YL march 2021

Om Ganapathaye ! FIFTY TWO YEARS IN THE PROPAGATION OF CLASSICAL RISHICULTURE ASHTANGA YOGA This month's Yoga Life highlights the wonderful All Night INTERNATIONAL AUM Chanting that for the first time ever went completely MONTHLY online. Every year for the past five decades, students and teachers at Ananda Ashram have come together to chant Vol.52 No. 03, MARCH 2021 the Pranava Mahamantra for the whole night in honor of the birth anniversary of our Paramguru Yogamaharishi CONTENTS Swami Kanakananda Brighu Guru Maharaj. As a result of the Pandemic, this shifted online and it was such an GRATITUDE IS THE HIGHEST ATTITUDE! - 02 amazing 12 hours of Universal Oneness. A detailed report is given inside by the International team of coordinators. TO JUST BE ME ! - 03 The other major event was the Traditional South Indian NEUROPLASTICITY, EPIGENETICS AND YOGA - 04 wedding of Sowbhagyavathi S. Devasena @ Sowmya with Siranjeevi R. Akash @ Narayanan. The whole AMMAJI THE SPIRITUAL DETECTIVE - 10 YOGNAT and Gitananda Yoga family was in attendance for this very special wedding of the elder daughter of FRANKLY SPEAKING BY SWAMIJI - 12 Yogathilakam C Shanmugam and Smt Lalitha Shanmugam held on 25th January at Pondicherry. Sowmya THE MONKEY MIND - 15 was born into the Gitananda Yoga family and right from her early childhood has been one of the shining stars of the SPARSHA MUDRA: THE YOGA OF TOUCH - 17 YOGNAT Team. On behalf of the Worldwide Yoga Family, we wish the young couple a happy, healthy and MANTRA AS SONG OF CREATION - 23 prosperous life together. - 27 UNITING THE WORLD YOGA FAMILY In other Ashram news, Selvi Dhivya Priya Bhavanani was TOGETHER IN AUM recognized as one of the youngest Yoga Professional Members by the Indian Yoga Association after REFLECTIONS ON GURU DAKSHINA - 31 successfully completing her certification from Kaivalyadhama while bagging the highest position in her CCY batch. This multitalented youngster was appointed as Deputy Director of YOGNAT during the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Ananda Ashram in 2018 and has become a darling of so many worldwide through her online offerings. She has also taken up much of the day-to-day running of ICYER and Ammaji continues to bless her and guide her as they both share a special relationship that goes beyond time and space. The official publication of Yoga Jivana Satsangha (International); Vishwa Yoga Samaj (Worldwide Yoga Congress); Sri Kambaliswamy Madam (Samadhi Site); SPARC (The Society for the Preservation of Ancient Rishi Culture); ICYER (International Centre for Yoga Education and Research) at Ananda Ashram, Tamil Nadu. Published from Ananda Ashram City Centre at Yoganjali Natyalayam, 25, II Cross, lyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry-605 013, India. Note: All subscribers will be sent e-copies of Yoga Life every month from January 2021 onwards and hence are requested to register their preferred e-mail at [email protected] to ensure uninterrupted receipt of the journal. Editor and Publisher : Ammaji Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, Editor: (I/C) Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani. Phone: +91-0413-2241561. E-mail: [email protected]; Website: www.rishiculture.in Printers : Sarguru Printographs, Villupuram, Tamil Nadu, India. Subscription Rate: Indian Rs. 500/year; International 50 Euros/ year.

GRATITUDE IS THE HIGHEST ATTITUDE ! Yogacharya Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 02

TO JUST BE ME ! Ammaji, Yogacharini MEENAKSHI DEVI BHAVANANI Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 03

NEUROPLASTICITY, EPIGENETICS AND YOGA Smt. SHAILAJA MENON and Dr ANANDA in Conversation Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 04

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NEUROPLASTICITY, EPIGENETICS AND YOGA Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 08

NEUROPLASTICITY, EPIGENETICS AND YOGA IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT It is planned to move Yoga Life completely online from January 2021 and hence all subscribers and members of Yoga Jivana Satsangha are requested to send us their preferred e-mail to update the database over the next few months. The whole world has moved online, and it is only fitting that Yoga Life also follows suit in these times of virtual reality. Please send your email to [email protected] Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 09

AMMAJI THE SPIRITUAL DETECTIVE Yogacharini LATHA, Senior Gitananda Yoga Mentor, Berlin, Germany Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 10

AMMAJI THE SPIRITUAL DETECTIVE Ammaji's Monumental Trilogy of Yoga History is now available! We have initiated a special offer Ashram Supporter Package to help fund various projects at Ananda Ashram, Yoganjali Natyalayam and Sri Kambaliswamy Madam in Pondicherry, India. You can become an Ashram Supporter and receive the monumental trilogy of Yoga History authored by our beloved AMMAJI Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, the Living Siddha of Pondicherry, along with a 1-year bonus e-subscription to Yoga Life Journal. 1. History of Yoga from Ancient to Modern Times: Vol.I 2. History of Yoga from Ancient to Modern Times: Vol.II 3. Rishi and the Rakshashas 4. One year Yoga Life e-subscription (bonus) Help Support Our Work and Get Your Exclusive 3-Book Package! Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 11

FRANKLY SPEAKING BY SWAMIJI Yogamaharishi Dr. SWAMI GITANANDA GIRI GURU MAHARAJ Founder, Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry. www.icyer.com Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 12

FRANKLY SPEAKING BY SWAMIJI Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 13

FRANKLY SPEAKING BY SWAMIJI “Someday when we die we will lose all our possessions, our power, our family, everything. Our freedom, peace and joy in the present moment is the most important thing we have. But without an awakened understanding of impermanence, it is not possible to be happy.” - Thich Nhat Hanh Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 14

THE MONKEY MIND Yogacharini NIRAIMATHI, Senior Gitananda Yoga Mentor, Australia Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 15

THE MONKEY MIND Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 16

SPARSHA MUDRA: THE YOGA OF TOUCH Yogamaharishi Dr. SWAMI GITANANDA GIRI GURU MAHARAJ Founder, Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry. www.icyer.com Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 17

SPARSHA MUDRA: THE YOGA OF TOUCH Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 18

SPARSHA MUDRA: THE YOGA OF TOUCH Fig.1 Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 19

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SPARSHA MUDRA: THE YOGA OF TOUCH Fig.4 Fig.5 Fig.6 Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 21

SPARSHA MUDRA: THE YOGA OF TOUCH Fig.7 Fig.8 Fig.9 Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 22

MANTRA AS SONG OF CREATION MICHAEL Mc CANN, Member Team 52, Ireland Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 23

MANTRA AS SONG OF CREATION Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 24

MANTRA AS SONG OF CREATION Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 25

MANTRA AS SONG OF CREATION Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 26

UNITING THE WORLD YOGA FAMILY TOGETHER IN AUM A report on the All-Night Aum Chanting organized as part of the Jayanthi of Yogamahari Shri KANAKANANDA BRIGHU GURU MAHARAJ on 2nd February 2021. Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 27

UNITING THE WORLD YOGA FAMILY TOGETHER IN AUM Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 28

UNITING THE WORLD YOGA FAMILY TOGETHER IN AUM Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 29

UNITING THE WORLD YOGA FAMILY TOGETHER IN AUM Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 30

REFLECTIONS ON GURU DAKSHINA NICOLA WRIGHT, Gitananda Yoga Sadhaka, UK Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 31

REFLECTIONS ON GURU DAKSHINA ICYER activities have moved online for the past few months and Dr. Ananda is spearheading numerous online programs broadcast on Social Media Channels of the Gitananda Yoga Family Worldwide. These can be viewed on Facebook at the @yogacharyaABB and @ICYER.Ananda.Ashram accounts as well as Dhivya Priya Bhavanani’s presentations @DPBhavanani. All videos are also available from the YouTube channel @yognat2001. Registrations for Dr Ananda’s multiple online sessions can be done by e-mailing [email protected] Vol.52 No. 03, March 2021 www.rishiculture.in 32