November 2018
My attempts to learn Yoga and Vedanta have had many mishaps. Then a chance meeting with Swami Govindanand set the stage for a month long teacher training in Kodakkad, North Kerala: a new ashram, limited students and peace filled surroundings.
The course was designed by Swami Vishnudevananda back in the 60’s when he wanted the West to experience the depth of Yoga and he integrated Vedanta into it in what i found was a seamless way. Twelve basic asanas, two Pranayamas, a map of essential Vedanta and much mantra chanting is the core of the course. It is intensive and extensive- there is not a moment to spare on most days but they are filled with so much that can make life meaningful.
As ashrams go, and i have sampled quite a few, the Sivananda Yoga Vidya Peetham is charming being compact with three modern laterite structures and fair amenities set in rural paddy fields and much wilderness. Kodakkad, as a village, is quite lovely with its few and far apart homes, wells, ponds, good roads and a cluster of temples. It faces east and not a single sunrise over the small hill of palms should be missed. On many mornings we would be taken from our chanting routine to do some barefoot gayatri mantras looking at the sun- a most memorable moment of the month.
While the Asana teacher was disappointing but one plodded along, the Vedanta teaching more than made up for it: Swami Govindananda is extraordinarily lucid and engaging- he lives by his teachings and that gives a certain strength that is rare to find. His family provides a great support team- with a touch of Gurukulam.
A feature of this training are the pujas that all conducted with much vedic vigour- yantras, havan and chanting imbue the space with pranic energy. We all noticed subtle changes in us as the days passed- the critical mind softening into the more accepting mind. All questions are fairly answered by swamiji. We all felt cared for through little gestures of Swami G.
Now a few weeks later, the ashram life is alive within- something has shifted and I want it to grow.
Very well described ❤️ Om shanti shanti shanti