A great vegan recipe - Dahi Poha

- 3 cups beaten rice (Poha)

- 1 ½ cups yogurt

- ½ cup pomegranate

- 5-6 curry leaves

- Salt

- Sugar

- ½ teaspoon cumin

- ½ teaspoon coriander

- 1/8 of asafoetida

- 2 tablespoons oil

1) Heat oil and add mustard seed

2) When mustard seeds have popped add cumin, asafoetida and curry leaves

3) Mix in Poha and yogurt into oil – is poha soaked in yogurt first?

4) Add salt, sugar, and pomegranate

5) Serve with coconut and coriander

A typical day in an Ashram in India

Hari Om

You wake up to the sound of bells ringing three times, it’s dark outside, it’s 5am exactly. You have half an hour to brush your teeth, wash your face, dress and complete any other necessary ablutions. All this is no easy task when there are four of you, one basin and one toilet (and all women).

Yoga teacher in India

There is also never any guarantee there will be power. Most mornings you prepare for the day by torchlight.

There is also a rule of silence in the mornings, which is actually really good. It is nice to wake up slowly, take your time to contemplate your day ahead, no need for meaningless chatter just to be polite.

The holy town of Devraprag where the Ganges River originate

When this ritual is complete, you make your way to the kitchen area for a quick cup of spiced Indian tea (if you have managed to dress in time because 5.30 is chanting time and you don’t want to be late for this).

We fill the hall, everyone is wrapped up warmly, seated in the cross-legged or lotus position and very ready to start the day. The chanting is done in Sanskrit, in the beginning it’s most intimidating but you cannot believe how quickly you pick it up. By the end of the first week, you proudly chant away, eyes closed, no need to read the prayers on the wall or in your books. You are also much more comfortable sitting in the half or full lotus position throughout the session after the first few days. The energy generated by 30 people chanting prayers of universal peace, or repeating the Omkhar sound, has to be experienced to be believed !

At 6am we start the 2 hour Asana session. This is led by one teacher with at least 2 to 3 others patrolling the room to correct or help wherever necessary. Within minutes into the session, you are warm, ready to practice and fully focused.

Once Asana class is finished we all participate in an hour of Karma or Seva yoga. This entails doing anything which is required around the Ashram such as preparing breakfast, washing floors, cleaning the garden etc. This is what you make of it. I saw many arguments rising from lack of communication and learnt a lot about ourselves from this.

Karma Yoga

At 9am we sit down for Breakfast. All meals are eaten in silence, this is amazing and really makes you aware of eating your food. You get the hang of this very quickly and it too becomes most enjoyable. I found I ate a lot less after the first few meals. All the meals have an option of vegetarian or full vegan. The food is delicious, varied, lots of fresh fruit and always more than enough.

The system of cleaning dishes is easy, one large basin with a few taps, soap and cloths. As you finished eating you wash your own utensils, rinse and dry. This way everyone does it well as you never know which plate or fork you will get next mealtime.

Kitchen work

After breakfast is the best time of the day, as we attend a half hour of Yoga Nidra or relaxation. This usually takes you to about 10.30 and then its lecture time. These go on until around 12 midday. By now the temperature is rising fast, it starts becoming hard to stay awake no matter how interesting the lecture is.

Lunch is at 12.30 most days and then you have study time until 3.00pm.(most of the time you need a little siesta).

3.00 until 4.30 is once again lectures and then you have 2 more hours of Asana practice.

6.30 is meditation time. This is great and also varied.

7.30 is dinner time and the last commitment of the day is from 8.30 to 9.00pm in the hall for group discussions and questions. This was a fun time of the day, lots of entertaining stories but I can honestly say, by then you are very ready for your narrow, hard bed.

Indian Chefs

The entire experience cannot be described as each person gains from this what they need to learn for themselves. Personally, I learned to be quiet, eat slowly, be grateful for everything and to love, unconditionally, my fellow beings. I realized that we are all right where we are supposed to be right now.
I highly recommend the experience, it’s priceless.

Hari Om Tat Sat

Lord Shiva

Our Yoga teachers

A great Vegan Recipe - Lentil Spread or Patè

- 250 g cooked lentils

- 1 clove garlic

- Half a fresh chilli

- Half cup each of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds

- A little coconut milk to blend into a smooth pate or spread

Place all the above in a blender until a smooth paste is formed

Add salt and pepper to taste

Delicious on rice cakes with slice avocado

Enjoy!

A great Vegan Recipe - Lentil Dahl

- 250g cooked lentils


- 2 T avocado oil in fry pan

Add 1 t jeera seeds, 2 cardammon seeds cracked open, freshly grated nutmeg, handful curry leaves, half t turmeric, half t mustard seeds & 3 or 4 pieces dried mace to the oil.

When they start to pop add 1 chopped onion and cook until fully glazed - adding water if too dry.
Add 4 -5 freshly diced tomatoes, some marrows, carrots and whatever other vegetables you want (1 clove garlic and a small chilli chopped finely is optional but very tasty).

Fry together for a few minutes and then slowly add your coconut milk (1 tin)

Add 2T tomato paste and 1t garam masala as well as half t fenugreek leaves.
Add this to the lentils and cook together for further 10 minutes.
Salt to taste and serve with pompadoms or on brown rice.

(T = tablespoon t = teaspoon)

Welcome to Southern Africa Yoga Safaris!

A brief introduction to your instructor

I am a qualified personal trainer, fitness instructor, jazz dance teacher and massage therapist. I resumed practicing yoga 7 years ago after which teacher training followed quite naturally. I have been to India twice and completed my teachers training in Nasik, with the Yoga Vidya Gurukul.


My experience of Ashram life was so enlightening that I want to share it with as many people as possible. Yogic life in the Ashram, emphasises all aspects of yoga . Such as the Yama, Niyamas, Asana and Pranayama . More often than not, Western classes only have time to focus on the Asanas and a few Pranayama techniques.

Washing day on the banks of the Ganges River

With the pressures of modern lifestyles, I realize not everyone has 6 weeks to dedicate solely to the practice of yoga. For this reason I condensed a course into 5 days and combined it with a unique African experience. The lessons are the same as in the Ashram, the healing benefits just as profound. Hopefully a new routine will be started and continued indefinitely. The benefits of self discipline and self realization are infinite.

My first step into the Ganges

You will leave the course equipped with knowledge and methods for maintaining optimum health as well as stress management. For those of you already travelling this route, I hope to further your enjoyment of this wonderful practice.

I look forward to meeting with you all, let’s work together for the advancement of peace and harmony for our beautiful planet and all who dwell on her !