International Music of Peace at the International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan: Day 4 dedicated to celebrating humanity, health and harmony
The Hon’ble Union AYUSH Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowalji performed sacred World Peace and Health Yagya ceremony with HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji and Pujya Sadhvi Bhagawatiji alongside eminent IYF Teachers and Presenters
A highlight of Day 3 was a Special Plenary session on Spiritual Healing – Transformation Beyond the Physical with Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, Rev. Michael Beckwith, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Dr. Raghavan Ramankutty, Abuelo Antonio Oxté, Dr Smita Naram and Yogini Ira Trivediji
The International Music of Peace by Gil Ron Shama & Group offered an enthralling cultural performance illustrating the power of Yoga and Music to bring people together in love and oneness
Fourth day was another beautiful day filled with Yoga Sessions from as early as 4:30 am from Ashtanga Yoga, Kundalini Sadhana, to Naad Yoga, sessions on Ahar, Yoga Therapy for Scoliosis, Detox & renew – Secrets to Anti-Ageing and more, with sacred yagya, evening Ganga Aarti and Special music performance for the International music of peace by Gil Ron Shama, from Israel till 9pm filled the participants’ day with diverse offerings.
RISHIKESH: Hon’ble union AYUSH Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowalji, after interacting with all of the participants and presenters of the International Yoga Festival last evening and enjoying his visit and overnight stay at Parmarth Niketan Ashram, departed this morning after performing the purnahuti of the sacred world peace and health Yagya Ceremony with Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati, President of Parmarth Niketan Ashram and Pujya Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, Director of international Yoga Festival alongside eminent Yoga Presenters and Teachers.
At the break of the Dawn, the participants geared up for the Day 4 of the International Yoga Festival with a packed schedule of Meditation, yoga and divine music.
The morning classes included the Sowing Your Ashtanga yoga seeds mindfully session by Sandeep Desai, a master of Ashtanga Yoga and T’ai Chi, Kia Miller, founder of Radiant Body Yoga, led beautiful class on the Full Mind, Body, Energy Activation, Kundalini Sadhana by the wonderful Gurushabd Singh Khalsa from california. Ganga Nandini, a senior Parmarth Yogacharya led the beautiful yoga class to Ease into Body Awareness, and a Sunrise Nāda Yoga on the Ghat, next to banks of the divine mother Ganga was led by Gumi, a Nada yoga teacher from Japan & Arindam, a Tabla Artist Artist —kundalini The First 3 days of International yoga festival
After a light, satvik and a nutritious breakfast, the second series of session included special spiritual plenary session on “Spiritual Healing – Transformation Beyond the Physical” was conducted by Pujya Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, Director of International Yoga Festival,, Rev. Michael Beckwith author, and founder and spiritual director of the Agape International Spiritual Center in Beverly Hills, California, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, a Kundalini Yoga teacher based in the US and in Mexico, Dr. Raghavan Ramankutty, modern doctor devoted to Ayurveda & Yoga and the Founder & Director of DATHATHREYA – Integrated Holistic HealthCare., and Abuelo Antonio Oxte, indigenous elder and a Shaman,Dr. Smita Naraya, Female Entrepreneur and the Co-Founder of Ayushakti and the moderator Ira Trivedi,Yogini, led the plenary by saying
Pujya Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati beautifully talked about her perspective by quoting “Health is not just an absence of fever, virus, bacteria or an infection. Health is something bigger than that, it’s an experience of wholeness.
The struggles we hold and the stress that is harming our bodies, our minds and our hearts have to do with stories we tell ourselves, about who we are based on what has happened to us and how we identify. Freedom and liberation are possible. And if you were brought here, to Mother Ganga, take the opportunity to let go of whatever you can, that is creating that dis-ease in you. ”
Rev. Michael Beckwith also helped give the participants a perspective by quoting “Prayer is powerful when we are coming into alignment with the perfect idea of ourselves. Being here at the Yoga Festival, we are seeking to have a conscious union with the presence of the divine. We are detoxing the stress, allowing ourselves to be so transformed that we go back home differently. We go back to the western world in this new vibration which is a very prayerful meditative yogic frequency.”
Dr. Raghavan Ramankutty added “Prana is everything. Pranayama is a very important part of yoga, the breathing force, the realisation, the evolution of turning a man into superman. It’s a conscious process of evolution.”
Dr. Smita also said “I believe that the body is a house of our soul. And how we maintain our house, clean and strong, is important to keep it energetically positive.”
Zooyie from Canada also said “Wow, what a privilege! I feel so touched! It feels like all in all the cells of my body something has changed! So grateful!”
Kia Miller, a presenter said ”I am so enjoying the plenary session here at the International Yoga Festival. It is such a joy to hear the wonderful presenters speaking talking about very relevant topics, about what it trully means to heal. Like practical ways of healing through yoga, meditation, pranyama & prayers. So, today’s session was beautiful.
Rohini Manohar the founder of Chennai Yoga Studio, conducted a flow Sangha class to weave movement and living the moment effortlessly to create the perfect space for students to discover themselves. Erica Kaufman Pennsylvania, USA, Founder of the Sattva Yoga Retreat, led Lila Yoga Vinyasa titled Awakening Love to Share & Feel to celebrate the expansive sensation of Joy and ease – To help the participants open to mindful living with positive energy and the power of love. Stewart Gilchrist conducted the “Yoga Vrksa – The Trunk of Niyama” based on the teachings of BKS Iyengar and the incorporation of philosophy of Patanjali’s Classical yoga and Vinyasa System of T.Krishnamacharya of Mysore. The peaceful Kriya, Prana, Meditation: The Keys to the Kingdom” by Tommy Rosen, Founder of Recovery 2.0, taught the participants that the breath, body and mind are interconnected by practicing a powerful breath-based Kriya and bringing the mind into the state of full presence. A “Calibre of life” title session was ran by Gurumukh Kaur Khalsa of USA to help remove fear of the future by conquering the imagined disabilities and experiencing calm and open heart by Laughing, sweating, dancing, chanting, meditating.
Visvambhar Sheth, internationally recognized Kirtan-Singer taught the participants The Art of Kīrtan: Leadership Techniques.
After lunch, the wonderful Dr. Raghavan Ramankutty and Mrs. Sarada Raghavan conducted the Right & Wrong Food Combination to help the participants understand the recipes of the modern day diseases caused by wrong combination of food and to help impart knowledge of healthy food in Ayurveda to make meals rejuvenating.
A yoga therapy on Scoliosis to help alleviating spine issues, lower back pain, slipped disk and Sciatica by Mohan Bhandari, a BKS Iyenger scholar and the co-founder and director of Yogic Yoga in China.
María Alejandra Avcharian, an Ayurvedic Medicine Therapist the role of diet, impressions, mantra, meditation and yoga, the five elements in the mind and how to support and cultivate vibrant mental and emotional health. Andrea Carrani from London taught a meditation class to let go of all that no longer serves you, by surrendering to the power of soul and interactive for the question and answers.
Swami Svatmananda a rare scholar and lecturer on Hatha yoga, Meditation, Jyotisha, Ayurveda, Vastu, Sanskrit, Veda and Vedanta discussed the harmonic balance necessary for humans and the environment to remain healthy during this “Ayurveda: Harmonic balance between humans & Environment” session. Joseph Schmidlin a classical osteopath physician, and sound practitioner led the Therapeutic sound bath.
“Detox & Renew – Secrets to AntiAgeing” by Dr. Smita Naraya, Female Entrepreneur and the Co-Founder of Ayushakti, taught the powerful principles of detox to remove blockages and plans for daily nourishment to balance cholesterol and sugar with Anti-aging youthful skin.
Andrea Paige, master of lifestyle medicine, conducted a workshop to Hack Flexibility and Master Physical Posture, Regardless of Current Flexibility.
The afternoon session was concluded with a Gurbani Kirtan Ceremony: Celebrating Diversity & Inclusion by 3rd generation lineage holder Kirtan singer, a Coach and Kundalini Yoga Teacher from Vancouver Canada.
After a short tea and Snacks break the participants headed to the attend the sacred Ganga Aarti and the divine golder hour that gives no hangover the next day in the beautiful presence of Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati, President of Parmarth Niketan , the Pujya Sadhvi Bhagawati, director of international yoga festival.
Immediately followed by another Kīrtan by Gurnimit Singh to Chant with heart open with our beloved family of international musicians (and open mic) in our cozy, intimate space.
Gil Ron Shama, an artist of Middle Eastern descent and the art director of international cultural and peace seeking project from Israel performance themed international music of peace captivated the participants at the IYF and marked the end of Day 4.
