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INTERNATIONAL YOGA FESTIVAL:
From March 1-6th Uttranchal Tourism and
Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh (Himalayas) jointly
hosted the International Yoga Festival. Over 125
students came from
16 countries, including USA, Canada, UK, Russia, and
Netherlands. Students learned Kundalini Yoga,
Yogasanas, pranayama, Meditation, Power Yoga, Mantra
Yoga, Reiki, Ayurveda and Acupressure from Yogacharyas
and experts from across the globe. The Yogic Experts
came from USA, Russia, Spain and India.
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Practicing yoga on the banks of Mother Ganga |
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Additionally, revered saints including H.H. Swami
Chidanand Saraswatiji (Pujya Muniji), President of
Parmarth Niketan Ashram, H.H. Swami Veda Bharatiji of
the Swami Rama Sadhana Ashram and H.H. Swami
Shakshatkritanandji of the Dayananda Ashram delivered
enlightening lectures on various aspects of Yoga and
Indian Tradition.
Yogacharyas included:
1.
Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa,
Kundalini Yoga Expert from Hollywood, California.
2.
Dr. Vijay Kaushik from
Russia
3.
Brahmachari Vishwa Pal
Jayantiji from Kotdwar, India
4.
Gurudass Khalsa from Spain
5.
Rohini Khatri from
Hyderabad, India
6.
Pratibha Joshi (Mataji)
7.
Sadhvi Bhagwati
8.
Mohan Bhandari
9.
Karmen Kamla
Delegates also enjoyed a special Power
Yoga demonstration by Brahmachari Vishwa Pal Jayantiji
and a cultural dance program by the students from
Sanskar Vidya Mandir and Prakash Bharati schools.
The entire Himalayan atmosphere was charged
with divine energy, due to so many people
participating in sacred yoga. Through this
experiential learning, we hope to both provide the
world with the secrets of yoga and to reach out to all
of humanity in a spirit of peace, openness, sharing
and universal brotherhood.
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It was also the special
celebration of the 60th birthday of Respected Gurmukh.
Pujya Swamiji gave a beautiful lecture about how
typically in Indian tradition one moves away from the
attachment to the world and toward a spiritual life, a
life of seva and sadhana, at the age of 60. "But, our
dear and beloved Gurmukh has already been living this
life of seva and sadhana for decades! She did not wait
to turn 60 to turn toward God. She is already living
the divine, spiritual life." |
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On March 6, we
had a special guest of Sri Prananandaji, from
California, USA. Sri Prananandaji had come in November
with a large group of devotees and this time --
although Rishikesh was not on his planned agenda --
came for just a day to have the darshan of Mother
Ganga and to be with Pujya Swamiji. |
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One of
everyone's highlights of the Festival were the two satsang/question-answer
sessions with Pujya Swamiji. He spoke with His usual mix of
profound wisdom and great humor, urging the participants to
delve into all aspects of yoga, not merely the asana
practice.
"Yoga is about how you live,"
He said.
"In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Patanjali says it beautifully,
'Sthiram, sukham, asanam'. That�s it.
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"This sutra
of Patanjali means, 'If it is stable and comfortable,
then it is asana.' Not yoga, but asana. If it is
stable and comfortable, then it is a yoga posture.
But, that which makes us stable and comfortable in our
lives is yoga. You must learn the difference between an
asana and Yoga. If it is stable and comfortable, then
it is Asana. But, to become stable and comfortable
in our lives is Yoga. If your posture is stable and
comfortable, but your mind is not stable, then your life
can never be comfortable..." |
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"We are not only
here to learn these postures and then take them
and teach others, but we are learning how WE can become
stable. Yoga does not only shape your body, but it shapes
your mind and senses, and your desires and your karma also.
Whatever you experience in life can be shaped through
yoga..."
"We clean our bodies through breathing
exercises and through cleansing exercises, but still so much
junk is there, not just the junk of this birth and this
week, but life after life. Yogic life is not just being pure
here during this week, but a true yogic life is when you put
a sign not on your mailbox, but on your heart box that says,
'No Junk Mail'.
Don�t accept any junk mail into your heartbox. You must
decide during this Yoga Festival � No More Junk Mail. We
must stop receiving junk mail through our eyes, our ears and
our senses. Then we can say we are practicing Yoga."
"When you go
back home, you must be able to say not only that 'My posture
is stable' but also that 'My mind is stable. My heart is
stable. My spirit is stable.'"
Pujya Swamiji
also answered a wide array of questions ranging from how to
deal with the death of a loved one to how to help a loved
one who is abusing drugs and alcohol, to what we can do to
help preserve the environment.
All in all, it was a divine
time, and the delegates all were taught, touched and
transformed.
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Our dates are fixed for next year, March 1-7, 2004. Mark
your calendars NOW! |
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Special feast for the
yoga students on the banks of Mother Ganga |
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March
6:
Rishikesh
Nearly two decades ago, a young girl was orphaned and
taken in by Pujya Swamiji and Parmarth Niketan. Today,
that young girl, Geeta, was married on the holy banks of
Mother Ganga.
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The entire ashram was full of tears at the
beauty of their young Geeta. Pujya Swamiji said that
it was amazing: even people with parents still don't
have that much help putting together a wedding. But,
here although she is parentless, she had so many
people helping and taking care of everything.
The entire ashram and the entire community of
Swargashram came together and planned, arranged and
executed a beautiful wedding.
Pujya Swamiji blesses Geeta while Shri S.K. Dasji,
the Principal Secretary of Uttranchal watches
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January 9:
Rishikesh
It was a season of
weddings, as Neil Shah came to Parmarth with his new
bride Juhi, to seek Pujya Swamiji's blessings before
embarking on their life together. Neil is the son of
Shri Hasubhai Shah of USA, a long time and very
dedicated, selfless Trustee of IHRF and one of Pujya
Swamiji's closest devotees.
"I have watched dear Neil grow up and whenever I saw
the most divine girls all over the world I would
always think about marrying them to Neil! But, Neil
found his own divine bride and I am so, so happy today
to see the perfect choice he made."
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March
17-18:
Rishikesh
HOLI
- On this beautiful
festival of colors (see
http://www.parmarth.com/updates/lectures/holi.htm
for meaning) Pujya Swamiji combined festivity with
piety. The HOLI celebration began on the 17th with a
huge cleanup of the entire Swargashram area. Armed
with buckets and brooms, all of the youth of the
entire Swargashram -- under Pujya Swamiji's guidance
and direction -- cleaned the banks of Mother Ganga all
the way from Ram Jhula down to Parmarth Niketan. The
divine Rishikumars and guests of Parmarth Niketan also
joined in, as did Pujya Swamiji Himself. One of the
youth said, "Pujya Swamiji Maharaj must have picked up
a barrel full of trash and thrown 300 buckets of water
Himself. He is a great inspiration to all of the youth
of this area. We feel so blessed to have Him guiding
our lives."Then,
on the evening of the 17th - the youth organized a
special HOLI puja program with Pujya Swamiji as the
Chief Guest. Rather than get them riled up with colors
and large fires, Pujya Swamiji spoke about what HOLI
really means and how we can not only play HOLI, but
actually become HOLY. Then, He put them all into a
divine meditative trance with "Mein to kab se teri
sharan mein hun," a beautiful song He wrote during His
sadhana in the jungles.
March 18 was the day of
colors and everyone played HOLI with great love and
joy. |
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March 19:
Rishikesh
Pujya Sri Sri Ravi
Shankarji came to Parmarth Niketan to take part in the
divine Ganga Aarti. He was giving a workshop/retreat
in Rishikesh and brought many of the students to
Parmarth for the beautiful and sacred ceremony. |
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March
22 New Delhi
Pujya Sant Shri Rameshbhai Oza was delivering Shri Ram
Katha in Delhi and Pujya Swamiji was invited to
come and grace the audience with His darshan and
pravachan. On this opening day, Pujya Swamiji sat on
the large chariot for the Shobha Yatra and then
delivered a beautiful lecture on the meaning and
implication of the life of Shri Rama.
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March
24
--
Rishikesh
Pujya Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji -- during his time in
Rishikesh for his art of living workshop -- hosted a
meeting of the revered saints of Rishikesh --
including H.H. Pujya Swami Dayanandaji and H.H. Pujya
Swami Chidanandji (Pujya Muniji) -- to discuss the
current violence and animosity on the basis of
religion in the world, and how this is spreading in
India. The revered leaders spoke about ways that basic
values of Hinduism and the universal love inherent in
the culture could be transmitted throughout India.
March
29
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Rishikesh
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H.H. Swami Chinmayanandji Maharaj, MP and
Honorable Shri Butasinghji,
Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee perform sacred
Ganga Aarti
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project updates |
VEERPUR
- RURAL
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
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India
Heritage Research Foundation purchased a new
piece of land, on the holy banks of Mother
Ganga, approximately 10 km from Parmarth
Niketan,
in a
village of Rishikesh called Veerpur.
The rural development project
is well underway. |
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The
following will be part of the new rural development
project:
1. Gaushala -
Cow protection program: Each day
we pray to �Gau Mata� [Mother Cow] and we savor her
milk as nectar. Yet, we let her wander stray on the
roads, hungry and homeless.
To address this unfortunate
situation, we are building a new gaushala on this
land where cows will be brought from off of the
streets and given food, shelter and medicine if
necessary for any diseases.
They will eat fresh grass and live in pristine air
of the Himalayas. Our goal is to give Gau Mata a
safe, healthy environment in which to live and to
make the roads clean and safe for drivers and
pedestrians. |
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2. School
and
Women's Vocational
Training Program for local, impoverished children:
IHRF is already running and
sponsoring nearly 100 schools spread out over Northern
India. We will open a new free school and women�s
vocational training program in this rural land for the
local children and women.
3. Ash Immersion:
When people come to perform the sacred ceremony or
when ashes are sent by post, they will be kept here in
a special, sacred room in which there is continuous
chanting of special Vedic mantras as well as various
holy images. Then, the sacred vidhi will be performed
here, in a quiet, secluded environment in the waters
of Mother Ganga.
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4. Organic Farming:
The land will be used for the cultivation of fresh
fruits and vegetables, all grown without the use
of any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
5. Medicinal Gardens:
There will also be the cultivation of special,
sacred, medicinal plants with ancient healing
powers, which will be used in Ayurvedic and
Naturopathic treatment.
On March 9, we had a special program there in
which we had a large tree plantation program. All
the guests from abroad, including Gurmukh Kaur
Khalsa and her yoga students from Los Angeles, as
well as the rishikumars and all of the local
children, women and men planted sacred Amla trees.
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6. Girls� Orphanage:
We already have a gurukul/orphanage for young boys on
the premises of Parmarth Niketan. This land will
become home for abandoned, impoverished and orphaned
girls. Not only will they be given the basics of food
and shelter, but they will also be given an education
which will provide them with the great gifts of
literacy, hope and faith. Additionally, they will be
trained in useful skills such as gardening, sewing,
handicrafts, Nature Cure treatment, etc. which will
make them productive members of the community.
7. Clean & Green program and
Irrigation: The project also
includes a large scale clean up program and also
providing running water for this village community who
currently subsist with a great shortage of water.
Ganga flows on the edge of the land, but the
facilities do not currently exist to bring the water
into the fields and homes. Thus, we are implementing
systems (including wells, etc.) to bring water into
the community.
On March 9, we held a
large function on the land for the entire village.
Pujya Swamiji gave a beautiful lecture in which He
explained all of the plans for the land and how this
small, yet historically significant and sacred village
would become a land of education, of culture and
spiritual prosperity.
He told all of the local
people (who are farmers) that we are starting an
organic fruits and vegetables garden, but that He
wants all of them to also participate.
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The village of
Veerpur gathers enthusiastically to hear Pujya
Swamiji speak about His rural development plan |
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"Now," He said. "You
have to go all the way to the market, which is far.
You're never sure if you'll sell all of your
fruit/vegetables. Maybe you will make 5 rupees per
kilogram. But, now we will teach you a new, safe and
healthy way of farming without chemicals. And we will
buy 100% of your crop directly from you, so you never
will have to bother with going to the market and you
will never worry about selling your crops."
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"Also," He
continued, "If you were earning 5 rupees
in the market, we will give you 6 rupees per
kilogram. But, you have to farm without
chemicals or any pesticides. We will teach you."
He received a loud round of applause from the
village, agricultural community.
"There should not be one woman or child in this
village who cannot read and write. We will set
up a school and a vocational training
program/adult education program." Again, He
received enthusiastic applause and the village
people were filled with gratitude. |
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While there, Gurmukh and
the entire group from Los Angeles agreed that this
would be a perfect Kundalini Yoga Retreat Center - the
energy is divine, the land is beautiful and the
possibilities are endless....
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Upcoming
Events
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DIVINE YATRA TO MANSAROVAR AND MT. KAILASH
June 4-23,
2003
Join
us for a sacred yatra to the holy land of
Mansarovar and Mt. Kailash in Tibet. Travel with
revered saints, distinguished dignitaries,
divine rishikumars on this once in a life time
yatra. See
www.kailashmansarovar.org for full details.
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May 5-11
ATMA PARISODHANA YOGA
SAPTAHAM
yoga camp
led by H.H. Yogi Protoplasm
May 5-15
Free Acupressure
camp led by Dr. Suman Shah
and many other renowned acupressure specialists.
May 14-21:
Bhagwat Katha by Shri Madan Mohan Shastriji
May 23-30
Bhagwat Katha by Acharya Shrikant Vyasji
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Please
click
here for information on upcoming Parmarth
Yoga and Meditation camps.
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Pujya Swamiji's Itinerary
April - June, 2003 |
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April |
May |
June |
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1-30 |
Rishikesh |
1-31 |
Rishikesh |
1-3 |
Rishikesh |
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4-23 |
YATRA TO MANSAROVAR AND MT. KAILASH |
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24-30 |
Rishikesh |
Please note:
Pujya Swamiji's itinerary is always subject to
change. Prior to coming to Rishikesh, please make
sure to confirm whether He is here by phone or
email.
Contact
Information:
Phone: (0135)
2434301,
2434308, 2440088 Fax: (0135)) 2434399
From abroad, dial: + (91-135) instead of (0135)
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