The topic for the English Satsang on Sunday, 3rd February, 2013 was ‘Overcoming Bad Habits.’
Following is the transcript of the speech made by Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra on the topic.
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“We are trying to remember Paramhamsa Madhavadasji. He was likely to go into government service but tragedies happened in his life and he joined the Vaishnav sect. and later on he went around the country 11 times on foot, listened, observed, and practiced many spiritual things. Later on settled down on the banks of the Narmada river. He was given to Bhajans and very very rarely, he would speak to some deserving people. And that is how Yogendraji came in contact with him and for two and a half years learnt yoga from him and decided to discontinue college and go for teaching yoga, reviving it which he continued all his life. So we remember this Paramhamsa Madhavadasji who was able to revolutionize the life of a youngster and help bring yoga into our present day society because at his time a hundred years back, people were in a way afraid of this word yoga. They thought it was connected to people who are recluses, Sadhus, magicians and what not. But yoga was brought into society and people started practicing and till today we see yoga is very popular, though what Yogendraji wanted – yoga to influence life, change values, has not happened. We are sad for that. But we as students of The Yoga Institute may try and practice yoga not merely as an exercise and carrying out our old habits, but the intention being to change our lives, change our values, attitudes and all. I think this is the kind of message we should gather when we are observing the day of Paramhamsa Madhavadasji.”
Satsang is an open meeting held every Sunday from 9:30 to 10:30 am at The Yoga Institute, Santacruz East, Mumbai. It involves an interesting presentation to the public, made by the students of the Teacher Training Course. Each week, a new presentation of a Yogic concept is made in a simple way through skits and decoration for the general public, followed by a short speech from our Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji Yogendra.