Shiva in the Padmasana posture

Yoga = Unity Oneness. Derived from the Sanskrit word yog which means to join. The science of life, the integration of mind and body, the union of the spirit to the divine, via tools left behind from rishis, ascetics and yogis of ages past.

The Eight Fold Path of Yoga (not to be confused with Buddha’s Eight Fold Path), from sage Patanjali s yoga sutra delves deeply into the morality of living and plunges into the human psyche. It consists of: Yama (self restraints), Niyama (self observances) Asana, Pranayama (breath techniques), Pratyahara (withdrawl of the senses), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (identification with pure consciousness).

To many, the mention of yoga conjures up images of postures (Asanas) to develop flexibility, general body health and of course awareness. This is just the beginning. While yoga’s central theme remains the highest goal of the spiritual path; yogic practices can give direct and tangible benefits to everyone regardless of their spiritual aims.

There is an inter-relationship between yoga and meditation. Part of Lord Buddha s contribution to humanity was to focus on meditation to develop Samadhi (while focusing on a platform of ethics and morality). You can choose whether to focus wholly on yoga, or more specifically on meditation, or saturate yourself in both of these.

For millennia, the Himalayas have played a key role in mankind s journey to self realisation. Its total isolation from the rest of the world, its serene solitude has been an ideal environment for looking within. Nepal has inherited this unique past which is evident in its every day life and culture when it comes to diving deep into your consciousness or floating in total awareness. It still does have individuals and institutions capable of guiding you to this noble path; to the cosmic universe which has an infinite beauty of its own.

There are many classes from which to choose. Kathmandu also offers many practitioners/Ayurvedic healers who hold yoga as a primary source for the treatment of illness. Please see Ayurveda Section.

There are many branches of yoga, such as : raja, hatha, jnana, karma, bhakti, mantra, kundalini and laya. Make sure you are not selecting a particular branch at random. Here are a few tips for choosing the right path.
1.The teacher’s personal conduct, as one who lives yoga ,
2.On which area of yoga do you wish to focus,
3.Ability to communicate with your teacher,
4.Opportunities for personalised instruction (if required),
5.Intensive/live in courses if desired.
6.Value for money.

Kathmandu in particular is where most yoga happens. Throughout the city and in particular Thamel (the tourist area), there are restaurants many with bulletin boards, listing all the activities taking place in the city. This is where you will find information on yoga. There are a few yoga studios, including one near Naxal, where you could enrol in an already existing course, or where you could enquire about private tuition and classes.

Yoga Centres

Patanjali Yoga Centre (Tel 4278437; Fax: 4229459), east of the National Museum in Chhauni, has a highly respected director in Yogacharya Sushil Bhattacahrya, and offers classes and residential courses in pure astanga yoga, a balance of the eight traditional yoga systems. Daily early-morning and afternoon meditation/hatha yoga sessions are open to all. Residential study in hatha yoga, yoga philosophy, diet and health costs about ten dollars per day. Month-long yaga/trekking programmes and yoga teacher-training courses are also offered.

The Yoga Studio (Tel: 4417900; Fax: 4220143) teaches hatha yoga in the Iyengar method, a gradual path espoused by BKS Iyengar, a key figure in bringing yoga to the West. The resident instructors teach a regular schedule of classes year-round, as well as one and two-week intensive courses in season. The studio is located in Tangal, about a ten-minute bike ride east of Thamel: follow the road north of the Palace eastwards until it becomes dirt, and it’s between the Ganesh shrine and a small pokhari (pond).

Ananda Yoga Centre, a retreat facility in a lovely setting in the valley 8km west of Kathmandu, caters for both beginners and advanced students of yoga. The teacher is Shri Vikashananda, who brings an eclectic approach to hatha yoga, pranayama, meditation, yogic cleansing, diet and naturopathy. You can set your own itinerary. For information contact Travellers Service (Tel & Fax: 4225184) on the corner of Jamal and Kantipath.

The only real yoga centre in Thamel, Holistic Yoga Ashrama (PO Box 4783; Tel: 4419334), just south of the Kathmandu Guest House, offers daily morning and afternoon yoga/meditation sessions. Simple accommodation is available here and at another branch near Pashupatinath.

(pic source: wikipedia)

Vipassana is an art of living which frees the individual from all the negativities of mind, such as anger, greed and ignorance. It is a practice which develops positive, creative energy for the betterment of the individual and society.

Meditation Centres

Mahayana Buddhist Himalayan Yogic Institute (PO Box 817, Kathmandu; Tel 4413094), located in Baluwater, conducts regular evening meditations and weekly dharma teachings (donation), hosts a revolving schedule of day-long workshops and courses in Tibetan Buddhist meditation and related Tibetan arts, and has a library and meditation room. HYI is affiliated with Kopan Monastery, north of Boudha, where it offers seven-to ten-day meditation courses during the autumn and spring.

Nepal Vipassana Centre (PO Box 133, Kathmandu; Tel: 4225490) runs ten-day courses on vipassana. These aren’t for the frivolous: daily meditation begins at 4.30 am, and silence is kept for the full ten days. To register or pick up a pamphlet on the course, visit the centre’s Kathmandu office (Sun-Fri 10 am-5.30 pm) in the courtyard of Jyoti Bhawan, behind Nabil Bank on Kantipath. All courses are funded by donations.

Kathmandu Buddhist Centre (PO Box 5336, Kathmandu) holds introductory talks in Western Buddhism a few times a week during the tourist seasons-check at the Nepalese Kitchen or on notice boards for the location. It also conducts one-day courses in Buddhism and two-day meditation workshops at its premises next door to Hotel Ganesh Himal, about 200m south and then west of Chhetrapati Chowk, overnight retreats at Nagarkot, and five-day residential courses in a restored bahal in Patan.

If you’re of the Rajneesh persuasion, you’ll be pleased to learn that Kathmandu supports a thriving Osho industry which includes a travel agency, a bimonthly magazine and three meditation centres. The Asheesh Osho Meditation Centre (Tel: 4271385) in Tahachal and a second site in Lazimpat conduct one-hour dynamic meditation sessions every morning; these are open to all and the fee is a donation. The third venue, Osho Tapoban Forest Retreat Centre (PO Box 278, Kathmandu, Tel: 4271385), located in a beautiful setting north of Nagarjun Ban, hosts occasional retreats as well as daily meditations and discourses. If you can’t get through to the centres themselves, contact Osho World Travel on Tridevi Marg (Tel: 4223758).

(pic source: flickr)

Jhankris

Wrapped in innumerable myths and legends, Nepal is a land of magic and mystery. The confrontation between its millions of gods and goddesses on the one hand and the most powerful demons on the other, at various points gives a meaningful perspective to this magic and mystery. The former represents positive spirits, and the latter negative ones. Somewhere between the two stands the faith-healer, almost like a catalyst, who, with his invocation and possession of positive spirits (white magic) manages to drive away the negative spirits (black magic) inflicted on his clients.

The cult of faith-healing in Nepal dates back to pre-historic times, with the The Jhankris are shamans, who, with the garlands of tiny bells around their necks tremble and chant at the beat of the drum which they play during the invocation and possession of spirits, and sometimes their elaborate performance runs for the whole night.

Often their ritual also involves sacrifice of either a rooster or a black goat depending upon the nature of the complication. The others are incredibly simple people, a broomstick, some grains of husked rice, a pinch of ash, incense sticks and a couple of spoonfuls of water, charged with tantric spirits is all they need to come out with a miracle.

India witnessed its great tantric period between the 7th and 13th centuries. The visit of Padmansambhaba, the great In- dian spiritual master, to Tibet during the 8th century, his tantric encounters with his Tibetan counterparts in the process of introducing his own brand of Buddhism in Tibet, and the subsequent visit of Atisha, the Indian Buddhist scholar during the 13th century bears ample evidence.

Then came the Mugal invasion in India which was responsible for the re-emergence of the tantric cult both in Nepal and Tibet. While in Nepal, it fell into the hands of Gubhajus who came from the highest priestly class of the Newar community, in Tibet it was the Lamas from the monasteries who had access to this cult. This is how over the centuries, tantrism has succeeded in becoming an integral part of faith healing both in Nepal and Tibet.

Tantrism does have its intricate features, where it means many things to many people. For the common people vajra and dorje in Tantrism signify a mere curative ritual, however for the spiritual grand masters it has also been a path to liberation and enlightenment.

Based on historical evidence Ayurveda has been practised in Nepal since the beginning of time. The Himalaya stand for purity, clarity and harmony, which is the goal and aspiration of every living creature. Nepal is one of the richest countries with diverse flora ranging from tropical to alpine within a small geographical area. Much of the flora is used for medicinal purposes. Nepal has a great tradition of Ayurveda, and it is considered to be part of the cultural and scientific heritage of the country.

Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word that means the science of life or a natural way of living . Ayurveda, is thought of as a life science, and includes yoga, meditation and the natural and spiritual sciences. It looks at every person as a unique individual, and seeks to understand and to correct the imbalances and restore the innate intelligence and harmony of the person.

The objectives of Ayurveda are the development of awareness which leads to a state of desirelessness; the promotion of health and the achievement of longevity; the prevention of disease; and the curing of disease. The Ayurveda practitioner first of all asks a series of questions to identify the person s type, after which it is possible to diagnose the problem, and suggest a series of activities and practices together with ayurvedic medicines. Neither stands alone, each patient is treated in both

In order to understand Ayurveda in more depth, it is possible to visit Nepal to be treated by an Ayurveda practitioner, or to meet with practitioners to understand the philosophy on a more intellectual level. Excursions can be organised to visit practitioners, to meet rural people collecting the herbs, and to meet traditional healers such as Shamans and Jhankris.

You could learn about the cultivation and harvesting of the herbs, and the treatment and final production of the herbal medicines. In Nepal there are libraries with manuscripts of herbal remedies and historical facts about Ayurveda, as well as a herbal specimen museum.