- Tuesday, March 04, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
The fifth day of the International Yoga Festival (IYF) on Sunday (12) witnessed diverse offerings in terms of yoga, meditation, lectures and talks and eminent presenters had the opportunity to speak on global public and health policy, thanks to the collaboration between Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh in India’s northern state of Uttarakhand and Mata Amritanandmayi Devi (Amma), chair of Civil 20 (C20), to coordinate efforts to engage yoga and meditation teachers in different verticals to come up with a set of policy suggestions for the G20.
The yoga festival has been integrated with the G20 theme of ‘One Family, One Earth, One Future’ under the guidance of His Holiness Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, the president of Parmarth Niketan, and Pujya Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswatiji, director, IYF, and with support from various ministries of the Indian government, including tourism, culture and AYUSH.
C20, which is one of the biggest engagement groups of G20, provides a platform for civil society organisations around the globe to bring forth a non-governmental and non-business voice to G20.
Speaking on the occasion, the presenters shared their success stories, projects, data, experience and policy recommendations. The C20, by highlighting selected projects and positive outcomes, aims to create more opportunities, inspire others and show the way to replicate similar practices on a worldwide scale.
Early morning classes during the day included Vedic chanting with Sadhvi Abha Saraswatiji, head of Parmarth Niketan yoga and meditation centre; Therapeutic Ashtanga Yoga with Sandeep Desai, master of Ashtanga Yoga and T’ai Chi; Nada yoga with Gumi, a Nada yoga teacher from Japan and Arindam, a tabla artiste.
The participants also took part in a series of sessions during the day that included: special spiritual plenary session on “United we Stand: Rediscovering the Union (Yoga) in our communities and nations” conducted by Pujya Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati; Rev. Michael Beckwith, author, and founder and spiritual director of the Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles; Abuelo Antonio Oxte, an indigenous elder and a Shaman moderated by Tommy Rosen, a yoga teacher and addiction recovery expert who founded of Recovery 2.0.
Speaking on the occasion, Pujya Sadhvi stressed on the importance of us fulfilling our own dharma.
“When we don’t know who we are, we don’t know what to do. Our yogic and meditative practices show us who we are so then what to do comes naturally,” she said.
Also highlighting the significance of forgiveness, she said, “We don’t forgive because what someone else did was okay. We forgive because we deserve to be free; grudges, anger and resentment block us from being free….The lLaw of karma doesn’t require us to remind the universe who did what and who deserves what. Our responsibility is to our own freedom. So we forgive everyday as many times a day as we can, because regardless what has been done to us, we deserve to be free.”
In his keynote address on “United We Stand,” Rev. Beckwith emphasised on the importance of the role of LOVE.
“We don’t have to agree with everyone. We just have to be able to love them even if we don’t agree. It’s not about being right. It’s about being on the right side of history which is the unfolding of the epic love, compassion and kindness,” he said.
Paula Tapia, an international Yoga, mindfulness and wellness expert, taught the Chair Yoga Class to improve flexibility, strength, while boosting mood and energy.
A Hatha Yoga inspired by Sivananda Yoga to enhance strength, flexibility and balance was led by Ira Trivedi, Yoga Acharya Power Vinyasa – Align Up with Your Highest Self Workshop: Clarity in Your Calling was conducted by inspirational Katie B. Happyy from San Diego,
Ambika Juliana, an Indian classical dancer who loves creating a fusion between yoga, Indian classical dance and contemporary dance and Nitai Krishna, yogi born and raised in the Bhakti Yoga community in Ghana, also conducted sessions during the day.
Among other presenters were Dr Nisith Bhatt, a certified nutritionist and a developmental and behavioral science for children doctor; Mansi Gulati, an International Yoga exponent; Acharya Ashish Gilhotra – founder of Pressure Yoga; and Andrea Paige, a wonderful soul and a master of lifestyle medicine.
A special session was taken by Arindam Chakravarty on ‘Tablā Beats for Beginners: A Journey into Indian Rhythm’ to inspire many to learn more about the musical instrument.
Among other attractions of the day were devotional chanting and Kirtan with Vishvambhar, an renowned kirtan-singer and inspirational speaker and a yagna ceremony and Ganga Aarti at the banks of mother Ganga at Parmarth Niketan.
