Millis ashram to host yoga festival
The first time Ree Goldman attended the annual yoga festival at the Baba Siri Chand Yoga Center in Millis, she was so moved by the experience that less than a month later she went on a three-week spiritual journey to India.
``I had been doing kundalini yoga for about 10 years when I went to my first yoga fest, and I loved it so much that I've gone every year since," the Randolph resident said.
Goldman is one of 250 to 400 yoga enthusiasts expected to attend the daylong festival on Saturday at the center, which is at the Guru Ram Das Ashram in Millis. Every October the 18-acre Sikh community welcomes guests from all over the world to the event. Experts and beginners will stand side by side in tents and participate in kundalini yoga classes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
``The yoga fest teaches a combination of yoga and healing techniques. It's a wonderful opportunity for people to be exposed to yoga, meditation, and our way of life at the ashram, and you don't have to be a Sikh to do yoga," said Siri Sevak Kaur Khalsa, a resident of the community.
Sikhism is a religion with 20 million faithful worldwide, most of them in India, where the religion began in the 15th century. The inhabitants of the ashram belong to an American subset of the religion that began in the 1960s and places a major emphasis on the benefits of yoga and meditation.
At the ashram, which started in Boston in 1970 and moved to Millis in 1981, 25 to 50 Sikhs live and practice their religion by rising before sunrise every morning to spend two hours doing yoga and meditation to cleanse their mind and spirit before the day begins.
Yogi Bhajan, who founded the Sikh Dharma branch of Sikhism and died two years ago, traveled from his New Mexico home to Millis every year to participate in the yoga festival. ``It was very difficult to lose Yogi Bhajan, but he will always be with us in spirit," said Harbhajan Kaur Khalsa, a resident of the ashram who has been a Sikh since 1980.
Over the past week, residents of the community have worked to prepare for the yoga festival, which will take place rain or shine. Huge tents have been erected on the ashram grounds. One of the large, newly renovated indoor yoga studios at the ashram will be used to prepare and serve a vegetarian meal at midday.
There will also be a bazaar where yoga-related and other items will be sold, including shawls, sheepskin mats, handmade jewelry, New Age music CDs, and books.
The Sikhs will serve water, apples, tea, and cookies all day. Some food vendors are also expected.
Between participating in yoga classes, eating an organic meal, and shopping, guests are invited to visit the healing and therapy pavilion, where numerous holistic health practitioners will offer 15-minute sessions. Reiki, massage therapy, acupuncture, and Tarot card readings will be available.
``I think everyone should stop at the healing tent and try something. We typically have about 100 people come through to see our healers and spiritualists," said Kay Khalsa, a yoga teacher who has been involved in coordinating the healing tent for the past few years.
At the end of the day, Sat Kartar Khalsa of Arizona will lead yoga chanting. ``People today are stressed out and hungry for spiritual fulfillment. Yogi Bhajan always taught us that music helps create community," she said. 