Art Excel

"A mind in the present moment is meditation"
– H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

ART EXCEL stands for All Round Training in Excellence. As the name suggests, children get training covering all aspects - physical, mental, spiritual.

It is a highly effective stress management and human values training program.

Through play and fun and laughter, children learn valuable lessons on how to share with others, work and play in harmony and develop a sense of belongingness. They become more self-expressive and comfortable and natural even with diverse groups of people.

They are also taught some yoga and effective and powerful breathing processes which help to eliminate fear, anxiety, depression and other undesirable emotions.

Meditation, being an important tool to tap the children's hidden potential, forms an integral part of the program.

"I sleep better and I don't get angry a lot anymore."
- Sandra, middle school student, Florida

To truly excel in life is an art, and though much emphasis has traditionally been placed on higher academic achievement, more can be done to give children the tools to handle stress and live life to their fullest potential. The true measure of success is a happy, healthy, well-adjusted child that is able to deal effectively with life’s challenges.

The ART Excel course is a highly effective stress management and human values training program for children. A unique aspect of the program is a specific set of breathing techniques that systematically release emotional and physical stress. Children can use these techniques in any situation to bring about a state of calmness and relaxation, and human values such as joy, friendliness and compassion that are naturally present in children but may have been hidden by stress become apparent.

Practice of these techniques also increases mental clarity and focus. With the ability to thinking clearly, manage their emotions and release stress, children are able to excel in all aspects of life; academic, social, and extracurricular.

The children show enhancement of creative skills, improvement of memory and concentration, development of leadership qualities and healthy emotions, clarity of mind and better interaction with everyone after undergoing the program.

ART EXCEL programs give proper direction to the enthusiasm and dynamism in children. It helps them to contribute to the society by making them responsible beings.

Benefits include:
Enhancement of creative skills
Improvement of memory and concentration
Healthier emotions
Better interaction with others

School Projects
Austin, TX - City of Austin funds Art of Living Program as Innovative Wellness for Students

“Local Students Learn a 5,000-year-old Technique that has Brought Smiles to Stressed-out Executives, Homemakers, Heads of State, and Enemy Combatants” by Patti Montella

“I have no more stress. If something bad happens I just am able to relax and take deep breaths,” says Laura Jaimes, a 7th grade student at Mendez Middle School. The 12-year-old continues: “I've changed. When I get mad, I don't say something I'll regret later. I just go to my room and do the breathing practices taught to me and it's like nothing bad happened.”

Laura recently participated in an innovative program offered to students and teachers at Mendez, by the internationally- lauded Art of Living Foundation (AOLF). The foundation’s ART Excel program (All ‘Round Excellence in Training) for 8 to 13-year-olds is currently being offered as a pilot for 160 middle school students and teachers through a grant between the Art of Living Foundation and the City of Austin’s Health and Human Services Department. Through grants and private donations, the foundation hopes to expand the program to more schools in Williamson and Travis county.

During the course, the students learn how to release stress and calm their nerves using yoga postures and ancient breathing techniques based on a 5,000-year-old practice. The breathing techniques are unique to the Art of Living program and, if used regularly, can improve mental clarity, overall health, confidence and a sense of well-being. At the same time, negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, fear, and depression are released The program is taught to people from every walk of life in 150+ countries, including prison inmates, war refugees, stressed out executives and heads of state. It’s also proved beneficial to this group of initially-skeptical students.

Like all teens and pre-teens, students at Mendez Middle School struggle with the pressures of growing up, hormonal changes and peer pressure, while trying to make sense of their own identity. Yet many students in this high- risk, low socio-economic Southeast Austin community have additional pressures to overcome. Eighty three percent of students at Mendez come from an economically disadvantaged household, with 89 percent of the primarily Hispanic student population qualifying for free or reduced-priced lunches. At the end of the school day they walk home through neighborhoods riddled with high incidents of crime, drug use and gang activity.
As if this is not enough, many face the additional challenges of having a parent in prison, living in acute poverty or dealing with some form of abuse.

Following the shooting death of Daniel Rocha last year, former Austin City Councilman Raul Alvarez was looking for new ways to address the racial tension and anger between the police department and the Southeast Austin community that had escalated to an all- time high. At the same time, Patti Montella, director of Art of Living Youth Programs, was contacting the Mayor’s office to offer the foundation’s programs as an alternative solution to ease the tension and violence in the community, especially among youth. “Our programs have helped millions of people around the world end the cycle of violence and hatred and live a happier, healthier life - by learning how to release stress and manage negative emotions,” she said. “If we can help people in areas of extreme conflict such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo, I knew we could uplift our own community using these same programs.”

This past spring, through a grant provided by the City of Austin, the Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) started teaching a pilot group of students and teachers at Mendez the “art of living”, a life free of stress and full of joy. The program combines the science of the breath and yoga with education that rekindles human values such as love, compassion, non-violence, enthusiasm and a deep reverence for all life, which often become diminished over time with high levels of stress.

“Traditionally the emphasis in education has been on academic achievement,” said Ms. Montella. “Meanwhile, today’s youth are faced with levels of stress that make academic achievement, success, health and happiness in life more of a challenge than ever before. Consequently, it is essential to empower students with holistic education that develops the whole child and strengthens the personality in order that they are empowered to overcome life’s challenges with confidence and the ability to keep their smile, no matter what the circumstance.”

Students aren’t the only ones benefiting from the program’s healing breath techniques and wisdom for living a happier, healthier life. Belinda Monreal, an instructional specialist at Mendez participated in the adult version of the course and continues with follow-up sessions today. “I'm sleeping better. I'm less irritable. If I see a situation, now I'm able to take deep breaths and just take it from there. My sister said that I don't seem as anxious,” said Ms. Monreal.

The Art of Living Foundation is a non-profit educational and humanitarian organization active in 152 countries. It is the world’s largest volunteer- based organization and a member of the Economic and Social Council at the United Nations. It was founded in 1982 by renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace prize in 2006 and 2005. AOLF programs have been actively offered in Austin since 1999. During Austin’s Hurricane Katrina relief effort, AOLF Austin volunteers and national staff taught its special trauma relief programs at the Austin Convention Center and other relief centers throughout Texas and Louisiana. During that time, Shankar traveled from India to Austin to meet with victims impacted by the disaster, as well as volunteers and public officials, including Mayor Will Wynn.

Independent research studies on the foundation’s adult program indicate its unique breathing techniques reduce cortisol, the “stress hormone”, reduce cholesterol, and relieve anxiety and depression. The studies also indicate enhanced brain function such as; increased mental focus and faster recovery from stressful stimuli, as well as an overall sense of better health and well-being.

The Art of Living Foundation offers programs for people of all ages including college students, business executives, criminal justice officials, prison inmates, medical professionals and the general public. This year the foundation celebrated its 25th anniversary celebrating its vision of creating “One World Family”. It made history as 2.5 million people representing 110 countries gathered in Bangalore, India for the largest peace and meditation event ever recorded.
For a listing of activities and programs in Austin visit www.artoflivingaustin.org

Miami, FL
100 children were taught the ART Excel program under the Children's Trust Grant at four different schools: Fienberg Fisher Elementary, South Pointe Elementary (both in Miami Beach), Horace Mann Middle School and Lawton Chiles Middle School (both in Miami). The students received the ART Excel course and 8 weeks of aftercare.
Testimonials

Kids Speak :

“ART Excel is a wonderful stress reliever. It relaxes and sooths me. I feel like I could never be sad again. It’s a great way to bring happiness to people’s lives.”Austin, age 13, New York

"I sleep better and I don't get angry a lot anymore."
Sandra, middle school student, Miami

“The ART Excel Course is a great way for young people to deal with their inner problems and improve their lives and way of living! The breathing practices bring me into the present moment and center me in my body. By the end of the course I feel incredible!”
Brooks, age 16, Washington

"Its like an energy bar!"
Rebecca, middle school student

“It was actually a nice experience. It actually works. Things are working out better. I’m meeting new people. I’m doing well in school and I’m learning how to handle my problems.”
Diana, middle school student, DC

“The breathing helped me calm my mind and really helped me go inside myself and become more aware of the people around me. I feel rested, and I have a sense of calm in my mind. Even though there are bad things happening in the world, I feel as though I have nothing to be mad about.”
Rachel, age 11, New York

"I really did get to know everybody a lot better. I am a lot closer with the kids now... even depression goes away here!"
Jenny, middle school student

"I sleep better. I do the breathing before I go to bed and it helps me sleep. Before I coudn't go to sleep."
Shoshana, middle school student, Miami

“In this course I made new friends, played games and learned Yoga and many breathing techniques. The breathing made me think in the present moment more. Now I feel more relaxed and happy and find myself to be in a better mood most of the time. This course is definitely an experience I will never forget because it taught me a lot about many things in life.”
Kayla, age 13, California

"Before I came here I was really stressed out. Little things made me angry. I learned to get rid of the anger and free my mind from all the clutter. If I get angry I just do the breathing and it makes me feel better."
Matt, middle school student

"I think the ART Excel Course should be a must! It really helps you relax."
Kelly, middle school student

“ART Excel was very fun. It made me feel stronger. At first I felt shy and scared but now that it’s the end I feel that I want to do it again!”
Talia, age 8, NewYork

"Just simple breathing exercises and you feel really, really good."
Shane, middle school student

"Less anger. I'm making new freinds. Reduce myself from fighting people."
Ivrette, middle school student, Miami

“I like doing the breathing exercises. It has helped me a lot. It has helped me from the inside. When I do the breathing, I am able to concentrate better. It’s good! I want to continue doing it everyday.”
Edwin, DC

"I'm more calm than before, I used to be angry. I just feel good."
Martine, middle school student, Miami

“I liked learning techniques about how to make yourself a better person. The breathing made me more aware of everything. ART Excel is a place to learn ways or making yourself a stronger, less stressed person."
Marika, age 12, New York

"When I have a problem I will remember this class and I will try to laugh and smile so I can be happy."
Robert, middle school student, Miami