International Yoga Day Celebrated in Johannesburg, South Africa

Johannesburg ( South Africa ): The 5th International Day of Yoga was celebrated jointly by the Brahma Kumaris in Johannesburg in partnership with the Indian Consulate in Johannesburg.

The first event was held in Bassonnia at the Inner Healing Centre where 30 participants gathered. The morning included a talk by Sr. Shirley from Lenasia on the value and practice of Raja Yoga leading into a practical session of Hatha Yoga by Maya Bhatt.

About 100 people gathered on the lawns of the Brahma Kumaris centre in Observatory to participate in honoring Yoga Day. The morning began with a candle lighting ceremony to symbolically rekindle the awareness of yoga.

Visiting yogi BK Veronica from Miami, USA, shared on the importance and the practice of Raja Yoga, the yoga to become a sovereign over the self. She emphasized that ultimately Raja Yoga teaches one to claim mastery over the self by learning to master one’s thoughts. Everything begins and ends with our thoughts, and so our journey is a cyclical one of returning to our original stage of being, which is peace, love, bliss, wisdom and joy.

All then engaged in a powerful experience of silence led by a meditation commentary by Sr. Dipty. Everyone then engaged in hatha yoga in the garden … it was a delight to see the lawn covered with colorful yoga mats and with everyone having a joyful experience. The youngest participant was a 3-year-old little girl and the oldest was a grandfather of over 80 years.

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