The art of nonsense

At work we have an employee maintained bulletin board which features various ads for housing, cars, and local theatre. Being a diverse workplace we also see other fliers for seminars based on Eastern holistic remedies and lifestyles. Most of them have pictures of some guru with a long beard who invites you to experience peace and harmony through the joy of breath.

The Art of Living is just one of the many pamphlets hanging from the cork board. It seems like a happy little organization designed to instill peace and prosperity to it's students around the world through simple meditation techniques. According to their website you can take a course on "The Miracle of Breath", which sounds just damn funny to me.

While I appreciate the idea of my fellow co-workers inviting me to experience the joy of existence through simple biological functions I doubt they would appreciate it if I endorsed a "Joy of Farting" course. I could grow a beard and wear robes and explain to people how breaking wind will enhance their being. By letting go of gaseous substances in the body one can cleanse oneself of toxins and feel healthier. They can also benefit from the humor derived from passing gas in your colleague's cubical.

The founder of 'The Art of Living', who calls himself his holiness, doesn't seem to grasp that the only aspect of true happiness one needs is Ann Hathaway's cleavage.

"A few times of the healing breath fully relaxes you. Your life becomes more total. All the faces of your personality come together to make you one whole person. Do the healing breath and meditate. these practices completely transforms you and kindle the love deep inside." - His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar