Our Core Programs – Yoga and Self-Defense Training

At Maharishi Patanjali Sarva Seva Shiksha Samiti (MPSSSS), we believe that true education encompasses not just academic or technical knowledge but also the development of a strong, healthy body and a confident mind. Our Yoga and Self-Defense Training Program is a core part of this holistic approach to education, aiming to empower individuals—especially women, children, and youth—through physical awareness, mental discipline, and safety skills.

This program combines the timeless wisdom of Yoga with practical self-defense training to promote health, self-confidence, and personal safety. Through this initiative, MPSSSS contributes to the overall well-being and resilience of communities across rural and urban areas.

Why Yoga and Self-Defense?

In today’s world, the ability to maintain mental peace, physical fitness, and personal safety is essential. With rising concerns around stress, lifestyle diseases, and safety issues—particularly for women and children—this dual program addresses the urgent need for mind-body empowerment.

Yoga nurtures the inner strength and discipline needed for well-being, while self-defense equips individuals with practical tools for protection and confidence in public spaces.

Together, they help create confident, calm, and capable individuals who can face life’s challenges with strength and clarity.

Objectives of the Program

The key objectives of the Yoga and Self-Defense Training program are:

  • To promote physical fitness and mental well-being among learners
  • To instill awareness about personal safety and self-protection techniques
  • To reduce stress, anxiety, and aggression in young minds
  • To improve body posture, flexibility, and coordination
  • To empower women and girls with confidence and presence
  • To create a culture of mindfulness, discipline, and self-respect
  • To support schools, colleges, and communities with value-based wellness education

Yoga Training Program

Yoga, one of India’s greatest gifts to the world, is an ancient science of mind and body balance. Under the MPSSSS Yoga Training Program, we teach:

1. Basic Asanas (Postures)

Students are introduced to simple but powerful yoga poses that improve:

  • Flexibility and strength
  • Blood circulation and organ health
  • Body balance and coordination
  • Relief from common physical discomforts like back pain or stiffness

2. Pranayama (Breathing Techniques)

Breathing exercises that help in:

  • Managing stress and anxiety
  • Boosting oxygen levels and lung capacity
  • Enhancing concentration and calmness
  • Regulating blood pressure and heart rate

3. Meditation and Mindfulness

We guide learners through:

  • Guided meditations
  • Silent sitting and awareness practices
  • Techniques to reduce negative thoughts and enhance mental clarity

4. Yogic Lifestyle and Values

Our curriculum introduces students to:

  • Daily yogic routines (Dinacharya)
  • Balanced diet and good habits
  • Inner values such as discipline, humility, and compassion

Benefits of Yoga Training

Yoga offers profound long-term benefits, especially for students and working individuals:

  • Improved concentration and memory
  • Better sleep and energy levels
  • Reduced emotional instability
  • Strengthened immunity
  • Prevention of lifestyle disorders like diabetes, obesity, and hypertension

Our yoga classes are suitable for all age groups and are conducted by trained instructors with knowledge of both traditional and modern practices.

Self-Defense Training Program

While yoga strengthens the body and mind internally, self-defense training prepares individuals to face real-world dangers externally. In a world where safety, particularly for women, is a major concern, this part of our program is designed to promote both preparedness and courage.

1. Basic Self-Defense Techniques

Students are taught:

  • Escape strategies from physical holds and grabs
  • Blocking, striking, and safe movement techniques
  • Defensive postures and verbal assertiveness
  • Situational awareness and danger recognition

These are easy-to-learn, practical methods that do not require prior martial arts training.

2. Confidence Building Exercises

We include activities that:

  • Build voice command and body language confidence
  • Enhance quick-thinking and reaction timing
  • Encourage boundary-setting and personal awareness
  • Reduce fear in high-pressure scenarios

3. Awareness Sessions

Our program also educates students on:

  • Gender sensitization and safe boundaries
  • Good touch vs. bad touch for children
  • Cyber safety and digital boundaries
  • Legal rights related to self-protection

These sessions are especially impactful in school and college settings.

Focus on Women and Girls

One of the most important target groups for this training is young women and adolescent girls, who are often vulnerable in both public and private environments. We organize special batches and workshops for girls, women’s groups, and SHGs (Self Help Groups) where they:

  • Learn to overcome fear
  • Understand how to react wisely in dangerous situations
  • Become physically and mentally more alert and resilient
  • Feel confident to walk and work independently

This training often becomes a life-changing experience for participants who have never received such empowerment before.

Training Format and Implementation

Our Yoga and Self-Defense programs are delivered through:

  • Regular classroom batches at our centers
  • Workshops and camps in schools, colleges, and rural areas
  • Special sessions for NGOs, government schools, and SHG groups
  • Weekend batches for working individuals
  • Online sessions for theory and basic practice (pilot mode)

Training durations vary from 1 week workshops to 3-month structured programs, depending on the audience and objectives.

Trainers and Resources

MPSSSS works with a team of certified and experienced trainers including:

  • Qualified yoga instructors with training in Patanjali and Hatha Yoga traditions
  • Martial arts and self-defense trainers with expertise in safety and empowerment
  • Wellness educators who connect ancient techniques with modern lifestyles
  • Female trainers to lead women-only sessions comfortably

Each session is interactive, safe, and aligned with the developmental needs of learners.

Impact and Community Response

Our Yoga and Self-Defense training programs have had significant positive impact in various districts. Outcomes include:

  • Greater discipline and focus in students
  • Better classroom behavior and reduced anxiety
  • Empowered girls and young women in vulnerable communities
  • Widespread interest in daily yoga practice
  • Reduction in dropout rates, especially among adolescent girls
  • Higher confidence among boys in handling peer pressure and aggression

In many schools, we have received requests for regular year-long yoga sessions following short-term programs.

Collaborations and Future Plans

To increase the reach and effectiveness of this initiative, MPSSSS aims to:

  • Partner with schools for permanent yoga/self-defense inclusion
  • Get affiliation with yoga certification bodies (like YCB or NIOS)
  • Create mobile awareness teams for remote villages
  • Develop printed and digital material in local languages
  • Offer training-of-trainers (ToT) for teachers and volunteers
  • Celebrate annual Yoga Day and Self-Defense Awareness Drives

Conclusion

The Yoga and Self-Defense Training Program at Maharishi Patanjali Sarva Seva Shiksha Samiti reflects our core philosophy: education must empower the whole person—body, mind, and spirit. In a world full of distractions and dangers, we believe in equipping individuals with the skills to stay calm, strong, and safe.

Whether it's a girl in a village school or a boy in an urban slum, every child deserves to grow up strong, fearless, and aware. Through this unique blend of ancient wisdom and modern necessity, MPSSSS is building a healthier, safer, and more confident generation.

To know more or request a workshop in your institution, please contact us.