Rishikesh - let the Yoga training begin

The actual reason for my trip to India, was because I planned to attend a 200 hr yoga teacher trying. I’m not quite sure what I will end up doing with it, but I am extremely interested and curious about the history of yoga.

The Himalaya in Rishikesh is said to be the place where majority of the spiritual people came to practice yoga. Our teacher, Anand, said that India is the only place that everyone hates, but still always come back to. He said it has something to do with the spirituality of this country. So here we are! Right at the mountains, next to a small river that is connected to the Ganges.

What I love about this place, is that the owner and our teacher Anand, is a local and was born and raised in Rishikesh. He comes from a poor family, like many other Indians. His whole life he followed and learned from his master. He never went to school, however he seems to have more knowledgeable than all of us. Yes, to some extend it is a different kind of knowledge, but its definitely the knowledge that western people lack. Its the knowledge about life. Its the knowledge, that everything our lives is triggered by ourselves. Everything that happens outside, is because of what happens inside of us. Today he said: “there are no complicated situations, only complicated people”, and that is also true for all the other situations in life. He has figured out the Shiva and Shakti, the Ying and Yang, the balance that we need to live a happy and fulfilled life. I know I might sound crazy and reading this could make you laugh, but in all honesty, I have never believed in these things. I always made fun of the people telling me that life is so easy and that as long as you know yourself, everything else comes by itself.

There is so much I have already learned in the past two days, that I don’t even know where to start, without sounding crazy haha

Well one important part is the origin of Yoga. Yoga has always existed and its not something bound to religion or people. Yoga is not an Indian thing or belongs to the Indians, yoga is a way of life. Nowadays in the western world, we have modernised it, as a weekly or daily one hour training, but thats wrong. Yoga is combination of many things; mediation, breath work, mantras, understanding the sutras and finally also the practice. There is no yoga without meditation for example. Meditation and Yoga are one. Its like saying you’re going to look for a car and 4 tires. That would be weird, as a car comes with its tires, its not something you get separately. So only practicing one part of Yoga, will miss the point. Its useless when trying to practice yoga as a whole!

The days here a tough. We wake up at 5:30 am and start a guided meditation. Meditation has been something that I’ve always wanted to learn and do, but never had the patience to do it nor the focus. Surprisingly, I have managed to meditate the past two days and it felt extremely good. I was able to let go of internal and external tensions and focus on what was happening within me. After the class, my level of focus and concentration was way better than usual.

The practice is followed by a two hour Yoga class, that starts with intense breath work, mantras, chanting and then yoga movements. Its physically very demanding. I never thought breathing could be this intense and exhausting.

The afternoons are filled with theory. Learning and understanding Yoga. The way Yoga teaches us the realisation of one’s Self and understanding the nature of reality is fascinating.

The word Yoga is Sanskrit for union, the practice of which enables one to achieve unity consciousness. Yoga stands for the state, the experience and the practice of unity. It helps us to refine our intellect and correct it. Mastering our minds, by becoming a witness to our thoughts, actions and our ego.

Okay, I’m giving you a break now :) This was a lot at once haha

The next blog post will come soon…