Training in the ashram

Growing up, yoga had always been a part of school life, so it’s been a part of me before I could really understand what it was. Years on, in 2019, I embarked on a much deeper journey with the practice through a traditional ashram where I trained in the Sivananda lineage. It is one of the few spaces where the teachings remain quite pure and undiluted: strict, unglamorous, and very real. We wore uniforms every day, each of which started at 5am and continued non-stop till 10pm. We practiced diligently: asana, pranayama (breath regulation practices), meditation, study, and karma yoga (selfless service).

I remember being in awe of how a handful of very simple, consistent practices, especially pranayama, could create such monumental shifts internally. That training, though tough and demanding, felt grounded, like how yoga was originally meant to be lived and passed on.