International Yoga day

Art of Living to celebrate International Yoga day

The Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) is celebrating the very first United Nations International Day of Yoga on June 21, 2015. It’s worth mentioning that more than 170 countries through the United Nation’s General Assembly Resolution (at Sixty-ninth session on  11^th December 2014) declared the 21^st of June as the International Day of Yoga. With its broad global presence, the Art of Living Foundation aims to unite with community members and organizations across the globe to celebrate the UN’s recognition of yoga.

Yoga in all its aspects enhances physical and emotional health, increases energy levels and improves inter-personal and societal relationships, leading to a more, stress-free, peaceful society. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar recently expressed in an interview – “Yoga offers many things to different people at many different levels--whatever they aspire for: union with the cosmic consciousness, or physical health, mental clarity, emotional stability, spiritual ecstasy -- all this is part of yoga. Yoga is universal, it has something for everyone and Yoga is for everybody –Yoga transcends beyond the boundaries of nationality, cultures and religions.

A number of events have been planned prior to International Yoga day

Sun Never Sets on Yoga : 13^th June or any prior day

To build the enthusiasm towards the upcoming International Day of Yoga, a group of yogis in their traditional dress, will gather in the morning in front of a landmark in each city. The event is planned on 13^th June or any prior day and the participants will greet the day with  a series of sun salutations, or surya namaskars. The sun is ever-new, whose rays fill the entire world spreading light and hope. Like sun , Yoga is a guiding light to a healthy and happy life  benefiting the  humanity. With this unique effort, we wish that  on 13^th June ,  the whole world will wake up to the benefits of yoga. To achieve this goal , the Sun Never Sets on Yoga will be celebrated in all the time zone, across the world , with the first rays of the sun all around the earth and marking  a complete circle starting in one city and ending with another sunrise, 24 hours later.  The event in each city will be videotaped  ; The Art of Living International Headquarters in Bangalore, India will then collate the footage and pictures from each city and make a film.  They will create a special anthem for this event on which the footage will be edited. This video will be distributed worldwide to the media two days (June 19th) before the International Day of Yoga.

Gift of Yoga : On-going until June 21

All certified Art of Living Yoga Teachers will conduct free, 2-hour yoga sessions for a holistic experience that includes asanas, pranayama and a short meditation.  The event is open to all – the participants will experience the immense benefits of Yoga firsthand, under the guidance of a trained Yoga teacher.

Yoga: A New Dimension International Day of Yoga on June 21

In the West,  people are most familiar with physical postures, or asana of Yoga. But yoga is more than a sophisticated system of exercise, or a method of health cultivation, although it definitely is both. Yoga offers something even more rare and valuable: a doorway into the fullness of our experience as embodied beings. It invites us to relax, to meditate, to breathe and move with mindfulness, and to cultivate awareness of our present experience. Against the backdrop of the longest day of the year, with the most commendable effort of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar , AOLF invites everyone to a spiritual awakening. All the Art of Living practitioners and volunteers, will celebrate the day , guiding the participants to all the dimension of yoga – practicing asana – revitalizing with breathing exercises or pranayama, meditating, doing service or seva and celebrating life.

We request all of your support towards the Art of Living’s Yoga Day Celebrations.

Gift of Yoga

Gift of Yoga :  interview with Rajneesh Gupta

Rajneesh Gupta is the Vice President of Strategy, M&A, and Analytics at Intuit corporation based in Dallas/Fort Worth. He has been involved with Art of Living ( AOL) for 11 years and is a certified Art of Living Happiness Program teacher. Rajneesh says the Art of Living Happiness program literally transformed his life- “The simple techniques have helped my physical health, emotional well-being, spiritual upliftment, and professional growth.” In this interview, Rajneesh shares his perspective, his association with AOL and the whole of Yoga.

Q: Could you tell us when and how you first got interested in Yoga ?

I have been interested in yoga since a very young age. However, I understood the true meaning of yoga only in 2004 after participating in the Art of Living Happiness Program.

Q: What do you love most about practicing Yoga?

Yoga is not something you do for a few minutes every day, and forget about rest of the day. Yoga integrates with your life and becomes a way of life. Yoga helps not just the body, but all the levels of one’s existence including the body, breath, mind, memory, ego, and intellect.

Q: How do you describe Yoga as a total mind, body and soul experience.

The word ‘Yoga’ literally means union. It represents the union of body and mind. One cannot be healthy without the other. Yoga is a holistic practice that integrates all the levels of human existence. That is what makes the practice of yoga ‘magical’.

Q: When and how did you decide to dedicate yourself to AOL ? Could please let us what people could expect from a AOL yoga course?

My very first Art of Living Happiness Program created a big shift in me. The techniques and knowledge was profound, yet very simple. Most importantly, I could easily integrate what I learnt in my life. That is what drove me to inspire others to experience the same joy I experienced through the Art of Living Happiness Program.

The Art of Living Happiness program brings one closer to the happiness and freedom that is already inside us. The experiential program is a lot of fun and included several techniques, interactions, processes, knowledge, and discussions to help us lead a life of inner silence and outer dynamism. Participants learnt a beautiful breathing technique called the ‘Sudarshan Kriya’ that uses the rhythms of the breath to purify our system at a deep physical and emotional level.

Q:What is meditation ? Why meditation

Meditation is the art of doing nothing, completely letting go. Effort is the language of the body, and effortlessness is the language of the mind. Meditation is deep relaxation, which erases all the negative impressions and renews the body and mind.

Q: Like everyone else,  I am so busy. How do you suggest I find the time to meditate?

You should meditate because you are so busy! Meditation gives you the energy to deal with the demands of your daily life.

Q: What is life purpose and why do you feel everyone has a life purpose?

I don’t know what the purpose of life is. I see this life as a beautiful journey of discovering our purpose. H H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says that one who knows the purpose of life will not tell you, and one who tells you does not know!

Q: What is the biggest secret about yoga that you wish both non-practicing and practicing participants knew?

Everything we are seeking in life is within us. We just need to look into ourselves.

Q: The Art of Living is celebrating World Yoga Day on June 21^st , thus creating a mass awareness about the meaning of Yoga and its manifold benefits for humanity. You must be excited!

Yes, we will be holding programs across 100 cities in USA with thousands of participants. Join us!

Q: Tell us about the Gift of Yoga- The Art of Living Yoga-daan

We are gearing up to celebrate the International Yoga Day on June 21 in a big way. Leading up to June 21, all certified Art of Living Yoga Teachers will conduct free two hour Yoga Sessions from 1st May to 1st June 2015 to inspire people to join the main event on June 21. 

Lessons of Yoga

Lessons of Yoga

                                                                                              Ankur Bora

     True joy, real bliss lies in being able to stay connected to one’s inner being, to one’s own self, without having to put on a mask to face the outside world. Our real need is to realize our true nature - that feeling of total connectedness within ourselves and with others.   Yoga is a medium to experience this divine gift. Through the yoking of one’s body, mind and heart to a higher power of existence.

  

     Dinesh Kashikar (popularly known as Kashi Bhaya)- through  his teaching opened the door for me and many others to the arts of living well and better through the practice of Yoga and other aspects that come along with this beautiful art form. He brought to life the wisdom of ancient sages and made them relevant to us through personal anecdotes as well as  every day exercises.  

I came to know about Kashi Bhaya through my wife who had taken a course called “The Art Of Silence” at Art of Living ( AOL) Center in Irving , Texas . On asking my wife , “What did you like best about the course?”  she replied  swiftly – “His voice, his mesmerizing, divine voice singing  devotional songs that uplifted one’s mind and spirit to a crescendo.”  I was intrigued and wanted to meet him.    The very next day, I went on to meet Kashi Bhaiya and on asking him where he had learnt to sing so melodiously, his straight forward answer surprised me – “I had no formal training, I never even picked up an instrument – well I knew how to clap.”   He went on to explain – “Life is learning and in whatever manner one is able to help and make a difference, it’s worth doing. Singing is a wonderful opportunity to carry my master’s (His Holiness Sri Sri RaviShankar) message to as many people as possible.”

     The first life lesson for me is - We can grow beyond limiting beliefs and each one of us have an innate ability to lead a deeply fulfilling life. For that, we have to untie our physical and emotional knots, awaken our consciousness and let the inner spirit trace out the spark of life. This can be achieved through the t profound and integrated practice of Yoga.  It’s not about how perfectly we do Yoga .Its about taking out time each day to honor this beautiful yet powerful practice of the mind, the body and the soul. It’s about finding that perfect balance by  standing on one’s own limbs and getting to experience the unfolding of one’s own power from within.  My transformation for this Ancient and revered art happened when I eventually got to attend a four day Yoga  course  at the Art of LivingAshram located in Uvalde, Texas.

     The Ashram is located in the midst of a Texas Hill country surrounded by majestic hills and breathtaking flora and fauna. In the four days of our stay we experienced a wide range of Yoga practices – breathing to regulate the body’s energy, cleansing the body and mind, chanting to train and sharpen intellect and memory and meditation to deepen self-awareness. Throughout the course , Kashi Bhaya sought to  carry Sri Sri’s message through various talks and sessions, drawing attention to whatever Sri Sri focuses on. In one such session we were listening about Abhyasa (practice) and Vairagya (dispassion). We need to practice regularly and faithfully, but simultaneously let go of any expectations of any desired outcomes – that is Vairagya. Practice is about determination and focus and to perfect our practice , we should respect and honor every effort we make. Kashi Bhaya who has been staying in Japan as an Art of Living was telling us a special story about Japanese people– who practice the value of respect daily, and make it the forefront of how they interact with the world. One day, he was preparing for a Yoga session; he arrived half an hour early to set up the room and equipment. Everything was setup as planned, however no one turned up yet. He became worried. It was short-lived though – all the registered participants arrived right on the dot. “We did not want to disturb your preparation; we respect your work and time.”  Kashi Bhaya was sharing many such incidents, he is a great storyteller. For him, telling stories is as natural and as reflexive as breathing.  He is effortless yet engaging “You respect your own body and that is āsanas. You respect and honor your breath- that is prānāyāma. And when it is done over a period of time without any gap, respectfully and honoring it every day, then it becomes your effort firmly established.”

The word seva means 'together with' and is describing those actions that seek collective upliftment through an understanding of the needs of others and are based on togetherness and integration. Ashram life provides the conditions and circumstances over which there is no control, and it is under these conditions that we practise seva. Kashi Bhaya was sharing with us his genesis to the Art of Living Ashram at Bangalore. After completing his master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at IIT, he moved to the ashram in 1998 and began looking after the administration, sometimes taking care of their publications and website. The Ashram at that time was small; there were handful of people and amenities were minimal. One day an industrialist arrived. He was very satisfied with his Ashram experience and reached to Sri Sri , “Sir , I would like to contribute to the Ashram ; I will build it as a full- fledged retreat with all the amenities.”  However, to the astonishment of all including Kashi, Sri Sri said no to the offer. Kashi Bhaya was recalling the incident with all of us. “It’s amazing how Guruji can bring out knowledge in every small incident. He wanted each of us to contribute building the Ashram. He had that vision – that each of us  will serve and realize seva and become a true Yogi.” It was also a great lesson and transformation for me – During my stay at Uvalde, I became part of the seva group for gardening ; I sat down pruning , feeding, and weeding the rose bushes lying around the Ashram. Today , I am immensely proud , the process of new growth leading to those cherished beautiful blooms has begun! 

     Throughout the course ,  Kashi Bhaya taught us a number of ancient practices of Yoga apart from the daily āsanas and prānāyāma. The first one is called ‘Shankhaprakshalana’. Shankha means "conch" and prakshalana is to wash completely. The word shankha is used to represent the entire alimentary canal from mouth to anus. The process cleans the intestinal tract by removing the impurities with salty water. Kashi Bhaya was explaining to us the broader meaning of Shankhaprakshalana’ – “it is actually a complete physiological overhaul, a time of revision when life changes direction, where the foundation for a positive fresh view of life was set.” The second one is neti kriya, more commonly referred to simply as neti pot. It is a simple procedure for maintaining nasal hygiene by means of irrigating the nostrils with warm salty water. Neti effectively removes dirt and bacteria filled mucus from the nasal passages. He also taught us Nadi Shodhana, or “alternate nostril breathing,” -  a simple but powerful technique that deeply relaxes the mind and body. Additionally , we learnt the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali including Kapalbhati , agnisara , Chandra Nadi (Left Nostril Breathing) and Surya Nadi (Right Nostril Breathing)

     “It is more practical and inspiring to be in the present moment and recognize its miracle." Kashi Bhaya  was explaining to us the nature and importance of mindfulness. In the last day of the course, all of us went walking to a nearby river. As we rested and began listening to the sounds of the running stream, we felt oneness with nature and with everyone else. Kashi ji was reciting to us – “The air we breathe is the same air that is breathed by all creatures, human and non-human throughout all of time. The air inside of you is the same as the year outside – feel it. The heat of the sun around you is the same as the heat inside your body – feel it. The earth element that you are sitting on is same as the elements inside you – feel it.” This recitation is a reminder that all we truly have are the moments that we are truly in. Past or future - not much else is as relevant. Today whenever I feel stressed out , worried or need a direction , I close my eyes, take a deep breath in, breath out pausing in between, repeating a few times ; and then  open my eyes – to compassion , grace and love.

The article is based on author’s experience attending a Yoga course at Art of Living Ashram located in Uvalde, Texas. Ankur Bora  has been practicing Art of living for last few years . He is passionate about Yoga and striving to bring Yoga to the world. Currently he is preparing to celebrate the International Yoga Day in the city of Dallas.