Ang Magiting - The Official Web Site of Rotary Club Makati North

YOGA and the LAW of KARMA

The Week That Was
By: Rtn. Daniel Wiedmer
April 11, 2007

President Elect Joe, as the acting President, reported about the medical condition of Ann Tina Herrera, after her stroke. She was transferred from intensive care to an ordinary room at the new Medical City Hospital. She is starting physical and speech recovery therapy. It will take some months, but the prospects of substantial recovery are good. Our prayers are with her. By a twist of destiny, my father is in the same hospital at the moment. He had a bad blood poisoning while on holidays in Coron, and had to be brought to Manila by helicopter. He is doing a bit better now, and will be transferred to a hospital in Switzerland on April 15.

PE Joe also asked for our prayers for PP Tony Ortigas and PP Peny Reloza.

After the introduction by Bench Sy Chu, the guest speaker Sandy Carmona introduced us to the art and philosophy of Yoga, which she pursues with great dedication. She established the Yoga Foundation of the Philippines to spread the message of Yoga to the underprivileged youth (15-28 years) to assist them in setting worthy long-term goals for life.

A captivated audience listened to the ways to optimize the Productivity of Life, a precept that was carefully nurtured over Yoga’s 7000 years of history. A central teaching is that Mind, Spirit and Body are all connected. Well-being in one flows to the other two. For example, regular exercise makes us feel better emotionally, and helps the mind to think more clearly.

Indeed, we also have to understand the physical exercises performed in Yoga classes in this broader philosophical sense. The purpose of these exercises is to teach the body to carry out the mind’s will, fostering the connection between mind, body and emotions.

Finally, we also heard what “Karma” really means. Sandy used two examples, putting her exceptional skills in captivating an audience to good use, and tailor-making her examples for businessmen:

“Karma is not about: You are nasty to someone, and then the bus hits you when you go out of the door.”

“Karma is about: You give money to your brother, he builds a successful business with the seed money, and ten years later he offers you a house in Dasma.”

I rang my brother right after our lunch…..