The Experience
India abounds with yoga ashrams and they vary widely. Yoga Vidya Dham, located four hours drive east of Mumbai, is an ashram of the highest quality. The food is delicious, the yoga well paced and the instructors real, not the least pretentious and abounding with yogic philosophy and knowledge. The desert setting is picturesque and perfect for the study of yoga, set in an environment much like one imagines the very Yoga philosophy was developed in thousands of years ago. Two weeks here helped calm the frazzled mind I'd been battling with since arriving in the noisy and confronting subcontinent.
The first thing I learned is that yoga is not just the postures (asanas) that most people think it to be. Yoga is an eight part philosophy whose goal is to lead people closer to the attainment of moksha, or release from the cycle of reincarnation (also referred to as enlightenment). Asanas are merely one of the eight ideals that one needs to base his or her life upon in order to attain and maintain a balanced state of mind. The Yoga philosophy argues against excesses that will leave one unbalanced, be these excesses in diet, lifestyle or thought processes. It is not a religion, but more a sensible and moral way to conduct life.
To assist students with reaching a balanced mind, the ashram has a whole list of ‘rules’:
- no smoking
- no drinking of alcohol
- no drugs (if prescription drugs are required, discuss with the ashram staff)
- no sex
- no meat (including eggs)
- no chili
- no caffeine
- no chocolate, candy or food from outside the ashram
- remain at ashram except the one day off a week
- attend all courses and follow the timetable
- complete silence is observed during meals
- no girls allowed in boys’ rooms and vice versa
To me, some of the rules automatically make sense; of course if you are staying in an ashram drugs, alcohol and cigarettes should not be allowed. Other things that did not immediately make sense to me, such as silence during meals or no chili, were explained. No chili is allowed because chili is a food that excites the senses and heats the body, therefore threatening balance. Silence during meals is observed for a number of reasons: to prevent over-eating, to appreciate your food and to aid in digestion. This is probably the rule I found the most demanding, as meal times have always been for me a time to get to know my fellow travelers, chat about my day and listen to others' experiences. At the ashram however, it is a time for receiving energy from clean, well-prepared food. Chatter distracts one from the important business of eating properly (the ashram suggests chewing each bite 32 times, which is a challenge with food such as dahl).
When we first arrived, the people who'd been there longer kept gushing about how good the food was. I'm the kind of girl who puts Tabasco on everything that will hold still long enough, so I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. Once my taste buds adjusted to the different ingredients and lack of others, I understood what everyone was raving about. Fresh fruit and veg, brown rice, dahl, soups and light curries with tons of turmeric made up most of the food we ate. A meal left me feeling satiated and energized, rather than weighed down. Adjusting to ‘normal’ food with oil, chili and loads of salt upon leaving the ashram was quite a trial for my guts.
The daily schedule generally went something like this:
5:30 am Wakeup Time
6.00 am Herbal Drink (no caffeine, remember?)
6.30 am Morning Wash & Herbal Wash (also known as 'brushing your teeth with a stick)
7:00 am to 08:30 am Yoga Practice (Asana & Pranayama)
9:00 am Breakfast (fresh fruit and some type of starch like semolina or noodles)
10:00 am Yoga Nidra (guided meditation)
10:30 am Rest time
11:30 am LUNCH (soup, salad, curry, rice, chapati)
12:30 pm Rest time
2:30 pm Karma Yoga (sweeping, cleaning toilets, painting walls, etc.)
3:30 pm Herbal Drink (still no caffeine)
4:00 pm Yoga Lecture
5:00 pm to 6:30 pm Yoga Practice (Asana & Pranayama)
7:00 pm Dinner (similar foods to lunch)
8.00 pm Mantras / Discussions / Lectures
9:30 pm Bed Time
The first few days at the ashram left me feeling exhausted and my rest times were spent not engaged in study, but sleeping. I suppose considering the amount of junk I tend to put in my system, it's not surprising I felt so rubbish without it. The first few days my body was ‘detoxing’ and adjusting to clean living. Once the caffeine headaches, sugar cravings and salt withdrawals subsided, I felt better than I had in years, possibly ever. Asanas, combined with good food, clean water, meditation and chanting all left my body healthier and more energetic than before.
The first thing I learned is that yoga is not just the postures (asanas) that most people think it to be. Yoga is an eight part philosophy whose goal is to lead people closer to the attainment of moksha, or release from the cycle of reincarnation (also referred to as enlightenment). Asanas are merely one of the eight ideals that one needs to base his or her life upon in order to attain and maintain a balanced state of mind. The Yoga philosophy argues against excesses that will leave one unbalanced, be these excesses in diet, lifestyle or thought processes. It is not a religion, but more a sensible and moral way to conduct life.
To assist students with reaching a balanced mind, the ashram has a whole list of ‘rules’:
- no smoking
- no drinking of alcohol
- no drugs (if prescription drugs are required, discuss with the ashram staff)
- no sex
- no meat (including eggs)
- no chili
- no caffeine
- no chocolate, candy or food from outside the ashram
- remain at ashram except the one day off a week
- attend all courses and follow the timetable
- complete silence is observed during meals
- no girls allowed in boys’ rooms and vice versa
To me, some of the rules automatically make sense; of course if you are staying in an ashram drugs, alcohol and cigarettes should not be allowed. Other things that did not immediately make sense to me, such as silence during meals or no chili, were explained. No chili is allowed because chili is a food that excites the senses and heats the body, therefore threatening balance. Silence during meals is observed for a number of reasons: to prevent over-eating, to appreciate your food and to aid in digestion. This is probably the rule I found the most demanding, as meal times have always been for me a time to get to know my fellow travelers, chat about my day and listen to others' experiences. At the ashram however, it is a time for receiving energy from clean, well-prepared food. Chatter distracts one from the important business of eating properly (the ashram suggests chewing each bite 32 times, which is a challenge with food such as dahl).
When we first arrived, the people who'd been there longer kept gushing about how good the food was. I'm the kind of girl who puts Tabasco on everything that will hold still long enough, so I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. Once my taste buds adjusted to the different ingredients and lack of others, I understood what everyone was raving about. Fresh fruit and veg, brown rice, dahl, soups and light curries with tons of turmeric made up most of the food we ate. A meal left me feeling satiated and energized, rather than weighed down. Adjusting to ‘normal’ food with oil, chili and loads of salt upon leaving the ashram was quite a trial for my guts.
The daily schedule generally went something like this:
5:30 am Wakeup Time
6.00 am Herbal Drink (no caffeine, remember?)
6.30 am Morning Wash & Herbal Wash (also known as 'brushing your teeth with a stick)
7:00 am to 08:30 am Yoga Practice (Asana & Pranayama)
9:00 am Breakfast (fresh fruit and some type of starch like semolina or noodles)
10:00 am Yoga Nidra (guided meditation)
10:30 am Rest time
11:30 am LUNCH (soup, salad, curry, rice, chapati)
12:30 pm Rest time
2:30 pm Karma Yoga (sweeping, cleaning toilets, painting walls, etc.)
3:30 pm Herbal Drink (still no caffeine)
4:00 pm Yoga Lecture
5:00 pm to 6:30 pm Yoga Practice (Asana & Pranayama)
7:00 pm Dinner (similar foods to lunch)
8.00 pm Mantras / Discussions / Lectures
9:30 pm Bed Time
The first few days at the ashram left me feeling exhausted and my rest times were spent not engaged in study, but sleeping. I suppose considering the amount of junk I tend to put in my system, it's not surprising I felt so rubbish without it. The first few days my body was ‘detoxing’ and adjusting to clean living. Once the caffeine headaches, sugar cravings and salt withdrawals subsided, I felt better than I had in years, possibly ever. Asanas, combined with good food, clean water, meditation and chanting all left my body healthier and more energetic than before.
Map
When to Go
It is amazing how quickly the time went and how busy I felt while at the ashram. Not the 'rushing from place to place, meeting deadlines, doing the shopping, cooking, cleaning and washing up' busy that real life entails. The ashram was a chance to break away from the mundane and clear away the toxins that it left me riddled with. It may all sound a bit self-indulgent, but taking good care of yourself and allowing yourself a break, just makes good sense. I emerged from the ashram feeling ready to tackle life with an even-head, full of serenity, clarity and feeling lighter, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Time at the ashram is really an investment in longevity, clearing away the stresses of real life and therefore allowing us to get on with it.
The summer months correspond with the monsoon, which due to heat and incredible humidity, mightn't be the best time to stay at the ashram. Instead aim for some time right after the monsoon to see the area alive and green (September), or December, January or February if you want to see it more barren and desert-like.
The summer months correspond with the monsoon, which due to heat and incredible humidity, mightn't be the best time to stay at the ashram. Instead aim for some time right after the monsoon to see the area alive and green (September), or December, January or February if you want to see it more barren and desert-like.
Odds n' Ends
Getting to the ashram is a bit difficult and can be confusing if you don't know what to expect. Arrive in Nashik and go to the Yoga Vidya Dham main office. From there they will organize a taxi that will take you to the ashram, which is approxiamately 40 minutes out of town.
Places to Stay Nearby
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Hotel Durga International is located at Nashik at 2 kms from Nashik Road Station and 5 kms from Bus Depot and 20 kms from Sinnar. ... 10 miles away
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11 miles away
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Elsewhere on the Web
- Yoga Vidya Dham
- This website provides information on the ashram, when classes are being held, prices, types of yoga practiced, etc.
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