By Sejal Shah | Posted: October 29, 2019

Women make up 80% of professionals in the nonprofit sector, 81% of public school teachers, and 94% of nurses in the United States. On March 8th, the world celebrates the economic, political, and social achievements of women in the past, present, and future. International Women’s Day is a day that offers the opportunity to acknowledge women's accomplishments and to re-dedicate ourselves to the empowerment of all women and girls around the world. The UN Commission on the Status of Women will focus on opportunities for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women in 2020, with the theme #EachforEqual. 

Yoga and meditation for the modern woman

Whether in our professional or personal lives, women devote much of their attention to caring for others. Out of the total of 104.4 million Americans practicing yoga, women account for 82.2%. There are about 70,000 yoga teachers in the USA, and women account for a higher percentage than men. 

I have been teaching yoga for several years now, and this year I received personal training as a meditation teacher by Bhanu Narsimhan—a globally known meditation teacher and the sister of spiritual master Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. 

Bhanu travels across the world to teach Sahaj Samadhi Meditation retreats, and has initiated thousands of individuals around the world in practicing and teaching this form of meditation. A gifted singer, Bhanu also has several albums to her credit comprising devotional chants and kirtan heard by people across the globe, irrespective of their nationalities. She holds a Masters Degree in Sanskrit Literature from Bangalore University. She is the Chairperson of the International Women's Conference, and the Director of Woman and Child Welfare Programs for the Art of Living Foundation. She is married with two sons, and lives in India, but her extended family comprises of more than 70,000 children that study at 700+ schools that have been started across India under her mentorship.

Here I recall a conversation that I had with her a couple of years ago on the role of female yoga and meditation teachers, and how we can guide our female students to stay centered while facing gender bias as well as fulfilling their myriad roles: professionals, innovators, activists, creatives, caregivers, and more. 

A candid conversation with Bhanu Narsimhan

“However good women are managing work and family, and have climbed the success ladder, we can feel still feel dominated, under-appreciated, something seems to be missing, and we long for a deep sense of fulfilment. Without attention to one’s inner dimension, outer success can feel incomplete or unfulfilling,” says Bhanu. “This is where spirituality, yoga, and meditation help: these are support systems that improve the quality of our lives greatly.” As she shares her beautiful insights into ancient scriptures and practices, her simplicity and wisdom resonate deeply within.

Q: As women juggle work deadlines, children and family, it can feel like there are not enough hours in the day. How can a woman manage all her responsibilities and still have time for herself? 

Bhanu: When you meditate, the work that normally takes four hours takes just two, so you have more time on your hands for yourself and your family. It is necessary that you give prime time to yourself to relax and to realize your potential. Otherwise, you limit your capabilities. And when you meditate, you realize the expansion within you, that limitlessness within you.

Q: We find that when threatened, women sometimes put other women down and are critical rather than supportive of each other. How can we create an environment of women championing and mentoring other women?

Bhanu: Being supportive or not comes from having a sense of security and contentment. When women are confident in themselves, their ability to contribute increases, and when they have a broad-minded approach, they can mentor and bring others forward too. This inclusive attitude and the necessary skills come naturally through the practice of meditation.

Q: In this digital, often disconnected social media age, how do we establish real, genuine relationships? What role can women specifically play?

Bhanu: While staying ahead, as women, we need to make sure we are staying together, too. In any family, it tends to be the woman, or mother, who glues the differences between people of diverse mindsets and keeps them together. When there is no language to communicate between mother and child, it is she who intuitively knows what the child needs. She is a master of the language of the heart. We must remember that technology can never replace the mother’s touch. This invaluable gift of connectedness that is so natural to a woman must be nurtured. The internet can connect you to people 10,000 miles away, but it should not be at the cost of creating islands within a family. The sign of intelligence is in finding a balance and understanding priorities. This is where meditation helps – it connects us to our inner as well as outer world. The stronger your connection with yourself, more you will be effective with your outer reality.

Q: In the context of today's modern families, how can women create a strong and supportive family structure?

Bhanu:  While men can inspire to fight, women can inspire to unite.  Women have the ability to bridge differences and bring diverse members of the family together. This innate ability needs to be nurtured and is the key to creating stronger family structures. When women are not stressed, they do this naturally. Simple practices of pranayama and meditation help greatly here.

Q: How can women succeed in the corporate world, where we are often required to be aggressive and tough, and still maintain one's femininity?

Bhanu: When you realize your strength, you understand the difference between assertiveness and aggressiveness. You realize that being aggressive is not your nature. When you see irregularities or any need for improvement, you have to be able to express yourself skillfully and clearly. Spiritual values and practices enable proper observation, perception and expression. Most of our problems are due to lack of proper communication and when you know how to handle this, the need to be aggressive simply disappears.

Bhanu on the theme of this year’s women’s day: #EachforEqual

Q: How can we create a healthier, more harmonious world that is beyond gender conflicts? 

Bhanu: Gender bias has been present for time immemorial. We have to tackle it skillfully. The nature of gender bias also varies from place to place, with time and with culture. Significant study is required to understand the circumstances under which gender bias arises. We need to look at it as a human rights issue, and not just a women’s rights issue. Both men and women need to come together to find a solution for this social menace.  Women should not try to be equal to men: they should move ahead knowing that they already are. Here, meditation helps greatly. Meditation is honoring one’s self. Through meditation, stress is eliminated. When you are in harmony with yourself, then automatically, people will start respecting you. This harmony strengthens your presence, increasing your ability to influence a situation. We recognize this need for inner strength and self-respect, and introduce the participants of the International Women’s Conference to valuable techniques that connect them to the source of energy within. Only when they feel strong themselves can they help others. Intuitive abilities also develop, and these women leave all set to create a positive impact in society.

Q: What is the purpose of the International Women’s Conference (IWC) and how did you start it? 

Bhanu: Actually, a few of us were sitting in the Art of Living International Center in India and sharing our experiences of our projects and how it has helped women everywhere. The sharing highlighted the positive transformation that women’s power can have. So we thought: why not have a coming together of women who want to make a difference, share ideas and join hands? The conference was born!

The International Women’s Conference brings together female leaders from various spheres of society, such as politics, the arts, business, media, and academia to engage in meaningful dialogue to learn from each other’s inspirational life stories, explore how to amplify the message of peace, empowerment, and service to society, highlight the many ways in which women contribute to the world, and discover spiritual tools and techniques that increase positivity and well-being.

So far, there have been over 6000 women from 100+ countries who have participated in 9 conferences.

Over these 9 different IWC events, about 429 eminent speakers have contributed to the success of the conferences: lawyers, law-makers, ministers, doctors, governors, first ladies, artists, representatives of the media and social media, scientists, social activists, academicians, and even fashion designers. 

Q: What makes IWC unique?

Bhanu: We have seen over past conferences how the cordial and natural atmosphere in the conference has helped to dissolve and break barriers and unite people of diverse perspectives. For example, several groups from the Middle East have come together resolving to bring peace amongst their communities. This happened only because they experienced the possibility of stress-free living in the conferences. They also learned practical techniques that allowed them to free their minds from past negative impressions and look at the world from a more inclusive perspective.

Another dimension of our conference is that it sows the seeds for a positive social transformation and has encouraged women to come to the forefront to take responsibility for peace and harmony in the society. Starting schools, campaigning against child marriage, rehabilitating and mainstreaming war widows, conducting trauma relief camps, conducting peace camps – many such initiatives, especially in India and Iraq, have resulted from the IWC.

The exemplary stories and experiences of the women speakers at the conference also inspire participants in their personal journey towards greater success.

So far, the IWC has facilitated the education of over 4,000 girls, planted 1 million saplings, and organized four international dialogue platforms.

Q: How can the Yoga community participate in the IWC, and how will they benefit? What important role can women yoga teachers all over the world play in creating a healthier, more harmonious world?

Bhanu:  Looking to the global popularity of yoga, yoga studios and classes have become an important platform for bringing a community together to learn ancient wisdom and techniques of yoga and spirituality, uniting them to create a healthier and more peaceful world. IWC’s training module integrates spiritual wisdom, meditation, silent retreats, and yoga, allowing participants to harness the power of a stress-free mind. IWC has become a wonderful opportunity for those who wish to discover the true yogi (or yogini) within them. 

IWC 2020

This year’s conference, entitled “The Circle of Life: Passion, Compassion and Dispassion” will inspire participants to go deeper into these three driving forces that enable success and happiness in every field of life.

The Art of Living International Center in Bengaluru, India, which also has the prestigious Sri Sri School of Yoga on campus, will be hosting the IWC on February 14-16, 2020! Reserve your spot soon, and receive an early bird discount if you register by 30th November 2019. 

Well, now I know how Bhanu manages all her demanding roles so naturally and gracefully! Her secret formula: 20 minutes of Sahaj Samadhi Meditation, 2 (or 3) times a day!

Sejal Shah, E-YRT 500 Sri Sri Yoga Teacher, YACEP, Meditation Teacher, Happiness expert, NYU Post Graduate Medical School approved Yoga-CME retreat facilitator, Mind-Body Wellness Writer, Homeopath. She can be followed on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.