Background
"If we can develop the quality of self-awareness in each moment and fully embrace our true self, we discover an invaluable source of power - a wonderful opportunity to live life to the full, infused with a sense of strength, resilience, optimism, energy, purpose, focus, compassion and creativity."
Introducing Yogi Ashokananda, a luminary in the realms of Yoga, Meditation, and Spirituality. His life’s journey has been dedicated to serving humanity, generously sharing his vast reservoir of wisdom and experience with all seekers of deeper understanding.
Hailing from the spiritual epicenter of India, Yogi Ashokananda’s immersion in yoga began under the tutelage of his grandfather during his formative years.
Guided by an unbroken lineage of Indian masters and siddhas, he meticulously crafted his own distinctive styles of yoga and meditation firmly rooted in ancient Indian tradition. Now he teaches a number of his own profound disciplines and insights which have their roots in ancient, sacred Indian tradition.
Teaching expertise
"Once, somebody asked me what determined me to become a yoga and meditation teacher and master. The answer is life. I was determined to understand myself, understand life, understand the purpose of human existence, understand at least my existence, who I am, why I am here, and why I am in my body."
Yogi Ashokananda is the founder of Himalayan Hatha Yoga and Prana Kriya Yoga, practices that reflect his strong respect for yoga as a complete holistic system in itself and which are based on ancient, traditional principles. His yoga is strong yet supportive and works through the entire body, cleansing and revitalising through special sequencing with a combination of sukshyam vyayam (subtle energy body exercise).
With a vast experience of meditation, Yogi has established some of the most simple and effective meditation techniques to accept, transform and embrace the material and spiritual aspects of ourselves. These include The Power of Relaxation active Meditation and Atma Kriya Meditation as well as having developed and taught his own practices of Kriya, Tantra and Kundalini Meditations.
Yogi Ashokananda's passion for spreading the transformative power of yoga led him to establish Yogiville Gurukul, with branches in the UK, South India and Croatia, offering comprehensive education in Yoga and Meditation for practitioners of all levels.
Yogi Ashokananda is regularly invited to give talks, discussions and satsang at many institutions and renowned organisations. The various topics of interest include “Enlightenment and all it entails”, “Addiction and Freedom of Mind”, “The misconception of spirituality”, “Yoga and Modern Life”, “The Power of Relaxation” among others.
Philosophy
"We can all integrate yoga into our life depending on our own level of consciousness, our level of awareness and how we want to relate to it, spiritually, physically or mentally."
Yogi sees the journey of yoga and meditation as one that allows you to see all of yourself; his philosophy of “without engaging the vehicle, you cannot make any journey” applies to the engagement of the physical, emotional, mental and psychological aspects of oneself through his practices of yoga and meditation. The spirit or soul, he says, does not need healing as it is already whole and complete; it is the consciousness, the awareness around the soul and the mind which yoga and meditation can help to clear giving you access to the spirit or soul. The aim of the practices is to bring you to the centre of yourself so that you can transform yourself and your life from this authentic place within you.
About Yoga
"Aside from the wonderful physical and medically proven health benefits of yoga, this ancient science holds the ability to support, help and transform on every level of your existence."
Yogi Ashokananda’s desire to teach yoga sprang from wanting to understand and experience the truth of yoga for himself, in his own life, and then assist others, whether it be for greater fitness and vitality, or to embrace themselves and their lives on a deeper, more profound and joyful level. Yoga is scientifically proven to positively ease a variety of conditions, physical, emotional and spiritual, including anxiety, depression, back pain and hypertension.
"Yoga can bring clarity to your mind, reduce the fogginess of your mind, and help you avoid procrastination and make better decisions. Yoga helps you to grow, and everybody can grow around you. That’s the beauty of yoga. It’s called contagious happiness, contagious joy and sharing peace of mind. Yoga can improve the quality of your life only if you can understand yoga."
Yogi Ashokananda’s understanding and discovery is that yoga is a paradox. While he believes that it brings one to unity, really it brings about separation. Many people believe that by practising yoga (as in asanas) they will achieve unity of themselves. The journey of Yoga can be challenging, confronting and uncomfortable as it helps you to see how you have separated yourself, within your own body and mind. That separation leads you back to unity with yourself and with God. Yoga is a realisation of freedom, yoga is a realisation of yourself, enabling you to hold and contain the awareness of both your individual self with your greater Self. Eventually only one will exist, either you or the Higher Self.
About Meditation
"Meditation is a way to align your senses with your level of intelligence and enables you to accept and create a possibility to express yourself as authentically as possible. So you can walk your life journey, whatever you choose to be the path for your life. "
Yogi Ashokananda spent many years in India learning, exploring and developing what he has found to be the most simple, beneficial forms and techniques of meditation. He believes that meditation is one of the most powerful and subtle ways of getting to know oneself, and to understand who are we. This exploration of the self helps one to explore the depth and subtleties of both our human self and our spiritual self – known as “swadharma” – finding the centre of yourself, your self religion.
"Meditation never starts or stops. It is our true nature. Awareness is present all the time, when we come to know this, there is no more chasing, movement or goal to attain. One is totally present and living in love with love. "
His approach to the origins of yoga and meditation is grounded and down to earth, based on beginning with embracing the human self and all that entails. This can help you return to a place within you which is both magical and also very real. When you re-discover this place, your life will change around you as your perception shifts and you see through new eyes. It is not about running away from yourself or creating a fantasy, it is in fact the opposite; it is based on staying with yourself, on every level and with every aspect of your physical body as well as your emotional and psychological self. Yogi Ashokananda’s philosophy and practical methods combine both mystery and attainability and evoke a sense of the jewel like quality of mysticism which is totally relatable to modern society and the lives we all lead today.
Investment in Community
"Always remember, love, kindness and compassion should always be the centre of every action you do."
As well as teaching around the world, Yogi Ashokananda founded the Indian registered charity, Yogi Ashokananda Foundation in 2013 and the UK based charity Ashok Tree Foundation in 2014. Ashok Tree Foundation is committed promoting sustainable advancement in education, healthcare, and social well-being.
The Sita Devi School was established in 2008 by Yogi Ashokananda and is now managed by the Yogi Ashokananda Foundation. The school provides a primary school education in the village of Paliapattu, Tamil Nadu India to students aged 4-10. Meditation and Yoga are core to its curriculum.
