A Weekend at an Ashram

Enjoy meditation, yoga and peace

July 29, 2008
By Corinne Bowen

Enjoy meditation, yoga and peace

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This past winter I spent a weekend at an ashram nestled in the Catskill Mountains of New York. The Sivananda Yoga Ranch is a spiritual community that teaches meditation and yoga to everyone, from beginners to experienced practitioners. Guests ranged in age from 18 to 70 and came from all over the United States and Canada. Ours was a diverse group: fashion designers, writers, business people, college students, teachers and retirees.

One of my oldest and dearest friends met me at the ashram. Suzanne and I had gone to camp together and this was like old times, bunk beds and all. Instead of doing arts and crafts and sports, though, we spent a restorative weekend practicing yoga, eating nutritious meals
and learning to develop a spiritual practice.

The ashram schedule is designed to keep you busy — but not so busy that you can’t “smell the roses.” On Saturday morning we rose at 5:45 for Satsang, which is a spiritual talk or meeting. (Satsang can also be defined as an assembly of people who listen to, discuss and assimilate the truth.) It was 20 degrees and dark when the alarm went off. We grumbled but got dressed and headed down the lighted path to the temple.

The temple is an octagonal room with floor-to-ceiling windows and a large shrine covered with pictures, brass statues and fresh flowers. At 6 a.m. we entered the temple and sat cross-legged on meditation pillows with other guests, the staff and the Swami (“Swami” is a Hindu title of respect for a yoga master). The Swami, a British woman in her 50s, gave simple guidance for meditation and we sat in silence for 30 minutes.

This was Suzanne’s first time meditating and she found it hard. Indeed, at first, it is mentally and physically difficult to sit in silence for 30 minutes.

Following meditation we sang chants accompanied by a traditional Indian harmonium, a small, hand-operated keyboard similar to a reed organ; it sounds like an accordion. Suzanne caught on immediately, reading from the songbook and following the call-and-response pattern.

After Satsang we took part in a two-hour yoga class in the temple. Sunlight streamed through the windows and sparkled on the snowy Catskills. After yoga we joined other guests and a staff member on a silent walk through the woods. The only sounds were the crunching snow under our feet, the crackling of tree branches and our steady breath.

The rest of the day was filled with fresh vegetarian meals, long talks with guests and staff and an hour of karma yoga. “Karma yoga” means selfless service and is practiced by everyone at the ashram. You clean, work in the gardens, prepare food or complete any of the other duties necessary to the ashram’s operation. The evening ended with a 30-minute meditation and Satsang in the temple. By 10 p.m. we were fast asleep in our bunk beds.

By the end of the weekend I felt rejuvenated. My body was light (if a little sore) and my mind was clear. I was ready to return to everyday life with a brighter outlook. Suzanne headed home ready to find a yoga teacher.

Anyone can visit an ashram. No experience is required; all you need is an open mind. Several ashrams are located within a four- to five-hour drive of Baltimore. The cost is on average $65 per night, which includes lodging, vegetarian/organic meals and yoga classes. Leave your cell phone and date book at home and clean some space in your mind!

Sivananda Yoga Ranch
P.O. Box 195, Budd Road
Woodbourne, NY 12788
845-436-6492
Yoga...@sivananda.org
www.sivananda.org/ranch

Yogaville Satchidananda Ashram
108 Yogaville Way
Buckingham, VA 23921-9726
434-969-3121
i...@yogaville.org
www.yogavilla.org

Leela Mata Peaceful Valley Ashram & Retreat
14749 Route 68
Sligo, PA 16255 (near Clarion)
814-902-1180 and 814-745-2425
cont...@leelamata.com
www.leelamata.com

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