Art of Living UAE — Meditation Teacher Training

What this program is

Art of Living UAE is the United Arab Emirates chapter of the Art of Living Foundation, the international organization founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in 1981. The organization is best known for Sudarshan Kriya, a rhythmic breathing practice taught in the Happiness Program (also called the Art of Living Course) and used as the foundation for further programs including Sahaj Samadhi meditation. The UAE chapter trains local instructors to deliver these programs across the Gulf region. The teaching pathway runs through structured Art of Living curricula. Students typically begin with the Happiness Program (the introductory course), continue with Sahaj Samadhi meditation, and may proceed to the Advanced Course (Silent Retreat) and the Blessings Course before applying for instructor training. Teacher training itself is run by the international Art of Living organization at designated training venues and conferred by senior teachers under Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's spiritual direction. The UAE chapter prepares candidates locally and supports newly trained teachers in delivering programs across the region. What distinguishes Art of Living from secular mindfulness training is the underlying tradition. The organization sits within a broadly Vedic and yogic tradition with clear Hindu cultural roots, though the Happiness Program itself is taught accessibly across religious backgrounds. Sudarshan Kriya is the signature practice and the practical anchor of teacher formation. Teachers are authorized to deliver the specific Art of Living curricula they've been trained in, not to teach meditation generally. The UAE setting means programs serve a multinational expatriate population alongside Emirati and Gulf regional students. Teaching languages typically include English, Arabic, Hindi, and other regional languages depending on the teacher and student population. Programs run in person at Art of Living venues across the UAE and increasingly online, particularly since 2020. The organization holds standards set internationally; UAE-based teachers carry the same certification recognized across Art of Living programs worldwide.

Curriculum and topics

Pre-instructor pathway: the Happiness Program (typically a three-day or weekend course covering Sudarshan Kriya and foundational practices), Sahaj Samadhi meditation (the foundation's mantra-based meditation form), the Advanced Course (a residential silent retreat), and the Blessings Course. Each is taught according to international Art of Living standards and gates access to subsequent levels. Instructor training itself is multi-phase, run by senior Art of Living teachers and conferred by the international organization. Trainees learn the structure of each course they'll teach, the technical delivery of Sudarshan Kriya (which has specific breath ratios and verbal cues), the Sahaj Samadhi initiation process, and the pastoral skills needed to support participants through emotional content that arises in the breathing practice.

How it's taught

Delivery is hybrid: in-person residential intensives for the Advanced Course and instructor training, with weekend and evening formats available for the Happiness Program and ongoing community sittings. Sudarshan Kriya is taught in person; the practice can't be effectively transmitted by video alone because the rhythm requires teacher feedback. Sahaj Samadhi is initiated one-to-one. Once initiated, daily practice continues independently. Teacher training requires residential attendance plus assessed teaching of programs under senior-teacher observation.

Who this program is for

Outcomes

Graduates of instructor training receive certification from the Art of Living Foundation, qualifying them to teach the specific programs they've trained in. The credential is held by the international organization and recognized across Art of Living centers worldwide. Common post-graduation paths include teaching the Happiness Program in the UAE and across the Gulf, supporting community programs, and continuing toward higher-level Art of Living training and Sahaj Samadhi initiation rights.

Prerequisites

Pre-instructor courses are open to anyone interested, with Happiness Program as the typical entry. Instructor training itself requires sequential completion of Happiness Program, Sahaj Samadhi, the Advanced Course, and the Blessings Course, plus organizational approval from the regional Art of Living office and senior teacher recommendation. The pathway is unhurried and depends on candidate readiness.

How this compares

Compared with secular MBSR or Insight tradition teacher training, Art of Living holds a Vedic-rooted tradition centered on a specific breath practice (Sudarshan Kriya) rather than a clinical or Buddhist insight protocol. Compared with TM (Transcendental Meditation), Art of Living also uses mantra-based meditation in Sahaj Samadhi but adds the breath-practice foundation that TM doesn't include. In the Gulf region, the foundation is one of the longer-established meditation training networks alongside expatriate yoga and Buddhist communities.

Frequently asked questions