The birth centenary of Nirmala Srivastava, (also known as Mataji Nirmala Devi) the founder of Sahaja Yoga will be commemorated on March 21, 2023. The main event held at Mataji's official residence in New Jersey will be livestreamed, an official statement said.
A musical performance, handpicked recordings of Shri Mataji's discourses, and a unique chance to engage in the meditation practices of self-realization will all be part of the celebrations, which will take place both online and at Sahaja Yoga Centers worldwide.
One of the first female yoga gurus, Mataji committed herself to bringing spiritual awareness and inner peace to everyone she met, never once accepting payment for her teaching, a news release noted. Her concept that "you have to be your own guru" is integral to Sahaja Yoga, that holds classes free of charge in 95 countries.
Born in India in 1923 to highly educated parents of royal ancestry, who actively participated in the fight for the nation's independence, Mataji spent a lot of time with Mahatma Gandhi as a kid. She then pursued a career in medicine, participated in and formed numerous charitable organisations.
In 1970, when Mataji was 47 years old, she taught others the an open-access spiritual meditation technique that enables one to improve oneself and the world around by awakening inner energy. The humanitarian said, "It is important for everyone to have that knowledge of the roots within ourselves. Sahaja Yoga allows the individual to become his own Spiritual Guide."