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Yoga, meditation and ashrams
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Most first-time visitors to India opt for a cocktail - temples, trekking, palaces, wildlife parks, beaches, and, to balance the indulgences and hedonism, a spiritual element in whatever form. From basic yoga and pranayama classes to residential meditation retreats, India has no equal in terms of tradition and opportunity.
Yoga is taught virtually everywhere in India and there are several internationally known yoga centres where you can train to become a teacher. Meditation is similarly practised all over the country and specific courses are available in temples, meditation centres, monasteries and ashrams. Ashrams are communities where people work, live and study together, drawn by a common, usually spiritual, goal. Adopting a guru is a completely different experience to simply attending a few classes, and whether you choose to do so will ultimately depend on your deep personal commitment and on how comfortable you feel being around a specific guru, but be careful in your choice. Details of yoga and meditation courses and ashrams are provided throughout the guide. Most centres offer courses that you can enrol on at short notice, but many of the more popular ones need to be booked well in advance Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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India |