Whether Yoga and glamour mix is an issue that has been subject to debate over the years but an increasing number of celebrities are getting involved in the ancient Indian practice, spreading its message on a global scale.
Many Indians in general and Hindus in particular may not favour commercialisation of Yoga, which is arguably the most sacred form of mental and physical wellbeing but the best they can do now is to ensure that it is not misused and misinterpreted.
It is however gratifying that many rich and famous people have found Yoga as the means to spread ‘comprehensive wellbeing,’ which include peace and harmony and social and community understanding.
Among them is Danish born actress Elandra Kirsten Meredith, who now extols the virtues of staying young and nubile through yoga.
She will participate in the ‘Kawai Purapura International Yoga Conference’ and Festival due to be held at the leaf-shrouded 19-acre Albany parkland setting in North Shore City from April 27 to 29, 2012.
Kawai Purapura director Jenny Cottingham said that the event will bring “an incredible spiritual atmosphere to the North Shore and offer great autumn family days of fun.”
Yoga traditions
‘The power of yoga in the modern world’ would be the theme of the Conference and Festival. The subjects covered would include yoga traditions such as Astanga, Iyengar, Kundalini, Art of Living, Satyananda, Purna, Vinyasa, Deeksha, Kriya, Krishnamacharya and Samata.
Ms Cottingham said that John Ogilvie from Byron Bay Yoga, a recovered drug addict who is now a famous yoga teacher in Australia will attend the Conference and Festival as a speaker and performer. Yoga swamis who have spent time living in caves in the Himalaya would also be in attendance.
Among them would be Swami Shantimurti Saraswati, who has spent time in the Himalayas and run ashrams around the world for 35 years. He currently lives at a Coromandel retreat centre and teaches yoga in New Zealand and overseas.
As well as attending the Conference, yoga experts will also attend about 50 workshops and open-air music concerts. The Festival will feature vegetarian food, stalls selling products, yoga displays and other items.
Sikh convert
Elandra became famous for her role as Kirsten Lindholm in Hammer vampire horror movies and a string of TV shows, working with popular Hollywood idols such as Roger Moore, Tony Curtis and Bob Monkhouse.
She came to New Zealand as a child with her family, fleeing war in Europe. Her divergent life journey has included directing yoga institutes in San Diego and Hawaii, raising two daughters and training in a wide variety of healing.
Now 68, she spends six months a year living in a beachside village in Auckland with husband Antion Meredith.
Antion is a devoted yoga teacher who will speak at the Conference.
He spent the 1960s as a rock star working with Dusty Springfield and Rod Stewart before becoming the lead guitarist with Eric Burdon and ‘The Animals.’ With his blue turban and tumbling grey beard, Antion is today a master of Sikh sacred music.
For programme details and costs, please visit www.kawaipurapura.co.nz
