Continuing from the Indian Culture Group's International Day of Yoga celebrations in Christchurch on June 18, the concluding part of the celebrations took place last Saturday in the city. With Canterbury Ethnic Network (CEN) taking the lead and inviting three different centres showcasing various forms of yoga – indicative of the global spread of the ancient wellness practice – the event was organised by the Canterbury Indian Women Group and Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Christchurch.
Mr Surinder Tandon of CEN said, “We had Ms Asmita Makwana from Sunrise Yoga, Ms Jo McHerg from Yoga Place and Ms Aurora Smith from the Art of Living Foundation. The international nature of Yoga trainers and teachers that we have here in Christchurch is truly remarkable.”
Also, as was in the first part of the celebrations, this time too, the event saw Dr Aniket Puri, Intervention Cardiologist at the Christchurch Hospital, and his daughter investigated the benefits of Yoga on blood pressure and heart rate by recording the levels pre- and post-Yoga sessions.
On what they have learned, Dr Puri elaborated, “Doing Yoga definitely has positive effects on human physiology. While I can't say whether Yoga can cure ailments, it definitely improves both the parameters – blood pressure and heart rate – going by what we have measured over the last two weekends.”