Here are a few recovering addicts, each of whom had taken a 30-day de-addiction therapy at the VVM Research Centre and had gone through our step by step 20 point programme. After their de-addiction course, each one has gone back to the society and is living a normal life with the blessings of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

In a pledge to help those who are suffering from the malady of drug or alcohol addiction, these people have agreed to come forward and share their experiences with the rest of the world.

Runa Ray
(Mother of an addict)

Life had without needed reasons become just hard for me to cope with especially being a single mother of a boy of 19 years and a girl of 11 years. It was even harder for my son. His problems began when he was 13 years of age as he began the abuse of drugs with the company of his schoolmates, and from there on things had taken a drastic change in our lives.... a change which brought me to the doorsteps of Geeta Bhavan about 8 months back. The main turn which brought me and my son there was my son's college authorities suggesting a treatment of his "ill habits" which were causing them and my son trouble. They first mentioned his ill habits to be actually a disease!

Geeta Bhavan is a place for people suffering from the disease of addiction, better known socially as a rehabilitation centre or rehab. But it was different from other rehabs as their approaches to the problem was different and inspired and guided by the concepts of Shri Shri Ravi Shankar, founder of "ART OF LIVING". I came to know about it from a friend of mine who is a devotee of SHRI SHRI.

In Geeta Bhavan, my son was inquired about his troubles on the day of  is entry and then I was asked to leave him in the hands of the staff. He was to stay with few more people (approximately 20 or 22) of different ages, suffering from the same problem. I was honestly scared yet helpless at that moment, and was wondering about how my son was going to be treated and what he felt about my decision, but the people of the place told me to be relaxed and not to worry. The idea of being at a rehab is still a social stigma and a tatoo but I was least bothered about that as I wanted my son's welfare and  was concerned more about his physical and mental health than anything else.

Everyday I used to call the authorities in Geeta Bhavan and enquire about the condition of my son. I was told that he was following a routine which adhered to the treatment of the mind, body and soul. They didn’t let me speak to him for the first month after which I met him for half an hour in the presence of their trained staff. Everything was under the instructions of psychiatrists and psychologists who pay regular visits there and interact with the patients, discuss their problems and helps them to regain positive attitude towards life.

These restrictions regarding meeting parents / relatives was also a part of their treatment, as they didn’t want any kind of emotional disturbances at such a feeble and vulnerable stage. He stayed there for 2 months, then I took him out on my own risk so that he could attend his exams. The officials of the place had warned me that its too early and his treatment was not over, and they were right as he just came and went back to his old self immediately. So within 4 days, this time without his knowledge, he was taken back by the staff in a forceful manner, as it was obvious that he would have not wanted to return to a total environment of lock and key. This time I totally surrendered to the place and their instructions, and I took him out of that place after a period of 5 months with their approval. Since then it has been about a month he has stayed away from drugs willingly, by God's grace and their treatment.

He gave me detailed description of his stay on his return, where he stayed in a routine of morning prayer, yoga, pranayam, meditation and also gained the practice of the valuable "Sudarshan Kriya". He also underwent classes informing him about this incurable yet arrestable disease, lifelong and fatal as stated by WHO, took part in Satsangs and also underwent counselling. All these things ultimately did what magic I have no idea, yet I can see the result - which is that my son has stayed clean and sober for last few weeks and I thank God and Geeta Bhavan for this and just hope this continues throughout his life.........

Abhijit Sarkar
Mob. (+91) 99032 15339

Geeta Bhavan was my second rehabilitation Centre for addiction treatment. As I am an Engineer by profession, I was under tremendous mental pressure and became drug dependant (pain killers and sedatives) while being fully aware of its implications.

While my earlier stint with a rehab centre had kept me away from drugs for a while, Geeta Bhavan’s experience was much more complete. Here they not only tried to keep me away from drugs, they made me understand the reasons behind my drug dependency, to know it as a disease, learn the possible methods to arrest it and also to start afresh in life. Absorbing the inputs given to me, I learned to introspect, self analyze and realize my mistakes and chalk out a new course in life. In short they not only addressed the cause but they tried to sort out the effects so that, my future could be as fresh and sound as possible.

Another unique thing that I have observed about the Geeta Bbhavan (VVMDRC)  is their continuous support and guidance to a client even after he has left the centre and gone back to normal life.

I wish the Centre well in its all round multipurpose growth, expansion and development for the benefit of more and more individuals like me in the days to come.

Dipankar Guha
Mob. (+91) 93395 43448

"From my school life I started to experiment with various drugs and became an addict. I have abused drugs and alcohol for about 20 years. Due to my addiction, I lost many things such as family, friends, my job, money, talents, principles and values.

My addictive nature forced me to become an unsocial element in society and took me behind bars for five years. I was forced to live on the streets for over a year. Several times, I was treated for my problem, but I relapsed time and again.

After my last detoxification, I came to Art of Living’s VVM De-addiction Research Centre. After a month of stay at the centre, I was sent to participate in the Art of Living’s Youth Leadership Training Program (YLTP). And that was the turning point in my life. In the training I learnt the Sudarshan Kriya and sadhana. This training helped me gain confidence in myself. I realized that previously, the cause of my relapse was spiritual bankruptcy. Earlier I used to think that spirituality comes into someone’s life suddenly but I later learnt that spirituality is a practice. This became an established fact in my life after meeting Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji at the Centre.

Today I am working for other individuals suffering from addiction and am generating awareness in society. Today I am lucky enough because gradually I am recovering the things that I had lost, apart from time.

Today, I have a strong support system in the Sudarshan Kriya and VVM De-addiction Research Centre, its management, staff, inmates and the Art of Living family. This support helps me lead a healthy life free from addiction."

Ranjan Samanta
Tel. (+91 33) 2669 5995

"I started taking drugs from 1991. The euphoria of the drug made me stick to it and I never knew that this thing will land me in such a helpless situation. By the end of 2004, life became miserable. By that time I got married and had two children. Instead of looking after them, they had to be anxious about me. I lost my job and was leading life at the mercy of my elder sisters. I know I had to stop and change my life but I had no way out.

Then my elder sister, after I surrendered to her, brought me to VVM Deaddiction Research Centre. I never had any idea about de-addiction treatment. Everything was new to me. Here I leartnt that addiction is a ‘Disease’, which cannot be cured by medication alone. I learnt that the ‘Disease’ is mental and it needs patience, tolerance and acceptance on my part to get rid of addiction. But I didn’t know how to be patient then.

After 10 to 12 days I was taught the ‘Sudarshan Kriya’. I had no idea and, in fact, I didn’t feel like doing it and was wondering how it can help me in my addiction problem. I had to follow the centre’s time schedule and I had to do it. Gradually, I could feel the difference. My impatience, irritation and short-tempered behaviour started to diminish. Today, when I look at myself, I find myself totally different from my past.

After two months, I took a big decision. May be this is the first correct decision I made after 15 years. I stayed here to help other addicts and started my life from the root once again. Today my family is very happy. My children love me and eagerly wait for me when I go home. Trust and faith which I lost before is coming back.

Today I am happy leading a sober life and grateful to all the people at the centre who helped me to come back to a normal life."

Samit Pal
Mob. (+91) 98306 90449

"I started taking drugs from the year 1995 when I was in college. After graduating in mechanical engineering in 1996, I got a job. But within 1999 I lost 3 jobs due to my addiction problem. Then one of my friends gave me the message of the Art of Living. I did the Basic Course that year. I was doing Kriya for one and a half months but my reluctant nature became stronger over me and I left practicing.

By 2004, I lost almost everything like jobs, relations, money and above all, my moral values due to addiction. I went through several ‘Rehabs’ but nothing seemed to work for me.

Then in December 2004, I came to the VVM Research Centre for Alcohol and Drug Deaddiction. Before coming I got the message that this is a project of the Art of Living. That was the main attraction of coming over here. At the time of admission I was in a bad mental state, with no goal in life, totally shattered and nobody in family (except parents) cared for me. After a few days in the centre I was feeling the difference. “Something is going to happen” – this belief came to me. The blessing of H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is bestowed upon me through the place and the people over here. I started practicing “Kriya” on a daily basis and gradually I started feeling better and better. Small responsibilities were given to me and gradually my self esteem started improving.

From here I reinvented myself. I found that I need a guide or mentor who would show me the way. Here I found that man. I haven’t seen or met “Guruji” but I met someone who believes in Him and follows Him. I chose him to be my mentor. I wasted so many jobs and money due to my addiction that a fear was there in me to go back to my profession. So, a miracle came when my mind told me to shift my area of work. Right now, I am in the “VVM Centre” helping other addicts to get out of this menace and acting as their peer educator.

Today I firmly believe that Guruji is showing me the way through my mentor. It will be quite ungrateful if I don’t mention his name. but my mentor does not want to reveal his name and he is an important person in the centre. I am grateful to all the people over here, all the people who are behind this project, which is turning around the lives of several addicts like me."

Abhishek Ghosh
Tel. (+91 33) 2424 4325

"I, Abhishek Ghosh, did Sudarshan Kriya first on the 15th of Nov 2005. The course was taken by Mr. Abhijeet.

I could shed the physical pain and the perfect platform was set for the same.

I was a Heroin addict and to my surprise I do sense a lot of changes as following:

Firstly I didn't get any clue as to what was happening, but could feel something was going through my mind. As the days passed, my temper was slowly cooling off and I could sense a lot of transformation within me.

I could get back my acceptance of people around me and the level of tolerance has also increased. As the days progressed my Pranayam and Kriya are coming to near about perfection. And nowadays I do not miss Kriya by any chance.

I am absolutely sincere and grateful to VVM De-addiction Centre for giving me a chance to get a treatment here in Geeta Bhavan. Last but not the least, Kriya came as a blessing from Guruji. Now I am clean for 5 months and happy with my parents and living a healthy life."