YOGA SAPTAHA

INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY CELEBRATION

( From 21st June to 27^th June  2018)

"Expansion is Life, Contraction is death" says Swami Vivekananda. It is an expansion of our yoga activities that marked our year’s International Yoga Day.

This year we could take yoga to every nook and corner of Kodungallur and bring its multifarious benefits to the grasp of common man and woman and urge them to take it up as their daily routine. As our honorable Prime Minister reiterates it would be a journey from illness to wellness. By expanding our yoga activities we are also paying our homage to the founder of Vivekananda Kendra, Mananeeya Eknathji whose vision way back in 1972, had made yoga the core of Vivekananda Kendra.

As in the last 3 years, this year also Vivekananda Kendra decided to have a yoga Saptaha to do full justice to the ideals of our great teachers. Our activities extended from 21^st to 27^th June.

On the 21^st morning there was a mass yoga practice at Anandadham from 7 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. The programme started with the lighting of lamp by Man. Lakshmi Didi. She addressed the participants highlighting the role of yoga at individual, and cosmic level and requested all the participants to make yoga as part of their day to day life. The participants were Yoga Varga and Yoga Satra members, Yoga Certificate Course participants and school girls of the XII class of Govt. Girls Higher Sec. School Kodungallur. A total of 110 participants were present in spite of heavy rain. The programme ended with shanti mantra.

On the same day 10.30 to 11 a.m. one of the YCC students Dr. Midhun, conducted a class for the students Sisu Vidyaposhini School, Eriyad on this occasion of IYD. At the same time Smt Jayalakshmi conducted classes for the Saraswathi Vidya Niketan, Edavilangu students and their parents and teachers, and also conducted classes for students of Ala UP school and  two schools in Poya. Smt Seeba was invited to conduct yoga session for Nehru Yuva Kendra at Karumathra.

Ma. Lakshmi Didi and Sri Sudhakarji were invited on this occasion to talk on Yoga, in Sri Sai Vidyapeetham, Anthikad, Thrissur. In the evening at Kovilakath Village and  Matru Samiti at Shiva Kshetram, Thiruvallor, Smt Jayalakshmi had conducted a class for the mothers, and their children.She introduced the term Yoga for the first time to the mothers in Thiruvallor.

Smt Suja Nair, Y.C.C student had her concluding function of 10 days Yoga Satra at Palackal, Thrissur. On the occasion of I Y Day, she had invited the relatives and friends of the satra participants.

On the 22^nd, 23^rd and 25^th advanced Yogasana competitions were held at Anandadham for various age groups of students in three batches including LP,UP and H.S students. 75 students from 8 different schools participated.

On the same days during the evening hours, concluding sessions of 10 to 13 days yoga Satra  conducted by Yoga Certificate Course students were held.

On the 24^th morning there was a meet for the aspiring students willing to prepare for QCI examination of Ayush ministry, Govt of India, who would look for guidance from Vivekananda Kendra,

On the 27th at the concluding function many yoga practitioner trained by the YCC students, the prize winning students with their guardians, yoga varga members  all gathered in Panicker's Hall, West Nada ,Kodungallur,to participate  in the celebration.Apart from prize distribution, there was also the felicitation of our YCC students who had successfully completed their course under our headquarters  Kanyakumari’s  Certificate Course. Each YCC student was felicitated by Ma. Lakshmi Didi with a lighted lamp,a book and a shawl or ponnada. The Chief guest of the programme was Sri Narayana Bhattathiri, a well versed Sanskrit scholar and former Acharya of Vivekananda University at Belur Math.Dr Panicker and his wife, the owners of the Paniker's hall, also graced the occasion with their presence . Each of the prize winners of yogasana competition demonstrated a few asanas before the prize distribution. 

HDPY Sen.Sec. School, Andipillikavu,with the highest points in the yogasana competitions received the shield. The Principal and Manager of the school were also present to receive the shield from the hands of Didi and Dr Panicker.A total of 120 people were present .        

 

 

 

 

  

                                                                                                                  

Vishwabhanu

Vishwabhanu April'18 - May'18

                                JYOTiSH SHASTRA

                        PRABHASANA PARAMPARA

                                                              – By Acharya Sethumadhavanji

The credit of opening up human minds to the magnificence and immense potentialities hidden in the cosmos, goes to Indian Seers  It is they who through their extraordinarily deep meditations brought out the mystery behind the unimaginably immense cosmos with its infinite astral  bodies and cosmic phenomena which influence humans. Before the Western philosophers and scientists woke up to the reality of the immensity of the  Universe, our Indian Rishis were far ahead with their knowledge about the physical nature of the celestial bodies, Mother earth, including the baffling relationship that exists between human and the cosmic bodies.

We had been planning for a long time to invite a truly scientifically minded scholar to explain the wonderful Shastra of Astronomy with its essential ingredient of Astrology- directly related to human lives.

The first lecture in the series- Astrology as a Science- took place on 9^th June, Saturday from 4p.m.to 6p.m. The speaker Acharya Sethumadhavanji from Tirupati University, is a very learned scholar who is currently working on his thesis on Astrology. The talk was devoted to the introduction of the topic and for more than two hours the audience sat and listened spell bound. Some of the points are presented in the ensuing summary of his lecture.

Talking on Jyotisha the speaker categorized it into four- Vaidica Kala Jyotisha, Siddhanta Kala Jyotisha, Samhita Kala Jyotisha and Modern Jyotisha as we know it. While the earlier ones are more ‘Spiritual’, the present day Jyotisha has more of ‘Tamoguna’. During Vedic period the great seers had an open mind regarding Jyotisha.There was no scope of dispute or criticism. The earlier proponents were mostly rishis like Vyasa, Parashara, Sovanam, Yavvanam and others who were great rishis who had no inclination towards worldly affairs. Jyotish Shastra was referred to as the ‘Vedas Chakshu, ‘eyes of Veda’

Jyotisha itself can be divided into Skanda trayam – Prapancha or cosmic analysis, Bhautic , Worldly or Nature’s analysis and lastly, One’s inner self analysis

Speaking about the importance of jyotisha, the speaker said in India, each and every festival in temples or otherwise is decided by the planetary star positions. All our temple utsavas are thus identified with some astronomical sign or event. Utsavas are meant to elevate the human mind to a higher level of consciousness.

 Jyotisha’s approved text is Surya Siddhanta which is available only in Sanskrit. One of the chapters of Surya Siddhanta deals with ‘Jyotish Upanishad’,and provides an interesting conversation between mind and Brahma. In answer to the question on diversity, is the revelation that the earth is ‘golakar’ (global), so there is an unavoidable diversity in everything. This is probably the first statement about the global nature of earth-1000 of years before the West catches up with the idea.

(The word jyothisha refers to cosmic intelligence or consciousness). Coming to Jyotisha he emphasized that the ultimate aim of Jyotisha is to take man to liberation. It is the science of unfoldment of one’s ‘Karmaphala’. The position of ‘Guru’ in one’s horoscope provides clues as to the spiritual status of the person. In Jyotisha lies the keys to unlock the treasures hidden in a being and to decode their meaning and possibilities. Jyotisha can provide an unmistakably analytical study of one’s life.

Speaking of the role of Jyotisha in marriage, the speaker first gave the true meaning of the word ‘vivaha’ – as the carrier of the most auspicious. Marriage is the reflection of the union  of Prakriti and Purusha- cosmic mother and father. To make marriage wholesome and fulfilling 25 linkups are to be scrutinized so that there is perfect physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual balancing between the man and the woman. If there is clear ideological understanding and unconditional love, there is no need for jyothisham to step
in.                                                 

                                                                                         (more in the next)