Originally from the Netherlands, Swami Purnachaitanya today lives, breathes and teaches yoga.
He has a university degree in Languages and Cultures of India and Tibet and in Journalism and New Media. As an Art of Living faculty, he has conducted yoga, pranayama and meditation programs across India, Netherlands, Dubai, Bhutan and Sri Lanka for people from a very wide range of cultures and backgrounds.
Here Swami Purnachaitanya shares his experiences as a teacher of Yoga, and his views on how youth can skill their lives with and through Yoga … and a host of other topics.
What is yoga according to you?
Yoga is a complete and holistic science that teaches us how to keep our body healthy, manage our mind and emotions, deal with stressful situations, maintain our equanimity amidst activity; and experience our true nature that is eternal, ever joyful and full of love for oneself and the world around us. Yoga can bring us back to this natural state of being.
Yoga is not about touching your toes – it is about realizing that you are perfect the way you are, about feeling at home wherever you go, and living life as an expression of happiness, not a pursuit of it.
What – or who - inspired you to become a teacher of Yoga? How long have you taught Yoga?
My main inspiration is Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, whom I met as a sixteen-year-old in The Netherlands. Having experienced many of the benefits of these techniques and wisdom, and seen the transformation in other people as well, I resolved to share this with as many people as possible. I have been teaching yoga, and related practices, for almost ten years now.
Swami Purnachaitanya interacting with students.
How can yoga help youth?
Yoga and meditation can help youngsters to manage their mind and emotions and have:
- a broader perspective of life, the world and the people around them
- a healthy body and peaceful mind
- improved concentration, better memory, and practical tools to deal with negative experiences
- a sense of empowerment to control how they feel and how they see the world
What does teaching yoga mean to you?
Towards society, it is a way for me to give back, and to contribute to making this world more peaceful, happy, and healthy.
Towards individuals, it is a way for me to empower them to take charge of their lives, giving them the tools to have a healthier body, a more peaceful mind, and a more inclusive world-view.
Towards myself, it is a way for me to contribute to Gurudev’s vision of a violence-free, stress-free world and putting to best use the wisdom and techniques needed for everyday living.
Swami Purnachaitanya while conducting a program for prison inmates.
How has teaching Yoga changed your perspective, your worldview?
It has helped me see that any individual, whatever their past may be, is innocent and pure as a child. I have seen people – whether they are convicted criminals, drug abusers, corporates, or youth - change into caring human beings who are now working to spread peace, prosperity, uplifting their communities and helping their fellow human beings.
Some people look at yoga as a means to exercise. What is your view on this?
The word “Yoga”, as given in the ancient texts means the union of the individual and the universal consciousness, and the path to achieve it. Some practices are simply exercises to become more flexible, tone the body, or burn some calories. Calling them yoga would be a misconception.
One can experience a state of yoga while doing a posture correctly, even if it means you cannot touch your toes. At the same time, one can execute difficult asanas and still be agitated, depressed or disturbed.
Any tips for new or prospective Yoga teachers?
Never stop practicing and learning. Never stop being a student. This knowledge is infinite, and the moment we feel that we know it, the learning stops.
