Amrita Yoga Ashram: Tool to experience the treasures of ancient wisdom
The ashram of a living master serves as a sanctuary, where one can contemplate, reflect, and recharge while experiencing the path of yoga.
Amrita Yoga is a school of yoga directly formed from Amma’s Sankalpa prompted by unconditional love and an attitude of service to the world. Amrita Yoga offers a holistic approach, focused on Awareness with heart-centred intention and aims to transcend the physical asana practice.
The theme “Awareness with heart-centred intention” reflects Amma’s guidance to keep these elements at the core of the program content and training methods.
Spiritual leader, humanitarian and visionary, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (known to millions simply as ‘Amma’), is a servant of the world community.
Through her inspiring life of love, inner strength and self-sacrifice, Mata Amritanandamayi has inspired people all over the planet to strive to make more and more space in the hearts for others and to dedicate free time to social service. At the invitation of admirers from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia, Europe and elsewhere, Amma travels throughout the world, guiding people to emotional fulfillment as well as offering insights and solutions to global issues such as environmental pollution, mistreatment of women, and religious disharmony.
Amma, The Inspiration
At the centre of Amma’s life is her darshan: the tender, caring embrace that has been sought out by millions. It is in this intimate manner—a heartfelt hug—that Mata Amritanandamayi meets one and all, listens to their problems and gives them the inspiration and knowledge to uplift themselves and, ultimately, others.
Receiving Amma’s embrace, many feel inspired to offer selfless service to those in need. In this way, this simple yet powerful act of a mother’s embrace has become both catalyst and symbol for the growing international network of humanitarian initiatives called Embracing the World. Amma has given this motherly embrace, known as her darshan, to more than thirty-three million people throughout the world. She has been known to give darshan for more than twenty-two hours without interruption.
Amma stays in Amritapuri about 4 months a year. She is in the ashram August and September and most of December.
Story Of Amrita Yoga
There are presently many yoga lineages in India and in the West. This presents a question of the authenticity of the tradition of yoga. It is also a call to protect India’s traditional knowledge. Amrita Yoga’s uniqueness and authenticity respond to this call.
Amrita Yoga has evolved from a living Satguru, a Spiritual master who herself embodies the Universal Self. Satguru, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, is also the Chancellor of Amrita University, and she is known throughout the world as Amma. It is directly formed from Amma’s divine intention with unconditional love and service to the world. The practices were initiated and developed under Amma’s guidance. Such an opportunity for humankind is, in fact, something profound and rare.
Amrita Yoga is rooted in the ancient Gurukul yoga tradition and yet is a completely new approach of understanding yoga practice based on Amma’s core philosophy of “Living from the Heart.” Amma’s spiritual teachings form the foundation of Amrita Yoga. The teaching style is intended to reflect the simplicity and humility of Amma.
Amrita Yoga is rooted in the ancient Gurukul yoga tradition and yet is a completely new approach of understanding yoga practice based on Amma’s core philosophy of “Living from the Heart.”
Amrita Yoga stems from origins that have been part of India’s lifestyle from time immemorial. Families practiced yoga together in the same way that they ate, worked and worshipped together. Yoga practice has been a part of sadhana (spiritual practices) since the Amritapuri Ashram began. Since the early years, Amma has always viewed hatha yoga as an integral part of our healthy daily life. Initiated in 1987, yoga classes at the ashram and centres were based on Amma’s message of Living from the Heart. The first formal Amrita Yoga class was introduced at Amritapuri in 2004 for the Amrita University students, and at various Amrita Vidyalayam schools in India. The unique teaching methodology of Amrita Yoga was formalized in 2007. Since then Amrita Yoga has been offered to all age groups of Indians and Internationals visiting Amritapuri and at our centres worldwide.
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Ashram Life
Looking from the roof of the tallest building on the ashram, you’ll see fishing eagles soaring. Below is the colorful Kali Temple. The bell of the pujari rings as he leads the pujas (Vedic rituals) in the Kalari. To the west is the Arabian Sea where Amma meditates at sunset with residents and visitors. The breeze through the palm trees, the sound of waves, and Amma’s profound stillness even in the midst of an incident like the Tsunami inspire many.
Each person living here feels the innate reverberations of the embodiment of Pure Consciousness in Amma and her stillness pervades through every moment of their lives. To the east, across the backwaters, is Amrita University, Amma’s hub of innovation.
Chanting begins the day and bhajans (devotional singing) welcome the evening. During the day residents and visitors do Seva, selfless service for the ashram. The work is endless; from washing buckets to serving food. These essential jobs keep this well-oiled machine running. The Amritapuri community is run and maintained only by volunteers selflessly offering their part. This service brings them joy and contentment.
Amrita Yoga, meditation, Sanskrit, Vedanta, music and other classes take place daily. Pujas and yagnas happen several times a day.
Amma created a timetable for her disciples. Visitors are welcome to follow this schedule if they choose. The daily schedule is open with plenty of opportunity for reflection, introspection, and meditation –, especially at the beach.
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What makes Amrita Yoga unique?
Amrita Yoga is founded in the ancient Indian teachings of Vedanta, the oneness of all things and beings. Amrita Yoga is uniquely designed and dedicated to reviving and preserving yoga culture
The body and mind are both interconnected and interdependent instruments.
Her unconditional love & selfless service to humanity, Amma, the unique master has been constantly reminding us of the relationship between man, nature and God, our true Self.
In Amma’s own words, “The World and God are one. The Creator & Creation are not two.”
Amma serves as the perfect catalyst to help us connect these three, thereby creating a state of equilibrium in the lives of people all over the world. This connection and harmony which Amma brings in the lives of countless people is the true goal of yoga.
A healthy mind and body are vital for holistic living. To ensure the wellbeing of both, the ancient Indian rishis (seers) divined the holistic practices of yoga and meditation. Great Spiritual Masters, who have interpreted and adapted the age-old teachings, in keeping with the times, have shared this invaluable wealth to interested seekers throughout the ages, with the aim to elevate human beings to their true potential, as living embodiments of Universal Consciousness.
This is the unique living heritage of yoga that India has to offer, one that cannot be artificially created through a series of asanas, patented and sold like any commodity. The value of these living traditions and teachings cannot be measured.
