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Mongolia AMURT Distribution in Ulaan Baatar Members of AMURT (Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team) Mongolia visited the 9th Horoo (sub-district), Sukhbaatar District in Ulaanbaatar. They distributed blankets, food, soap and scholastic materials to 10 poor families. This is the first of many distributions planned in that area. A new website for AMURT in Mongolia was made in October: www.amurtmongolia.org Yoga in Mongolia A new website advertising classes www.yogamongolia.org is proving popular and several people have contacted us through the site and started to attend classes. On August 20th, 2006 a Yoga and Meditation Seminar was held in our Yoga Centre. The seminar participants enjoyed classes on yoga, meditation and vegetarian philosophy and also learnt kiirtan and meditation. Lotus Children’s Home and Kindergarten Didi Ananda Kalika and Didi Sudeshana report the Ananda Marga Lotus Children’s Home is now caring for over 180 children in care with 50 on the staff. During the past summer, over 1,000 visitors came to tour the project, including representatives of the Himalayan Foundation. Didi Sudeshana reports that the primary school is now educating children from kindergarten through to fifth grade. Thirty five children are in the kindergarten program and sixty are in the primary school. The staff now has thirteen teachers. In September, the school was awarded the City Educational Bureau Medal of Excellence. China and Hong Kong Dada Shubhadhyanananda visited three cities in mainland China. Dada gave classes on Tantra science and brought inspiration to many dharmacakras (collective meditation sessions). Dada Gunamuktananda has taken up duties in Hong Kong where he is working to revive activities there and create an active unit. Russia The Barnaul retreat was conducted by margiis on 17-18 of November. It was the first autumn retreat in the Barnaul unit. The program included a lecture on Prabhat Samgiita by Ajaya. Amit led a discussion titiled "Creation of My Life Mission". Amit also gave a detailed presentation on the medical aspects of asanas. This was followed Jiishnu’s training on positive thinking. He explained how to deal with the difficulties to change our mental concepts even when our minds have already analyzed them and understood our outlook and circumstances. We conduct regular asana classes for new comers and advanced classes. Sisters Nirmala and Amaliina held a vegetarian party on December 9, 2006. Rubtsovsk On 11th of November, a vegetarian party was organized by Pavitram and Rubtsovsk margiis. Twenty four people attended and most of them were new comers. The program included an introduction to vegetarianism given by Ananda Mayii. During dinner, margiis performed bhajans and kiirtan. Dada Vijitatmananda conducted three seminars, during the past three months, with twenty people attending each time. A retreat was also held in Nara. Under the auspices of AMURT, a small group of margiis and friends went to Mongolia to assist the projects. In addition, funds were collected for Lebanon war relief. Dada Cidatmana reports many different activities in recent days all across the Korean Peninsula. Margiis and acharyas opened a new center in Seoul at Sadang for yoga classes and Dharmacakra. Also, a new meditation center was established in CheangWon. At JoChiWon, an association of yoga teachers invited Ananda Marga for a public presentation of our yoga science. The program was attended by 350 yoga teachers and included formal lectures and demonstrations of our yoga practices. The entire program lasted more than four hours. In October, Dadas and margiis worked together to build a one room health and environmentally-friendly house at the Jeonju MU compound. In the last week of October we had a nice retreat in Jjeonju MU that was attended by 30 persons from various parts of Korea. The cultural programme was the most attractive item. Many margiis participated and everyone enjoyed the programme. The children's performance was very attractive. Korean folk songs with traditional instruments were also performed. Some Margiis sang Prabhat Samgiit and all liked the songs very much. Dada Shubhacintananda introduced Indian classical music through Prabhat Samgiit songs in Changvan, Pushan and Andong on three different occasions. Dada performed two Prabhat Samgiit songs in Public Garden at a programme attended by 300 children in Seosan. Yoga, Meditation in Busan Ananda Marga is very active in the Korean city of Busan. Several yoga teacher’s certification courses were completed with over twenty graduates in all. Also in Busan, Ananda Marga held a public yoga seminar program. But perhaps best of all was a special vegetarian cooking class held for margiis and friends with 25 people attending. Dada Bhavottarananda is quickly settling into Korea and assisted with all the above programs and visited all units. The Seoul Yoga Teachers Association invited Dada for a presentation with twelve teachers attending a total of three classes. Dada also conducted a fasting camp, and gave classes in Indukwon, Sadang and MaPo. Dada Rudranathananda gave two lectures on Prout (Ananda Marga’s social philosophy) with a total of twenty persons attending, and also contributes free English classes every week for three hours. Didi Ananda Mallika spoke at a Busan public lecture with fifty people attending. Six persons attending Didi’s lecture asked for personal instruction in meditation. Taiwan October 2006 Sectorial Conference in Taiwan Hong Kong Sector celebrated its Conference at the Ananda Shaelam Master Unit in Yu Jing. The event was organized and managed by the margiis and acharyas of Kaohsiung. Our special guest was Ac. Shambhushivananda Avt., the Kulapati (Chancellor) of Ananda Marga’s University (Ananda Marga Gurukul). Yoga in Taipei Ananda Marga’sTaipei center has more than 20 yoga classes every week. In this way many people have come to learn meditation. Once every month, there is an introductory class on Ananda Marga meditation system, as well as a 6 week meditation class. Keshava organized a whole day seminar on Ananda Yoga Practices and Philosophy. In attendance were over 250 yoga instructors from various yoga schools of Taipei. Guest speakers at the seminar included Keshava, Mangal, Dada Candreshvarananda, and Dada Manavendrananda. Following the seminar, a special follow-up session was scheduled with over seventy yoga instructions returning later in December for more classes. Meditation and Yoga in Taichung Didi Anuvrata conducted a two day workshop onpersonality development, with a view to helping people with their spiritual practice. Fifteen people attended and a second workshop already planned. Didi also conducted yoga training in the women’s jail in TaiChung. Dada Yukteshananda assisted with the seven day meditation camp. He gave daily asana classes, and two workshops. He also conducted a fasting camp with fourteen people attending over 1 1⁄2 days with mud therapy and water therapy, introductory meditation, kiirtan, and Prabhat Samgiit. Dada also gave a lecture at elementary school on natural therapy to 28 teachers. Margiis also went to a Children’s park and held kiirtan throughout the park and nearby market. All Taiwan Seven Day Meditation Camp at Yu Jing Dada Manavendrananda, Didi Sananda, and Dada Yukteshananda organized the first all Taiwan seven day Sadhana Development Camp. The camp was held in August at the Sarkar School building near Yu Jing. To our knowledge this is the first such program ever held in Ananda Marga's history in Taiwan. The camp was focused directly on long meditation. All other activities were designed to support this goal. Every day the schedule was tight but will certain flexibility built in. All meals were taken in silence. Dada Manavedrananda gave one or two classes a day on spiritual practice and daily life. Dada gave lots of suggestions and ideas to help everyone do deep and long meditation. Dada gave all his classes directly in Mandarin Chinese. Didi Sananda led daily group activities specially selected to support the flow and spirit of the camp. Many exercises were directly linked to themes on spirituality covered in Dada’s M's classes, others were designed to foster intuitional thinking, group interaction skills, or to show us how to apply our spiritual values in daily life. Others were just plain fun! Dada Yukteshananda gave a class on health and diet and a wonderful practical session on Mud Therapy. Dadaji also gave outstanding asana method classes every afternoon of the seven day camp. Many margiis said his asana class was the best they had ever attended. Kaohsiung Dada Vibhakarananda conducts an ongoing thrice a week yoga and meditation class with fifty employees of the FengShan government office attending the class. Dada also gave a lecture there on yoga, meditation and fasting. In addition, Dada just completed a two month "Yoga for the Elderly" course with ten to twenty people attending each week. In August and September the Kaohsiung Unit served the elderly, by giving two months weekly yoga classes for free in Retirment house in Kangshan. About 14 people attended. In August, Kaohsiung also held the semi-annual seminar, attended by 30 people. Yu Jing Dada Diinadhiishananda did a huge amount of hard physical work to prepare the grounds and buildings at Ananda Suruchi for the October Sectorial Conference. Now the winter season is coming, our vegetable field has been plowed and planted vegetables and corn. Dada Dyutimaya reports that on the 18th of November, a Prabhat Samgiita seminar was organized at the Master Unit. Sarkar school also holds a public RAWA program on the last Friday evening every month. It has been very lively with music, drama, songs and jokes. Normally all the teachers, the students, parents and margiis attend. |
