The Third International Day of Yoga-2017 was celebrated in Yogoda Math Dakshineswar and various other YSS Centers in West Bengal with much fervor and enthusiasm. The celebration was spread over many days before and after the actual day i.e., 21st June, 2017. The programmes in all the places mainly comprised of guided meditation, video talks and audio-video presentations on Yoga by YSS monastics.
On June 17, 2017, the programmes were held in evening simultaneously at Sri Sri Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri Smriti Mandir in Serampore and Garpar Dhyana Kendra.
On Sunday, June 18, 2017, similar programme was conducted in the morning at Yogoda Satsanga Math, Dakshineswar.
On June 21, 2017, programmes were held at two different locations - Birla Institute of Technological Museums (BITM), and Kamarhati Aman Committee in addition to the special program at Dakshineswar ashram.
At BITM, YSS was invited to present a two hours-long programme within their premises.
As proposed by BITM the programme started early in the morning and was divided into two parts: a demonstration of a series of hatha yoga asanas (postures) were performed by the students of Ghatal Yogoda Satsanga Sri Yukteswar Vidyapith, one of the nine schools run by YSS in West Bengal. Around twenty two asanas were demonstrated by twenty students, encouraging the audience to go along with them and practice the yogic postures. Members of the audience soon shed their inhibition and participated cheerfully in going through the motions of the asanas.
The boys of the Ghatal Yogoda Satsanga Vidyapith ended their programme by demonstrating a few human pyramid formations which required keen attention, muscle strength, mental agility and flexibility.
This was followed by an hour long slides-aided presentation by Br. Achyutanandaji on the subject: Yoga Science and Successful Balanced Living. He began his presentation by guiding members of the audience in practicing a few simple concentration techniques to get a semblance of the taste of actual practice of yoga meditation.
The presentation went deep into the subtler and non-physical processes of yoga and explained in detail how the warp and woof of Maya tricks us into accepting a shadowy existence as reality. Br. Achyutanandaji explained in detail how by following the teachings of Kriya Yoga as advocated by our Gurudeva and sincerely and faithfully practicing the scientific techniques of concentration and meditation, one can have direct personal experience of the Divine and can live a successful and balanced life.
A YSS books counter was opened at the venue where YSS publications were put on display.
The programme was well attended by persons from all walks of life.
At Kamarhati, YSS donated hundred books to the library of Kamarhati Aman Committee symbolizing the celebration of 100 years of YSS. YSS devotees also joined the Iftar party (ending of fast in the evening during Ramjan month) organized by the local muslim population. YSS also distributed around fifty five Autobiography of a Yogi – Urdu books to the students who have secured 60 % or more marks in Secondary and Higher Secondary for the YSS Centenary Educational scholarship exam, to be held on 16th July.
On June 25, 2017, the International Yoga Day programmes were conducted at two locations i.e. in Telary and Payradanga.
At Yogoda Satsanga Dhyana Kendra, Telary, the programme was conducted in the morning by Br. Achyutanandaji.
The program was attended by nearly one hundred and seventy students of around six local schools and nearly fifty devotees and guests. Six students participated in a lively group discussion and presented their views on the topic “Yoga Science for a successful balanced living”. It was heartening to see students of 8th to 10th standards speaking eloquently on such a deep subject.
The two points that came up again and again in the group discussion were ‘Self-Control’, and ‘Meditation’ as the tool to achieve that goal. They also talked of Patanjali’s Raja Yoga and necessity of following scientific step by step approach to meditation. Group discussion was followed by Guided Meditation and a brief Satsanga. Khechuri Prasad was distributed to all the participants and all the participating students were also given some token gifts of old YSS calendar photos and pens.
On June 25, 2017 At Paramahansa Yogananda Dhyana Mandir, Payradanga Swami Suddhanandaji conducted a class on usefulness of Meditation and how to build life in a better way with about ninety students from various Schools of Payradanga.
A guided meditation was also conducted. A slide-show presentation on Guruji’s book “Law of Success’’ by Swamiji was well received by all students and devotees. A video presentation on Gurudev’s “… Early Years in America” was shown to all.
At the end of the show, Swamiji distributed Prasad and Guruji’s books - "Law of Success" and "Increasing the Power of Initiative" to students who were desirous of participating in the forthcoming test on 16th of July, 2017 for YSS Centenary Educational Scholarship.
The second part of the program was attended mainly by devotees, and few local villagers. The program started with Energization Exercises, meditation, and ended with distribution of Prasad to all.
