Messages & Blessings
Dear Divine Souls,
A Warm Welcome to All!
I was so glad to welcome you all to the holy banks of Mother Ganga, to the lap of the sacred Himalayas, to this land which is the birthplace of yoga.
It is not a coincidence that you were here in such a holy place. You are truly the chosen ones to be here, to be able to imbibe the ancient and timeless nectar of yoga. The International Yoga Festival is not only a festival where people learn yoga; rather, the festival itself is yoga – a divine union of the east and west, the north and south. On the banks of Mother Ganga, people of every country, every culture, every color and every creed are coming together as one family, connecting to the Divine within themselves and to the Divine within others. It is a time of uniting not only one’s hands to one’s legs, but a time of uniting oneself to the Divine, to the Divine that exists in every single one of you. Yoga is not only for health of the body; rather it also brings health, balance and stability to the mind, heart and your entire being.
Know that you have come home, here at Parmarth Niketan. This is your Himalayan home. Everything that your soul needs is here in abundance: serenity, inspiration and the divine touch. Come, sit by the banks of Mother Ganga, absorb the divine energy of saints, sages and rishis who have meditated and performed yoga here for centuries. Be touched and transformed by the divine, sacred energy of this holy place. Surrender, surrender your grudges, pains, difficulties and obstacles into the flowing waters of Mother Ganga. Let go, and let Ganga wash away the barrier between you and the peace, joy and light your life is meant to embody.
I always say, “Come to nature, be with nature, and change your nature.’ Let your soul and spirit reach the height of the Himalayas in whose lap you are sitting. Let your joys, sorrows, attachments flow like the water in the Ganges. Become like the sunrise which brings light and warmth each day and a new day to all – with no discrimination, no vacation, no hesitation, and no expectation.
I extend great thanks to all our dedicated teachers who traveled from every corner of the globe to come and offer their experience, enthusiasm and expertise to the Festival. I also offer great appreciation and gratitude for the commitment and dedication of the Government of India led by our visionary Yogi Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji for their great dedication to the propagation of the science and art of yoga.
May God bless you all with the continued awareness of the Divine within you and continued connection to the Divine Source.
With love and blessings always,
In the Service of Humanity,
Swami Chidanand Saraswati
Dear Divine Souls,
Jai Gange!
It wa such a great joy and blessing to welcome you all to the holy banks of the Mother Ganga river, to the lap of the Himalayas, to the birthplace of yoga, a place where for thousands of years saints, sages and rishis have performed their meditation, their yoga and attained enlightenment. It was a great honour and joy to have been organizing this festival for so many years and to watch it grow and blossom, bringing together more and more of the global yoga family.
The International Yoga Festival is a beautiful time of seeing the world come together in the name of yoga, or union. We have a union of countries, cultures, colors and creeds, a union of different lineages of yoga, a union of saints, yogacharyas and seekers.
As our world International Yoga Festival family gathered together, we united with our inner selves, with the Divine and with the Divine embodied in and reflected by ourselves and each other.
During this transformative and sacred week, we learned asana, pranayama, meditation, philosophy and so much more from world renowned yogacharayas. We delved into hatha yoga, ashtanga yoga, raja yoga, kundalini yoga, so many other forms of yoga and also of course the triveni sangam of bhakti yoga (devotion), gyan yoga (wisdom) and karma yoga (taking yoga off the mat and into service of the world).
During the week you were here, you imbibed not only the teachings but also the divine touch and transformation of this sacred place. You let the waters of Mother Ganga wash over you, and let the blessed atmosphere transform your whole being, filling you with joy, love, peace and the true union or “yoga” of body, mind and spirit.
With love and peace from the holy banks of Mother Ganga,
In His seva,
Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati
© 2024 International Yoga Festival
