Paradise Island, Bahamas - January 2022Peace in Paradise
To honor being fifty-five I participated in a 4-week Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) course at Sivananda Yoga Ashram Retreat Bahamas. In this Hatha Yoga based program each day starts at 5:30 a.m. with the retreat’s bell ringing throughout the grounds to rouse everyone for 6:00 a.m. meditation session, followed by yoga class, then brunch, one hour of selfless service (karma yoga) and an afternoon of various lectures with an hour break (beach time!), another yoga class on how to teach at 4:00 p.m., then dinner, and finally the 8:00 p.m. meditation session, with the day ending at 10:00 p.m. One of the main things I learned at Sivananda is that traditional yoga is a philosophy and much more than just the exercises practiced on a mat. The Five Points of Yoga are Proper Breathing, Proper Exercise, Proper Diet, Proper Relaxation, and Positive Thinking & Meditation. The first four points prepare one for sitting in meditation with the goal being the attainment of inner peace. Sivananda’s YTT course is a discipline for the mind and body and uplifts the soul and I highly recommend it to anyone, even with no intention of teaching yoga.
“Individual Peace paves the way for world peace. The attainment of inner calm is the greatest work you can do for humanity.”
— Swami Sivananda
Sivananda's motto is Unity in Diversity.
Welcoming all to the Sivananda Retreat is a yoga platform directly off the boat dock.
Home sweet home for the month of January. An economical accommodation option outside the hurricane season allows for guests to bring their own tents.
Celebrating the Holidays at the ashram.
The YTT (yoga teacher training) uniform is a yellow shirt signifying being a student and white pants representing purity of heart.
Meditation is an integral part of yoga practice.
Sunrise beach meditations are part of the Sivananda Yoga Retreat experience.
The lecture platform where YTT students learn yoga philosophy.
YTT students have a karma yoga (selfless service) job. I worked in the gardens, which includes kitchen composting.
Ocean time between classes with fellow YTT students.
Teachers and graduates of the January 2022 Yoga Teacher Training Course.