Sivananda Ashram Naayer Dam

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After spending way too long in Varkala living like a beach bum and not practising enough to keep me happy, I decided to make my way to Naayer Dam to the Sivananda ashram. I love it here! I have had so many reports from this place and the general feedback I got was negative. Because I mainly practise Bikram and Ashtanga, everyone said the yoga would be too slow for me, but I really really love it. There is about 4 hrs of practise daily and it’s a hatha class. Within 3 days I’m already sitting in lotus and doing crow, my hips are cracking open and I can hold the headstand easily for 3mins and include the ashtanga forward leg bends. So my conclusion is….. hatha is great also! I am seriously considering doing the teacher training here, but I’ll give it another week in case I’m just on a high.

So…. A basic day here starts at 5.20, we go into a large hall and meditate for half and hour then chant (more like sing) for an hour then have a talk about something or other. I really enjoy the meditation and the first half and hr of chanting, then I’m getting a little restless. I’m using the time the sit straight and let my hips open. Today instead of the above we went on a silent walking mediation to the lake which is beautiful and chanted down there. There was mist coming off the lake and you could see an expanse of mountains behind the clouds. Every now and again you can here the roar of lions from a nearby sanctuary.

After this is the best tea I’ve ever drunk, I tried to explain that I am English and need tea BEFORE meditation and chanting, but no one cares. After tea is yoga, the hatha yoga class is 1.5-2 hrs including paranayama (Kapalabhati and nadi sodhana) and of course relaxation. After this is the biggest meal of the day. We sit in long lines on the floor in silence (except not really).The food here is sattvic, which according to Ayurveda and yoga means it enhances clarity and equanimity of mind. (I need this). Albeit the food does kind of suck from a taste perspective, but I do feel wonderful. After this we have Karma yoga. This is basically doing a duty to help others or enhance the community. I assume it is also supposed to be good for your soul. Now.. I quite like mine, I lug wood from A to B. We do it in a long line and today sang the Harre Krishna chant that we sing before food which was good and supposedly opens the heart chakra (again…. Good for me).

After this we have optional lectures on a number of interesting topics. Yesterday was an introduction to ayurveda. I am yet to attend an optional lecture, as I have been too busy online, swimming in the lake, sleeping and chatting. Never in my life have I ever been around so many women. Even in Mysore there was a more equal balance. I like it, I could do with cleansing men from life for a while… But easier said than done. At 3.30 we have another 1.5-2 hrs of yoga….. highlight of my day. Followed by very bad food followed by another 2 hrs of ‘Satsang’ which is the meditation, chanting and something else. So far we have seen the local Keralan dance acts Kathakali and last night we had a talent show which was actually brilliant. Then bed and lights out at 10.30. I sleep in a dorm with about 50 women. I quite like it, we just chat and sleep and shower etc etc.

Anyway, I am happy here and enjoying myself, will stay at least a week maybe more. Peace x

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Comments

[jojoseph]

thanks
we are thankful to your good openionabout our land