Seafarers to undergo mandatory yoga-based wellness training

Can brahmari or the “bee breath” drown the roar of the engines, or the drones if in Persian Gulf during the war, and bring peace to the seafarer? The Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA), formerly Directorate General of Shipping, seems to think so. Breathing in and breathing out making an “mmmmm” sound to make it a bumblebee hum is among the many techniques seafarers will be learning through this year.

The initiative, called “Sagar Mein Yog” (SMY), will be delivered through a dedicated Learning Management System. It requires all seafarers holding a valid Indian Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) to complete the course within one year, and mandates that all candidates at DGS-approved Maritime Training Institutes (MTIs) finish the modules.

The SMY is structured around 10 thematic wellness pillars spanning a cumulative 19 hours and 14 minutes of instruction. The longest module, social wellness covers interpersonal skills, teamwork and conflict resolution both onboard and ashore, while occupational wellness addresses adjustment to shipboard life, career growth and feedback practices. Physical wellness takes in nutrition, hydration, fitness routines and even sexual health, and intellectual wellness focuses on critical thinking, risk management and cognitive sharpness at sea.

Other pillars include economic wellness — covering budgeting, investment and taxation for seafarers — cultural wellness, built around cross-cultural competence and identity on multinational crews, and spiritual wellness, which draws on meditation, chanting and pranayama breathing techniques.

The spiritual wellness module is built around four sub-modules focused on meditation, chanting, mudras and breathwork. It opens with exercises and guided meditation techniques aimed at helping seafarers build a daily practice, before moving into chants.

A separate segment introduces hand mudras such as the Dhyana Mudra, associated with meditative focus, and the Apana Mudra, linked to detoxification and grounding.

The circular positions SMY within the framework of the STCW Convention (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers), STCW Rules 2014, and the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, and links it to the government’s Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kal Vision 2047.