I flew into India early in October filled with the anticipation of staying at the Anand Prakash Yoga ashram. My good friend Kate had stayed there previously for a few months and she had me convinced, that I needed to go to India and study there. “India’s a place that changes you spiritually. Especially if you are really into yoga. “
Anand Prakash is located in Rishi Kesh, the birthplace of Yoga. It is a small community where as my friend Rick had put it, “you can’t swing a cat without hitting a yoga teacher training.” The yoga offerings were incredible and I enjoyed being immersed in a spiritual environment filled with like minded people.
Tapovan is where the ashram was located, a good 15 minute walk from the main part of town. The Ganges river valley is surrounded by mountains on three sides and is considered the gateway to the Himalayas. The wind and the prana carried from the Himalaya whistle down the river valley and blow out over this headland invigorating the Ashram area. Prana is considered breath force or life energy, and our guru had told us that for this reason many people have crazy dreams while they are staying here.
While I was there, I had many crazy, intense dreams. I would wake up with a start at 4:30 in the morning, out of breath and eyes wide awake. And I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep. After talking to other students who also stayed there, I found out that this was quite common.
Yogi Vishveketu ji taught us yoga every morning at 6 AM in the morning. He was a super inspiring teacher, there was a certain charisma about him. He was really playful, and told jokes all the time. But there was something about his presence that just commanded respect. He was a great teacher, he explained everything with patience and precision. He would come around and do adjustments himself along with two other students. There was a yoga teacher training happening at the time, and it gave the ashram a wonderful energy. It was an absolute joy to take his class every day and hear his teachings.
Staying at the ashram required discipline though.
Daily Schedule:
5:00 AM Individual Meditation
6:00 AM Yoga Class
8:00 AM Breakfast in Silence
8:30 AM Fire Puja
12:00 PM Lunch
4:00 PM Yoga Class
6:00 PM Dinner
7:30 PM Kirtan Chanting (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
9:30 PM Ashram Gates Closed
Sundays were Karma yoga. Everyone in the ashram would get together to clean the ashram. Karma yoga is when you do actions that do not benefit yourself. Labour without fruits is what they call it. Here is Sebastien pictured in the dining hall doing Karma Yoga.
So we experienced total yoga immersion while we were there. The food was all vegetarian and ayurvedic. Also, because Rishi Kesh is a holy city, there are no alcohol or meat available. However, there are certain places where you can get around this – such as High Bank.
While the rules and discipline were difficult to follow at times, both Sebastien and I agreed that we surprisingly enjoyed the structure of waking up early in the mornings to do yoga every day. I was in yoga heaven because everyone seemed really into yoga and spirituality there. We just really had to rush back on some nights to keep from getting locked out of the ashram at night! I was really fortunate to meet up with Meghan, a fellow yoga teacher trainee who took the course with me in Thailand. Meghan had been in Rishi Kesh for about a month by the time I got there, and so we had a chance to hang out for a few days before she returned home to Taiwan. She introduced me to Govinda who teaches a Sivananda class, and because he is actually a doctor, he knows the body really well and challenged us with his yoga classes. He got me in postures I never thought I would ever be able to do.
It was hilarious, because Meghan and I never really hung out in Thailand. Aside from the random group meal, or the yoga photo sessions. At one point she turned to me while we were shopping, and she said “Can you believe, you and me?” It was really cute and I was so happy to have the chance to get to know each other better. The thing about travelling is sometimes you end up hanging out with people of all different kinds of backgrounds and there is a flow, or easiness about it which is really cool to experience.
Through word of mouth, I found an amazing teacher, Sushil who taught an Ashtanga Vinyasa class. This style really resonates with me because I love flow yoga. He taught a really small class with a maximum of nine people at a time. I enjoyed his adjustments and the challenges he presented me with each class. After class, Sushil would hang out with us and drink Chai and talk about yoga.
So what I ended up doing was running around every afternoon, trying out different yoga classes in the afternoons. In the time in between, I mostly read yoga books from the yoga library, took some hindi classes, did some exploring, checked out the waterfalls and the infamous Beatles ashram. Oh yeah, and I did manage to get a massage in there somewhere.
This was my Hindi instructor Sachdeva Ji.
So what did I think of my experience at the ashram?
I am so thankful for having the opportunity to study yoga in a place like Rishi Kesh. I’m not sure I can articulate my experience to truly express how I feel. I feel a change in my spirit, I feel an awakened curiosity in learning all I can about yoga through reading, meeting people and self practice.
Physically I have noticed a change in flexibility and postural progression in my asanas. Spiritually, I have noticed a big change in my meditation. There are times when I experience tears and sadness during my meditation. There was one particular time when I was sitting in easy pose, and I noticed my face felt wet, and i just thought maybe I just yawned because it was early in the morning. And the next thing you know my face was completely wet and I was crying! And then there are other moments where I feel pure love and joy.
All these things are totally naturally which have been described in meditation books as stored emotions and a process of letting go. But it is only recently that I’ve experienced these things. The biggest change is an awakening of my inner light, and experiencing an inner wisdom.
I know this sounds really crazy but I feel like Yoga has changed me. It’s changed the way that I breathe, the way I think, the way I cope with stress. It’s changed my goals, my level of spirituality, my way of being and I am so grateful to be on this path. It started off as a physical practice, and now its become a spiritual way of being.
One night, Vishva had organized a Sitar performance at the ashram. It took place in the yoga studio transformed by candle light and cushions. It was a magical night filled with beautiful music. It started off with everyone closing their eyes and rocking to the music. Then some people started laying down to enjoy it. Afterwards, they picked up the pace and everyone got up and started dancing! It was a really beautiful experience and a real treat.
I had the feeling when I left Rishi Kesh that I would be back. It’s a place that totally resonated with me. Who knows, perhaps after I have some teaching experience under my belt, I will go there for my level 2 training certificate?
Moments like these were so priceless, and I think they will forever be imprinted in my memory.
Some teachers will say that you have to have practiced Yoga in your past life in order to practice it in this one. Because not everyone can afford to do yoga, not everyone can physically do it, and not everyone is interested in it. But if you have practiced in your past life, it draws you in like a magnet and you can’t escape it.
Travel, I'm beginning to find out can also be viewed in the same light.
Travel, I'm beginning to find out can also be viewed in the same light.
