With stress and anxiety on the rise across Australia’s multicultural communities, an Indian socio-spiritual organisation, Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan’s (DJJS) corporate workshop arm, the PEACE Program, brought a fresh approach to wellbeing when it hosted the ‘3D Happiness Fest: O Me! Smile Plzzz…!’ in Melbourne’s West.
More than 450 attendees—including medical professionals, educators, students and community members—gathered on a sunny Saturday to learn practical tools for managing stress and rekindling joy.
Body: movement, laughter and release
The workshop’s first segment, led by Sadhvi Shailasa Bharti, focused on the physical dimension of wellbeing. With gentle stretches and guided breathing, participants were shown how to detoxify the body and reduce muscular tension.
This was followed by laughter-therapy exercises—elicited through playful prompts—and “clap-tap” sessions in which rhythmic hand movements encouraged communal bonding. Many attendees reported feeling lighter and more energised by the end of the half-hour session.
Mind: understanding emotions and relationships
Next, Sadhvi Parma Bharti guided the group through the mental dimension, using interactive social experiments to illustrate how thoughts shape our emotional state. In one exercise, volunteers paired off to role-play everyday conflicts, such as missed deadlines or miscommunications, and then practised verbal and non-verbal adjustment techniques.
Sadhvi Parma emphasised that small acts of compromise and empathy can dissolve anger and cultivate healthier relationships. “True happiness isn’t an accident,” she told the audience. “It’s built in the mind by conscious choices.”
Soul: the power of Brahm Gyan meditation
The final hour turned inward as Sadhvi Tapeshwari Bharti introduced attendees to Brahm Gyan, a meditation technique rooted in soul-centric awareness. Participants were instructed to sit quietly, focus on their inner “self” rather than external stimuli, and observe the rise and fall of thoughts without judgment.
“The chariot of life must be guided by soul consciousness, not the senses,”
she explained.
Many guests described feeling profoundly calm by the session’s close, and eager to integrate daily practice into their routines.
An impressive array of leaders and personalities, including Wayne Farnham MP (Shadow Assistant Minister for Planning and the Building Industry), Joe McCracken MLC (Western Victoria) and Mathew Hilakari MP (Point Cook), alongside Mayor Pradeep Tiwari (Maribyrnong), Wyndham Councillor Preet Singh and Greater Bendigo Councillor Shivali Chatley. From the sporting world, Kho Kho Australia’s Vice-President Lee Moskwa joined national team stars Randeep Kaur and Madhuri Balimane, adding athletic flair to the day’s uplifting spirit.
Both Mr Farnham and Mr McCracken praised the festival’s blend of practical exercises and spiritual insight.
“We know mental health is a huge struggle in our community, but this program gave us what we need to make our communities better,”
Mr Farnham said.
Mr McCracken added,
“As busy professionals, we often don’t pause to reflect on the deeper things in life. This workshop offered simple tools to navigate stress and deepen our self-awareness.”
The event was made possible by sponsors including Teesdale Family Medical Centre, Absolut Financial, Trinity Medical Group, Gurzora Homes, Perfect Web Designer, Commune Health Services, Lotus Family Clinic, Urban Dream Real Estate, Brilliant Migration Club and SAM Hair & Beauty Spot. Community groups such as Sahara Victorian Association, Let’s Feed, Vedic Global, Aastha, AHA, and MISC also lent their support, ensuring wide outreach and accessibility.
Since its inception under the guidance of spiritual mentor Ashutosh Maharaj in India, DJJS’s PEACE Program has reached thousands worldwide. Organisers in Melbourne say they plan to host follow-up sessions and form local support groups, so participants can sustain the benefits of the festival.
“On behalf of DJJS, I warmly invite everyone to embark on this transformative journey—from chaos to calm,”
Sadhvi Tapeshwari urged the crowd.
As Australians grapple with mounting pressures in work and family life, the 3D Happiness Fest offers a promising model: one that addresses the body, the mind and the soul—and reminds us all that a simple smile can be the first step toward lasting wellbeing.
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