Apr 2-10, Shabad Surat Sangam Ashram: The pristine month of April once again brought with it to the ashram a group of individuals seeking the joys of a sound body and a sound mind. Their journeys in the world had led them into a situation where the most basic tool of their lives – the body-mind – had turned against them and instead of remaining an efficient tool for life, it had become a burden which was necessary to shed off. And indeed! What better place to satisfy this need than the annual Body-Mind Shaping Camp. Praised highly and recommended to them by their friends – participants in the previous camps – many new people joined the veteran participants for this mega experience. They definitely had the desire, but did they also have the requisite “will” to bear the rigors of it? Well, you will find it out right here, what transpired with these heroes over the 9 days.
Swamiji gave a beautiful, detailed introduction on the eve of the camp, the crux of which was to drive home the core principle of the camp: there is a (divine) force residing within the body; it is this which truly sustains and nourishes the body. Disconnecting from it brings innumerable suffering to the body-mind. Therefore, to regain the lost ground all one needs is to reconnect to this energy-source inside. The camp is here to share with all those willing, ways to re-establish this connection. In fact, every afternoon for the duration of the camp, Swamiji shared invaluable messages to recreate a healthy body-mind. Here is one such discourse (in Hindi) for our readers.
Healthy Dietary Habits by Swami Suryendu Puri Ji – Discourse
It really seems that the participants took this message to heart, and everyone was excited on the first morning as they climbed the weighing machine to mark their starting points. It was made amply clear to all that this was not just a weight-loss camp, but a camp to become healthy in body-mind. Surely, shedding of excess weight is an integral part of it, but not the soul of it. A session got underway in which techniques for complete bowel cleansing where shared with them. Soon many of them were running to and fro between the practice hall and the loo.
Over the next nine days, the participants surely surprised themselves. Never before had they imagined that it was possible to live on such a less amount of external nutrition, but it is. Through the day, they practiced well-researched yogic kriyas like the Surya, Agni, Sanjivani Kriyas, and called off the day with a fun-filled session which was just laughter and dance.
So, what was the outcome? It would be improper here to just give numbers about average weight and waist loss etc. The real outcome was that they got a new outlook towards themselves. They have returned home, with a resolve and a bagful of tools to lead healthy, bright lives. That was the real outcome. And as this post is being written all of them are still in midst of a 40 day follow up to the camp. It often happens that they visit a restaurant with their friends and while the pals enjoy a delicious pizza they delight themselves with just a glass of water. Pitiable? Well, you’ll c who wud hve the last laugh! There are participants who have brought their diabetes under control, without medication; and there are others who have avoided knee replacement surgeries because of the camp. The happy, fortunate stories are unending. One has to taste it to know it, as is said.