Ashrams have existed in India for thousands of years, and since the Beatles went to an ashram in India in 1968, they have become a popular traveler’s destination. I’ve wanted to visit one since as long as I remember. Ashrams have been a source for gaining personal enlightenment and inner peace for decades.There are so many reasons why staying in an ashram is a great idea. For one, it’s healthy. Not just for your body because you detox and eat healthy, but also for your mind. You will be challenged on a physical, mental, spiritual, psychological and emotional level. Ashram life will push your proverbial buttons, but it’s rewarding in the end.

An Ashram is traditionally a place to practice Yoga, meditation and take part in other spiritual and mind cleansing activities and is home to a spiritual leader who lives there. They are usually set in a peaceful area of a town, or village and consist of very basic living conditions such as rooms (usually shared), eating area, Yoga rooms, a library and numerous lush gardens complete with fountains and colourful flowers. The purpose of staying at an Ashram is to go back to the basics and to free yourself of the everyday indulgences that most of us carry with us during our everyday lives. Some people stay at Ashrams for free in exchange for helping with chores, cooking, cleaning the general area and just becoming part of the “family” at the Ashram.

 

Once you arrive at an ashram, be ready to fall in love with the surrounding landscapes and immaculate gardens within the premises. Be it Rolling green hills in full view or the snow-clad mountains or the sound of ocean waves over the Ashram’s peaceful gardens.

There are a variety of activities to take part in during our stay, which was a great way to make each day different. There are daily morning yoga classes, meditation classes, daily chanting, organic farm procured lunch and the list goes on.

 

Living the Ashram way of life isn’t for everyone, but everyone should try to stay in one at least once in their lives, or at least while travelling through India. The simplicity of staying at an Ashram opens one’s eyes to the things Westerners, or society in general these days take for granted. Every Ashram is different and it’s important to do research before committing to stay at one. Some may be more luxurious, some may focus more on detoxifying your body and some may be extremely bare bones basic, so it’s entirely up to you and what kind of experience you wish to have. Staying at an Ashram will humble you and make you appreciate the little things that much more when you go back to your “normal” life, whatever that may be.

​

If you liked my article please subscribe and you should also read :

Yoga in times of Pandemic

Yoga Alliance online yoga teacher training

Yoga Teacher Training in lockdown

Role of India in solving modern age problems

Engineered Yogi blog

The Ultimate Guide to Yoga Teacher Training in 2021

Tantra Yoga course in Rishikesh

​

​