Gorukul Lifestyle @ Bihar school of yoga, Mungar India

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello,

I have some questions about this certain yoga ashram in Munger.
yogavision net/bsy/gls_eng.htm

I have no ashram experiences or anything like it, i practise yoga regulary and I would like to enchance my spiritual experience. As i found swami satyananda saraswati teachings very insigtful i found that there is a yoga ashram that folows his teacing.

Now i would like to apply for 6 month Gorukul Lifestyle.
Do you have to pay for your residence there?
Do you practice only Karma&Seva yoga during Gorukul Lifestyle, or are there other parts as well?
I am asking this questions because there is very little information about it online so if you can help me i would be very thankfull :slight_smile:

Namaste

#2

bump to first page

#3

It depends in what capacity you are going there. They have monthly and yearly gurukul courses, but some of these you have to pay for. I checked their web site and it does not mention any costs, so it is best contacting them directly. However, I think it is also possible that you can go there for 6 months to stay in the ashram, but then you will be expected to render a lot of service(karma yoga) to the ashram. It will not be as intensive as those who are on a particular course, as they will be expected much less to do karma yoga and will focus more intensively on their Yoga, but you will still get to do Yoga, meditation, attend discourses etc

#4

that was my question precisely, i was just afraid that there will be very little meditation yoga alot of karma yoga

thank you for your answer

#5

hi
(Things may have changed in the last couple of years, so this might be old information:)
There are 2 main open courses at munger: a 4 month and a 10 month course. These commence twice a year: one in english, the other in hindi. The 2 courses cover the same material - obviously, at a different pace and depth.

The routine is quite strict: 5am start for yogasana then throughout the day: karma yoga, meditation, some classroom study, more karma yoga, chanting and so on. It is quite a demanding schedule and quite hard work.

The place itself is tranquil, and the people there are sincere.

However, it is also quite institutional and can be claustrophobic (a 1/2 day passes every 2 weeks to the dirty local town is the norm.)

Hence, you may find this enchanting or stifling. Or both, in turns.

A trip to india & nepal: to rishikesh, calcutta, varanasi and bodhygaya, katmandu will all give you great rewards : you’ll find teachers, sadhus, gurus, pundits and more in all of these places.

Enjoy the journey!

#6

I think I missed answering your question
>>re: 6 month Gorukul Lifestyle <<
This sounds like it outside of the normal teaching process: so this would be something of a special case. If you had a project or purpose for your visit, then that would probably be looked on favourably.

As a visitor, you’d be more free to come and go. And you may find 6 months a long time.

Yes: offering a donation for your accomodation and food would also be considered favourably. BTW: food & board is very basic indeed: it’s not a spa.

#7

as for payment of fee etc. i think there are no laid down rates. one is required to pay based on one’s capacity, you may even stay for free. please check it out

#8

There are fixed fees for the courses. To just stay in the ashrama with no course is on a donation basis.

As has been said, if you are not on a course, there is little to do other than your own practice and karma yoga. Karma yoga runs after breakfast, from 6:30 until 8, then after lunch from 12:00 until 3:00, if I recall correctly.

But my experience is only from attending during festival time, so it may be different normally.

If you are not on a course, there is no real access to group practices etc.

As mentioned, it is institutional, but that’s the purpose of the gurukhul lifestyle. Passes to leave the ashrama for even a short period are hard to come by, even for visitors not on courses. There is a visit medicine man and a visiting general store man, so you can get essentials.

There is silence from 6PM until 6AM, and during meal times.