Ghana: NGO Moves to Strengthen Mental Health

The Art of Living, an international non-religious, non-profit organisation will host an event, to assist individuals in strengthening mental health and reducing stress, in Accra, today.

The event, titled "Happiness 3.0" is aimed at equipping Ghanaians with evidence based tools and techniques to shift challenging emotions and mind states of stress and anxiety to ease, calm and clarity.

A statement copied to the Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday, said founder of the non-governmental organisation (NGO), Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, would visit Ghana as part of a 12-day tour of Africa, and continue to Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania.

Activities and programmes of the Arts of Living, include breathing techniques, meditation, yoga, and practical wisdom for daily living.

The statement said the programme would help enlighten conversation on a multitude of concepts such as the art of breathing and meditation and the wisdom to live a stress-free and a happy life.

It also mentioned that these were the tools and techniques to control one's mental health, develop sense of clarity and peace that could aid in producing a good quality life, no matter one's occupation.

The statement said Mr Shankar was of the firm belief that "a violence-free society, disease-free body, quiver-free breath, stress-free mind, inhibition-free intellect, trauma-free memory and sorrow-free soul is the birthright of every human being".

According to the statement, since the inception of the Art of Living in 1981, it had positively changed the lives of over 500 million people in 156 countries, adding that the organisation was active in 23 African countries.

It said the founder, Mr Shankar, had inspired "an unstoppable wave" of volunteerism and service, which had resulted in one of the largest volunteer-based organisations in the world, incorporating over 30,000 teachers and over a million volunteers.

"Gurudev is a key advocate for peace and has held progressive peace negotiations in conflict-stricken areas such as Colombia, Sri Lanka, Ivory Coast, Iraq, India and Venezuela.

"His work speaks through diverse cultures and religions, illuminating concepts such as inter-faith harmony, environmental sustainability and grassroot developments," the statement said.

It said the organisation has been implanting the programme in Ghana for over 15 years, and has reached out to thousands in Greater Accra and Ashanti regions, and well received by students and faculty of Academic City University College and Blue Crest College.

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