Yoga That Heals - Yasodhara Yoga Centres in British Columbia and France
I am a yoga teacher trained to teach Yasodhara yoga, which is a style of yoga based on the teachings of Swami Sivananda Radha founder of Yasodhara Ashram in Kootenay Bay, B.C. Yasodhara yoga is not a therapy, but its effects are very helpful, uplifting and inspiring - so in that sense therapeutic. The yoga offered at the ashram includes not only Hatha yoga but also Kundalini yoga, mantra and meditation, dream work, reflective journaling and a variety of other yogic practices to help students to connect with their inner space and hear their own quiet voice of wisdom and intuition. Students are given tools to help them develop self-reliance not only in their practice, but also in their lives.
The goddess of this lineage of yoga is Saraswati, the goddess of the arts, music, and higher learning, so students are supported in tapping into inspired creativity as part of the process. The ashram is nestled on the shores of Kootenay Lake and the natural beauty of the area, as well as the beauty of the ashram grounds and buildings also support the process of opening up to that place of inner light. The ashram is a wonderful place to visit at any time of the year, especially in the summer, when the organic garden is in full swing and provides the kitchen with delectable fresh organic produce for meals. To contact the ashram for information about courses and workshops visit their website at www.yasodahra.org
Yasodhara yoga teachings are also available in Europe. Radha Caudet is a small yoga retreat centre in southwest France that offers retreats and workshops in the Yasodhara style. My partner and I recently travelled in France and experienced a week long retreat at Radha Caudet. The stunningly beautiful setting of Radha Caudet, in the soft rolling countryside of the Gers, sometimes called the' French Tuscany,’ supports the work of gentle exploration of the mind and body. The centre is secluded, but not isolated, with easy access by car to the pretty spa town of Lectoure where there are commercial services, including banks, and a weekly street market. There is also the thermal spa where massages, and various treatments with the waters and mud(!), can be experienced. In your free time you can explore the countryside on foot or borrow bicycles, available at the retreat, and visit the pretty local villages. The centre is also close to the pilgrimage route of St. Jacques de Compostelle so you can even walk part of the pilgrimage route, and the retreat centre hosts will pick you up and bring you back to Caudet. The beds are comfortable and the food is home-cooked using their own or locally- sourced organic vegetables, when possible.
My partner and I had a relaxing and healing week. The centre host and teacher, Danuta, gives ample opportunity to retreat guests to have time and space to simply be. We left the centre feeling rejuvenated and uplifted.