HONG KONG SECTOR
Sichuan province, China
Waiting for the flowers to grow Kids Yoga – By Radhika
There are 50+ more kids in a small kindergarten in a village in Sichuan province, China, with only 2 teachers. Many empty rooms are not used and the kids are only allowed to sit in chairs in the teacher’s line of sight.
One of our team, who worked nearby, called her colleagues together to make a kids yoga room for them. Using thousands of square cushions and yoga mats, they turned an empty room into a colorful playing room for the kids there.
The smiles on the kids’ faces are the biggest reward and meaningfulness for all the work we do.
Let us plant the love into their heart and let it grow.
Taiwan News By Rutger Tamminga
We have weekly parent and child yoga class at our center in Taichung. Part of the class involves storytelling!
We had a cleaning up weekend at the Gurukul Master Unit. 15 people helped to cut the grass and clean up the place a bit.
We had a four-day spring retreat at Ananda Jyoti. Thirty plus people attended. There I gave a workshop on the Science of Asanas.
GEORGETOWN SECTOR
Campo Divino, Argentina
Spiritual awakening, trips that transforms
Since the end of 2021 we have received many people who came looking for a place away from urban areas where nature predominates… and there was also something else that attracted them to Campo Divino although they had no idea what it was. From the first day they arrived, through eating healthy food, meditation, kiirtan, readings, working with plants, and talks, they got in touch with neohumanist philosophy. Everyone described their days here, even with the simplicity of Campo Divino’s proposal, as being here and now contrasting much with every day’s life. Everyone now feels part of this project, of this great family.
A Greener World
What if not gardening today!!!?
Campo Divino engages families, friends, and visitors towards gardening tasks and works nurturing everyone’s lives with the power of nature showing the way to moving together inspiring self-awareness on the social level.
As of today half of a hectare is covered with a large variety of herbal medicinal plants, vegetable gardens, and nearly 100 fruit trees fully in the deep mountains of Córdoba Sierras, incredibly coexisting with the flora and fauna. This season’s harvest had been the best so far with many kinds of vegetables and greens that feed our kitchen … beans, cucumber, lettuces, tomatoes, pumpkins, chard, sponges, beet root, carrots, etc. Práńáh utilizes many of the cultivated plants for distilling essential oils and preparing many kinds of natural remedies.
All visitors take part of gardening tasks, jobs, and learning as well.
Updates for the Meditation Hall’s Campaign
Laura from Italy tells in a video (https://youtu.be/qT602i6f33c) about her trip from the Italian Alps to Campo Divino located in the Sierras de Córdoba in Argentina, bringing with her the so-far collected income gotten as a response to the campaign created by Anna, Lilly, and herself for the construction of the meditation hall and activities of the place. All of them participated in the volunteer program offered by Campo Divino before the pandemic. Today, they continue to work for the project from their countries of origin because of the love they feel for the place that awakened in them a vision of a new life looking towards a new world. We have already begun preparations to install first a room attached with the 2 planned bathrooms for allowing machinery, materials and other things to be located to facilitate the work on the actual hall. This area will also be utilized for a restaurant and outdoor patio.
Volunteers’ Voice (Volunteers’ Program Film: https://youtu.be/MjFehQholfU )
During my stay at Campo Divino, I learnt a lot about so many things, and I knew that I shouldn’t forget the most important teachings I received there. These kinds of teachings that enables you to lead a better and healthier life in our crazy and frantic world. I also knew that, once I would finish my stay there, new and strong teachings would come from the contrasts between Campo Divino’s reality and the outside reality. The first one occurred on the road to Santa Rosa de Calamuchita, Argentinian billboards and signs make me realize that I forgot Campo Divino was in Argentina. For me it was in a place beyond the world, where languages mix it up and the course of time is other. Then, in Tucumán, I saw rows of people waiting at the ATM and streets full of anxious cars: it struck me how Campo Divino had given me a place where I could, just for one time, be released from capitalism. The outside world seemed even crazier than before, but it is just its usual and normalized shape. I knew that the outside reality could, with time, phase out the teachings and the peacefulness I acquired in Campo Divino. I couldn’t let these treasures vanish as if nothing. It’s been almost two months now since I left Campo Divino and I’m happy to write that I succeeded in maintaining this powerful connection with it, with its philosophy and its people. I think that I mostly achieve it through my daily meditations, that I start listening to some kiirtans, and through the morning yoga asanas. It sends me back there, in the middle of the green lands, next to the river and inside Prabhat Nilayam. These connections are essential to preserve some peace of mind, to make good decisions, with the heart, and never forget Campo Divino’s treasured gifts. – Amélie, from France
DELHI SECTOR
Anandanagar Veterinary Camp
On 18th April ’22, a Veterinary Camp was organized by Ananda Marga Gurukul Veterinary Institute at Zeladih village in Sidhi-Jamra Anchal Panchayet of Anandanagar. The camp provides free medicine and treatment to various animals.
Chandigarh
There was a grand opening ceremony for the Music Academy at the Neohumanist Center in Chandigarh that was graced by over 100 persons from the Naya Gaon community. Currently, seven children are taking music classes being given by Shri Devendra Jaiswal.
Dada Shambhushivananda gave a talk on Yogic Science at the Government High School adjacent to the Post Graduate Institute of Advanced Studies in Sector 12, in Chandigarh. From the local paper:
Dadaji, Shambhúshivánandaji shared the deep secrets of yogic science from the perspective of medical science and intuitional ancient wisdom of the sages. The school is located adjacent to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Science (PGI) and attracts students from the back waters of Chandigarh particularly Janta Colony and Nayagaon.
Dada demonstrated and taught the yogic asanas, kaoshikii and tandava dance-exercises and explained their importance for strengthening glands, balancing hormone secretions and strengthening nervous system. In a two-hour session, Dada delved into the existential questions like- what is mind and what is the connection between body-mind and spirit? What are the ways to improve concentration and memory through yoga-meditation? What is the purpose of human life? and, how to control fifty vrittis that dominate human mind in day to day interactions. Swamiji said that the goal of human life is “Self-Realization and Service to all beings.
The talk at Govt. Model High School was arranged by Shri Ravinder Thakur of NHERW Trust (tel:9815227315) and Ananda Marga Meditation Centre located near gate #1 in Vikas Nagar, Naya Gaon.
In collaboration with AMURT, a charitable Physio-Therapy Center and a charitable Homeopathic Clinic has recently been started to serve the community. Now, childrens’ yoga classes and music classes are also being offered at the premises, free of charge.
BERLIN SECTOR
Hässelby, Stockholm, Sweden
Ananda Marga Gurukula (Sweden) has established its office at Aprikosgatan B1, Lgh 1001, Hässelby ( ground floor apartment). The small apartment also serves as Kulapati’s chambers. The office is only a five minute walk from Hässelby metro stations. Currently, Erlend Dhyanesh Överland maintains the Office.
MANILA SECTOR
Sangkhlaburi, Thailand
Currently, there are about 200 children in the children home being run by Didi Ananda Devanala of the Baan Unrak Foundation. The school has about 250 children on its rolls and is managed by Didi Ananda Anuraga and Didi Ananda Citralekha of the Neohumanist Foundation in Thailand. Leadership Training for youth is being conducted by Dada Liilananda.
On March 16-18, 2022, Dada Shambhushivananda visited the Thai Animal Sanctuary in Huay Malay Gurukula Project near Sangkhlaburi, close to the Myanmar border in Thailand. A few years ago, Ananda Marga Gurukula gave permission to the Neohumanist Foundation to use a portion of its land for the Thai Animal Sanctuary (street dogs project). Currently, 44 dogs are in a shelter which is being supervised by Didi Ananda Anuraga.
The natural secluded environment is a perfect place for these stray creatures. The entire area has been fenced and proper professional care is being given to these needy dogs.
The Matrix of Neohumanist Education in Ananda Marga Vietnam By Citrá Trần Thúy Ngọc
Kids with art – Lily NHE Center
In Vietnam, all activities are centered around Neohumanist Education, forming a humble matrix in this turbulent time of Covid-19. Besides the Neohumanist Lily Center for pre-school kids in Đà Nẳng, Central Vietnam, kids can also participate in the daily Kaoshikii & Tandava together with their family on Zoom to promote their vigor and health. A monthly sentient food donation & distribution has also been organized at Yoga Hoa Sen to imbue people with a good vegetarian diet. Daily paincajania & kiirtan, asana classes ended with spiritual talks, and weekly Prabhat Samgiita & Kiirtan Guitar classes have helped to cultivate the universal love. Weekly work at two Master Units – Ananda Uma & Ananda Bharati – have inspired people to return to nature. All in all, Neohumanist Education has been practised in its simplest way to make us feel its closeness and that we are a part of it.