Yoga craze in Taiwan, says Swami

AHMEDABAD: Faced with increasing drug abuse and sex-related problems, the youth in Taiwan have taken recourse to yoga for solace. Swami Adhyatamanandji, renowned yoga guru and founder of Shivanand Ashram, said this on his return from a two-week educational tour of Taiwan where he conducted a series of demonstrations and seminars on yoga.
Several Chinese newspapers and TV channels in Taiwan highlighted the yoga lessons imparted by Swamiji and two of his assistants, Ankur and Sangeeta Thavani, at various places, including the capital city of Taipei, Kuling, Datya and Kauhsing.
"The message of yoga and its importance in relieving mental stress of modern day life has spread like wildfire in Taiwan and a large number of Taiwanese have started practising yoga for better health," says Swamiji, who has been described as a esteemed yoga guru by the media there.
More than 1,800 students and trainers participated in the yoga camps conducted by Swamiji,whose programmes were organised by a group of yoga practitioners founded by late Dr Helan Wah, who was taught yoga by Swamiji at his Ashram here.
Despite language barriers, Swamiji and his assistants taught yoga to college students and other professionals with the help of three interpreters, including two daughters of Dr Wah, Margaret Wang,who came all the way from Los Angeles, and Rose Wang who came from Singapore.
The third interpreter was Thomas Kow, who has been associated with International China Yoga Association based in Beijing.
The Chinese interpreters helped translate Swamiji's instructions from English to Chinese to the participants, who were honoured with citations and certificates by Adhayatamanandji, who has held more than 647 yoga camps across the world.
Giving his impressions of the Taiwanese participants, he said, "They love yoga and are seriously pursuing the lessons given to them by their trainers." Swamiji said the Taiwanese are hard working and take pride in keeping their towns and cities clean.
Before embarking on the Taiwan trip, Swamiji had last year conducted several yoga camps in the US, Canada and Europe where he was invited by his NRI followers.
A faculty of 15 yoga teachers are now busy conducting yoga classes for corporate executives in Surat, Bharuch and Vadodara, while Swamiji has been visiting the Army bases in North to teach yoga to army officials and jawans.