Think mace and the first image that crops up is of cousins Bheem and Duryodhan locked in a gada battle in the epic war at Kurukshetra. However, many believe mace is not merely a weapon, but a form of sadhana as exercising with it tends to balance one’s physical and spiritual energies.
Projecting mace as a “manifestation of energy that represents concentrated prana ”, Dhyan Foundation (a spiritual and charitable organisation headquartered in Delhi spreading awareness about yoga) has been teaching this ancient skill to a bunch of health-conscious and spiritually-inclined people for the past several years.
Seeking to dispel the mace’s association with any particular religion, these sessions propagate that just as the earth revolves around the sun and gets life force from it, the mace, too, moves around the body to gather force which is used by its practitioner.
“A beginner should start with the practice of Sanatan Kriya for three months. An important prerequisite for mace movement is a strong back and clean flow of prana , which can be achieved with this kriya and specific yogic techniques. Mantras are chanted before and during the practice that harness the energy produced during the circular movements,” explains mace trainer Yogi Ashwini.
Also, the spine needs to be in excellent condition as it is the primary support in carrying weight and aiding the movements and momentum the body gains during the practice. There is no age limit or particular body type needed for picking up this skill, only a person’s aura is assessed. That explains why men and women between 20 to 50 years are training in mace movement.
“It is a very positive experience. Mace practise increases your consciousness level. It balances your body. You do not tire out easily and the glow you acquire is unmistakable. Ever since I picked up the mace I no longer need to go to a gym and can’t remember the last time I fell ill,” says Shivan Chanana (25), a budding journalist and chartered accountant.
The classes held at the Dhyan Ashram are in line with the ancient guru-shishya tradition and are free of cost.
“For us, mace learning is not a course that we are doing for a certificate/ diploma. It is a lifelong sadhana that is a source of power and brings great strength and stability to the body. Apart from the sessions at the ashram, we regularly practise on our own at home,” says 26-year-old Pallavi Dewan, a freelance interior designer who has been practising mace for four years now.
