Swami Bodhananda 2011 Meditation Report

Yoga Bharati SF Bay Area hosted Swami Bodhananda Saraswati for three weeks in Nov 2011. Swami Bodhananda Saraswati is highly respected in India and America as an accomplished teacher of Vedanta and Meditation. Swamiji was in the Bay Area from Oct 25th to Nov 13th and Yoga Bharati organized Meditation workshops in Sunnyvale and Fremont, Vedanta and Parenting and Gita and Management. All his programs were very well received. His last day of Meditation had over 50 people attending the session. His Meditation in Fremont had more than 25 people and the room was packed. His Gita and Management workshop had more than 35 people who listened to him intently. It was a whole day event.

Yoga Retreat 2011

Yoga Teacher Training (YIC) 2011 Grass Valley Retreat – a Report

About 60 volunteers and YIC 2011 batch students with their families went to Shivanand Ashram, Grass Valley, near Sacramento from July 2nd to 4th 2011. It was a two day retreat where the participants got an experience of Ashram’s daily life that consisted of morning meditation, bhajans, satsang,  morning and evening yogasana classes, arati and prasad offering. Ashram’s satvic vegan meals at 10am and 6pm were wholesome, healthy, complete and soul filling. Apart from Ashram’s activities, Yoga Bharati organized satsang and discussions between noon and 4pm. Shree N.V.Raghuram, the spiritual founder of Yoga Bharati conducted the satsangs and discussions. The ambience of the Ashram, the friendly, hospitable and accommodative Ashram staff and management, and Raghuramji’s wisdom filled talks were a great elixir for the inner quest and curiosity of the retreat attendees. Most of all, the purity and authenticity of Vedantic tradition in the ashram and the simplicity and spiritual ferver of the ashramites was the highlight of the retreat experience. Many retreat attendees said that it was like visiting ancient India with all its glory.

The retreat began on Saturday morning with check-in and brunch. After this, we all met in the main yoga hall (Bhrama-Jiignasu mandir) which was a beautiful room with a pedestal on which Dakshinamurthy was placed in the center, the murty’s of Swami Shivananda and Swami Vishnudevananda on either side and Shankaracharya’s pratima to the side blessing us all. The very appearance of this setting set the retreat attendees at peace and we were all ready to begin the satsang. Swami Sitaramananda, Director and the spiritual head of Shivananda Ashram welcomed us all and a wonderful introduction of the lineage of Swami Shivananda right from Sankaracharya to Vishudevananda was explained. Raghuramji talked about how he had met Swami Vishnudevananda when he was a teenager. Raghuramji then gave us all a wonderful discourse on the topic of “Yagna”. He explained how yagna always took place in creation from time immemorial. He said that many refer to yagna as a ‘sacrifice’, but yagna is more than that. Every seed has a tree in it. Only when the seed gives up his seed-ness would a seed become a tree. So yagna in essence is nothing but the constant transformation and change that happens in the creation. The food that we eat becomes energy and hence it is also yagna – said Raghuramji. He explained the meaning of ”brahmarpanam brahmahavihi”. He talked about four types of yagnas mentioned in Bhagavad Gita – dravya yagna, tapo yagna, swadhyaya yagna and Jnana yagna. He also explained the significance of ghee put in the yagna. Cow’s milk signifies satva. Curdling of milk represents the paradigm shift from the materialistic thinking to the spiritual thinking of a seeker. Churning of the yogurt represents the constant nidhi-dhyasana or spiritual churning that we must do. The result of this churning is the butter which represents spiritual knowledge. When this is further purified and ego is removed with the fire of sadhana, ghee results – pure Jnana without any ego. When any task is thus done without ego, it becomes yagna.

The talk was followed by a discussion on our respective Karma Yoga. People talked about what was their spiritual experience was, after completing the yoga course and what is the karma yoga that they all want to be part of, in their sadhana, and in contributing to spreading the message of yoga.

The evening session was specially wonderful as we had a great bhajan concert by a local  group of singers from Sacred Caravan group. They sang bhajans with their wonderful instruments - flute, 12 string guitar, harp, tabla and other instruments. Their professional performance, their beautiful voices and their devotional and passionate rendering of the songs was enchanting. They sang bhajans on Ganesha, Shiva, Krishna, Rama, Hanuman and Gandhiji’s Raghupati Raghava song. They also performed some wonderful solo Hindustani instrumental pieces and a great rendering of an instrumental piece on Harp. The audience was mesmerized.

On Sunday morning Swami Sitaramananada conducted meditation, bhajans, and then talked beautifully on Prana, Pancha Bhutas, the way to channelize prana and how to live life so that our pranic body is in good health, etc. We had a satvic brunch and then we all set out to a small hike to Durga Mandir. The small and yet neatly constructed temple, the beautiful pratima of Durga in the sactum sanctorum, the cool and shady veranda outside the temple, the flora and fauna around the temple, a little bubbly pond and a white marble shivalinga at the center of the pond created our moods for a bhajan session. We sat at the veranda in a circle and sang Devi bhajans followed by a song from Supriya on Tyagaraja composition, Shiva bhajan by Ankita and Gayatri Mantra song by Vedant and Shushant  sung in a classical style. Raghuramji explained how Tyagaraja attained the first advaita state (Nirvikalpa Samadhi) and how he sang the song after coming back from the advaita Samadhi where he sung a song that said, he missed mother Sita, Rama and Lakshmanna in that advaita state and was glad to be back to the normal dualistic world. This gives Dvaita state as much grandeur as Advaita in Indian philosophy. Raghuramji answered the question on whether one can deviate from the traditional chanting style and said that it was okay to sing it in other ways and enjoy, although all the benefits stated in the Vedas may not be obtained when the rules of Vedas such as udatta, anudatta, sarita, etc are not followed. With many such discussions on various topics, no one wanted to leave the temple,  but we had to disperse eventually.

We met in the Brahma-jignasu hall again and then after a refreshing drink of lemonade and orange juice prepared by Yoga Bharati volunteers, and a wonderful deep relaxation by Yogi Mahendra, we all moved into a question and answer session. One of the questions was about chanting of A-U-M versus OM and when are we allowed to break into Akara, Ukara and Mkara and when should we not do so. Another set of questions was about who is Ekanath Ranade, how was Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Vivekananda Yoga Movement began. Yet another topic was about ‘What is the meaning of false belief?’, ‘Is there is such a thing as false belief?’, ‘Being a seeker for Self is a selfish act?’, ‘Shreyas and Preyas mentioned in Kathopanishad’, etc. Raghuramji addressed each of the questions in his own elegant manner where his answers were logical, rational and scientific and satisfying to both a rebel inside the seekers as well as to the already surrendered seekers. No one left the hall without getting their questions answered.

On Sunday evening, there was a beautiful bhajan session followed by satsang by Swami  Swaroopananda who is the head of Shivananda Ashram in Bahamas and Israel and was visiting the ashram. He answered some of the questions such as – ‘Can we change the world?’, ‘Is there such a thing as good and bad?’, ‘Why do we have fear’?, ‘Should  we be good to people who are bad to us?’, etc. Swamiji answered every question elegantly and satisfyingly with references to Vedanta, Sankaracharya’s philosophy, Bhagavad Gita quotes and with references to Swami Shivananda and Vishudevandanda’s teachings. To the question “Can we change the world?”, he beautifully explained that we cannot change the world, but only change ourselves. He said however, we can never give the world what we don’t have, so we need to make an effort to have good values and then share with the world what we have and that makes the world a better place. He referred to Swami Shivananda’s teaching to “be good and do good”. To the question “Is there such a thing and good and bad?”, he cleverly understood the intent of Advaita student where Advaita is beyond all of the duality and said that in the dualistic world we live, there is something called dharma and adharma. He said ‘there is such a thing as the right way to fly an airplane and a wrong way’ and said that we should attempt to follow the path of dharma. He said that only to the yogi who has transcended the universe, there is no duality and only then he can be beyond good and bad. To the question “Should we be good to those who are bad to us?”, he referred to Hindu Karma theory and said when someone is bad to us, we should think that it is perhaps because we have inflicted bad to others in our past lives. So the smart thing to do would be to do good to others now, so that they will be good to us later. To the question about fear, he beautifully explained how fear in inevitable in dualistic world and until and unless we realize the inherent non-dual reality, we all have to  face fear.

We ended the retreat on Monday morning after the Ashram’s morning activity where Swami Sitaramananda explained the workings of the mind, its distractions, how to control the mind, and how japa, tapa, yogasanas, etc help us come out of the distractions and help us realize ourselves. After the brunch, we had a photo session with Swami Sitaramananda and a concluding program (see below for picture). She read some of the poems that she had written about Swami Vishnudevananda and then blessed us all. She was happy to see a large Indian group visiting the ashram which she said rarely happens. She asked us to visit regularly. She also gave some books as souvenirs for Yoga Bharati. Raghuramji and Swami Sitaramananda exchanged good words before concluding. Little Ankita sang Bhagavad Gita shlokas in front of Swami Sitarananda that made everyone ecstatic with joy. All the kids had a great time and did not want to leave the ashram.

We got a deep experience of Karma Yoga where Yoga Bharati folks took turns to help in the kitchen and cleaning of dishes, we experienced Raja Yoga with excellent asana classes, we experienced Bhakti in the meditation, bhajans and aarati and Prasad, and we experienced Jnana yoga with all the satsangs we attended by Swami Sitaramananda, Swami Swaroopananda and Raghuramji. It was a spiritual retreat indeed!

 

YIC 2011 Inauguration Report

Yoga Bharati SFO Bay area chapter organized YIC 2011 inauguration on March 27, 2011 at Sunnyvale Temple auditorium in a grand way!

The chief guest for the occasion was Acharya Prabodh Chaitanyaji of Chinmaya Mission. More than 120 people gathered on Sunday afternoon to inaugurate YIC2011. The event was kicked off around 4: PM by a chanting of the AUMs and the starting prayer “Sahana Vavatu” that created an atmosphere of peace all around! The event was formally inaugurated by the lighting of the lamp by Acharyaji against a background of chanting of “Asatoma Sadga Maya…” by the children along with the audience. This was followed by a minute of silence in honor of all those fellow humans in Japan who lost their lives in the recent Tsunami and earthquake. Savitha.Nanjangud, the MC of the program then announced the agenda and began the program.

What followed was a delight to the creative senses! The children of Yoga Bharati presented a Ganesha Vanadana/Gayatri Mantra (Vedanth/Sushanth), a Bharatnatyam performance(Ankita Jain), Hindustani Classical songs (Chinmay Surpur)and a beautiful yoga dance/formations(all the children of the Yoga Bharati kids yoga classes)!

Anil Surpur welcomed the new batch and gave a brief overview of Yoga Bharati and its achievements. Sharat Joshi introduced the chief guest, Acharya Prabodh Chaitanya, to the audience.

Acharyaji addressed the audience and gave ‘Ashirvachana’ to YICC2011 students at this point. He took the opportunity to beautifully sketch out the role of the Guru and a good student with a brief explanation of the ‘guru-shishya parampara’! He inspired the incoming students with what would be their role in the process of learning and at the same time clarified how each one of us was always a student learning from everything around us. He spoke about how the Bhagavad Gita could be adopted in this context and also in our daily life! The audience was simply thrilled at these words of wisdom and to be in his presence! After the talk, Acharyaji answered questions from the audience about how to apply spiritual knowledge in everyday life and about how to judge what progress we have made in our journey towards our individual goals.

After Acharyaji’s address, the president of Yoga Bharati, Anil Surpur honored Acharyaji with a fruit basket and a humble contribution to Sandeepani building. This was followed by the certificate award ceremony to the recent YICC graduates. Shailesh Basani briefed the students with YIC information and also introduced the faculty for 2011.

After Acharyaji’s address, the president of Yoga Bharati, Anil Surpur honored Acharyaji with a fruit basket and a humble contribution to Sandeepani building. This was followed by the certificate award ceremony to the recent YICC graduates. Shailesh Basani briefed the students with YIC information and also introduced the faculty for 2011.

The vote of thanks was given by Venkat Reddy and he concluded the session with a prayer, which was later followed by a sumptuous healthy dinner.

SNY 2011 Concluding Report

Feb 12th, 2011

Yoga Bharati, USA concluded their annual six weeks Suryanamaskar yagna (Sun Salutations Marathon) today.  More than 1000 people all over America participated in the yagna and performed  close to 100,000 Suryanamaskars.  About 250 individuals submitted their logs for a healthy competition.  Yoga Bharati teachers made Suryanamaskars as the focus of their free public classes at various centers in different chapters such as SF Bay Area, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Diego and Atlanta.

Yoga Bharati Bay Area chapter arranged a concluding program at the Sunnyvale temple where more than 50 people gathered to perform Suryanamaskars in a synchronous  group practice. The program began with a chanting of Aditya Hrudayam by Sharat Joshi. This was followed by a talk by Ashwini Surpur on the background, philosophy and significance of Sun worship by different cultures around the world. She explained the significance of Ratha Saptami and of practicing Suryanamaskars, how Suryanamaskar practice works at the body level through various asanas, at the prana level when breathing is synchronized with body movements, and at the mind level when mantras are chanted and their vibrations contemplated upon. Finally she said, with a yagna like this, the entire society comes together to celebrate health and harmony of the society and it becomes a festival for the entire society.

This talk was followed by yoga practice session by Binta Patel. After the initial demonstration and corrections, thirteen rounds of Suryanamaskars were performed with music giving them a sense of synergy and enthusiasm. Binta conducted a deep relaxation session, the yoga nidra, followed by pranayama and meditation. Then was the session where Suryanamaskar statistics were read out and the names of the leading people in different categories such as men, women and children were announced. During the feedback session that followed, people expressed their benefits and how this practice helped them.

Sharat Joshi, who performed an average of 100 Suryanamaskars for the last six weeks said his energy level was very high and he was very efficient at work. ‘When I went for a ski trip with a group at work, everyone else was tired the next day, but I was totally fine’, he said. Prajwala Darog who performed an average of 40 Surayanamaskars per day said she felt healthy and happy throughout the six weeks and most importantly, she felt calm and peaceful within. Anil Surpur said with Suryanamaskars, he can do his marathons without trouble and he has increased his mile time.  Another regular Saturday public class attendee who participated in the yagna said, her planter fascias was much better now.

The programconcluded with Shanti Mantra and people enjoyed healthy snacks provided by Yoga Bharati volunteers.

Annual Report 2010

Yoga Bharati brings a wealth of knowledge about yoga and its philosophy through Yoga Teacher’s training and its Diploma courses. The courses are brought from Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation (SVYASA), Bangalore, India. We are now an affiliate center of the Hindu University of America in bringing Diploma in Yoga Wellness to our yoga teachers, a course that focuses on Therapeutic Applications of Yoga.

We are excited about the new yoga wave that Yoga Bharati is creating by bringing holistic yoga with its grand heritage and its depth of philosophy into the western world. With your help and support Yoga Bharati will further increase its pace of progress.

Presently Yoga Bharati has chapters in the following locations:

USA:

• SF Bay Area
• Detroit
• Los Angeles
• San Diego

Outside USA:

• Istanbul, Turkey
• Bengaluru, India
• Canada:
• Calgary
• Edmonton
• Vancouver

Accomplishments

We are proud of the great leap that Yoga Bharati has taken in its mission since its inception in 2002. In its efforts to spread its wings far and wide, Yoga Bharati has taken up various tasks and progressed in many areas. Below is an attempt to highlight some of the achievements.

Yoga Alliance (YA) Registration:

We are now a Registered Yoga School (RYS 200) with Yoga Alliance for our Yoga Instructors Course (YICC), a 200 hour course, enabling the teachers to become Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200). We also have plans to register for RYS 500. This is great news for the whole organization, as it will put us on the national map of yoga training in USA & elsewhere.

Yoga Classes:

Public yoga classes have taken a big leap. We have a total of six locations in the Bay Area where free classes are conducted, thanks to all our volunteers. In Sunnyvale alone, we are conducting 15 free classes per week. So a total of 20 classes, with a value worth $4000 given out to the community per week by Yoga Bharati Bay Area chapter alone!

In Los Angeles, free yoga classes are conducted in four different locations.

In Detroit chapter, apart from free yoga classes, yoga is also given to Multiple Sclerosis patients on a biweekly basis. Free yoga classes are conducted in San Diego chapter on weekends.

Yoga Teachers Training (YICC) 2010

As with every year, Yoga Bharati conducted YICC 2010, its flagship course. In Bay Area, we conducted this course for three months from April to June months.  Anil Surpur, Venkat Reddy and Shailesh Basani were the coordinators of this course. As with every year, our Chairman and spiritual founder, Shri. N.V.Raghuram was the faculty for Yoga Philosophy Course(YPC) that is a part of YICC. Twenty-five students took this course and it was very well received, especially Raghuramji lectures.

In Detroit, YICC was conducted in April and Raghuramji conducted the theory sessions (YPC). YICC will be conducted Bay area Chapter, LA chapter and Detroit chapters in 2011.

Partnership and Collaboration:

Yoga Bharati works with other organizations to help build network, spread the awareness and as a reach out program.  We collaborate with Sambodh Society for conducting annual workshops on Meditation, Yoga Philosophy and Vedanta. We provide free classes at Chinmaya Mission Balavihar programs, at India Community Center (Milpitas, Bay Area) and other locations. The children of Yoga Bharati’s “Yoga and Gita for Kids” class participated in Chinmaya Mission Gita Competition and bagged awards! We also work with Samskrita Bharati in providing yoga for their Sanskrit Workshops and with Ekal Vidyalaya, training Ekal Marathon volunteers and conducting yoga class for Marathoners.

Yoga Therapy sessions Bay Area:

Yoga Bharati Bay Area chapter has made a great leap in therapeutic applications of yoga. Yoga classes have been continuously running for the last two years with significant results. What started as a simple yoga activity in Anil and Ashwini Surpur’s garage (Yoga Bharati headquarters) has now turned into a bigger program and we have moved to a new rented facility. We conduct yoga for kids, yoga for back/neck/shoulder pain, arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, weight loss and stress management, to name a few. Ashwini Surpur is heading the Yoga Therapy division and is conducting this program with the help and advice of Dr. Nagarathna, the Chief Therapist at SVYASA Arogyadhama. The goal of Yoga Bharati’s yoga classes for ailments is three-fold:

• Help people with their ailments
• Spread the awareness about therapeutic benefits of yoga
• Develop research on how yoga can help in achieving positive health for individual and society

 Detroit (MS Society)

Since 2006, Yoga Bharati certified instructor, Ms. Sudha Rao has been devoting two hours on a bi weekly basis to teach yoga to people with Multiple Sclerosis at the MS society in Southfield, Michigan. The MS patients  have noticed a significant improvement in their flexibility and movements.  Ms. Rao intends to conduct a research study on the benefits of Yoga in MS patients in the near future.  She is joined in this effort by Dr Deepa Parikh has been working with the group since the summer of 2010 on a biweekly basis.

Advanced Diploma in Yoga Wellness

(RYT 500 Advanced Yoga Teachers Training) Inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor of SVYASA and President of HUA, Dr. H.R.Nagendra, the Bay Area chapter launched Diploma in Yoga Wellness, a course for higher studies in yoga and its therapeutic applications. This course is brought in collaboration with HUA and SVYASA. Six students have registered for the first batch and classes are regularly conducted in Yoga Bharati HQ.  The classes started with Dr. Nagarathna giving us an in-depth course on Yoga for Ailments – a three day intensive workshop in Sept 2010.

Apart from the diploma course, we are also conducting certification courses for teachers who can conduct classes for specific ailments such as back pain, diabetes, etc.  We have three students registered for this course. The diploma course will be registered with Yoga Alliance as RYT 500 level course.

The yoga classes for ailments help us in providing a training ground and opportunity for case studies for our diploma students. Some of our diploma students are going to SVYASA’s Arogyadhama (Prashanti – health center of SVYASA at Bangalore) for the first round of clinical observation. Ashwini Surpur, Director of Yoga Therapy, is conducting the Diploma course, both as a faculty and as a coordinator. We have a faculty of doctors who teach Anatomy classes for our diploma students. Sri N.V.Raghuram and Swami Bodhananada Saraswati are our faculty for Philosophy and Vedanta. We have also lined up a host of experts in various yoga and Alternative Therapy fields locally, to give our students a quality education and in-depth knowledge in yoga.

Yogathon 2010

On August 29, 2010, Yoga Bharati chapters all over the US joined hands with the Hindu American Seva Charities to participate in Yogathon 2010 at US level. This was a faith based initiative by Obama government. A free yoga workshop for youth and adults with an introduction to the traditional concepts of yoga was conducted in various locations such as temples, community halls, etc. This effort was spearheaded by Anil Surpur in Bay Area Chapter and Mahaveer Khetawat in Detroit Chapter, Shankar.N at San Diego Chapter and Sharad Dandekar at Los Angeles Chapter

Satsangs and Workshops:
   Doctors Workshop 2010

Yoga Bharati Bay area chapter organized a workshop for doctors and medical practitioners at India Community Center (ICC) Milpitas on Sunday, Sep 19th, 2010.  The workshop was well attended by a group of over twenty-five healthcare professionals. There were specialists in all fields of medicine such as cardiology, oncology, obstetrics, internal medicine and therapists. The workshop was arranged to generate awareness on yoga therapy and its benefits on the patients.  Dr. Nagarathna, the Dean of Health Sciences and Chief Therapist of SVYASA chaired the panel. Other panelists were our Chairman N.V.Raghuram, Dr. Naras Bhat the Cardiologist and faculty at UC Berkeley, Dr. Raji Ayyar, the oncologist at Kaiser and Smt. Pratichi Mathur, Ayurvedic practitioner and founder of Vedika Global. The program was extremely well received and the doctors got to understand the research that SVYASA has conducted in yoga and its benefits in addressing various ailments including cancer.

  Yoga Philosophy by Shri N.V.Raghuram

This year, Sri N.V.Raghuram taught the theory part of Yoga Teacher’s Training in Bay Area and Detroit chapters. He also conducted workshops on Pranayama, SMET and gave discourses on Bhagavad Gita and other topics in Bay Area, Detroit, Los Angeles area and Canada. The sessions were packed with 60-90 people with Canada program topping the list where more than 200 people attended the program and the feedback was marvelous.

   Prof. Sastry Memorial 2010

Once a year, Yoga Bharati Detroit chapter celebrates the life and teachings of Prof. Satyanarayana Sastry in the form of a day- long spiritual workshop.  Prof. Sastry was the mentor of our own beloved guru, Raghuramji.   This year’s topic was the Concept of Fullness. Raghuramji discussed the concepts established in Ishavasya Upanishad.

  SMET and PET workshops by Dr.Nagendra

Dr. Nagendra (Guruji), the Vice-Chancellor of Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation (SVYASA) visited Bay Area twice in 2010, each time giving us various programs in different locations of Bay Area. His programs were very well received with more than 100 people attending his event in April at a very short notice. Guruji gave us insight into how yoga helps in addressing different ailments, with SVYASA’s comprehensive research data.

  Workshop by Swami Bodhananda Saraswati

Bay Area chapter conducted annual meditation programs by Swami Bodhananda Saraswati of Sambodh Society. This year, he conducted workshops on Meditation I (Beginners) and II (Advanced), and weekend courses on Patanjali Yoga Sutra and Brahmasutra Bhashya of Shankaracharya. The program were well received and well attended.

  Study Groups:

In an attempt towards our own Self Growth and our progress in spirituality, Yoga Bharati conducts study groups in its various chapters for its yoga teachers and volunteers. In Bay Area, regular monthly study groups are conducted where discussions on Bhagavad Gita shlokas, asanas and pranayama techniques, meditation practices, etc are carried out.  Detroit Chapter conducts monthly study groups on Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali Yoga Sutras.

Plans for 2011

Apart from further progress in the above programs, we will be planning the following:

   Surya Namaskar Yagna (Sun Salutations Marathon)

Yoga Bharati is planning to do a research on the benefits of Surya Namaskar (SNY) on yoga participants. We will be collecting baseline health parameter data such as their blood pressure, BMI, weight, pulse rate, etc., from the participants and we will be tracking the progress that they make through the practice of Surya Namaskars and some simple asanas and pranayama. Participants can get baseline reading from the supporting medical practitioners before and after the entire Sun Salutations marathon for 6 weeks. We will compile this data & present it as research data to show the benefits of SNY practice.

Yoga Teachers Training 2011

Yoga Bharati Bay area and LA chapters will be conducting Yoga teachers Training (YICC) during April – June months.

Meditation and Satsang 2010 – A Report

Meditation and Satsang 2010 by Swami Bodhananda – A Report

The Yoga Bharati Family was very fortunate to be graced by the presence of Swami Bodhananda in the week of Nov 29 to December 11. These 2 weeks were an awakening for those who were fortunate to be able to attend the programs. It was as if Swamiji’s deep knowledge cut through the veil of ignorance that clouded us, and his will power and intellect pulled us out of our limited selves and helped us experience our expanded and capable selves. Many of us survived on the fuel of his presence, and for once our habits and other obstacles which impede even our daily practice seemed to fall away as if by divine intervention. Our energies flowed harmoniously and we were able to revel in the satsangh of like minded people and his presence.

The week began with meditation sessions on Nov 29th. There were 4 days of meditation sessions in this week. These set the tone and preparation of more advanced sadhana in the coming week.

This was then followed by a discourse on Patanjali Yoga Sutras for 2 days on the weekend. He expounded on the sutras and did not just explain the etymological meaning but helped us understand the practicality of the sutras as they applied to day to day life. His understanding of the richness and complexities of life mixed with his sharp wit really helped us absorb the meaning so as to be able to apply it on a moment to moment basis.

This was followed by 5 days of meditation sessions where he further gave us suggestions to experience the deeper meaning of the Patanjali yoga sutras. The sessions beckoned us to imbibe and live the higher ideals of fearlessness, compassion, devotion. The series of sessions took us a step of ladders so that we can get a taste of our higher selves and experience supreme contentment. This was then followed by Brahma Sutras. The session began with prostrations to prepare us for the rich and deeper meaning of the Brahma Sutras. This was a session not to just be informed but to experience the transformation that these words intend to provide. As was highlighted by Swamiji the first step of attaining the higher knowledge was shravana then manana and nidhidyasana. We were fortunate to be able to listen to the master who could unlock these sutras for us. He prepared us for the knowledge and intends to expound on these sutras further when he visits us next year.

His vist was also marked by satasnghs in the evening for two weeks. These were hosted by devotees in their homes and each home was packed. People who came later had difficulty finding space. He took us through a birds eye view of all the shlokas in the Ishavasya Upanishad.

Swami Bodhananda Saraswati is highly respected in India and America as an accomplished teacher of Vedanta and Meditation. Swamiji is on the Board of Directors of Yoga Bharati. Presently, Swami Bodhananda is the Spiritual Founder and Director of 11 organizations and ashrams under the umbrella of the Sambodh Foundation, New Delhi, India; the Bodhananda Research Foundation for Management and Leadership Studies, Trivandrum, Kerala, India; and The Sambodh Society, Inc., his American organization. Swami Bodhananda is the author of several books: Meditation: The Awakening of Inner Powers, The Gita & Management, Self Unfoldment in An Interactive World, a monograph titled, “Rishi Vision”, etc. Swamiji’s recorded talks on Upanishads such as Taittiriya Upanishad, recorded in April 2001, during a spring-time Himalayan retreat in the Sattal region of Utteranchal, India (formerly part of Uttar Pradesh) are available. please visit: www.sambodh.com

Yoga Therapy Course Inauguration

Diploma in Yoga Therapy Inauguration
by Guruji, Dr. H.R.Nagendra, Vice Chancellor, SVYASA University, Bangalore
Yoga Bharati Press Release Sep 01, 2010

[Diploma_2010_Inauguration] The evening of September 01, 2010 saw the gathering of very enthusiastic Yoga Bharati instructors from various batches. The goal of the evening was the Diploma Program inauguration and an alumnus meet.

It got off to a great start with Guruji sharing his experience of how he was able to overcome a situation where he had a slip disc. He went on to explain how when stuck in Canada, he was completely paralyzed by a slip disc. With excruciating pain, Guruji began applying all the techniques of Pranayama and relaxation to the area of injury down to the tissue level. After a rigorous practice of about 10 hours, he was able to completely sit up and walk around.

He quoted the above example as he explained how each of the teachers should utilize and experiment with the techniques themselves and how powerful these could be in really addressing the root of the common ailments we see in our everyday lives.

This was followed by an extended period of Q&A session, where each of the participants shared their own experiences, clarified their areas of confusion and sought advice on various problems faced by them both through personal practice and in a class setting.

Guruji also took the time to highlight the Diploma/Certification Program on Yoga Wellness. He congratulated all those that had made the decision to avail the benefits of the wonderful program. The highlights of the program were the flexibility and how each of the students could pace their learning to suit their individual life styles without compromising on the quality and their passion to achieve the knowledge they seek in the area. The course ensures that various modules are completed in time by conducting exams at various points along the way. This also helps the student to keep pace without losing sight of the end goal.

Various other subtle points of the course were patiently explained by both Guruji and Ashwini Surpur, who is heading the Therapy program of Yoga Bharati. The fact that the course was based on a credit system was very well received by the participating students and also students considering taking it.

The Diploma program was also formally inaugurated by the lighting of the lamp and MOU signing by Guruji Dr.H.R.Nagendra, the Vice Chancellor of SVYASA, Bengaluru and the President of Yoga Bharati Anil Surpur.

Ashwini Surpur, Director of Yoga Therapy Education announced another upcoming event – Intensive three days Yoga Workshop with Dr. Nagarathna beginning September 17th to 19th. This, she said will also be the beginning of the Diploma course. It was wonderful to know that people are encouraged to join just the workshop without registering for the entire course (Pre-requisite is YICC). 

As the evening drew to a close, it was very clear that the participants were very excited about the new Program being launched! Everyone felt that there was now an opportunity and an avenue for them to pursue their own Sadhana along with enhancing their knowledge on yoga and its applications.

Evidence Based Yoga for Health - Doctors Workshop

Workshop on Evidence Based Yoga for Medical Practice 

Yoga Bharati Press Release Sep 22nd, 2010

 Yoga Bharati organized a workshop for doctors and medical practitioners at India Community Center (ICC) Milpitas on Sunday, Sep 19th, 2010. The workshop was well attended by a group of over twenty five healthcare professionals. There were specialists in all fields of medicine such as cardiology, oncology, obstetrics, internal medicine and therapists. The workshop was arranged to generate awareness on yoga therapy and its benefits on the patients.

It was reiterated that yoga therapy basically works at removing the root cause of all ailments – Stress. Stress itself is defined as response to a situation. We cannot change the situation but we can only change *our* response to the situation – was a takeaway to the audience.

The sequence of events was a talk on “Yogic Concept of Health” by Dr.Nagarathna, practice of Cube Yoga (Cyclic Meditation) by Sri. N.V.Raghuram, followed by a panel discussion. On the Panel were – Sri.Raghuram, Dr.Nagarathna , Dr.Naras Bhat, Dr.Raji Iyer and Smt.Pratichi Mathur. Savita Joshi, Treasurer and yoga therapy teacher of Yoga Bharati introduced Dr. Nagarathna and other delegates to the audience.

Dr. Nagarathna also gave a brief idea about Prashanti, the wellness center in Bangalore and the yoga therapy and the associated research being conducted there. She talked about modern day medical problems such as heart attack, emotional instability, stress, etc – basically mind and body related issues because of urbanization and fast paced life. She elaborated on different yoga therapy techniques to cope with these problems such as different relaxation techniques that help us get mastery over our mind.

She shared information that SVYASA University has published more than 100 papers in various medical journals. The research papers include effects of yoga on ailments such as breast cancer, diabetes, back pain, etc as well as the study of yoga techniques and its effects on healthy individuals. A complete repository of published reports can be found at http://www.svyasa.org/research_papers/.

On the question of whether yoga can replace modern medicine, Dr Nagarathna opined that yoga therapy is meant to complement the existing modern system as opposed to replacing it. Pratichi Mathur, an Ayurveda practitioner and the founder of Vedika Global said that Ayurveda and yoga together form a holistic approach to health. Dr. Naras Bhat, cardiologist and professor at Berkeley University, demonstrated with his examples, on how his simple breathing techniques had their benefits on heart disease and other ailments.

Audience raised a concern about the cultural acceptance of yoga to which Dr. Raji Ayyar, oncologist at Kaiser, said that yoga is now universally accepted compared to 20 years ago, and that doing research in yoga and its benefits among the mainstream was not difficult. Also, Dr. Nagarathna said one could modify certain practices based on the nation and the culture in which yoga therapy is being introduced. SVYASA is collaborating with universities and hospitals in US and Europe and the results of the positive effects of yoga therapy were seen consistently across nations.

Sri. Raghuram, Chairman of Yoga Bharati and faculty at SVYASA talked on the philosophy of yoga and also conducted a short cyclic meditation session and a pranayama session to give the doctors and medical practitioners, an idea of how it helps to develop inner awareness. It was beautifully received by the audience.

Overall, it was a fact-filled and motivating session that empowered the audience with the needed research data to help them explore the path of Yoga Therapy.

Swami Bodhananda 2010

The Yoga Bharati Family was very fortunate to be graced by the presence of Swami Bodhananda in the week of Nov 29 to December 11. These 2 weeks were an awakening for those who were fortunate to be able to attend the programs. It was as if Swamiji’s deep knowledge cut through the veil of ignorance that clouded us, and his will power and intellect pulled us out of our limited selves and helped us experience our expanded and capable selves. Many of us survived on the fuel of his presence, and for once our habits and other obstacles which impede even our daily practice seemed to fall away as if by divine intervention. Our energies flowed harmoniously and we were able to revel in the satsangh of like minded people and his presence.

The week began with meditation sessions on Nov 29th. There were 4 days of meditation sessions in this week. These set the tone and preparation of more advanced sadhana in the coming week.

This was then followed by a discourse on Patanjali Yoga Sutras for 2 days on the weekend. He expounded on the sutras and did not just explain the etymological meaning but helped us understand the practicality of the sutras as they applied to day to day life. His understanding of the richness and complexities of life mixed with his sharp wit really helped us absorb the meaning so as to be able to apply it on a moment to moment basis.

This was followed by 5 days of meditation sessions where he further gave us suggestions to experience the deeper meaning of the Patanjali yoga sutras. The sessions beckoned us to imbibe and live the higher ideals of fearlessness, compassion, devotion. The series of sessions took us a step of ladders so that we can get a taste of our higher selves and experience supreme contentment. This was then followed by Brahma Sutras. The session began with prostrations to prepare us for the rich and deeper meaning of the Brahma Sutras. This was a session not to just be informed but to experience the transformation that these words intend to provide. As was highlighted by Swamiji the first step of attaining the higher knowledge was shravana then manana and nidhidyasana. We were fortunate to be able to listen to the master who could unlock these sutras for us. He prepared us for the knowledge and intends to expound on these sutras further when he visits us next year.

His vist was also marked by satasnghs in the evening for two weeks. These were hosted by devotees in their homes and each home was packed. People who came later had difficulty finding space. He took us through a birds eye view of all the shlokas in the Ishavasya Upanishad.

Swami Bodhananda Saraswati is highly respected in India and America as an accomplished teacher of Vedanta and Meditation. Swamiji is on the Board of Directors of Yoga Bharati. Presently, Swami Bodhananda is the Spiritual Founder and Director of 11 organizations and ashrams under the umbrella of the Sambodh Foundation, New Delhi, India; the Bodhananda Research Foundation for Management and Leadership Studies, Trivandrum, Kerala, India; and The Sambodh Society, Inc., his American organization. 
Swami Bodhananda is the author of several books: Meditation: The Awakening of Inner Powers, The Gita & Management, Self Unfoldment in An Interactive World, a monograph titled, "Rishi Vision", etc. Swamiji's recorded talks on Upanishads such as Taittiriya Upanishad, recorded in April 2001, during a spring-time Himalayan retreat in the Sattal region of Utteranchal, India (formerly part of Uttar Pradesh) are available. please visit: www.sambodh.com

Yoga Retreat 2009

Point Bonita San Fransisco Yoga Retreat  Report

Yoga Bharati conducted a three day Yoga Retreat from July 03 to July 05, 2009 in SF Bay Area.

The theme was Happiness and Spirituality. This retreat was also blessed to have both Swami Bodhananda Saraswati and Guruji Raghuramji –both stalwarts in their own right! The location was Point Bonita – a place very near San Francisco. The rolling hills, the greenery, and the low fog just made it seem like paradise itself!

People arrived from far and near on Friday afternoon, and after a brief round of introductions, everyone began settling down. There were unsaid expectations, apprehensions and questions. But, the enthusiasm and energy were palpable!

The program started as planned at 4:00 pm with the lighting of a lamp, ‘Ganesha Vandana’ the ‘Aashirvachana’ by both Swamiji and Raghuramji. They gave an apt, wonderful introduction to Happiness and every human being’s natural quest for it. It was a great start for all the seekers. A coffee break and Cyclic Meditation by Raghuramji followed this session thereafter. It was an exhilarating experience to practice the slow Asanas with subtle instructions regarding awareness about various aspects of human faculties – and those of body and mind.

Dinner that evening was welcomed warmly by the campers! This also served as a platform for more introductions /socialization. The day ended with a ‘Trataka’ session conducted by Ashwini. This was a wonderful rejuvenating experience as expressed by many campers. People were relaxed and were ready to go to bed, but the little ones were too excited to call it a day! Climbing the bunk beds, running from room to room, their giggling and laughing made the entire camp atmosphere feel like it was a house where a wedding was being performed – like they say in India, a ‘Shaadhi ka Ghar’.

On Saturday morning 5:00 AM the alarms went off, waking all the sleepy-heads! People jumped right out of their beds even though it was not their regular wake up time. Some went out to see the deer that were running around. And a few others took a little stroll out in the beautiful camp area. Everyone arrived at the ‘Patanjali’ hall for advanced ‘Pranayama’ session conducted by Ashwini. The dawn saw most of the campers immersed deep into their practice that began with a chanting of ‘Pratasmarami Hridi sam spuradatma tatvam’. The chanting itself was so melodious and peaceful that one could feel the ‘Satva’ flow in and around the whole place.

This was followed by Yogi Mahendraji’s laughter yoga session. Everyone laughed until they cried! This laughter session was followed by a very deep and sublime experience of Swamiji’s meditation session, which made us all reach our true selves and gain that wonderful inner quietude.

The food at all mealtimes was thoroughly enjoyed by all, given that it was all organic and fresh from the farms. It was also made with utmost care, hygiene and love by the chefs at YMCA. As an example, the chef took special effort to cook Indian meal for Saturday night and he took care to roast every single cauliflower piece separately so that we Indians will appreciate his Indian cooking and yet they were nervous until we ate it and we told them we liked it!! The dining hall was also aptly called “Annapoorna” – this seemed to be the hub of many interesting discussions on various topics when the sessions ended!

A hike to the beach helped everyone shake off any left over lethargy and also set the mood for a Deep Relaxation session in the afternoon.

Nearly forty people sat at the feet of the two Gurus – to receive the warm shower of spiritual wisdom. Topics were varied, ranging from “What is Happiness”, to the mundane questions about Parenting and Relationships. Madhavi and Reshma’s moderation of the session using skit and dialogues from their day-to-day experiences set the stage for some real life problems for the two Gurujis to tackle. There was also the wonderful topic discussed in-depth about Mahavakyas from the Upanishads – explained with the greatest simplicity by both Swamiji and Raghuramji. We were both touched and humbled as we sat there and tried to grasp every word that was said – it simply felt as if we were being drenched in showers of love, wisdom and of everything else that was so humane and so very beautiful.

While all of this happened, there were other things brewing in the “Krishna” hall that was dedicated to the little bundles of energy – the kids! In fact there were moments when you could see that they had too many choices on hand, and were switching one to the other in a haste to taste every activity. Coloring, DVDs, games that were organized by parent volunteers, dancing and the best of all even Mahendraji’s krida yoga that was completely tailor made for them! They were lovingly taken care by responsible parent volunteers while their own parents enjoyed the discourses nearby.

One could hear peels of laughter, jumping and giggling from the “Krishna” hall at all times. It was obvious that the kids felt as if it were one big extended family that constantly had multiple parents watching over each other’s kids throughout the event.

The evening was dedicated to cultural programs presented by the little ones and the adults. The participation was fantastic and especially the little ones were enthusiastic to be a part of everything! Songs, dances, skits and games – made it all very enjoyable. Some of the highlights of those high moments were melodious songs sung by Geetha, Supriya and Vidhya, games by Priyanka, a hilarious skit on Mahavakyas by the upcoming yogis who supposedly received enlightenment from Swamiji during the camp, a fusion yoga dance by the team of yogis with little yogi Ankita in the center and a final flag dance by the little kids and their moms for the song “Aao baccho tumhe dikhaye jhaaki Hindustanaki…”. The audience was thoroughly entertained.

The evening had yet another grand finale to it. The fireworks! All the campers had the privilege to watch the fireworks of both the cities of Oakland and San Francisco with the man made wonder – the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. The crowd was simply thrilled!

Day three and the last day of the camp began with advanced ‘Pranayama’ session (at 5:30 AM), laughter yoga by Mahendra-ji and meditation session by Guru Raghuramji. It was the repetition of the same wonderful experience we had on the previous day!

A hike and a closing ceremony wrapped up this great event in a wonderful way!

To summarize, the camp was very well organized with every activity/program starting on time and ending on time and well thought of in every way. Though everyone participated in many activities, they still had time for socialization, bonding with like-minded campers, to play volley ball, basket ball, hike, chat and argue about philosophy/ideologies, and most of all make new friends!

It would also be so very true if the campers claimed that they came back happier, wiser, and more relaxed! Don’t you wish you were there too? Next time…for sure!

Kudos to all the volunteers for making this great event happen.

Niroga and Yoga Bharati

Yoga Bharati and Niroga Foundation – A Report

Yoga Bharati volunteers are working with Niroga to address problems associated with vulnerable youth. “Niroga” is an organization in SF bay area. whose goal is to bring Transformative Life Skills to students, vulnerable youth, cancer survivors, seniors and people battling addiction. They also educate and deploy yoga teachers from different schools in transforming the lives of vulnerable children, youth and students. The work of Niroga directly uplifts thousands of people every week in schools, juvenile halls, homeless shelters, cancer hospitals and rehab centers.

In this regard, Yoga Bharati arranged a talk by the founder and the executive director of Niroga institute, Dr. Bidyut Bose. This was attended by Yoga Bharati Teachers.

The talk by Bidyut Bose was awakening and stimulating. As his very name suggests, Bidyut is an electrifying personality with excellent oratory skills, deep knowledge of eastern values and western scientific bent of mind . His simplicity and down-to-earth nature was as inspiring as his passion to help the society.

A small video of a Niroga class was shown where we heard voices of young people as to how yoga was helping them. His talk reflected his years of experience as a leader in yoga therapy for the under-served population. He explained the problems associated with neglected and abused children and the cost added to the society and economy by a youth who turns to crime. Bidyut said that yoga offers a wonderful solution to this grave problem that is haunting America today due to drug abuse and violence that the youngsters are facing. The western society has only used yoga for fashionable exercises as per Bidyut. He said “As long as you get yoga abs and yoga butt everyone is happy”.

Bidyut gave a call to the yogi in each one of us to look within and see if we have what it takes to help in this task. Quoting him “A few classes will not cut it”. Only a sustained and continuous effort would bring any difference in the lives of the underserved. It meant that this was not a casual commitment but a dedicated commitment in terms of time and regularity and also in terms of anchoring ourselves in our own practices if we were to step forward to serve as an anchor in the life of people who have had none. Any undertaking would have to have built within it the infrastructure of 100% reliability. Niroga does it with this reliability.

Besides inspiring us that the selfless work was nothing but a step forward towards our own growth, he also brought forward the pragmatic aspects of teaching yoga to the under-served community and outlined the challenges that a teacher would face. One of the participants asked “it would be risky and scary to handle such youth who have committed murders and are very violent even in juvenile halls and jails”. Bidyut’s answer was to see the divinity in them. They have the same divinity that we all have and hence, he humbly asked us to love them with our whole heart. It was very inspiring to listen to the example he gave from his experience of handling such a violent youth. They brought a change in outlook of a violent jailed criminal youth in a matter of 3 days by helping her experience unconditional love and simple one on one yoga sessions.

The ways in which Yoga Bharati volunteers can help is by serving as teachers and also as ambassadors of Niroga to find contacts within DFCS (Dept of Family and Child Services), juvenile halls or low income school in the Santa Clara county. Bidyut outlined that the funds that Niroga needs will also have to come from the pockets of the common man and we can spread the word around to this cause too.  Read More on Niroga.

First Yoga Bharati Retreat 2002

First Yoga Retreat by Yoga Bharati

Set in the beautiful surroundings of the YMCA Camp at Camp Jones Gulch near La Honda in San Francisco Bay Area, the 2-day Yoga residential camp on “Yoga In Daily Life” conducted by Yoga Bharati from March 22-24, 2002 was truly a retreat and attracted close to sixty enthusiastic participants. The hallmark of the program was the integration of Yoga with the teachings of non-dualism as prescribed in the Upanishads. While there are many programs that have focused exclusively on spirituality or on the physical aspect of Yoga, this camp was unique in that it took a holistic view of Yoga in the context of spirituality. Spiritual knowledge and Yoga are highly interrelated because while one is the science, the other is the methodology. For a true holistic living, one needs to inculcate not only a physical discipline but also a discipline in mind, food and prANa (breath, i.e. Life Force).

The different schools in Yoga (Raja Yoga—by endurance, Karma Yoga—by action, Bhakti Yoga—by devotion and Jnaana Yoga- by spiritual knowledge) all have ultimately the same goal of controlling the mind and destroying the ego within the seeker. During the Camp, there was a little bit of each of these different streams of Yoga.

The program commenced on Friday, March 22nd with a brief introduction to Yoga by Sri. N V Raghuram, the main speaker of the Camp and the practice of “traaTak” (eye exercises) by the participants. Sri Raghuram, who directed he program, displayed that rare ability to explain highly profound and intricate topics at a simple and easily comprehensible level to the audience. One of the attendees commented with awe and admiration after one session, “He paints pictures in your mind when he tells a tale to illustrate a concept”.

Each morning began early at 6:00 am with the invocation of several Shanti mantras, followed by a discourse by Sri Raghuram on the role of Upanishads. The meaning of Shanti Mantras was elaborated in detail in subsequent lectures over the course of the Camp. The starting prayer for Isha Vaasu Upanishad (“Purnamadaha purnamidam” mantra) explains that we are complete in ourselves. We are all a creation from the same cosmic and divine source. Therefore, creation is not a curse; it is freedom. The manifest comes out of this complete source that never gets depleted despite creation—which is why we are all the same irrespective of our race, color or creed.

While the knowledge of the Upanishads is timeless, Sri Raghuram explained how the practices that are followed (“karmakhanDa”) have evolved over time. The Upanishads answer the most profound of questions that have haunted mankind since the very beginning—what is the true nature of our existence? But for us to understand the meaning of the Upanishads, the question in our mind should become an intense quest. Sri Raghuram gave the example of Ramana Maharishi’s intense search to understand “Who am I?” and Swami Vivekananda’s eagerness to answer the question that perplexed him, “Have you seen God?” Quite clearly, there are several methods of finding this inner peace even though there is unity in such diverse methods. What is worth remembering is that an object of desire is never a source of happiness; while these may provide transient comfort, they do not provide happiness. Fixating on an external object for happiness only limits our freedom. Rather, that source of happiness always lies within us and all that we need to do is to discover that source and understand the lens through which we look at life and ourselves.

On each morning, a 90-minute Yogabhyaasa (Yoga practice) session was conducted in the Camp by Sri. Udayakiran, a software engineer by profession and trained in Yoga at SYVASA. The asanas included “Yogic jogging”, suryanamaskaara (salutation to the Sun), several types of praaNayaama (conscious breathing) including vibhaaga praaNayama, sookta taaDasana, pavana muktaasana, ardhakaTi chakraasana, bhujangaasana, shalabhasaana, danDaasana, sarvaangasana, janu shirsaana and many more. During the practice, the approach was to become conscious of the specific body part after doing a corresponding pose. The session after dinner on each night of the Camp also included the practice of “traaTak” by the participants under the guidance of Sri Raghuram. traaTak is done with the assistance of a candlelight where the group sits around the flame, and focuses their gaze on the candle even as they focus their attention at the point between their eyes.

During the evening, there were keertans and bhajans that were recited by the participants to foster devotion (bhakti). Bhakti, as Sri Raghuram said, is finding God everywhere.

Are emotions bad? No. Rather, we do not know how to manage emotions, which is why it causes unhappiness. A much-abused word today is the word ‘love’. We all have experience of love but find it difficult to understand what true love is. In the state of love, we go to the object, to the outside but never try to understand what happens to us/within us. True love is unconditional. In contrast, when attached to any condition, the emotion begins to wear thin and could even turn violent if the condition ceased to exist. In true love, one gives and takes happiness. “Amrutaswaroopa anubhava” is the experience that one gets when (s)he views the world from this state of love. An excellent example that Sri Raghuram illustrated to drive home this point was the love that Radha had for Krishna. When Krishna had to leave Radha to fight Kamsa, Radha understood that Krishna was leaving for a greater cause and would not be coming back to marry her. She knew that Krishna would be with him, irrespective of where he would physically be present. What Radha had for Krishna was true love and not lust.

Distinguished speaker and CEO of SelfCorp, Sri Prasad Kaipa explained in an inspired session how these abstract concepts could be used in management and in our career. The Gita is an excellent management manual for aspiring leaders because of the relevance of its context, since it is set in the battlefield of Kurukshetra. It shows how even the greatest warrior Arjuna faced a moment of quirkiness and almost felt his skills desert him at a crucial moment. This was a battle for which Arjuna had prepared and honed his skills as a warrior for a whole lifetime. In today’s competitive world, business leaders periodically face such an ‘acid test’ of their abilities and character. For a leader to become effective, (s)he only needs to take a leaf from the Gita: Maintain equanimity (stithapragnya) at all times, pay attention to one’s perspective in whatever (s)he does, choose actions consistent with this perspective at every point, identify the way in which one lives out these actions, understand the context in which (s)he currently operates and be persistent in each one of these endeavors. If one does all these, happiness (sukham) will naturally follow. Indeed, Sri Prasad Kaipa has co-founded his company, Self Corp (http://www.selfcorp.com) to help business leaders improve their effectiveness by doing the afore-mentioned steps.

Patanjali, the great saint who gave Yoga to the world was also one of the founding fathers of Sanskrit grammar. In addition, he laid the foundation for good health in the form of Ayurveda. The three fields are thus naturally inter-related. Noted Ayurvedic practioneer,. Pratichi Mathur explained the essence of Ayurveda and its relationship to Yoga. Ayurveda is about health and not just disease; indeed it is an encyclopedia of life! What marks out Ayurveda is that it takes a holistic view of the body and does not treat a symptom or a body organ in isolation. The result is that there is no camouflaging of symptoms or no side effects that develop in the process of healing. Naturally, Ayurveda is thus administered on a case-by-case basis since each person’s constitution is unique. Because the process of aging cannot be fought and the physical body (unlike the soul) is not eternal; Ayurveda attempts to help an individual develop his own immunity and his power of self-healing. Ayurveda thus has three goals—prevention, cure and development of the consciousness within the individual. An excellent example that Pratichi gave to distinguish between the Ayurvedic approach and conventional medicine is about food—conventional wisdom says that we are what we eat; in contrast, Ayurveda says that we are what we digest! Pratichi practices in the Bay area and provides healing services at the Ganesh Ayurveda Institute in Los Altos (http://www.healingmission.com). Pratichi’s background should in itself convert skeptics to admirers of Ayurveda. Pratichi, who was born with a genetic disability called ankylosing spondylitis and also grew up with asthma, has used the power of Ayurveda to not only avoid her dependence on drugs or even a wheelchair, but also to lead an extremely active lifestyle. It was little wonder therefore that her 75-minute talk was very interactive and evoked a tremendous amount of interest from the audience.

Samskrita Bharati sevak, Sri Vasuvaj gave a lively talk in Sanskrit on the importance of Sanskrit—although over 70% of his talk was in Sanskrit, nobody in the audience, including people of non-Indian origin, found it difficult to follow him. His energetic speech convinced the audience that “Samskritam kaTinam naasti” (Sanskrit is not difficult). It is a common misconception that Sanskrit is a language that is difficult to learn or is not “alive”. Yet, most people passively know Sanskrit when they know any Indian language, since Sanskrit is the root of most languages. Its structured syntax makes the language highly scalable and new words can be formed from the 4,000 dhaatu (root) words to keep pace with man’s new inventions and/or discoveries. Sanskrit’s application in the areas of natural language processing are already well documented, due to its context-independent structure that makes it easier to parse by computers. Sri Vasuvaj showed how Panini, who laid the foundation for Sanskrit grammar wrote such a concise text called “Ashtaadhyaayi” (“8 chapters”) containing all the rules of grammar in strotras (verses) that it could easily be printed in a small text of less than 75 pages!

The Camp had many other activities too. On Saturday evening, a one-hour event, “Yogic games” was held by Sri Vasuvaj and other volunteers that was filled with games adapted from tales of Ramayana/Mahabharat and intended to develop a subtle awareness of Indian heritage in the process. During the evening, there were keertans and bhajans that were recited by the participants to foster devotion. The Camp was filled with very community-conscious participants, who served food in groups to all and even rested in groups during late evenings. For kids, there were special programs planned that included nature walks, hand painting, asanas (postures) for kids and many more. Each session was very interactive, with tremendous enthusiasm and participation from the audience that extended into discussions and personal consultations with the speakers during inter-session breaks. The Camp participants were immersed in these activities from 6:00 am-10:00 pm every day, making it was not only a ‘Yoga In Daily Life’ Camp but also a ‘Yoga In Every Moment’ Camp!

Yoga Instructor Course (YIC) 2002 Inauguration Report

Yoga Teacher Training YICC 2002 Inauguration

Event in Sunnyvale, hosted by Yoga Bharati (www.yogabharati.org)
For immediate release – Oct 11th 2002

The City of Sunnyvale played host to a special function on the evening of October 11th. There is a growing need for certified yoga instructors, who, equipped with the right knowledge can reach out to the community members and spread the importance of inculcating Yoga in ones’ daily life. To meet this immediate need, Yoga Bharati in association with Vivekananda Maha Vidyalaya (VYOMA), i.e. Vivekananda Yoga University, undertook the challenging task of conducting a Yoga Instructor Certified Course (YICC). Swami Vivekananda Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA), the research wing of VYOMA, developed this comprehensive curriculum, easy enough for even the beginners to gain expertise in Yoga.

The grand inauguration of the YICC course took place on evening of Oct 11th at the Ponderosa Park Community Hall, Sunnyvale. Prominent personalities involved in the field of Yoga Research and Applications like Dr. Naras Bhat M.D (Cardiology), Dr. Raji Ayyar M.D (Oncology), and Smt. Pratichi Mathur (Ayurvedic Practitioner) were invited to grace the occasion. Lamp lighting marked the auspicious beginning of the wonderful evening program.

Dr. Naras Bhat initiated the proceedings by presenting the effect of emotions on human physiology. He demonstrated the deep-rooted connection between our mind and body utilizing medical apparatus and software graphology. To enhance the presentation, Dr. Bhat involved members from the audience in the presentation. They were asked to think about contrasting emotions like anger, and loving-kindness while he continuously monitored their heart patterns. The second part of the demonstration sought to show the relationship between our breathing rate and our emotions. According to Dr. Bhat, since Yoga can calm the mind and regulate the breathing rate, it can be a valuable tool in the therapy as well as the prevention of ailments.

Dr. Raji Ayyar currently employed in Kaiser Permanente talked about the application of Yoga in her personal practice. It was worthy to note that she recommends Yoga as a beneficial ancillary to other treatments opted by her patients. Last but not least, Smt. Pratichi Mathur emphasized the enormous value of integrating Ayurveda with Yoga to one’s approach to achieve holistic living. “We are the food we consume” as quoted by her stressed the need to monitor one’s diet. Their talks were a lesson in humility and respect bestowed on the science of Yoga.

After this wonderful presentation on the “Need for Yoga”, Shri Udaya Kiran gave a short synopsis of the YICC course. YICC includes 40 hours of rigorous Practice, 40 hours of in-depth Theory and 48 hours of hands on Field Practice and has been recognized as the flagship course of SVYASA to train instructors in the holistic science of Yoga. The involvement of the audience and their wholesome enthusiasm enhanced the spirit of the occasion. Exceeding expectations, 23 participants signed up for this unique weekends-only Yoga Instructor Certificate Course(YICC) starting on Oct 12th and ending in March.

Yoga Bharati is a 100% non-profit organization, established in 2001 to promote Yoga and related activities in the USA. Yoga Bharati has been conducting Free Yoga daily classes and many enlightening talks in the Bay area. For more information, please visit http://www.yogabharati.org, send a mail to info@yogabharati.org.

Yoga Conference VYASA 2002

Yoga Conference
HOUSTON, TEXAS, March 7, 2002:

Over 200 yoga practitioners, physicians and researchers from all cities of US, India, Germany, Japan and China shared a common platform at the International Conference and Workshop on Yoga for Positive Health held here from March 2 – 7. The event took place at the University Center on the Main Campus of the University of Houston. Erudite scholars and researchers from the Bangalore- headquartered Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation(sVYASA), biomedical research scientists from Houston’s M .D. Anderson Hospital and physicians from around the world shared valuable data culled from years of studying the positive and beneficial effects of yoga as additional treatment therapy in patients with diseases such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension and asthma.

The conference began with the traditional lighting of the lamp. Releasing the sVYASA Yoga Therapy CD, Consul General of India to Houston Rinzing Wangdi talked of the impact Eastern thought and yoga has had on the West ever since the visit of the great Indian yogi, Swami Vivekananda, to North America in the late19th century. Indeed, yoga was the bridge spanning the gap between the

Indo-American and American practitioners gathered to share knowledge on and learn more about the holistic applications of this ancient science which has its origins in the Vedas. The conference adopted a two-pronged approach with yoga therapy workshops on conditions such as heart disease. asthma, allergies, pain management and autism. The other track of yoga and consciousness dealt with the effect of yoga on the mind and was of specific appeal to those interested in personal spiritual development. Most mornings began with participants revelling in the breathing and stretching exercises led by top instructors from India.

In his presentation Consciousness, Yoga and Healing, Dr. H. R. Nagendra began with the timeless tale of Lewis Carrol’s ‘Alice In Wonderland’, illustrating the mind’s ability to plunge into a parallel universe of the sub-concious. He told the attendees that yoga is becoming more relevant in the US today because of certain stressful factors – student unrest, drug culture, addictions, terrorism, divorce and single parent families. Today more than 15 million in America are practicing yoga in some form.

“Stress is not just physical, it is mental restlessness. We need a multi-dimensional solution that heals through the mind. Consciousness is not mere matter, but that which has intelligence. Consciousness can create, act, be silent – and heal. Yoga must become a socially relevant science. It concretizes the wisdom of the Upanishads into our daily lives,” Dr. Nagendra said with the conviction of one who has witnessed the benefits of yoga.

A speaker who delighted gatherers with her simple, down-to-earth talk was Dr. R. Nagarathna, a world-authority on yogic healing and the Medical Director of the Yoga Therapy Center in Bangalore. She spoke on Yoga for Positive Health. Her extensive research working with two groups of very ill patients with organic functional disease, one group receiving yoga therapy, the other without, proved that “yoga could improve stamina, and the slowing of the breathing slows the mind – and the deep rest allows the body to repair itself.” But only after medicine, she added.

Dr. A. Malathi, CEO of the Manipal Hospital and Heart Foundation in Bangalore who spoke on Medical Applications of Yoga said that yoga is quite compulsory in government-run schools in India.

“It does wonders for a child’s memory. Math and science scores improve because the concentration improves,” Dr. Malathi told me. She added that yoga would also benefit athletes in preparing for their game. She said that Doppler studies showing blood flow as related to yoga are going on.

“In high risk pregnancies where blood flow to the placenta is low, our research shows that yoga improves blood flow.” Dr. Malathi felt that since people from all walks of life were attending the conference, there should have been a parallel track of yoga basics.

“Give people a choice. Not everyone wants to hear concentrated scientific research, some were yoga teachers and would perhaps have appreciated hearing of the benefits and mechanism of healing without so much technical detail.”

Dr. Cristophe Garner who runs a state-of-the-art clinic in Germany for severely disabled patients began his journey with yoga in 1994. At his clinic he employs 6 doctors, 42 nurses, 11 physiotherapists and 3 occupational therapists and has had his staff trained by yoga teachers from India.

“We introduced yoga in physiotherapy techniques and reduce spacity by relaxation and mind/sound resonance – with the humming of the mantra ‘Aum’.”

He regretted that as yet yoga is not as widespread in Germany as it is in the US because of cultural differences regarding religion and prayer. He hopes that yoga could be installed as an ongoing treatment therapy in all hospitals.

In his talk on Finding Well -being Despite Illness, Professor of Psychology at the Texas School of Public Health Dr. Blair Justice told of his personal battles with cancer and coping with the loss of his daughter to long term drug-abuse. He emphasized through poetry, song and experience, the magical healing power of touch.

“One has to realize that one is bigger than the disease. Focus on the positive through writing down feelings, music, yoga.”

Padma Bhushan Dr. E.C.G. Sudarshan, Professor of Physics at U.T. Austin, spoke on how consciousness interacts with the mind and brain, yet is distinct from them. Other well-known scholars sharing their views were keynote speaker Executive Editor of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine Dr. Larry Dossey who talked about Healing Beyond the Body, Ayurveda guru Dr. David Frawley and Dr. Subhash Kak. The general consensus was that the research on yoga be presented at a medical conference so that it’s benefits could be better understood and implemented more diversely. Dr. Frawley, author of over twenty books on yogic sciences and Vedanta talked of yoga being a complete discipline. He stressed the need for a “yoga-friendly system of medicine, much like the traditional broader lifestyle treatment” and denounced modern medine as “a battlefield weak on chronic conditions”. Louisiana based Dr. Kak explored The Three Languages of the Brain – Neurophysiology and Yogic Tradition. He implored scientists “not to view the mind as static nor as a computer but on as something that could be viewed on different levels”.

sVYASA speakers emphasized the dimensions and goals of the organization, the conciousness-based approach and way of life, embracing a new global era of spirituality as science, and yoga as technology to solve the basic problems of the high-tech era.

With subjects as diverse as Tibetan Yoga – The Magic Wheel by Alejandro Chaoul-Reich, with a foreword on research by Dr. Lorenzo Cohen, to the Autonomic Nervous System and Yoga by Dr. Shirley Telles, Assistant Research Director at sVYASA, to Dr. K. Kimura’s intensively studied Benefit of Yoga on Serum Cortisol and Alpha Brain Activity, the attendees had all bases covered and a cross section of data to digest. How successful were they, the presenters, with their statistics and sophisticated medical data? Only attendees and aficionados of yoga could tell.

Dr. Lorenzo Cohen of the Department of Behavioral Science at University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center called yoga “a real intervention… to researchers to move out of the paper and pencil mode and into the physiology of yoga.”

Self-proclaimed Hindu Dr. Frank Morales led the audience in a prayerful chanting of Aum Narayana Ye during his presentation Unleashing the Power of Mantra, gleaning much comfort from the sound of the sacred words resonating in the hall. He was impressed by the conference, and found it very illuminating.

“Of course, I’d have liked to hear more about yoga in a historical sense. This was a little too science-oriented,” Morales added.

Dr. Sudha Rajan on the organizational committee of the conference was clearly elated and found the event “150% successful.” She was astounded by the wealth of research put forth by Japanese speakers Dr. Tsutomu Kamei and Dr. Yong Shu Yang.

“If an American doctor or researcher had that much of information, a whole conference would have been organized only around his findings!” Dr. Rajan enthused.

Suzy Shapiro, a B. K. S. Iyengar-certified teacher with the Yoga Association of Houston was enthusiastic about building a “yoga community” in Houston. She believes that both Anglo and Indian communities have much to learn from each other.

Nancy Sorenson, a hatha yoga tutor from the Greenway Plaza district of Houston found the event “exciting! I was unprepared for the medical research papers. I enjoyed and learnt a lot from this gathering.”

Conference associate Prakash Morolia has painful debilitating arthritus but managed to volunteer valiantly and cheerfully throughout the event.

“Yoga really does help me. I practice active exhaling and passive inhalation everyday for half an hour,” said Morolia with a smile. There were days when his gait seemed smoother…….

Dr. Veena Gandhi of New Jersey had previously attended a similar conference in Florida a year ago.

“In Florida, we had plenty of time to bond with other lovers of yoga and share our thoughts on the proceedings. This conference was too tightly scheduled. A little downtime to interact would have been nice,” she confided. A sentiment shared by some of the other attendees too.

Ines Saba from Mexico happened upon the conference quite by chance. Her son Eduardo (14 years old) is a leukaemia patient at M. D. Anderson Hospital.

“A nurse told me about this event… we have a huge center for yoga in Mexico and our teacher is from France,” she said. Would she try yoga therapy with her son?

“Certainly!” said Saba with no hesitation.

Visiting from India and holding a doctorate in neurophysiology of meditation, Dr. Naveen Vishveshwaraya is one of the first students who took a five year medical degree in Yoga and Natural Therapy. He was convinced that “what people take as a passion, is really our profession!”

Convenor Dr. Kalpalatha Guntupalli and co-convenors Dr. Ann DeBaldo and Dr. Ross Shegog were efficient at keeping the conference at an even keel. Despite the short time given, President of sVyasa Houston Ramesh Bhutada and his local team of volunteers coordinated the conference very well. Much effort went into providing attendeees with nutritious meals, and arranging transportation and accommodation for guest speakers from abroad. Sponsoring the conference were The University of Houston Wellness Center, Center for Positive Health and The University of Texas – Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health.

Visit Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation website at: http://svyasa.edu.in/