What is an ashram?

Why is Swami Nirmalananda (Rama) opening an ashram?

An ashram is a residential yoga center. Some ashrams are like spiritual hotels, with people coming and going all the time. Some are training centers, much like Master Yoga's Malvern facility, but with housing and meals included. Some are closed to the public, so the residents can focus on deepening their practices and their inner state.

The word ashram means "free from worldly fatigue." The "a" at the beginning is a prefix that negates the word that follows. "Shrama" means worldly fatigue, the bone-wearying fatigue that comes from chasing around the world to try to find happiness and fulfillment. When you retreat to an ashram, you are taking a time out from worldly pursuits, in order to rediscover your own divine essence - it fills you completely!

Yogis have lived in ashrams for thousands of years. Though a few yogis do go to meditate in caves, particularly in the Himalayas, they are part of communities of yogis based in the ashrams. This is how yoga has survived throughout the millennia, with the Gurus living with and available to the community of yogis.

Swami Nirmalananda (Rama) will be living with the ashram community, to guide their practices and provide the next level of teachings as they become ready. She has lived in ashrams for years, and is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to share her lifestyle and teachings in this intimate way. She will also continue to teach for Master Yoga, both in Malvern as well as other locations. Her role in Master Yoga's administration is being reduced in order to free up her time.

Swami Nirmalananda (Rama) always bases her decisions in what she calls "the inner command." She was trained in how to follow this by her Guru while she was in her early years of training. In addition to having received the inner command, she has also received the outer command and blessings from her Gurus . Swami Nirmalananda (Rama) says, "This confluence of inner and outer is the blessing that makes everything possible."

The Svaroopa^® yoga ashram will begin as a closed ashram, so the residential community has a chance to develop their practices and community relations. Then they will consider whether to open the facility to hold periodic retreats for experienced Svaroopis. For more information about the ashram's current plans, click here . If you would like to make a donation to help establish this ashram, click here.

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