International Yoga Day & Visualising Light in the South African Darkness
When I was in India last year I was astonished at how excited the country’s people, in general, were excited about their new president Narendra Modi. They all felt a positve transformation taking place under his leadership.
Modi actually practice yoga. He says “Yoga embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well being.” Modi called for an international movement towards peace and harmony through culture and especially yoga. He asked the United Nations to grant an annual International Yoga Day every 21st of June to recognice the contribution yoga can have in creating a more harmonious world order.
The progressive leadership from Modie envisions all governement office bearers in India doing Yoga.
So I’m thinking… can someone please get Modie to have a chat to Zuma? Suggesting Zuma mediating with India for a co-creation Yoga Day can be opportunity for great leverage. The leverage I mean is based on the idea of “if you can imagine it, it can happen”. O my OM-ness. Imagine this; Zuma on a yoga mat in full lotus with finger mudra :-)) Of course it is hard to resist making fun of Jacob, but seriously, if we offer a thought of positive inspiration and visualisation rather than complaining about “government” won’t that be more useful to bring about healing change?
I am not merely being facetious. Vast numbers of South African’s suffer vastly in a world that is often more dark than those who aren’t on a daily basis part of the violence and terrible socio-economic realities can imagine. Which is exactly why the world needs those who can see the light, to imagine more of it coming through. And pray for more and look for and support those do light work.
God works in mysterious ways. Anything can happen :-)) Constructive visualisation and reality is merge-able. India could become much more of a superpower under its new leadership. Possibly some countries now in bed with China would rather want to be in bed with India. I’d rather like my country to be bedfellows with a yogi prime-mister than a Maoist. Go ahead, visualise the ANC trading the Gupta’s for Modie, hanging at the ashram and not with the sinister side of Chinese expansionism. Or the Darth Vader ventriloquist puppet from Zim and other dictators from the African Union.
Back to the first International Yoga Day. This Sunday 21 June 2015 Cape Town, in the Samaj Centre, Gatesville, Athlone. 8.30 – 10.30 a.m.
Indian consulates and all kinds of organisations large and small are arranging events to celebrate this remarkable occasion of yoga gaining the recognition that not only yoga deserves, but also the world.
Search in Google for an event near your area. In Durban the lead event is being held on the North Beach where 2,500 people are expected to participate. In Pretoria, the lead event will be held in Laudium and in In Johannesburg, along with the main celebration at The Summer Place, a yogathon is being organized at WITS University. There are lots and lots more events. I suspect the yoga at many of the events will be basic, and filled with speeches and demo’s. But its not about cool yoga, rather about getting the community together and promoting yoga. I’m just going for the vibe and curiosity and to be part of what is actually quite a wonderful unfolding of what can be possible in the world when leaders with vision (i.e. who promotes yoga :-)) come into power.
Your in yoga
Johann, Cape Town, 19 June 2015,
Johann Kotze Music & Yoga Studio, Muizenberg.
p.s. I added the photographs today, after attending.
