YOGA OUTREACH 2023

Anahata Yoga Health & Education Trust – New Zealand

2023 highlights

  • More online content available to reach a wider part of our community who are suffering with health, happiness and harmony issues
  • More events to support mental health, resilience, and practical skills like growing and cooking food
  • Registration of the Meditation Pranayama Teacher’s Training with Yoga New Zealand
  • Participation on several online and in person events and conferences
  • Participation in the Community Program for Women with PTSD
  • The Charitable Trust is gradually becoming stronger with several dedicated active trust board members as well as supporters and a longer term team of residents who have offered their time and expertise.
  • Community outreach in coordination with other sannyasins for programs teaching yoga for high school students
  • A collaborative class with the Te Whare Mahana Mental Health group at Anahata supported by their counsellors for borderline personality disorder group

Mental and physical health has particularly been a strong focus over the last years in all programs as many people are Covid Vaccine and/or Covid damaged and/or have suffered greatly from the isolation during lockdowns, adverse health effects of mask wearing and the psychological damage of being locked out of society, their support groups and their jobs. Many have lost their livelihoods. There are continuing challenges of the current financial crises and a huge rise in sudden deaths and mental and physical health.

On-site events

Yoga Nidra Relaxation, Restorative and Breathing Method Teacher Training, February 2023

A 16 day professional development course, was designed for yoga teachers, health and education professionals or those interested in yoga focused on relaxation techniques health and wellbeing.

Meditation and Pranayama Teacher’s Training, April 2023

A 16 day professional development course, was designed for yoga teachers, health and education professionals or those interested in basic meditation and pranayama techniques for health and wellbeing.

Both courses are followed by a 3 month online training and sadhana package. These courses have proven to be very valuable to the New Zealand Community, due to the increase in mental and physical health needs caused by the pandemic aftermath. The trainings provide tools to teach basic practices so that more people in the greater community can benefit in these areas:

  • Healthcare
  • Integrated into counselling and psychology sessions
  • Women in the menopausal transition
  • Kindergarten Children
  • An Aboriginal settlement in Australia
  • Working in the refugee community
  • Integrated with Somatic Trauma Therapy
  • In the Māori Indigenous Community
  • As support to people who are having mental, physical stress

Environmental activities

Activities including working to protect the beautiful surrounding natural landscape, keeping out noxious weeds, growing organic gardens, starting a new culinary mushroom area, composting, and planting trees.