Author: Arun Ganesan

With Amma’s blessings, Australia and New Zealand were privileged to have Brahmacharini Shobana (Brni Shobha) visit from October 15th through to December 2nd 2019. The full tour schedule included six cities across Australia and three cities in New Zealand. Brni Shobha led back to back programs guided by the Amrita Yoga theme of Awareness with Heart Centered Intention. This was the point of focus not only of Brni Shobha’s yoga classes but of all her interactions and communications with local community members, practitioners, political leaders and university students alike. The programs contained group and private yoga classes, public talks,...

In July 2019, I was very much looking forward to the first 28-day silent retreat at Amritapuri. Amma initiated these retreats out of her Sankalpa (divine resolve). They are a rare opportunity to step out of the hustle and bustle of daily life and go on an inner adventure. But it was not to be. I had a severe fall in Dublin, fracturing my back, and giving myself a bad concussion. Luckily, Amma was due in Europe in October, and I would get a chance to see her. I was longing forward to her caring back rub and a...

I would be the last person you would expect to do Hatha Yoga. I’ve never been the athletic type nor had the desire to move my body any more than absolutely necessary. In school, physical education was a nightmare. The teacher and the other students always teased me for my pathetic performance. But then in 2011, a few renunciates were asked if we would be willing to teach the children in Amrita Vidyalayam Schools the Surya Namaskarah. At first I said, “No way! I’m much too busy.” However, the next morning, to my great surprise, I woke up with...