Moscow Celebrates the Yoga of Ancient Bharat for Four Months around IDY
Interesting to note that the X IDY celebrations that started in Moscow in May 2024 will continue till the end of August, 2024. This is a clear sign that people are becoming more and more interested in the subject of Yoga. Not just physical exercises, asanas, pranayama but also meditation.
A public event was organised on the theme "Raja Yoga - Call of the Time".
Time is intangible, but it can be understood on the basis of the events that happen in time. Time is like a mirror that reflects changes. All the processes in nature are cyclic. Time is also cyclic and goes through the different phases. What phase of time is humanity going through now? Are we ready for its challenges and gifts? What is the Call of Time for each one of us?
Time is really an important aspect of human life. The Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic, tells that time doesn't obey the plans and desires of a person, but a person must follow the path that time reveals to him, to create his fortune. Present is the time to create not only our own fortune, but the fortune of the world. And the method for that is Raja Yoga.
The main part of the program was a dialogue between Ms. Madhurkankana Roy, Director, Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Center, Embassy of India in Moscow, and Sudha Didi, General Director of Brahma Kumaris in Russia, CIS, Baltic countries. It was a spiritual venture of the two organisations.
Ms. Madhurkankana Roy shared her personal experience and said that yoga is not just asanas, but is a means for a better way of living. It relaxes the body, uplifts the spirit, helps to develop coping skills and solve the situations. We need to practice meditation to sharpen our focus during multitasking, she added.
Мs. Madhurkankana happily added that Yoga is becoming more and more popular giving people an experience of stability, calmness and peace in our chaotic world. Yoga is really a need of the present time.
Sudha Didi explained the difference between meditation and yoga. She said that Raja Yoga is not for the elite, as many people think, but for everyone.
Man has lost the connection with the Truth, that is why there is chaos in the world. First of all, there is a need to turn inwards and connect with the true self, the soul. Next step is to turn upwards and connect with the Supreme Soul who is the Supreme Father of all the souls.
Didi suggested the audience to definitely make God the Companion. This companionship with God enables the person to come out of the habits of complaining and becoming disheartened because of some difficult situations. The person gets power to find the solution, maintain his happy state of mind and, is able to do something that makes the hearts of others happy.
This is Raja Yoga, she said.
Colourful candle lighting ceremony, words of good wishes from Bro. Vijay and Mr. Bighneswar Patnaik, Director of Indian School in Moscow, Pranayama exercises conducted by Dr. Brijesh Gupta, yoga teacher of the Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre and videos, songs, poems made the program diverse and created a festive mood.
It is said 'one minute of practice is more important than hours of theory'. Hence Guided Raja Yoga meditation was conducted by Didi which made the audience get absorbed into silence. The main aim was to take the gathering into the experience of their true self as a being of light, love, peace and also experience the presence of God.
The atmosphere filled with sweet silence continued to pertain for a long time even after the program came to an end.
1. Link to the photos taken during the programme:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/172es7ajnQOhG27q9xUBiKA0Q9phmFTB4?usp=sharing
2. Link to the video of the interview with Ms. Olga Zhilina, Dy. Head of Foreign Economic and International Relations, Government of Moscow at X IDY programme, Moscow. With translation.
With best wishes and divine love
In Baba's yaad
Multi-media department
Moscow
