Ananda Marga members showcase yoga during medicine fair in South Korea

 

Thousands of people attended the Integrative Medicine Fair 2015 from July 31 to August 6 in South Korea. 400 of them learned meditation and yogasanas from yoga teachers of the Ananda Marga organization.

South Korea’s annual Integrated Medicine Fair 2015 kicked off with opening ceremony by the state Governor Nak Yeon Lee on Friday, July 31 at Jeongnamjin, Jangheung.
Governor Nak Yeon Lee met with Acarya Shubhacetanananda Avadhuta (Dada), a yoga teacher of Ananda Marga and thanked him and the members of Ananda Marga South Korea for their support to the event. Lee invited them for the next year’s 2016 Integrated Health Expo.

“I am happy with your presence and promoting integrative health awareness through yoga,” Governor Lee said to Dada. “I invite you for the 2016 Integrative Medicine Fair.”
Yang Na Gee practiced yoga at the expo and thanked to the yoga teacher.

“I could experience very special thing,” Gee said. “It was short time, but I could feel that I am flying in the sky, so I feel I became very light and fresh. It was wonderful.”

Gyeong Lyeol E Kim enjoyed meditation during expo.

“I have been practicing yoga and meditation sometimes, but I became lazy in mundane life,” Gyeong Lyeol E Kim said. “Through today’s experience I have been reminded of the importance of meditation. Thank you very much for teaching me yoga and meditation sincerely.”

Gyeong Ok Sin revised his yoga practice during the expo.
“When I was a university student, I sometimes had been practicing yoga but now I forgot, Sin said. “And I am living in kind of chaos now. But while being with members and doing meditation, I became very happy and positive.”

“It was such a joy to see and feel the desire of the people to learn [yoga],” Jungyi Lee, a member of Ananda Marga Meditation Yoga Association Korea said. “Of course I enjoyed the good company with the spiritual family members a lot.”

Eun Soo Seo, vice mayor of the county, met with dada and thanked him for teaching yoga to the attendees.

Many alternative medicine groups presented their therapies to the participants. The local government organizes the yearly event to promote alternative medicine, such as Yoga, Homeopath, Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Art Therapy, Color Therapy, Korean Traditional Therapy, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Acupressure and Acupuncture.

South Korea government organized the event to promote alternative medicines. The government invited Ananda Marga Korea along with other organizations every year to promote yoga in the country. Ananda Marga yoga teachers and members supported the 2015 event by teaching asanas, yoga positions and meditation to the attendees.

When local government officials visited at the Ananda Marga yoga booth to get experience of yoga then Acarya Shubhacetanananda Avadhuta and Jungyi Lee demonstrated yogasanas and meditation.

Some of the officials also practiced yogasanas with Dada and asked about its benefits. They learned the benefits of asanas and meditation from Dada.

Janakii and Nandiita, the members of Ananda Marga Meditation Yoga Association Korea, organized yoga expo. They translated yoga lectures of the yoga teachers from English to Korean language. Himanshu helped to showcase asanas, meditation, Kaoshiki and Tandava dance through movie and slideshows to the participants at the festival.

Nandiita and Shanti helped to design posters and visuals on yogasanas, meditation, cakras, Ayurveda and Yaogic Treatments.

Ananda Marga members, Shanti, Malini, Mohini, Bhakti, Himanshu, Gopal and Dayanidhi, distributed yoga flyers, showcased posters, books, cds and explained the benefits of yoga to the attendees.

Acarya’ Shivapriya Brahmacarini (Didi), a nun and yoga teacher of Ananda Marga, taught yoga asanas and meditation for last two days at the fair.

Jungyi Lee said initially she felt she would not be able to organize it due to the shortage of time. “However, I found there was no way to run away from following the dictation from something great above her, So I just said yes…and did whatever I could do with my mind and heart.”

People were interested to cure their diseases through yoga and alternative natural treatment methods during the expo.

Kaoshiki, Tandava, yoga asanas, breathing exercises and meditation were the main parts of the yoga sessions. People learned cobra, yoga, tree, bird, lotus and other yoga asanas during the fair. They learned the techniques of healthy and happy life styles. The governor’s office of Jangheung county representative presented a certificate to Dada for teaching yoga at the Integrative Medicine Fair 2015.

Integrated Medicine Fair will be held for one month from September 29 to October 31 in South Korea.