AT THE 3RD INTERNATIONAL YOGA & INDIAN MUSIC FESTIVAL
Rishikesh, 1st to 14th November 2010
The 3rd Free International Yoga & Indian Music Festival (1-14 November 2010) was organized in Rishikesh, the world capital of yoga. The event was attended by students from all over the world as well as various pre-eminent musicians and yoga teachers, including the 100-years old Swami Yogananda and the renowned Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa (Los Angeles, USA).
Usha Devi taught three classes at the festival which were attended by over 130 students. The purpose was to introduce them to Iyengar Yoga. She brought home the idea that Iyengar Yoga is not physical. It is a method to spread awareness all over the body, to penetrate deeper into our own self and to be with ourselves for a moment. It is a wonderful way to develop stamina and inner strength, enabling us to face challenges and remain happy in the face of all adversities. Everyone can achieve this through practicing Yoga as taught by Guruji.
Siddhartha delivered two discourses on Sage Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. The first session was about Kriya Yoga (Yoga Sutra 2.1), the first and most important step into yoga, because it radically changes the outlook of a practitioner towards his own practice and life in general.
The second session was about Love and Devotion (Yoga Sutra 1.23) in Yoga. He told that though devotion is associated with God, it can be cultivated by believers and non-believers alike. It is an exercise for emotions to develop our heart. Coupled with our yoga practice it becomes a profound source of inner strength.
