I was wondering what special activity we would do on the International Day of Yoga and was thrilled when I was chosen to guide a yoga session at the Vijay cinema venue, Bengali Tola.
After every three asanas, we were told to ask the people to practise shavasana and everyone was enjoying it. One lady said that she could not do surya namaskar because she had high B.P. so we asked her to do shavasana instead. After that, as soon as she heard the word 'shavasana' she would lie down with her head in our direction and happily relax!
After the class was over, the participants started talking amongst themselves but we could not understand anything since they were speaking in Bengali. One lady said, 'Can you not come every Saturday and Sunday for a class here?' We were so happy that day!
Jyoti Kumari Roy
Several hundred children went out into the city of Munger as yoga ambassadors – because that is exactly how we felt when we went to conduct yoga sessions and were guiding the asana and pranayama practices! It was as if we had taken birth for this very purpose – to spread the teachings of yoga. Many people became aware of this great gift and took a sankalpa to practise yoga as a lifestyle and also to introduce their children to yoga so that they can achieve success in life. We seek the blessings of Swamiji so that we can carry this tradition forward and bring glory and honour to the Bihar School of Yoga.
Khushi Kumari (age 10)
This day was the most glorious day of our lives because for the first time we had the good fortune to go out and teach yoga to people. I feel that every day should be a World Yoga Day so that we children can distribute the priceless gem of yoga that we have received from Swamiji and everyone can benefit from it. I thank Swamiji from the bottom of my heart. I had better finish with this because if I express everything that I am feeling, it will become a very big book!
Aman
We reached the ashram at 5 a.m. on the International Day of Yoga and were very excited. Vagisha and I went to Sri Hari uncle's house in Safiyabad to conduct a yoga session. There were many ladies and children already gathered on the roof. When they took a look at us, one of them remarked, "How will such little children do a yoga class?"
We began the class according to the plan given to us by Swamiji. More than 50 people participated and everything went well. After the class was over, we asked them to please excuse us for any mistakes we might have made. Hearing this, they smiled and said, "Not only were we happy that you small children taught us asana and pranayama so well, you have stolen our hearts too!"
I was very happy that the seeds of yoga planted by Swami Satyananda have grown into a huge banyan tree – and like a banyan tree, it has grown more and more, it will never wither away!
Sangam Kumari Ray (Shivkanya)