniques available and they do not put up these types of barriers (not to mention costs) and I intend to look into them instead.