Yoga Brings Stress Relief to Iraqis!

[Guest guest]

>From BBC News (link below), comes this surprising story by Soutik

Biswas in Delhi:

 

INDIAN STRESS BUSTERS TARGET IRAQ

 

If any country's citizens needed de-stressing it would be those of

Iraq.

 

Now India's Art of Living Foundation is bringing yoga, meditation

and breathing exercises to try to soothe a people rattled by war and

continuing violence.

 

The Bangalore-based foundation whose stated goal is to "eliminate

stress, create a sense of belonging and restore human values" has

added Iraq to its 140 countries of operation.

 

About 15 volunteers, including doctors, are running medical camps

using traditional Indian alternative medicine, and meditation and

yoga classes to ease the strain on Iraqis.

 

The initiative began in September when seven volunteers arrived in

Dillad, a farming village near Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit,

and began an introductory session for residents.

 

About 30 participants signed up for meditation and breathing

exercise classes - held in a private hospital in the area.

 

Since then, volunteers have set up medical camps in two rooms

borrowed from a municipality office in al-Qadisiyah on the outskirts

of Baghdad, and a meditation and breathing exercise centre in a

Baghdad neighbourhood.

 

The response, say team members, has been very encouraging.

 

At one of the al-Qadisiyah camps, 200 Iraqis queued up every day

 

"After the bombings, trauma and anxiety levels among people in

Baghdad were very high," said Vinod Kumar, the leader of the group

in Iraq.

 

"Though the war is over, we found many residents were unable to

sleep or even eat. The residents go through mood swings and

depression. The majority of the men smoke heavily and a large number

of women have begun smoking," said Mr Kumar.

 

TREATING CHILDREN

 

The volunteers also found that people were taking pills

indiscriminately to get to sleep or forget their worries.

 

"If they have a headache, they pop a valium. If they feel pain, they

take steroids. There's a lot of reckless self-medication," said Mr

Kumar.

 

The volunteers conduct stress-busting sessions - two-hour-long

special breathing exercises over four days - and the doctors

recommend traditional Indian herbal medicines.

 

The volunteers found that Iraqi children were among the worst

affected by the continuing violence and insecurity in the country.

 

"Children in schools break into tears whenever they hear an

explosion. They suffer from nightmares," said Mr Kumar.

 

The children are being put through breathing exercises and play

stress-relieving games.

 

The foundation, which claims to have four million converts around

the world, says 12 leading doctors in Baghdad have endorsed its

programmes.

 

"They are sure that these breathing techniques have the ability to

cure psychosomatic diseases," a group spokesman said.

 

The foundation's volunteers have not found it easy to work in Iraq,

although being Indian has helped.

 

"Iraqis are fond of Indians. So they have been very open to our

healing techniques. They also have a spiritual thirst," said Mr

Kumar.

 

TOUGH TASKS

 

The foundation's HQ is a makeshift office in Baghdad.

 

"It's not easy for our volunteers with noisy choppers flying over

our office all day and night, blackouts at night, and explosions

every other day," said Mr Kumar.

 

Still, the volunteers vow to work on. Next month, a team of 15 new

volunteers and doctors will arrive in Baghdad to expand operations

and open more centres.

 

The foundation has a history of taking on tough tasks.

 

It has operated similar de-stressing courses in Macedonia, Kosova,

Croatia, Gujarat and in New York after the 11 September attacks.

 

The foundation was begun in 1982 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a

Bangalore-based religious leader.

 

It is the largest organisation of its kind in India and is hugely

popular across the country.

 

The 48-year-old Ravi Shankar has become a modern-day spiritual icon

among many in India's middle and upper classes.

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/3393327.stm

 

© BBC MMIV