I would like to thank very much everyone who on 3 February 2008 participated in a special yoga session dedicated to the celebration of the World Yoga Day, as well as everyone who came to the yoga classes on 13 January 2008 organized for the benefit of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (Polish: Wielka Orkiestra Swiatecznej Pomocy) and who made their financial contributions towards the cause of both events. On both occasions the program was very special and dedicated to helping sick children in Poland and people around the world whose rights are violated. The purpose of the classes on both days was to support projects that bring such people tangible help.
Using this opportunity I would also like to share with you a couple of thoughts that have come to my head. We often ask ourselves how we can assist people who need help and whose number is growing by the day. Well, help can be provided in various forms, not only by making financial contributions but also by sending to them positive thoughts full of love, praying or meditating in their intention. The best way, however, is to teach them how they can help themselves.
During our World Yoga Day session, radio and TV reporters came to the Yoga Center to record our class and tell about it on the news that evening. The standard question they asked the participants and myself was: what is yoga and how can yoga help people? My answer is as follows: if yoga helped myself, why can’t it help others?! Yoga is the study of human life itself. While exercising and meditating we discover in ourselves potential and we can do things we could only dream about before. Gradually, we get through to the source of power that exists in every human being, to the source of love in our hearts, which is endless and huge like an ocean. Every day we become healthier, smarter, better and open to new ideas and helping other people. Every person who helps herself/ himself also helps others and is worth as much as they can do for others. Everyone who realizes it gladly helps other people sharing their knowledge, joy, love and happiness and never stops doing it because they are sure that they have found a way for having a fulfilled, joyful and happy life.
Anna Rykowska-Grzywna
Yoga Harmonia Centre, Poznan~, Poland
www.jogaharmonia.pl
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WORLD YOGA DAY impressions
On 3 February 2008 in the Yoga Harmonia Centre a true celebration of yoga took place. The event organised under the auspices of Amnesty International was dedicated to human rights protection. From 11.00 am to 12.00, twenty people took part in a hatha yoga session, and for the next hour in meditation. To honour the cause underlying our Sunday practice, the meditation began with singing Puja, a beautiful and soulful invocation in Sanskrit, by the meditation teachers. The bodies prepared by the asanas willingly adopted the vibrations of the mantra repeated mentally and quietened the mind to the extent that enabled the participants to touch the essence of yoga – unity. We felt not only the unity of the body, mind and spirit but also the unity with the cause pursued by Amnesty International. This incredible experience gave us a lot of joy and let us feel a better human being.
A slight “feeling of anxiety” among the participants was aroused by the visits of local media – two TV stations and two radio stations, which were recording their material during both sessions. We are happy, however, that the day stamped its mark on the media and that their attention was attracted to the cause underlying the whole event. During the classes we also raised 300 PLN in donations for statutory purposes of Amnesty International.
Thanks to this incredible experience we know one thing for sure. We will definitely join the project again next year to support the efforts of Amnesty International concerning human rights protection in the whole world.
Anna Rykowska-Grzywna, Poznan, Poland
International Yoga Vacation in “VIDA” resort in Szteklin near Starogard Gdanski
“VIDA” resort is located on a big, beautiful and clean lake, surrounded by woods in the picturesque land of Kaszuby (60 km away from Gdan~sk and 10 km from Starogard Gdan~ski). It is a tranquil and peaceful place that provides great relaxation possibilities. The resort offers a guarded beach, swimming pier, rental of tourist equipment (kayaks, water bikes, boats), beach volleyball court, basketball court, children’s playground, free car park in a closed area. Pictures of the resort are available on the internet at the following address: http://www.polskiturysta.pl/index.php?art=show_once&id=190
Accomodation:
Double rooms with bathroom and shower, with TV SAT in the main building. In the building there is also a kitchen, dining room and 2 large and beautiful exercise rooms. Additionally, there are 8 large houses of “Brda” type that accommodate up to 6 people. The houses have 2 bedrooms on the upper floor. In every house there is a bathroom with shower and a kitchenette with a fridge.
Date:
25 June to 5 July – 10 days. We start with dinner on the arrival day, at 18.00.
Cost:
Double room and houses:
1100 PLN – full cost for participant,
900 PLN – full cost for accompanying person not participating in classes,
With 6 people in a house, the prices are 1000 and 800 PLN, respectively.
Single room: 1300 PLN.
Booking:
You can book the stay and make an advance payment of 200 PLN either personally at Yoga Harmonia Centre by 15 May 2008 or by bank transfer to:
Marianna Rykowska – Grzywna PKO BP S.A. Poznan~
Acc. no. PL04 1020 4027 0000 1202 0204 9773, BIC/ SWIFT code: BPKOPLPW,
Branch address: 1 / O PKO BP S.A.
Pl. Wolnosci 3
60-914 Poznan~, Poland
After 15 May, the payment for the course is 10% higher. The advance payment will not be refunded upon cancellations.
Meals:
Meals are included in the cost of stay. There will be 3 meals a day, with choice between traditional and vegetarian.
Program:
There will be 4 hours of hatha yoga and 3 hours of meditation a day, mainly in the morning and early afternoon. For those who would like to learn more, there will be evening meetings, lectures, discussions and mantra singing. In addition, it is possible to organise trips to historical and natural sites in Gdan~sk, Malbork or Peplin.
Organiser::
Anna Rykowska – Grzywna, Centrum Jogi HARMONIA ul. Towarowa 45 w Poznaniu,
joga@jogaharmonia.pl
Tel. 61/ 66 58 159, mob. 600 220 961
How to get there? - click on the map bellow: 
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World Peace Meditation
Between 26 March and 2
April 2007 Yoga Harmonia Centre in Poland hosted Conny Larsson, an exceptional Vedic
mantra meditation teacher, who held meditation courses from step 1 to 7. Each meeting with Conny gives joy, peace and happiness, which still linger in the place when he leaves. Huge knowledge, underpinned by great experience, which he shares is clear and simple to understand by all people who wish to live in peace, do not want to harm anyone, who want to develop their talents and live their life to the full. That is why, there is more and more harmony in the Yoga Harmonia Centre and in the life of everyone who comes here.
Following the advice of our great teacher I decided to support his request to spread the idea of peace in the world and I chose special days and hours when people will be able to meditate in this intention.
W O R L D P E A C E M E D I T A T I O Nwill be held every Wednesday from 9 am to 10 am
every Thursday from 7 pm to 8 pm
Peace meditations were initiated by His Holiness Dalaj Lama a few years ago. Now they are held all over the world and sometimes thousands of people gather in one place to meditate in the intention of peace. That is why, I would like to invite wholeheartedly all people meditating in all traditions and following different meditation paths to participate in this special meditation. You can also pray for peace in silence. Everyone who contributes to world peace, finds more peace within themselves, among the family members and in their environment.
You should not come late for meditation. Please come 10-15 minutes earlier and dress comfortably.
I look forward to seeing you
Anna Rykowska-Grzywna
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International Fecris Conference, Brussels, Belgium
The International Fecris Conference was attended by 120 delegates.
Among speakers were:
Minister of Justice Madame Onkelinx.(Be)
President of INGO- Councel of Europe.Annelise Oeschger Former, member of EU Parliament.
President of C.I.A.O.S.N- Henri De Cordes (Be)
Member of Parliament (Be)-Jean Pierre Malmendier.
Many other speakers were also lecturing ranging from scientist, psyciatrist to prof, from different universities around the world. Conny Larsson gave a talk on "Politics,sects,sex and other truths".
The main purpose was to find a solution to the increasing problem with sects infiltrating me social, cultural and political systems causing damaging effects to the society as a whole.
Delegates were informed by the lecturers that each country has to create groups of people to keep an eye on these organisations. Several of them have been found to have a secret agenda.
Among sects considered dangerous are: Sathya Sai Baba org.-Scientology, The Moon sect, Narconon org. - TM-org. -Sun-Tempel sect and the OM-sect in Japan . These are just a few of the sects that have been monitored.
The Conference also stated that some of the sects have positive parts that could be taken into account. As a whole they are damaging for the younger generation because they all aim at putting the responsibility for ones life in the hands of someone else. The conference also found that all these organisations have a tendency to remove evaluation of right and wrong from the individual and instead give all the power of decision to a "superior" or special person, Guru or priest, therapeut etc. Usually these people fall out of the society at an early stage of their involvement in these organisations, often leaving their family, children and job behind for the sake of the new group or sect. The result is isolation of the individual, years later often ending in suicide after having realised the truth about their choice of organisation or Guru etc. The main finding is that these organisations are all structured in a non democratic way.
Report from this Conference in Brussel can be given from Fecris at emailadress: http://griess.st1.at
Any teacher or firesoul interested in the Master Class may apply as soon as possible. Please, state your intentions and in what way you want to contribute.
You can use the Master Class email or mail to Conny Larsson directly.
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