Sivananda Ashram (Feb.1-5)

Sivananda Ashram
February 1-5
Lianna

Before starting on our adventure, I had the idea of attending an Ashram in India. Along our route we asked other travelers who had been to India. One woman Mark met on a diving boat in Borneo mentioned Sivananda Ashram located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerola. I googled it on the Internet, made connection through email and booked the four of us for a week without a problem February 1st. Easy as that.

India was to be one of the first countries we actually had to start making some advance plans. Firstly the Ashram which we were told fills up quickly, then Caleb’s friend Jeese from Vancouver, Canada was going to meet us in Mombai (his mother was attending a conference in Mombai at that time so brought Jesse along to travel with us for a week) and his dates were set and we were intending meeting up with grandparents in Israel by the end of February and those date were also set.

Having our last coffee at The Indian Coffee House before heading to the Ashram

Heading to the bus

February 1 we took a local bus from Thiruvananthapuram (what a name) to Nehyyar Dam. From Nehyyar Dam bus stop the Ashram was about 1 km away by rickshaw. Shivanada Ashram was situated in a beautiful lush hillside area. The sounds of birds filled the air.

Road leading to the Ashram

Registration was lengthy, filling out numerous documents with personal information and the room assignment was somewhat disorganized as they had just completed a teachers training session where over 100 people attended. We just happened to arrive the afternoon the one month teacher training session had ended. This was a good thing as the Ashram cleared out considerably, we were told it had been quite noisy, and the new session called “Yoga Vacation” was commencing from the beginning.

Reception Area

Because of our schedule we decided that 5 days was all we could attend in order to make it up to Mumbai to meet Jesse. The Ashram schedule kept all of us busy all the time, which included naps during the day. Caleb and Mark shared a room and Artemis and I. The rooms were simple but comfortable and clean and only a short walk from every event we had to attend.

Inside the room

Throughout the 5 days, we all experienced the event differently. My impression before attending an Ashram was that it would be a place to meditate and recuperate. It was that but in a very different way than I had anticipated. Our day was full starting at 6am with meditation and chanting for 2 hours, tea following, 21/2 hours of yoga, breakfast, 1 hour of karmic yoga (communal ashram cleaning), rest, tea, 2 hours of lecture and discussion, yoga again for 2 hours, dinner, ending the day with meditation and chanting for another 2 hours and bed immediately after. For five days we rarely spoke to each other.

Everyone heading up the stairs to the eating hall

Aside
As I write this piece for the blog I feel just like a real writer sitting here in an inexpensive boudoir in the Jaselmere castle, surrounded on the bed by silk covered pillows, the fumes of local aromas rising around me and feeling the warm afternoon breeze.


Back to the Ashram.
The Ashram was invigorating and tiring. I attended the Intermediate yoga class (Mark and the kids beginners) which increased in intensity each class. One class ending the 3rd day at the Ashra left the whole class exhausted and pushed to the limit. I had done meditation already for a year prior to attending but chanting was something completely new. At first I found reciting complicated Hindi words to be confusing but I soon identified with the melodies and repetition. The whole room filled with the voices of the participants and teachers. The chanting I realized was a necessary part to raising a vibrational level. And I did feel it. After the chanting, which usually lasted for 45-60 minutes, I could sense the vibration in the air which continued with me throughout the night.

Inside the lower hall where YOGA classes took place

Inside the Main hall where meditation, chanting and YOGA classes took place


I found the whole experience to be very enlightening. I would like to attend again for at least 2 weeks. Four days really just gave me a sense of Ashram life.

There were people from all walks of life in attendance. I guess I had expected everyone to be young and hippy like or something. There were older singles, older couples, younger people, together and alone, kids (ours), fat people, skinny people. All in search of spiritual or personal development. A few young people we met left after only a few days (3 is the minimum) saying they couldn’t understand the words of the chanting and it really bothered them. I commented to one woman from NY that the words did not matter, it was the sound of the chant, the repetition that were the important part. It didn’t convince her.

Along with the yoga, which put me into great shape by the end, I also enjoyed the lectures which were led by one of the upper yogis. They spoke of Happiness and reaching ones inner being, the reasons and benefits of yoga to spiritual awareness. These topics made for much thought and discussion.

We left the Ashram after the first meal on our last day. After checking out, saying good-byes, catching the rickshaw then bus back to Thiruvananthapuram we found a hotel and crashed for the rest of the day. We were exhausted physically and mentally. Mark felt things move around inside, I was definitely enlightened, Artemis enjoyed it but was tired of the vegetarian food and Caleb expressed that he wanted to stay longer. At one lecture about the reason and benefit for each yoga pose Caleb volunteered to be the demonstrator. The is in front of 100 people. Artemis soon assisted him when the teacher required a bridge to be demonstrated. The teacher, Roda (79 y.o. who looked 60) a lovely African American woman from Sivananada in Chicago, was especially impressed by Caleb and Artemis praising them highly for their participation and courage.

Forget the thousands of dollars any of you spend or maybe intending to spend on pyscologists or therapists. Go to an Ashram for 2 weeks, or more if necessary. You will learn and discover about yourself far more therapeutically.

I am happy to say that I am hooked on Sun Salutations which I try and do as often as possible. As a kid I remember my dad doing them every morning, what took me so long.

Lianna