TEEJ FESTIVAL : A UNIQUE RITE AND CULTURAL BEAUTY IN NEPAL

Nepal is one of such unique countries with the beauty of culture and nature, where festivals are celebrated with joy and in a very vibrant way. Being a multi-ethnic nation, Nepal celebrates each festival uniquely. One festival can be celebrated with a different essence by different ethnic groups. In Nepal, there are many small and big festivals celebrated in each month. More about the Teej Festival.

Teej festival is the biggest Hindu festival of Nepalese women, generally falling in August or early September, which is celebrated all over Nepal. Mainly, the festival is dedicated to Goddess Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva. During this Teej festival in Nepal, married women take Vrata (religious fast) for the long and healthy life of their husbands and family as well as pray for health and prosperity. On the same occasion, unmarried girls take Vrata to get a nice husband in the future. Both Married and unmarried women celebrate Teej with joy, love, and dedication. During the festival, women are dressed in red Sarees with gold ornaments as much as possible.

WHAT IS TEEJ AND ITS ORIGIN?

The name of this festival, “Teej,” is believed to have come from a small red insect, which only appears on the earth at the end of the monsoon season around August. So, this festival is named after that particular insect, “Teej.” Occurring around August, the Teej festival is celebrated by women all over Nepal for three days. Wearing the red sarees and red tika, bangles, they sing and dance to traditional folk songs for days. It is especially significant for married women when they get a special invitation to visit their birth town/ maternal home and feasts.

Having a long feast also known as Dar in dinner and supper, they sit for a 24 hour long Vrata / fasting, where most do not eat or even drink water. What is fascinating is to watch women of all age group, young and old, dance for hours in the heat, rain, traditionally without a drop of water or food for an entire day.

REASON BEHIND TEEJ FESTIVAL CELEBRATION

Teej festival is dedicated to the Goddess Parvati, marking her union with Lord Shiva. Teej is celebrated for the well-being of the husband, children, and the whole family as well. Nowadays, they celebrate this festival as a way to be united and have fun while praying for the well-being of the husband and all members of the family. It has also become a way to bring women together from different classes and celebrate the festival as one. The celebration of Teej implies the ultimate sacrifice a woman makes for her husband’s health, prosperity, and longevity.  

HOW TO CELEBRATE TEEJ

In Nepal, Teej is a three-day festival. However, Teej is celebrated in different ways in different regions of Nepal. This festival is celebrated for a total of three days that combine the feast as well as rigid fasting, culturally without drinking a drop of water. Teej is celebrated all across the world by Nepali Hindu women. It gives fun, mental relaxation, full of entertainment, cultural pleasure, and family harmony. Teej is a vibrant and pleasant festival that has become more popular since its start. However, in recent years, this festival has influenced many Nepali women residing all over the world. Women in red attire sing and dance in the street, going to the temple in a holy and even at home in a fasting mood and strength. Usually, women get called by their parents or brothers, where they celebrate Teej with the rest of the family members and siblings.

HARITALIKA TEEJ

The word “Haritalika” is comprised of two words, “harit” and “aalika”; “harit” means “abduction” and “aalika” means “female friend.” Haritalika Teej is celebrated as a remembrance of the Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. As per the story, Goddess Parvati’s father made a promise to marry her to Lord Vishnu against her wish. But she didn’t like it and she told this to her friend, and she took Parvati to a thick forest where Parvati’s father couldn’t get her. Goddess Parvati prayed to Lord Shiva by making a Shiva lingam from her hair. Impressed by her devotion towards him, Lord Shiva married Parvati and since then, the day is referred to as Haritalika Teej as Goddess Parvati’s friend (aalika) abducted (harit) her so she could achieve her goal of marrying Lord Shiva. So, Teej is celebrated in Nepal as Haritalika Teej.

Lord Shiva-Goddess Parvati Unification

In Hindu mythology, it is believed that Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva were united on this day. For this, Parvati had to endure penance. It is said that she took 108 births on Earth before Lord Shiva accepted her as his wife. Since then, this day is considered to be an auspicious day, and it is believed that whoever remembers her on this day will be blessed with a happy married life and all her desires will be fulfilled.

One special aspect of Teej celebrations is the ‘Teej Katha’ that includes the stories of the legends associated with the festival. In the evening, the women gather to hear the narration of this Katha and pray for the good health of their husbands and husbands-to-be and a blissful married life. Teej Puja begins with the offerings of flowers and fruits to the goddess. The food delicacies such as Ghevar, Dal Bati Churma, Besan Laddu, Kaju Katli, and Sattu form an indispensable part of Teej celebrations.

Significance of Teej Festival in Nepal

Teej is a great festival for Hindu Women who celebrate the long-lasting life of their Husband. It is also a monsoon festival celebrated for the union of lord Shiva (a Hindu God known as destruction, consciousness, and creation) and Parvati (the Hindu Goddess is known as Devi Shakti, will, action, and knowledge).

The significance of such a festival is for women to ask for special blessings by Lord Shiva, to have attain a good husband in life, and to pray for his longevity and prosperity.

On the final day of this three day festival Women satisfy seven saints offering them food, money and various offerings, and also bathing with Red mud and brushing their teeth with Datiwan (branches of a bush tree) hoping this purifies their body and soul.

It is a sight to behold at the Pashupatinath temple, where thousands of women draped in Red and green throng the premises of the temple. Observers can take photos of these women dancing merrily, where sometimes foreigners, especially women tourists are requested to participate in the merry-making.

This festival is a symbol of dedication of goddess Parvati for Lord Shiva. Even today, women commemorate this mythological event by keep a ‘Nirjara Vrat’ for their husband’s well being and long life. This festival also helps in strengthening the bond between couples. This festival also welcomes the advent of Monsoon season.

Teej in Pashupatinath Temple

Pashupatinath is a famous Hindu Temple and also an important religious site for Hindus, and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is believed that Shiva (a Hindu God) is the most powerful deity, known as the God of Gods, also named as the one who has the power of creation and destruction. According to Hindu Mythology, Pashupati is the incarnation of Lord Shiva as the animal.

As Teej is all about Mahadev Shiva and Devi Parvati, people visit Pashupatinath Temple to worship Lord Shiva and to pray for the happiness and health of the family. More than 500,000 Nepali women visit Pashupatinath Temple during the Teej festival. People from different parts of the Indian subcontinent come to visit Pashupatinath to appease Lord Shiva.

The human body is composed of Pancha kosha (five sheaths), the 5 body layers, i.e, Annamaya Kosha (Physical or food Sheath), Pranamaya Kosha (Vital Sheath), Manomaya Kosha (Mental Sheath), Vijnanamaya Kosha (Wisdom Sheath), and Anandamaya Kosha (Blissful Sheath). The first sheath is called the food or physical sheath, the foundation of life. “Anna Brahma” means that food is divine. Food is nectar, but sometimes it becomes poison and produces poison as well. Food also detoxifies the body & mind. Similarly, we get toxic forms on each sheaths mentioned above, like vital mental, wisdom sheaths. More about Tips for Mental Detox.

Many of us love eating good foods as fancy as the preparation, may look as delicious as they may be. They get digested once they enter into our system and the body needs to throw the unwanted waste out in a day failing which can cause illness. There is nothing in the world that can quench our thirst more and make us feel more refreshed than water. Yet if the body doesn’t throw that water out in a couple of hours that retained water can be the cause of illness.

Noise-induced hearing loss not only affects hearing, but it could also affect the brain’s ability to recognize speech. Prolonged exposure to loud noise alters how the brain processes speech, potentially increasing the difficulty in distinguishing speech sounds, according to neuroscientists. Exposure to intensely loud sounds leads to permanent damage to the hair cells, which act as sound receivers in the ear. Once damaged, the hair cells do not grow back, leading to noise-induced hearing loss.

Once I saw a very elderly yoga teacher teaching her yoga students breathing techniques. She asked them to breathe in and hold their breath. But elderly as she was, she happened to fall asleep. The students who respected her a lot were unable to hold their breaths any longer, but didn’t even want to disobey her.  Finally, as they were gasping, one of them walked up to her and woke her up. As she got up, she said-“and now breathes out”. As funny as this may sound, the air we breathe in can be held for no more than a few minutes, and if it is not thrown out, we may die.

Isn’t this principle true for our negative emotions as well? Emotional hurt, envy, jealousy, greed, feelings of hatred, revenge, and anger can make our minds toxic. Yet we continue to hold them in our system, only leading to so many psychological, biological, and consequently physical disorders. The body has a system to remove unwanted food, water, air, and chemicals without us even being aware of it. How we wish there were an automatic arrangement that could throw negative feelings and emotions out as well. But that’s not how it works with the mind. We have to consciously work on detoxifying these toxic emotions out of our inner systems.

Tips for Mental Detox

1. Write your feeling down on a paper and discard it. You may tear the paper into many pieces and burn it into ashes, this practice does not necessarily solve this problem but allows us to express ourselves and release the negative energy at least temporarily.
2. Express actively your emotional feelings, angers, and stressors with physical exercises under dynamic techniques for Meditation.
3. Open your heart and confide into someone close and trustworthy. Sharing our feelings cannot out lighten the heaviness. We feel but we may also receive support and guidance to deal with our negativity.
4. Generalize all the issues and simplify them. Do not make big issues; always try to resolve these cases.
5. It’s not bad to be busy but bad to make crazy, in terms of this, try to have easy.
6. Always try to live easily and happily with scarcity and something else you have or do not have.
7. Attempt the speechless (Maunavrtta) once a month, stilling and calming the mind by meditation.
8. Sound Healing and meditation (Dwani Patro) will purify and calm the mind and enhance mental power.
9. Adopting a spiritual practice: The most powerful of course is adopting spiritual practice which can help us cleanse our consciousness and give us the inner strength to fight tendencies. Always remember that it is not the glass of water which is only a couple of grams in weight that hurts our mind, it is the duration for which we hold it. The better it is for us.

Conclusion

Attempting all the applied kriyas and understanding can detoxify our mind and also enhance our energy that keeps our mind fresher, natural and updates. Silence and calmness are the major means for mental detox.

OM SHANTIH! SHANTIH! SHANTIH!

Janmashtami, the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, is celebrated in various parts of the country with great enthusiasm. The festival is celebrated with most fervor in Mathura, which is said to be his birthplace. The Mathura, ruled by the evil King Kansa, whose sister, Princess Devaki, was Krishna’s birth mother. Devaki and Vasudeva were married with a lot of fanfare, however, a prediction said that the couple’s eighth son would cause Kansa’s downfall.

According to legend, Krishna was the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudeva. Devaki was the sister of Mathura’s cruel king Kansa, and it was prophesied that her eighth son would be the cause of his death. The moment Kansa got to know about the prophecy, he had both Devaki and Vasudeva imprisoned and, one by one, killed all their sons until Krishna was born.

All hell broke loose when Kansa heard of this and imprisoned Devaki and Vasudeva instantly. The evil king got their first six children killed, but at the time of the birth of the seventh child, Balaram, the fetus is said to have been mystically transferred from Devaki’s womb to Princess Rohini’s. When the couple’s eighth child, Krishna, was born, Vasudeva managed to rescue the baby and gave him to Nand Baba and Yashodha in Vrindavan.

KRISHNA, KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI, BHAGAVAD GITA AND YOGA

ॐ कृष्णाय नमः             “Om Krishnaya Namah”

Meaning: ‘Accept my salutations, Oh Sri Krishna.’

Date and time of celebration

Krishna is believed as the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu. He is said to be born on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha (Dark Moon Time of the month) in the month of Bhadra (August- September) according to the Vedic calendar. As per Drik Panchang, devotees observe a fast on this day and abstain (fast) from consuming grains until the next day’s sunrise. Krishna Janmashtami is also known as Krishnashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Srikrishna Jayanti, Gokulashtami, Sree Jayanthi, etc.

About Krishna Janmashtami

Janmashtami is the birthday of Lord Krishna, which is celebrated with great ardor and zeal in Mathura during the monsoon season. If we go by the Nepali calendar, this important day falls on the Ashtami or eighth day of the Krishna Paksha or dark fortnight of Bhadra month. No one knows when this festival originated! Maybe a thousand years ago, this festival found its foothold in our culture. One would come across various legendary stories and myths encircling the birth of Janmashtami.

Among all of them, the most widely accepted view is that Lord Krishna is the eighth avatar (incarnate) of Lord Vishnu. We all know from the Mahabharata that the birth of Lord Krishna was to kill the demon Kansa, who happens to be his maternal uncle. Whenever there is some imbalance in the universe regarding peace and prosperity, it is said that Lord Vishnu comes to save humanity from the hands of demons.

Bhagavad Gita Relates

The tale of the Mahabharata has a lot to do with the life of Lord Krishna. During the Dharma Yuddha (righteous war) between the two Pandavas and Kauravas, Lord Krishna played the charioteer of Arjuna. He was encouraging Arjuna on various segments of life like Dharma (righteous path), Karma (deeds), Theistic Devotion, Yogic ideals, salvation, knowledge, etc., because Arjuna was in emotional commotion in killing his brothers and cousins. The verses mentioned in this book are often called a life guide or spiritual dictionary.

Lord Krishna stated that whenever there is prominence of evil deeds in this universe, he will reincarnate in various looks and attire to show the path of right and peace to all. The Gita, as it’s commonly called, is a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Sri Krishna, Arjuna’s charioteer, friend, and counselor. The story opens to the scene of a battlefield just prior to the start of a gigantic war, with Arjuna asking Krishna for guidance.

THE BHAGAVAD GITA AND YOGA

The ancient scripture, Srimad Bhagavad Gita, is a treasure for ‘yoga’ lovers. The Holy Scripture speaks about the detached way of life through its 700 verses (shlokas) divided into 18 chapters. It is the conversation between Arjun and Lord Krishna. Though all 18 chapters are considered as yogic paths which are associated with the Yogic message, four chapters are specifically applied in human life.  The Bhagavad Gita is the most treasured and famous of spiritual or yogic texts. Composed of 700 verses, the Bhagavad Gita was written in the third or fourth century BCE as part of the epic text the Mahabharata.

The three types of ‘yoga’ advocated by the Bhagavad Gita are – Karma Yoga, Bhakti, Jnana Yoga, and Dhyana Yoga.

1) Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action)

Karma Yoga comes from ‘Karma’, which means action. Bhagavad Gita says that one should act selflessly without attaching himself or herself to the outcome. The Karma yoga is known as the Path of Work. Considered the most practical of all the paths, it is a path of action. To be one with the divine, a spiritual and Hindu believer must act selflessly. In other words, a person should do what is right, not because they want to be rewarded, but simply because right is right.

2) Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion)

Considered as one of the easiest forms of ‘yoga’, Bhakti yoga means doing ‘bhakti’ or worship of the lord selflessly. It is said that this form of yoga can be practiced even in regular life, as one does not need to leave everything or follow a rigorous regime to attain salvation through this form of ‘yoga’. This form of yoga simply advises one to get absorbed in the supreme soul. It advises to feel that supreme power into one’s soul and vice versa. It asks to always keep the mind engaged in ‘me’, i.e., the supreme lord – Lord Krishna.

3) Jnana Yoga (Yoga of knowledge)

This last yoga of Bhagavad Gita talks about ‘Jnana’ or ‘knowledge’ through which one can attain salvation. Unlike the other two forms, this one advocates to know the absolute, the Brahman. Like the other two, it does not advise to practice a form of meditation. Rather it asks to know beyond name and form of the doer of an act and understand him as per his nature.

4) Dhyana Yoga (Yoga of Meditation)

Sitting and concentrating the mind on a single object by controlling the thoughts and the activities of the senses, is realized as Meditation. Let the yogi practice meditation for self-purification. If you feel you have no love for Krishna or not much devotion, then chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra under proper guidance, and love for Krishna will manifest in your heart.

Hare Krishna Maha Mantra

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे

हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे

“Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”

Meaning: An Ode to Sri Krishna and Lord Rama, who are both two bodies but one being, as they are the incarnations of Sri Hari Vishnu. So, accept my salutation.

HAPPY KRISHNAJANMASHTAMI (BIRTH DAY OF KRISHNA)

The singing bowl is a musical instrument that is used for healing, relaxation, and meditation purposes originated in Nepal and later on, it got popular in Tibet and India as well. We make this course especially for healing, meditation, and the path of the spiritual journey. Further, Learn why Best Singing Bowl Training in Asia.

Singing Bowls can help balance the Chakra energy system. Each crystal bowl is specifically tuned to a chakra frequency. When singing bowls are played, and particular sound frequencies are projected into a not-eased area, correct harmonic patterns can be restored.

Scientific studies show that sound can produce changes in the autonomic, immune, endocrine, and neuropeptide systems. Dis-harmony within the body can be restructured by sound. That’s why singing bowl training is so popular in Asia.

The sounds from singing bowls are calming and induce a sense of peacefulness, it is a relaxation that goes beyond the physical body. The tones of each chakra bowl will permeate your system, resonating your essence, so that inner chaos, conflict, and dissonance seem almost immediately to be transformed into harmony.

Amazing Benefits of Singing Bowl

• Rejuvenates mind, and body and promotes physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing
• The sound and vibration of bowls are so relaxing that it helps in the healing of several mental and psychological ailments such as migraine, anxiety, depression, and body and muscle aches
• Bowl massage, vibrations help in clearing up blockages by increasing mental and emotional clarity
• Provides deep relaxation and as a result, many find it promotes sleep, helps stimulate blood flow
• Chakra Therapy session Cleanses and Balances Chakra and aura
• Also used as a tool for clearing up negative energy and cleansing of space whether it’s your own room or office with the practice of a Shamanic session with the bowls by the master.

Why is our Singing Bowl Training in Nepal Considered the Best in Asia?

1. Professional Teacher
2. World Popular Academy
3. Long History in Teaching
4. Based on Nada Yoga ( Chikitsa ) which is most traditional spiriutal healing.
5. Very Scientific and Spiritual Combined Course
6. 100% satisfaction rate.
7. Teaching Methods Tips
8. Government Approved

Why Singing Bowl so popular in Asia?

1. Asia is its Origin:
   
   Much of the history of singing bowls remains unknown or unclear due to the Chinese invasion of Tibet in the 1950s. However, oral traditions date singing bowls to the time of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni (560 – 480 BCE). Some singing bowls during this time were used for strictly religious purposes within monasteries and temples, such as leading chants or prayers, guiding meditation, or acting as an offering or begging bowl.
   
2. Its Market lies in Asia:
   
   The production of these sound bowls—often inscribed with an image of the Buddha and/or Tibetan script (commonly the six-syllable mantra Om mani padme hum)—is not limited to Nepal. They may be found in tourist areas throughout South and Southeast Asia and in specialty shops in the Americas and Europe, as well as online.
   
3. Buddhism prevailed in Asia:
   
   Japanese and Vietnamese Buddhists have traditionally used singing bowls to perform funeral rites and to worship their ancestors. Most of the Buddhist monasteries have been using the singing bowl as their worshipping materials. They use these singing bowls to meditate and pray during their prayers. 

Singing Bowl Training in Nepal

These are the three categories of the Singing Bowl Training in Nepal offered by Himalayan Yoga Academy.

1. Introduction Singing Bowl Training

2. Professional Singing Bowl Training

3. Advance Singing Bowl Training

Why Yoga Retreat essential after COVID-19 ends? Human Life all over the world has been severely affected by the ongoing coronavirus. It is falling in many countries but is still threatening somewhere else. We should hope that it’s getting normal very soon. But this situation won’t be eradicated permanently, only normalized, so we have to find alternative ways to keep our lives more secure, healthy, and energetic.  

Rules of COVID-19

The restricted traveling, panic over the risks of infection, and media highlighting of negative and unwanted news for the public due to the coronavirus pandemic are all adding to growing depression and anxiety. Besides keeping active and fit, staying connected to family and friends, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and being happy, there is also one other thing that can help with the recovery of depression, anxiety, and mental health issues that is yoga.

Why yoga?

Yoga has known to be beneficial for immune boost, healthy body, increasing strength, stamina, empowerment, strong will power, peaceful and calm mind, fresh and natural mind. A mind running with negative thoughts and scary of pandemic situation often results in sleepless nights, tired body, distracted mind which causes loss of immunity. “Mental health is of utmost importance to recover through these challenging times.

Physiological effects

Anxiety or stress usually triggers the autonomic nervous system, which will have manifestations such as increased restlessness, blood pressure, tensed muscles, lack of concentration, faster breathing, and loss of immunity, and in such a condition, yoga helps to calm down. Some yoga experts and Yoga centers say, “Yogasana is a great tool as the stretching poses help to reduce tension in muscles and joints, and this can, in turn, help relax the sympathetic system, and also the application of pranayama and meditation helps to transform the vitality and body strength. There are many means of yoga which are excellent for managing blood pressure, thereby reducing anxiety symptoms as well.

Means of Yoga:

Human ethics, Good sleep, Good food, Cleansing acts, Yogasana, Pranayama, Yog Nidra and Meditation are the most beneficial during these times. We say that “One of the most profound and powerful techniques that can be used is pranayama and Yog Nidra. 15 to 30 minutes pranayama and 20 minutes of Yog Nidra every day can help immensely in overcoming stress and anxiety and also boost our defense mechanism against viral infections.

Yoga offers physical and mental health benefits for people of all ages. And, if you’re going through an illness, recovering from surgery, or living with a chronic condition, yoga can become an integral part of your treatment and potentially hasten healing.

“Yoga Doctors, Yoga Masters, Yoga therapist and naturopathy Doctors can work with patients and put together individualized plans that work together with their medical and other remedies as need. That is way; yoga can support the healing process and help the person experience, symptoms with more centeredness and less distress which is very supportive on the pandemic situation. Yoga is as good as basic stretching for easing pain and improving mobility in people with lower back pain.

You may join immediately yoga retreat and normal yoga classes, but not only yoga (Physical training) classes as your appropriate venues after this normal situation.

Benefits of yoga

1. Yoga relaxes you, keeps stress free and helps you sleep better.

2. Improves strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility.

3. Yoga can ease arthritis symptoms and heart problems.

4. Yoga helps with back pain relief with very clinical base under supervision.

5. Promotes better self-care.

6. Yoga can mean more energy and brighter moods.

7. Yoga helps you manage stress and pain.

8. Yoga connects you with a supportive community.

9. Enhances your immune power, which works against all pathogens like viruses.

10. Yoga is for a permanent solution by generating natural immunity, then no need for a vaccine.

Recommendations

We find in the midst and end of a coronavirus pandemic, it is a time to enlist all manner of assistance in resisting and combating the multiple threats associated with this situation. As the reviewing, there is evidence of stress, pain and inflammation modulation, and also preliminary evidence for possible forms of defense system enhancement, accompanying the practice of certain forms/ means of Yoga e.g. especially  Asanas, Pranayama, and Meditation with proper lifestyle along with potential implications for counteracting some forms of infectious challenges like coded-19. We should acknowledge the remedies and yogic boost in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why Nepal For Yoga Teacher Training and Retreat? Yoga is now becoming a common interest all over the world. Yoga is a very ancient wisdom initiated throughout existence. Swami Vivekananda started the Yoga lesson in modern times in Chicago, US, in 1893 A.D. But Yoga, a great infinite science, was twisted into physical practices in place of physical training and games all over the world for a few decades. Further about Yoga Teacher Training Nepal.

People have globally been practicing Yogasana in exercise forms. Yogasana is not yoga which is one of the parts of yoga. Yoga is a destination, achieved through the practice of different means and kriyas and the final means or key is Dhyana (meditation). So Yoga is more about meditation, even Samadhi. Yoga is not practiced, is achieved after meditation and samadhi.  

Even yogasana is not an exercise; it partially works for exercise, but has recently been practiced as an exercise. It is a misunderstanding, but positively, we can say something is better than nothing. Everybody says we do yoga and meditation, but the fact is that Yogasana and Meditation are right. And also everyone knows me as a yoga master, but sometimes they will ask me that “Do you teach meditation”? It’s a wrong question, innocently. Without mediation practice and teaching, literally and formally, we cannot be Yoga masters; we will just be physical instructors. 

What is included in the Yoga Teacher Training Course in Nepal?

There are many organs or fold paths within Yoga, such as Shatkarma (six cleansing Acts), Sukshma Vyayama (Subtle Exercise), Yogasana, Pranayama, Mudras, Yoga Nidra, Meditation, etc. Meditation is ultimately Yoga. If no meditation, even for a few minutes, it does not give any sense of yoga.  It becomes just physical exercise, which usually works for recovery and physical fitness. Yoga is for optimum health, happiness, and harmony. “Samatva yoga Uchchyate” means equanimity in yoga. Self-realization is Yoga. It is infinite and never ends.

Why Nepal For Yoga Teacher Training and Retreat?

Yoga teacher training in Nepal is purely based on its fundamental ethics of Yoga. If you are going to have the training, particularly in South Asian zones, you will get pure and true yoga through a professional and academic Yoga Guru, if they are not fully influenced by commercial values. And the significance of Yoga Teacher Training on the lap of the Himalayas in Nepal is more experiential, and applied kundalini on single-point gravity with the altitude of hills and the Himalayas. Himvat Kshetra (Himalayan Belt) is the origin of almost all eastern wisdom and epics, and also the birthplace of ancient sages and seers such as Shiva, Sapta rishis, Matchhendranath, Gorakhanath, Manu, Kapila, Buddha, Panini, Veda Vyasa, Patanjali, King Janak, Ashtavakra, and so on.

Medication is nothing, very temporary, but meditation is everything, a super permanent solution in our lives.  To unite eastern wisdom with modern technology, it is very important to learn, to understand, and practice any formal Yoga Courses in the land of the Himalayas in Nepal. We teach here very classical yoga from very physiological, clinical, psychological, and spiritual perspectives on a very innovative approach. 

Ether is the first element that appeared in this universe, which is the most effective, pervasive, indestructible, and universal. It is a formless, invisible, and subtle element. It is the most subtle manifestation of the supreme soul or cosmic intelligence, whereas the other four elements are gross. There is a belief that all the devatas, or God and Goddess, who are immortal, live in the ether element (Sky). We don’t become immortal, but we can attain sound health, inner peace, cosmic power, and pure energy in the presence of the ether element. No existence is possible in the absence of the ether element. It is a fact that if the ether element were not created, nothing could exist, even a human being. Further about Ether Element Therapy.

Mahatma Gandhi has described the ether element as “King of Health” and also said that knowing the mastery of the ether element is like knowing the mastery of the supreme soul (Parmatma). The more we use this great element, the more we will be free from all ailments. If we establish a relation with the ether element directly or indirectly, which is infinite, our body, mind, and soul become completely healthy and blissful. To attain the ether element sufficiently, one should stay or sleep in open sky fasting (Upavaasa) is a powerful means to attain this element, but we have a lot of techniques and ways to gain better health and a better life by attaining the ether element.  In our body, the ether element is especially located in the head, throat, ear, heart, stomach, vessels, skin, and other spaces. Major functions of this element are sorrow, purity, openness, love, compassion, kindness, joy, sex, fear, and anger.

Physiology of Ether Element

Just as the ether element is all around us, it is also within us. Between holes in the skin, the intra space of cells, the hollow of the canals, vessels, cavities, tracts, there is an ether element. We should not fill up the space occupied by ether wherever the space is more; there are more vital forces or cosmic power. However, we try to enrich the ether element, able to get more vital power and easily recover the diseases. When the body is sick, it needs sound rest and purity, which cures the diseases. The reasons of proper recovering through different ways of healing in contact of ether element, just lying in open places, staying in clean and fresh environment, doing the fasting and other different means of ether element application, body organs gain inner rest, become pure, regulation of circulation, speed up elimination, generation of vital energy that cure the diseases.

As this principles, just stay in big room, open house, less and less stock in living rooms, live in nature, close to nature, love to nature, lots of physical, biological, hormonal, psychological, spiritual changes  are attained that leads the permanent cure, wholesome development and rejuvenation of life.

Types of means used in ether element therapy

Ether element has a vital role in all aspects of health and disease management. Naturopathy treatment starts from the use of ether element, and also this application will be continued after recovery for the whole life as well. The patient is advised to apply ether elements like rightful living, art of happiness, prosperity to rest, and deep sleep by counseling, and also doctors say to be positive, to do fasting, etc. Wild animals, when they become sick, first leave their eating and get a complete rest. This is a natural phenomenon. But we do not follow the rule, why? This is our weak point and ignorance in attaining natural living.

To enrich the ether element in the body, the following means are applied.

1. Ether bath and closeness to nature therapy
2. Brahmacharya (Cosmic Path) Therapy
3. Self control Therapy
4. Rightful living therapy
5. Mental disciplinary therapy
6. Rest, relaxation and Recreation Therapy
7. Art of happiness
8. Maunavrtta (Silence) therapy
9. Sound sleep therapy
10. Antaranga (Internal) Yoga Therapy
11. Upavaasa (Fasting) therapy

Means and Modules of Ether element therapy

Ether element is one of the elements of the pancha tattva.  As the application of this element, different means or techniques can be attempted in different patterns or modules based on diagnosis, needs, and conditions of a person, and also the availability of devices and sources. To attain the ether element therapy, various techniques or means can be used in different patterns or modules. Each means can be modulated according to the nature of problems, conditions, needs, and other required factors. Time, duration, gap, season, age, sex, interest, will power, effort, dosha, and nature are referenced to ensure and design the means and modules of treatment.

Ether Bath and closeness to Nature Therapy

The ether bath is to stay in nature and feel the cosmic energy or natural power in the atmosphere. It is like a meditative process to connect to the supreme soul. It is done in Brahma Muhurat kaala, early in the morning as for as possible, if not at any time of the day, in open, natural, and clean places. The ether bath is also known as a cosmic shower. However, we spend more and more time close to nature, naturally, it becomes an ether bath. So, most of the time, if we pass in nature or an open place, ether energy or cosmic power can be sufficiently attained from the atmosphere.

Treatment Module:

Treatment Name: Ether Bath and Closeness to Nature Therapy

Applied Parts: Whole Body (External and internal), Mind and spirit

Duration: 15 to 45 Minutes

Method:

1. Stay in open, clean, fresh, natural, calm possibly early in the morning in comfortable position sitting or lying be wearing less, loose, light, thin, and clean.
2. Just sit in gardens, in the jungle, on farms, banks of rivers, near waterfalls, base of the Himalayas, on beaches, and walk or visit, or trek in such nature freely.
3. Just be close to nature, feel the energy, and enjoy it.

Useful In:

Refresh the body and mind, give complete rest in body and mind, oxygenate the lungs, blood, and skin, calm and harmonize the entire body and mind, make better sense, good feeling, and positive, enhance the vital, heal the physical and mental illness, and upgrade the spiritual power.

Precaution:

It should be less pollution venue or spot.

It should be normal climate, no rain, no clod, no hot, no windy if practice is done outsides.

The good news as Nepal’s International Airport will start operating on September 1. With the government announcing to resumption of all international and domestic flights from September 1, the Ministry of Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation today said that it would allow all tourism-related activities, including mountain climbing in the autumn season.

With the latest announcement, the tourism fraternity believes that the industry, which incurred a loss of over 10 billion rupees a month during the COVID-induced nationwide lockdown, would gradually return to a new normal.

“The ministry plans to resume all tourism-related activities by following health and safety protocols from September 1,” the ministry’s secretary, Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, said, adding that safety protocols are being finalized by holding consultations with stakeholders concerned.

Cabinet Decisions

According to the Cabinet decision, flights will be resumed in three phases. In the first phase, flights will be operated to the destinations that are less affected by COVID-19. After that, gradually, flights will be operated to other destinations in the second and third phases. During the initial period of flight resumption, all airline companies will not be allowed to operate all their aircraft at once. Permission to operate aircraft will be given based on the destination and the number of passengers.

“MoCTCA will coordinate with the Ministry of Health and Population for the safety of the passengers travelling via commercial flights if any health issue does arise.”

Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, Joint-Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population, said that the ministry would soon come up with new guidelines on handling of the arriving air passengers after August 17.

“All passengers who plan to arrive here on charter or repatriation flights until August 16 should go to quarantine centres,” Adhikari said, adding that passengers of the scheduled commercial flights must show their PCR report to enter Nepal thereafter.

Nepal Tourism Continuation

The Department of Tourism is all set to issue climbing permits for the autumn season after the government decided to resume domestic and international flights. “Climbing activities in the autumn season and onwards will go on,” DoT’s Spokesperson Meera Acharya said.

Tourists observing snow covered mountain range from Poon Hill at Annapurna Rural Municipality-6, in Myagdi district, on Tuesday, October 23, 2017.

According to her, the department has already started preparing necessary guidelines for climbers and trekkers who plan to visit Nepal after August 17. “DoT will also issue Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for agencies to run autumn climbing and trekking activities in the autumn season,” she said.

Iswari Poudel, Vice-President at the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal, said that trekking and expedition operators were ready to resume climbing activities following safety protocols in the autumn season. “Most of the agencies will run expeditions on Mt Manaslu and Mt Ama Dablam, among others, once the flight operation resumes,” Poudel, whose company ‘Himalayan Guides’ runs expeditions on different mountains, said.

Senior Vice-President at Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal, Navin Trital, said that mountaineering and trekking activities would resume in the autumn season. “We have been receiving queries from the world’s mountaineers who want to join autumn expeditions here,” Trital, also Managing Director at Expedition Himalaya, added.

Mingma Sherpa, Chairperson at Seven Summit Treks, said that his company would also run expeditions on different mountains, including Mt Manaslu in the autumn season. “We are ready to run expeditions following safety protocols,” the record-holding climber added.

Rishi Bhandari, Managing Director at Satori Adventures, claimed that a clear guideline was needed to resume tourism and adventure activities in the autumn season.

Yoga Courses and Retreats Continuation

Himalayan Yoga Academy will also commence its yoga teacher training courses and yoga retreats. Due to this uplift in the Travel Ban, now people may travel to Nepal to do their 200-hour yoga teacher training or 300-hour yoga teacher training in Nepal. We are also opening singing bowl teacher training and Reiki levels training. We are commencing with proper precautions and under the rule of the Government.

Himalayan Yoga presents an interesting article on Corporate Yoga, including its necessity in this busy world. Today’s world is full of technology and machinery. People are busy but not easy, instead of being crazy. Daily life is more stressful, filled with discomfort, causing a lack of happiness. They got optimum physical development, but innocently and unknowingly missed human development. In such a situation, taking a break at work with yoga has proven to be one of the most effective ways to help employees and investors relieve stress and anxiety and become refreshed and more focused.

What is Corporate Yoga?

Corporate yoga is the yogic capsule for the busy people of this world. When there is simply not enough time in the day to go to a yoga class, the yoga class comes to you. Corporate yoga can take the form of slow and flow joyful activities, meditative practice, and spiritual healing, to an energizing one, depending on your needs. It’s proven to reduce stress levels and depression, and keep you fit and happy at work again.

OUR MOTTO

To Make

• The well-being of employees is fundamentally important to having a trustworthy, successful, and productive business.
• Healthy employees’ equal happy employees and happy employees equal happy customers.
• The logistical cycle of benefits from versatile policies implementing workplace health will provide plenty of reasons to enact incentives for a healthy lifestyle.

Corporate Yoga Beneficial Departs

The corporate yoga we provide is for the highly productive, busy individuals who get a little amount of downtime. A few examples of companies that will benefit from corporate yoga.

1. The banking sector, the aircraft sector
2. Business officers, the press industry
3. Aircraft Sectors, Medical Sectors
4. The media and advertising industry
5. Professional sports, athleticism, and security
6. In universities and academia
7. NGO or INGOS
8. Diplomacy and politics

Merits for the Businesses Company

1. Increase the productivity and quality
2. Decrease the health care premiums
3. Reduced staff turnover and reduced employee absenteeism
4. Enhancing the responsibility, understanding and honesty
5. Higher job satisfaction amongst employees
6. More respect for senior management of companies
7. More attractive to potential employees seeking employment with your company

Benefit for owners and all employees

1. Reduce stress, anxiety & depression
2. Teaches individual stress management
3. Improve memory, focus and concentration
4. Increase energy and decreased fatigue
5. Improve posture and alignment
6. Improve breathing and mindfulness
7. Decreases headaches, tension, and insomnia
8. Improve confidence and concentration
9. Improve optimum physical, mental, social and spiritual health

What do we offer?

1. Customized packages to fit the company’s needs and availability.
2. Safe and detailed approach to all postures with attention given to body ailments commonly experienced at work.
3. Theory and practical courses as well as theme-based workshops in a free atmosphere and highly qualified and certified Masters, Professors, and holistic therapists.
4. Integrated, sophisticated, motivated, and refreshed yogic and spiritual packages with psychotically and professionally advised.
5. Yoga mats, but we would expect each person or the company to purchase their own. These may all be purchased through us at a very reasonable rate.

HIGHLIGHTS OF MERITS

Corporate Wellness

Be proactive in tackling stress and anxiety both in and out of the workplace. Ensure your employees mental health for the future, importantly today. We educate teams to work efficiently and effectively in a way which prevents the unnecessary tension and stress levels often seen in the workplace. We lead companies to become more productive and ultimately, more profitable.

After all, we want less stress, more smiles, and a sustainable ecosystem where companies like ours are able to give back to the planet by providing a service that adds value to our clients’ lives and those around them.

Reducing Stress

Stress is a silent killer, but there are a number of ways to reduce it, such as forming positive relationships, exercising, eating healthy and nutritious food, getting enough sleep/rest, prioritizing, organizing, and kicking your bad habits. These are all practiced within our intensive mind work retreat and can be continued once our clients’ everyday schedules resume.

Creating Awareness

We create awareness and educate those we work with by inviting our clients to stop, breathe, observe, and connect with their inner experience, and introduce mindfulness into our clients’ lives. We educate to promote an understanding of the importance of practicing the tools we teach, and the profound positive impact they have on our lives, day-to-day and work-related challenges.

Motivation and Productivity

The first step to increasing motivation know exactly what you are motivated to do. This is achieved by highlighting a purpose and a clear goal that must be achieved. We then encourage, and although motivation primarily comes from within, we all need an external push from time to time. We point out the rewards and dissect the tasks into small, digestible segments for the brain to tackle with precision, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Team Coaching

We provide Executive coaching that incorporates mindfulness and intuitive techniques. We believe in creating a positive coaching partnership, one that is confidential and challenging. Coaching with a presence that provides a sense of “being” rather than “doing”.

Wellbeing workshops

All workshops are designed with and delivered by our team with a deep experience and expertise, and a passion and commitment to making a lasting difference. All of our workshops have been tried and tested to meet our high standards, ensuring that your employees are equipped with practical and tangible takeaways, enabling them to immediately put into action what they have learned.

Offsite Programs

A 3-day off-site retreat that provides a carefully structured programme designed to motivate teams and increase their performance and productivity. We invite clients to stay at luxury accommodation, located according to the company’s preference, where our team of experts will host a life transformation event.

Nutritional Diet Plans

A healthful diet that contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, with data gathered from each team, we will design meal plans.

Excellent nutrition and whole food supplements can make an enormous difference to your body and mind. As per need and demand, we will manage Vegan, Vegetarian, gluten-free foods, and organic foods. Our kitchen will be a home pharmacy with herbs and natural spices. We will ensure that your body gets the right nutrients it needs and help.

Naturopathy & Dieticians

Naturopathic medicine is a science-based tradition that promotes wellness by identifying the unique aspects of each patient and then employing non-toxic natural therapies to restore physiological, psychological, and structural balance. You will notice improvement in issues such as fatigue, pain, sleep disturbance, and digestive disorders.

One on one program with Advice

On Diagnosis of personal issues, we provide personal treatment and advice as needed. A Lifestyle Architect will work to build the foundations for a new, less-stressed, peaceful, and calm mind. The growth of your mind, body, and spirit will be strengthened from a deeper subconscious level by a genuine love for assisting with the personal development of our clients.

On site Wellbeing Services

Our Programs are for the progressive and forward-thinking companies that understand the importance of a healthy workforce and are interested in ensuring the physical and mental health of their employees. By offering several onsite services, we have designed programmes that successfully combine new-age science technology and applicable ancient techniques for a modern-day approach to running successful, sustainable, and happy businesses.

Workshops

Our workshops are a sure way for us to impart our knowledge of mental and physical well-being onto your employees.

We specialize in: Easy Yogasanas, Suryanamasakra, Chair Postures, Animal Postures, Breath work, Group Coaching, Mindfulness, Meditation, Motivation, Mudra healing, Clapping Therapy, laughing therapy, music healing, and meditation, and create fun, goal-oriented programmes for your team.

Complementary Healing: Acupressure, massage, Herbal medicines, Reiki Healing, sound healing, and physical and mental therapies are all benefits to be enjoyed during your stay. Leaving no stones unturned, our trained therapists are on site to treat you throughout your stay and to ensure that mind, body, and spirit are all left recharged.

Besaara (Turmeric) is the beauty of the Nepalese kitchen and kitchen garden. Every family does farming of haledo on their farm. The plant reaches barely three feet in height and produces both a flower and a rhizome, or stem that is found underground. The rhizome has an appearance similar to ginger; it is this root-like stem that produces the yellow turmeric spice. In recent years, turmeric has attracted quite a bit of interest for its natural healing properties, but it has been used medicinally for over 5000 years. As far as documented evidence, it has been used daily in Nepal for at least 8000 years as a medicine, beauty aid, cooking spice, a dye, and a lot more. Further Amazing Benefits of Turmeric.

In ancient times, there might have been 84 types of herbal species used, especially in Nepalese kitchens. Still, somewhere 44, 32, 16, 9 types of herbals are regularly used in the kitchen like ginger, cumin, coriander, garlic, onion, chilly, fenugreek, etc. Still, in Nepalese and Bharatiya Kitchen, around one dozen herbal spices are mostly used daily. All work for boosting health, revitalizing, and protecting from all types of ailments. Until this immune strongly in the body, no vaccine is needed, even any treatment is needed. Recently, more than 5 million people recovered from COVID-19. This is why anybody has done research? Of course!  No research is done; the reason is simple immune power, not a vaccine, because no vaccine has been formulated yet.

Among these spices, turmeric, a botanical name, i.e., Curcuma longa, the golden colored strongly flavored spice, is a kind of home medicine kept in a small pharmaceutical home pharmacy. This ancient spice, celebrated for centuries as both food and medicine, has resurfaced within the health and nutrition field by enhancing the defense mechanism. Healing Properties Overview: Besides flavoring food, turmeric, affectionately called as “Kitchen Queen”, has been used in traditional medicine as a household remedy for various diseases, including biliary disorders, anorexia, cough, diabetic wounds, hepatic disorders, rheumatism, and sinusitis etc.

The father of modern Medicine said that “Food is the first Medicine. It is the healing substance that supplies its vibrant color. It is called herbal antimicrobials. Turmeric has significant anti-inflammatory properties that are said to rival those found in ibuprofen, especially use of joint inflammation and abdominal spasm. Unlike over-the-counter drugs, turmeric has no side effects on the body. It aids the body in destroying developed cancer cells before they spread to other parts of the body.

It is very popular in every kitchen, which makes all varieties of vegetables or curry, and pickle more colorful and tasty. These include its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic, anticoagulant, anti-fertility, anti- diabetic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-protozoal, antiviral, anti-fibrotic, antivenin, antiulcer, hypotensive, and hypo-cholesteric activities. Turmeric is a powerful antioxidant advantages has been shown to protect healthy cells, particularly those found in the colon, from cancer-causing agents. Though it can now be found throughout the tropics, Nepal and Bharat (Real Name of India) have been the largest producers of turmeric since ancient times.

Amazing Benefits of Turmeric

1. Purifies the blood, and detoxifies the blood toxins and it also beautifies the skin.

2. It is very much useful in common cold, sinusitis, cough, sore-ache, etc. We can drink by mixing with salt.

3. It kills the germs which is ingested with food, and also no germs from harming when keeping the food few hours after cooking.

4. This is an herbal antibiotics that make our defense mechanism strong.

5. It benefits from swelling, respiratory problems, tonsillitis, joint problems, and abdominal pain.

6. It destroys developed cancer cells.

7. Turmeric also helps to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease.

8. Inhaling fumes from burning turmeric was said to alleviate congestion.

9. Turmeric juice aids in the healing of wounds and bruises.

10. Turmeric paste was applied to all sorts of skin conditions from smallpox and chicken pox to blemishes and shingles, and other skin diseases.

11. The Hindu religion sees turmeric as auspicious and sacred. There is a wedding day tradition in which a string, dyed yellow with turmeric paste, is tied around the bride’s neck by her groom.

12. A piece of the turmeric rhizome is worn as an amulet for protection against evil spirits.

13. The vibrant yellow natural coloring of turmeric has also been used to dye clothing and thread for centuries. Saffron-hued Buddhist robes are dyed with turmeric.

14. It works on prevention, treatment and promotion of any types of bacterial and viral diseases.

15. Therapeutic uses include: AIDS/HIV, anemia, cancer, diabetes, digestion, food poisoning, gallstones, etc. It reduces fevers, diarrhoea, urinary disorders, insanity, poisoning, cough, and lactation problems in general.

CONCLUSION

Turmeric/ Curcuma longa is a non-toxic, highly promising natural antioxidant, spice having a wide spectrum of biological functions. It is expected that turmeric and its constituents, especially turmeric and essential oils, may find application as a novel drug shortly to control various diseases. All of these studies should further add to the usefulness of turmeric and its constituents, especially curcuma and essential oil. Overall, due to its usage, biological safety, combined with its cost and efficacy, and thousands of years of experimentation, justify calling turmeric “The Golden Spice of Life”.

Research Sources

“Dharma Maharasa; Gatisheela Chikitsa Vijnana; Rishimuni Sewashrama; Buddha Pornima, 2065.

“First Curry Powder Advert.” First Curry Powder Advert. British Library Board, n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.

Chattopadhyay I, Biswas K, Bandyopadhyay U, and Banerjee RK: Turmeric and curcumin: Biological actions and medicinal applications. Curr Sci. 2004; 87:44–50.

Abas F, Lajis NH, Shaari K, Israf DA, Stanslas J, Yusuf UK, and Raof SM: A labdane diterpene glucoside from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa. J Nat Prod.; 2005; 68: 1090-1093.

Prance, Ghillean T., and Mark Nesbitt. The Cultural History of Plants. New York.: Routledge, 2005. Print.

Ravindran, P. N., K. Nirmal Babu, and K. Sivaraman. Turmeric: The Genus Curcuma. Boca Raton, FL: CRC, 2007. Print.