| Yoga teacher shows the way to healthy body, mind and positive energy Posted: 17 Jun 2013 10:00 PM PDT
 Muscat: He radiates positive energy, which, perhaps, explains his popularity. Young Hassan Tafti has taken on the task of making people live a better life. By advocating yoga and conducting advanced courses, Hassan Tafti has found keen admirers for himself. A Facebook fan page dedicated to him is a proof of this fact.
An international travelling teacher of The Art of Living Foundation, Hassan has been travelling round the world, conducting courses that help people lead a better life, especially through yoga. He was in Oman to lead the Yogathon.
"His courses are like the cool breeze that carries away the scorching heat and leaves you soothed and content. His is a unique style of making knowledge tangible, and his presentation very simple. He is just one of us, and does not make us feel the distance. His advance courses are like the much looked forward to dessert after a meal. They leave a pleasantly lingering taste in your mouth for quite some time. Really an unforgettable experience," states a website dedicated to him. You meet him and you sense the energy.
Hassan Tafti has been a yoga teacher and an international travelling teacher of the Art of Living Foundation for the last 11 years. Through programmes conducted across the world, the foundation has been responsible for teaching and spreading awareness about yoga to a diverse crowd.
His first experience performing the Sudarshan Kriya at a course conducted by the Art of Living Foundation left a "lasting impression" on him, following which he pursued yoga at higher levels and, eventually, went on to teach yoga across the world. He states, "We are searching everywhere for peace of mind, happiness, joy, and enthusiasm, and it's right there beneath our noses—our breath."
The recent Yogathon 2013 is the second of its kind in Muscat. It is a free-of-cost, health awareness event. Tafti's two-hour session covers demonstrations of a range of yogasanas, and its impact on the body and mind, the benefits of meditation, and tips on Ayurvedic health care. "The people here are physically fit and are open to learning," says Tafti.
The Art of Living Foundation Oman brought "Yogathon & I Meditate" as a part of the "Yoga for Health Festival" initiative.
This initiative was in partnership with the Ministry of Sports Affairs and Ministry of Health. Yogathon is a 12-pose yoga sequence, which is a great workout for the whole body, involving stretching, flexing, and toning the muscles. It is also an excellent exercise for weight loss. In addition, yoga offers numerous health benefits that go beyond physical fitness, such as relaxing the mind and meditation.
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| The inside story Posted: 17 Jun 2013 01:38 AM PDT
Mohan Kumar, who has been in the Bangalore Central Jail for 12 years, has found his peace
Mohan Kumar, or Mohan Bihari as he is more familiarly known (for his native state, Bihar), has been a prison inmate in the Bangalore Central jail for the past 12 years. Yet, he has managed to transform the lives of over a hundred other inmates by conducting trauma and stress relief programs designed by the Art of Living Foundation.
Mohan is one of 30 others who have reached out to more than 2,500 inmates with these programmes across seven prisons in Karnataka, including the Bangalore central jail and prisons in Bidar, Bellary, Gulbarga, Bijapur, Dharwad and Mysore. Mohan first undertook the programme in 2006, but began regular practise in 2012 after a second session. "That was when I realised that my health has improved. Earlier, I was almost constantly in tension, since I have been in jail for the past 12 years. After taking the programme all my tension was released. The yoga and breathing techniques transformed my thinking and perspective," he explains during an interaction at the Art of Living ashram in Bangalore.
"I was scattered and spaced out even while talking to people, but now I have found mental peace." Post his transformation, he is quite proud to share that he has been made the jail's MLA (an internal responsibility), this means that he is now responsible for overseeing the kitchen and the meals for over 4,000 inmates. "What I feel really happy about," he says, "is teaching yoga and pranayamas because it helps my countrymen. Then they don't need to go to the doctor as much. I can see their energy levels visibly improve when they practise these techniques. Their minds are also able to come to the present and be at peace."
Their self-esteem, he observes also improves dramatically. "Earlier, I would have felt that I didn't deserve to talk to you." Mohan Kumar now looks forward to be released. "I want to see my family, I haven't seen my parents in 12 years. Once I go out, I will either take up agriculture on my father's land, or continue to teach these programs. But I will definitely make money to run my family," says 32-year old Mohan.
"My life has not been happy so far. But when I do yoga, I realise that everybody faces sorrows in life and like everything else, they come and go."
Source: The HIndu
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