This was Swami Veda’s first invitation to Scotland.

Dr. Jenny Connaughton, Chairperson of Yoga Scotland (incorporating the Scottish Yoga Teachers’ Association),  invited Swami Veda and Swami Ritavan to their annual seminar.

The Annual Seminar is held in St Andrews, which is on the east coast of Scotland, about 90 minutes north of Edinburgh.  It is a historic university town with a wonderful beach and it is one of the University Halls of Residence

The other invited tutors were Tom Yeudall, practitioner of Qi Gong, Tai Chi and Yoga; and Simon Heather a healer and author,  Principal of the College of Sound Healing in UK.

There were about 120 participants amongst whom were yoga teachers, students, foundation course students and other interested yogis and yoginis.

After the introductions Swamiji led a short meditation on the first evening and  in the following days Swami Ritavan led the classes during the morning and Swami Veda  during the afternoon.

Swamiji’s lectures were based on Philosophy of Hatha Yoga, Importance of Breathing and Breath Awareness, Systematic Methods and Tools for Meditation.

As this was Swamiji’s first visit to Scotland people were curious and asked questions about Swamiji’s background  so in the last session Swamiji read some of his poetry and talked about his experiences with Gurudeva Swami Rama.

There was great interest expressed by the participants and I have no doubt that some of them would wish to visit the ashram.

Submitted by Tejaswini

Rostov-on-Don, Russia,  17-23 June

This was Swami Veda’s first visit to Russia.

Our dear friends and initiates, Victor and Luidmilla, who have visited our ashram regularly and have also brought groups for the past five years,  invited Swamiji to their city of residence.   Previously this group has invited Swamiji and Swami Ritavan to Slovakia.

We were very warmly welcomed and comfortably settled in Olga’s house for our entire stay.  Olga kindly vacated her place for us.  Everyone was so kind and willing to do anything to make our stay comfortable and memorable.

It is a group of about 25 people who have been together for about 10 years led by Victor and Luidmilla.  Swami Ritavan has visited them before in Russia.

It is a keen group, deeply interested in the philosophy of yoga.  Victor Dorofeenko has been diligently translating into Russian Swamiji’s  booklets and other material for the benefit of the group.

Swamiji decided to lecture on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

About 17 people were initiated.

On the last morning before our departure we went to see an old Cossack settlement, Starocherkasskaya,  which used the be the Don Cossack capital, where a church, monastery,  museum and Cossack fort houses are preserved.

Submitted by Tejaswini

Hungary, 26-28 June

June 26-28 Swami Veda, Swami Ritavan, Stoma, Maya and Ashutosh conducted a workshop on the Yoga Sutras Sadhana Pada in Budapest, Hungary. They were greeted with 285 participants in one of the most troubled economies in Europe. Certificates were awarded to the first group of graduates from the Hungarian 600 hour teacher training program. Among them were the first person to come to the ashram from Hungary and the local organizers of the TTP program, Joszef Papp and Anna Mezosi. On the 28th Swami Veda conducted a blessing of more than 25 children and more than 60 initiations were given.

Submitted by Stoma