Tag: Yoga

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Holds Annual “Health for Humanity Yogathon”

Staff ReporterCulture, Health 0

The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (hssus.org), which describes itself as a “voluntary non-profit cultural organization” with more than 230 chapters nationwide, wrapped up its 17th annual “Surya Namaskar Yajna,” widely known as the “Health for Humanity Yogathon,” on January 28th, 2024.

This 16-day public health awareness initiative commenced on January 13th, 2024, introducing participants to the rejuvenating practice of Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutation, a press release said. This yoga routine, consisting of 10 simple postures and accompanied by mindful breathing, is said to offer profound benefits for both body and mind.

The Yogathon unfolded across the nation in a relay format, blending virtual and in-person events from the East Coast to the West Coast.

Over 15,585 participants from 36 states collectively completed nearly 925,051 repetitions of the Surya Namaskar sequence. Notably, 4,640 teachers and students from 35 schools contributed close to 50,000 repetitions, underscoring the program’s educational impact. Temples, community centers, and marathon events further enriched the initiative, with enthusiasts completing over 100 sets per person at various locations.

Since its inception in 2007, the Health for Humanity Yogathon has served as a flagship event for HSS, promoting the holistic benefits of yoga for individuals and communities. Elected officials, including US senators, governors, state representatives, and mayors, endorsed the Yogathon through official proclamations, encouraging widespread participation in this health-conscious endeavor.

Participants doing the Surya Namaskar during the HSS-USA nationde Yogathon. PHOTO: HSS

Educators hailed the program’s merits, recognizing its potential to foster mental tranquility and physical strength among students. A teacher from an Elementary school appreciated this program. He commented, “I feel that there are many things that the students can get from this program, not only in the mind, but also in the body. So the mind can be calming. They can learn different strategies to calm themselves down and focus. And then with their body, they can be strengthening and stretching their body and making it more strong. So these kinds of techniques are just another technique that we would learn in any other class, whether it be in physical education. This could be an extension of that, even into the classroom, where the classroom teachers can use these calming effects to maybe focus before the test, calm their minds, and be ready to engage in the next activities that we’re going to cover.”

Another school administrator reflected on her experiences, “This morning I got to do the sun salutations with some experts here at PV and I have to say it was very invigorating. I feel very both rested and ready to start my day and if I can do it I think anybody can do it. Thank you so much for the instructors.”

Reflecting on the Yogathon’s success, national project coordinator Manjunath expressed satisfaction with its role in promoting health awareness across diverse American communities.

Revolutionising healthcare: The untapped potential of yoga

Dr. Indranill Basu-RayWellbeing 0

A silent killer lurks in the shadows as we stand on the precipice of a global health crisis. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the unseen enemy, claiming 70% of annual deaths worldwide. In India, the situation is similarly dire, with NCDs accounting for 66% of deaths. Each statistic, each percentage point, represents a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community in mourning. This grim reality is a wake-up call, a clarion call for a radical solution. And as we search for answers, we find that the solution might just be an ancient practice that has been with us all along – Yoga.

Yoga, often viewed through the lens of mysticism and spiritual practice, must be understood and utilized. While yoga’s spiritual aspects should not be discarded, as it is the basis of its efficacy as medicine for today’s ills. Commemorating the upcoming International Yoga Day, we shed light on the scientific, peer-reviewed facts that establish yoga as an effective tool in medicine.

In India, a staggering 77 million adults are grappling with diabetes, and nearly 25 million are on the precipice of the disease, classified as prediabetics. According to the revelations of Apollo’s Annual Health of the Nation reports, corroborating with the WHO, non-communicable diseases have stealthily climbed the ranks to become the leading cause of death and suffering, contributing to about 66% of deaths in India.

In an extensive survey of urban Indian elderly residents, 71% of the participants were battling at least one NCD, while 40% shouldering the burden of more than two NCDs. This paints a grim picture of the health landscape for our elderly population. This demographic should be enjoying the golden years of their lives, not spending them in constant battle with the disease. The scenario for the country’s youth is even more alarming. The Indian Council of Medical Research provides a somber perspective by stating that the probability of mortality between the ages of 30 and 70 from the four primary non-communicable diseases stands at 26%.

Let us look at what the latest clinical research & medical science says about the efficacy of yoga on the diseases highlighted in the statistics mentioned above. Cardiovascular health is literally and figuratively at the heart of the matter. A study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology has shown that yoga can be a potent ally in our fight against heart disease. It reduces risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, the silent saboteurs of our heart health. The Mayo Clinic also acknowledges that yoga as part of lifestyle changes can help manage chronic conditions like heart disease and high blood pressure alone or in conjunction with conventional medical treatment.

 A systematic review in the Journal of Diabetes Research found that yoga may aid glycemic control and improve other metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Harvard Medical School supports the benefits of yoga for managing specific conditions related to NCDs, including heart disease and chronic lower back pain, often associated with obesity, another NCD. These studies underscore the potential of yoga as a therapeutic approach to managing NCDs and enhancing overall health.

For the elderly, who often bear the brunt of NCDs, yoga offers a beacon of hope. With its gentle postures and mindful breathing, this ancient practice can help manage chronic conditions, improve mobility, and enhance overall well-being. It’s not just about adding years to life, but infusing those years with vitality and health, making the golden years truly golden.

Yet, despite these promising findings, yoga still needs to be utilized in our healthcare systems. It’s often dismissed as merely a form of physical exercise or an ‘alternative’ practice. But the evidence supporting yoga’s health benefits is robust and undeniable. The barriers that prevent yoga’s integration into mainstream healthcare are considerable but manageable. It’s time we overcome these obstacles and recognize yoga’s potential in healthcare. This involves integrating yoga into our healthcare systems, educating the public about its benefits, and training healthcare professionals in its application.

Integrating yoga into mainstream healthcare is not just a matter of health but also of social justice. It’s a cost-effective, accessible, and sustainable solution that can benefit individuals and communities alike. It’s a revolution in healthcare that’s been waiting in the wings, ready to take center stage. It empowers individuals to take charge of their health, fostering a sense of self-reliance and promoting a proactive approach to wellness.

As we grapple with the escalating crisis of non-communicable diseases, we must recognize this ancient tool that has the potential to transform our approach to health and wellness. With its holistic focus on mind-body wellness, yoga offers a unique approach to disease prevention and more effective treatment that complements traditional medical treatments. Moreover, we must continue to invest in research to understand yoga’s benefits further and validate its effectiveness in preventing and managing non-communicable diseases. This is not just about embracing an ancient practice but advancing modern healthcare and making it more holistic, patient-centered, and effective.

The transformation of yoga into holistic medicine is inevitable and must cross three barriers. First, yoga must be understood to be a conglomeration of breathing, mindfulness, meditation, and physical postures, not the last alone. Thus, restricting oneself to the last component will ultimately provide, as expected, a tiny portion of the benefit. The second spiritual component and philosophy of yoga are essential to harness the stipulated benefits, particularly as that helps transform our brain and effectively helps us adhere to a discipline. Spirituality is not being religious; thus, any perceived misinterpretation of it as a religious practice is entirely unfounded. Third public education of yoga, both as a philosophy and a therapeutic technique, must be the potential dialogue rather than blind belief, superstition, and genuflexion to rituals and unproved godfathers! 

Standing on the shoulders of giants like Gautama Buddha, Adi Sankara, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Maharshi Aurobindo, we do not need more godfathers but dedicated practice. My Venerable Guru Hariharananda Giri, a saint in the powerful Kriya Yoga lineage of Mahavatar Babaji, often said, “An ounce of practice is equivalent to a ton of theory.”

It is time to get the mat and practice meditation in a lotus or equivalent posture. Yogic breathing and asanas (physical postures) regularly provide cardiovascular health and do away with stress – the harbinger of disease and death!

Pranayama: The Ancient Yogic Practice of Breath Control for Modern Well-Being

Dr. Indranill Basu-RayWellbeing 0

By Dr. Indranill Basu–Ray

The author is a Cardiologist, Meditator, and Yogi based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is the Founder and Chairman of the American Academy for Yoga in Medicine. He is the Editor in Chief; The Principle and Practice of Yoga in Cardiovascular Medicine. [email protected]

Pranayama, derived from the ancient Sanskrit language, controls and regulates the breath. It’s a vital part of yoga, helping individuals deepen their connection with their breath and tap into a profound sense of inner peace, calm, and relaxation.

This practice has been passed down for thousands of years as a spiritual discipline, and it’s believed to be one of the most potent tools for cultivating physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. In the yogic tradition, the breath is seen as the bridge between the body and the mind. By regulating our breath, we can directly influence our physical and mental state, promoting relaxation and reducing stress.

Swami Vivekananda, a revered spiritual figure, emphasized that pranayama is the control of the vital force in the body and mind. He believed it could enhance overall health, increase energy levels, improve sleep quality, and reduce stress. Pranayama is a powerful tool for self-transformation, helping individuals control their thoughts, emotions, and actions.

Another prominent yogi, Swami Rama, stressed the importance of pranayama in promoting overall health and well-being. He said breath is the key to good health, vitality, and inner peace. When we control our breath, we control our mind and emotions, tapping into a deep well of inner strength and power.

Recent scientific research has shown that pranayama can help regulate the autonomic nervous system, leading to better heart and lung health. A randomized controlled trial published in Frontiers in Psychiatry in 2020 found significant reductions in anxiety, and a literature review published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity found positive effects on inflammatory markers and hormones related to various health conditions.

One way pranayama achieves these benefits is by increasing the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is associated with the body’s relaxation response. By breathing through the left nostril, we can activate this system and promote relaxation, reducing stress and anxiety.

Pranayama has also been found to increase nitric oxide production, a molecule crucial in promoting cardiovascular health and preventing heart attacks and strokes. Research has shown that pranayama can increase the production of nitric oxide in the body, leading to improved vascular health and reduced risk of heart disease. A 2019 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research found that practicing pranayama was associated with increased levels of nitric oxide in the blood, while a 2015 study published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine found that pranayama practice was effective in reducing blood pressure and improving heart function.

Incorporating techniques like left nasal breathing and other pranayama exercises into our daily lives can be a powerful tool for improving heart health, reducing stress and anxiety, and promoting overall physical and mental well-being.

As we deepen our practice of pranayama, we may begin to experience a greater sense of connection with our inner selves and the world around us. Our breath becomes a tool for self-exploration and transformation, allowing us to tap into the infinite power and wisdom that surrounds us.

It’s important to approach our practice with an open mind and a willingness to explore our inner selves, allowing us to connect with our spiritual nature and tap into the infinite potential that lies within us.

Pranayama is a powerful practice that has been passed down for thousands of years as a spiritual discipline. By regulating our breath, we can directly influence our physical and mental states, promoting relaxation and reducing stress. Additionally, pranayama has been found to increase the relaxation response and nitric oxide production, leading to improved heart health and reduced risk of heart disease.

By incorporating pranayama into our daily lives, we can experience the numerous physical and mental health benefits of this ancient yogic practice. As Swami Vivekananda said, “Pranayama is the control of the vital force in the body. It is the one thing that will give you perfect control over the body and mind.”

9th International Yoga Day on– Yoga for Wellness Held

Staff ReporterCommunity 0

The 9th International Yoga Day (IDY) was celebrated by FIA-Chicago, GSA Global Eye Magazine & Mindful Meditation Yoga in collaboration with the Consulate General of India, on Saturday, June 24th, 2023 in the indoor Sports Complex of Naperville Yard in Naperville IL. The event was well publicized prior to its celebration which resulted in more than 500 yoga enthusiasts, practitioners, students, prominent members of the Indian diaspora/Associations and several local organizations attending, probably the largest yoga event organized in Chicagoland. The program was properly arranged to spread awareness of yoga in all aspects.

Dignitaries in attendance were Consul General of India, Chicago Somnath Ghosh, Congressman Bill Foster, First Lady of Naperville, Lynda Wehri, Councilman Paul Leong along with his wife Artista Leong, Dr Vijay Prabhakar Chairman GSA Global Eye Magazine, Sunil Shah Chairman FIA-Chicago, Vinita Gulabani President FIA- Chicago, Anu Malhotra President Mindful Meditation Yoga, Esteem guests and Community leaders of Chicagoland.

Participants received a warm welcome by showering rosewater sprinkles by the IYD Welcoming Team of 40 Yoga Ambassadors upon their arrival and were escorted to their seats.

Picture : Asian Media USA

Anu Malhotra started the program promptly at 10am. In her welcoming remarks, she stated “Yoga brings celebration and skill in our life & Today’s large gathering confirms this fact. In these gloomy days, it’s very important that we keep our spirits alive, we   keep our enthusiasm alive and spread it all around us and Yoga can make this dream possible.”

Sunil Shah highlighted the Indian origin of yoga & its benefits in his welcome remarks.  Welcoming the participants joining the celebration, Dr Vijay Prabhaker encouraged everyone to join FREE Weekly Yoga/Meditation Sessions offered by Anu Malhotra through her Non for-Profit Mindful Meditation Yoga to enhance physical & mental health.

Lynda Wehrli highlighted the unifying force of Yoga & its immense benefits. Lynda also presented a Proclamation on behalf of Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli to Anu Malhotra for conducting free Yoga/ Meditation sessions for the community for the past 25 years through her non- for -profit Mindful Meditation Yoga & transforming hundreds of lives.

Adding to the excitement, Consul General of India Chicago expressed his immense joy to see the massive participation in the event. He promised that Consulate General of India Chicago would be happy to collaborate with the organizers in this celebration every year through contributing and inspiring more & more people to join.

“Events like this help remind us of the importance of finding time to take care of ourselves in the midst of our hectic lives. It also helps create a stronger and more united community, something that we can see with the mass number of individuals present here today” said Congressman Bill Foster.

The program was inaugurated with the traditional Lamp lighting Ceremony with the chants of Vedic Mantras joined  by Consul General Somnath Gosh, Congressman Bill Foster, First Lady of Naperville, Lynda Wehri, Councilman Paul leong with his wife Artista Leong, Dr Vijay Prabhakar Chairman, GSA Global Eye  Magazine, Sunil Shah Chairman FIA-Chicago, Vinita Gulabani President FIA- Chicago, Past FIA Presidents Hitesh Gandhi & Dhitu Bhagwaker, Seeta Bala GSA GE Events Chair, Shree Gurusamy GSA Chief Community Officer, Anu Malhotra President Mindful Meditation Yoga  &  Bharat Malhotra Co- Founder Mindful Meditation Yoga.

As part of the IYD celebrations, Anu Malhotra, an expert Certified Yoga Teacher conducted a common Yoga protocol session with demonstration of asanas, Pranayama & Meditation. Live Meditative Music played by a renowned Musician Navneet Malhotra   added high energy and enthusiasm to this yoga session. All participants, including dignitaries enthusiastically followed the yoga practice session.

A soulful Bhakti Yoga program organized by Vipul Srivastava, Director of Mindful Meditation Yoga presented devotional prayer songs by the prominent musicians & singers of Chicagoland; Anil Jha, Shreelekha Mohanty, Poonam Poddar, Prashant Kurdukar, Sanjiv Saraswat, Bharat Malhotra & Navneet Malhotra. Their enlightening prayer chants touched everyone’s hearts and created ripples of love, joy and peaceful vibrations.

Outland Media Team Anchor Anica Dubey conducted interviews with participants, dignitaries and community leaders to gather their overall experience of the event. Refreshment bags were handed to all participants while leaving the session by the IYD Yoga Ambassadors’ Team.

Anu Malhotra in her closing remarks thanked everyone for their vibrant participation and making this the most impactful event of Chicagoland. She reminded everyone to register for her Free Weekly Yoga/ Meditation classes to help achieve greater joy, greater peace & vibrant health by contacting her at 630-460-4271.

Researchers find yoga reducing depression

Staff ReporterHealth 0

Columbia and Harvard researchers have found yoga and controlled breathing reduce depressive symptoms, according to The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine which has published this study on March one. A new study demonstrated that individuals with major depressive disorder had a significant reduction in depressive symptoms during a 12-week integrative health intervention that included Iyengar yoga classes and coherent breathing. Participants who took three yoga classes a week were more likely to achieve lower depression scores after 12 weeks than subjects who took two classes, according to the study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

This randomized controlled dosing study “Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder with Iyengar Yoga and Coherent Breathing” claims to provide evidence that participation in an intervention composed of Iyengar yoga and coherent breathing is associated with a significant reduction in depressive symptoms for individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). It also included researchers from Boston University, Boston Medical, McLean Hospital, ENRM Veterans Hospital, New York Medical, Biostatistical Solutions, and Massachusetts General Hospital.

This published article states that during this 12-week intervention of yoga plus coherent breathing, depressive symptoms declined significantly in patients with MDD. This study supports the use of an Iyengar yoga and coherent breathing intervention as a treatment to alleviate depressive symptoms in MDD.

This article points out that MDD is common, recurrent, chronic, and disabling…depression is globally responsible for more years lost to disability than any other disease…Up to 50% of individuals treated with antidepressant medications for MDD do not achieve full remission…Yoga-based therapies offer promise…

Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, noted.

Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to a “2016 Yoga in America Study”, about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities) now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image. Yoga is the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Zed added.

“Stress Reduction through Yoga” workshop by Sewa

Staff ReporterHealth 0

Sewa team recently conducted yoga workshop “Stress Reduction through Yoga” at Baker Ripley Neighborhood Center on 4th of February, 2017. Most of the members at Baker Ripley center come from low income families and encounter tremendous amount of stress in their daily life. This everyday stress takes a toll on their health and eventually affects the quality of life. Therefore, it is essential that the community members should have access to low cost health care options.

To address this issue, Sewa started an initiative in 2016 by name of Yoga for Sewa. Under this initiative, the “Stress Reduction through Yoga” Workshop is designed for people who have to deal with difficult situations in daily life. The workshop started with warm up exercises, followed by sun salutations to bring up the heart rate, followed by yoga postures to help reduce stress, and breathing practice at the end to calm down the mind.

The workshop was highly successful with attendance of 15+ participants and with interest to make this a regular session at the community center. Sewa team, that designed and implemented the workshop include, Yoga therapist Ms. Hasita Kartick, coordinator Ms. Anuja Deshpande, project coordinator Kavita Tewary, and volunteer/translator Ms. Camila Escobar.

Sewa team is working tirelessly to arrange these free workshops for low income communities in order to serve people who cannot afford high end yoga studios or expensive health care options. If you or your community center is interested in conducting “Stress Reduction through Yoga” Workshop, please give us a call at (281)546 8202 or reach us at [email protected]. For more information, visit us at https://sewausa.org/chapter/houston/houston-overview.

Yoga Room at Miami Airport

Staff ReporterBusiness 0

A Yoga Room at Miami International Airport (MIA), a major international airport in USA, has been welcomed by all yoga lovers. “The Yoga Room is a tranquil space devoted to practicing yoga”, MIA announcement stated. Located in Terminal H, it opens daily from nine am to nine pm.

Calling it a step in the positive direction for MIA, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, urged all top world airports to provide yoga facilities for the passengers if they wanted to help reduce their stress levels and be “world-class” airports. Zed urged MIA authorities to keep the Yoga Room open round-the-clock and invite the local yoga studios/teachers to hold occasional free yoga classes there for the passengers, employees, vendors and visitors.

Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, noted.

Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to “2016 Yoga in America Study”, about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities) now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image.  Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Zed added.

Founded in 1928, awards winner MIA in Miami-Dade County (Florida) is second-busiest US airport for international passengers and top US airport for international freight and boasts of generating business revenue of $33.7 billion annually. In 2015, it serviced 44.3 million passengers and 2,172,676 tons of freight. Emilio T. González is the Aviation Director.

Yoga for Health, Peace and Amity

Staff ReporterHealth 0

By Dr Ravi P Bhatia – Educationist and Peace Researcher, and a retired Professor, Delhi University. [email protected]

The Indian practice of Yoga is an ancient one that has come to us from prehistoric times from generation to generation. It has now spread to most parts of the world through the efforts of yoga gurus called yogis. It is accepted primarily for its health benefits although practitioners of yoga also enjoy other benefits such as meditation, well-being and a sense of peace and harmony.

People generally do yoga in the company of other people, which gives each person a sense of togetherness and amity. In today’s world where a sense of individuality has become so dominant, where there is an acute sense of competitiveness for getting a job or promotion or whatever, where people are busy with their smart phones and laptops, Yoga gives a simple, healthy opportunity of coming together and learning and sharing each others’ joys and sorrows.

One important yoga asana (exercise) is pranayam or taking a deep breath and holding it for as long as one can. Pran literally means life of which breath is its most crucial aspect. Pranayam thus signifies improving your health by breathing properly. This asana also helps in meditation that all Buddhists practice and which is one of the objectives of yoga.

There is another asana that is called laughter yoga. Here people come together, laugh loudly, boisterously and for as long as possible. The asana appears ludicrous to an outsider who may be observing this for the first time, but it has therapeutic benefits. When we laugh loudly, we are exercising our lungs and heart, with blood flowing into various arteries and parts of the body. This is obviously a simple, easy and healthy manner of staying fit without the use of any medicines.

Why has yoga spread to so many parts of the world? Partly because its asanas or exercises are simple to carry out, and partly since no gymnasium or special equipment is required. All that is needed is a hall or open space where people can sit, lie down on their mats and carry out the variousasanas. When a person starts learning he or she requires the help of a yoga guru but once the basic exercises are learnt one can carry out these individually without the aid or presence of any guru.

Seeing its spiritual and mental benefits and its acceptance in many parts of the world, the United Nations General Assembly declared 21 June as the international day for Yoga, in its meeting held on Dec 11, 2014. This acceptance followed a fervent appeal by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the UN on September 27, 2014. Mr Modi among other things, stated that

Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between human and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being…

Despite its international currency some countries do not accept Yoga because it is considered to be a Hindu practice which has religious overtones. One cannot and should not force Yoga upon any person or community that has some doubts or misgivings about it. That is not only politically undesirable; it goes against the very nature and essence of the practice. Yoga is beneficial physically and mentally but this should be accepted by the individual and not be forced upon in any manner.

On a personal level, I have been doing Yoga for the last about two decades. I enjoy it physically, mentally and have a sense of well-being, togetherness and harmony. I hope other people may also try it out and enjoy its many benefits.

Mayo Clinic offering “Yoga to Enhance Your Mood”

Ajay GhoshHealth 0

Mayo Clinic Health System is offering class on “Yoga to Enhance Your Mood” in Red Wing (Minnesota). This six-week yoga class will include “yoga postures, breathing practices and meditation techniques”.

“Research has found that the practice of yoga has a positive effect on changing your mood and promoting a state of relaxed alertness”, announcement says.

Welcoming the integrating of yoga in a prominent healthcare system, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, yoga was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all.

Zed, who is President of Universal  Society of Hinduism, further said that yoga, referred as “a living fossil” whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, was a mental and physical discipline for everybody to share and benefit from. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical, Zed added.

Rajan Zed pointed out that yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche. According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to an estimate, about 21 million Americans, including many celebrities, now practice yoga.

Mayo Clinic Health System is a family of clinics, hospitals and health care facilities serving over 60 communities in Iowa, Georgia, Wisconsin and Minnesota. It is part of Mayo Clinic; a leading caregiver with over 150 years of patient care, research and medical education expertise; which was ranked number one in more specialties than any other hospital in the nation; served over 1.3 million people last year. Headquartered in Rochester (Minnesota), Samuel A. Di Piazza Junior is its Trustees Chair, while John H. Noseworthy is CEO.

Hindus urge Connecticut schools to offer yoga

Ajay GhoshCulture/Religion, Health 0

Hindus are urging Connecticut State Board of Education and Connecticut State Department of Education to formally introduce yoga as a part of curriculum in all the public schools of the state.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, indicated that since yoga was reportedly already there in various formats in many of state’s schools, Connecticut should develop a uniform curriculum for all the state schools offering yoga as an elective subject, giving a choice to students who wanted to avail the multiple benefits yoga provided.

According to reports, Bethel High School offered “Ah Ha Yoga” (.4 or .5 credit; in place of 1 Physical Education credit) for 11th and 12th graders whose Course Description included “unite mind, body, and inner self”. There is a Beginner’s Yoga Class on Mondays at Hamden Middle School whose announcement includes “Improve your flexibility, strength, balance and stamina”. At Middlebrook School in Wilton some groups try to decrease the pulse rate using meditation and yoga under “Feel The Beat” (A Guided Exploration of Factors That Affect Pulse Rate), a “Curriculum-Embedded Performance Task” of the Department in Middle School Science.

Calling introducing yoga as a step in the positive direction, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, suggested Connecticut to incorporate yoga in the lives of the state’s students. Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Zed pointed out.

Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to an estimate, about 21 million Americans, including many celebrities, now practice yoga. Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Zed added.

The Connecticut State Department of Education, the administrative arm of the Connecticut State Board of Education,  helps to ensure “excellence in education for all Connecticut students” which number over half million spread in  state’s 166 school districts. Allan B. Taylor is Chairperson of the Board, while Dr. Dianna R. Wentzell is Commissioner of Education. Dannel P. Malloy is Connecticut Governor.

Dubai hosting mega yoga festival

Ajay GhoshHealth 0

Dubai is reportedly expecting over 10,000 people from various parts of the world participating in mass yoga sessions in the two-day all-inclusive XYoga Dubai Festival on February 19 and 20.

Powered by XDubai and Dubai Tourism and dubbed as festival of the body and the mind, this open to the public free event, claimed to be the first lifestyle event and largest yoga event of its kind in the region, will be held at the Burj Park Downtown Dubai in the shadow of the Burj Khalifa, reports suggest.

According to reports, it will offer series of yoga sessions, workshops, meditation and talks from sunrise to sunset for people of all ages and abilities and shall be lead by globally-recognized yogis and will be an annual feature. Aim of this festival, which is anticipated as the largest mind-body festival in the region, is described as positioning Dubai as the leading destination for yoga in the region. XYoga Dubai also plans to hold other yoga events year round.

Welcoming Dubai for hosting the yoga festival, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to an estimate, about 21 million Americans, including many celebrities, now practice yoga. Yoga is the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Rajan Zed adds. Islam is the official religion of United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is a part.

Decision on Yoga Copyright Criticized

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit held last week that Bikram yoga can’t be copyrighted. The decision covers California — yoga’s American heartland — and it’ll probably influence courts elsewhere. Although the ideal of yoga being free to all is appealing, the court got this one wrong. The stylized, precise sequence of poses arranged by Bikram Choudhury, and performed in a 105 degree room, should’ve been treated as choreography, entitled to copyright protection, not as an abstract expression of medical ideas.

The court rested its holding on a classic feature of copyright law: You can’t protect an idea, but you can protect the expression of that idea. If Shakespeare were around today, he couldn’t copyright the idea of star-crossed lovers from enemy families. But he could copyright the text of “Romeo and Juliet” and so control performance of the play.

The court said that Bikram yoga is an idea, not an expression. In the late 1970s, Choudhury published “Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class,” a book that describes and depicts the 26 elements of the sequence (and two breathing exercises) known as Bikram yoga. The book, of course, is copyrighted.

But, according to the 9th Circuit, “the Sequence is an idea, process, or system designed to improve health.” In support of this argument, the court quoted Choudhury’s book, in which he claimed to have “arrived at the sequence of postures” after researching “the diseases and the postures and after many years of research and verification … using modern medical measurement techniques.” And it quoted what the instructor says after the 12th step in the sequence, namely that yoga “is the only natural physical activity in the world because it is scientific [and] with the help of science, we can explain nature.”

Yet the emphasis on the science of yoga doesn’t demonstrate that Bikram yoga isn’t also a highly specific form of coordinated bodily motions arranged in a particular way to produce an aesthetic reaction — in other words, choreography.

Congress specifically gave copyright protection to choreography in 1976, without defining the term. (Apparently, you know it when you see it.) Remarkably, the 9th Circuit thought that it could deny choreography protection to the Bikram sequence without defining the term itself. The court said that the Bikram sequence can’t be copyrighted because “it is an idea, process, or system,” and those are legally unprotectable — even if they are also choreography.

This can’t be right. Consider the ballets of George Balanchine, whose copyrights are carefully guarded by the George Balanchine Trust. Each and every one of those ballets unquestionably incorporates an idea, or rather many ideas: of modernism, of classicism, of the relationship of movement to music, and so on.

What’s more, many people do ballet as a form of exercise and as an aesthetic-spiritual meditative experience, just as they do yoga. If a teacher hung out a shingle and charged students to attend and follow along while she danced Balanchine’s version of “Swan Lake,” without permission from the Trust, this would surely be barred by copyright.

In other words, Bikram yoga instructors aren’t just teaching a process — they’re performing a specific aesthetically inflected sequence. Audience participation can’t be the distinguishing feature, either. Consider the innovative performance-art works of Tino Sehgal. These sometimes include audience participation, as in “This Progress,” which was performed at the Guggenheim in 2010. Other works consist of complexly choreographed movements of participants, like “These Associations,” performed at the Tate Modern in London.

Sehgal’s works certainly consist of ideas — in fact, the works have no tangible content other than the idea. But the works are also expressions of ideas — and in this sense they are much like choreography, and perhaps in some cases actually are choreography under the copyright laws.

The court concluded its rejection of the choreography argument by saying that “our day-to-day lives consist of many routinized physical movements, from brushing one’s teeth to pushing a lawnmower to shaking a Polaroid picture, that could be … characterized as forms of dance.” But there is a basic difference between quotidian actions that could be potentially transformed into stylized aesthetic sequences, and actions created and codified specifically to achieve a certain  aesthetic effect.

There’s no danger that copyrighting Bikram yoga would stop people from exercising, or from doing the manifold other kinds of yoga that have existed for centuries and aren’t protected by copyright. What’s at stake is protecting the creativity of a particular artist whose creation adds value to the world. Yoga isn’t exactly ballet, and it isn’t exactly performance art. But it’s more closely analogous to either than it is to mowing the lawn — and the Ninth Circuit should have protected it.

International Day of Yoga celebrated at the United Nations

Ajay GhoshHealth 0

United Nations: The First International Day of Yoga was celebrated at the United Nations on Sunday, 21st June. The Function, held under the threat of heavy rain, was presided over by the External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj and attended by the UN Secretary General, the President of the 69th UN General Assembly, diplomats and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.

The 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted by acclamation draft Resolution A/Res/69/131 in December 2014, with a record number of 177 countries cosponsoring it. The Resolution established the International Day of Yoga for observance by the United Nations on 21st June each year. The idea for declaring an International Day of Yoga at the United Nations was formally proposed by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, in his maiden address to the 69th UNGA on 27 September 2014.

The UN celebration featured a special lecture cum demonstration by the Founder of Art of Living Foundation, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The event was broadcast live globally on UN TV, as well as to an audience of thousands at Times Square, New York, where another celebration of the Solstice Day was observed with thousands performing yoga exercises.

Around 250 persons participated in the yoga conducted by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon along with his wife led the group of participants. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations Ambassador Asoke Mukerji and Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay were joined in the yoga exercises by dozens of diplomats at the UN.

The Prime Minister had said: “We need to change our lifestyles. Energy not consumed is the cleanest energy. We can achieve the same level of development, prosperity and well being without necessarily going down the path of reckless consumption. It doesn’t mean that economies will suffer; it will mean that our economies will take on a different character. For us in India, respect for nature is an integral part of spiritualism. We treat nature’s bounties as sacred. Yoga is an invaluable gift of our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with climate change. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day.”

The Prime Minister had indicated that 21st June, one of the two solstices, which is the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere, has special significance in many parts of the world, and could be considered for adoption as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations each year.

Thousands Throng Yoga Day Celebrations At Times Square, Hindu Temple, Lincoln Center, JFK Airport

Ajay GhoshCommunity, Health 0

New York: Tens of thousands of people from across all walks of life joined the International Day of Yoga organized by the Consulate General of India, along with several socio-cultural organizations based in and around New York, on June 21, 2015 at more than 50 places in and around the city.

They participated in these events with great pride and enthusiasm. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj represented the Government of India at the Annual Event of Yoga (Summer Solstice) at Times Square and the Hindu Temple Society of North America, Flushing.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who has introduced a Resolution in the Senate in support of the IDY and Madhur Bhandarkar, Film Director, also participated and cheered up the participants at the Times Square where close to 20,000 people participated throughout the day. With the support of the Consulate, the Art of Living Foundation (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar), Global Citizen Forum (B.K. Modi Group) organized a three hours program, including yoga, meditation, dance drama on yoga and finally East Meets West by Bhappi Lahri and Judge M. Kelly, famous Jazz maestro.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, B.K. Modi, Judge Kelly, Bhappi Lahiri, Ambassador Arun Kumar Singh and Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser addressed the 2700 strong supporters of yoga at the auditorium. Similarly, Hindu Temple Society of North America organized a daylong yoga and related events. External Affairs Minister participated in the closing ceremony and released a book titled “Yoga-Bharat’s Invaluable Gift to the World” by Mr. V. Ravi Kumar Iyer.

The Indian Consulate had also organized yoga lecture-cum-demonstration at the airports of New York and New Jersey. Passengers practiced yoga while waiting in transit. Photos of these events are available on indiacgny.org. The State Senates of New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Westchester as well as several City Councils have issued Proclamations and felicitation messages to support and commemorate the first International Day of Yoga.

Several Senators, Congressmen, Mayors and Councilmen have sent their appreciation letters to the Consulate on the occasion. Indian-American communities represented by several Socio-Cultural organizations including the Overseas Volunteers for Better India (OVBI) were wholeheartedly involved in these events. The Consulate was also supported by Tech Mahindra, the leader in digitalization and business re-engineering for organizing these events.

Following the United Nations Resolution to declare International Day of Yoga on June 21 every year, the Consulate had been organizing yoga related various Curtain Raisers as well as yoga events in areas under the consular jurisdiction of this Consulate. Curtain Raisers were organized in Albany and Queens on June 9 and June 13 respectively. Yoga and related events would continue to be organized throughout the year at different places by this Consulate from time to time.

-+=