As you know Yoga in Daily Life Victoria Inc is a not for profit community organisation. This report from our President at our recent AGM highlights what new happened in the 2019 - 2020 financial year.
Yoga in Daily Life Victoria
Presidents Annual Report
Annual General Meeting
25th October 2020
When I look back upon our last Annual General Meeting, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined the unprecedented events we have seen in the last twelve months.
1st July 2019 we celebrated twenty years of Yoga in Daily Life in Melbourne. What a milestone! We are very humbled to have been part of the Melbourne Yoga community for two decades. The oldest yoga school in Richmond.
In October 2019, we held our first ever retreat in India. We received very positive feedback on the retreat, thanks to the hard work and planning by Gita. I have no doubt, if not for COVID-19, we would be having another one this year.
We were informed in December 2019, that the Corsair St Richmond lease would not be renewed with notice to vacate by June 2020. Whilst this did not come as a surprise, it was with a heavy heart searches for a new venue commenced and preparation to move began. Many memories were made in that Ashram, as commemorated by the video compiled by Gita. I look forward to us making just as many new memories in our new venue, whenever and wherever that may be.
Another first, was the New Year’s retreat in Kilcunda. Thank-you to Lakshmi for her generosity in allowing us to use her venue. Thanks to Swami Gopal for arranging and running the retreat. The participants provided very positive comments on the retreat and when we are able, we look forward to planning a repeat.
We were blessed with a visit from Vishwaguruji February 2020, sharing his wisdom and knowledge with the Australian community. Workshops on Chakras were well attended as well as were the evening talks and mediation sessions. Always a very special time when Vishwaguruji is in attendance at the Ashram and in Melbourne.
COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic on the 11 March 2020 by the World Health Organisation and lockdown commenced in Victoria on the 22 March 2020. Both the Easter and Bali retreat have been postponed to 2021 and 2022 as a result.
Less than a week after lockdown, classes were available online by YIDL Victoria in a safe and secure manner. We also implemented a “pay as you feel” payment option. Ensuring yoga was available for all who needed it, irrespective of whether they could afford it or not.
Fortunately, the timing of the few weeks out of lockdown in Victoria, June/July 2020, coincided with the move out of the Corsair St Richmond Ashram. Many thanks to all who assisted in the move. It is the generosity of bhaktas and friends that keep YIDL Victoria sharing the message of Yoga in Daily Life to the Melbourne community and continue the legacy of 20 years in Melbourne. Our sincere gratitude to all.
Following the second wave of COVID-19, Victoria went back into lockdown in July. Classes continued and were ramped up with more teachers involved to support a longer term approach to on-line classes.
In spite of the devastation the COVID19 has wreaked, thanks to the bhaktas, teachers and everyone else who supports in different ways, YIDL has continued to give back to the community. Our “pay as you feel” supported those who otherwise would not be able to participate in classes and support their mental health. In some ways, having to be apart has bought us closer together. YIDL students are now joining our classes from all over Australia and the world.
Many thanks to Swami Gopal and Gita, for their limitless love, energy and dedication. Many thanks to the other teachers who volunteer their time and skills for teaching and more. Many thanks to all the others who help out behind the scenes, including those who pay regularly for classes and gave donations to help us remain financially viable. All together it makes YIDL Victoria continues to be an important part of the Melbourne and the broader Yoga community.
Yoga Mudra (Miranda Kovacic)
President.
