DAY-1 @ 20 July 2023
Yoga is a practice that has been around for centuries and has gained immense popularity in recent times. It is not just a physical exercise, but a holistic approach to wellness and self-care.
The Two Days National Level Lecture Programme was fully funded by ICPR (Indian Council of Philosophical Research) which is a part of the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
To highlight the importance of yoga in our life, Amity Business School, Amity University Madhya Pradesh organised a Two days National Level Lecture Programme on “Green Yoga and the Art of Living with Nature” under the able guidance and leadership of Honorable Vice Chancellor Amity University Madhya Pradesh, Lt. General V.K. Sharma, AVSM(Retd.). This Two Days National Level Lecture Programme was a result of the continuous support, guidance and motivation of Prof. Dr. Anil Vashisht, Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor, of Amity University Madhya Pradesh and Director, of Amity Business School. Dr. Rajeev Dwivedi and Dr. Shweta Saxena were the event coordinators.
The objective of the workshop was to create awareness regarding the benefits of Yoga on the physical, mental and spiritual health of people and to learn the art of self-expression, finding the rhythm and our path. The event began with the blessings of Maa Saraswati by garlanding of the idol of Maa Saraswati and lighting of the lamp by the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of Amity University Madhya Pradesh along with respected Deputy Pro VC of Amity University Madhya Pradesh, Prof. Dr. Anil Vashisht, followed by Saraswati Vandana.
The workshop started with an introductory lecture by Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Amity University Madhya Pradesh, Lt. General VK Sharma (Ati Vishisht Sewa Medal) on the topic “Yoga for Body, Mind and Soul”. He began the lecture by emphasizing that “Yoga is not just about doing the asanas and pranayama but it is very much beyond that”. He explained the 8 limbs of Yoga which include (a) Yamas, (b) Niyama, (c) Asana, (d) Pranayama, (e) Pratyahara, (f) Dharana, (g) Dhyana and (h) Samadhi. He also gave cognizance on yoga for peace and stress reduction and informed us about the benefits of performing Yoga.
At the end of the lecture by Hon’ble Vice Chancellor AUMP, Lt. Gen. V.K. Sharma, a memento was presented by Dy Pro VC, AUMP, Prof Dr Anil Vashisht to Hon’ble Vice Chancellor Amity University Madhya Pradesh. The first lecture ended with a group photograph with Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Amity University Madhya Pradesh, Lt. Gen. V.K. Sharma and Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr Anil Vashisht.
DAY-2 @ 21 July 2023
Day 2 of the National level lecture programme on Green Yoga and the art of living with nature started with an intriguing lecture by Dr. Rajeev Kumar Dwivedi Sir on the topic “Yoga and the Art of Living with Nature”. Dr. Rajeev explained that green yoga and the art of living with nature is a holistic approach to yoga and lifestyle that emphasizes the connections between humans and the natural world. It encourages individuals to practice yoga in an environmentally conscious way and to live in harmony with nature. He shared his views on how yoga is interconnected with the art of living with nature. He told that yoga has got more to do with nature, so even a building is not required for performing yoga exercises, one could just sit anywhere in the natural environment and practice yoga. He emphasized the fact that Yoga is nothing but it is just about worshipping ourselves and loving ourselves. At last, he threw light on the various conventional and unconventional forms of yoga.
The lecture was then followed by a yoga practice session for the participants which was directed by the AUMP Sports Officer Dr. Bhoomika and Dr Malkhan. The participants were instructed to perform prayers followed by yoga asanas & exercises like Suryanamaskar, Tadasana, Uttanasana, Ardhchakrasana, Janushirasana, Bandhkonasan, Ustrasan, Padmasan, Setubandhasan, Shavasana etc.
In the second half, the final lecture of the two days yoga workshop was given by the guest speaker Dr. Narendra Yadav who is an assistant professor in LNIPE, on the topic “Green Yoga and Nutrition”. Dr. Yadav stated that adequate nutrition along with Green Yoga is an essential part of the path towards a healthy and peaceful lifestyle. He told that doing Yoga alone is not enough, it has to be followed by appropriate nutrition to avail the best results. He told us to minimize the use of packaged and processed food items and encourage the use of fresh fruits, vegetables, millet and ayurvedic items to obtain balanced nutrition for a healthy lifestyle. He discussed the importance of reducing the consumption of sugars & bad fats and maximizing the consumption of proteins, fibres, vitamins and minerals in our diet so that both the body and brain can perform efficiently.
The lecture was then followed by a final yoga session by the sports officer Dr. Bhoomika in which the participants were instructed to perform advanced yoga asanas such as Suryanamaskar, Tadasana, Uttanasana, Ardhchakrasana, Janushirasana, Bandhkonasan, Ustrasan, Padmasan, Setubandhasan and Shavasana.
Dr Narendra Yadav, Assistant Professor, LNIPE, Gwalior delivered a lecture on “Green Yoga and Nutrition”. He emphasized the importance of taking organic food and growing fruits and vegetables in your garden and emphasized the significance of living with Nature. He said that including millet in your diet is very important. He explained the importance of having fruits and green leafy vegetables. He emphasized taking unprocessed sugar and taking unprocessed food.
Prof. (Dr.) Anil Vashisht, Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor, Amity University Madhya Pradesh and Director, Amity Business School, Amity University Madhya Pradesh, addressed the participants of the workshop and motivated them to implement the learnings of the workshop into their lives. He asked the participants to follow a healthy lifestyle and practice Green Yoga and learn the Art of Living and Giving back to Nature.
The 2-Day National Level Lecture Programme on “Green Yoga and the Art of living with Nature” concluded with Dr. Shweta Saxena delivering the vote of thanks to all respective dignitaries.