Live Your Best Lives
Article reprinted from WeChat public account SSS2019
Reprinted with permission
Go to a paradise-like environment, have close contact with nature every day, have a regular life and rest schedule, eat organic and healthy food, have experienced instructors to assist in yoga practice, and improve your physical and mental health. Just ask: Who doesn’t like such a life?
All ashram websites mentioned in this article: https://sivananda.org/locations/ashrams/
If you’re interested in a yoga retreat, here’s what you need to know before checking in:
The ashram refers to the Sivananda Yoga Ashram, which is part of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre (ISYVC).
ISYVC is a non-profit organization named after Swami Sivananda, one of the most influential spiritual teachers of the 20th century, and was founded by his disciple Swami Vishnudevananda.
Sivananda's teachings can be traced back thousands of years and have always maintained a pure teaching tradition. They are recognized worldwide as authentic yoga teachings.
This book, "Complete Illustrated Guide to Yoga" written by SWV, has been popular in the West since the 1960s and is a famous yoga textbook.
In 1957, under the guidance of his guru, Swami Vishnudevanand came to the West with 10 rupees to teach yoga. In 1959, he established the first Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in Montreal, Canada.
To date, there are nearly 60 Sivananda locations (including ashrams, yoga centers, and affiliated centers) around the world, and more than 45,000 teachers have received TTC (Teacher Training Course) training.
In 1962, Swami Vishnudidevananda developed the "Yoga Holiday" program. The goal was to create space, time, and distance from the everyday, introducing yoga philosophy and practice into daily life, allowing people to feel refreshed, focused, and calm, restoring their physical and mental health and replenishing their energy.
At the time, Swami Vishnudidevananda was struggling to teach yoga in Canada. He noticed that everyone went to the mountains for weekend getaways, so he thought, "Why not teach yoga there?" After a weekend of yoga, everyone would be refreshed and ready to return to work. This was the original prototype of the yoga vacation.
The Sanskrit word "Ashram" translates to a place away from work and is designed for retreat from worldly life.
All retreats are located in idyllic natural environments, providing a safe space for personal self-reflection and development, and the pursuit of spiritual ideals.
It also creates a place for like-minded participants to experience classical yoga, Vedanta (yogic philosophy) and Ayurveda (life science).
The Ashram is open 365 days a year, and the daily schedule is designed to restore the joy of life, leaving one feeling inspired and rejuvenated.
The daily schedule for each retreat is similar. For participants of a yoga vacation:
🕓Every day, you must attend satsang classes and two yoga classes.
🕕 Enjoy two delicious vegetarian meals every day
🕦Encourage you to spend one hour every day doing some service for the ashram (karma yoga)
Yoga Farm's nutritious and healthy meals
In addition, there will be themed lecture courses every afternoon, focusing on physical, mental and spiritual health. For details, please see the introduction to the retreat below.
Yoga vacations are designed to recharge your batteries, rejuvenate your body and mind, and leave you feeling revitalized and inspired. Designed based on the Five Essential Yoga principles, these vacations are suitable for beginners as well as advanced practitioners. Visit for a few days, a week, two weeks, or more, and experience the immense benefits of a break from the relentless pressures of everyday life.
At the retreat, everyone does their own work, from cooking, housekeeping, and maintenance. Every staff member at the retreat is a highly skilled person.
On the basis of being operated by a full-time volunteer team, each retreat forest and center will open learning volunteer and short-term staff programs, which are suitable for friends who have plenty of time, are interested in yoga, and are willing to deeply experience yoga life.
Serve the retreat forest for 4 hours every day,
Must attend morning and evening classes and at least one asana class
The service time is at least 1 month
The cost of food and accommodation is much lower than that of a yoga holiday. The specific amount can be found on the website of each retreat forest.
Short-term staff are generally only open to TTC graduates and provide 8 hours of service per day
Must attend morning and evening classes and practice yoga on their own for at least 1 hour
The service period is at least 3 months
The cost of food and accommodation may be waived, but the requirements of each retreat are different. If you are interested, you can check the website of each retreat.
1. The retreat forest practices a vegetarian and sattvic diet, so meat, eggs, and alcohol are prohibited.
2. Tobacco, garlic, onion, etc.
3. In the retreat forest, it is strictly forbidden to wear clothes that expose shoulders or above the knees.
4. You must attend morning and evening classes every day. No noise is allowed after lights out.
1
Quebec, Canada
Located in the heart of the Laurentian Mountains, an hour's drive from Montreal, Yoga Camp offers a place to enjoy meadow walks, bonfires, infrared saunas, library readings, visits to the traditional Subrahmanya Temple, and book a massage at the Ayurvedic clinic. Depending on the season, you can also choose to swim or ski.
Tips:
Course Highlights
1. Yoga Basics (Yoga Beginners Course)
2. Training (beginner and advanced yoga instructor training, intensive retreats, etc.)
3. Cooking and nutrition (mainly Indian and Ayurvedic diet)
4. Ayurveda (massage, detoxification, Ayurvedic consultation)
5. Juice Fasting for Detoxification
6. Other special courses (yoga, Thai massage, Sanskrit)
2
California
Yoga Farm, located in Northern California, was founded in 1971 and was one of Swami Vishnudidevananda’s favorite personal retreats and the place where he wrote “Meditation and Mantra.”
The Retreat Forest covers 80 acres and offers several hiking trails. To respect nature and maintain ecological balance, please stay on the trails and do not approach or disturb wildlife.
This is the "Blue Oak Woodlands," part of a biodiverse ecosystem with several winding streams, tall old oak trees, surrounded by mountains, and the constant song of small animals.
Home to adorable and graceful alpacas and whimsical goats, the animal enclosures are a delight for adults and children alike.
Interestingly, many wild deer have made their home here, and at dusk they wander around the ashram, even approaching some of the buildings in search of food.
The Yoga Farm is committed to sustainable and regenerative practices and has had solar panels since 2007 to provide energy for the retreat.
The farm has a vegetable garden greenhouse where many vegetables and fruit trees are grown, such as tomatoes, zucchini, kale, rosemary, cherries, etc.
Tips:
Course highlights:
1. Yoga for beginners
2. Training (beginner and advanced yoga instructor training, intensive retreats, etc.)
3. Yoga Health Educator Program
4. Meditation, positive thinking, Sanskrit chanting and other courses
5. Permaculture
6. Yoga for addiction
7. Introduction to Vedic Astrology
3
New York
Nestled in the beautiful Catskill Mountains, 100 miles from New York City, Yoga Ranch is a haven of tranquility. Founded in 1974 by Swami Vishnudevananda, it aims to provide a tranquil haven for total immersion in the yogic life, blending seamlessly with the natural beauty of the lush mountains.
Tips:
Course highlights:
1. Yoga for beginners
2. Training (beginner and advanced yoga teacher training, intensive retreats, chair yoga, adjustment yoga, etc.)
3. Yoga Retreats for Sign Language Interpreters
4. Yoga retreats on topics such as positive thinking, meditation and mantra, hatha yoga, family yoga, and yoga anatomy
5. Ayurvedic vegetarian cooking
6. Detoxification and Rejuvenation
This year on International Yoga Day, the Ashram was also invited to teach Sivananda Yoga classes at the United Nations Office in New York.
The Yoga Ranch's prison outreach program began in 1996 when an inmate read Swami Vishnudevananda's book "Completely Illustrated Guide to Yoga" and expressed his gratitude in Prison Life magazine. Soon after, hundreds of inmates began writing to the Sivananda Organization requesting more yoga books.
For the past 20 years, the Yoga Ranch has been sending yoga books to inmates, exchanging letters, and teaching yoga classes and meditation at a medium-security prison in New York.
YOGAGO has also designed a retreat route in the eastern United States around Yoga Ranch, hoping to provide everyone with a more comfortable yoga retreat experience.
4
Bahamas
Yoga Retreat is located on Paradise Island, opposite Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, on one of the best beaches in the world.
This is an island paradise, a sacred place of peace and natural beauty, with pristine white sand beaches, crystal blue waters and five and a half acres of lush tropical gardens.
Yoga Retreat has been awarded the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence for seven consecutive years (2012-2018).
It is said that this island was gifted to Swami Vishnudevananda by a student who loved his teachings and had the right to use it for 99 years.
Tips:
Course highlights:
1. Yoga beginners course, in-depth course
2. Training (beginner and advanced yoga instructor training, intensive retreats, etc.)
3. Themed retreats: Chanting and devotion, Qigong, meditation and emotional management, back pain management, yoga diet, positive thinking, Ayurvedic psychology... (The retreat themes here are simply dazzling, and there are different guests sharing courses almost every week)
5
Dalat, Vietnam
Established in 2016, Vietnam Retreat is located in the beautiful spring city of Dalat, just a 35-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City.
It is an oasis of tranquility where people from all over the world gather to practice yoga, meditation and discover their true selves.
The Retreat Forest is nestled in a mountain forest near Tuyen Lam Lake. Here, you can meditate on the mountaintop facing the sunrise, hike in silence and enjoy the healing power of nature in the pristine forest, chant around the campfire and enjoy hot chocolate. The Retreat Forest also offers tours to other Da Lat attractions, perfect for yoga practitioners and those on a yoga holiday.
Tips:
Course highlights:
1. Training: beginner and advanced yoga instructor training, yoga health consultant training, children's camp, youth camp
2. Intensive Refinement
3. Ayurvedic Wellness Center: Fasting, detoxification, Ayurvedic massage and health consultation
4. Vedanta (Yoga Philosophy) Silence Course
5. Themed yoga holidays throughout the year: Yoga for beginners, back pain, stress management, Bhakti Yoga, Yantra Painting...
6
Kerala, South India
Nestled in the tranquil foothills of the Western Ghats in Kerala, Dhanwantari (the god of medicine and Ayurveda) Ashram covers approximately 12 hectares of tropical beauty.
Located close to the Neyyar Dam lake, the forested environment, cool green coconut groves and colorful flowers provide an ideal atmosphere for the practice of yoga and meditation.
A former Ayurvedic healing sanctuary, this area is also named after Dhanwantari (the god of medicine). The ashram faces Agastya Peak—according to legend, Agastya, a sage from the Vedic period, continued his meditation on this mountain. The air is still, the scenery unspoiled and untouched by the hustle and bustle of city life.
The panoramic views of the Western Ghats are only a short walk away. In our program we have arranged a day trip to Kanya Kumari (Cape Comorin), the southernmost tip of India, where three seas meet (Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal).
Kerala is known as “God’s Own Country” and a boat trip on the famous Kerala Waterways offers breathtaking views of the pristine countryside.
Tips:
Course highlights:
1. Training: beginner and advanced yoga instructor training, adjustment yoga training, children's camp, youth camp
2. Ayurvedic Health Center: Fasting and Detoxification Treatments
3. Yoga and Ayurveda Cultural Experience (during the New Year): local cultural performances, practical introduction to Ayurveda, etc.
4. Intensive Refinement
5. South Indian Yatra
6. Themed yoga holidays available year-round
7
Tamil Nadu, South India
Meenakshi (Holy Mother) Ashram, established in 2002, is nestled in the beautiful forested lands of southern India, overlooking the impressive Western Ghats. It is just an hour’s drive from the holy city of Madurai. The Ashram takes its name from the Meenakshi Temple, a World Heritage Site in Madurai.
Brightly colored bougainvilleas line the paths, pathways and benches are made of local stone, intersections are crossed by living bamboo arches and domes, and a variety of birds make their home in the retreat forest.
You can relax and enjoy the food and shade under the sacred neem and bodhi trees, hear the calls of peacocks and watch cows graze.
Tips:
Course highlights:
1. Training: beginner and advanced yoga instructor training, children's camp, youth camp
2. Intensive Refinement
3. Fasting and detoxification treatment
4. Panchakarma: A powerful yet highly personalized Ayurvedic detox cleansing therapy
5. Themed yoga holidays available year-round
8
North Indian Himalayas
Established in 1991, Kutir Ashram is nestled on the banks of the sacred Ganges River, with the majestic Himalayas as its backdrop.
The Ashram is located in Netala, a small village 8 km north of Uttarkashi. The high altitude and the spectacular snow-capped Himalayan peaks provide the perfect natural environment for yoga practice.
Known as Devbhumi, meaning "Land of the Gods," the region is renowned for its unique natural beauty and revered for its sacred heritage, with a rich history of spiritual practices dating back thousands of years. Here, sages throughout the ages have found solace, peace, and inspiration.
Mentioned as a very sacred place in the great Indian epic Mahabharata, it is the source of India's two most sacred rivers, the Ganges and the Yamuna.
Tips:
Course highlights:
1. Primary Yoga Instructor Training (April-November)
2. Intensive Retreat (April-November)
3. Note: Yoga vacations are not available
9
Andhra Pradesh, South India
Established in September 2017, Tapaswini Ashram is the newest Ashram, covering 15 acres in the town of Gudur in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
At the heart of the ashram is a massive temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and other religious figures. The tranquil ashram with its lush greenery is a perfect setting for learning and embarking on a journey of inner life.
Tips:
Course highlights:
1. Training: Beginner and advanced yoga instructor training
2. Intensive Retreat
3. Children's camp and youth camp
4. Yoga vacation (1st to 16th of each month), at least 3 days
5. Be Good, Do Good Project
10
France
Ashram de Yoga Sivananda is located in the romantic Loire Valley near Orleans, 100 km south of Paris.
This beautiful old manor house, nestled in a large estate surrounded by greenery, offers participants of a yoga holiday everything they could wish for: peace and tranquility amidst pristine nature.
In summer, you can walk and swim in the nearby lake, visit the famous Loire castles and typical French palace gardens.
There is a library, tennis courts, ping-pong tables, bicycle rentals, and a yoga shop with books on yoga, meditation, and wellness, as well as yoga accessories such as meditation cushions, yoga mats, yoga clothing, and relaxing music.
Tips:
Course highlights:
1. Training: Beginner and advanced yoga instructor training
2. Intensive Retreat
3. Continuing Education for Yoga Teachers: TTC Refresher, How to Teach Meditation and Mantra Chanting, Improving Teaching Skills...
4. Certified Courses: Hatha Yoga Light, Yoga Anatomy, Ayurvedic Health 5. Cooking, Yoga Psychology...
6. Themed yoga vacations throughout the year
11
Tyrol, Austria
The Retreat House is situated on a sunny slope overlooking the village of Reith and offers a magnificent view of the Tyrolean Alps.
The famous winter resort of Kitzbühel, one of the most picturesque towns in the Alps, is only four kilometers away from the retreat.
The Retreat House was established in 1998 and is directed by Swami Durgananda, a senior disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda, who has over 45 years of practice and teaching experience.
Here, you can practice yoga on the sunny terrace with a panoramic view of the Alps; meditate facing the snow-capped peaks of the Kaiser Mountains at sunrise or sunset; and in winter, you can downhill ski or walk around the campfire.
Tips:
Course highlights:
1. Primary Yoga Instructor Training
2. Continuing education for yoga teachers: Pregnancy yoga, children's yoga, breathing...
3. Themed yoga vacations throughout the year: Yoga Lifestyle, Yoga and Hiking, Yoga Trauma Recovery, Healthy Spine...
Some people may feel that self-cultivation is far from the realm of reality, and even believe that meditation is something only ancient people would do. Others are curious about what it's like to meditate, how it changes the body, and what kind of energy one gains.
What we want to say is that the purpose of meditation is not only to see through everything in the world, but to allow everyone to return to the present experience and regain the feelings of peace, joy and love.
YOGAGO Yoga
China-TravelNote is a yoga travel platform focused on physical and mental balance and natural healing. We advocate for yoga everywhere, encouraging you to discover your inner self while traveling the world. Search our WeChat ID: 153 5547 0345 (synchronize with your phone number) or scan the QR code to add YOGAGO on WeChat.
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