NEW DELHI, INDIA, January 5, 2008: The four and last day of the World Congress no Psycology and Spirituality ended with a speech celebrating the connection between the human psyche and yoga. Yogacharya Shri B.K.S. Iyengar called yoga “a guiding pole star in enlightening the future generations” The conference was organized by Shruti Foundation, Infinity Foundation and The Association Of Transpersonal Psychology. It was attended by over 450 delegates from 40 countries of the world.
The closing speech stated, “Yoga is as old as civilization. Its conception, growth and practice was nourished in India. I am sure it is going to remain as a transcendent subject in guiding and transforming future generations by uplifting those who follow it to learn, understand and live truly like human beings. Thus nothing in this world can make yoga to disappear from the abode of the humans on this planet.”
In his message Yogacharya Iyengar further emphasized commitment, consistency and traditional methods of yoga. “The practitioner should practice the eight petals of yoga to gain knowledge, in order to understand nature as well as the Self,” he said.
There was a broad consensus at the Congress that the need of the hour was to include spiritual education in the curricula of schools and colleges and well known personalities of the spiritual and academic world including Swami Shantatmananda, Dr. Karan Singh, Dr. Kapila Vatsayayan. There was an appeal to policy makers to not only include spirituality but even elementary psychology, keeping in view that any problems, wars or conflicts first originate in the mind. Therefore, the conference concluded, the study of both mind and soul is essential.