Christmas is a time of merriment, love, sharing, and caring.

The fun and excitement of awaiting gifts from Santa are even much higher in kids. But for most children living in the orphanages and impoverished communities, Christmas is just not the same. Rishikul Yogshala celebrated Christmas this year in the touching companionship of such children at the Udaan NGO in Rishikesh, India. The purpose was to commemorate the spirit of giving and to spread the warmth of love, care, and support with the children of God.

Rishikul Yogshala truly believes in the concept of Karma which states that good deeds bring you good and has been involved in many karma yoga projects. Living true to its nature of being a ‘Karma Yoga Foundation’ the school extends strenuous support to each and every yoga enthusiast, despite their humble background through various yoga courses. Therefore, with a noble thought to make Christmas merriest for the underprivileged children and to share the joy of giving, an event was organized by our students at the NGO.

The bright Sunday morning brought with it celebrations at the Udaan Foundation where the students of Rishikul Yogshala celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ. Udaan India Foundation is a Rishikesh based Non-Profit organization working with children from low-income communities in the field of communication. Their primary aim is to ensure a holistic, strong educational foundation for every school going child making them more responsible, compassionate citizens of tomorrow.

Reminiscing the principles of compassion and having a vision of doing everything with a positive mindset and from a place of love, Children at NGO conducted diverse cultural activities to truly spread some warmth this Christmas. The children were immersed in melodious carol singing, beautiful dance performances, and various fun-filled activities. A wholesome and enticing assortment of snacks and dishes were served to the children nurturing their well-being. Bringing smiles to their beautiful faces brought happiness to our souls but there was a moment of sadness also. Sadness because our present generation and future powers come from families where there has been little or no formal education, where education is not a priority and a common place for children to drop out of school in order to contribute towards family income. Udaan strongly believes in the power of education in changing the lives and through this mission strives to bring hope into the lives of people. A child’s journey at Udaan starts with Preschool level, continues throughout their schooling years and even supports them until they become workable.

One of our student Emisha was a part of this celebration and had the fortune of visiting the children. She shares her feeling low-spirited as only a few children have access to this opportunity. At the same time, she was immensely gratified that someone had taken a proactive approach to making a difference.

Another student Anna quoted, that we should appreciate everything in life.

The memorable day was made sweeter by the cutting of the cake, which was shared and relished by all.

We consider ourselves really fortunate having celebrated the spirit of Christmas in the company of such beautiful and innocent souls. Sharing the happiness with them was immensely blissful.

Day 1: Gentle Restorative Yoga / Vedic Detoxification / Yoga Nidra Meditation

The first day is all about getting settled with the change. Do not force yourself to re-adapt. Let your mind and body accept it gradually. Start your day with a glass of lukewarm water instilled with some honey, a few drops of lemon, and crushed pepper. After performing the morning rituals, roll out the yoga mat and delve into a gentle practice of few restorative yoga poses. Some of the yoga asanas that you can try are Siddhasana (Adepts Pose), Salamba Balasana (Supported Child’s Pose), Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose), etc.

Set aside 15 minutes for performing the Savasana or the corpse pose upon conclusion of the session. Have a glass of replenishing herbal drink before setting for the day.

Stay on Vedic cleanse by consuming 8-10 glasses of Vedic drinks prepared in mild to lukewarm water the entire day. Retire to bed early at night after 20 minutes of Yoga Nidra practice. Rub some rosemary or tea-tree infused oil on the forehead, palms, and the feet. You can continue this practice for the next six nights on the schedule.

Day 2: Surya Namaskar/ Basic Restorative Yoga / Meditation / Yogic Food and Drinks

Commence the next morning with Sun Salutation Series or the Surya Namaskar. Since your sleep cycle undergoes a toll during the festivities; hence, you may start small. Set the alarm for half an hour before the actual wake-up time with snooze duration of 10 minutes. Set a calming mantra chanting as your alarm tone which can internally inspire you to gently rise up from the sleep without disrupting the rhythm of your body and mind.

After Suryanamaskar, set some time for a definitive restorative yoga practice. Devote time to a 10-minute meditation before lunch.

Include a wholesome yogic diet comprising of boiled sprout salads, steamed vegetables, mildly tempered millets, etc. Divide the diet into mini platters to be consumed 5-6 times a day. Include herbal drinks as an accompaniment to be consumed an hour before the meals.

Day 3: Surya Namaskar / Restorative Yoga / Yoga Nidra / Yogic Diet

Make an attempt to start the third day slightly earlier without forcing the body into it. Devote sometime to Surya Namaskar followed by 15 minutes of a brisk nature walk. Delve into the practice of restorative yoga for the duration of 20 minutes.

Include a wholesome yogic diet comprising of wheat or rye toast, mildly cooked vegetables, fruits, and legumes. Conclude the day with 20 minutes of Yoga Nidra session before drifting off to sleep.

Day 4: Surya Namaskar / Restorative Yoga with Props / Yoga Nidra/ Sattvic Diet

Start the day with Sun Salutations followed by an advanced restorative yoga practice with the use of props and ancillaries to reach and restore deepest tissues in the body. Set aside at least 15 minutes to lay in corpse pose. Consume a sattvic diet inclusive of fresh fruits, vegetables, and pulses along with herbal drinks.

Day 5: Surya Namaskar/ Hatha Yoga/ Restorative Yoga with Props/ Yogic Drinks and Salads

By now, you shall feel nearly restored and back to being regular again. After a detailed practice of Surya Namaskar along with targeted Hatha Yoga practice, continue with advanced restorative yoga practice with the help of props. Dive through the day with yogic drinks and salads for resetting the internals. Do not include pulses or grains during the day.

Day 6: Surya Namaskar / Ashtanga Yoga / Mild Restorative Yoga / Yogic Diet

Commence the morning with Surya Namaskar followed by a mild Ashtanga Yoga practice of 25 minutes. Follow it up with 10 minutes of Restorative Yoga. Consume pre-planned yogic meals comprising of wholesome ingredients. Divide the portions into 5-6 mini platters
Indulge in Yoga Nidra practice for 15 minutes before going to bed.

Day 7: Restorative Yoga / Ayurvedic Massage/ Yogic Diet / Yoga Nidra

Conclude the last step of the plan with a deep 30-45 minutes of restorative yoga session followed by an Ayurvedic Body Massage. Consume sattvic meals through the day that are more protein rich in nature. Complete the yogic rejuvenation plan with 30 minutes of intense Yoga Nidra practice before calling it a night.

Alternatively, we highly recommend you to join a specialized Week-Long Yoga and Meditation Retreat January 2018 and emerge as completely replenished in a beautiful conducive environment.

Follow this week-long yogic plan to rejuvenate and rebalance. Leave the fatigue and take along with you nothing but cherishing moments from the most endearing vacation you just have had.

Keep Smiling!