Swami Sadyojathah Takes AOL to Sri Lankan Cricket Dudes!

The Times of India, 20th March, 2009

Colombo, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka's cricketers on Friday wrapped up a post-trauma course of deep breathing and yoga taught by an Indian spiritual guru to overcome the shock of the Lahore attack.

Swami Sadyojathah, from the Bangalore-based Art of Living Foundation, taught the 23-member squad special breathing techniques and meditation to "unlock the stress" after the deadly assault.

"Proper breathing techniques sort out the imbalances in the mind and the body,"

 Sadyojathah, sporting a long beard and flowing white robes, said.

"We showed the Sri Lankan team how they can move beyond Lahore and get back into their game," he said.

Seven Sri Lankan players and their British assistant coach Paul Farbrace were wounded when unknown gunmen ambushed their convoy in Lahore, Pakistan on March 3, killing eight Pakistanis.

The squad immediately flew home and the last wounded player, star batsman Thilan Samaraweera, was discharged from hospital this week. The wives of Samaraweera and captain Kumar Sangakkara also joined the four-session course.

"There was so much written about their experience in the media, that I think they mentally blocked themselves out of talking about it. Which was OK by me," Sadyojathah said.

"Few players have resumed training. Some began playing in a domestic tournament this week. So I think, mentally, the players are getting stronger. The team is on the mend."

Geethanjana Mendis, head of the sports ministry's medical unit, said a group of doctors had also conducted counselling sessions with the cricketers and their families.

"The cricketers seemed to prefer the spiritual counselling, going by the 100 percent attendance for the entire session," said Mendis. "In fact, Sangakkara wants the sessions to continue."

Samaraweera said the counselling and meditation greatly helped his wife, who was still traumatised by her husband's bullet wound.

"The sessions have helped her a lot," he said. "She is yet to fully recover from the shock, but she is improving."

Sri Lanka's next international assignment is in June when the team flies to England for the World Twenty20 tournament.


Courtesy: TOI