Karma Yoga at Wise Living Yoga Academy

(*) Please note that only students who have attended a course or program with Wise Living Yoga Academy are eligible to apply for the Karma Yoga Program.

Karma Yoga is the Yoga of Action, or the practice of selfless service.  It teaches us how to give our best and work with mindfulness and joy.  In the Karma Yoga Program at WLYA, you will have a unique opportunity to live and work in an ashram.  You will work closely with the teachers, ashram staff, and 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training students, and help promote a sense of community.  It is a wonderful way of self-discovery and adventure!

Through this experience you can reinforce the yogic lifestyle and philosophies you have studied, which is why it is only offered to former WLYA students*. 

Selfless service means you should not expect anything in return for your work.  You will, however, benefit in many ways if you decide to come for Karma Yoga.

Benefits

·         Deepen your practice and understanding of yoga

·         Get to know a new group of people from all over

·         Participate in morning meditation and asana sessions

·         Strengthen your teaching and leadership skills

·         Gain a better sense of service and commitment

·         Have delicious meals and fresh tea daily

·         Explore your interests and apply them to benefit to whole community

As with the yoga teacher training program, everyone will have a different experience doing karma yoga.  Be prepared to work hard.  We all bring different strengths and skills to the table.  The important thing is that you are ready to serve others joyously. 

Responsibilities

·         Orienting and guiding new students, coordinating with Jeenal and Daniel

·         Teaching support

·         Social media updates

·         Gardening

·         Light housekeeping work, sometimes helping in the kitchen

·         Administrative tasks

·         Creative projects tailored to your strengths and interests

Practical information

·        Duration: 1 month— the Karma Yoga Program will run in conjunction with the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Program (one Sadhaka/student per program)

·         Accommodation: You will be provided with the same accommodation as the students.  In the case the course is full, you will be in a homestay just in front of the center.

·        Cost:  We will offer this Program for free to one student per month. If more than 1 student is interested, then you can join by paying USD 200/week. Please write to us for availability and other details.

If you wish to join us and contribute in a meaningful way, please complete the Karma Yoga Application Form.

We will review each application individually and acceptance depends on overall availability in the Ashram.

Thoughts on Karma Yoga

Selfless service represents an unlimited source of spiritual growth, joy and happiness; never neglecting the circles of duty starting with the duty towards ourselves. Selfless service means not only sharing material goods such as food, clothes, shelter or money with people in need, but sharing love, compassion, knowledge and experiences with everybody who is open to it. All knowledge is already present inside of us and our mind is an infinite mine of information if we are able to connect to it. The process of sharing and caring leads to liberation of the spirit, supports purification of the mind, helps burning the Klesha (structural defects of the human mind) and provides self- evolution.

We have to be aware that every action taken results in consequences for which we have to take responsibility, as all our actions fall back on us throughout life. Moreover, with the actions we perform we have the huge power to determine who we are since they influence and imprint our character. All actions performed with the right attitude, cleverness and as a science bring out the power of the mind, which is already there within us, supporting the awakening of our spirit. Let-go and trust in your actions cause nature will give you everything you need exactly when you need it the most. The yogi knows that everything that happens happens for a good reason and for your own good.

*What if you are very interested in doing Karma Yoga here but have not been here yet?  No problem, you can register here for any of our upcoming Yoga Teacher Training Courses in Thailand. You will learn about the Ashram’s philosophies and once you are ready, you can come to do Karma Yoga.

Namaste!
WLYA Team

Top 7 Reasons to Do a Yoga Teacher Training at WLYA in Thailand

Picking a place for your Yoga Teacher Training can be challenging.  You start asking around, researching online, comparing prices, and poring over the details.  Hundreds of aspiring practitioners have ventured to Wise Living Yoga Academy in Doi Saket, Thailand for their Yoga Teacher Training Course..  Let’s take a look at why!

1. Immersive experience

The Yoga Teacher Training Course at WLYA is all about yoga education and lifestyle.  You live in an ashram environment with teachers and other students sharing your interests. You live and breathe and observe the yogic lifestyle every day for the entire duration of your training.  The environment really allows you to develop a solid routine comprised of a good diet, exercise, and meditation, among other things.

2. Traditional yoga

So many people think of yoga only as a form of physical exercise, and so many yoga teacher training programs cater to that idea.  But what about its root and history?  The vast spiritual, mental, and emotional aspects of yoga?  Yoga as a lifestyle?

WLYA is perfect for those interested in understanding how yoga is as a way of life. You are introduced to yoga as one of the ancient Indian philosophies and study important scriptures. The comprehensive curriculum is led by experienced teachers from the world’s oldest organized yoga institution in India.  You practice asanas (physical postures) and other techniques at a deeper level and learn how they contribute to one’s spiritual development.  You will find yourself shaping into a wonderful practitioner, educator, and ambassador of traditional yoga!

Follow the link to know more about our Yoga Training curriculum.

3. Affordability

Yoga teacher training is a significant financial investment for most of us.  At WLYA, you will find that the facilities are pleasant and simplistic without sacrificing comfort.  It is a very down-to-earth place with no frills.  You do not see products and services being marketed at every turn.  Likewise, the program costs have been made more affordable, especially compared to yoga centers that push for brand names and luxury.

The ashram is located away from the tourist central, and it costs less to do things around here.  You can rent a bike for less than 1 USD a day, treat yourself to a coconut that tastes like a slice of heaven, and then get an authentic Thai massage at a rate that almost makes it feel insensible to deny yourself of a good rubdown!

4. Location

Students have described the ashram and the surrounding area as the perfect place to study traditional yoga.  The ashram is tucked away in the neighborhood of Doi Saket in northern Thailand.  With few distractions around, you will be able to really soak in the ashram environment!  At the same time, there are great temples and places within reach if you want to venture out.  It is also a great stepping stone for travels before and/or after the yoga teacher training program.

Follow the link to see more photos and descriptions of our neighborhood.

5. Food

Part of living the yogic lifestyle means eating a vegetarian/vegan diet.  You have three nutritious meals a day made from scratch, along with fresh fruits and natural tea.  The food at the ashram is so delicious that students don’t miss meat, cheese, or junk food!  The ingredients are 100% organic and come from either the ashram’s gardens or conscientious local farmers.  Through an interactive nutrition session, you learn about the benefits and uses of all the ingredients as well.

6. People, people, people

Trained at The Yoga Institute in India, the teachers Jeenal and Daniel are very active and passionate about imparting their practice of traditional yoga.  They help you discover your strengths and weaknesses as you go through your journey, and are very flexible and accommodating to individual needs.  The ashram workers are locals who are incredibly generous and positive.  You will find them around the ashram smiling and putting in hard work to make your stay an enjoyable one.

At WLYA, you will meet students from all over the world and from different walks of life.  They have in common their interest in traditional yoga and spiritual development.  This tends to draw very genuine people, and the teachings shape the group dynamic in very positive ways. By the end of first week, the group will already feel like a family! 

7. Alumni network and support

The connections made at the ashram are invaluable and so are the networking opportunities.  WLYA has an active alumni group where former students share news and inspirations from around the globe.  This way, you are not just walking away with a certificate in hand, but you have a strong support network to pursue your next steps.

Several students also return for Continuing Education programs which are offered in modules of 100 hours (2 weeks) or as the 300 hours Advanced Yoga Teacher Training course (6 weeks). 

To sum it up, WLYA is an incredible place for those seeking a meaningful yoga teacher training experience.  Be prepared to work hard and learn so much about yourself and the world, and you will be richly rewarded.  Please check out our upcoming Yoga Teacher Training Courses in Thailand and reserve your place.

Namaste,

WLYA Team

Our Neighborhood in Doi Saket - Thailand

For most students looking into yoga teacher training programs, location is among their top priorities. People are naturally curious about where the Wise Living Yoga Academy (WLYA) is situated, and internet search alone may not satisfy all the questions they have: What is life like around WLYA?  Is it very secluded? How will you get around?  Will you be using squatting toilets?  Read on to find out!

WLYA is tucked away in a peaceful, unpolluted neighborhood comprised mainly of rice fields and low rolling mountains in northern Thailand.  It is an ashram dedicated to students in the yoga teacher training programs.  It has beautiful Eastern designs integrated into Western facilities and amenities, so students can focus on their studies in comfort and peace.  

It is very safe to walk around the surrounding area.  Don’t expect the locals to speak any English, but you can bet they are very friendly, even by Thai standards!  The commercial area of the neighborhood is small, but you will have no trouble finding  basic necessities.  If you must, the largest city in northern Thailand-- Chiang Mai-- is less than an hour away.  Otherwise, many students use their time at the ashram as an opportunity to let go of their attachments and addictions, small or big.  

What you can find around the ashram

Within 15 minutes’ walk

• Local shops selling basic toiletries and snacks
• Vegetarian restaurant and juice bar
• Temple

 

Within 30 minutes’ walk/5-10 minutes’ bike ride

• Small supermarkets
• Two resorts with pools and services
• ATMs
• Bike and motorcycle rental
• Local massage places
• Copy and print shop
• Hospital
• Dam with a view
• Secondary school

Within 30 minutes’ bike ride

• Doi Saket Market
• Many temples
• Many cafes and bakeries run by both Thai people and foreigners

Within 30-60 minutes’ taxi ride

• Chiang Mai
• Airport
• Waterfalls
• Countless tourist activities!

Getting around

You will very rarely see tuk tuks or minivans around the ashram.  Songtail (truck taxi) is the transportation of choice.  It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get here from Chiang Mai.  

Bikes are a great, inexpensive way to explore the neighborhood.  There is a bike rental shop in town where you can rent a bike daily, weekly, or monthly.  You can also rent motorcycles for a negotiated price.  

Communication

Local SIM cards are best purchased at airports or in cities before you head up to the ashram, but a small selection may be available at the supermarkets in town.

WIFI is available at the ashram daily during designated times.  Several places in town (e.g. Jamjuree Restaurant and Tao Garden) have free WIFI for guests.  

Printing, Xerox copying, and desktop computers are available for a small fee at a shop in town.  

Past students have described the Ashram environment as one of their favorite things about their teacher training experience.  Please check out our Facebook page for photos of the ashram and yoga teacher training courses in Thailand!

Namaste!!!
WLYA Team

Yoga Relaxation in Everyday Life

Imagine yourself in a peaceful Ashram environment— deepening your yoga practice day by day, surrounded by positive energy and beauty, eating three delicious, organic meals a day, and finding balance within yourself.  Feel your mind and body start to relax.  Relaxation helps release tension in the muscular and nervous systems, quieten the mind, and increase concentration.  Many of our problems stem from our inability to relax fully.  People typically wait until vacations and weekends to try to relax.  But what about in our day-to-day lives?  How do we relax in a highly stressful and emotionally charged world?

There are various forms of relaxation techniques in yoga, many of which are simple yet incredibly powerful.  Visualization, as you sampled at the start of this post, is one of them and can be very effective.  In the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Course in Thailand at the Wise Living Yoga Academy, students learn to lead relaxation yoga sessions.

Nishpandabhava

During the relaxation session, students perform a sequence of asanas.  The main ones are Nishpandabhava (No Movement Feeling), Dradhasana (Firm Pose), and Shavasana (Corpse Pose).  In Nishpandabhava, students recline against a wall with feet comfortably apart and hands loose on their thighs.  They then direct their attention to sounds around them but without any reaction or judgment.  They remain passive and motionless, thereby promoting introspection and countering anxiety and the need to control their surroundings.

In Dradhasana, students lie on one side using the arm on the same side as a pillow and draping the other arm on top of their bodies.  When done on the right hand side, this pose aids the natural flow of the digestive process and is especially great after a meal.  Students relax in this pose before rolling over onto their backs for Shavasana.  The leader guides them to focus on different parts of the body, starting with the toes and moving up to the crown of the head: “Give awareness to your toes, and relax them” and so on.

A 200-hour YTT student guiding others in Shavasana

Asanas for relaxation help practitioners let go physically, mentally, and emotionally.  They become aware of body parts that may be neglected or hold too much tension throughout the day and then consciously relax them.  Practitioners are encouraged to practice relaxation at home or even in workplaces, and start to notice positive changes in their energy levels and mood.

Stay tune for more information on Yoga philosophy and practices! Namaste!
WLYA Team

Yoga Detox - Shatkarmas during 300 hours/500 hours Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand

Dear Yoga Enthusiasts,

During the Advanced 300 hours and 500 hours Yoga Teacher Training conducted in the Ashram of Wise Living Yoga Academy in Chiang Mai, Thailand the students performed Shatkarmas/ Yoga Cleanse techniques such as Vamana Dhauti, Sutra Neti and Shankhaprakshalasana (Varisara Dhauti).

Shankhaprakshalana is one of the Hatha Yoga practices of Dhauti kriya so therefore it is also known as Varisara Dhauti. Dhauti which in English means 'internal washing' and vari means 'water'. This Kriya is a master cleansing for the colon and it is followed by a strict diet. There are several physical, psychological and mental benefits of this practice that help the Yoga aspirant to rejuvenate, purify and strengthen the body and mind. These Kriyas make the practitioner fit for deeper spiritual practices.

Varisara Dhauti can only be perform once or twice in a year. The practices of Jala Neti, Sutra Neti and Vamana Dhauti are practiced more regularly during our course. See the photos below

For further information on our Yoga Teacher Training Course in Thailand you can visit our website and contact us by email or send us the application form online.

Namaste!!!

Yoga and Ayurveda food session with Jeenal Mehta

Dear friends, 

Namaste! Almost all my life I have eaten pure Ayurvedic food.

Being an Indian, born in a traditional family and also being a Yoga Teacher the Ayurvedic food suits my mind, body and my lifestyle.

It was a fortune that I have learnt so much with my mother. She is an extremely intelligent women and when it comes to eating healthy and having healthy ingredients on your kitchen shelves, she puts all her energy into it. The kitchen cupboards and the shelves of her kitchen are filled with hundreds of varieties of health foods.

So, in our Yoga Teacher Training Course in Thailand - at our center Wise Living Yoga Academy - I have set a perfect diet which is not only nutritious but also delicious.

In Yoga we call it as 'Sattvic Food', meaning pure food which is easy to digest, assimilate and eliminate. It does not leave toxins in your body. It helps in conservation of energy and makes a person feel buoyant and healthy.

The participants follow this special Yoga and Ayurveda diet for 4 weeks and the results on the body and mind are deeply positive. The students have a special session on Yoga diet and Ayurveda food and spices with me.

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Wise Living Yoga Academy is authorized to impart Yoga Teacher Training Courses on the tradition of The Yoga Institute of Santacruz in Mumbai, India – the world’s oldest organized Yoga Institution. The residential programs are held regularly in Bali (Indonesia), Chiang Mai (Thailand) & Minas Gerais (Brazil) throughout the year and are accredited by the Yoga Alliance USA, allowing the graduates to teach Yoga in any part of the world.

The 200 hours courses and the Advanced 300 & 500 hours Yoga Teacher Training Courses are conducted regularly in our new permanent Yoga Center in Doi Saket, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Please follow the links to know more about all the scheduled
Yoga Teacher Training Courses (YTTC)  in 2013 and 2014:

- Yoga Teacher Training Course in Minas Gerais, Brazil

- Yoga Teacher Training Course in Bali, Indonesia

- Yoga Teacher Training Course in Chiang Mai, Thailand