In The Tiger’s Pause, author Swami Virupaksha takes readers deep into the heart of one of South Asia’s bloodiest modern conflicts — the Sri Lankan civil war — and brings forth a powerful narrative of peace-building, trauma, and human resilience. Centered around the efforts of spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and his humanitarian organization, the Art of Living Foundation, this book explores how inner transformation can pave the way for outer reconciliation, even in the most war-torn landscapes.
Introduction: A Spiritual Intervention in a Political Storm
The 26-year-long conflict between the Sri Lankan state and the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) devastated the island nation, leaving behind generations of trauma, especially among the Tamil minority. The Tiger’s Pause doesn’t just revisit the war — it reimagines what comes after the last bullet has been fired. Swami Virupaksha, a close associate of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, chronicles how a spiritual path rooted in compassion, breathwork, and dialogue managed to enter a space where diplomacy and politics had failed.
The book is named metaphorically: the “Tiger” refers not only to the LTTE but also to the fierce inner aggression and pain left behind. The “pause” represents a moment of reflection, healing, and possible transformation.
From Battlefields to Breathing Spaces
Much of the book is devoted to recounting the personal journeys of those affected by war — ex-combatants, widows, orphans, and civilians — who found a renewed sense of purpose and calm through the Art of Living’s trauma-relief programs. These are not romanticized stories. The pain is real, the scars visible. But so is the gradual return of dignity, self-worth, and a sense of community.
Through breathing techniques like Sudarshan Kriya, meditation camps in former war zones, and dialogues with both Tamil and Sinhalese groups, Sri Sri’s team worked to create safe spaces for emotional and psychological repair. The book shares these accounts with honesty, often through first-person testimonies that are both heartbreaking and hopeful.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The Unlikely Peacemaker
One of the most compelling aspects of The Tiger’s Pause is the profile it builds of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar as a spiritual diplomat. Without wielding state power or political affiliation, his presence opened doors — including access to war-ravaged regions, refugee camps, and even political corridors in Colombo and Chennai.
His approach wasn’t to lecture or take sides, but to listen and offer tools for self-transformation. Swami Virupaksha recounts several powerful anecdotes — including Sri Sri’s meetings with former militants and his dialogues with grieving mothers — that showcase a model of peacemaking rooted not in negotiation, but in empathy.
Critique: Idealism Amid Complexity
While The Tiger’s Pause offers a moving portrayal of grassroots peace-building, it is admittedly written from a position of deep admiration. Readers looking for a critical analysis of Sri Lanka’s post-war reconciliation policies or a detailed breakdown of the conflict’s political nuances may find the book lacking in that dimension.
However, this is not the book’s intent. It is not a political history, but a narrative of inner healing — a supplement, not a substitute, for academic discourse on the war. Its strength lies in the emotional terrain it maps, not the geopolitical one.
Summing Up: A Pause That Matters
The Tiger’s Pause is a gentle yet powerful reminder that peace is not merely the absence of war — it is the presence of understanding, dignity, and healing. In a world where many conflicts end but few are truly resolved, this book presents an alternative path — one that begins with the breath, the self, and a willingness to pause.
For those interested in post-conflict recovery, spiritual diplomacy, or the humanitarian side of one of the region’s most painful chapters, this book offers rare insight. It doesn’t shout; it listens. And in doing so, it invites the reader to do the same.
