For the past two years Dr Ananda has led the Gitananda Yoga family worldwide through the pandemic via so many online offerings that have sustained the experience of the living tradition for everyone. However nothing can really replace the first hand experience of living and learning with the Gurus in the Gurukula. A few of the senior mentors of the Rishiculture Parampara have come together with Dr Ananda and are planning to offer many short term training programs in the ashram. These will enable the sincere seekers to grow and glow in the Rishiculture Gurukula created and nourished by Swamiji and Ammaji.

The first of the in-person training programs restarted at ICYER with Yogacharya Jnanadev, Founding Director of Gurukula Home of Sanatan Yoga Portugal and Yoga Satsanga Ashram, Wales, UK leading the 21-day Gitananda Yogachikitsa intensive from the 1st to 22nd of September 2022 with the benevolent blessings of Pujya Ammaji Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani and guidance of Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani.

Yogachariya Jnandev was the first of the Senior Mentors who volunteered to lead short term courses at ashram and his dedication to the Parampara shone through the entire three weeks. He excelled in sharing the teachings with the students and also made sure that all day-to-day activities went on as smoothly as possible. His noble efforts towards Guru Seva are highly commendable and both Dr Anandaji and Pujya Ammaji were truly pleased with his efforts towards sharing and caring for each and every member of the Yoga family.

He was honured with the Yoga Thilakam award during the Puducherry District Yogasana Competitions and this is a heartfelt recognition of his untiring efforts to spread Yoga in its holistic form both abroad and in India. Ammaji also blessed and released the draft copy of a new extensive Yoga Chikitsa manual authored by him with support from Dr Anandaji.

Yogacharini Devasena Bhavanani offered numerous sessions enabling better understanding of Indian culture including the Bhajans, Mantras, Natyam, Sangeetam and provided deeper insights into aspects of Pranayama and Hatha Yoga throughout the period. Gen Next of the Parampara, Dhivya Priya and Anandraj interacted with the group whenever possible with mutual love and understanding.

Congratulations are due to the amazing members of the ICYER Yoga Chikitsa 2022 team that consisted of Ingunn Hagen of Norway, Ponoran Ovidiu Ciprian of Romania, Richard and Louisa Humphrey of the UK, Sheetal N Sanghvi of India, Kálmán András Oszlár (Bhima)of Hungary, Farah Fernandes Da Silva of Brasil, Anna Woudenberg of the Netherlands who participated actively in all sessions. Yogacharini Sangeeta was present for the initial part of the courses and supported through invaluable inputs. Yogasadhaki Tejaswi and Shirley who are doing their PGDYT from Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth joined in whenever possible.

Yogacharini Sangeeta was felicitated for her invaluable contributions to the Parampara and given official letter of appointment as Director Studies and Research, Gitananda Nada Yoga on 11th September 2022 during the Sunday Guru Puja at Sri Kambaliswamy Madam.

She and Dr Ananda are offering a new Gitananda Nada Yoga program focusing on the Chakras starting November 2022. Details are there on the back cover of this month’s Yoga Life.

The team was blessed to participate in the grand Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, attend Pujas for the Guru Parampara at Sri Kambaliswamy Madam.

They had many interactive sessions with Dr Meena Ramanathan, Sri G Dayanidy and Dr R Balaji of the School of Yoga Therapy at the ISCM of Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth. They also received blessings of our illustrious mentors Prof KR Sethuraman and Prof N Ananthakrishnan and enjoyed an amazing drum circle with students and faculty of the School of Music Therapy.