Intro Talk- Happiness Program

 
Things you will Need
Before the Talk
Introductions and Beginning
Importance of Breathing and Meditation
The state of your mind reflects the quality of your life
Importance of Breath
Bhastrika and Meditation
Testimonials
Announce the course
Happiness Point
Nature of the Mind
Closing Statements
Mix and connect with them after the talk.
Things you will Need
●    Sign-up sheet for walk-ins (capture email id and phone number)/Use Eventbrite organizer
app to check-in folks
●   QRFs and pens/pencils
●   Have a flip chart/white board and easel with course dates and timings written on it
●   Have some food (Samosas/pakoras, Chips and salsa, cookies etc)  and drinks
(Tea/Water/Juice) for after the talk
Before the Talk
●      Send email reminder the day before the talk and text reminder 5-6 hours before the talk
●      You and the volunteers must arrive 15 mins early and invite at least volunteers. (At least 1
volunteer for every 3 participants)
●      Set the room with chairs theater style
●      Chant/perform Guru Puja along with the volunteers before the participants arrive (optional)
●      Have volunteers sit in between the participants
●      When people walk in greet them and have them fill in the sign-up sheet. Make sure you can
read their handwriting
 
Introductions and Beginning
●      Have one person introduce Art of Living and the speaker
 
Introduction to the Art of Living
Hello everyone! Good morning! How are you doing?
On behalf of the Art of Living Foundation, I would like to welcome you to the “secrets of
meditation - an introduction to the happiness program” session.
Art of Living is one of the largest volunteer based, humanitarian, and educational organizations
in the world today.
The Art of Living proudly offers stress relief techniques and self development courses in over
150 countries around the world and has touched over 30 million people, who have experienced
profound inner peace, happiness, and well being as a result.
The founder of the organization is Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who is a world renowned humanitarian
and peace leader.
His vision is to create a stress free and violence free society while holding a larger vision for
world peace.
 
Today’s session is being facilitated by … (Intro of person conducting the talk) 
 
Speaker: “Thank you Ledia for the wonderful introduction. So, how are you all doing?”
….Wait for response for 2 seconds….
“You know the founder of Art of Living jokingly says ‘fake it until you make it’, so how are you all
doing? So even if you are not doing that great we will fake it until we make it…What do you all
say? ….Wait for response for 2 seconds….
There are two ways of conducting today’s session, one is I can keep talking, you can keep
listening or we can have an interactive session. Which one would you prefer”
---they will say interactive---
“Ok, so we are on the same page”
 “So to begin with I would like you to get with 2 or 3 of your neighbors and discuss 2 things
●      What is it that causes stress in your life?
●      What is it that you want to gain in your life.”
What are the two questions?
….Wait for response for 2 seconds…..
And repeat the 2 questions….
●      What is it that causes stress in your life?
●      What is it that you want to gain in your life.”
 
 
Have a few people share with the bigger group.
So what is that causes stress in your life? Why don’t we share? Remember we talked about
having an interactive session?
 
Importance of Breathing and Meditation
 
●      “There is an art to cook, there is an art to paint, what does the term art of living mean to
you? What is art of living for YOU”
Have them share a few things….
Professor Story
“There was this professor who was walking by the river and he sees a boatman and he asks the
boatman I’ll pay you 50 bucks can you please take me to the other side of the river. The
boatman happily agrees. He say of course, why not. They both get into the boat and 10-15 mins
into the boat ride, the professor was very inquisitive, he asks the boatman, boatman do you
know anything about physics, how the different laws of physics work, how the laws of physics
work in day to day life?
The boatman is really puzzled why is this guy asking me this. He says ‘no I do not’. The
professor says ‘if you don’t know anything about physics, laws of physics 25% of your life is
gone to waste’
Again few mins down the line the professor asks the boatman, boatman do you know anything
about the financial markets how the mutual funds work? The boatman is really puzzled, what
the boatman say? ‘No’ So the professor says ‘if you don’t know anything about the financial
markets, mutual funds 50% of your life is gone to waste’
Again few mins down the line the professor again asks the boatman, boatman do you know
anything about the statistics how the different numbers work how statistics work in a day to day
life? And the boatman says? ‘No’ The professor says ‘if you don’t know anything you don’t have
about the statistics 75% of your life is gone to waste if you don’t know all these liking things’
 
By this time they are halfway across the river. And now the boatman asks the professor,
‘professor do you know how to swim?’ Guess what the professor says, no…Professor says ‘no’
Boatman says ‘there is a hole in the boat, the boat is going to sink 100% of your life has gone to
waste.’
 
The state of your mind reflects the quality of your life
“We have learnt so many arts, but we have not learnt how to manage our mind…..Since we
were kids we were told don't get angry, don't get stressed, manage your emotions. But you
have never been taught what to do when you get angry, what to do when you are stressed,
what to do when those negative emotions come. How to handle them? Neither at school nor at
home we have learnt these skills. And that is an art how to manage the mind...
When your mind is happy, when your mind is pleasant -  you can enjoy anything in life, when
your mind is not pleasant even small things irritate you. You can share a personal story about
this for example:
“I was teaching the Art of Living HAPPINESS PROGRAM – the 3 day workshop that we teach
– to a VP of one of our largest banks.  And on the last day she came and shared that the last 6
months have been very hard on me, I went through a very tough time, I went through a very
bitter divorce, and it took a toll on me and when it all got done I told myself I owe myself a
break. I thought I will take a nice vacation, a break and go to Hawaii. I was on a beautiful island,
I was on a beautiful beach watching the beautiful sunset, but I could only enjoy that for a five
mins. After that my mind was filled with anguish, anger and frustration….That's when I realized I
have to learn to make my mind pleasant, before I learn anything else. Isn’t that very profound?
Same thing with us if our mind is pleasant if it is working with you it can be a joy, otherwise
small small things bother you, right?
In the HAPPINESS PROGRAM we teach a lot of breathing techniques…”
(Let me share a story. Aapne Delhi metro ka naam suna hoga Delhi metro mein there is a
famous station called Rajiv chowk metro station. This metro station has a speciality: You don’t
have to do anything, a big crowd will put you into the train and take you out. Automatic system.
Just like this …. (Take the name of a participant sitting there) was travelling. Squished between
many people, weird smells, and uncomfortable. He got a message on his phone.  Ting tingIt
was a message from his Boss: Sonu you have been promoted! Sonu is extremely happy! He
falls in love with this uncomfortable metro!
Another example:
Take a participant’s name. Say sonu had a dream when he was young. He will travel to
Switzerland and he worked very hard for this dream. Finally at 29 he was ready to travel. He
gets of the flight and rents a very nice mercedes car. Not just any car a convertible car with no
roof. He decides to take it to the Swiss alps and driving in the mountains. The cool wind blowing
on his face, the beautiful mountains. Then his phone rings. He picks up and learns his mom’s
health is not well. Do you think he can behappy?)
Importance of Breath
 
“There is a connection between the breath and emotions
How do you breath when you are happy?”
Let them answer….
“It’s a very light breathing...
How do you breath when you are sad?”
Let them answer….
“haa….It's a long sigh
And how do you breath when you are angry?”
Let them answer
“Lot of experience in the room J,” pause for laughs…
Some people don’t even breath…When you are angry your breath is fast.”
 
There is a connection between the breath and emotions. And with the help of the breath
you can better manage your emotions and mind.
Each individual consumes about 4 pounds of food, 2.5 liters of water, and breathes
10,000 liters of air every day. Did you know 90% of our nutrition comes through air. This
affects our brain and our endocrine system. In addition, more than 90% of toxins are
eliminated through the breath. Breathing and breathing patterns play a very important
role, they affect our observation, perception, & expression.
In the Art of Living HAPPINESS PROGRAM - a 3 day course - we teach this very powerful
breathing technique, the SKY breathing technique. 20 -25 minutes practice of this technique
everyday leaves you fresh and energetic throughout the entire day.
 
“Would you like to get a taste of one of the breathing techniques?”
Pause, They will say yes,
“So much enthusiasm, yes???”
Pause, They will say yes,
 
Before we do any breathing technique we have to perform a ritual. Let’s raise our right hand,
reach out to our pockets/purses and take out our phone and put it on silent mode. We will be
doing a breathing technique and I will guide you into a meditation. If the phone goes off it will
disturb everyone in the room.
We will learn a breathing technique and then I will guide you into a meditation.
 
Does anyone need a kleenex? One of our volunteers will pass it around.
Bhastrika and Meditation
 
●      Teach Bhastrika
●          Guide them through Bhastrika
●          Transition into Panchakosha meditation
●          At the end of the meditation, check in with
“Was it good?
You know how long it was … 20 mins.. Nice no?”
 
Testimonials
“I would like to invite some of the folks who have taken this course to come and share their own
experience...how it was for them….”
Have 3 of the volunteers share their experience. (Make sure you have worked with them
before). The speaker could also be one of the persons sharing the experience.
 
 
Announce the course
Easily mention the course fees, schedule.
 
“So, just in case you are wondering :), we have 3 Happiness Programs coming up in the ***
area (point them to the flip chart with the dates/timings on it) and read out the dates. The course
is taught over 3 days - Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The course fees is Rs.****. The timings
are Friday - 6:30-9:30pm , Saturday and Sunday -9am-1pm”
Happiness Point
“So while you here I want to take you mind back to when you were in high school. So when you
were in high school what was that thing the next thing what was the next thing. Once I have this
I'll be happy?
Let them answer.
 
College yeah??
Once I get into a good college I’ll be really happy. Once you get into a good college what's the
next thing?
Let them answer.
Job, once have I find this perfect job I’ll be really happy. You start working and then you think is
this all to life working day and night like a ….
machine, dog, donkey whatever you are comfortable with. There has to be something more to
life.
You have a job and what's the next thing in life that comes.
Relationship. Once I have this perfect life partner I’ll be happy.
You find a partner and the next thing, once I have kids I’ll be really happy and then with kids the
whole cycle starts again. Once my kids grow up I’ll be happy, once they settle down I’ll be
happy...
We constantly keep postponing our happiness. Have you observed, that's the tendency we
keep postponing our happiness. “
You can give example of the iphone…
 
 
“You know last year I had ordered the new iPhone and it was going to take two weeks for the
phone to arrive. And when the new phone came I was so happy (pause) for two days and after
that my mind went onto ok what's next?? If that happiness was in the gadget, or the dream job
or in the dreamhouse or the dream vacation or the dream car, then you'll be living happily ever
after. But does that happen?
 
Let them answer
“No…
Why?
There is a science behind it. Anytime we associate our happiness with something outside, there
is something within us gets triggered - that makes you happy, so it is your inner self that is
giving you that happiness. When you do this breathing and meditation, it teaches you how to be
happy from within. And it’s not just… you know we have all heard - be happy, do this, do
that...not just as a concept but as a practical reality.”
 
With hand gestures... (Optional)
“Ups and downs, slightly more enthusiasm
Ups and downs and ups downs are a part of living.
Smiling through the ups and downs  (at least smile when you say that )
Smiling through the ups and downs  and ups and downs in life is the art of living”
 
“Whose life doesn't have ups and downs? everyone's life has ups and downs but how to sail
through it with a smile that is an art. That is the skill”
 
Nature of the Mind
“The nature of the mind, is to cling to negative. What's your name?” Pick someone from the
group.
Suppose <name if the person> goes to a party she meets so many of her friends and so many
of her friends gives her so many compliments, you look so good today, your dress looks
gorgeous, your hair looks nice but one of her friend comes and tells her you know you look
great but your dress doesn't match your shoes. That night when <name> goes home, what is
that one thing that <name> will definitely remember? the shoes not matching the dress right?
That is how I mind works we may have 10 good things, and one or two bad things  going on in
your life, that takes up all of your mind space. Happens or not? That is the tendency of the
mind. We have 20% unhappiness in our life, we keep chewing on to it and make it 200%. When
you do these breathing techniques it changes the tendencies of the mind. You look at life as it
is…[KRR2]”
 
Game
End the session in a light and “funn” manner by playing Tom and Jerry game
“Would you all like to play a fun game? Yes yes? So quickly find a buddy, pair up with one
person. Just one person, find a buddy
There is only one pre-requisite to play this game. You have to play it with child like enthusiasm.
Yes ??
 
 
 
Give a big hand to each one of you
What did you learn from this game?
Let them share a few things…
 
You guys were so creative, I saw this, I saw that…
That’s how our enthusiasm should be in life, anytime you want to do something in life - there will
always be people, situations and sometimes our own mind telling us - You can not do it..may be
you should do it later.
Our enthusiasm should be such that we just go for it.
Closing Statements
You know anytime I talk to people about the happiness course I encounter 3 types of people :
           - The first type of people are like, you know this is great. I can really use these tools.
Sign me up!! When I first heard about the course, I was in that category .This is great I can
definitley use this
 Second type of people are - This course is really great, I can use this. I'll do it when I
have some time, in winter in i'll have time, spring i'll have time, next year i'll have time
or….. when the planets align i'll do the course !!
 Third type of people: This course is perfect (pause)… for my wife, for my boss, for my
neighbor, not for me. You know I am good the way I am (keep it light and humorous) 
There is never going to be a perfect time for you to do the course.”
 
“You know I teach this course every month. And at the end of every course I encounter at least
one person who comes and tells me that I had heard about this course 6 years ago and at that
time I liked what I heard and I thought eventually I'll do it. Since then six years have passed. In
these 6 years, I have gone through so many tough times, hard times, life has taken a toll…Have
I had these tools in my life, I would have gone through the tough times with a smile, with grace.
But instead I have blood pressure, stress, anxiety and what not.
There is never going to be a perfect time for you do this course. You have to make your
happiness a priority...YES YES ? You have to make your mental well-being a priority You know
like you brush your teeth every day that is dental hygiene, you do the breathing and meditation
everyday that is mental hygiene.
As per the United Nations report biggest epidemic in the world today is the mental diseases.
And it is about time we become aware of our mind. You know you don’t have to wait until
something happens, it is about time we do something to keep are mind also happy and healthy.
Don’t you agree. And we have to make your health a priority. Do you agree???? YES, YES?
 
So lets reach out underneath your chairs and take out the registrations cards. You can sign up
for any of the courses. If you have any questions, please connect with one of our volunteers.
And We have some very delicious refreshments in the back, so please help yourselves before
you leave today.
 
Thank you.
 
Mix and connect with them after the talk.
Ideal ratio for volunteers to attendees is 1:3
Very important here to have people sign up on the spot, you can gently ask did you enjoy the
meditation, do these dates work for you. If they say yes, you can say “You can sign up now!”
If they put it off, tell them you will connect with them tomorrow.
 
 
 

 Format by: Shalin Desai