Activities
YOGA FOR GENERAL HEALTH & FITNESS: In a minimum seven day course, which starts on Sundays,
we impart training in Asana, Pranayama, Kriyas, and basic technique of meditation or awareness.
Together with this, Naturopathy sessions are prescribed through which one gets rejuvenated, de-stressed
and rid of the accumulated toxins in the body. There are also lectures/discussions/documentaries,
which encourage further understanding about Yoga, Health and Fitness. Silent Walks to the hill, where
Swami Kuvalayananda himself made a Cave for meditation, is part of the seven day stay.
YOGA THERAPY: For individuals suffering from specific ailments, we design a tailor made programme
which is most appropriate and effective in dealing with the specific disorder. We have medical checkup
before starting the progrramme. It is for minimum seven day, starting Sundays. We have facility for
Pathological tests in the campus itself, if need be. We monitor the progress of the individual closely.
Nature Cure therapy is prescribed according to the need of the individual and his condition. Special
diet is prescribed in cases where there is requirement.
SPECIAL WORKSHOPS: Workshops are organized on specific subjects like diabetes, asthma,
hypertension, heart care, arthritis, etc., to focus the attention on that specific point. Workshops include
practical sessions, lectures and discussions & nature cure therapy. It is more in the nature of appraising
the participants towards the subject matter and its remedy through Yoga and Nature Cure.
SEMINARS: The centre also organizes seminars on various subjects. We recognize the need to
disseminate the knowledge of Yoga & Nature Cure and at the same time get people of the same wave
length together to further the cause of Yoga. Seminars witness large gathering of Yoga lovers and
experts not only from the field of Yoga but from field of modern medicine, surgery, ayurveda, yunani ,
homeopathy, naturopathy etc.
PUBLIC WORKSHOPS: For those who cannot come and may be cannot afford, to take advantage of
learning Yoga at the Institute, we make an effort to organize “ training and therapy” workshops for
them. The Centre is concentrating on Young minds, i.e. the students, and is engaged in taking special
workshops in colleges to enable them to understand the philosophy of Yoga and its Practice and
incorporate it in day-to-day life.
The Centre also organizes workshops for special groups like workers, executives, managers, etc., who
have tendency to develop occupational disorders. In the recent past one such workshop was organized
for the employees of Pune Municipal Transport, many of whom suffered from back related problems. A
One-month workshop was organized and it immensely benefited all the employees.
PRANAYAMA SADHANA SHIBIR: Pranayama is one of the most important components of Yogic
discipline. PRANA denotes the energy, which is responsible for all the activities of the body and mind.
Pranayama is a process through which one becomes familiar with the activities of this energy and
ultimately influences it in such a way that it leads to a spiritual experience. Systematic and traditional
practices are taught in this “shibir” by Shri. Om Prakash Tiwari, disciple of Swami Kuvalayananada.
The shibir progresses in 5 steps, each imparting training in higher level of pranayamic practices. The
climax is reached with the practice of “murcha” pranayam. One may attend the basic, or progressive
sessions, depending on the knowledge and practice one has.
The fifth stage is held in the lap of Himalayas in the spiritual city of Rishikesh.
COLLABORATIVE THERAPEUTICAL RESEARCH: Some research projects are also undertaken to
prove the efficacy of Yoga as Therapy. A project which is submitted for approval and grant is Effect of
Yoga on Mentally and Physically Challenged, to which we are looking forward .
THE PRINCIPLE OF HEALTH AND HEALING THROUGH YOGA AND NATUROPATHY
Yoga is a product of the perennial wisdom of India. One can trace the origin of Yoga back to the period
of Indus valley civilization i.e., atleast three thousand years before Christ. All throughout the last five
thousand years it has remained as one of the most important facets of the Indian Culture, remaining
vibrant and responsive to the changing times .
The literal meaning of Yoga in Sanskrit is INTEGRATION. In this sense Yoga represents a process
through which one can learn how to live in the most integrated way. It involves therefore the process of
identification and then elimination of all that would contribute in disintegration.
When taken in this sense it becomes a continuous process, requiring constant vigilance and involving
all the aspects of life. In this integrated way of living, the process of identification of all the elements
causing ill-health and the use of appropriate techniques to neutralize their ill-effects became one of the
primary concerns of Yoga. Thus Yoga, which essentially is a Science of personal growth for spiritual
experiences, has simultaneously become a Science of health and healing.
THREE COMPONENTS OF YOGIC APPROACH WHICH WE FOLLOW
When Yoga is used as a Science of Health and Healing, all its techniques and methods which are
basically meant for spiritual experiences, automatically promote Health and for bringing a Healing touch
to the body and mind suffering from ill-health. For this purpose, the approach, which Yoga advocates
,has three main components.
Asanas induce increased awareness of various physical and psychological processes; through
controlled stretching contraction and relaxation of various muscles, their coordination to balance
and maintain a Posture, etc.. Pranayama practice similarly involves manipulation of breathing
mechanisms along with an increased awareness of pressure changes inside the cavity of chest
and abdomen. Kriyas are the purificatory process which helps us eliminate the toxins in our body.
Dhyana or ‘Meditation’ practices increase awareness of one’s mental processes including thoughts,
emotions, memory etc.. It can make one aware how constant restlessness at the level of mind
contributes in the feeling of emotional stress, feeling of constant fear and insecurity. This increased
awareness combined with the psycho physiological corrections, brings the body back to its healthy,
harmonious and balanced state.
Many a time, when people talk about yoga they focus their attention only on the first component
involving varieties of Asanas, Pranayama and Meditational techniques. Thus they confine Yoga to
a small period of their daily life as if the rest of the day has nothing to do with Yoga.
But really speaking, a Yogic life-style throughout the day, helps more in healing the body than any
one particular component of Yoga. Whatever skills one has learnt from Yogic practices need to
be used throughout the day. In this sense the UPAYOGA i.e. the use of the Yogic skills through
the day needs to be given proper attention. The last two components attend to this Upayoga
aspect of Yoga.
If you undertake Yoga in this spirit, comply with all the instructions given to you; you would find that
Yoga not only gives you relief from your problems but also opens up a new way of enjoying your life.
