A Successful Invocation
Toward Oneness
By Jennifer Buergermeister, MA ©
2015
The Consul
General (CG) of India Harish Parvathaneni,in partnership with PatanjaliYogpeeth
(USA) and other supporting organizations, launched this past Sunday withgreat
enthusiasmthe very first International Day of Yoga at the George R Brown
Convention Center.It was a full day with 3000 participants who joined together
to recognize yoga as a practice toward peace and harmony.
An opening ceremony
beautifullyhonored India, The United States and 12 community leaders who have
demonstrated extraordinary service to communities in the promotion of
yoga: Robert Boustany, Jennifer
Buergermeister, Dr. Harish Chandra, Alejandro Chaoul, Lorenzo Cohen, Billie
Gollnick, Ann Klein, Charles McInerney,Beth Reese, ShriramSarvotham, Daksha
Shah, and Kay Westcott.
The
honoring ceremony wasfollowed by a morning yoga session withShriramSarvothamwho
began with an invocation followed by a few lightexercises. Billie Gollnick, the
“mother” of yoga in Southeast Texas and her student Robert Boustanycontinued by
conductinga session of Yoga Asanas (postures).
Billie Gollnick was one of the first yoga
teachers in the Houston area. In 1959, Gollnick read in a newspaper that the world-renowned
yoga instructor and Sanskrit teacher Ernest Wood was moving to Houston.
Shedecided to take advantage of thegreat opportunity and spent the next six
years studying with him.Boustany, a local celebrity teacher, is said to have
instructed a large number of yoga teachers in the Houston area and travels the
world teaching Pralaya, a trademark of his teaching style.
ShekharAgrawalfollowed
withPranayama (breathing exercises), and the morning sessions ended with a
meditation led by Dr. Harish Chandra.
The afternoon began with an
amazing 30-minute yoga demonstration by “The Masters” - Robert Boustany,
Catherine Allen, Ann Hyde and KabirSamlal- whose beautiful practices thrilled
the whole audience with awe.
Afterthe lunch break,
30 children from Hindu
SwayamsevakSangh demonstrated yoga. Beth Reese and her group ledYoginos: Yoga
for YouthÒandenergized the crowd with a spectacular and
fun-filled class for kids and families.
The afternoon
ended with a workshop on thetherapeutics of yoga, a session moderated by Robert
Boustanyand three panelists - Charles Maclnerney, Sat SiriSumler, and Smitha Mallaiah. Attendees were able to ask many open-ended
questions and discuss considerations in a therapeutic yoga practice.
A beautiful performance
called “Upa Yoga” was presentedlater in the afternoon by Ravi Bommu and
VasanthBalasubramani of ISHA Yoga. The performance attracted a large afternoon
crowd. Afterwards, the attendees fully appreciated the YogNidra session led by
Robert Boustany to relax and restore. A
Patanjali Yoga Meditation with Dr. Harish Chandrathen finalized the day and left
the crowd fully rejuvenated.
“It
was a unique experience to organize the first International Day of Yoga
celebrations in Houston on 21 June. Houston is not only a diverse, inclusive
and welcoming city but also has a rich "Yoga ecosystem" spanning
different schools, practices and lineages. The fact that Houston is the only
city where all branches of the 'Yoga tree' got together to celebrate is
testimony to the overall message of Yoga of unity and harmony - between East
and West, man and nature, mind and body, thought and action,” said CG
Parvathaneni, “This is the first year of such an annual get together and
celebration, and I am confident that with the dedication and contribution of so
many aspirants, practitioners and gurus of yoga, the International Day of Yoga
will find its rightful place in Houston's calendar.”
Houston has
become a mecca for yogic practices and the overall vision for humanity. The event
was congratulated and supported by state officials and diplomats, and alsoby
theChancellor and President of the University of Houston RenuKhator.
Khator
said, "I do yoga every day."
She has been a long time advocate of yoga since her youth living in
India. Shepracticed yoga up front on the second row near the Consul General of
India and his lovely wife.
Organizer and
Honoree Shekhar Agrawal said, “It was a proud moment in Houston as East met the
West and thousands of Houstonians came together under one roof for a united
purpose of harmony and peace by doing yoga. We joined together yesterday in a
real sense…just as it should be.”
The world is
seemingly ready for an integration of mind/body/planet health like never
before. We have reached a new age where wellness is recognized as more than
just exercise and diet. Health is a complete system that combines the physical,
mental, emotional, spiritual and
planetary components of being. We have reached the tipping point where our
conscious actions are crucial, and every aspect influences a world of concerns
from climate and environmental contamination to human faction and war. It’s time
to remember oneness for all.
“Yoga is a great
Indian gift to the world,” said Latafath Husain, president of the Association
of Indian Muslims in Greater Houstonand one of the sponsors of the event. He
said, “We wanted to help spread the word and show the world how proud we are of
our heritage.”
If we adopt yoga
in our daily life, the worldmaybe filled with harmony and peace. This is an
invitation from the International Day of Yoga to join us again each year and
help us beat our record of 3600 registrants.
“It is
an honor to be a volunteer at the ‘International Yoga Day’ – because we feel
that we made an effective contribution to serve humanity and promote peace on
earth, said volunteer BhagwanBhutada.
Namaste’
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