World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

28th July - 31st July 2022 Official Programme @WorldYogaFest | #WorldYogaFest

CONTENTS CONTENT

PAGE

Welcome

4-5

Master & teacher bios

7 - 16

Timetable

18 - 21

Family area

22 - 23

Family area teacher bios

24 - 27

Important information

28

Festival site map

29

Entertainment

30 - 33

Article: Rescuing ‘God’ from our ideas

36 - 37

Article: The authentic tradition of Mantra

38 - 39

Article: Understanding energies of pranayama

40 - 41

Article: Anxiety in children

42 - 43

Article: Flying ~ not falling ~ into Love

44

WELCOME...

How often have these words been chanted, yet they hold as great a significance today as they did thousands of years ago. The chant sums up our vision for this festival. Om is the universal sound that is culture and language independent, taking in every aspect of our lives and symbolising the single underlying reality, that we are all one. Shanti meaning peace, is said three times. The first is to bring peace within myself, the second is to bring peace within everyone else and the third is to bring peace to the entire universe.

Hidden in this superficial meaning is a deeper, more profound wisdom that peace is not to be found in the world, but within myself. The world is doing its own thing right now, as it has always done, apparently out of control on issues that I am passionate about, but have little control over. I cannot change the world, but I can change myself to see the world differently. It is the peace within myself that will spill over to others and then ultimately, the world.

It is to discover this peace, to nurture this peace and to share this peace that the World Yoga Festival was created. It is a peace worth discovering, nurturing and sharing, because together, we can influence the world.

A warm welcome to you all and thank you for being part of this Spiritual awakening.

Festival Founders

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World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

All proceeds from World Yoga Festival are donated to the ARSHA KULA FOUNDATION, UK Registered Charity No. 1171708. The objective of the charity is to advance the education of the public in general on the ancient knowledge of India (including the 8 limbs of Yoga, Ayurveda, Jyotisha, Vaastu, Veda, Vedanta, etc).

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MASTERS & TEACHERS Swami Brahmavidananda Saraswati is a traditional and contemporary teacher of Vedanta. He believes that “Vedanta is not only for sadhus but very much for people who are living life to the fullest and who want more from life.” Armed with this understanding, for more than thirty years, Swamiji has taught and reached out to different groups of people – students of Vedanta, students and teachers of yoga, seekers and people across all ages and stages of life.

Connections Between Yoga & Vedanta. Explaining the connection between yoga and vedanta using the definitions of yoga.

Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati has

The Yoga sutras of Patanjali (select verses). Besides asana, what is the sadhana in Yoga? Select sutras bestowed by Sage Patanjali will be taught for sadhana.

Self-mastery through sadhana helps one for selfdiscovery through Vedanta.

dedicated her life to serving the Vedic tradition by teaching Advaita Vedanta. Her offerings range from the depth and breadth of self-growth to self-discovery through Vedanta courses, the podcast, ‘Vedanta - The River of Wisdom’, insightful videos, workshops and retreats in India and abroad. She is the author of ‘You matter – Insights from Vedanta.’ A Hindu monk who currently lives in Mumbai (India), she is a direct disciple of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati. She had a 15 year career impacting 15,000 street children annually, post her qualification as a psychologist.

Svadharma – Living a life of purpose and connectedness What can anchor us when times are uncertain and shifting? It has to be more than a method or technique.

It is Dharma which helps us to transform our lives with meaning and connection. We drop our resistance and can bring our gifts into this world with our svadharma.

The seeker is the sought. We will see the meaning in the light of Vedanta.

Rupert Spira was deeply interested in the nature of reality from an early age. At the age of seventeen he learnt to meditate, and began studying and practicing the teachings of the classical Advaita Vedanta tradition under the guidance of Dr. Francis Roles and Shantananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of the north of India, which he continued for the next twenty years.

During this time he immersed himself in the teachings of P.D. Ouspensky, Krishnamurti, Rumi, Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta and Robert Adams, until he met his teacher, Francis Lucille, in 1997. Francis introduced Rupert to the Direct Path teachings of Atmanada Krishnamenon; Jean Klein and the tantric tradition of Kashmir Shaivism; and, more importantly, directly indicated to him the true nature of experience.

Non-duality meditation followed by Q&A.

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MASTERS & TEACHERS Usha Devi is the resident instructor at Guruji Iyengar Yoga Centre in Pune, and has been living in India since 1985, serving at Omkarananda Ashram in the Himalayas.

In 1993, she began to study yoga with the world famous Yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar “Guruji”. She continues to study with his daughter Gitaji.

Iyengar Yoga masterclasses. In her teaching, Usha Devi is very precise and strict. As a result, her students are often astonished by the level of personal application and awareness that they are able to achieve during her classes. For many, the first impression is of a hard, demanding teacher; this is true, but students quickly realize that Usha Devi’s disciplined approach arises from a genuine love for others and a natural selflessness which enables her to form quite a unique relationship with the students in her classes. Under Usha’s continual guidance, students are allowed to achieve depths of yoga practice that they had no conception of before.

Yogi Kamal Singh is known for his energetic and

Ashtanga Yoga asana practice masterclasses. The results of Kamal’s classes are often profound, students have returned home with straighter backs and clearer minds.

André Riehl has been a student of yoga since 1972,

Prana kriya Sadhana. An investigation into the sacred dimension of our humanhood.

motivating Ashtanga classes at Tattvaa Yogashala, an inspired yoga hall overlooking the Ganges River in Rishikesh, India. A class with Kamal includes powerful adjustments which safely teach students the depths of each asana. Students come from all over the world to take his classes and commonly practice with him for one or more months at a time.

having lived in a Himalayan monastery before spending several years in a spiritual quest in India among masters and instructors of diverse traditions. He had the opportunity to deepen his spiritual practice with Kashmiri Babu, an ascetic monk in the Shivaite tradition. He was profoundly touched by his contact with J. Krishnamurti and Sri Ma Ananda Mayi. It was finally his decisive meeting of Chandra Swami in the Brahmanic lineage of the Udasins that allowed him to integrate all the previous teachings. Returning to France, he devoted several years to the study of teaching yoga within the schools of Swami Shivananda, Lucien Ferrer, Nil Haoutoff and Sri T.K.V. Desikachar.

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Mantra Sadhana. Mantra vibration chanting from the Shaivaite Kashmir tradition.

Nidrâ Yoga Sadhana. Expansion of the sensory system in intuition.

MASTERS & TEACHERS Uday Bhosale is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher

Iyengar Yoga masterclass for all experience and levels.

Uday aims to bring clarity through clear, concise and precise instruction. Making every asana accessible to the beginner as well as challenging to the more advanced practitioner, he always starts with the basic fundamentals of each asana and bring instructions that allow each practitioner to connect to that at their own level.

Stewart Gilchrist is known throughout London for his popular, fast-paced and fiery classes. He infuses his high energy and challenging teachings with yogic knowledge, banging beats, as well as his unique charisma, humour and gift of the gab!

Vinyasa workshop. Based on the Ashtanga and Iyengar tradition, his classes include an emphasis on breath, a steady stream of verbal suggestions and strong physical adjustments. For open-minded students looking for a challenge, Stew’s classes will push you to take your practice further. Stewuruji applies the ancient teachings of yoga to the modern world to create a thoughtprovoking class. Stewart talks the whole sequence throughout the class. Asanas are not demonstrated.

Ram Banerjee is a Meditation and Vedanta teacher

FastTrack to Freedom. The gift of human birth is like being handed a complementary FastTrack coupon at a busy airport after a gruelling long-haul flight. By being born human, we are endowed with the ability for selfreflection, to contemplate personal goals and plan for their fulfilment. This is our route out of the trials and tribulations of life (sa sāra) into a permanent state of fulfilment (mōk a). Why then, do the vast majority of us never make it out? Through teaching, analysis and meditative contemplation, Ram will guide you through this mess of people, objects and situations that we call the world, to the FastTrack line. Whether you choose to take it is, as always, completely your personal choice.

Leon Ballie’s yoga story started 20 years ago, his first

Dharma Yoga. Leon will be leading a dharma yoga masterclass with direct lineage from Sri Dharma Mittra expect lots of heart openers, pranayam and arm balances.

trained at the mother institute in Pune under Guruji (B.K.S. Iyengar), Geeta Iyengar and Prashant Iyengar. He came to yoga from a background of martial arts but was drawn to yoga under the tutelage of these masters. He began my learning and teaching in Pune from 1999 and has taught a wide variety of classes.

from the Arsha Vidya tradition who, since 2010, has run a weekly meditation and Advaita Vedanta group and provides regular talks and guided meditations to yoga gatherings. Under the influence of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Ram started to study the Vedic teachings in depth. Recognising his ability to acquire and convey knowledge as well as achievements to date, Ram was honoured in July 2018 with the title of Arsha Vidya Yogashree by Swami Santatmananda, the resident head of teaching at the Swami Dayananda Ashram in Rishikesh, India.

practice was with Billy Doyle (BWY), and this was the beginning of a lifelong passion. Leon has studied Kashmir hatha, vinyasa flow, Ashtanga and rocket /progressive Ashtanga yoga & hot yoga, and Dharma yoga. Leon’s students enjoy his vast knowledge of the body gained over 20 years of experience, and the fun, friendly and inspiring classes he shares with them.

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MASTERS & TEACHERS Sandra Barnes is a free spirited yogini, originally from Argentina where her yoga journey started in her early 20’s. She offers a unique earthy style and her soothing accent, voice and words from the heart cannot be forgotten. Creating and holding space for others through workshops, classes, retreats and ceremonies, you can often find her sharing alongside her daughter Sofia who follows in her footsteps. Together they birthed Love All Ways Yoga with the belief in the medicine and power of gathering in togetherness with like minded souls to open and receive loving energy.

Shakti Flow Yoga. Ignite your inner Shakti as we celebrate the gifts of the divine feminine. Shake, feel, flow and express your uniqueness. Alchemise your dreams and desires into being and beyond through juicy, nourishing movement, woven together with positive affirmations, guided meditations & beautiful visualisations. Together we will journey through the chakras.

Yoga Nidra & Sound Journey. Be guided on a journey of awareness, with words as your ship voyaging through the body with love. With soothing sounds from an array of healing instruments used throughout to leave you drifting dreamily ready for bed. Bring cosy items & layers!

Earth salutation. Shine like the sun, reflect like the moon and celebrate earth and its kingdom of creatures. Awaken your inner wild as we flow through a sequence of 24 animal based poses. A joyful session that connects us to and celebrates nature.

Sofia Barnes is a joyful earth loving mama and cocreator of Love All Ways Yoga alongside her own mama Sandra. Growing up immersed in Sandra’s offerings and always assisting with the workshops and retreats, she naturally came to journey down the never-ending path of learning and sharing in her early 20’s. They now support one another and others to birth and alchemise their visions and dreams into being. Nature and its rhythms, seasons and cycles bring them an endless source of inspiration and they feel blessed to have been lucky to travel and live in different areas as a family, always exploring and adventuring new realms and activities.

Cacao ceremony with elemental alchemy dance journey.

Journey through body, being and beyond. Joining together in circle to drink ceremonial grade Cacao within a plant medicine concoction that welcomes the heart space to ignite, open and blossom - ready to receive. Set off on a voyage of exploration, awakening our bodies range of expression and feeling, on a trip through the elements - Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space. Tuning into these ancient wisdoms we all hold, as the medicine of gathering in ceremony and free flowing movement awakens within us. Music will support our unravelling.

Culminating with a sound journey, allowing our energies to settle, leaving us feeling expansive and spacious.

Lisa Colclough is the founder and main teacher at

Yoga Fun time session. A mix of energising vinyasa flow, some playful partner work (come along - we will pair you up!) and relaxing yin yoga to finish. Expect to have fun and build strength and suppleness in this light-hearted session.

Sole 2 Soul Yoga. She teaches retreats and workshops on vinyasa flow and hatha yoga, handstands, yin yoga and meditation. A keen philosophy student, the ancient techniques and philosophy are part of every session and can transform your life. Lisa has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and her style is light hearted, inclusive and accessible although she will always challenge you to your fullest potential!

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MASTERS & TEACHERS Angela Cresswell has been living and practicing

Yoga for more than 15 years. She studied intensively under Swami Govindananda in Kerala, India, in 2012 and 2017 and undertook 6 months intense Sadhana (spiritual practice) at a remote, family run Ashram in India called Arsha Yoga. She returned to the UK in 2014 and started Pradhipa Yoga, specialising in stress management and embodied movement.

108 Sun Salutations is a spiritually significant number in many traditions from yoga to astrology to religion.

Practicing 108 rounds of traditional Surya Namaskar will build heat that is cleansing and detoxifying, moving stagnant energy (prana) and leaving you feeling light and energised. At times you may wish to stop (and you are most welcome to rest), but eventually you will drop into a meditative state and find meaning in this ancient ritual.

Traditional Sivananda class.

Tarik Dervish holds a BA Hons in Ayurveda and

has been running workshops and courses in Yoga with an Ayurvedic approach since 2003. He is a Yoga teacher trainer for the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY), has trained dozens of Yoga teachers and taught thousands of students in his 25 years of teaching. His main approach is to help students establish a sound physical practice that is appropriate for their Ayurvedic Constitution as a foundation for deeper, subtle, meditative work. He is the author of Ayurveda in Yoga Teaching, co-runs the BWY accredited Ayurveda in Action Online Module with Dr Cathy Mae Karelse and has contributed to the Yoga Teaching Handbook and Yoga Student Handbook

Ravi Dixit is an Indian Yoga teacher living in London.

In his early twenties he studied Hatha and Ashtanga Yoga while living at several Ashrams in Rishikesh. Over the last 15 years, he has been teaching thousands of students across the world. Ravi is passionate to bring back the essence of traditional Yoga and making it understandable for everyone. In November 2020 he was critically injured in a road accident and spent over a month in the ICU. He feels that the power of Yoga played an essential part in his survival and recovery.

Asana with an Ayurvedic approach. A basic understanding of Ayurveda can help us identify what kind of practice best suits our temperament and needs according to season and time of life. This workshop will explore the basic tenets of this approach.

Dinacharya - Ayurvedic daily routines. Ayurveda lays very heavy emphasis on proper daily rituals for maintaining health and wellbeing. This workshop will explore some key Ayurvedic recommendations related to diet, lifestyle and exercise.

Hatha Yoga & Pranayama. Breathe, stretch, relax…

Restore the connection with yourself through the classic practice of Hatha Yoga with the use of pranayama breathwork, dynamic asanas and mantra. This authentic yoga class has a focus on connecting breath with movement to bring harmony to body and mind.

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MASTERS & TEACHERS Pallavi Dodia, an evangelist of healthy living is a

Kriya yoga. Pallavi will guide you through the Kriya Yoga techniques from the Himalayan Yoga Vedantic tradition of Paramhansa Yogananda’s lineage. Kriya yoga is referred to as the “Yoga of Action or Awareness”. It is a scientific technique of God-realisation. It imparts spiritual benefits along with the physical benefits. It reinforces and revitalises subtle currents of life energy (prana) in the spine and brain. It decarbonizes the blood and recharges it with oxygen.

Echo Elliot is a yoga teacher based in Central London,

Yin Yoga. Echo’s teaching style is playful and creative, she has a very keen eye of detail to ensure the practitioners work into the poses safely. Expect to build strength and flexibility, laugh and to embrace falling and wobbling out of postures.

Debbie Farrar is the founder of Feel Now Yoga. Since she began teaching in 1999, Debbie has been gradually developing a therapeutic and somatic approach to yoga. Feel Now Yoga serves as a reminder that we often ignore how we currently feel for the sake of a future that might not happen or a past that is long gone. Debbie invites us to tune into, reflect upon and trust our own feelings and common sense. Debbie teaches ensible yoga for sensitive people and her sessions will guide you towards your inner felt sense through a nourishing somatic practice. Debbie is the Acting Chair of the Independent Yoga Network.

Remapping the Shoulders and Pelvis to Explore our Sashay. The mental maps we have of our bodies define the way we move. If we develop a more accurate map of our anatomy, we can cultivate harmonious relationships between our different parts which can then be integrated into more functional whole body movements that can be brought into everyday life.

Joe Hoare is a Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher and

Laughter yoga for joy is a practice of embodied and joyful awareness. It is a ‘living lightly’ approach to embodiment, breath and connection. It is inherently playful and spontaneous, with both dynamism and stillness. The sessions allow and encourage creativity, engagement and connection in a warm and safely held space. We explore embodiment, breath & voice and open-hearted connection with ourself and others.

Sessions are more suitable for adults than children though everybody is welcome and finds their own level.

Highly Specialist Physiotherapist and an International Yoga practitioner. She is has been persistently contributing to the Health and Wellness industry since 2008 across the globe. She was born and brought up in India. Her cultural ties to the ancient Yogic practices in her motherland India paved the way for a passion in deepening the inner knowing. In the pursuit of higher education, she completed her Masters in Cardiovascular Rehabilitation in the UK in 2010. With a keen interest in research and innovation, she has worked on developing a new walk test for low capacity individuals in the UK.

she has been teaching for over 5 years and practicing yoga for nearly 12 years. She turned to yoga as path of recovery from depression and disordered eating and knew it was a tool to help heal her form these past traumas. Echo has trained in various schools of Yoga including Yogasana, Hot Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa, Yin and massage to develop her skills in both anatomy and assisting.

Ambassador, trained by Dr Madan Kataria, the Founder of the Global Laughter Yoga Movement. In the late 1990’s he ran British Medical Association approved stress management courses for health professionals. He started his laughter yoga practice in 2002 and founded the Bristol Laughter Club in 2003, which continues to this day.

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Remapping the Spine to Liberate the Breath. The map we have of our respiratory system defines the way we breathe. We can support our breath through our movement, especially if the spine is free to be breathed.

MASTERS & TEACHERS Dan Joy is an author, life coach, mediator, cuddle therapist and lomi lomi massage teacher. Having degrees in theology, organisational development supervision and bank management, he’s got a versatile experience both in working in the corporate sector and in the field of complementary therapy. Dan’s liberating journey towards self-expression and compassion guided him through shadows and lights, expending the embodiment of this human existence to be one where your eyes see heaven but your feet are rooted in earth. His mission is to facilitate the awakening of humankind, with the gift of being able to help people to feel home in their bodies.

The Here And Now Breathing Practice. A journey of integrated mindfulness and embodiment.

Siri Sadhana Kaur is an approved KRI Lead Kundalini

Kundalini yoga session. Kundalini yoga is a combination of breath, movement, and sound. It derives from the Sanskrit word kundal, which translates to “coiled energy.” Our energy gathered at the base of our spine is released through the seven chakras, and out the crown of our head. “The process of growth through Kundalini Yoga is a natural unfolding of your own nature,” Yogi Bhajan said.

Krishna Khunti trained as a Reiki Master over five

Om (Sound) Healing/Chanting. Om is the primordial sound creating and pervading the whole universe and belongs to all humanity, all nations and all religions.

When you go through this simple but powerful process, emotions are released and inner peace and love arises.

It leads to a more joyful life and supports our health and our meditation practice. This is ultimate universal healing as we send much love and light out to the entire planet as well as work on our own spiritual vibration.

Andy Kobelinsky cartwheeled her way around the

Yin Yoga, Dreamy Sounds & Poetry. You will always leave Andy’s classes feeling uplifted, challenged and positive about your practice. With her great energy she will always push you to work harder whilst being equally supportive, funny, encouraging and soulful in her approach to the mind, body, and soul. Also the music she plays is such a treat for the ears, Andy has an understanding of how much music can affect you.

yoga trainer, and is qualifed at Level 1, 2 and 3. She is a touring UK mantra recording artist and dancer, who loves to embodying the sacred through movement, melody and rhythm. As a musician she has recorded an eclectic mix of 9 music mantra albums. Sharing her music, the timeless teachings of Kundalini and indigenous technology, she encourages others to dance and sing their joyful depths, incorporating ceremony to consciously awaken and become the instrument and true light of the soul.

years and qualified as a 500hr accredited Yoga Teacher in India. Her workshops and classes are an amalgamation of profound, precious yet simple practices focussing on the accessible, authentic and inclusive yoga and wellbeing for all.

world with Argentina’s gymnastics team, before settling in London in 2003. And she has been practicing yoga ever since. in 2013, she decided to become a teacher and have now trained in many styles of yoga including Yin, Vinyasa Flow and Forrest Yoga, learning from brilliant teachers such Biff Mithoefer, Rocky Heron and Noah Maze. Biff has been a great inspiration to Andy and has had a major influence on how she teaches yoga and lives her life off the mat.

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MASTERS & TEACHERS Sumit Manav is a renowned Yoga Guru from India.

Through the understanding of the current lifestyle trend across all age groups, he has created a fusion of ancient and modern Yoga practices to help cure many of today’s lifestyle ailments. Sumit’s journey began from a North Indian town in Uttar Pradesh, from where he then proceeded to the Himalayas – the home of pure Yoga.

This is where he discovered Yoga as the path to human consciousness and overall well-being. Sumit began his Yoga practice at the age of 18 under the guidance of his Guru Shreeram Sharma Acharya in the Himalayas. During his four-years training, he interacted with the mystics and it was this experience that brought him closer to understanding the physiology and psychology of the human body.

Yin Yoga & Pranayama. We will target the deep connective tissues of the body (vs. the superficial tissues) and the fascia that covers the body. Yin Yoga helps regulate the flow of energy in the body, and is unique as you learn to relax in the posture, soften the muscle and move closer to the bone; offering much deeper access to the body.

Jyoti Jo Manuel is the founder of Special Yoga. For the last 25 years she has implemented and shared sustainable therapeutic yoga programmes and trainings for children with special and additional needs globally.

Jyoti is a spiritual leader, setting the standard for a positive, heart-led and compassionate approach towards teaching yoga to children and young people.

Family Yoga. Jyoti will be teaching this session for the whole family in the Children’s Tent as well as leading a general yoga session.

Kiran Ratna began her studies in dance at an early age in India and started learning Bharatanatyam in the UK from Chitraleka Bolar, with further advanced training in India from her guru’s guru Ullal Mohan Kumar.

Kiran has directed, choreographed and performed many innovative works that have won her Company much acclaim. Over the last 4 decades, Kiran has done a great deal to introduce the British audience to the flowing grace and exquisite precision of Bharatanatyam.

Introduction to Bharatanatyam Dance workshop.

Deepika Saini has been a yoga practitioner for over

Introduction into the hathena sequence of the Gitananda Yoga tradition. Lung opening techniques required to access prana and to gain capacity for advanced Pranayamas, followed by a deep Shava asana following the savitri Pranayama.

25 years and is a senior teacher in the Gitananda Tradition. Deepika trained at ICYER, Ananda Ashram India in 2006 and after furthering her training their she is now one of the few worldwide 3000 hours advanced senior Gitananda Teachers who returns to the ashram yearly to assist with the teacher training courses.

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Yogi-Na with Chakra Beej Mantra Meditation.

Practice meditation on the seven Chakras that lie along the spine, from the base to the crown of the head. Each of these Chakra points is responsible for the organs and glands situated in its region. The seven Chakras are also responsible for our personality traits and characteristics.

Of these, the most important and fascinating is the Agya Chakra, or Third Eye, which we will try to activate and experience through this session!

Continuation of the Hathena sequence with vybhaga sectional breathing and nada. Sound work practicing the Pranava AUM, followed by Shava asana following extended rhythms of Savitri Pranayama. We will also work on the Pradakshina Pranayama which works on the vybhaga/sectional breathing, helping physical and emotional health and healing.

MASTERS & TEACHERS Satish Sharma is well known in InterFaith as a Dharmic Theologian. He has been recognised for his understanding of the Dharmashastras and was granted authority to speak on the Six Darshanas (Visionary Philosophies) of Sanatan Dharma in Europe. A frequent speaker in Parliament, you can see his work on Tedx. As an accomplished YogaAcharya, he has taught the British Army and in NHS Hospitals, as well as those struggling with depression for many years.

Rebooting Yoga in Britain. The journey of Yoga is one of transcending twists and turns, obstacles and delusions and even “dead ends”, individually and collectively. As we emerge from the pandemic and try to rebuild the nation, Yoga practitioners have unique skills which can transform adversity into opportunity. Has the practice in Britain reached a plateau or are we preparing for an evolutionary leap forward? Where does “British Yoga” go from here?

Join me in recharging your practice, re-centering Yoga in your daily life, and exploring and refreshing these ideas.

Bobby Sira began his journey over 15 years ago to

Ayurveda & Western Medicine: How Two Become One. This talk aims to not only bring Ayurveda into your life, but demonstrate how it can be perfectly combined with the current healthcare provision around you. One science does not need to be negated for the other, but the two can become integrated in such a way that your health and wellness journey is one.

Kimberley Soni is an avid cook, and an Ayurveda

Ayurvedic cooking demos. Kimberley will be leading cooking demonstrations that reflect Ayurvedic principles to food and its preparation. She will also be leading a session in the Teen Tent.

Luci Trendle is a senior teacher with The Traditional

A Twist a Day Keeps the Doctor Away! This class will focus on the spine and explore its rotational ability within many given asanas. With the reminder that every part of the body is interconnected, we will observe how the depth of rotation affects, and is affected by, other parts of the body, and indeed the breath.

merge the science of the East and West and understand his own spiritual transformation. He stepped into the progressive path of Yoga and Ayurveda while keeping close to the clinical world to ensure he understood the changing landscape of health. For over 20 years, he worked in pharmacy and the Development services for patients both in the NHS and private sectors. The more he treated people with conventional medicine, the more he observed the reliance on drugs and the decline in responsibility for one’s own health.

obsessionist, combinjng these two passions in her food.

She believes in using food as a medicine, and sourcing local seasonal produce to enable nature to be a guide in terms of health and well-being. Kimberley has travelled to India to learn from the most authentic Ayurvedic teachers that she could find, and has trained as a chef in the UK.

Yoga Association®, having qualified under the wing and wisdom of Swami Ambikananda, and has been teaching for 16 years. With the experience and knowledge of the transformative benefits of Yoga, Luci teaches with a therapeutic approach, and appreciates that everybody’s physiology is different. Her classes are focussed, themed and mindful. Luci teaches both public and private classes from her own Yoga Studio, located in a rural farm setting, west of Reading.

Happy Hips! For most of us, the hips can be tight, so in this class we will explore the range of movement in our hips before progressing through many hip opening asanas - our objective being to increase the range of movement in the hip joints, whilst simultaneously promoting pelvic stability as we strengthen the supporting musculature.

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MASTERS & TEACHERS Helena Turner (Swatantra) has been practicing yoga

The Sacred Geometry of Yoga - Embodying your creative self. A creative yoga class that connects us to the sacred geometry of yoga. We will be mixing both the drawing of a mandala, using a compass, pencil and paper, alongside exploring these shapes and concepts through asana, breath and contemplation. At the end of the session, you will have created your own unique mandala to colour in and contemplate. Mandalas are circular drawings, believed to represent different aspects of the universe, our journey inwards, helping us see the interconnectedness of all living things. Creating mandalas can help us feel calm and centred.

Ram Vakkalanka is an internationally known Nada Yogi, Yoga philosopher, Sanskrit expert and Meditation instructor. Ram belongs to the spiritual lineage of the ancient Yogi Dattatreya and is a master of Nada Yoga which teaches us to rise above the noise, go deep into our heart and discover an inexhaustible source of inner peace, health and strength.

Mudra meditation sessions.

Manish Vyas is composer, singer, multi-instrumentalist and teacher (tabla, santoor, harmonium, swarmandal, keyboard and other percussion from India.) Along his life-long musical path, he has composed hundreds of songs, mainly in the devotional, mystical, folk, instrumental and sufi genres. He has released 20 original albums until the present, and has also collaborated with dozens of other musicians with his compositions, voice and instruments.

Mantra Workshop – tools and techniques for our daily practice. The purpose of mantra chanting in the path of Yoga is to generate specific vibrations and connect with the universe, and the response will depend on how that call is done. The practice of Naad & Raj Yoga – union with the universal vibration through music – helps us raise and become one with the universe. Open your heart and your mind; come immerse yourself in a combination of meditation, breathing techniques, sound vibrations, and mantras. In this workshop we will explore various types of mantras and learn how to chant them and use them effectively in a meditation practice. Learn the symbolic meaning, mythology and power of devotional chanting.

Sheila Whittaker is a sound healer, musician, gong master and teacher with a background in classical music.

As a professional violinist having studied at the Royal College of Music, she had a thriving career in the mainstream classical music world for many years, both playing and teaching. Some 18 years ago she became a sound healer, obeying the call to use her musical abilities in a more focused, holistic way.

Gong for self care. For relaxation, stress relief, clearing of old energetic debris so that we are ready to move forward, lighter and more focused. Just Be, relax and receive the gong sounds.

for over 25 years and teaching for 15 years. She initially trained with Yoga Alliance and then went on to further train in Satyananda Yoga. She has also been influenced

by Buddhist and tantric teachings and has attended several Vipassana courses. In her spare time, she makes beautiful Yantras and Mandalas, a form of meditative art.

She has taught many workshops on Yoga and Creativity, including drawing the Chakras, Sacred Geometry numbers 1-10, and Yantra Painting.

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World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

Gong for raising our Energy vibration. Tuning the body’s subtle energy system with gong sound, clearing the chakras and subtle energy channels, enabling emotional healing, preparing us for Ascension.

THURSDAY TIMETABLE

Thursday 28th July 2022 Time

Space Tent

17.00 – 17.30

Air Tent

Fire Tent

Water Tent

Gates Open to All Ticket Holders

17.30 – 18.00 18.00 – 18.30

18 : 30

18 : 30

18 : 30

18.30 – 19.00

Sandra Barnes The Goddess within

19.00 - 19.30 19.30 – 20.00 20.00 – 20.30 20.30 – 21.00 21.00 – 21.30 21.30 – 22.00

Other Activities

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20 : 00

Welcome Ceremony

20 : 00

Satish Sharma

Rebooting Yoga in Britain 20 : 00

20 : 00

Sitar recital by Roopa Panesar 22 : 00

17:30 - 18:30 (Chai Tent)

Meet the festival team

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

22:00 - 23:00 (Fire tent)

Laura Gubbins

Recital - Path of the Mystics

Key:

,

Asana (postures) and Pranayama Yoga Philosophy Other

FRIDAY TIMETABLE Friday 29th July 2022 Time 7.00 – 7.30 7.30 – 8.00 8.00 – 8.30 8.30 – 9.00 9.00 – 9.30 9.30 – 10.00 10.00 – 10.30 10.30 – 11.00 11.00 – 11.30 11.30 – 12.00 12.00 – 12.30 12.30 – 13.00 13.00 – 13.30 13.30 - 14.00 14.00 – 14.30 14.30 – 15.00 15.00 – 15.30 15.30 – 16.00 16.00 – 16.30 16.30 – 17.00 17.00 – 17.30 17.30 – 18.00 18.00 – 18.30 18.30 – 19.00 19.00 - 19.30 19.30 – 20.00 20.00 – 20.30 20.30 – 21.00 21.00 – 21.30 21.30 – 22.00

Other Activities

Air Tent

Space Tent 7 : 30

Fire Tent

7 : 30

7 : 30

Kamal Singh

Deepika Saini

9 : 00

9 : 00

9 : 00

9 : 30

9 : 30

Ashtanga Yoga

Usha Devi

Helena Turner

11 : 00

11 : 00

Iyengar Yoga

11 : 30

Rupert Spira

Tarik Dervish

13 : 00

13 : 00

13 : 30

13 : 30

Sheila Whittaker

Pallavi Dodia

Gong bath 15 : 00

15 : 00

15 : 30

15 : 30

Usha Devi

Tarik Dervish

Iyengar Yoga

17 : 30

Kamal Singh Ashtanga Yoga 19 : 00

20 : 00

Manish Vyas in Concert 22 : 00

FastTrack to Freedom 11 : 00

11 : 30

Sw. Brahmaprajnananda Patanjali Yoga Sutras 13 : 00

13 : 30

Swami Brahmavidananda

Connections: Yoga & V Vēdantā

Key:

9 : 30

Luci Trendle 11 : 00 11 : 30

Lisa Colclough Yoga Fun Time 13 : 00

13 : 30

Jyoti Manuel

15 : 00

15 : 00 15 : 30

Patanjali Yoga Sutras 17 : 00

17 : 30

Swami Brahmavidananda

Connections: Yoga & V Vēdantā 19 : 00

Advaita Vedanta (Non-Dual Teaching)

Prana Kriya Sadhana

15 : 30

Swamini Brahmaprajnanda

17 : 00

17 : 00

André Riehl 9 : 00

Ram Banerjee

Yoga & Yantra

11 : 30

7 : 30

Ram Vakkalanka

Pranayama

9 : 30

Water Tent

Joe Hoare

Laughter aughter Yoga 17 : 00

17 : 30

Debbie Farrar 19 : 00

Yoga Nidra

Asana (postures) and Pranayama (Breath control)

Meditation

Ayurveda (knowledge of life and longevity)

Other

Sound Therapy

Yoga Philosophy

16:00 - 17:30 (Chai Tent)

22:00 - 23:00 (Air Tent)

22:00 - 23:00 (Fire tent)

07:30 - 09:00 (Outside)

Ayurvedic Cooking

Yoga Nidra with Sound Bath

Recital - Path of the Mystics

108 Sun Salutations

Kimberley Soni

Sandra Barnes

Laura Gubbins

Angela Cresswell

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

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SATURDAY TIMETABLE

Saturday 30th July 2022 Time 7.00 – 7.30 7.30 – 8.00 8.00 – 8.30 8.30 – 9.00 9.00 – 9.30 9.30 – 10.00 10.00 – 10.30 10.30 – 11.00 11.00 – 11.30 11.30 – 12.00 12.00 – 12.30 12.30 – 13.00 13.00 – 13.30 13.30 - 14.00 14.00 – 14.30 14.30 – 15.00 15.00 – 15.30 15.30 – 16.00 16.00 – 16.30 16.30 – 17.00 17.00 – 17.30 17.30 – 18.00 18.00 – 18.30 18.30 – 19.00 19.00 - 19.30 19.30 – 20.00 20.00 – 20.30 20.30 – 21.00 21.00 – 21.30 21.30 – 22.00

Other Activities

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Space Tent

Air Tent

7 : 30

7 : 30

Kamal Singh

Deepika Saini

9 : 00

9 : 00 9 : 30

Ashtanga Yoga

9 : 00

Ram Banerjee

FastTrack to Freedom

10 : 30 11 : 00

11 : 00

Siri Sadhana Kaur

11 : 30

Sheila Whittaker

Kundalini Yoga 12 : 00

Gong bath

12 : 30

13 : 00

14 : 30

Manish Vyas

15 : 30 16 : 00

Usha Devi

Sandra Barnes

Iyengar Yoga 17 : 30

17 : 30 18 : 00

Kamal Singh

18 : 30

Radhika Das

Ashtanga Yoga

Kirtan Workshop

11 : 00

13 : 00

Bobby Sira

Ayurveda & Western medicine

André Riehl

Mantra Sadhana 13 : 00

13 : 30

Sumit Manav

15 : 00

15 : 00

15 : 30

15 : 30

Kiran Ratna

16 : 00

Luci Trendle 11 : 30

13 : 30

15 : 30

9 : 30

11 : 30

Living a Life of purpose

14 : 00

Rupert Spira

Iyengar Yoga

11 : 00

Sw. Brahmaprajnananda

Stuart Gilchrist

13 : 30

Uday Bhosale 9 : 00

9 : 30

Power Hour

Iyengar Yoga

Bharatanatyam Dance by Vibha followed by Radhika Das and Friends 22 : 00

Ram Vakkalanka

Echo Elliot

Usha Devi

Water Tent 7 : 30

7 : 30

Pranayama

9 : 30

19 : 30 20 : 00

Fire Tent

Bharatanatyam Dance Workshop 17 : 00

17 : 30

Swami Brahmavidananda

Connections: Yoga & V Vēdantā 19 : 00

Ravi Dixit 17 : 00 17 : 30

Joe Hoare

Laughter aughter Yoga 19 : 00

19 : 30

Key:

Advaita Vedanta (Non-Dual Teaching)

Yoga Nidra

Asana (postures) and Pranayama (Breath control)

Meditation

Ayurveda (knowledge of life and longevity)

Other

Sound Therapy

Yoga Philosophy

Bonus: 07:30 - 09:00 (Outside)

Angela Cresswell 108 Sun Salutations

14:00 - 15:30 (Chai Tent)

22:00 - 23:00 (Air Tent)

22:00 - 23:00 (Fire tent)

16:30 - 17:30 (Chai Tent)

Ayurvedic Cooking

Yoga Nidra with Sound Bath

Recital - Path of the Mystics

Impact of gut on hormones

Kimberley Soni

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

Sandra Barnes

Laura Gubbins

Trish Tucker-May

SUNDAY TIMETABLE

Sunday 31st July 2022 Time 7.00 – 7.30 7.30 – 8.00

8.00 – 8.30 8.30 – 9.00 9.00 – 9.30 9.30 – 10.00 10.00 – 10.30 10.30 – 11.00 11.00 – 11.30 11.30 – 12.00 12.00 – 12.30 12.30 – 13.00 13.00 – 13.30 13.30 - 14.00 14.00 – 14.30 14.30 – 15.00 15.00 – 15.30 15.30 – 16.00 16.00 – 16.30 16.30 – 17.00 17.00 – 17.30 17.30 – 18.00 18.00 – 18.30 18.30 – 19.00 19.00 - 19.30 19.30 – 20.00 20.00 – 20.30 20.30 – 21.00 21.00 – 21.30

Air Tent

Space Tent 7 : 30

Fire Tent

7 : 30

7 : 30

Kamal Singh

Deepika Saini

9 : 00

9 : 00

9 : 00

9 : 30

9 : 30

Ashtanga Yoga 9 : 30

Usha Devi

Iyengar Yoga 11 : 00

Leon Ballie

Dharma Yoga Masterclass 11 : 30

12 : 00

Nikki Slade (Kirtan) 13 : 00

12 : 00

Andy Kobelinsky Yin Yoga 13 : 30

13 : 30

Kamal Singh

14 : 00

Helena Turner Yoga & Yantra

Ashtanga Yoga 15 : 00

15 : 30

Usha Devi 17 : 00

17 : 00

FastTrack to Freedom 11 : 00 11.30

Sw. Brahmaprajnananda The seeker is the saught

19 : 00

Closing Ceremony Odissi Dance by Maryam followed by

Adrian Atma

Key:

Shivananda Yoga 11 : 00

11 : 30

Sumit Manav 13 : 00 13 : 30

15 : 00

15 : 30

Satish Sharma

Rebooting Yoga in Britain

18 : 30

9 : 30

Angela Cresswell

13 : 30

Swami Brahmavidananda

Cacao ceremony with elemental alchemy dance

Iyengar Yoga

13 : 00

Connections: Yoga & V Vēdantā

17 : 00 17 : 30

Sofia & Sandra Barnes

Uday Bhosale 9 : 00

Ram Banerjee

15 : 30

Iyengar Yoga

7 : 30

Ram Vakkalanka

Pranayama

Water Tent

Dan Joy

Mindful Meditation 18 : 30

Advaita Vedanta (Non-Dual Teaching)

Debbie Farrar 15 : 00 15 : 30

Krishna Khunti 16 : 30 17 : 00

André Riehl Nidra Yoga 18 : 30

Yoga Nidra

Asana (postures) and Pranayama (Breath control)

Meditation

Ayurveda (knowledge of life and longevity)

Other

Sound Therapy

Yoga Philosophy

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

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FAMILY AREA ical - a truly mag e family area young people to Join us in th d an ga. for children ’ through yo opportunity t ‘Our World ou ab n ar le to offer to be able d this year teens and n, re ild We’re thrille ch r sessions fo creative special yoga lented and d by our ta kend le l ee al w e es ili th ut fam rs. Througho from yoga teache rtunities to hear talks po pport there’ll be op on how we can best su tiful beau Jyoti er d an off ire so la al C s. We n and teen . our childre workshops mindfulness e are glitter! Ther e must have , so pop ng ni or m Of course w each es on duty Glitter Fairi arkled up! by to get sp , educate and inform ait to inspire es. It’s ili m fa ur We can’t w t you and yo n to the re ild ch and enchan e to introduc rly ea ! o to ga r neve world of yo wonderful

High Flying Birds & Butterflies Work with a range of craft and recycled materials to create beautiful bird & butterfly puppets.

Drum Happy Workshop Join us for a joyous and invigorating drum session, playing drums and percussion in an awesome rhythm jam. sary, No prior knowledge or experience neces open to everyone!

Soothing Sounds Meditation, breath work with gentle sounds & sound healing, finishing with a m ini sound bath.

Family Area terms and conditions The Children’s Tent is suitable from birth up to age 12.

Children must not be left unattended.

The Teen Tent is strictly for ages 13+.

On entry to the Teen Tent, an adult parent/guardian will be asked to sign a disclaimer and to leave emergency details.

We cannot accept responsibility for children participating without parental supervision.

We cannot accept responsibility for belongings (although we usually have a lost property box at end of day).

We cannot accompany children to the toilets so please bear this in mind.

No food or drink is to be consumed in the workshop space.

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World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

FAMILY AREA Time 9.00 – 9.30 9.30 – 10.00 10.00 – 10.30 10.30 – 11.00 11.00 – 11.30 11.30 – 12.00 12.00 – 12.30 12.30 – 13.00 13.00 – 13.30 13.30 - 14.00 14.00 – 14.30 14.30 – 15.00 15.00 – 15.30 15.30 – 16.00 16.00 – 16.30 16.30 – 17.00 17.00 – 17.30 17.30 – 18.00 18.00 – 18.30 18.30 – 19.00 19.00 - 19.30 19.30 – 20.00

Chirdren's Tent (up to age 12)

Friday 29 July

Saturday 30 July

Sunday 31 July

Friday 29 July

Glitter time / Mindfulness with Sarah

Rise and Shine Yoga with Katie

Exploring your special Gifts Yoga with Susan Yotism Yoga

Gruffalo Yoga with Katie

Glitter Time / Water Yoga with Claire

Fire Yoga with Claire

Mindfulness with Sarah

High Flying Birds and Butterflies (Part 1) Art with Gemma Glitter Time /

Journey to the Seaside

Yoga with Lizzie Finding your Inner Warrior Yoga with Susan

Family Yoga with Jyoti High Flying Birds and Butterflies (Part 2) Art with Gemma Glitter Time / Wisdom for Kids

Yotism Yoga

Finding your wings of change Yoga with Susan

Soothing Sounds with Heather

Kind Minds Yoga with Lizzie Soothing Sounds with Heather

Glitter Time / Storytelling Yoga with Katie High Flying Birds and Butterflies (Part 3) Art with Gemma Glitter Time / Earth Yoga with Claire The Wonders of the Amazon Storytelling Yoga with Lizzie Mindfulness with Sarah Soothing Sounds with Heather

Teen Tent (Age 13+ only) Saturday 30 July

Sunday 31 July

Life Hacks to start the day

Life Hacks to start the day

Life Hacks to start the day

Upbeat Yoga

Upbeat Yoga

Upbeat Yoga

Drum Happy Workshop & Instrument Making (open to all ages)

Drum Happy Workshop & Instrument Making (open to all ages)

Drum Happy Workshop & Instrument Making (open to all ages)

Yoga for Me with Lisa (Fun class for all)

Yoga for Me with Lisa (Fun class for all)

Yoga for Me with Lisa (Fun class for all)

Survival skills with Ruby

Survival skills with Ruby

Ayurvedic cooking with Kimberley

Ayurvedic health with Angela

Chilled Yoga with Mark

Chilled Yoga with Mark

Drum Happy (Open to all ages)

Drum Happy & Fire pit (open to all ages)

Thriving Post-Covid with Charlotta Chilled Yoga with Mark Drum Happy (open to all ages)

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

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FAMILY AREA TEACHERS Ellen Clinch is a qualified Primary School teacher with specialist training in child, special needs and teen and adult yoga. After teaching yoga at a children’s refugee camp in Dunkirk, Ellen went on to complete Special Yoga training for children with ADHD and Autism. She is trained in Teen Yoga and works in a secondary school Autistic Unit, teaching pupils in one-to-one sessions and is now enjoying teaching adults having completed her training with Universal Yoga.

Ellen is our wonderful Family Area co-ordinator.

Tabatha Alcaraz Suthers started her yoga journey in Year 10 when her school introduced the initiative. She was struggling to cope with OCD but after her first yoga session she discovered a life-changing sense of control over her mind. As a result she joined the Teen Yoga Foundation to help share the healing power of yoga.

Teen Yoga. Tabatha is joining Charlotta Martinus as a Teen Yoga Ambassador in the Teen Tent.

Katie Arscott is a qualified Children’s Yoga Teacher,

Children’s Yoga. Katie will be teaching in the Children’s Tent.

Elk Burland has been a keen musician since the 80’s, when he began playing the saxophone in groups and as a street musician. He currently spends much of his time working as a sound engineer and producer. He also has a passion for personal development and the positive psychology movement, he trained as a councillor in 2007. Elk now runs Drum Happy where these two worlds meet and the therapeutic benefits of music are made accessible to all.

Rhythm Jam Workshops. Join us in a joyous, rhythmic romp, playing hand drums and percussion in an awesome rhythm jam! No prior knowledge or experience is necessary as we will briefly instruct you on how to hold and play the instruments, and empower you to channel your inner musician. Experience the buzz of creative collaboration in this relaxed, fun and invigorating session. There are few guarantees in this life, but we feel confident that you will leave happier than when you arrived. Instruments are provided, all welcome.

Teen Yoga Teacher and Adult (Sivananda) Yoga Teacher. Katie has continued to study and gain further qualifications in Yoga Therapy for PTSD, Restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga, Awareness of Mental Health, Yoga for Cancer, Mental Health Awareness for Sport & Physical Activity. She also studied the the Warriors at Ease program training specially to deliver techniques and trauma informed protocol, supporting the health, resilience and connection of the entire military community, both serving personnel and veterans.

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World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

FAMILY AREA TEACHERS Susan Davies is a yoga teacher, children’s mental

health practitioner, and author of the Believe-In childrens books. Believe-In is a full holistic mind-body approach which brings the fantastic therapeutic benefits of yoga, breath, along with cognitive strategies, psychoeducation and other holistic therapies. This full bodied approach uses proven evidence based tools to help reduce children’s anxiety, worry, whilst building a child’s emotional literacy and regulation as well as building their resilience to adversity.

Inner Warriors. Children’s yoga for emotional regulation, anxiety, worry and resilience.

Wings of Change. Children’s yoga class which works on building resilience.

Special Gifts. Children’s yoga class which allows us to explore and build upon self esteem.

Mark De’Lisser is a youth mentor, play worker, nature

Chilled Yoga. Mark will be leading Chilled Yoga sessions in the Teen Tent.

Lisa Harwood is a registered nurse with over 30 years experience working in clinical and senior leadership nursing roles. Lisa qualified as a yoga teacher in 2018, Teen Yoga teacher 2020 and 500hr training with Debbie Farrar in 2022. These have influenced her development of the ‘Yoga For Me’ Approach making yoga fun, accessible and inclusive to teenagers and adults with learning disabilities.

Yoga For Me. Lisa will be teaching this fun family class for all in the Teen Tent.

Angela Hope-Murray has been in practice for over 40 years and is an Ayurvedic Practitioner and Marmapuncturist Msc, Nutritionist MA and Osteopath BSc. She has written 3 books, ‘Healing with Ayurveda’, ‘Ayurveda For Dummies’ and ‘An Outline of Musculoskeletal Medicine and Ayurveda’. Angela gives lectures worldwide on Ayurveda in daily life.

Ayurvedic Health. Angela is leading a session on Ayuveda for young people in the Teen Tent.

facilitator and poet with many years of experience working 1:1 and in groups with vulnerable young people.

He is also a fully licensed Thrive practitioner. After developing a dedicated meditation and yoga practice, Mark took part in the Teen Yoga course and now embeds his training in his work with young people. Mark uses his love for creativity and play to inform all of his work and is passionate about empowering young people to feel valued and to find their voice.

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

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FAMILY AREA TEACHERS Claire Hutchins has been practising yoga from the age of 16. She is a qualified Mini Me Yoga Ambassador sharing the benefits of doing kids yoga and mindfulness.

She is a trained Cosmic Kids Yoga Teacher and completed the 27 hour Rainbow Kids Yoga training at pineapple studios in London. She is also a Story Massage Practitioner and uses this technique in her classes. Combining music and yoga, she set up Chillax Kids in 2016.

Fire Yoga. Claire will be teaching family Fire Yoga in the Children’s Tent.

Gemma Kirby is an experienced Art Facilitator working with all ages and abilities. With a background in Public Art & Design, she has worked in a variety of community arts settings as well as undertaking mural commissions. Gemma currently works as an Education & Community Practitioner at the Corn Exchange in Newbury, where she delivers arts workshops on a regular basis for early years, primary, secondary school aged children and adults. Gemma’s main aim in her work is to support people in building confidence in their artistic abilities, to have fun being creative and using art for wellbeing.

High Flying Birds & Butterflies. Gemma will be leading these fun and engaging art workshops in the Children’s Tent.

Charlotta Martinus is founder and director of the

Thriving Post-Covid. Charlotta will be leading this session in the Teen Tent.

Teen Yoga charity (since 2004) that brings yoga to teens worldwide. Her book, ‘Teen Yoga for Yoga Therapists’, was published in 2018 and she was awarded the prestigious Master of Yoga award (Yoga International) as a result of her work with 100,000s of young people across the world. Her courses are recognised by the Duke of Edinburgh Award and also the College of Medicine. She is a regular contributor at education conferences, the BBC and for yoga magazines worldwide. The charity also conducted the largest research programme on yoga for young people in the West, showing improvement in wellbeing, social cohesion and sleep.

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World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

FAMILY AREA TEACHERS Heather Parker began her journey with sound healing almost 16 years ago and studied at the College of Sound Healing. She has also done Shamanic Drumming, Soul Retrieval and is now a tutor for the college. She’s been facilitating sound baths for 10 years and loves to work in this way, helping people with their wellbeing and helping them to relax. Her approach is fun and down to earth.

Soothing Sounds. Children will enjoy active meditation, breath work and sound healing, followed by a mini sound bath in the Children’s Tent.

Jon Powell started his yoga journey in order to

Yotism Yoga. This approach is suitable for all ages and abilities, and is particularly beneficial to those on the autistic spectrum. Jon will be teaching Yotism Yoga in the Children’s Tent.

Sarah Salmon offers light hearted and playful

Mindfulness. Playful activities to help us focus our attention in the present moment through our bodies, breath and the environment around us. Sarah will be teaching Mindfulness sessions in the Family Area.

Lizzie Stroud is a qualified Primary School Teacher. She

Journey To The Seaside. Lizzie will be running this storytelling session in the Children’s Tent.

support his autistic son. It was recommended that he attend yoga classes; however, none were available locally that could meet his needs and so Jon decided to qualify to help his son himself! Jon completed reflex yoga teacher training in 2020 with ‘Yotism’ - a method which combines traditional hatha yoga with reflex therapy.

mindfulness sessions, intuitively weaving together movement, breath, sensory and self awareness games and practices. The emphasis is on embodiment, grounding and relaxation for wellbeing. Having felt the benefits of yoga and meditation since her teens, Sarah has been facilitating sessions for others since 2013 after observing how these practices helped her own children through some challenging years. She is currently enjoying facilitating in a primary school Autism unit and privately one-to-one through Brilliant Beings.

is passionate about nurturing children’s well-being and in 2021 qualified as a children’s yoga and mindfulness teacher facilitated by YogaBeez school (accredited by Yoga Alliance International). Lizzie captivates the children’s curiosity through themes, songs, stories and games, enhancing the connection between mind and body.

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

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USEFUL INFORMATION Medical & Welfare Please find a steward for help or visit the First Aid Point.

Stewards For assistance, please ask anyone in an orange World Yoga Festival T-shirt.

Food & Drink Food/drink is provided by different food outlets in the main area and Chai Tent. All food is 100% vegetarian, with vegan and gluten-free options also available. Please inform the servers if you have any food allergies. World Yoga Festival does not sell alcohol anywhere on-site. Please remember to keep hydrated throughout the day.

Recycling Please re-use your water bottle wherever possible and recycle responsibly.

Mobile Phone Charging Subject to availability, limited mobile phone charging packs are available from the Box Office for a fee.

Toilets & Showers Toilets are situated in all arena and camping areas. Shower facilities are situated in the Camping area.

Valuables Please look after your valuables. The festival cannot take any responsibility for lost/stolen items.

Cash Subject to limited availability, cash may be available to withdraw from the Box Office for a fee.

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World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

Dogs/Pets With the exception of assistance dogs, animals are not permitted onto the festival site.

Lost Property Please visit the Info Tent for lost property.

Train Times The nearest train station is Henley-onThames, and the last train for London leaves at 23.46 on Friday, 23.58 on Saturday and 22.00 on Sunday. Please visit the Information Tent for more details.

Local Taxi Numbers Henley Taxis: 01491 574222 Chiltern Taxis: 01491 578899 County Cars: 01491 579696 Local Buses The Arriva 800 and 850 buses run along Marlow Road and travel between Reading Henley and High Wycombe.

Shuttle Service A car shuttle service will operate at the following peak times between Henley-onThames train station and the festival site for a donation of £2 per journey. Please visit the Box Office for more details.

Thursday: 5pm - 9pm Friday: 8am - 10am and 7pm - 9pm Saturday: 8am - 10am and 7pm - 9pm Sunday: 8am - 10am and 7pm - 9pm Leaving The Site Please leave no trace when vacating the campsite and ensure you take all rubbish with you.

FESTIVAL MAP

Map illustration by Priya Banerjee Programme design by Cristina Riveiros Photographs copyright Andrew Prod

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

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ENTERTAINMENT

Roopa Panesar is considered one of the

finest sitar players to emerge on the Indian Classical Music scene from the UK. She is a disciple of the renowned educationalist and leading musician of the UK, Ustad Dharambir Singh ji MBE (a disciple of the late Ustad Vilayat Khan), and was recognized as a talent for the future. She began her training at the age of seven, under her Guru until present day. She also learnt from the senior most disciple of the late Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pandit Arvind Parikh ji. Her musical vision has been enriched while receiving guidance from other outstanding musicians visiting the UK including Ustad Shahid Parvez, Pt Buddhaditya Mukherjee and Ustad Bahauddin Dagar.

Roopa is joined by tabla maestro Upneet Singh, and percussionist and senior disciple of Vidwan Sri M. Balachandar, of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Pirashanna Thevarajah.

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Manish Vyas was born in Gujarat, India and has been learning and teaching music for more than 25 years, which he learnt throughout his life with different maestros in India. Initially, his first connection to Indian classical music was when he learnt Tabla with Zinda Hussein in childhood and his first concert happened when he was just 12 years old in Rajkot. At the same time, he was learning Harmonium and singing in the company of family and local musicians who would gather to sing on a regular basis. At the age of 20, having moved to Pune to pursue his musical career (and also following his spiritual master), Manish continued learning Tabla with Ustad Allarakha. He remained in Pune for many years while he was in charge of the musical department at the Osho Ashram, organizing and performing concerts with Osho’s presence. During this time, he also learnt to play Santoor and Keyboard. Manish met Jagjit Singh and played with him in a big performance presented at the Osho Samadhi. This maestro of ghazals, classic and devotional music was a big influence in Manishs’ musical vision - as well as his spiritual master Gurudev, who taught him how to compose and use music to reach awareness, meditation and become at one with the music.

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

Radhika Das, in 2007, began reflecting on a world that he felt was in the most part frustrated in its search for happiness and deeper truth.

The solution, he discovered, was the practice of Bhakti Yoga, the path of love and devotion. He decided to dedicate more time to absorb himself in the ancient practice of Kirtan and discovered the beauty of mantra.

Radhika is devoted to helping people, whether it be from an existing yoga or spiritual background or to those with limited or no exposure to the practices.

His aim is to help you to feel more fulfilled through mantra meditation and a holistic way of living; deeply connecting the mind, body and soul. Radhika Das also helps to run ‘Kirtan London’, a project which aims to make sacred mantra music accessible and relevant to a wider audience, including schools, mental health institutions and outdoor events.

ENTERTAINMENT

Nikki Slade Vibha Selvaratnam is a leading trained pioneer in in the Bharatanatyam field of chanting,from corea voice very early and sound age from work her in the mother UK. Nikki Kiran has Ratna. inspired Her thousands outstanding of talent individuals has propelled to chant and her onto has led thechanting international workshops for dance manyscene. corporations She is regularly including invited M&C Saatchi, to perform Deutcshe at theBank NADA andNrityotsava Cisco. She at hasthe also VRC taken Academy her cutting of Music edge& approach Dance in India to working as wellwith as performing the voice into throughout Wandsworth the UK. men’s She prison has been and she highly is the praised resident for the voice choreographic facilitator at theinnovation Priory hospital shownininNorth her works London such where as Nayika she hasand impacted experimental the collaborations recovery of hundreds with The ofFusion addictsProject. over the Vibha past 13has years. co-choreographed and performed in many productions with India Dance Wales, most recently taking the lead role in the dance drama “Shakuntala”. She heads India Dance South West (a branch of India Dance Wales est. in 1993) and continues to choreograph and perform regularly and is involved with collaborations to explore her art form further.

Laura AdrianGubbins Atma is weaves an orchestra deep in clarity one body,

with a travel humorous around metaphor, the whole world reciting in mystical one song, poetry a whisper from from 13ththe Century soul. Persian Sufi Rumi and 14th Century Kashmiri Yogini Lalla, accompanied The concert “Mystic

by TomLoop” Parryisplaying a very the guitar touching andexperience the duduk.and Thethe mystics’ audience timeless poetry often report describes to have the been soul’scarried journeyaway towards and the elevated. deepest Wemysteries, dive deepand intothe thestruggles and multi-layered ecstasy experienced auditory experience along theof way. the loopstation, acoustic instruments, beatbox Having groove fallen and voice. into a traditional style ‘disciple and master’ relationship with her Kashmiri Sufi Like guide no other, ten Adrian years ago, blends Laura with started a virtuosity journey deep the sounds into mystical of Indian experience.

Sitar, Guitar, Studying indian bansuri the great (flute), mystics’ Violin texts and duduk. from He various takes you traditions on the journey over those in his years, mystic revealed universe that with the flavours mystics’ of Indian voicesclassical, of the heart flamenco, transcend shamanic, the separation mantras, middle of specific religious eastern.. paths. Now, without interpretation or commentary, Laura’s devotional recitals bring The Idea alive ofthe thisvision project that is the basemystics on speak of, improvisation, deeply relevant spontaneity in contemporary and channeling. times.

Therefore the performance is always unique.

The same seed songs are performed but always with variations specific to the moment and the audience.

Nikki Slade is a leading pioneer in the field of chanting, core voice and sound work in the UK. Nikki has inspired thousands of individuals to chant and has led chanting workshops for many corporations including M&C Saatchi, Deutcshe Bank and Cisco. She has also taken her cutting edge approach to working with the voice into Wandsworth men’s prison and she is the resident voice facilitator at the Priory hospital in North London where she has impacted the recovery of hundreds of addicts over the past 15 years.

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Offi cialcial Programme World Yoga Festival 2022 - Offi Programme 2531

ENTERTAINMENT

Maryam Shakiba is a performing artist

dedicated to sharing the beauty and richness of odissi. Her practice focuses on the experience of inhabiting the body through dance and movement, and the process of developing emotional sensitivity and personal growth through rigorous immersion in dance.

Arachai & Joe have been Inspired by their travels around the world. They bring together the instruments of Handpan, Didgeridoo, Guitar and voice to create a sound experience that will not only get you moving, but also thinking.

Maryam performs regularly as a soloist and as part of the Odissi Ensemble, the UK’s leading professional odissi company, and has travelled to India extensively to deepen her understanding of the cultural context from which Odissi has grown.

Odissi is a form of Indian classical dance from the state of Odisha; a dance that began life over 2000 years ago as a sacred offering within temples. The dance in its original form saw it danced by Maharis; women who lived in the temple complex and devoted their lives to dancing for the divine. The dance was offered then, as it is now, to Lord Jagannath – the principal deity in Odisha. Odissi was nearly lost during India’s history of foreign occupation, but following independence the dance was revived and given the classical form we see today.

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World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

Omar Aziz is a multi-Instrumentalist sound practitioner specialising in Gongs, Handpan, Flutes, Djembe and other world instruments to provide a powerful and diverse Sound Bath experience. He has spent time with many great teachers along the way including Sheila Whittaker, Don Conreaux and Robert Horwell, to name just a few.

For the last year, Melanie Swire has been working alongside Omar as his apprentice in sound alchemy, bringing with her, her love of the Didgeridoo.

Laura Gubbins weaves deep clarity

with humorous metaphor, reciting mystical poetry from 13th Century Persian Sufi Rumi and 14th Century Kashmiri Yogini Lalla, with musical accompaniment. The mystics’ timeless poetry describes the soul’s journey towards the deepest mysteries, and the struggles and ecstasy experienced along the way.

Having fallen into a traditional style ‘disciple and master’ relationship with her Kashmiri Sufi guide ten years ago, Laura started a journey deep into mystical experience.

Studying the great mystics’ texts from various traditions over those years, revealed that the mystics’ voices of the heart transcend the separation of specific religious paths. Now, without interpretation or commentary, Laura’s devotional recitals bring alive the vision that the mystics speak of, deeply relevant in contemporary times.

The Arsha Kula Foundation, the charity behind the World Yoga Festival, is running new Meditation and Vedanta courses, starting this autumn, given by the founder Ram Banerjee, affectionately known as Ramji. All proceeds from the classes go to the charity.

“The single most important reason to be born as a human being is so that you come to understand that you are not the mind and body. “

NEW MEDITATION AND VĒDANTĀ COURSES! WITH RAM BANERJEE

Aparok ṣanubhuti by Adi Shankara 25 weekly classes every Wednesday, 7.30-9pm Starting 7th September 2022 Fee: £150 payable in two instalments of £75 each

Learning to Meditate 15 weekly classes every Sunday, 7.30-9.00pm Starting 11th September 2022 Fee: £90 payable at the start. Scholarships available All classes are recorded and the class video, audio and notes are distributed to all attendees.

There is also an active WhatsApp group for participants.

For further information, please visit www.arshakulafoundation.org/courses

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Rescuing ‘God’ from our ideas One of the niyama-s, observances as laid out by Rishi Patanjali in the Yoga sutras includes Isvara pranidhānam – surrender to Īśvara, God. Further, the great teaching of Vedanta is Tat tvam asi - That God you are.

of Spiritual-but-not-religious who come to Yoga and Vedanta. The challenge they need to overcome is scepticism and a pride in one’s reason. It is evident that God needs to be rescued!

Many are keen on Yoga and Vedanta but not too keen to relate to Īśvara and hence are denied its full value. If one wants to fully be blessed by Yoga or Vedanta then one has to open one’s heart to God. But our idea of God is filtered through our existing ideas of God which are remnants from childhood.

Because of our earlier conditioning related to ‘God’, we use Īśvara interchangeably for God in the rest of the article.

The truth is - God is as we are. The way I see myself and the world reflects in how I see and understand God. The way I understand God is reflected in how I see myself and the world.

In a Christian culture, the conditioning of being a sinner and a judgmental God can be very strong and many reject these ideas. In a Hindu culture one advantage is growing up with hearing the glories of different manifestations such as Bhagavan Rama and Krishna. The disadvantage is that due to our projections they may be seen as flawed beings. Further, as modern science starts to dominate our lives, if we cannot find a reason for some behaviour, we don’t say as true scientists will say – this needs further research. As pseudo scientifically minded people we say – if it cannot be explained it better be dismissed.

There is a growing group of atheists, agnostics and the growing category 36

situations in life. The world and my mind are battlefields. I don’t trust easily and feel restless most of the time. If only things go my way, I would be peaceful. I fear loss and being abandoned by my dear ones and God.

A devotee is the one who has discovered love for Īśvara. This classification of devotees by Bhagavān himself could be considered as different groups and could also be considered as stages of devotion of the bhakta, devotee relating to God. The disposition of these different devotees is described.

STAGE/GROUP 2 – ARTHĀRTHI – the devotee who seeks security and pleasure/ prosperity. God is the all-powerful one who answers my prayers. I am an achiever who wants Artha, (Wealth) Kāma (Pleasure) and Dharma (Universal values). I am also a bhoktā, an experiencer, as I define myself by my experiences. I try to maximize experiences in work, family, finances and pleasure. I am happy when I get what I want and really sad when I don’t. I value logic and reason and definitely think that God has created this creation intelligently. I am afraid of failure and prefer to keep God in good spirits by praying to him.

I am interested in Yoga and Vedanta to the extent that it gives me power to achieve whatever I want. I am interested in mantra-s, kriyas-mudra-s and other methods to be phenomenally powerful. My challenge is turning away from God when desires are not fulfilled and having a false sense of superiority.

STAGE/GROUP 1 – ĀRTAH - is a devotee who prays to God because and when she is distressed. God is the one who protects me. He hands out reward and punishment. I swing from fear in the face of things that I don’t want to loving devotion when I get what I want. I am a survivor struggling with the different

STAGE/GROUP 3– JIJÑĀSU is the person who desires to know the reality of God. Īśvara is known as the Cosmic Order is the material and intelligence for all laws and principles.

I see the world as a manifestation of Īśvara – his material and intelligence including me. It is a world of countless possibility, discovery and

Bhagavān Krsna offers a four-fold classification of bhakta-s, devotees in the Gita(7.16) चतुर्विधाभजन्तेमांजनाःसुकृतिनोऽर्जुन| आर्तोजिज्ञासुरर्थार्थीज्ञानीचभरतर्षभ|| १६|| Arjuna, the foremost in the clan of Bharata! People given to good actions, who worship me are four-fold - the distressed, the seeker of security and pleasure, the one who desires to know (Me), and the one who knows (Me).

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

by Swamini B Brahmaprajnananda

wonder. Mokśa is my ultimate pursuit and hence the mumukśutvam, desire for mokśa has transitioned into jijñāsa, a deep desire to know oneself.

The connection between what I want and who I am is clear and I am studying Yoga and Vedanta with a guru. Prior to this I explored a lot, but was stuck in one or the other spiritual experience. My general attitude is one of being peaceful, self-aware with a growing sense of objectivity.

about God being the intelligent cause. Now with exposure to Yoga and Vedanta, I see Īśvara as pervading the entire world. My understanding of Īśvara grows and I am in gratitude in seeing and marveling at the order. There are moments of insight – the svarūpa, nature of Īśvara and me are one. My challenge is certain obstacles that cover my understanding the svarūpa, nature of myself. The tradition blesses me.

Dharma, universal values, which is a manifestation of Īśvara is the abiding framework for functioning. The world is a series of karma and karma phala and hence I don’t live in threat and fear. I relate to others by being a kind and loving person and seek to be a nimitta, an instrument in the Lord’s hands. I try to live a life of contribution performing my svadharma which includes pancha-mahāyajña (sacred duties towards people, environment, ancestors, gurus and devata-s).

STAGE 4 – JNĀNI – The wise one God is the pure being that is Satyam Jñānam Anantam Brahman (Existence, Consciousness, Limitless).

The world is a manifestation of me, pure being, one without a second.

Whatever I do, is out of the fullness that I am. I illumine the mind which is a form in the consciousness that I am. The body-mind is just a form which is in me like all the forms of the universe.

I, including my mind is in the psychological order that is pervaded by Īśvara. I am in harmony with the laws and principles of the world. I use the mind as an antah-karana, inner instrument. I have a growing acceptance and have worked on my peace with my past, money, family, partner, children and the quality of my life. The different situations in life have prepared me in terms of antah-karana-śuddhi, purification of the mind and naischalyam, steadiness. I seek to know the svarūpa of Īśvara. Earlier I was clear

I know Īśvara directly and immediately. I relate to him with deep love and playfulness that comes from my sense of oneness. I revel in Īśvara ‘s li̇̄lā. ‘I am that’ and hence Vedanta reveals the reality. Nothing is a challenge including old age or disease or what the world considers a challenge. All that is here is me.

Swamini Brahmaprajnananda is a teacher of Advaita Vedanta. discoveratma.com

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The authentic tradition of Mantra and sacred music from India

The relevance of authenticity There is a famous story called “The naked king.” A wealthy king was once approached by some weavers who offered to create the best dress possible for him. They also claimed that the uniqueness of this dress was that it would be only visible to smart people.

The king gave away a lot of his wealth for this so-called miraculous dress and finally when it was ready, he ‘wore’ it.

There was a procession on the streets to show the dress which ‘could be only seen by intelligent people.’ Since no one wanted to be ridiculed, everyone was praising the dress saying how amazing the king looked. Apparently a child on the father’s shoulders got a glimpse of the king and screamed loud: “The king is naked!” Everyone tried to silence him, but the child had no fear of the truth, so he revealed the truth saying that the king was naked.

This is a witty illustration of what happens to people like me, who have grown up in India surrounded by an amazing diversity, languages, food, music, colors, festivals, traditions, rituals… when observing how our culture is represented in the west. Somehow one discovers that the same culture that one had absorbed and assimilated over so many years, is displayed completely differently and rather “disgracefully” generating consternation and sadness.

Sadness about the superficiality of such a wealthy tradition. If one is genuinely interested in ancient sciences from mystical India and has studied them for years, one will not only be overwhelmed by their depth, beauty and power, but one will also feel utterly humble, 38

feeling that one has entered a bottomless ocean, which begins but never ends.

nature of the Self, being this its ultimate purpose.

Twenty years ago, as I had started touring the world as a musician, I came across the growing scene of western bhakti music and initially was good news to see the interest in our tradition, but as the sounds of this bhakti music started flowing towards me, I became more and more stunned. As an Indian growing with bhakti around me, I could not relate to this presentation where one cannot distinguish the bridge between the content and the music. The whole perspective of its roots, history, beauty, authenticity and above all its sacredness and grace was absent. I tried to explain to people and many of them would still not see it – I was like that child who showed the truth about the naked king.

Mantra had nothing to do with a newage trend, where concerts and entertainment have become the center.

Like any science, it is important to learn it properly from a reliable source in order to make it effective and at the same time maintain the respect and sacredness it deserves. Every science needs a certain understanding which if applied correctly it may give great benefits, but if applied wrongly the same science leads to no-result or wrong-result – one can see this for instance in nuclear science clearly.

In a market which can be susceptible to unserious representations, it seems that a distorted form of mantra and kirtan practice has been developed without checking its origins and the legitimacy of the sounds, without raising the discerning sense between genuine and distorted being the outcome that many words like mantra, yogi, kirtan, naad, bhakti… are being widely used without reflecting what they truly are.

In mantra the first aspect is the pronunciation, the meaning comes later.

Each syllable represents an element or a form, so it must be firstly pronounced exactly, to connect to the energy one is willing to awake. Therefore knowledge of Sanskrit and pronunciation are key: it’s like with an e-mail address: if you spell even one character wrong, it will reach nowhere. There are many more rules in Sanskrit: accentuation, length of syllables, separation, prolongation, sound differentiation, etc. So imagine how important it is to know accurately the alphabet phonetics and rules, so that the right vibration will be there.

Science, not trend

Mantras don’t need music

Mantra is a science, the science of sound: a natural practice which helps to protect the mind from its compulsive, repetitive thoughts. Mantra is a sound which has immense potential to take the practitioners to the depth of their being, helping them to discover the true

In the traditional Vedic chanting there are only three notes, which shows that mantras are complete in themselves. But if a musician is lucky enough to create music for a mantra, then firstly one has to consider their sacred nature.

According to that, the musician

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

by Manish Vyas

connects to the deity giving the right music for the mantra. The raga (music scale) and the rasa (spirit) have to be given accordingly. For example, a Shiva mantra cannot be too romantic while a Krishna mantra cannot be too fiery – it would not go with their nature thus making a wrong call, like trying to sleep a baby with heavy-rock music. So based on its energy, one finds the right elements in the Indian music and when doing that, the body and the soul of the mantra come together; this is attained by using the right ingredients. In this way, one can see that a hiphop version of Om Namah Shivay simply won’t work – on the contrary it’s like an insult to its divinity. Nothing wrong with hiphop, but it suits to a certain kind of lyrics and culture, certainly not to mantra. How hilarious would it sound if I sing the famous song from Queen, “We will rock you” in Indian style? It will lose its soul completely. So all this melange is going on in the west with public presentation of sacred music from India. This is also the reason why in India we don’t find mantra singers, but well-trained musicians who also compose and sing mantras, so they know how to deliver the right product.

Intention is not enough

and knowing the culture in depth. Just like one cannot be a heart surgeon with good intentions only, this is also so.

Tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of fire In this way, over the last 20 years, with the guidance and blessings of my musical and spiritual teachers, I have created music with the sole intention that it may take the listener to deeper spaces of being, where one connects with the divine within. The love and reverence for this ancient science of Mantra also led me to work on a documentary “True World of Mantra and Sacred Music of India,” involving musicians, Sanskrit scholars and spiritual masters who have been a lifetime genuinely working in this field.

The film will showcase the depth of these traditions offering India-lovers the authentic fragrance of this inexhaustible world (manishvyas.com/movie).

The interest in this subject has developed widely in the west; now the time has come to discover the real, embracing the powerful benefits this ancient Indian traditions can offer to the world when approached with sincerity, reverence, humility and gratefulness. manishvyas.com

I come across various so-called mantrasingers who hide their shortcomings behind the justification of “having good intentions.” First one needs to understand that not any singer is qualified to present mantra in the public domain. Anything that is delivered professionally has to be professional: proper training, years of practice, skills World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

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Understanding energies of pranayama The essence of pranayama is the conscious, mindful flow of prana through the vehicle of inspiration.

It is not just a mere breathing exercise, aimed at improving gaseous exchange in the lungs. It is not just a method to strengthen the muscles of respiration through any respiratory physiotherapy.

The focus is not limited just to the gases (particularly Oxygen) entering our physical bodies and exiting it, (particularly carbon dioxide). As a matter of fact, the inhaled air has not just oxygen, but a large amount of nitrogen, along with carbon dioxide, other gasses, and dust particles etc, all being inhaled through the incoming breath.

Pranayama as a concept is a lot more profound than that.

If pranayama were to be just the intake and expulsion of ‘prana’ in a controlled manner ‘ayama/ yama’, then, to give it a thought, why would anyone breathe out and lose prana, which happens to be the main source of life? Wouldn’t everyone always want to take in and retain prana always and never breathe out?

The practice of pranayama is traditionally understood to have four components: puraka, antarakumbhaka, rechaka and shunyaka / bahirakumbhaka.

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The common translations of these four are: • Puraka: Controlled inhalation / In-breath / slow silent and deep in-breath • Antarakumbhaka: Retention of inhaled air / holding of in-breath / voluntary suspension after inhalation • Rechaka: Controlled exhalation / Out-breath / slow silent and deep breath out • Bahirakumbhaka: Retention after exhaled breath / Holding the breath out / voluntary suspension after exhalation.

We must understand why they didn’t call it ‘in-out-hold’ directly and instead used specific terms “puraka/ rechaka/ kumbhaka”. We must get to the depth of intrinsic wisdom of terminology to really understand the greater purpose through this process.

In puraka, it is the mukhya prana or the mahaprana, the universal energy that comes in and in rechaka the individual prana is given up. The laws of physics tell us, “energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only change from one form to another”.

Similarly in the case of prana, it just transforms from one form to another; through the gross, subtle and casual layers of existence. When we perform puraka, the universal prana comes

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

into us transforming into our individuality and enhancing all our activities.

When we perform rechaka the individual prana is given up to the universe and the individual energy transforms into the universal. This is similar to the way potential energy transforms into kinetic energy and then changes back to potential energy through the movements of a pendulum.

The antarakumbhaka allows the kinetic energy taken in from the universe to become potential within us while the bahirakumbhaka allows the kinetic from within us to become the universal potential energy once more.

During antarakumbhaka the energized universal mahaprana fills us as an individual in a wholesome manner, as during the phase of puraka we have consciously expressed our voluntary willingness to reenergize ourselves with the universal.

In antarakumbhaka as the mahaprana settles into our system, we begin to have a greater understanding of our connectivity with the cosmos, connectiveness between the microcosm and macrocosm, the pindam with the andam.

After having the realization that we

by Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani

as an individual are a ‘poorna’ or complete unit of the cosmic intelligence, we take the opportunity to consciously give up and sacrifice the asmita / false identification with the ego-aham, voluntarily, through the ‘now’ of the rechaka.

The kumbhaka-s may be understood as the stage of potential energy while the puraka and rechaka are stages of kinetic energies. As stated earlier, the transformation of prana in pranayama is best explained by the working of a pendulum.

That’s why puraka and rechaka exemplify the ‘ham-sa ; so-ham’ ajapa japa, wherein the ‘ham’, the ‘aham’ — ahamkara is being given up in order to create space for the universe, the sah/so to fill our individual entirely.

The kinetic energy (puraka and rechaka) is manifest during the mid phase of the swing while at the peripheral ends, the energy is stored as potential energy (as in the kumbhaka). It is not a state of ‘no-energy’, but energy in its potential form.

Each exhalation is an opportunity to sacrifice, to let go of the pettiness of one’s ego to welcome during the next inhalation the vastness of the universal wisdom to enhance our living potential.

We must never forget that Yoga is all about energies, and this is especially true of Hatha Yoga that expresses energy even in its name ‘Ha’ and ‘Tha’.

This is the deeper reason why the process isn’t just called ‘breathe in’ and ‘breathe out’, and why puraka and rechaka are profound terms used for the process.

Shunyaka (bah irakumbhaka) is the process during which we create a space or vacuum for the universal energy to come in, enhancing one’s mindfulness of pranaand further enhancing the experience of such energy. It is that voluntary suspension after inhalation of prana with the breath, and the subsequent conscious focus on it.

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Anxiety in children

A child’s world is not always happy and carefree. The demands placed on children and young people are often unrealistic and certainly unhealthy for the child’s mental and emotional health. And that is without the experience of Covid over the last couple of years, and now the war.

School dropouts, reduction of performance, challenging behaviours, low moods, bullying, depression, anxiety, a change of appetite and sleep, smoking, drinking, substance abuse, withdrawal, addiction to technology are more and more prevalent.

As the mental health charity Mind says, 59% of young people have experienced mental health issues themselves or know someone who has.

We have a tendency as the adults caring for the child, to take care of them and not understand that our state really matters. We unconsciously allow ourselves to become depleted and even more stressed without reserves of coping mechanisms when we are worried about the child and put our energy into trying to ‘fix’ them.

Children learn by the modelling around them rather than what we tell them.

When we are regulated, calm and peaceful we create a circle of energetic safety and love for the child.

It is infinitely more effective to support the child without them having to tolerate and be negatively affected by our stress and anxiety. And 42

obviously we have so much more to give. So our practise matters. There is a good reason why they tell you to put your mask on before putting on the mask of the child on an aeroplane!!

Our practise also creates the state within us to really be able to truly listen to the children and to be fully present to them. There is no greater gift to another than our full, openhearted, kind and loving presence.

With increased stress and anxiety the behaviours of children can present as very challenging. When we are open hearted and able to be fully present to the child, we can listen to what the child needs, rather than trying to change their behaviour. Working from the inside out. The child is not their behaviour and so often our language in our frustration names them incorrectly and unhelpfully. Irrespective of any behaviour, there is a magnificent child just craving to have their unmet needs understood and met.

The varying pathways that yoga offers have the potential to significantly change and improve the quality of mental and emotional resilience and health for us and for the children.

Ultimately we want to take yoga off the mat and make it part of our lives so that we ‘live’ in yoga as opposed to ‘doing’ yoga. Learning tools through massage, movement and breath work allow us to regulate and balance ourselves through the day.

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

The key to calming anxiety and stress is both increasing the coping chemicals such as serotonin and working with the breath to create balance in the autonomic nervous system, and becoming the master of our minds.With stress and anxiety the children will have breathing patterns that are out of regulation.

Our breath can become an unspoken communication tool for the child. When our breath is slow and regulated, it becomes an unspoken invitation for the child to breathe in the same way.

Children with shallow breathing patterns are typically in states of heightened stress and reactivity.

Frequent shallow breathing and breathing through the mouth consistently stimulate the sympathetic nervous system at a low level. This means that being ‘stressed out’ becomes the norm. Working with the breath can effectively ‘wake up’ or ‘calm down’ the child who is out of balance.

As we well know, deep but gentle regular breathing sends a signal to every cell in the body to relax - a state necessary for healing, and for learning to be possible.

Nada yoga can be an effective tool in redirecting anxious children to rhythmic breathing as it increases exhalation. Chanting is an excellent way to regulate breathing and increase the length and intensity of the

by Jyoti Jo Manuel

exhalation without stress. Many children in over-aroused states find exhaling very challenging. Using sound helps them to let go of the exhalation. Just making the sound of AUM can change their state as it helps to increase the exhalation as well as creating an inner vibration.

Singing together establishes rhythms of communication and harmony, and can help to focus the child’s attention by bringing them into the here and now. Certain sounds that create a vibration at the back of the throat such as humming or making the sound of AUM, stimulate vagal tone which in turn impacts the nourishment of the nervous system. Additionally singing creates vibration in the lungs, increasing oxygenation and Circulation - the most powerful thing you can do for the lungs is to sing. Sequencing of movement to sound helps to develop concentration and motor coordination.

It becomes the first step of meditation where we are single focussed. And as we also know the asanas can help to bring calm, balance, alignment and strength to everyone that practises.

Deep relaxation, self massage are also important components to bring peace and regulation. specialyoga.co.uk

Avaja will be bringing a selection of handmade Himalayan Singing Bowls from Nepal (Standard, New Moon and Full Moon Bowls) together with a selection of Wind and Chau Gongs.

Please come and visit out stall to try, discuss and listen to them.

Flying ~ not falling ~ Into Love

by Swami Ambikānanda Saraswati Our brains, structured by centuries of evolution, are built like an ancient city, one part upon another.

At its base we have its most ancient structure carrying out vital functions like maintaining our heartbeat and breathing rate. The sole purpose of this part of the brain is to keep the body alive.

Rising above this is the magnificent porridge-like mass of the neocortex, where millions of neurons cluster like stars, making us capable of complex mathematics, philosophy and reason.

Sandwiched between them is the limbic system ~ that mysterious structure which the ancient Nath Yogins depicted as Ajna Chakra, and the Egyptians as ‘the Eye of Horus’. Part of the limbic system scans our horizon for danger ~ thus acknowledging that which we consider ‘other’ and whether that ‘other’ poses a threat. However, another part of the limbic system does the work of connecting us to what is ‘other’, ensuring that the body’s chemicals like oxytocin ~ our ‘love hormone’ ~ flow.

Thus, from birth, our brains are structured to take us on the path of forgetting our Oneness. Yet paradoxically, they are also built to remind us that we are born to rediscover our Oneness ~ with each and other and through that, with All. 44

Unfortunately, over time our awareness has become so captivated by our biological functioning and awesome capacities for reason that we now believe them to be the sum total of what we are.

The only thing that challenges this captivity is the force of love: when we love we are without reason.

Reason could talk a mother out of sacrificing herself for her child, or prevent someone running into a fire to rescue a stranger. We (quite unreasonably) give ourselves ~ the time and energy that make up our lives ~ in the name of love. And we are never diminished by that giving; quite the contrary, we are fulfilled by it. It is love that gives us another way of knowing, and which the ancient rishis of India relied on when they made us the promise of complete freedom.

It is a promise from another time that calls to us in our own time ~ a promise of life without boundaries. Such a life, they said, is our natural state and when we live such a life, we know we are simultaneously human and divine.

In such a state nothing is perceived as ‘other’, everything is divine. In this blissful state multiplicity and diversity are appearances only, not our fundamental reality.

Compassion and love, which draw

World Yoga Festival 2022 - Official Programme

us to each other, take us close to an alternative state of self-knowledge.

Their very nature thins the veil of illusion drawn by the reptilian brain’s desire ‘to be’, and the neocortex’s desire ‘to know through measurement’. It is when we embrace our true connection to each other through compassion and love, that we can approach The Mystery ~ ‘why is there something here rather than nothing?’ with devotion. Devotion (bhakti) is not in opposition to being and knowing ~ it is their companion, a companion that both feeds and directs them.

Devotion allows us to see that which is ‘other’ in a new light, making us ready for the knowledge which is beyond reason. ‘Yogaś citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ’ says the great sage Patañjali: ‘Yoga happens when thought and reasoning are restrained’. We might use reason to arrive at the moment on our mats, or on our cushions, or on our chairs, where we question all that we are and all that we have reasoned, but then we must have the wisdom to lovingly surrender both being and reasoning in order to know the full power of our Oneness and Wholeness.

To this end, we are built for love.

Yoga Teacher Training

Asana & Pranayama Yoga Philosophy Mantra & Bhajana Anatomy & Physiology HYBRID COURSE Teaching Practice Join Kalavathi in Cardiff or via Zoom for a year’s in-depth training in the Class Sequencing Gitananda Yoga Tradition. Kalavathi has over 20 years training and teaching Trauma Sensitive experience and is a senior student of Yogacharya Dr Ananda Bhavanani.

Small Groups Adjustments & Modifications Mentoring & Ongoing Support Access to Course Recordings

OM YOGA STUDIO

Share What You Love!

Begins: 01/10/2022 www.omstudio.co.uk 07727 139 379

See you next year! 3rd-6th August 2023

www.yogafestival.world