It is easy to imagine a great tour, but it is not so easy to actualize it as is generally thought. There are many difficulties and all of these will have to be overcome, not only in one visit but in different visits. When you begin to tackle this problem practically, you will find that each time you visit a centre, the old problems are being solved and new problems are coming up.
You should be able to speak to the people in the centre about things which will give them peace of mind, encouragement and an optimistic philosophy. The aim which you reveal to them in your conversation should be fragrant with tranquillity and inspiration.
Therefore, whenever you decide a program for your branches or units, the aims and objectives you cast for them or for yourself should present an unconscious and unnoticed aura of peace and rest. Whether it is east or west, everybody is unconsciously aspiring for peace and rest.Swami Satyananda
On 24th January, Swami Gyanbhikshu attended the Kiul Mahotsava and Durga Pratima Sthapana Divasa and spoke in the concluding session on the importance of regular yoga practice, the activities at Ganga Darshan Ashram, including the special year-long Durga Havan anushthana, and the need for shraddha, faith, in Devi aradhana.
From 13th to 20th February, a Yoga Shivir was held at Barauni Oil Refinery Township, Yoga Dhyana Kendra. Swami Gyanbhikshu conducted daily asana, pranayama and meditation classes, and a kirtan and satsang session on the development of the Satyananda Yoga tradition.
A Srimad Bhagavad Katha Saptah was held at Bara Udasin Ashram, Jamalpur, from 18th to 24th February. Swami Gyanbhikshu spoke on the activities at Ganga Darshan and Rikhiapeeth, Swami Niranjan’s new phase of life and the establishment of Sannyasa Peeth.
A Divisional Saras Mela took place at the Polo Ground in Munger from 5th to 11th March. Swami Gyanbhikshu attended the program on 6th and 7th March and spoke on the Bihar Yoga tradition.
On 13th April, a Vijayadashami celebration was held at Jhoor Kalisthan, Safiabad, Munger. The children of Bal Yoga Mitra Mandal (BYMM) performed kirtans, bhajans and chantings, and Swami Gyanbhikshu spoke on the meaning and importance of mantra chanting and japa.
Sri Vishnu Yajna was held in Bariarpur from 8th to 15th May. Swami Gyanbhikshu inaugurated the yajna and spoke on the meaning and importance of yajna. Over one thousand participants attended the program.
Classes have been ongoing at BIPARD for the Bihar Administrative Service since 16th May, conducted by Jignasu Devshraddha. Over fifty administrators have been attending.
An introductory yoga course was conducted by Swami Shivadhyanam for students of classes IX and X of Notre Dame Academy, Munger in the month of July. Over two hundred students participated in the course.
On 17th August, Swami Suryaprakash and Swami Shankarananda attended a program at the Bihar Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (BIPARD), Patna. Swami Suryaprakash spoke on the importance of self-discipline and seva for personal growth which in turn benefits the community and society. He addressed one hundred trainees who will soon be public administrators throughout the state of Bihar.
From 23rd to 28th August, a yoga camp was held at Yoga Dhyana Kendra, Barauni, for over one hundred fifty participants and conducted by Swami Atmabhishek.
On 28th August, at the inauguration of a three-day state-level shivir for active members and office-bearers of Banwasi Kalyan Ashram, Swami Niranjan gave satsang on the development of Indian culture, the need for health, education, self-effort and cooperation for success in life and on the tradition of the mission he is part of. Over five hundred people attended the program held at Baidyanatheshwar Shankarbagh (Shivalaya), Munger.
On the evening of 29th August, in the presence of Swami Niranjan, the children of BYMM led a grand kirtan and bhajan program at Shivalaya for the participants of the shivir. Swami Suryaprakash gave a discourse on the value of seva with dedication.
On 30th August, the shivir participants visited Ganga Darshan, where Swami Gyanbhikshu described the Satyananda yoga tradition and the current activities at Ganga Darshan.
At the inauguration of the Manava Seva Diwas program, conceived by Sadbhavana Pustakalaya, Jamalpur, on 5th September, Swami Gyanbhikshu spoke on the philosophical foundation of seva and the seva activities conducted at Rikhiapeeth. Over five hundred people attended the program.
From 28th September to 2nd October, yoga classes were conducted at the Parivartan Narendrapur in the Siwan district in Bihar, as part of a Spicmacay Rural School Intensive program. Yoga classed were conducted from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. for one hundred-fifty students from thirty-five districts in Bihar.
An intensive yoga workshop was conducted for fifty students from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m.. On the final day a praiseworthy asana demonstration was presented by the participants under the expert guidance of Ravi Kumar of the Yuva Yoga Mitra Mandal.
On 19th June, Swami Suryaprakash was invited to Bokaro to attend Rotary International’s annual district awards function, Sampreeti, as chief guest together with the managing director of Bokaro Steel Plant.
He spoke on the theme selected by Rotary International for 2011, ‘Reach Within to Embrace Humanity’. Over three hundred Rotarians attended the event.
During the visit to Bokaro, a satsang was held at Shanti Darshan Ashram, organized by Swami Gorakhnath and attended by over one hundred devotees. Swami Suryaprakash answered questions on yoga.
From 12th to 21st January, a health management yoga camp was organized by the Rotary Club of Raigarh. Swami Gorakhnath conducted the yoga camp for one hundred-twenty participants.
Swami Gorakhnath conducted yoga training camps in Jagdalpur Bastar from 16th to 24th April and Kanker from 24th April to 3rd May.
A yoga camp was conducted by Swami Gorakhnath at the Kasturba Gandhi Ashram, Kondagaon, from 10th to 17th May for seventy participants.
On 3rd May, Swami Kaivalyananda addressed a group of executives at the Training Institute of Bhilai Steel Plant on the topic of stress management through yoga.
He also conducted the following yoga camps:
During each program participants were informed about the World Yoga Convention to be held in 2013 in Munger, the three-year Sannyasa Training Course which will begin in Munger in 2012, and the ongoing activities of Ganga Darshan and Rikhiapeeth.
From 15th to 24th December, Swami Gorakhnath conducted a Yoga Sadhana Shivir at the Yoga Vidya Sadhana Kendra, in Kanker. One hundred and five participants attended the morning class of asana, pranayama, trataka, antar mouna, ajapa japa and nada yoga. In the evening they participated in yoga nidra, meditation and satsang.
From 25th to 28th December, Swami Gorakhnath conducted a program of bhajans, kirtans and satsang at the Satyam Yoga Kendra in Kondagaon. The satsang questions related mostly to ashram life and the guru-disciple relationship.
A yoga camp was conducted from 11th to 24th January for Maharashtra State Reserve Police (Group IV) at Dhulia, Maharashtra. The camp was conducted by Sannyasi Vigyanroopa. Over five hundred-seventy officers and jawans participated in the course.
From 26th January to 10th February, another yoga camp was conducted for Maharashtra State Reserve Police (Groups VIII and XI) at Goregaon, Mumbai. Swami Gorakhnath inaugurated the camp and conducted classes until 1st February, after which the classes were continued by Sannyasi Vigyanroopa. Over five hundred officers and jawans attended the classes.
Sannyasi Vigyanroopa (Rajneesh Mishra) conducted two yoga camps for the Maharashtra State Reserve Police. From 25th May to 4th June, two hundred-forty officers and jawans of Group X participated in the camp at Sholapur, and from 6th to 20th June, two hundred twenty-five officers and jawans of Group II attended the camp in Pune.
From 4th to 14th August, a yoga camp was conducted at the Central Jail, Nagpur, Maharashtra, for three hundred prisoners. The course was inaugurated by the DIG (Prisons) Eastern region, and concluded by the Superintendent, who waived ten days from prison sentences of all those who participated. Sannyasi Vigyanroopa (Rajneesh Mishra) conducted the course.
From 10th to 19th October, Swami Gorakhnath conducted various yoga programs in Pune. These programs were attended by people from all walks of life and the venues were full to capacity. Sixty-five police candidates attended a program at the Police Grounds.
A Bihar Yoga program was held at Sardar Vallahbhai Patel Police Academy, Hyderabad, from 28th February to 11th March. Over one hundred-fifty trainees attended the program which included classes on mantra, asana, pranayama and yoga nidra, and aspects of yogic lifestyle. Swami Vigyanchaitanya conducted the program assisted by Jignasu Krishnamurti.
From 11th to 23rd April, a yoga training camp was held at North-East Police Academy, Meghalaya, for ninety-eight police officers. Sannyasi Vigyanroopa conducted the camp.
From 15th to 27th September, a yoga program was conducted by Swami Gorakhnath and Sri Rahul Kr Mishra in the auditorium of the Sri Balaji temple in Guwahati, Assam. It was the first such program for the general public in the North East of India. Sri Surjyanath Phulan, the convener of the program, sent the following data.
Children’s program: Ninety-five schoolchildren attended the program which was free of charge. Their parents were requested to fill out a questionnaire at the end. Here are some of the responses and observations made by the parents:
Fifteen students were from the Muslim community. They invited Swami Gorakhnath to visit each and every house offering biscuits and tea. The students discovered that vajrasana was the same posture as the one used during Namaz. 30% of the students came from very poor (BPL) families. It was felt that the program was fully successful and should reach out to more schools in the area.
Adult program: Thirty-three adults participated in the program:
Swami Nirmalananda gave classes and lectures at a yoga shivir for hypertension and diabetes at Nature Cure & Yoga Centre, Kolkata, from 27th to 31st August. She also gave consultations on yoga and health.
Between February and August, Swami Maitreyi conducted programs and seminars in Colombia, Chile, Uruguay and Sweden. In Colombia she gave talks and seminars in Bogotá, Medellin and Baranquilla on mind and mind management, yogic lifestyle and mantra and meditation through the Satyananda Academy, Colombia.
In Chile and Uruguay, in May, she gave seminars in the Satyananda schools on prana vidya, classes on chakra shuddhi and talks on yogic lifestyle, mind management and tantra.
In August Swami Maitreyi conducted in-service training in the Satyananda Ashram, Sweden, and gave workshops on antar mouna and personality development in different Satyananda Yoga schools.