About | International Congress for Yoga and Integrative Therapies

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL YOGA CONGRESS

Yoga has spread throughout the modern world, taking an amazing variety of forms, trends and styles. As a millennial tradition, yoga has something to offer to everyone – from physical, mental and emotional balance, to climbing the peaks of spiritual realization. Through the brave pioneering work of still a few researchers in the field of medicine, neurosciences, psychology and sociology, it got recognized as a valuable system offering prevention and treatment for a variety of diseases, being especially useful for improving welfare states and moreover as a helpful social phenomenon.

Also other fields of research such as philosophy, science of religion and modern physics find more and more common grounds to share when they unite around the vast knowledge provided by the yoga system, together with the rediscovery of old truths in their present studies.

As a unique border-line space, the Congress aims to provide an international platform for a fruitful interdisciplinary exchange between science and yoga. Academic researchers and scientists from all over the world come to meet with specialists and teachers from the large variety of yoga traditions. Speakers and audience come together to share, explore, and join creative forces encouraging an open-minded and inspiring discussion aiming to re-establish core values and principles of genuine yoga practice, fostering the holistic development of man and his consciousness.

Any advanced practitioner knows, from direct, personal experience, the fact that once knowledge is crystallized within through systematic practice, a natural and irresistible impetus to share it with others occurs, so all those who are ready may benefit from it.

The Congress Committee

OUR VISION – WHERE SCIENCE MEETS YOGA

While for centuries, science and yoga have apparently gone separate pathways, in the last decades, especially since the fascinating field of quantum physics gradually permeated almost all the other areas of research, ever more aspects of the fabric of the universe – that yogis have stated thousands of years ago – have been scientifically revealed and proven.

From the acceptance that everything is made of vibration, to the undeniable influence of the observer’s expectation on the results of experiments, up to the possibility of parallel existences in a multi-dimensional space, all recent scientific discoveries seem to describe the same reality of a conscious nature, a higher intelligence present in creation. In this sense, yoga has always been a science: an inner science of Self-discovery and through that the discovery of the whole universe.

We see the Congress as a bridge for uniting the ancient wisdom with modern discoveries in the striving for conscious awakening. It creates an opportunity for like-minded people from various fields and backgrounds to meet, inspire each other, build support networks and launch common projects in this direction. Looking into the current situation on our planet, we find a desperate need of awakening and transformation, making this kind of constructive dialogue and joint action crucial.

THE CONGRESS 2018 – YOGA AND RESONANCE

Yoga literally means ‘to unite’, ‘to join’, ‘to add‘. Continuously developed since ancient times, yoga nowadays covers a broad range of activities – from various systems of physical exercise used to restore and maintain health, to the refined and complex philosophical and religious debates hosted in universities and other academic environments.

Resonance has been a concept restricted to the circle of the pure sciences, but now continuously extends into all areas of life. It reveals wise solutions to many problems encountered both in personal development as in the evolution of communities. Applying the principle of resonance helps us to comprehend how the ancient system of yoga functions and provides a profound understanding of all spiritual systems, allowing us to adapt traditional methods to our contemporary ways of thinking, feeling and living.

In this sense, this year’s Congress will shed light into this fundamental universal principle, and the impressive list of lectures will gradually reveal its implications for both yoga and the world of modern science.

ABOUT ATMAN

ATMAN – The International Federation of Yoga and Meditation, is a non-profit organisation and all its members are committed to a non-profit and charitable orientation. ATMAN is providing a basis for communication and cooperation between various traditional yoga schools and genuine spiritual paths worldwide, promoting true spiritual values for the benefit of mankind. We believe in the unity between science and spirituality and we consider that yoga is a spiritual science, which provides the methods to realize this unity inside of us and in the outer world. The tradition of yoga reveals the laws of the real spiritual science, having immediate practical applications.

This is why we aim to promote and reveal the yoga science and methodology in its traditional forms, teaching not just physical techniques, but including the essential and fundamental theoretical principles behind the yoga system and the importance of awareness of the inner processes. In this way we can plenary understand and directly experience how and why yoga works. Yoga then becomes a valuable tool for a complete transformation on all levels of the human being and the achievement of the one final goal of all genuine spiritual systems – spiritual liberation.

Marcus Stück, Prof. Dr. habil.

Prof. Dr. habil. Marcus Stück is a researcher, yoga and Biodanza teacher. He developed the first evidence based Yoga programme for children (EMYK) in 1993 in Germany and did several research (PhD, 1997, Professorial dissertation, habilitation 2007 at University of Leipzig) on the biopsychological effects on yoga programms on children, adults in comparison to other interventions (e.g. Biodanza, Respectful Communication).

Since 2003 he educates course-instructors together with colleagues in the Center of Educational Health, as a founder, in Germany, and Latvia (since 2013) in the evidence based Yoga-Trainings for children (EMYK) and adults (STRAIMY) and in the method School of Empathy. 1997 and 2005 he received for his works about Yoga with children (EMYK) and their teachers (STRAIMY; Biodanza) 2 scientific awards in Germany.

He founded the concept of mobile health laboratories (Health Cube) for the work with Biocentric Health Management under the Use of Yoga and Meditation in institutions. Since 2018 he works at the DPFA-Academy Work and Health in Leipzig and with colleagues at the International Research Academy in Leipzig (www.bionet.name). Together with Dr. Alejandra Villegas he is the director of the Biodanza School Leipzig and Baltic Biodanza school in Riga. Beside his work he is a happy grandfather and enjoyer of this beautiful life and nature.

Prof. Dr. habil. Marcus Stück

Wissenschaftler, Yoga- und Biodanza-Lehrer. Er entwickelte 1993 das erste evidenzbasierte Yoga-Programm für Kinder (EMYK) in Deutschland und führte mehrere Forschungsarbeiten (PhD, 1997, Dissertation, Habilitation 2007 an der Universität Leipzig) zu den biopsychologischen Auswirkungen auf Yoga-Programme bei Kindern und Erwachsenen und andere Verfahren (z. B. Biodanza, Respektvolle Kommunikation) durch.

Seit 2003 bildet er gemeinsam mit Kollegen im Zentrum für Bildungsgesundheit als Gründer des Zentrums, in Deutschland und Lettland (seit 2013) in evidenzbasierten Yoga-Trainings für Kinder (EMYK) und Erwachsene (STRAIMY) im Methode School of Empathy aus. 1997 und 2005 erhielt er für seine Arbeiten über Yoga mit Kindern (EMYK) und deren Lehrern (STRAIMY; Biodanza) zwei wissenschaftliche Auszeichnungen in Deutschland.

Er gründete das Konzept mobiler Gesundheitslabors (Health Cube) für die Arbeit mit biozentrischem Gesundheitsmanagement unter Verwendung von Yoga und Meditation in Institutionen. Seit 2018 arbeitet er an der DPFA-Akademie Work and Health in Leipzig und mit Kollegen an der International Research Academy in Leipzig (www.bionet.name). Zusammen mit Dr. Alejandra Villegas ist er Direktor der Biodanza School Leipzig und der Baltic Biodanza School in Riga. Neben seiner Arbeit ist er glücklicher Großvater und Genießer dieses schönen Lebens und unserer Natur.

Kai F. Hodeck, PhD

Kai F. Hodeck has earned a PhD in semiconductor physics at Berlin University of Technology (TU Berlin). Since then, he conducted research on biomolecules in solution at the Berlin Helmholtz Center for Materials and Energy (HZB), as well as the mechanics of biological cells at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (Würzburg). As an associate of the Fascia Research Group at Ulm University, he studied the biomechanics and physiology of human connective tissue.

In parallel, he holds a practice of Rolfing® bodywork and therapy in Berlin, and teaches fascia manipulation for physiotherapists at VPT Berlin/Brandenburg.

Kai F. Hodeck, PhD

Kai F. Hodeck hat an der Technischen Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) in Halbleiterphysik promoviert. Seitdem forschte am Berliner Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie (HZB) an Biomolekülen in Lösung sowie an der Mechanik biologischer Zellen am Fraunhofer-Institut für Silicatforschung (Würzburg). Als Mitarbeiter der Fascia Research Group der Universität Ulm untersuchte er die Biomechanik und Physiologie des menschlichen Bindegewebes.

Parallel dazu praktiziert er Rolfing® Körperarbeit und Therapie in Berlin und unterrichtet Faszienmanipulation für Physiotherapeuten am VPT Berlin / Brandenburg.

Jorge Alves

Jorge Alves is a musician and researcher. He is professor at the Escola Superior de Música do Porto and a member of the Matosinhos String Quartet. He performs regularly in Portugal and abroad, collaborating with many musicians and institutions. After finishing his graduation in Portugal, he was awarded a grant from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation that allowed him to study for four years with Professor Tibor Varga (Sion, Switzerland) and Professor Bruno Giuranna (Cremona, Italy). Jorge Alves is the founder and president of the Portuguese Viola Association, and of the Portuguese Branch of the European String Teachers Association. Jorge Alves loves to coach and regularly holds master classes all over Portugal, as well as in the Lemmens Institute, Leuven; Maastricht Conservatory, Malta Summer Festival, Conservatório de Cosenza, Campus delle Arti, Bassano Del Grappa and Santa Maria University, Brasil; Antwerp Conservatory, Petrozavodsk State Conservatory.

Aniella Iulia Zawalsky

Aniella is a psychologist with a master in Clinical Psychology and Psychoterapy from Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. She is specialized in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) being interested to understand as deep as possible human behavior. Towards the end of her university studies Aniella had the chance to get in contact with yoga and started practicing intensely, which made her re-discover spirituality.

The experience gathered with the help of yoga practice proves to be extremely useful first of all for her own personal development but also provides her a larger and more consistent basis for her work as therapist. She will speak at the Congress about the psychology of forgiveness, integrating the power of forgiveness in self-therapy and in yoga practice.

Christian Sacarea, PhD

PhD in Mathematics at the Darmstadt University of Technology, Germany and author of more than 40 scientific papers and 4 books, covering topics in Knowledge Discovery and Artificial Intelligence, and developing techniques to unravel the deep structure of knowledge in various data sets. Interested in any form of authentic spirituality and how spiritual knowledge can enlarge our point of view and enrich our consciousness. Studying and teaching Yoga since 1990, as well as Kashmir Shaivism or I Ching, he is Senior Yoga teacher in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Emil Noll, MA

Has a master's degree in psychology from Copenhagen University and has studied religion and Tibetan Buddhism. In his final thesis he was elucidating esoteric models of consciousness, including the psychology of the chakras, which was later revised and published. He has been practicing and teaching yoga and meditation for more than 20 years and annually leads several silent retreats. He is authorized as a psychologist by the Danish Social Ministry and has an education in mindfulness based cognitive therapy. For more than 10 years he has been working with the integration of meditation and mindfulness into clinical practice, by developing mindfulness programs at the university clinic in Copenhagen and in psychiatric clinics. At the moment he is engaged in a book project about consciousness and the mind.

Dr. Orsolya Gantner

Being a very grounded person with both feet deeply placed in a highly professional life and on the other side carrying a strong attraction to the fundamental questions of existence since childhood Orsolya Gantner found yoga 15 years ago. In her own experience of the techniques described in original textbooks she started to receive answers to these existential questions that did not present to her anywhere else. The journey of self-discovery and the profound search within for answers continues in order to learn more about the Universe and herself. Since she became a yoga teacher, 7 years ago, she aims to assist her students in recognizing that yoga and spiritual practice are not distinct and separate from daily life, but by contrary a part of every moment of existence, every breath of life. In this respect yoga offers a higher perspective upon the seemingly most banal manifestations of life and reveals that everything in and outside of us is a wonderful mystery.

Cristian Barboni, MD

Cristian Barboni studied medicine in Timisoara and specialist in Neurology in Grenoble, Montpellier and Dessau. He then worked in the Department of Parkinson's, deep brain stimulation and neurodegenerative diseases in the University Hospital of Grenoble and as a specialist in dementia in Dessau. Currently Barboni runs a Practice for Neurology in Bitterfeld and has 8 years’ experience as pain therapist through isotonic contraction, elongation and relaxing techniques from Liebscher and Bracht. His focus is on electrophysiology and Doppler exploration. In addition, Barboni studied psychodrama for two years and practiced a form of group psychotherapy. His other interests include meditation, neuroscience, brain mapping and Parkinson's Paradox kinesia.

Monica Dascalu

Monica Dascalu is habilitated professor at the Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology at the Politehnica University of Bucharest, Romania, where she teaches digital electronics. She also has a master degree in Journalism and Public Communication. In her scientific research activity, she is interested in artificial intelligence and microsystems’ digital design, having over 70 scientific papers, 5 books and 33 research projects. With almost 30 years of yoga practice and teaching experience, she also authored dozens of articles and 7 books on topics related to yoga, some translated in English, Hungarian and Spanish.

Magdalena Hau

Magdalena Hau is a specialist in psychiatry and a yoga teacher based in London. In addition to her profession as a doctor, she has 17 years of experience in many areas of yoga and meditation and values these disciplines as an important way to live life consciously, heartfelt and in harmony. She believes that life is a journey of evolution and transformation and that yoga provides all the appropriate tools and keys to make this journey possible.

Through her years of practice, she has encountered many yoga practitioners who have cured mental health problems through their practice. She will speak about the crucial factors of spiritual experiences of kundalini awakening as opposed to clinical psychoses as well as important influences for stabilization and resilience.

Maria Porsfelt, BA

Maria started her journey of self-discovery through yoga and tantra yoga in 2001 – a journey that started in Denmark and took her to Thailand, India and back. She has been with TARA centre in London as coordinating teacher since 2009. She teaches yoga, tantra yoga and meditation and facilitates special classes for women only. She runs spiritual festivals, retreats and workshops on various topics all over the world. Her style of teaching is practical and approachable, expresses a deep understanding, gained through personal experience and is animated by a great joy of life.

Maria has a degree in Philosophy from Copenhagen University and is happy to be able to integrate her educational background into her daily life and teaching practise. The degree in philosophy helped foster a contemplative approach to life and experiences which has proved very valuable in both life and work.

Maria Blandine Wegener, BA

Maria Blandine Wegener is a teacher and life coach for Yoga and Tantra Yoga, implementing elements from Ayurveda, Psychology and a variety of yoga traditions. Gathering her first teaching experiences between 2007 and 2009 in international Tantra for Women courses and completing an extensive yoga teacher education in Denmark parallel to her university studies in psychology she integrated as a Yoga and Tantra Yoga Teacher in Deutsche Akademie für Traditionelles Yoga in Berlin, Germany from 2009.

In the past decade she has been working in various countries in Europe and Asia. Since several years Blandine is senior teacher and manager at Mahasiddha Yoga in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She teaches a variety of yoga and tantra yoga classes, workshops and retreats and coaches individuals and couples, offering practices and new perspectives to enhance happiness and direction in (couple) life.

Krzysztof Stec, PhD

Krzysztof Stec Ph.D. studied and researched yoga several years in Indian institutes, including the reknown Kaivalyadhama yoga institute and had the opportunity to meet and practice with many well-known yoga researchers, gurus and saints of India. In 2009, he received his Masters degree in Sports Science with a focus on Yoga at Banaras Hindu University and then spent two years as a research scientist at the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.

He completed his Ph.D. at the Jozef Piłsudski Sports University in Warsaw, Poland, in November 2014. He has authored more than 40 scientific articles in prestigious international journals and gave several well-received presentations on yogic techniques at international conferences in Poland, India and the US. He is the author of two books on dynamic Suryanamaskar, one of which already has been translated into several languages.

Arnaldo Yoav Kaminer, MD

Arnaldo Kaminer is a doctor and tries to integrate modern neuroscience with the ancient wisdom of yoga and meditation. Arnaldo completed his Ayurvedic studies at Reidman College in Israel, followed by six months of practice in Ayurvedic centers in India. As an Ayurvedic practitioner, Kaminer has been offering workshops and consultancy on various topics in recent years. His passion for psychiatry and neurology was the great motivation that led him to study Western general medicine. As part of his education and training Kaminer is just beginning his medical stay in the field of psychiatry. He has practiced yoga and meditation for more than 15 years and is currently teaching yoga in Malmö, Sweden.

Rune Steenberg Reyhé, PhD

Rune is an anthropologist and human geographer working on Central Asia and western China. He specialises in kinship and economic anthropology. Rune did his MA and PhD at Freie Universität Berlin and has since been a postdoc in Bonn, Berlin, New York and Copenhagen. He has conducted fieldwork in Indonesia, China and Kyrgyzstan. In the past decade he has devoted special attention to the Uyghurs in China’s northwesternmost region Xinjiang.

His current research project concerns written narratives and textual strategies of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and their response to rapid social transformation, political oppression and religious resurgence. In his talk at the congress, he reflects the yogic concept of resonance on anthropology – leading to questions of who we are, what happens around us and which parts of reality we experience.

Dhanyata Koch, MA

Dhanyata is a musician and health&lifestyle coach. Born and raised in Switzerland, she shot up as a prodigy pianist at a very young age. However due to the immense pressure she experienced serious health challenges in her early twenties that lead her to rethink how she was living her life. Leaving behind her career, she journeyed to India and across several countries to meet with indigenous healers, spiritual masters, shamans and scientists. She soaked up various teachings and studied to become a health practitioner (Hp) herself. During her masters studies in complementary medicine and cultural sciences at Europa-Universität VIADRINA in Frankfurt (Oder) she researched yogic breathing practices (pranayama) and heart rate variability. Throughout her studies she was introduced to the theoretical concepts of resonance that reached far beyond sound, but is present in all forms of communication and exchange. She has since been researching many forms of positive communication at the VIADRINA - the field in which she is currently pursuing her PhD.

Chloe Hünefeld

Chloe Hünefeld, is a natural therapist and international yoga teacher. She practices the traditional yoga path since 1995 with a main focus in tantra yoga, hatha yoga and karma yoga. Trained in alternative medicine and psychology, she is teaching daily preventive health methods of the traditional yoga and Ayurveda in theory and practice, at the Deutsche Akademie für traditionelles Yoga e. V.

Besides developing the Berlin centre of the academy, including the ashram and the health practice, she is co-founder of the trust for the ‘Advancement of Traditional Yoga’ (Stiftung zur Förderung des traditionellen Yoga). Her classes of Hatha Yoga, Tantra Yoga (here especially Kashmir Shaivism) and Karma Yoga can be attained regularly in Berlin and occasionally in other European countries along with various seminars and retreats as the “The Spiritual Enneagram Seminar”, “The Archetypes of the Soul” and others. She is coordinator of the congress.

Ivo Strasser, MD

Ivo Strasser studied medicine at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich and received his doctorate in 2013 as a physician in the field of pediatric cardiology. From August 2013 to July 2014, he practiced as a pediatrician at the Friedrich Alexander University Hospital in Erlangen, Germany. From November 2014 to July 2018 Mr. Strasser worked as an assistant physician in general pediatrics in the municipal hospital Fürth. Currently he is assistant physician researching child and adolescent psychiatry / psychosomatics at the University of Erlangen.

From 2009 he started intense yoga practice and education, and becoming a certified yoga teacher in 2014, when he started teaching, specialized in Hatha and Laya Yoga. In the congress he will give us a preview of his research in clinical applications of yoga regarding gastritis.

Doru-Beniamin Bodea, PhD

Doru-Beniamin Bodea graduated the Faculty of Physics, Babeş -Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, achieving a master of science degree in quantum field theory. He holds a PhD in theoretical physics, more precisely in collision theory (atomic and nuclear physics). He did his post-doctoral studies in Bordeaux University and Max Plank Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden where he specialized in the physics of very low temperatures and quantum phase transitions. He started yoga practice in his early 20’s. Soon after he became a yoga teacher and continued to teach yoga since now more than 25 years, holding international workshops and retreats.

Due to this, he had the possibility to combine the constant interest towards understanding the principles and laws governing the physics of the universe with a continuous exploration of his own inner universe through the practice of yoga. He believes that both science and spirituality represent expressions of the innate human tendency towards achieving perfection and thus he is aiming to find modalities to interconnect these two important areas of life. He is head of the scientific committee of the congress.

For more information, please check: http://traditionelles-yoga.de/dr-phys-doru-bodea.htm

Swami Mahalayananda

Swami Mahalayananda (initiated as a Swami in 2001 in Rishikesh) has 35 years of experience as international teacher and lecturer in yoga and Tantra Yoga, as well as starting yoga schools in different countries. An unexpected and profound spiritual experience and awakening at the age of 24 made him quit law school and take up spiritual search which has been ongoing since then.

He has a passion for Kashmir Shaivism, Atma Vichara and spiritual art, starting his musical education from young age. This spiritual search is doubled with 28 years of experience as a clinical psychotherapist, with specialty in development and trauma psychology.

Taija Stoat

Taija Stoat (PsM) is a recognised expert in criminal psychology regarding assessing and dealing with negative emotions and destructive and manipulative behaviour. She is frequently referred by the media and regularly gives international talks and trainings on the subject. In her work as psychologist she hence aims to aid her clients, students and audiences to transform harmful aspects into something beneficial.

In this congress she is presenting the results of most recent scientific studies on psychological effects of spiritual practice and pinpointing the importance of the concept of emotional resonance. She has practiced Yoga and Tantra Yoga since 2007 and is certified yoga teacher by Atman Federation since 2015. She is currently finalising her PhD in University of Helsinki and works as Managing Partner in a company specialised in psychological assessments.

Advaita Stoian

Advaita Stoian is an advanced practitioner, teacher, author, researcher, international life coach and lecturer, who has been practicing and teaching Yoga and Tantra Yoga for more than 25 years within several yoga organisations. His practical knowledge unites with his modern scientific formation, which results in highly effective guidance for the practitioner, and is well adapted to the views of our contemporary world.

He is author of Tantra Intensive Course which is taught throughout the world. Annually he lectures at many international retreats and conferences of Yoga, Tantra and Meditation, including the International Meditation Retreat for Revealing the Supreme Self, Tantra Festivals, different workshops for spiritualising relationships, and the valued Maha Vidya Retreats.

He is also a prolific proponent of current sociological issues, speaking at international politic conferences to introduce fundamental concepts that can be used to shape a broader understanding of human rights: spiritual human rights, soul ecology, and hygiene of the consciousness. One of Advaita’s main purposes is to provide the opportunity for many people to come into contact and deeply understand the amazing value of the traditional spiritual practices.

Dr. Jean Marie A.T. Beuckels, DO (doctor of osteopathy)

Dr. Jean Marie A.T. Beuckels, DO started his osteopathic journey 30 years ago and studied at different osteopathic institutes in Europe, where he received different DO-degrees in osteopathy. After completing his BSc in Osteopathic Medicine at University of Westminster and his MSc in Osteopathy at University of Greenwich, Jean Marie obtained a doctorate in medical science through the department of osteopathic medicine at the Witten/Herdecke University in Germany.

Currently Jean Marie works as an osteopathic practitioner in Belgium. He teaches as Head of Department of osteopathic Medicine clinical osteopathy to medical students of the Faculty of Health at the Witten/Herdecke University and is appointed as senior docent at the HS-Fresenius, University of Applied Science in Idstein (Germany), where he teaches the full-time students in a Bachelor-Masters programme for osteopathy.

Next to his strong fascination for pluralism in osteopathic manual medicine, Beuckels’ interests are situated within the panorama of osteopathic diagnostic models and related osteosophical conceptualisations and medical theories, that might underpin the clinical observations of resonance and causality interactions of osteopathic ontogenesis.

Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, PhD

Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, Ph.D. has conducted research on yoga for physical and psychological health since 2001 and is a practitioner/instructor of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan since 1971. He is Research Director for the Kundalini Research Institute, Research Associate at the Benson Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, Research Affiliate at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. His research has evaluated yoga for insomnia, chronic stress, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health in public schools. Dr. Khalsa works with the International Association of Yoga Therapists promoting yoga research as scientific director for the annual Symposium on Yoga Research and editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy. He is author of the Harvard Medical School ebook Your Brain on Yoga, and chief editor of the medical textbook The Principles and Practice of Yoga in Health Care.