We live in busy times. Before the week is over, one is already looking forward to the weekend. The radio host I listen to on my way to work calls Thursdays ‘Almost Friday’, indicating how eagerly people await Fridays.

30 years ago when I was still in school, my dad’s generation didn’t have to deal with a plethora of information at home and work. To communicate with one another people had to walk into each other’s field of vision. So when the weekend came, there wasn’t much to distract you if you chose to switch off. Telephones changed that to some extent. And then came emails. But unless you were at your computer, you remained undistracted by arriving emails until you chose to get to your computer. When you decided to read, you often chose to read from one newspaper, one magazine or one book at a time. Today each of us of is spoilt for choice on what we can do every instant. Every moment there is a piece of information starting at us from our various devices seeking our attention. We all suffer from extreme ADHD although we may not care to admit.

Those who learn to be more ‘present’ in the midst of our chaotic worlds are less likely to be overwhelmed and operate in a far calmer state of mind feeling more energetic and joyful in all their roles.  – Office worker, Father, Husband, Son or Community Worker. Even if one of those roles takes up most of their time (for most of us it is probably the office), they can still deliver a high quality output in the other roles even in the limited time they devote to it, making every moment count. Such people start even a Monday with a smile, the same smile they had on a Friday evening.

Those that can’t easily switch on and off from one role to another, may lead one-dimensional lives stuck in a role mentally even if outwardly performing another role (e.g. thinking about the meeting at work on Monday while at the football field with their children on the weekend), therefore feeling very exhausted even after the weekend is over. According to the American Psychological Association, chronic stress is linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide. It is clear that a break from the work week on the weekend doesn’t bring people back to work with a smile on Mondays. The most common day of the week for a heart attack to occur is Monday.

We all want to have that unconditional smile, feel calm and collected, energetic to cope with the experiences modern living has to offer us. We want to feel confident and creative about the challenges we face professionally or at home, without being prone to anxieties of what is in store tomorrow, without harbouring anger or resentment for the experiences of yesterday, being alert to the opportunities in the present, grateful for what we have rather than sad for what we don’t.

Some lucky people may have these qualities in their genes from birth. But those who aren’t so lucky, can be taught to use the breath to rejuvenate themselves and maintain a calm meditative state of mind that is a greater source of energy and creativity than most who haven’t experienced it, care to believe.

Anupama Murali and I coached a group of participants this weekend on how to harness the power of the breath, empower oneself through yoga and apply practical wisdom to handle the mind and emotions.  The Art of Living Happiness Program is much more than just a Yoga and breathing workshop, as illustrated by some of the testimonials from the participants of the program just concluded.

“A perfect course to align one’s body, mind, breath and soul that unwinds the mystery of life and shows the real path to happiness” – Engineering & Project Portfolio Manager

“Life changing experience using the techniques and especially seeing the change in people around” – Phd. Student

“Never imagined breathing could help control and pacify the mind” – Director APAC Business Planing & Analytics

“Didn’t expect to feel so light and weightless just as an effect of breathing” – Director, Digital Delivery, Transaction Banking

“This workshop should be part of the education curriculum in schools and colleges” – Solution Architect – Asia Pacific

“An eye-opener on clearing the mind” – IT Consultant

“An amazing and wonderful experience that brings back the simple smile” – Accounts Associate