Category: Explore Talks

Since dawn’s early light, the camp appears still, but the waves do not cease, and the birds sing high in the trees. At 9.30 AM, students dance out of their yoga classes, laughing and singing in anticipation of a delicious breakfast and a perfect day of activities ahead. Vigorous yoga practice arouses keen appetites. Appetizing aromas mix with the salt sea air. All chant the Bhojana mantra before breakfast is served in the spacious hall accompanied by cheerful chatter. It’s a typical morning at a very untypical event. It’s Yoga Fest! Over a hundred yoga students and spiritual seekers...

My first meeting with the adorable young woman saint called Amma, or Mother, totally transformed my life. To begin with, using the name ‘Mother’ seemed very strange to me. Mothers are normally older than their children, but in this case, there was quite a different meaning. Even if you were a hundred years old, Amma would still be your Mother. As I began to realize who she was, it became clear to me that we were indeed her children and had lots of learning and growth ahead of us. My first meeting with the adorable young woman saint called...

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...