Teaching participants to cleanse animal impulses and channel restlessness into courage, intelligence and the skills of a hero and from that to refining one’s spirit into the yogic state of peacefulness, love, compassion and quietude, more than 120 children and young adults had a unique experience at the 20th Annual Summer Yoga and Dance Intensive held at the Yoganjali Natyalayam City Centre here recently.
The students, aged 5 to 25 years, were taught using the tools of ‘Bharathiya Samskrithi’ (Indian culture) of Yoga, Bharathanatyam and Carnatic music at the ‘total immersion programme’ under the theme, ‘Changing Impossible to I.M. Possible,’ said a press release.
“Nothing is possible for a person bound tightly by animal desires and passions. Animals are bound by the survival instinct, Abhinevesha (fear) and age-old conditioned behaviour. All is possible for a Yogi with an awakened, sharp, clear consciousness,” said Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, Director, Yoganjali Natyalayam, wife of the late Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri who established the Yoga Jivana Satsangha and Ananda Ashram in Pondicherry in 1968.
The Yoganjali Natyalayam was established by Dr. Swami in 1993, and is said to have an alumni of around 15,000 who have learnt yoga, music and Bharatanatyam. The couple was instrumental in bringing the well-known International Yoga Festival to Puducherry.
The finale of the camp showcased skills of the students through yogasana demonstrations, dance, Carnatic music, and a skit on the theme ‘Changing Impossible to I.M. Possible’ which showed the transformation from animal impulses to a heroic spirit and the peaceful attitude of a yogi.
The programme was attended by Government whip G. Nehru, Pulavar Pattabiraman, Dr. Ardhanari, Dr. Vanaja Vaithiyanathan, C.K. Manoharan, Yogacharya Giriraj of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Verna of Russia and Christoph Eberhard of Austria, said the release. The Annual Swami Gitananda Best Child was awarded to Yogita S. of Primrose School, while Dhivya Priya Bhavanani of the same school won the Best Youth award. Participants were tested on yoga skills and knowledge, yoga art design and lecture-demonstrations.
