Padma's trip to Sri Lanka
Padma has recently returned from two weeks in Sri Lanka where she taught, visited Heart of Living Yoga Foundation projects and initiated new ones. After 2 days of Meditation workshops in Colombo, Padma travelled to Gurudev's Ashram in Kandy, which has just reopened for the first time since he (Sri Swami Satchidananda) left in 1965.Next stop was our village near Kilinochchi in the North where she visited the Elder Wisdom Club, the Sunshine School and laid the first foundation stone for the Lotus Temple. Padma sends Hearts Love to all.
Scroll down to see the inspiring photographs and find out more.
Meditation Workshop in Colombo
Teaching Deergha Swasaam (three-part breath)
Some of our amazing yoga teachers in Colombo
All Faiths Hall at Sachidananda Thapovanam, Kandy with Swami Divyananda Ma and Sri Kaliyuga
While in Kandy, Padma met the Director of the Women's Development Centre for abused women and girls (some as young as 10 pregnant after rape by a family member) and visited their Home for Children with Special Needs.
Carpentry workshop in children's home, Kandy
Girls handicrafts at children's home, Kandy
Girls dorm, children's home Kandy
This lovely boy held my hand practically the whole visit!
Heart Blessing with arathi of the Mahaveli Ganga river at Gurudev's ashram in Kandy
From Kandy, Padma travelled north for 6 hours to reach Kilinochchi. She was accompanied by Sri Kaliyuga and Elizabeth Bourdon. The amazing team of volunteers from Colombo arrived the following day.
Elders Wisdom Club having breakfast in our village.
Elizabeth talking with elders to find out what they need.
The amazing Mrs. Sivapaikiam who organises our programmes for the elders and special needs children in our village near Kilinochchi
Vyasah (right) our Director in Colombo and Sri Kaliyuga (left) our divine helper In the north and east of Sri Lanka.
One of our special needs friends in our village of Puddumuripukkalam near Kilinochchi
We interviewed all the elders and special needs friends to find out their needs ... we have many new projects now!! One old lady with no family left had built herself a small shelter out of sand covered over with a tarpaulin until the rain washed it all away. I would like to buy her a proper hut to live in. Also one for this wonderful old lady in a wheelchair and her husband who live in a tiny tin shed with outside toilet about 100 yards away. In the rainy season her husband is unable to push her chair through the mud to the loo. They are in dire need of proper accommodation.
Beginning the foundation stone ceremony for our Lotus Temple on our 5 acres of land where we plan to build the Lotus Village Community to house the Sunshine School, the Lotus Wisdom Centre (for healing), a training centre, and a community space for traditional dances and feasts.
Laying the foundation stone for our Lotus Temple on our 5 acres of land here. The first trowel of cement ...
The first Lakshmi stone . . .
Facing East for prayers and blessings ...
Job Done! With Happy Hearts, Sri Kaliyuga (left) and Sundarason (middle) from IHE in Colombo and Vyasah (right) who has been working with us since 2006 being our arms and legs and amazing brain!
We also visited our new Sunshine School which has 96 new kids in programme. To give them all lunch and 2 hours extra tuition after school will cost us £4,000 for the year. Let's get fund raising!
Who is going to give 100% attendance? Everyone except the little guy at the front!
Our new Sunshine kids studying for scholarships
Our brilliant headmaster
Thank you for following our work in Sri Lanka where we are helping the poorest people to recover from a terrible civil war. If you would like to learn more about how you can help us to help them, visit our charity page. Thank you!
May there be Peace on the Earth
May there be Peace in the Heavens
May there be Peace upon and within all the Waters
And may there be Peace in every Heart
Om Shanthi Shanthi Shanthi