Yoga Camp

Two hours of traveling from Varkala, and we found ourselves at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram at Neyyar Dam. Since our previous ashram experience had been so disappointing, we weren’t really sure what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised to find that there were two other travelers on the bus headed to the ashram, and as we hiked the last kilometer from the bus stop to the front gates, we began to feel better about our prospects. We checked in for our stay (they require a three night minimum) and were assigned to our dorm rooms. Rachel and I were in Lakshmi dorm, Leon was in Rama. We claimed our beds and hung our mosquito nets, then ventured out to dinner. The food is simple vegetarian, eaten from the traditional Indian tin plates. Diners sit in long rows on the floor and eat with their fingers. You are served as much as you can eat by the dining room staff, but since meals are silent, they are usually short . After dinner we went shopping in the camp boutique to purchase yoga mats, and water bottles for use during our stay, and prepared ourselves for the first Satsang.
The Satsangs are the bookends of the day at the ashram. Each day starts and ends with the meditation and chanting sessions. They start with 20 minutes of silent meditation (I usually made it 10 minutes before the wiggles got me), followed by about 40 minutes of chanting. The chanting is in Sanskrit, and follows a lead and repeat pattern. They provide books so that you can follow along, but since our Sanskrit is a little rusty, it took us several days to become comfortable with the pronunciations. After chanting, there was a teaching and discussion session. The head swami would grab a book off his shelf (a different book for each day of the week) and would open at random to pull a topic for discussion. The first night, the topic was Jainism. We discussed the history and practices of the religion, then sang one last song before heading off to bed.
Our first full day at the ashram was a little bit confusing. There were probably 70 people who had arrived for the Yoga Vacation, but since it was everyone’s first day, no one was really confident about the schedule or location of the various classes. After the morning Satsang at 6, there was tea at 7:30, followed by the morning yoga class at 8. Our morning teacher was an American woman named, Rhoda. She is 77, and in better shape than I am. She started yoga thirty years ago, and now volunteers as a teacher at the centers all over the world. Our first class was challenging and informative. After class, everyone gathers for the first meal of the day at 10 am. Next is Karma Yoga, at 11. An integral part of the Sivananda program, Karma Yoga is selfless service. Each guest is required to participate, and on the first day we were divided into groups and assigned tasks. I was given the job of cleaning the bathrooms in one of the women’s dorms. Leon was on the maintenance team, which was using the week to repaint some benches, and Rachel was assigned the job of rolling out the mats for morning Satsang. After Karma Yoga is free time until the lecture at 2 pm. You can use the time to read, go for a swim at the lake (just watch out for the crocs), practice your yoga, go to the library, take a nap, etc. After the lecture, there is the afternoon yoga class at 3:30, followed by dinner at 6 and evening Satsang at 8.
In addition to the regularly scheduled activities, there were occasional special events in place of evening Satsangs. On Wednesday nights, there is a silent walk from the ashram to the dam, where we could chant and sing under the stars. On Thursday night, there was a talent show. Rachel sang a song, and was a huge hit! She was giving encore performances in the dorms for people that had missed the show.
We stayed at the ashram for a week. We loved the clean air and the feeling of health and wellness that developed within us. It was surprisingly relaxing given the rigorous schedule, but we were missing the feeling of being in India. We decided to leave with some of our new friends, and head to the beach at Varkala for some R&R.
After a quick 40 minute train ride from Trivandram, we arrived in Varkala with our new friends, Erin and Trevor. We found a hotel, and headed straight for dinner. We found a nice café on the beach, where we ordered mojitos and lasagna. The next morning, we woke up early for yoga class on the hotel rooftop, then a quick breakfast, and down to the beach. We were laying there enjoying the sun and sand, when we saw some familiar face. Our old friends, Mike and Chelsea, who we spent the first few weeks in India with were in Varkala too. We spent a few days swimming, sunbathing, and catching up with old friends. After a week of relaxing on the beach, we headed east to the temple town of Madurai, and continued our journey through India.

(We didn't take any pictures at the ashram. For the privacy of the other students they ask that you not take photos during classes or lectures. If you are interested in seeing the ashram, or learning more about their programs, you can visit their website, www.sivananda.org)