Yoga Camp for Teachers
The ground work of all happiness is good health
Lourdes Central School in collaboration with Lion’s Club, Mangalore organized a Yoga camp for Teachers from 19 April – 23 April 2022 in the Roof Top. It was a small endeavour from the part of the School Management to create awareness among teachers and ignite a passion for fitness.
First day of the session comprised of the inaugural programme; welcoming the chief guest Lion Shivaram Rai and other members of the Lions Club Mr. Carlo and Mr. Simon Lobo followed by lighting of the lamp. Vice Principal Mrs Belita Mascarenhas gave an apt message of the day. The Chief Guest is a retired Asst. General Manager of Vijaya Bank, is now a Yoga practitioner after completing his diploma in advanced yoga at Tamil Sangam Yoga School, Bangalore and his PG in Yogic science and Yoga therapy. Since 2017 he has been conducting yoga classes at Lion Seva Mandir of Lions Club, Mangalore. In his speech he said that Yoga helps us all to experience the truth by realizing the true nature of our self and universe. It helps and encourages every human being to relax and reduce stress. Lion Shivaram Rai, seeing the stressful life of all human beings going through, decided to conduct yoga classes to all to help the society be stronger and live a stress-free life.
The Second session of the day was very interesting. It comprised of an orientation. The Yoga Guru stressed on the dictum, ‘Add years to your life and life to your years just by embracing Yoga in your life.’ Yoga is essentially a spiritual discipline based on an extremely divine science which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. It is an art of science of healthy living.
The Orientation was the backbone of the session because it gave the teachers the real picture of what exactly the stress and anxiety is and why it is important to manage it at the right time. According to him, yoga can also help teachers better cope with the physical demands of their jobs. Elementary school and secondary school teachers spend a lot of time on their feet, which can be hard on one’s body after several years. Other teachers such as those who work with very young children and those who work in physical education have even greater physical demands. Fortunately, incorporating a regular yoga regime can increase flexibility and improve core strength while it reduces a teacher’s stress levels and give them the energy they need to interact with their students .
The Yoga session started off with a Prayer and Mudra (Yogic breathing) He also showed the correct posture for asanas and pranayamas. Simple to complex asanas like Padmasana,Tadasana, Trikonasana, Dhanurasana, Anuloma Viloma etc were taught along with their right form and importance. These asanas really help the teachers to control food habits, health disorders, stiffness in the body, body ailments, manage stress and anxiety, control their mind and emotional stability.
All teachers were enthusiastic to learn more about Yoga asanas. They attended the yoga sessions without fail on all 7 days. The Yoga Guru Lion Shivaram Rai was prompt in delivering his yoga classes which he did it with great ease. The teachers found it beneficial and felt they were now better equipped to stay calm during chaotic moments in class and cope with the physical demands of their jobs.
Exercises are like prose whereas yoga is a poetry of movements which brings fitness in body, calmness in mind, kindness in heart and awareness in life.
The Yoga Camp concluded on 23 April 2022 at 9:30am.