Healing gardens
Yoga guru Bharat Thakur maintains that practising yoga to attain the perfect posterior or the best abs is a serious folly. He maintains that yoga is the recourse for those looking for peace of mind, for those who wish to accentuate the abilities of their chakras to soak in the sheer energy of life. Plan your yoga-scape at any of the following centres...
* Vipassana International Academy
A calm mind that “sees things as they really are”. That is what Vipassana is all about. It is believed that the Buddha practised this meditation technique that involves the perfect state of being aware of your breathing without controlling it. As the principal centre for learning and imparting this method of meditation, the Vipassana International Academy was founded by S.N. Goenka in Igatpuri near Mumbai. The master himself imparts knowledge during the ten-day programme at the centre.
* Byron Bay Yoga
A spot of calm located two hours from Brisbane, this is a space where you can meditate and mull in quietitude and perform pranayam in a serene setting. Serenaded by bird song and ensconced in verdant rainforest, you can embrace life-changing experiences through the emulation of Yoga Nidra. On the menu are therapeutic massages, carefully conceived detox sessions and healing programs to help you tune in with your inner being. www.byronbayyoga.com.au
* Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute
The internationally renowned yoga haven in Mysore, near Bangalore, attracts people from across the globe. Established by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, and at present run by his family, the centre brings forth the ashtanga vinyasa brand of yoga that incorporates a rapid-paced synchronisation of breath and movement. Sessions are even conducted in Sanskrit, the language of the ancient yogic texts.
* Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, Pune
The Mecca for serious yoga practitioners, this Pune-based institution is run by the grand old man of Indian yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar, and his children. The Iyengar school of yoga is hinged upon the modification of pranayama as per your environment and an intensive study of asanas. Waiting lists run into thousands.
* Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram
Located in Chennai, this centre of learning traces its roots to holistic yoga practitioner T. Krishnamacharya. Guru T.K.V. Desikachar is his professional engineer-turned-disciple who charts the trajectory of the institute through the vital elements of exercise, therapy, breathing, and meditation. The Mandiram attracts yoga purists from the world over, including high wattage celebrities from Hollywood.
* Ashiyana
A two-hour drive from Goa transports you to Ashiyana, a tranquil retreat characterised by satsangs that help you introspect with meaninful intent and honesty to realise your true purpose on earth. You can learn here strains of yoga like Ashtanga, Vinyasa and even Motion Yoga. www.ashiyana-yoga-goa.com
* Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram
It unravels across green lungs, on the fringes of urban Thiruvananthapuram. This 12-acre Sivananda Yoga Ashram brings in structured yoga “vacations”. You can come here to revive, restore and rejuvenate your stress-battered soul through an enervating mix of ayurveda, yoga, physical fitness and philosophy-based sermons. Make this a must-visit on your soul-search agenda.
S.M.
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