Health & Wellness Through Yoga- Yogini Helen’s Journey in Rishikesh
Yoga Journey

This is a yoga journey blog of Yogini Helen from Germany. A mathematics student and wellness enthusiast, she completed a yoga teacher milestone at Ekattva Yogshala by successfully completing our 200 Hours YTT program in January 2020.

This is what Helen has to say about her 4-week long experience at Ekattva Yogshala, Rishikesh.

Helen takes over from here!

Namastey! My name is Helen. I recently completed the 200 hours  Yoga Teacher Training Course at Ekattva Yogshala in Rishikesh. I would like to share my yoga and wellness journey to perhaps make it easier for some of you to choose the right school – I remember I had a hard time deciding.

Here’s my 200 hours YTT’s experience at Ekattva Yogshala in Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world!

Why Ekattva for YTT?

Everyone who has Googled at least once knows that there are hundreds of yoga schools to begin in Rishikesh offering 200 Hours YTT in Rishikesh. For me personally, the most important thing was to learn in a small group from dedicated teachers. 

I emailed multiple schools but found that Punam from Ekattva Yogshala was the most helpful and supportive, which was the main reason for me to register at this particular school.

This also helped me decide how I would pursue my yoga journey in India! 

First impression of Ekattva

Ekattva Yogshala is located in a small lane, very close to Parmarth Niketan Ashram. Although the market area (where you can buy anything you could possibly need) is just a short walk away, the lane is very quiet and peaceful. 

The school is rather compact and this goes for the building as well. During my yoga journey, I missed a space to sit and read other than the room or the yoga hall, so in our lunch break, I often went to the Ganges or the Ashram to study and catch some sun. 

The beautiful Ganges is very close to the school. One of the best and most calming things to do is to sit on the stairs or the beach on a nice day! Speaking of weather, I started the 200 hours YTT program in January and I must say I was not prepared for the cold. 

Especially on rainy days the rooms were freezing, but the school provided some extra blankets along with heaters for the yoga hall which helped us to get through the first week, after this the weather got a lot better! 

Want to learn more about the course? Here are the yoga teacher training highlights to help you understand better!

Classroom experience

At the beginning of the course, I was worried how I would like the spiritual aspects of it. My yoga classes in Germany didn’t emphasize this part as it is not common in Western countries. However, I was surprised to find that chanting, Pranayama and all the other things came naturally and I actually enjoyed them a lot! I’m convinced that – to a very large part – I must credit the guidance of all the competent teachers at Ekattva for this! 

All the university trained teachers took time for every student in the class and any kind of questions were always welcome. Because of the small group size, it was possible to really connect with all the students and teachers. The atmosphere created in the class was very comfortable and familiar. In the four weeks of my yoga and wellness journey at Ekattva Yogshala, I learned an incredible amount not just about yoga – huge thank you to everyone!

All about Rishikesh

Rishikesh has so much to offer besides yoga and wellness! During your stay in Rishikesh, make sure to experience the Aarti, a ritual performed by Parmarth Niketan Ashram every night at the bank of river Ganges. The chanting of the Ashram’s students creates a magical atmosphere that you mustn’t miss!

Thursday afternoons and Sundays are free! It offers a perfect opportunity for a stroll to Laxman Jhula where you can find cafes with amazing food and beautiful views of the Ganges. The walk takes you along the river and Ganga beach, a wonderful spot to enjoy the afternoon.

Another must-see is the so-called Beatles Ashram, an abandoned ashram in the jungle at only ten minutes walking distance from the school. Here you will find beautiful buildings and meditation domes recaptured by nature and filled with spiritual graffities, a truly unique place!

During your yoga journey, Ekattva Yogshala also offers two Sunday trips to nearby locations you can’t reach as easily on your own. I really enjoyed these opportunities to see some of the outside world after spending so much time inside the school. 

In my case, we went to a meditation cave and a mountain resort where I got to see some Himalayan peaks for the first time – a view I will never forget!

Check out the video review from other yoga student who recently visited Ekattva


Concluding the month at Ekattva

As my yoga journey at Ekattva was about to end, I noticed progress in my yoga practice and changes onto my body during the program. But the major difference came up when I returned back from my YTT program. I am so much more aware of my body and mind, I am more balanced. 

Thinking about joining a yoga teacher training course? I can only advise you to go for it – you will get so much out of it. If you are into yoga and want to begin your yoga journey at a reputed yoga school in Rishikesh, send an email at info@spiritualpunditz.com to learn all about their yoga programs.

Love- Yogini Helen

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