More than 250 doctors, scientists and yoga experts explore the depth of Ayurveda and Yoga for optimizing global health at an international conference.
Boone, NC – The Art of Living Retreat center nestled in the Heavenly Mountains of Boone, North Carolina hosted a wonderful international conference – “Ayurveda and Yoga for Optimum Health” from July 4-6 2014. This conference was organized by AAPNA – Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America with the support of The Art of Living Foundation, The World Community Service Center (WCSC) Foundation, The World Institute for Scientific Exploration(WISE), Amrit Yoga, and California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. More than 250 doctors, scientists and yoga experts from different parts of USA attended the conference to explore the latest research and developments in the field of Ayurveda, yoga and other holistic healing methods.
This 3-day conference was inaugurated by His Holiness Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of Art of Living, a global spiritual leader and humanitarian and an ambassador of peace and human values. Heemphasized that Ayurveda is a time tested ancient science. He said that while we glorify this ancient wisdom we also need more research, better documentation and to bring together the difference schools of Ayurveda. He asserted that Ayurveda and herbal medicines are right of every American and he wished that one day in USA also we will have AyurvedaCollege just like we have in India and millions of people will be benefitted from Ayurveda.
The Guest of Honor of the conference, Dr. John Reed, President of World Institute of Scientific Explorations – Harvard Branch, also emphasized the need of documentation and regretted that modern world is still doubting the effects of these wonderful sciences on human health and not utilizing these medicines as first choice of medication. While stressing the need to popularize Ayurveda in the United States, he underlined that the commercial pharmaceutical companies in run for high profitsmiss the humanitarian approach and are not letting the ancient medical science to get promoted.
DrShekharAnnambhotla, President, AAPNA – Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North Americahonored Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with “Indra Award” recognizing his contribution in spreading spiritual knowledge world-wide. The World Institute for Scientific Exploration(WISE) appointed Sri Sri as Honorary National Adviser for the WISE-India division.
The conference gave a great opportunity to understand these sciences from many renowned speakers and legends of this field. Dr. David Frawley who is author of more than 30 books on Ayurveda and yoga, spoke on the interrelationship and continuity of Veda, Raj Yoga and Ayurveda. Yogini ShambhaviCo-director of American Institute of Vedic Studies, spoke on Yogic art of restorative healing. Yogi Amrit Desai, A VishwaYoga Ratna and Founder of Amrit Yoga, and who is being recognized as one of the pioneers of authentic teachings of yoga in the westencouraged yoga community to go beyond physical practice. Dr.Shanmugamurthy Lakshmanan(research scientist at Harvard University), ShunyaPratichiMathur(Founder of Vedica Global and Director of California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine), Dr. SuhasKshirsagar (Internationally recognized speaker on Ayurveda), Dr. VivekShanbhagwere other distinguished speakers amongst many.
The 3-day multi-track event with 8 key note presentations and 15 general lectures on Ayurveda and yoga, 10 workshops on morning meditation and yoga, healthy vegetarian meals, and evening of soulful singing and chanting was huge success in terms of bringing so many doctors and scientists on a common platform to share and create a vision for future of Ayurveda and yoga in the USA and globally.
Conference concluded with emphasis on proper education on Ayurveda with a need for standardization, finding legal recognition to the practitioners and ways to popularize it globally and in particularly in the United States.
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