Ashram Yoga

Our Yoga Style

Ashram Yoga teaches traditional yoga suitable for everyone. This includes a full range of ancient practices including:

• yoga postures (asanas)
• breathing techniques (pranayama)
• meditation (dhyana)
• guided relaxation (yoga nidra)
• cleansing techniques (shatkarmas)

Our classes include a variety of still and moving postures and always finish with yoga nidra (guided relaxation) or meditation. We emphasise the need to connect the mind, breath and body to get the best results. In our advanced classes we work with energy centres (chakras), energy

Our style has its roots in the teachings of classical, traditional yoga of the Saraswati lineage. It also includes influences from other traditions based on the experience of our senior instructors. We consider yoga to be an art and a science - both enjoyable and practical. Yoga is not a belief system rather it is a system of mental and physical practices that yield reliable results. For us yoga is an invitation to explore your mind and body to create health and well-being.

Swami Shantimurti Saraswati

There are few people around who have lived the life of a traditional yogi – living in Himalayan caves with advanced yogis and traveling with sadhus. Many of us have read stories about Himalayan masters or seen glimpses during visits to, but most have never experienced it. It is a hard life and only serious yogis are accepted into this inner circle. Shantimurti has lived that life. He has spent extended periods with highly accomplished yogis and seen many wonders.

In yoga, experience is everything and Shantimurti has a lot of it. He has managed a number of ashrams over the last 40 years and seen many of the unusual situations that sometimes come with advanced yoga practice. He has trained many yoga teachers and students.

Shantimurti loves to share his wisdom whether it is about the finer aspects of chakras, asanas, pranayama, or stories about the people he has met; famous teachers like the Dalai Lama, B.K.S. Iyengar, Swami Muktananda or the many unknown but exceptional yogis that he has met along the way. He also has many interesting stories about his time with his guru who initiated him into sannyasa in 1976.