YogAnga Retreat at Śri Santosh Puri Ashram

YogAnga Retreat at Sri Santosh Puri Ashram: Explore a yogic lifestyle, where yogis were born and raised… on the bank of the sacred Ganga River in the foothills of the Himalayas (between Haridwar and Rishikesh).

Ashram Life at YogAnga Retreat

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YogAnga Retreat at Sri Santosh Puri Ashram is a Spiritual Oasis, a comfortable ashram life away from the distracting world of desires.

Rediscover the forgotten ways of the art of living through traditional Yoga and Ayurveda, by giving yourself a transformational retreat of a lifetime. Assimilating into ashram life at YogAnga Retreat, by participating in the full daily routine, may illuminate one’s path from limitation and bondage into the bliss of liberation.

Ashram Life at YogAnga Retreat is one part education, one part transformation and one part home. 

Santosh means contentment and after an initial inner struggle to release whatever may be necessary for your inner purification, that is exactly what ashram life at YogAnga Retreat offers. People come here to slow down and unwind from their hectic western lifestyles, to deepen their sādhana (yoga / meditation practice), or to studying in one of our many certificate courses.

This is no holiday camp type guest house. 

The day begins pre-dawn with meditation and aarti, Herbal tea and an 7:30am Hatha style asana class are followed by breakfast and Karma Yoga before lunch. The afternoon is dedicated to lectures, prāṇayama sessions, or Ganga snaans (baths). Dinner, the evening aarti and occasional kirtan celebrations brings the day full circle.

Yoga here is a 24-hour experience, not just a couple of daily asana sessions, so be prepared to work hard for the good of the community. Also be prepared for bringing awareness to everything you do, from they way you get out of bed in the morning to how you interact (or not) with other visitors. This is not a place for change that is forced upon you. The tools for clarity, peace, and purity are laid out and the struggle of whether or not to take up these tools, how to use them, and how cynical to feel about the whole process is between you, your ego, and whatever deity you invoke. All of these activities are optional yet it is amazing the inner transformations that can take place the deeper one dives into everything here.

Ashram Life is a Spiritual Life…

  • A spiritual, academic place of retreat for learning and practicing
  • ancient and modern yogic teachings, for fulfilment in life through self-realization.
  • Our aim is to create a suitable environment (ashram), away from the distracting world of desires & competition, towards retreat, life in simplicity and truthfulness. “Simple living high thinking.”
  • Rediscovering the forgotten ways of the art of living in yoga, Ayurveda and the holy Vedic scriptures. The lost paradise is regain-able through meditation and a living according to the laws of “dharma” religion.
  • Not only through classes or courses, but we offer the chance to live throughout the day in spiritual learning, practicing  and transforming consciousness with equal minded aspirant.

Aspirants can come for any of the formal courses offered year-round, or for an individualized time, just to participate in Ashram life of Arti-Puja, Asana, Meditation, Kirtan chanting and Karma yoga.

The sound of the 4am conch begins the day with the beauty of bhakti yoga through morning Aarati. And as the sun radiates over the Himalayas and the Ganges softly flows by, you loose yourself in the day and the practice of yoga in all its forms; asana classes, meditation, seva, philosophical teachings and studies.

Listen to how we start our mornings…

Typical Daily Routine

Mondays - Saturdays (schedule subject to change)

04:00 Wake up with Conch
04:30 Dhuni Puja (Vedic Chanting) / Chai
07:30 Hatha Yoga: Asana / Prāṇayama
09:30 Breakfast
10:30 Karma Yoga
11:30 Class Session 01
12:30 Silent Lunch
14:00 Self Study
15:00 Chai / Ayurvedic Herbal Tea
15:30 Class Session 02
18:15 Silent Dinner
19:00 Kirtan / Dhuni Puja (Vedic Chanting)
20:00 Self Guided Meditation / Yoga Nidra

Already know which residential or online retreat you would like to participate in?

Don’t have a particular retreat course you would like to join, but just want to come stay with us and participate in the daily routine?

yogganga.org - YogAnga Retreat Daily Routine

Location / Environment / Atmosphere: 

YogAnga Retreat Trust (Santosh Puri Ashram) is often a hidden gem, in between the overwhelming commercial yoga scene of Rishikesh and the crowded traditional spiritual pilgrimage town of Haridwar, in Uttarakhand, North India. 

• 7 km from Haridwar (the Gate of the Divine) • 18 km from Rishikesh • 225 Km north of New Delhi

Haridwar is the ‘ashram belt’ of India and Santosh Puri Ashram is one of several that are clustered along this stretch of the Ganga.

From within the cool green shade of the ashram grounds, it is possible to hear chanting and singing from surrounding ashrams. It’s also possible to hear nothing, but the whispering of river-breezes in the trees – a rare and beautiful thing in a country packed with humanity and the normal noise pollution that goes with it.

Santosh Puri’s ‘backyard’ is a sprawling national forest, and the grounds themselves are a sweet blend of rambling woods. Guests stay in a south facing dorm block, with balconies over looking flower vegetable gardens. Enjoy time in our several unassuming gathering spaces: dhuni, yajnashala, samadhi temples, two yoga halls, music and arts hall, courtyard and roof decks, each radiating their own harmonic power. 

With the forested borders of the holy Ganga river (Ganges), where the foothills of the Himalayas begin, as our backyard, it is easy to settle in to one’s sadhana. Guest numbers are limited to 35 or so as this is a smaller family compound, adding to the feeling of intimacy. High season is typically September through April.

The family of Santosh Puri live and breathe yoga and have dedicated their lives to showing others how to do the same.

Teachers

may change according to availability and ashram program schedule

Ganga Puri Rox - lead trainer, yogacharya at YogAnga Retreat - yoga alliance hatha yoga teacher trainings at Sri Santosh Puri Ashram

Ganga Puri Rox

Lead Trainer (Yoga Alliance), YogAcharya

Ganga Puri graduated with a degree in Physics & Mathematics from the Garhwal University in Srinagar. After the mahasamadhi of his father in 2001, a fundamental change of realization overcame the student of science causing Ganga to change his life path onto the complete devotion to the Divine Truth. Meditation and yoga practices became his main activities. Eventually Ganga Puri received his post-graduate diploma and Master’s Degree in Human Consciousness and Yogic Science, from the Gurukul Kangri University of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, in Haridwar.

www.yoganga.org - Mandakini Puri - teacher at YogAnga Retreat at Santosh Puri Ashram

Mandakini Puri

YogAcharya

Mandakini Puri Rox is rooted in a traditional yogic family, following the sanyasi lineage of her parents / gurus: Santosh Puri Maharaj and Narvada Puri Mataji. She is blessed to have been born and continues to reside on the bank of Ma Ganga in the Ashram of her father’s namesake. Her sincere yogic practices led her to become a Yoga Acharya, with a Masters Degrees in Yogic Science & Human Excellence at Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya. Since 2004 she has been managing and teaching courses with YogAnga Retreat at Santosh Puri Ashram.

www.yoganga.org - Dr. Alaknanda Puri, Gangotri Puri, resident ayurvedic doctor and teacher at YogAnga Retreat at Santosh Puri Ashram

Alaknanda Puri

Ayurvedic Doctor and Teacher

Dr. Alaknanda Puri (aka Gangotri), is our resident Ayurvedic Doctor and Teacher at YogAnga Retreat, Sri Santosh Puri Ashram. Aside from initially studying informally with several swamis and Ayurvedic practitioners, Alaknanda has a Bachelors in Ayurveda Medical Science from Ayurveda College Coimbotore, a Bachelors of Arts in Philosophy and Diploma in Yogic Science from Shrinagar University, as well as a certificate in traditional Ayurveda Vaidyavisharad, and a Diploma in Holistic Health Management from Dev Sanskriti University.

Nicole Jaquis, Nikol Giri, relativelyLocal - sadhana curriculum developer, teacher and digital strategist for YogAnga Retreat at Sri Santosh Puri Ashram, Uttarakhand India

Nicole Jaquis

Curriculum Developer, Teacher, Behind the Scenes Multimedia Support Staff

Nicole Jaquis is Sādhana Curriculum Developer and Teacher who has produced course books for YTT, Sanskrit, Sukṣma Vyāyām, Marmas and Ayurveda. Nicole facilitates transformational silent retreats, while also providing various multimedia services for the Ashram.

Brahmananda Giri - YogAnga Retreat Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Staff - Yoga Anatomy, Alignment, Asana - yoganga.org - Sri Santosh Puri Ashram

Brahmananda Giri

Yoga Anatomy & Alignment Teacher

With a prior career as a Neuromuscular / Craniosacral Therapist and bodywork teacher at Heartwood Institute in Northern California, as well as decades living in India, Iyenger trained Brahmananda Giri has been teaching Anatomy & Alignment during our Yoga Teacher Training since 2016.

Etiquette for Dressing at the Ashram, around town and in India in general

Suggestions for female travelers… The etiquette for clothing in most of India (with exception of big cities like Mumbai/Bombay), particularly at the Ashram and surrounding neighborhood, is more modest than the usual western attire to which you may be accustomed. Sure Summers may be hot and even the sun may feel great in the Winter,...
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How to Get Here

How to Reach YogAnga Retreat at Sri Santosh Puri Ashram in between Haridwar and Rishikesh, in North India Upon course registration, you will get a more specific address and a link to google map with instructions for how to reach Santosh Puri Ashram. Forgive us, to prevent random guests or crowds, we do not provide...
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Accommodations and Food

Your stay in the ashram should by no means be mistaken as a stay in a hotel or guest house, but should be seen as a chance to follow the request of the soul in all of us to renounce the worldly illusion and devote our time to inner and outer purification through spiritual knowledge...
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puja, aarti, yagya

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Each new and full moon guests have the auspicious opportunity to participate in Yajña (Homa) Fire Ceremonies, worshiping the elements for purification of the mind, body, spirit
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Visit Us

Visit YogAnga Retreat Santosh Puri Ashram - yoga, ayurveda, spiritual oasis on the bank of the Holy Ganga River, between Haridwar & Rishikesh
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Yoganga Impressions: (poem by Maaike Nueville)

“We came here, unknowing We saw many people, we watched them We saw people singing before every meal, We opened our mouths and uttered some similar sounds In the evening we saw how people offered flowers to a statue with a big brand, while singing We watched with big eyes, opened our mouths and again...
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how to establish a daily practice, by Eleni Gekas

© 2005 by Eleni Gekas, eleni@elaayurveda.com www.ElaAyurveda.com Learn to establish a daily practice. Transitions back into your “normal” life after experiencing the simple supportive life on an ashram, may challenge you. During your time living in a spiritual community, surrounded by fellow Truth Seekers, your practice, or sadhana, naturally deepens. Once you leave, you are...
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