Dr Malini Yugendran
Auckland, March 8, 2023
The Datta Yoga Center of New Zealand (DYCNZ) organised a two-day Workshop on Datta Kriya Yoga last week in Auckland.
About 170 people attended the event held on March 4 and 5, 2023.
Nagaraj Ambale, one of the organisers of the event said that the demand was high and that registration had to be closed ten days before the Workshop.
“Although planned only for 100 persons, we were able to accommodate 170 participants. The Workshop required a commitment of 10 hours per day and we were pleasantly surprised that a large number of people were willing to comply,” he said.
Informative and interactive
The attendees were engaged in theory classes using audio-visual aids as well as practical demonstrations of Kriya Yoga. They were inspired by Shiva Prakash and Chakradhar Rao Ramineedi, who conducted the Workshop.
Todd Fenton, a participant, found the course good and informative.
“Everybody was very helpful and friendly,” he said.
Lawrence Fong, another participant in the beginner’s course, found the detailed explanation of the techniques of Yoga and their purpose useful.
Participants were taught various components of Datta Kriya Yoga, which aimed to improve their physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing.
Participant Jyoti Parashar expressed her personal enjoyment in learning about Pranayama, Mudras, and Asanas, while Kirti Suri also appreciated the efforts of the instructors, saying, “They were great and encouraging, many thanks to them.”
Yogic Food
The organisation provided nutritious breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea to further promote healthy living among the participants.
Archana Ramagowda found the Satvik food a delightful addition to the programme and was impressed by the volunteer support and effort put into preparing the meals.
Satvik food refers to a vegetarian diet based on the principles of Ayurveda.
Pankti Munshi, another participant, said, “It was prepared with love and devotion and was very nutritious and delicious.”
Kirti Patel expressed her gratitude, describing the workshop as ‘absolutely divine and a blessed two-day event to gain awareness on Yoga and enhance mind body and spiritual journey.’
Many other participants told Indian Newslink that they found the Datta Kriya Yoga Workshop enlightening, with a focus on the mind-body relationship and breathing techniques.
They said that the event was filled with interactions and knowledge-sharing. A majority of the participants registered for the regular weekly follow-up Datta Kriya Yoga practice sessions.
The event ended on a high note with a surprise Zoom call from Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swami, the Founder and Head of the Datta Kriya Yoga Centre based in Mysore, Karnataka.
“I felt truly blessed,” Rupa Rao said.
Mr Ambale said that organising a large-scale event has several challenges such as obtaining visas, changing the paid event to a free event, providing catering, and financing, planning, and assigning tasks efficiently.
“All volunteers contributed physically or financially. Despite being from different backgrounds, everyone demonstrated excellence to ensure the event’s success,” he said.
About the Datta Yoga Centre
DYCNZ is a charitable organisation that aims to promote Kriya Yoga and Sanatana Dharma (Hindu) teachings. The organisation holds several events and programmes including weekly Datta Kriya Yoga sessions, Bhagavad Gita learning and Monthly Bhajans, organised by volunteers and devotees.
Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swami is a Spiritual Leader and Founder of the Datta Peetham Ashram, with centres around the world. He is known for his teachings on Sanatana Dharma, Kriya Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga, and is admired for his compassionate and humanitarian work. His devotees consider him to be a guiding light, providing spiritual guidance and inspiration to people from all walks of life.
DYCNZ will be celebrating the International Day of Yoga in June and is also preparing for the visit of the Swamiji with a community well-being programme, using music therapy as a unique approach to curing ailments and disorders.
Readers can reach them via their Facebook page or their website.
Dr Malini Yugendran is an Indian Newslink Reporter based in Auckland.
