Hyderabad, Jan. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Heartfulness has marked World Meditation Day by setting a Guinness World Record for the most viewers of a guided meditation livestream on YouTube, reflecting a growing global interest in inner wellbeing and collective harmony. The meditation was guided by Revered Daaji, Guide of Heartfulness and President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission.
According to estimates, around 20 million people from 175 countries participated in the initiative through online platforms, community gatherings, and institutional sessions. This is the first instance of meditation participation being recorded at such a scale across a wide geographical spread.
The central meditation session was held at Kanha Shanti Vanam, near Hyderabad, and was attended by the Vice President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, Governor of Telangana Shri Jishnu Dev Varma, and Telangana IT Minister Shri D. Sridhar Babu, lending national importance to the occasion.
Institutional participation was significant. In Madhya Pradesh alone, meditation sessions were organised in over 2,500 police stations, with more than 50,000 police personnel taking part. Educational institutions, corporate organisations, and local governments across the country also joined the observance. Internationally, over 200 embassies and consulates, along with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, participated in the meditation.
The large-scale coordination was made possible by Heartfulness’ volunteer base of 16,000 trained instructors, who facilitated sessions across 280 ashrams and more than 6,000 centres worldwide. The event received wide media coverage, with national television channels broadcasting the proceedings.
The guided meditation included Pranahuti, or yogic transmission, a distinctive aspect of Heartfulness meditation that aims to deepen inner awareness and balance. Drawing from the spiritual lineage of Lalaji Maharaj and Babuji Maharaj, Heartfulness continues to evolve as a modern yet traditional approach to meditation.
Heartfulness has also announced that Daaji’s Masterclasses, which offer a structured, step-by-step introduction to all Heartfulness practices will be released soon, providing an accessible entry point for those wishing to begin their spiritual journey.
The achievement is documented and publicly listed by Guinness World Records on its official platform: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/774533-most-viewers-of-a-guided-meditation-video-live-stream-on-youtube
About Heartfulness
Heartfulness is a meditation system that emphasises inner balance and conscious living through heart-based practices. Formalised in 1945 with the founding of Shri Ram Chandra Mission, it is active in more than 160 countries and supported by thousands of volunteer trainers. Its headquarters is located at Kanha Shanti Vanam, near Hyderabad.
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