Events Platfrom: Yoga

The yogis taught that the mind is a neutral field that holds thoughts, and awareness is the unlimited potential that the mind rests upon. The saying that the mind can be a wonderful servant but a terrible master is apt for the yogis, and sums up the essential purpose of practicing the different limbs of yoga, which is mastery of our internal thought processes and mental impressions, leading eventually towards liberation. Before liberation, though, how do I deal with the challenges of life? Is there a way that I can master my mind, and engage it to help answer the three basic questions of existence: Who am I? What am I doing here, or, what is my purpose? What do I do next, or, how can I live my life according to my purpose? A Yoga practice allows answers to these questions (which may be non-verbal) to rise up from the depths of awareness, into the quieted field of the mind, so that our thoughts, words and actions become expressions of our purpose. This is where, according to the yogis, one part of fulfillment in life comes – from living in alignment with our inner purpose. The balance and strengthening of the nervous system is a foundational part of this process, because it is the body’s messaging system. If the messages are clear and unimpeded, certain alignments become easier. In this talk, we will discuss these different types of alignments and the role of asana and pranayama within them.

COVID-19 disrupted life and livelihood across the world. It demands for a multidisciplinary approach for its management. There is emerging evidence that yoga is a complementary and integrative therapy for lifestyle diseases. Recent literature suggests that yoga can play an important role in prevention during COVID-19 and post COVID-19 rehabilitation. Dr Patel will elaborate on how yoga can be used to manage COVID 19.

This session will be about the deeply relaxing and effective practice of Yoga Nidra. Samanta will talk about its  benefits and a  brief history followed by the  practice of yoga nidra. This particular session will be effective for letting  go of stress , tiredness and anxiety.

Using a subset of the asanas in her book titled ‘Beyond Asanas,’ Pragya will be talking about the mythological context of asanas and how this mythology informs the spiritual lessons embodied by them. She will use several images of the asanas to depict the myths. She will also be speaking about the asanas from a modern practice perspective, to demonstrate that asanas themselves are constantly evolving. She will speak extensively from her experience as a practitioner, scholar and a teacher with over a decade of asana teaching experience. This presentation will be from the point of view of a practitioner-scholar i.e. someone who has first traversed the practical path of seeking yogic wisdom (through a search for teachers and masters) and then supplemented that quest with academic knowledge. Her perspective on yoga is of someone who has spent considerable time studying with living teachers and masters and this experience informs her academic pursuit of yogvidya.

The most holy of all Veda mantras revealed to Ṛṣi Viśvāmitra holds a very special place in the Hindu tradition and is adored and revered by all seekers. In this session, Shantala will take you through the intricacies of the Vedic phonetics applied to the Gāyatrī mantra to understand and chant this mantra for a profound experience.

In this session, Amrutha will explain the importance of Pranayama and why it is interconnected to our asana practice. She will start the session with natural breath awareness meditation, followed with a few other yogic pranayama techniques. Pranayama strengthens the connection between our body and mind, and promotes relaxation and mindfulness. It is an essential part of yoga and this session will help you understand why.