Addressing a news conference to detail the forthcoming World Yoga and Mediation Congress 2004 scheduled in Sri Lanka in late July, Dr. Ariyaratne noted, “Yoga can reawaken the human kind because our thoughts and emotions are saturated with greed, hatred and fear.”

Mahaguru Dissanayake, the founder of Mahaguruashram pointed out that yoga and or meditation helps a person in his quest for peace in this trouble world. “Yoga and mediation is purely to strive for physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social strength,” he said.

Commenting on the forthcoming World Congress scheduled from July 27th till August 1st, 2004, he stressed that the aim of this congress is to map out a strategy to find out how everyone could work together towards a unified world free from want and fear.

“There are three main objectives in holding this Congress, they are; to give and receive love, for all yogis (those who practice yoga) to learn from each other and work towards a unified world together,” Mr. Dissanayake said.

Dr. Ariyaratne attributed that the world was currently under a psychosis of fear, detailing his claim; he noted that during his visit to the United States recently, “I noticed that everyone is living in fear. The people are frighten of their President, the Presidnet is afraid of the people and both the President and the people are scared to death of terrorists,” he said.

The World Yoga and Mediation Congress, which is held for the very first time, will cover both Hindu Yoga and Buddhist Yoga and its eight essences, while emphasis will also be given to Ayurveda, acupuncture and color healing. The Organization of Yoga and Meditation Associations of Sri Lanka, which is organizing the Congress, is also scheduled, to bring down eminent persons specialized in these respective fields to take part and address the congress.

“The whole objective of such a congress is to give spiritual consciousness to the masses,” Dr. Ariyaratne added.