If life is anything for Laxmi Agarwal, the acid attack survivor, then it is a projection of courage, determination, grit, and faith. Courage is an essential virtue that gets us through the challenges of life. But what happens when unfortunate, unexpected situations rock our world?
Laxmi was barely 15, an age where dreams are still taking shape, the world is still an oyster, when she was acid attacked. The incident left an intense impact on her life, the least being disfiguring her face to a great extent. One factor completely changed her perspective, gave her the much-needed support, removed her anxiety, worry and brought back the smile on her face - a smile that would further light many other lives. This is the story of Laxmi’s journey towards inner strength.
Picking up the pieces
It was an incident that would have shattered any other person. But not Laxmi. She not only chose to survive, but also transformed her life. She went ahead and helped other acid attack survivors gather the pieces of their life by campaigning against the open sale of acid. On the personal front, she knocked on the legal doors to get justice and after fighting a four-year battle, she got the accused behind bars. This brave woman brought a change in legislation regulating the sale of acid openly.
Her journey of triumph saw many challenges. Laxmi had a different life before that incident and she faced challenges that went beyond the acid attack. Even after the victory, there was a lot she had to manage and deal with.
“People think that acid attack is the sole reason behind my sadness but apart from the acid attack, there are many things that have happened in my life. I have a life other than that as well and every day a lot of things happen in my life,” Laxmi says in an interview.
Stress of an extraordinary life
A normal teenager faces a lot of issues that can make their emotions go haywire. For Laxmi, everything was intensified. There was the attack itself, then its aftermath, dealing with the legal procedures, the pain of surgeries, and the taunts.
Laxmi was a survivor but she wanted to thrive. She wanted to experience the same happiness and calm that any girl her age would have, unperturbed by the attack.
Her breath became her solace
“I was once upset because of various things happening in my life, that’s when I met Niraj Gera (The Art of Living Happiness Program faculty). He conducted a Happiness Program for me. The sadhna and kriya I did in that time supported me immensely in my day-to-day life,” Laxmi recounts with a wide smile, adding that she also went on to do the Advanced Program.
The girl who broke barriers peace within and reconnected with her inner strength.
Laxmi runs the ‘Stop Acid Attack’ campaign, creating awareness about the issue. She also helps other survivors find courage in the face of their challenges. Many other acid attack survivors have been helped by The Art of Living’s Happiness program which they did together in Delhi.
Another survivor is Geeta, whose husband threw acid on her and her two daughters. Their courage and with the aid of Sudarshan Kriya and meditation, these women run the “Sheroes Hangout Cafe” in Agra, with the help of the Chhanv Foundation.
Watch the transformational story in Laxmi’s own words:
How Sudarshan Kriya helps people destress and live better
The benefits of doing the Happiness program and experiencing Sudarshan Kriya have been experienced by millions across the globe. More than 70 different studies conducted across four continents have detailed on a wide range of benefits that one experiences by doing kriya daily.
- Kriya restores and enhances mental health by relieving anxiety and depression, PTSD symptoms, and stress levels.
- Regular practice is seen to improve emotional regulation and reduce impulsivity and addictive behaviors
- Improved immune function, reduction in biochemical stress markers like ACTH, cortisol, and corticotropin
- Depressed patients saw a 50% increase in prolactin, the well-being hormone, from the very first session.
Sharing the peace, sharing the joy
These, and several other benefits, helped Laxmi overcome a lot of her stress and attain that vibrant smile with which she faces every challenge of her life.
“I attained a peaceful mind which is the need of our inner self and I believe that everyone should take out some time for oneself and do this course,” she shares. “Because the happiness program has its joy and the advanced program has its joy and if you do both then you get to know more about it.”
Today, we celebrate Laxmi Agarwal, the survivor who not only learned to remake her life beautifully but became an example to million others to stand up and smile, despite their challenges.
Experience the power of Sudarshan Kriya, a powerful rhythmic breathing technique cognized by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: this link.
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