India is the land of love, colours, vibrant culture, innovation, food, and of course, Yoga. The country is known for hosting the best yoga courses in the world. And why would it not? It is, after all, the motherland of this great art form. India is a great place to study yoga for many reasons. Some of them will be discussed in this post. Continue reading below.
1. Learn Authentic Yoga from Its Roots
India is the mother who gave birth to the science of Yoga about 5000 years ago. What Could Be a Better Place than the Birth Land to acquire the knowledge and wisdom of a particular art form? India has preserved the authenticity of yoga all these years with some of the best yoga schools in the world and the top yoga masters who carry the lineage of yoga to date. Getting the opportunity to study yoga in India is something that should not be missed. You can go to ‘x’ number of quality substitutes or create a perfect copy of an art form; the originator always takes the cake. After all, you can’t put an argument on authenticity.
2. Get the Opportunity to Trace the Footprints of the Greatest Yoga Gurus
Think Yoga and the name of the greatest yoga luminaries such as Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, B.K.S Iyengar, Swami Sivananda, and K Pattabhi Jois, come to mind. These yogis have left their impressions across the globe. When you study yoga in India, you get the opportunity to trace their footprints back to the place where it all began. Consider how yoga’s lengthy history is influencing its present and future. Pose for yoga poses while gazing towards the Himalayas. Strong mountains like the Himalayas are not unusual. This mountain range has some of the largest mountain peaks in the world, including Mt. Everest.
Not just that, there is a yogic annotation to the Himalayas as well. It is believed to be the home of Lord Shiva, the god of Yoga, who embodies the yogic state, and is popularly known as the Adiyogi. A step into the embrace of the Himalayas is like a step into a world of exceptional beauty, healing legacy, a history that narrates a saga of its own, and of course, its magnanimity.
3. Study Yoga in India for the Exceptional Beauty of this Country
With exotic wildlife, rugged mountains, picture-perfect beaches, and holy rivers that sing their own magical symphony, India is blessed with different landscapes that you would find exceptional beauty in every corner of the country. Once you leave the hustle and bustle of city life behind, you enter the world of the picture-perfect countryside that no other country can top. Celebrate India’s varied beauty and fall in love with the country all over again as you travel from state to state.
4. Consume Yogic Diet That Is Designed As Per the Ayurvedic Principles
Ayurveda is the sister science of Yoga. We all know that. But we often assume that this is a separate science that’s independent of yogic teachings. Well, that is not true. One of the main elements of a yogic lifestyle is following a yogic diet that’s aligned with the yogi’s body composition. While studying yoga courses in India, the diet served to the students is in sync with the Ayurvedic principles to make for a wholesome yogic experience. India being a country known for its green belt where organic farming is one of the core elements too, every countryside you go to serves an organic diet.
5. Imbibe the Wisdom of Yoga in Both Theory and Practice
While most yoga schools across the globe focus on the practical implications of yoga, i.e., the asana practice, the adjustment and alignment techniques, and so on, studying yoga in India exposes you to the spiritual side of yoga that you can combine to enhance your overall yoga practices. After all, a yogi is incomplete without the wisdom or the understanding of the Vedas and the books that describe yoga as a mental, physical and spiritual state of being. Yoga courses in India combine theoretical teachings from traditional books such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Sutras of Patanjali, and so on. Now, this one is a rarity elsewhere.
6. Acquire Traditional Wisdom of Yoga and Ayurveda at More Than One Destination
When you come to India, you do not have to limit yourself to just one particular destination for studying authentic yoga. India has multiple destinations with some of the world’s best yoga schools for undergoing intensive yoga teacher training programs that are traditional, detailed, and authentic. If you are traveling towards the south of India, you can go to Goa, Pondicherry, Mysuru, or Kerala. If you are traveling towards the northern part of India, then you can come to Rishikesh for the purpose of studying yoga.
7. Study Yoga in India for the Love of the Spirit
India’s vibrant spirit, and loving hospitality, has been the talk of the town since time immemorial. It is a place where even the most diverse souls come here to find solace. Studying a yoga course in India offers the perfect ambiance and a spirit that is really inspiring. It nudges you to reach your destination. The cities of India that have yoga schools are so unmarred by externalities. They have a tendency to make you feel right at home.
8. Network with Like-Minded People and Aspiring Yogis
Every season, lacs of travelers and aspiring yogis backpack to India for cultural and spiritual immersions. When you study yoga in India, you get introduced to spirits that are united by the love of yoga and divided by geography. It is an experience that introduces you to meet people who think and feel and understand you, who resonate with you. If you are lucky, you find friends in India that stick by you for life.
Author's Bio
Laura is blogging at Goa Yogashala, a website that offers best yoga retreats and yoga teacher training for yogis around the world. Always on the lookout for interesting places to visit. It took him 25 years of his life to realize where the true calling lies, but once that was done, there’s been no looking back. Since the last ten years that she is on the go, She is sharing his travel experiences by writing about them.