Balance for better living

PS3 forum discusses maintaining balance in life for a positive existence

chil dren in a wescem society ro information abo u t lifethreatening d iseases l ike cancer. There is a distinct tone of oprimism and inspiration in the mission of chese ladies ro reach out to their compatriots

Iwas privileged ro be a part of the first event hosced b;r PS3 in 201 4, held ac Notting Hill Neighbourhood House on the 27,. of Feb 2014. PS3 (Positiv ity. strength, support and synergy) is a volunteer group of fout empowering women w i th the m ission of bringing together lndi,w women of alJ ages living in Melbourne, to empower chem th rough a series of forums that cover relevant copies that will make a difference in their lives.

These topi c s relate m anythi ng from bringing up

The first forum of the PS3 invited Ranjana Goel as guest speaker. Raojana is a professiona l, but also a celebrant, a he al er, and an empmvered woman with a great personality Her top ic was on 'How to maintain balance in one's life'. She spoke about how to rake care of the self while understanding chat life experiences, learning a n d cho ices matter in creating a healthy balance in an individual. She provided great insights on how to create awareness in oneself whi ch not only alds in enhancing balance, bm also helps in making a differ ence ro soc iecy.

Ranjana's topic generated a l ot of discussion amongst the 12- 1 5 attendees with lots of d iscussion. Questions such as "How can we achieve balance?" and "What factors lead to achieving personal balance" received adept respo nses. She created an atmosphere of lively clrnner, interaction and ideas char helped attendees chink be yond the box. ln con clus ion, Ranjana provided derails abouc her program ca!Jed S1vo)'at11 which bas helped numerous people 1ind balance in their lives

"Thank you Ran jana, for giving us such a great insight on maintaining balance in our lives", was the general sentiment of those attending the forum at irs conclu sion.

\Xle !J done to PS3 for c reating such a forum that is free and empowering for Indian ,vomen, and to Rnnj,rna for sharing her insights and making the event a successful one.

NehaJain

It's physical as well as sp iritual nourishment in the practice of the Surya Namaskar

0;a:::::

d1ings ro do is take a break from the confines of a gy m from time to time and exercise out in nature It's hard to describe the difference of physical activity clone indoors versus in die open. There's the fresh air, wonderful views and the naru.rn l and serene sound tracks of nature - the wind, the birds, the waves Are you feeling the exhilaration yet?

On a recem weekend, some 150 participants rook a break from their Sunday morning routine t o come and e.xperience the collecrive energy o f 108 sun salutations at beautiful Elwood beach.

The 3'' SIIIJ'O)'q/110, a ritual that tal.::es place on the last Sunday of summer every year, was organised by Vasudev Kriya Yoga.

A cloudy grey sky met the calm and white waters around che cool brown sand, as calming

Sanskrit chants reverberated in the air. The soft voice of a young energetic man on the tnicrophone, encouraged a group of enthusiastic parricipants of alJ ages co make yogic postures to tbe 'Surya Namaskar', or Sun Salutation moves Ir was a perfect opportunity to practice in the gemle warm th of tbe rising sun. I did quite a few rounds ro unwind, relax, and stretcll my stiff, sore legs and shoulders. What] particularly love about t he Sutya Namaskar, is that it is accessibl e to the beginner and seasoned pracritioner alike. It is the meac and potatoes (or for vegetarians, tofu and sprouts) of many osa11a practices. Witb the waves gently ro lling on to the shore, it was a very meditative and peaceful tin1e.

It is often said chat Surya Namaskar contains the enrire pracrice of yoga within ir. But whal does iliac mean? If you e.xamine the postur es that make up the sun salutations, you get a wide range of m ovements, forward bend, back bend, being still, lengd1ening the spine, grounding tl1e feet, stre ngthe ning the upper bod y, stretching tlie hamstrings, expanding the lungs and more That is why Surya Namaskar is tbe ideal way LO warm tbe body at the beginning of a yoga practice. Even if you do not intend to practice yoga, the sun salutation is a great way to scare che day, as it also works on tbe mind. B y hearing che breath and ho lding the gaze (d,isbtt), these move ments aUow us to centre ourselves and ro quiet our wandering tnind.

Like many rimals in yoga and in Hinduism, the Sun Salmarions are repeated 108 rimes (die number is sacred and refers to che wholeness of existence).

As we finished the 108'h round, there was a sense of achievement and radiance o n our faces as the swear trickled down, balanced hr the brighmess of che light around us witl1 the sunrise and the sounds o f the birds and waves. Participants reached our ro one another smilin g, some wall.::ing onto the beach to relax o n tbe inviting sand, some of us rushing ro partal,e in die food served by students and volunteers, and some reaching out to buy boqks on the practice o f yoga ar the s tall in the front.

I took the opportunity to catch up with the founder of tlie

Vasudeva Kriya Yoga, Rajendra Yenkannan1oole. Although he has Masters' degrees in Chemical Engineering as well as Business Administration, Rajendra has been reaching yoga in Melbourne since 2004. He began practicing yoga ar the tender age of I 0.

" I believe diac acquired know ledge must be passed on to ochers for the beneli.r of the society," says Rajendra like a

''Rajendra in stru cts a p a r ticipan t true yogi.

Rnjendra reveals thaL he was happy ,vich the rumour of more tl1an 150 participants at this year's mass SLtrya amaskar evem.

"This exercise ba s many heal di benelics," he notes. " J ts regular practice helps with increased energy levels, increased radiance, stre ng thening of die immune system, improved digestion, eyesight and life span and improvement in overall healdi. Above alJ we are invoking tlie grace of ilie L otd in the stm m illuminate our path. As we nourish our outer personality, we must also n ourish our inner personality".

Pinky Bhatia