The Portuguese Yoga Confederation is a non-profit Philosophical and Cultural Institution that aims at the Human Development, wellbeing and hapiness to all its practitioners, and the perpetuation of the Noblest and most ancient of the theoretical-practical Philosophies; it has a strong Social Solidarity orientation (with its own Department), Orchestra (Omkára), an Amateur Theater Group (Máyá), an Advanced Yoga Demonstration Group (Pashupati), a Yoga for Children Department (Balaki - Ganesha), a Medical Research Department, a Psychology Department, a Youth Department and an International Relations Department. It has 5 Regional Structures (similar to the official Regional Coordination Commissions –CCRs, areas for Portugal); it has 60 Áhsrama - Yoga Centers from North to South of Portugal involving thousands of practitioners.
The Portuguese Yoga Confederation (PYC) practices Excellence in its Teacher Training programs. Its teachers become World Specialists in Yoga, after undoing the Superior Course in Advanced Yoga (CÆSYO), where they learn “to see beyond the appearance”: 6 years – 6.500 hours of training, to graduate as Yoga Teachers; then 4 more years, a total of 10, to graduate as Yoga Professors, and 4 more years, in a total of 14 years, to graduate as Yoga Masters. These titles are academical and not honorific. PYC has already graduated hundreds of Yoga Teachers in Portugal – who are Human Beings Exponentiators. PYC also delivers the curriculum title of “Great International Yoga Master” to Yoga Masters with Accomplished Work, Path and Active Worldwide Involvement and has also edited Yoga didactic material (books, CDs and videos/DVDs) of International quality.
Together with its Founder it has promoted the only 5 Portuguese Yoga Congresses and more than fifty National Yoga Meetings in the last 30 years, and also the 1st Yoga Iberian Encounter 2007 – held in Spain, La Manga del Mar Menor, the 2nd Yoga Iberian Encounter 2008 – held in Spain, Santiago de Compostela; and the Yoga World Encounter 2008 held at Machu Picchu / Andes. It also organizes Philosophical Trips, from which we highlight in 2008 the tour through India, where the Portuguese Yoga Confederation Founder, H.H Jagat Guru Amrta Súryánanda Mahá Rája - International Yoga Gr. Master, and his team of Yoga Teachers, was welcomed at Keivályadhama Yoga Institute, in Lonavala (the sole Yoga Entity in India, supported and acknowledged by the Indian Government), at Shivánanda Yoga Áshrama in rshikesh where he rendered homage to his Master Svámin Krshnánanda Jí (already in Mahá Samádhi) – the Director of this very high Worldwide Yoga Institution during the 70´s, the 80’s and the 90’s. On this visit through India, a Pujá to Shrí Svámin Chidánanda Sarasvati (one of the successors of the Great Master Shivánanda Sarasvati)was also included, at his Áshrama at Dhura Dun (slightly before this Worldwide Yoga Personality has departed to Mahá Samádhi). Furthermore, the visit included Puna’s meeting with Master Iyengar; the International Yoga Festival (rshikesh), organized by the Parmat Niketan Áshrama and Mount Abu at the Worldwide Headquarters of Brahma Kumaris, and also at Val Sad.
The Portuguese Yoga Confederation is a World Specialist in Yoga.
Sádhaná - The Portuguese Yoga Confederation prioritizes International Excellence in the preservation of the Noble and Ancient Yoga Sámkhya, as well as its teaching, in the Rája Sádhaná in 1h classes for beginners, and 2h - average level, Mahá Sádhaná - 3h and 4h – for advanced students, and Kundaliní Mahá Sádhaná - 5h, very advanced.
The Portuguese Yoga Confederation is deeply non-theoretical - it has habit of giving instead of requesting. It therefore confers special emphasis to social causes, to the victims of abuse, to sustainable development, to Research and development, and to children, allocating an important part of its financial and human resources to these areas, being a donator to many institutions and individuals, of which we include: UN; UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund; FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; ACNUR/UNHCR – United Nations High Commissariat for the Refugees; UN Global Fund for Tuberculosis; Association of the Friends of Raoul Follereau against the Leprosy in the World; Shrí Sandhyani. Vidha Niketan/Porbandar/Gujarat - University of Samskrta and education for youth in India; Campaign Pólio Plus/Paul Harris - for World-wide Poliomyelitis eradication project; Support to the Clinton’s Katrina Victims Fund; OIKOS - Portugal, Institution of Cooperation and Development for Economical Depressed Countries; IAC - Institute Child Support; APAV - Portuguese association for victim support; Association “Florinhas da Rua” – Child in Need Support; Doctors of the World-Portugal; League of the Portuguese Firemen; “O Ninho” – Association for Women Victim of Prostitution; Association for Recovered Alcoholic from Cova da Beira, in Viseu - Portugal; City council of Lisboa; Hindu temple - Rádhá/Krshna, of Portugal; Firemen Federation of Algarve; Family Planning Association – APF.
The Portuguese Yoga Confederation is a Matriarchal Institution, led mostly by women, and its Board of Direction and major departments are either headed by women or have more women than men. Because of its matriarchal nature, it believes in the age-old Matriarchal values of Fraternity and preservation of the Macro Ecosystems, in Love and mutual support, in the culture of diplomacy and conflict prevention, in the World and Personal Peace, as opposed to the values of aggression and war (traditionally patriarchal).
- Yoga means to bind (to connect), from the root Yuj (read Yudj) = yoke.
For Humankind
OM Shánti
