By Our Staff Reporter
RISHIKESH, 13 Mar: International Yoga Festival participants and presenters from across the globe visited the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram, popularly known as the Beatles Ashram, today. The participants immersed themselves in the Ashram’s sacred energy, where Maharishi Mahesh Yogi once lived, practiced and taught Transcendental Meditation. It was also home for some time to the world famous Beatles. This visit was the highlight to the sixth day of the Yoga Festival underway under the guidance of Swami Chidanand Saraswati, the President of Parmarth Niketan Ashram, and Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, Director of IYF.
During the visit, Swami Chidanand performed divine chanting and singing, and Sadhvi Bhagawati undertook guided meditation. A pledge for environmental preservation and climate action was also taken. Two Rudrakash trees were also planted. Gil Ron Shama and his group from Israel and Yemen sang songs and played instruments to celebrate the divine gathering.
The day began with a Hatha Yoga – Chakra Alignment class by Parmarth’s Dr Indu Sharma. Erica Kaufman from the USA, founder of Lila Yoga, taught Lila Yoga Sun Salutations with 5 Morning Mantras. This was followed by a class on Dynamic Heart Centered Meditation at the Yoga Tent taught by Saul David Raye of California. Dr Andréa Paige, world’s leading experts on long-term fasting for cleansing and health and Nada Yoga, took a session titled “To Be Human: White Tantra & Nada Yoga”. Gumi and Arindam concluded with the Sunrise Nāda Yoga on the beautiful Aarti Ghat.
After breakfast, participants geared up for much-awaited sessions on Chakras, Bhakti and Yoga conducted by world-class Yoga instructors and gurus. Mohan Bhandari of Yogic Yoga, China, explained how Yoga is helpful for Immunity Enhancement. Katie B Happyy assisted participants in finding their true calling in her workshop, titled “I am Infinitely Possible: A Journal Workshop on Finding Your Purpose”. Anand Mehrotra, founder of Sattva Yoga Academy, conducted a session called “Aligning to Shiva – Unified field of Silence”. Anand talked about how Shiva is Supreme Consciousness and how Vedic recitations are the eternal sounds of the Unified Field of all the Laws of Nature.
Kirtaniyas, an energetic and talented band of 5 members took a session on Bhakti, Yoga and Tantra 101. Kia Miller, founder of Radiant Body Yoga, explained about the Chakras as a source of power and energy in her session titled “Harmonize Your Chakras’. At the Sacred Sound Stage, Sattyananda’s Divine dance of Shakti Meditation mesmerised the participants. Following lunch, a session by Dr Raghavan Ramankutty and Sarada Raghavan of Dathathreya Ayurveda, Kerala, conducted a session on “Healing Long-COVID Symptoms: Ayurvedic Clinical Potentiality”. Sadhvi Abha Saraswati of Parmarth Niketan explained the importance of Yoga Nidra and how it allows one to scan the body and tap into a state of relaxed consciousness. Mansi Gulati shed light on “Face Yoga for Anti-Ageing”. Kal Prakashini of the Akhanda Yoga Institute in Rishikesh, conducted a session on “Yoga Nidra for Ancestral Healing and Self Forgiveness” where participants were asked to taccess “that space within”: to self-heal and forgive. María Alejandra Avcharian of Uruguay, an Ayurvedic Medicine Therapist and Plastic Artist, talked about “Doshas: Vata , Pitta and Kapha” which form the basis of Naturopathy and Yoga.
At the Sacred Sound Stage, a session titled “Therapeutic Sound Bath” provided the participants with a unique opportunity to learn about sonic vibrational medicine from Joseph Schmidlin of New York, who is a world-renowned classical osteopath physician, sound practitioner.
Swami Svatmananda’s session on “Taking Yoga beyond Asanas!” was followed by Ira Trivedi’s much-awaited “Dream Awake: Yin Yoga + sound healing with Vision Quest”. It introduced the participants to the slow-paced style of yoga as exercise, incorporating principles of traditional Chinese medicine, with asanas (postures) that are held for longer periods of time than in other styles.
Stewart Gilchrist of the East London School of Yoga conducted a session titled “Yoga Vrksa – The Branches of Asana”. Ganga Nandhini of the Parmarth Niketan Ashram and Director of Projects & Communication for the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, conducted the session titled “Karma Yoga: From Swarth to Parmarth”. At the Yoga Ghat, Tommy Rosen of USA, an internationally renowned yoga teacher, started an enriching conversation on “The Sacred Space of Santosha – A Life Beyond Craving (Vinyasa and Kundalini Yoga)” talked about the importance of self-satisfaction and acknowledging the blessings one has. At the Sacred Sound Stage, Dipika Delmenico, an Ayurvedic Medicine Practitioner and Yoga of Sound teacher, conducted the workshop called “Regulate your Nervous System w/ Sound & Mantra ‘.
After tea, participants headed to the Aarti Ghat for the “Bharat Darshan” organised in partnership with the North Central Zone Culture Centre, Union Ministry of Culture. They performed Brij ki holi to celebrate the eternal and divine love of Radha and Krishna, Charkula a dance performed in the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh, Chakri, one of the most popular folk dances of the Kanjar tribe of Kota and Baran districts of Rajasthan. Ghoomar is a traditional folk dance of Rajasthan.
Mayaram Dhuve from Madhya Pradesh played the Gudumb Baja. Manoj Jale from Haryana also presented a special performance based on its vibrant folk culture. This was followed by the sacred Yagna and divine Ganga Aarti.
