The Chant that Woke the Neighborhood

Recently, devoted yoga practitioners let their unified voices be heard during a five-day yoga camp at the Cloverdale Amphitheatre in British Columbia, Canada.

Typically, the resonance of chanting brings about a tranquil and meditative state of mine.

Not so for the surrounding community of the Cloverdale Amphitheatre, however, who were less than pleased when they were awakened at 5:30 am by amplified cheers, chants and drumming.

Thousands of participants of the yoga camp, which was led by Swami Ramdev Maharaj, chanted and practiced breathing exercises such as pranayam. Their joyful voices could be heard clearly as they made their way to a reported distance of two miles from the amphitheatre.

City officials were quick to respond to complaints and are looking into ways of monitoring noise levels in the community to ensure a balance between freedom of expression for participants in events like these and the nearby residents’ right to peace and quiet.

Isn’t that really what yoga is all about – finding a balance?

[tags]yoga chants, yoga camp, yoga and neighborhood[/tags]