swanyogaretreatgoa-blog

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There is a saying in India 'if food is good what's the use of medicines, if the food is bad what's the use of the medicines'. We understand this dictum well at SWAN, and the team in our kitchen is dedicated to providing delicious and nursing food for all our guests. Come to experience the various options of yoga holidays and vacations offered by us during the season. Come and experience our food. #yoga #tantra #meditation #yogaretreat #goa #india #healthyfood #organicfood #indianfood

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This is for you SWAMI Ji. त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव त्वमेव बंधू च सखा त्वमेव त्वमेव विद्या च द्र्व्विनम त्वमेव त्वमेव सर्वम मम देव देव twameva mata cha pita twameva twameva bandhu cha sakaha twameva twameva vidya cha davinam twameva tvameva sarvam mam deva deva You are my Mother, the Supreme One Without a Second, Who nourishes me with Divine Love and graces my life with Self-Respect. And you are my Father, the Supreme Being Who protects me by raising my consciousness and transforming my mind into a receptacle of the divine; Who instills in me the sterling qualities of Divine Consciousness. You are my True Relative with Whom I am eternally related as Atman (Soul-self) with Paramatman (the Supreme Self), and You are my Best Friend, my Eternal Companion and Dearest Confident Who will never leave me. You are the Divine Wisdom, the Essence of everything I know, everything I am learning, and everything I do not know but seek to understand and realize (actualize). You are the Highest Wealth (Laxmi) and the Bestower of all the best things in this life and the next. You are the Source of everything good and the Bestower of all Resources we require for our physical sustenance and spiritual enlightenment. You are the Wealth of Wisdom and the Gift of Liberation (Moksha). You are All-in-All; You are Everything to me, You are the core of my being, the Heart of my heart, the Source of my Self, the Soul of my soul, the Ultimate Reality devoid of duality and partiality; Indivisible, Immutable, Immaculate, the Ultimate Knower and the Absolute Perfect Incomparable Supreme Being. Happy Guru Purnima to my Sadhaka friends. #guru #gurupurnima #yoga #tantra #meditation #havan #yogaretreat #goa #india

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The yogi Jesus, at SWAN we recognise the messiah of love as a yogi, His message is non other than the real message of yoga, to be one with one and all, to feel you and the creator are one, to know that you are the Universe. Om Shanti #goa #yoga #meditation #yogi #yogaretreat #jesus #love #peace

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The new cold press slow juicer is the newest edition to the juice bar @swanyogaretreat and the boys are loving it. Your order may take a little bit extra time to be delivered but the cold press juice benefits are really worth it. #yogaretreat #juice #coldpressedjuice #goa #greenjuice (at SWAN Yoga Retreat)

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कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारम् भुजगेन्द्रहारम् । सदावसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि ॥ Karpur-Gauram Karunaavtaaram Sansaar-Saaram Bhujagendrahaaram । Sadaa Vasantam Hridyaravinde Bhavam Bhavaani Sahitam Namaami ।। I bow to that camphor-hued, white complexioned (Lord Shiva), who is Incarnation of compassion, who is the very essence of (consciousness; the knowing principle) of life (of the embodied soul); Who wears snakes as garlands, whose eternal abode is in the heart of the devotee, I bow to Him (Lord Shiva) and His consort Bhavani (Paarvati). Happy Maha Shivratri to all of you. Hari Om Tat Sat #goa #yoga #yogaretreat #shiva #tantra #ashram #mahashivratri (at SWAN Yoga Retreat)

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What people say ! #yoga #goa #yogaretreat #yogabeyondasana #yogaaahram #ashram (at SWAN Yoga Retreat)

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What people are talking about after their experience at SWAN. Thanks @snorrinorddahl #yoga #yogaretreat #goa #yogainindia #yogaholiday #yogavacation #ashram #tantra #yogatestiomonial

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It's the people who bring good energy to a place. We are fortunate to have good people working with us and sharing the space with us like a family. It can be felt by everyone who comes to our retreat. Pic Courtesy @linajohanssonx #goa #yoga #retreat #ashram #india #smile #innocence

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Yoga Nidra is an ancient technic of achieving deep relaxation for the body and the mind. Having its roots in Tantra, this technique was practiced by the yogis to dive deeper into the realms of the subconscious and unconscious layers of mind and element deep rooted Samskaras (impressions of the mind), at SWAN we have made this experience available to you as a part of the yoga holiday and the intensive retreats we offer. The effects of this practice are profound, a deep sense of relaxation is experienced by the participants. Come experience Yoga Nidra at SWAN. #yoga #tantra #goa #yogaretreat #yogashram #india #yogainindia #yogagoa #yoganidra

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Hawan (sacred fire ritual) is an integral part of the yoga holiday and vacation at SWAN, the chanting of mantras with the fire in the centre creates an energy field where healing happens on many levels. We perform these weekly rituals for world peace and for the health and happiness for all humanity. Come experience yoga beyond Asana in your next yoga holiday at SWAN. Om Shanti #yoga #yogaretreat #tantra #yogaindia #hawan #peace #healing #goa

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Ever alert and joyful, dogs are wonderful creatures. At SWAN they are part of our family. Their positive and loving energy can bring the much needed rest and relaxation to you when you are here. Experience the best of yoga and wellness in our beautiful retreat living around our lovely dogs. Om Shanti #yoga #yogaretreat #goa #tantra #meditation #india #ashram #labrador

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The SWAN effect. 😀. Some people just can't handle being away from us. Look what happened to Brenden when he is away from SWAN. For peace inside and out, come and stay with us for some time. #yoga #yogaretreat #yogashram #goa #yogagoa #yogaindia #bestyogaretreat

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New saplings are being planted @swanyogaretreat the monsoon season give us the opportunity to rest and prepare ourselves for the coming season. We are getting ready for your visit. This time more of fresh home grown vegetables and fruits awaits you. #goa #india #yoga #yogaretreat #ashram #vegetarian #vegetablegarden #freshfruit #nature

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We you connect with an open heart you can experience divine love in all the beings created by same energy. #goa #yoga #yogashram #yogaretreat #labrador #lovedogs #love

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The Grace.

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Eat Pray Love – Living in an Indian Yoga Ashram What is a Yoga Ashram? How can I join an Indian Yoga Ashram? Does an Ashram mean free food and accommodation? Are there free yoga ashrams in India? Is a yoga ashram some kind of a cult? Are there very strict rules one has to follow living in a yoga ashram? indian yoga ashram goa First the book, and then the movie; “Eat Pray Love” has intrigued a lot of people the world over. Especially in the western world, there is a growing interest among people to come and live in a yoga ashram in India. Surely there are lots of questions which come to peoples mind, as one book or a movie is not capable of answering the numerous question. So we decided to throw some light on this subject. What is a yoga ashram ? An ashram in general, and a yoga ashram in particular is a place which is dedicated to the deeper study of the subject matter of spirituality, and the science of yoga. The tradition of Ashrams is very old in India. It emerged much before the foreign rule which made modern India known to the world we know of today, much before the emergence of Christianity or Islam. The system of Ashram or Gurukula was the only system of imparting training to the masses, enabling them to take care of themselves, and to live properly in the society in peace and harmony with others. There are many references in the history of India where Ashrams have been described. In fact it was a norm for almost everyone to go and live in the Ashram for some years, to learn the skills for life. It is because of the Ashrams and the Gurukula system tradition the Vedic culture of India could be saved, and Yoga is just one of them. So it would be just right to say that Ashrams served in a great way to preserve and propagate the knowledge of Yogic sciences to all. In an ashram dedicated to the practices of yoga, a yogic lifestyle is adapted. Yoga is lived there, and the yoga is not limited to just the physical practice – the whole philosophy of yoga is learned. Spending some time in such a place works on many levels. Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual. In an ashram there is always a Guru, a teacher or a master who guides the people coming there. The teachings are imparted in a non-formal way, unlike the class room setup. The Ashram provides a safe and secure space for higher spiritual practices, and the sadhana done there is very efficient and fruitful. How can I join an Indian Yoga Ashram ? This another question people keep asking. One can join a yoga ashram very easily. But before that the question needs to be asked: what is the purpose in doing so? If you want to join an indian yoga ashram to experience yoga in the traditional way, there are various places, one being SWAN Yoga Retreat in Goa. If you are looking at joining an ashram to adapt the life of a sannyasin (monk) then it requires a lifetime commitment. There are several orders and traditions of sannyasa (monk hood), primarily 10, where one can dedicate its life for the learning and teaching of yoga, and higher spiritual practices. In such an ashram there is always a spiritual guide or a Guru. Under whose guidance the ashram is run. To join such an ashram, a very strong will is required. An example of this kind of ashram, is the Bihar School of Yoga. Ashram life is not easy or comfortable, and this is not the priority. The priority is spiritual growth. In most of the Indian Yoga Ashrams the living standards are very basic. Austerity is one of the practices to be followed. There are set rules and regulations to be followed, as communal living requires a certain amount of discipline. Most of the Indian Yoga Ashrams require prior appointment to be made before you arrive there. In some you may just walk in, but it is best to make reservations. Most of the yoga ashrams are now represented on the internet, so doing some online research in this area is highly recommended. Does an Ashram mean free food and accommodation? As stated before, the tradition of yoga ashrams in India is very ancient. In the old times most of the ashrams were supported by the head of the state, kings or the ruler of the area where it existed. We live in different times now. A lot of ashrams across India still function on donations made by people. In a lot of ashrams one can get free stay and food, but this is mostly provided to wandering monks and sadhus (holy men). The facilities are very basic and the food as well. These ashrams are open to all, mostly. It is best to make proper enquiries before arriving there. There are some yoga retreats and spiritual centres which now function on the principals of an ashram, and yet not compromising on the comfort side. The sprit of an ashram is imbibed, the lifestyle of an ashram is practiced, but in a more easy and comfortable set up. These ashrams are now becoming very popular for yoga beginners, and also for solo female travellers who want to experience the lifestyle of an ashram in a safe and secure setup. And in these indian yoga ashrams there is a fee for lodging and boarding. In such kind of yoga ashram retreats there is generally a schedule which is followed.  Which primarily includes practice of meditation, asana (physical practice), pranayama (breathing exercises), chanting of mantras, yogic detox/cleansing practices, ritualistic tantric practices etc. Are there free Yoga Ashrams in India? The answer to the question is Yes, but you will have to make your own choice. What are you looking for? Yes, there are ashrams where one can get free food and accommodation. And yes, there are also yoga ashrams where you have to pay for the services provided. Some personal research and/or guidance and recommendations will always be helpful. One thing should be understood: the free yoga ashrams are also incurring expenses to run, and it is run on donations. It is an age old tradition in India to support such activities, and people weather rich or poor do make donations to such places, so that they can keep running and doing their service to the society. Is a Yoga Ashram some kind of a cult? No, a yoga ashram is not a cult. On the surface sometimes it may seem so. Ashrams are places of higher spiritual practices , so a certain kind of discipline, rules and regulations is maintained. In an yoga ashram the drive is towards the deeper understanding of the philosophy of yoga. And then there are also other ashrams which deal with other practices of the six major philosophies. Depending on which area of yoga and tantra you’re interested in, you may choose your kind of place. In some indian yoga ashrams, a certain dress code is to be maintained. In some, one has to shave their head or not shave at all. Different places have different set of rules and guidelines. It is highly recommended that you should make proper enquiry in detail, before you pack your bag for your spiritual journey. Are there very strict rules one has to follow living in a Yoga Ashram? As stated above, most Indian yoga ashrams are following a tradition or a lineage which goes many years back. There are certain rules and codes of conduct to be observed. This can vary from being very strict. to mild restrictions like no smoking and drinking within the campus. These ashrams are centres of higher spiritual growth and deeper studies in the human consciousness. Living in an ashram requires a lot of self discipline, and also keeping away from the world outside. To encourage this, some of the ashrams don’t allow any kind of modern communication devices to be used within the the campus, like mobile or laptops with internet. However with the modern times some of the ashrams have adapted to the changing world, and the rules have been made more flexible. We hope that this article may help you in finding the right kind of yoga ashram in India for your own spiritual journey. Article by Gyanmitra Saraswati Copyright 2016- SWAN Yoga Retreat Assagao Goa, India.

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Bamboo - Teaching us being flexible. #goa #yoga #yogaretreat #yogaashram #flexibility (at SWAN Yoga Retreat)