The Art of Living presents itself as a non‑religious, humanitarian, and educational movement that is open to people of all faiths. In its own self‑understanding and legal structure, it is registered as a charitable or educational organization rather than as a church or religious body. Its primary emphasis lies in stress reduction, personal development, and social service, conveyed through techniques such as Sudarshan Kriya, meditation, and related wellness practices. Participants are not asked to convert, renounce existing beliefs, or adhere to a specific dogma or deity, and the language used often highlights universal human values such as peace, compassion, and service.

At the same time, the movement is unmistakably spiritual in character and draws deeply from Indian, largely Hindu, traditions. Its teachings employ concepts such as prana, karma, and consciousness, and may include practices like yoga, meditation, Sanskrit chants, and devotional singing (bhajans). The founder, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is revered as a spiritual teacher or guru, and the atmosphere around the teachings can resemble that of a modern spiritual sect. For some observers, this gives the organization a quasi‑religious flavor, even though it does not claim the formal label of a religion.

The most balanced way to understand the Art of Living is as a spiritual and humanitarian movement that stands at the crossroads between secular wellness and traditional religiosity. It seeks to offer tools for inner peace and self‑realization while insisting that these tools are compatible with any existing faith or with none at all. Rather than promulgating a closed system of doctrine, it frames its message as universal values and practical methods for transforming everyday life. In this sense, it functions less as a separate religion and more as a spiritual path that people from diverse backgrounds may walk alongside their own inherited or chosen traditions.