Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram
Photo courtesy https://my-vegan-life.de
I still remember my introductory peach at The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram on the third day of my TTC just after the grant initiation of one-month-old dedicated prestigious yoga teacher training class In front of almost 200 people around the globe,
"I came to Ashram in search of peace, I and happiness may be the higher end bliss as because I felt my job was tiresome boring and which gives me no sense of satisfaction but here in these 3 days I realized doing yoga is harder than doing my job"
It raised huge applauds from the audience and big smiles.
"I wanted to run off but the rules of the ashram doesn't permit so my dear friends let's do it for a month. Thank you"
But in reality how it transferred me the story. Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram is the abode of peace, the great University where you can learn the art of self-discipline, deep Vedantha and the real mastery over your mind and body.
It was raining black and blue when I reached Neyyar dam around 10 pm chilling cold sneaks in to the sleeves like snail and in to bones I called the Ashram but the phone was not ringing as it was raining I waited almost for an hour then I got an auto to the Ashram someone from the front desk warmly welcomed me and send me to the dormitory where I slept peacefully may be I was so tired of travelling almost fifteen hundred kilometers.
The first day at the Ashram.
At 5 am someone came greeting good morning and announcing its time to wake up.I got ready and went to the main hall 6 to 6.30 meditation . the main hall was beautifully decorated, People were sitting in silence I do sat among the crowd I tried hardly to closes my eyes but in awe and wonder I couldn't and I really wanted a cup coffee but I found no chance of getting it. At 6.30, started satsang a gentile western voice singing Jaya Ganesha chanting, it was so deep and penetrating into the heart and I was getting tuned in to it and it was the first Satsang in my life. Later I knew he was our teacher Guru Mahadev Chaitanya a Jew by ethnicity Hindu by heart and divine soul.
Mahadev Chaitanya
Satsang completed by 7.30 and we all came out of the hall and everyone gathered under the tree and the ginger tea being served everyone started introducing, greeting and the time runs faster and felt the ice melting.
My first Yoga class
8 am it's the time for the yoga class I rolled out my mat in the central hall staring everyone right and left to me and Mahadev Chaitanya and his team is ready by now and started beginning prayers Ganesha mantra
And the leg raises and surynamaskar
I found my ego falling down like a castle of cards and bending a little seems to be crossing Indian ocean the ha ha moments slowly turned in to ohh ohh screams I felt like the time never moves and each second take minutes to cross and still its only 8.45 Oh my god I feel my muscles tearing off and even my bone spraining and sweat rush out and some point in time I felt like collapsing down time runs like snail and finally I heard "slowly lie down and legs apart hands apart and breath slowly corpus pose (savasana).
Nothing more I remember until someone woke me up. Bro, wake up everyone has left the hall for brunch. I do run into the mess delicious Kerala dishes is being served the food tastes like honeydew and I never knew that food could taste that much delicious ever.
Yummy Kerala dishes at Ashram
And the day goes on theory class, anatomy, Bhagavat Geetha, Vedantha, Yoga Sutra and evening yoga class again for two hours, the mind is willing but the body is not, still I pushed hard. Six pm supper,all against my eating habits and time frame. Again in the evening Satsang. Almost by nine went to dormitory fell on my bed nothing more to say, deep layers of sleep,
Morning walk and satsang.
Meeting people across the globe, interacting, building up new friendships, evenings yummy dishes at the cafeteria, happy talks and the awesome morning walk to the Neyyar Dam. Satsang on the banks of Neyyar Dam mountain mist, sparkling water, golden morning sunrises the company of Santhi (now late) Ashram dog, the wild swimming across the Neyyar reservoir
The happy weekend trip to Kovalam, Kanyakumari and Fort of Travancore Kings, the musical rocks and the delicious food and oh my God 25 days has completed as it was a dream as Alice fell in the mouse hole and woke up in Wonderland.
Exam
The mounting pressure of exams everyone seems to be so serious even forgot to smile. I do carry away by the pressure and tension and the preparation ends, The exam day. Woke up early got ready, went to the temple and prayed and sought the blessing of Gurus and here goes ….
THE BIG DAY
Convocation, one month has passed now I am certified Yoga Teacher (Yoga siromony), hugs cry, the pain of departing the beautiful souls connected to my heart.
The karma conscious life, the month old learning detachment and realizing the more I tried to detach I got more attached. The pain deep inside but the face is glowing, smile still not fading, the inner consciousness speaks out loudly somewhere in the mind poem of words worth rings "Miles to go before I sleep”. Its new beginning and miles to go, and make a lot to happen.
In the bustling railway station of Trivandrum waiting to catch my train, A real journey begins more than 1500 kilometres to travel and to start life with meaning. But the mantra is resonating deep in the soul ,
"Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realise; Be good, Do good, Be kind, Be compassionate."
The life in 3 minutes
https://www.facebook.com/SivanandaDhanwantariAshram/videos/1015421981847751/UzpfSTEwMDAxMDY5NTczNzczNToxMzk5ODY3NTYzNjc4NDg/
How to reach Ashram
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram is in southeast corner of the Western Ghats, called Neyar 30 kilometres away from Trivandrum kerala you can reach esily by cab or Kerala state transport buses are frequently available to neyyar
The nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport and nearest railway station Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station. For more information you can contact
Address
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram
PO Neyyar Dam, Trivandrum,
Kerala 695 572
T: +919495630951
W: www.sivananda.org/neyyardam
E: guestindia@sivananda.org
