When East meets West: The world's first yoga university outside India launched in US
The university will offer online master's programme in yoga.
By PTI | Updated:
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The applications for fall 2020 semester are open with the first day of classes starting on August 24 in a virtual mode. (Representational Image)
NEW YORK: As part of the 6th International Yoga Day commemorations, the world's first yoga university outside India has been launched in Los Angeles, offering programmes that combine scientific principles and modern research approaches to the ancient Indian practice.
The Vivekananda Yoga University (VaYU) was jointly launched on Tuesday by Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan and Chairperson of the Standing Committee on External Affairs P P Chaudhary during a virtual event held at the Consulate General of India in New York.
Addressing the virtual launch, Muraleedharan said Swami Vivekananda gave the message of universal brotherhood from the US and through the first of its kind yoga university outside India, the message of yoga will be broadcast from America to the world.
“As the symbol of India's culture and heritage, yoga has become the means for unity and brotherhood in the world. Through the medium of yoga, we can give the message of world peace,” he said, adding that yoga provides mental balance and emotional stability.
The event was jointly hosted by the Consulate General and Jaipur Foot USA Chairperson and founding director of VaYU Prem Bhandari.
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In his message, Nagendra, well known as the yoga consultant to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Swami Vivekananda “heralded the grandeur” of Indian yoga dimension to the world through his famous speech in Chicago in 1893.
“Inspired by his teachings and the solutions he has given to meet challenges of the modern era, we took up this entire process of bringing yoga into the academic dimension,” he said.
He noted that the university “combines best of the East and best of the West. Best of the East is yoga and its applications and best of West is modern scientific research."
"We want to bring this integrated dimension of healthcare to world at large - allopathy and the AYUSH systems,” he said, referring to the practice of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.
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VaYU faculty has been recruited from SVYASA, the first yoga university in India. (Representational Image) India's Consul General in New York Sandeep Chakravorty said New York has deep ties with yoga as many years ago Swami Vivekananda spent time in the city and wrote books on yoga which popularised the Indian practice all over the world.
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“It helped in making the US the adopted home of yoga,” Chakravorty said, applauding the efforts of Nagendra and Bhandari for the initiative.
He underscored that VaYU will involve top line research on yoga and further popularise it in America, where currently about 40 million people practice yoga regularly.
Bhandari said Swami Vivekananda, “a monk from India introduced Hinduism to the western world through his historic speech in Chicago in 1893. Now, 127 years later, another monk from India Dr H R Nagendra is bringing to the western world the age old yoga science - Guru-Shishya Parampara by establishing this university.”
He noted that in the years to come, VaYU “would produce best modern day yoga practitioners who would not only spread peace but make planet Earth a better place to live.”
The university is a “prime example” of people to people connections between India and the US, he said.
Chaudhary said yoga makes the human immune system very strong and is a bridge between the mind and body, which is very important in today's times.
He said the university will help thousands of yoga teachers in the US whose yoga education was limited to 200 or 500 hours of certificate programmes to progress further into university-based higher education.
He highlighted that Prime Minister Modi was instrumental in getting the UN to declare June 21 as International Day of Yoga, saying this further popularised yoga across the world.
In congratulatory messages, Indian spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said in these trying times, the practice of yoga has kept life going and for the very first time, a university espousing yogic science is being launched in the US.
“Through the scientific appraisal of yoga, I'm sure millions more will get benefit of it,” he said, terming the launch of the world's first yoga university outside India as a “milestone in the world of yoga.”
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev said the launch of the yoga university is a “matter of pride” and expressed confidence that VaYU will enhance India's pride for years to come in the field of yoga research.
Aerial, Acrobatic, Aqua: 5 Types Of Yoga That Are Becoming A Fitness Trend
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Yoga is more than a form of workout. It helps you relax, improves mental health, and pushes you towards a healthier lifestyle. The ancient Indian form of workout has gained immense popularity all over the world.
People are opening up to the idea of experimenting with their fitness routine, and yoga with a twist is the new rage amongst health enthusiasts. Combining yoga with acrobatics and Pilates works wonders for people who are looking to add flexibility and mental-well-being to the mix.
On International Yoga Day, here's a round-up of five types of yoga that taking over the fitness world.
Yoga is more than a form of workout. It helps you relax, improves mental health, and pushes you towards a healthier lifestyle. The ancient Indian form of workout has gained immense popularity all o..
Read More
Aerial Yoga, as its name suggests, is a gravity-defying technique inspired by Pilates. Poses in this form require a nylon or silk hammock hanging from the ceiling.
Bringing Pilates, yoga and cardio under one form, it is touted as one of the best ab exercises of all time. This form of workout focuses on stretching body muscles, strengthening upper back and the spine.
Aerial Yoga, as its name suggests, is a gravity-defying technique inspired by Pilates. Poses in this form require a nylon or silk hammock hanging from the ceiling.Bringing Pilates, yoga and cardio un..
Read More
One of the most interesting and old forms, this one combines acrobatics, yoga, Thai massage and healing arts in one form. Deemed as one of the most vigorous and risky forms of the ancient Indian workout, this one requires strength, flexibility and technique training.
In order to practice acro-yoga, one must have a partner. Over time, it helps one get a stronger core, muscles, arms, chest and may also improve relationships over time.
One of the most interesting and old forms, this one combines acrobatics, yoga, Thai massage and healing arts in one form. Deemed as one of the most vigorous and risky forms of the ancient Indian work..
Read More
Going by its name, aqua yoga requires people to practice poses inside water. While one can opt for a warm water pool, open water sources are better options for this form of yoga.
Using the principles of basic yoga like breathing and mindfulness, it has a soothes impact on people and strengthens the whole body, and facilitates pain-free movement. Given its mental well-being benefits, aqua yoga is believed to be a healing activity.
Going by its name, aqua yoga requires people to practice poses inside water. While one can opt for a warm water pool, open water sources are better options for this form of yoga.Using the principles ..
Read More
Props are add more value and fun to the yoga poses. Wheel yoga is performed using a rubber and fibre-based wheel that pushes the stretches and the fitness routine. used to deepen yoga practise and taking it to a new level.
One of the biggest benefits of this form is that it makes back-bends and inversions easier. Other benefits of this form includes improved flexibility, better breathing and lower risk of injuries.
Props are add more value and fun to the yoga poses. Wheel yoga is performed using a rubber and fibre-based wheel that pushes the stretches and the fitness routine. used to deepen yoga practise and ta..
Read More
Laughter yoga, first spoken about in Madan Kataria's 2002 book named 'Laugh For No Reason', involves prolonged voluntary laughter. It works on the principle that voluntary laughter has the same effect on mental well-being as spontaneous laughter. This form is practised in groups through eye contact and jokes.
Besides lowering stress, laughter yoga is known to strengthen the immune system and reduce pain. Combined with yogic breathing, laughter yoga becomes effective for overall well-being.
Laughter yoga, first spoken about in Madan Kataria's 2002 book named 'Laugh For No Reason', involves prolonged voluntary laughter. It works on the principle that voluntary laughter has the same effec..
Former Director General of Border Security Force K K Sharma said that yoga is the best system of exercise and recalled how he had introduced it in place of PT exercise and noticed a “perceptible improvement” in the overall physical and mental health of the force.
Founded on the principles of Swami Vivekananda's prescription for universal welfare, VaYU will offer online graduate programmes based on scientific principles and modern research approaches to yoga.
VaYU faculty has been recruited from SVYASA, the first yoga university in India.
It will facilitate collaborative research, credit transfers and joint programmes with multiple premier universities across the world.
The university will offer online master's programme in yoga. The applications for fall 2020 semester are open with the first day of classes starting on August 24 in a virtual mode.
The launch comes within three months of receiving official recognition from the Bureau for Private Post-secondary Education, California to offer yoga-based higher education programmes in November 2019.
