Yoga is an ancient medicational art and science that has been practised for the past thousands of years. Yoga originated in the Himalayas. It consists of ancient theories, observations and principles about the mind and body connection which is now being proven by modern medicine.
Substantial research has been conducted to look at the health benefits of yoga - from the Yoga Postures Asanas, Yoga Breathing Pranayama, and Meditation.
Scientists have laid these results against the benefits of regular exercises. Therefore, to share the knowledge to the modern generation and to lead a healthy lifestyle is the main focus of the Vidyodhaya Yoga Sankalpa. It was launched by the Himalayan Yogini Vidya Jeyarajan in 2008. She said Vidyodhaya Yoga Sankalpa is a centre of public wellness and personifies a living example for the transformation of healthy life.
Vidya Jeyarajan is a school teacher and a trained yoga instructor. Having completed her primary and secondary education, she was drawn to yoga and related disciplines. She has been inspired by New Delhi based yoga experts Dr. Sridhar and Dr. Ragavendra Phai. They used to conduct yoga workshops when she was at college. Soon she too became a committed student of yoga. It did not take long before she started feeling the positive impact that practising yoga had on her life. Her wheezing problem began to vanish and her concentration on studies improved. Eventually, her physical, mental and spiritual status received a big boost.
In 2003, she went to India on a scholarship to complete her higher education at Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu. During her five-year stay, she completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Carnatic Music.
She had the yearning to further her knowledge of yoga to be self-motivated and focused. She learnt and practised Ashtanga Yoga and Hatha Yoga, but little did she know that she would one day become a yoga instructor.
Divine calling
She returned to Sri Lanka with the conviction that it was a divine calling for her to give back to society what she had learned through yoga. In 2010, she had her first private yoga session for a client with a back pain. She later recovered through yoga. Incidentally, she introduced another potential client to her who joined her yoga class immediately afterwards and soon became convinced by her work. She then offered to support Vidya by lending her residential premises to conduct group classes. Soon her client base was expanded.
Nevertheless, she did not wish to put an end to her learning. She followed a course in yoga and obtained the Diploma in Yoga from the University of Kelaniya in 2019. In 2020, she completed the Yoga Teacher Training Certification, Yoga Alliance Registered Training, at the Yoga and Ayurveda Centre in the United States. Her training enabled her to gain a deeper knowledge of Restorative Yoga and Chair Yoga.
In 2021, Vidya followed an advanced course under her Guru Himalayan Siddha Maha Yogi Akshar Nath at Akshar Yoga, Bangalore, India. Thereafter, she was recognised as a Himalayan Yogini and was certified as an International Yoga Teacher. Today, she is a member of the World Yoga Organization.
Non-communicable diseases
Currently, she conducts individual and group classes for all ages. Among her students are people suffering from non-communicable diseases such as, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, obesity, stress and anxiety. There are also some people who have undergone rehabilitation due to injuries.
She has been practising yoga for over 20 years and has worked as a Yoga Instructor for the past 14 years in her own Yoga Centre Vidyodhaya Yoga Sankalpa. She has also conducted Hatha Yoga for the Norwegian Embassy and school sports teams for expatriates in Sri Lanka.
By providing the proper breathing practice pranayama to her students, she helps them to have a good immune system to come out of stress which is often associated with uncertainty.
Yoga is one of the most effective and time-tested natural immunity boosters that we can adopt for a healthier life. It is an ancient art that strengthens the body and also relaxes the mind
Her goal is to empower students of yoga to connect with their inner guide through asana, breathing, mindfulness and meditation that can lead to adaptability at every level.
Her role is to create space for her students to explore and engage in the journey of transformation which she has learnt from the authentic yoga practices from Himalayan yoga.
Her classes are always physically and mentally challenging, delivered in English and Sanskrit with uplifting music, including demonstrations and maximum hands-on assistance. She aims to live a yogic lifestyle and leads her students in a way that reflects that lifestyle.