Event: Bahamas - Nassau

Sivananda Yoga Retreat

When:	Daily
Where:	Sivananda Yoga Retreat

Sivananda Yoga Retreat is on a bonafide paradise island. One of many Sivananda ashrams, the Bahamas branch may well beat them all for location. A one or two week yoga vacation is best for a thorough recharging but you are free to come whenever the fancy takes you, and stay as long as you like.

The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres are founded by Swami (monk) Vishnu Devananda on the instructions of his teacher, Swami Sivananda. Their purpose is to teach the five points of yoga: Proper Exercise, Proper Breathing, Proper Relaxation, Proper Diet, Positive Thinking (meditation). Far less austere than this list sounds, a stay in a Sivananda ashram is a calming, inspiring, energising experience.

Wherever you are in the world, the ashrams follow the same schedule. Rise at 5.30am, meditate through the dawn, then chant till early morning (sweet) tea-time. This is followed by two hours of hatha yoga, for which you get the reward of a delicious vegetarian meal at 10am. The afternoon continues in a similar fashion - yoga, food, meditation, with sufficient breaks along the way. The stumbling block for some is the compulsory "karma yoga" - when you get to practise your altruism helping out with ashram duties. Collecting-leaves karma yogics tend to be a bit more into the job than cleaning-toilets karma yogics.

The Sivananda organisation is Hindu, and the chanting is ancient Sanskrit. There's no reason to be alienated if you are not a believer: Sivananda preach credence in a universal, non-denominational God, of which Shiva, Krishna, Rama et al are mere ramifications.

Ashram rules apply: women should cover their shoulders, men and women sleep in separate quarters, there is to be no smoking or consumption of meat or alcohol. Yoga practised is basic hatha yoga, with sun salutations, emphasis on the 12 main asanas, a great deal of relaxation between postures, and 15 minutes pranayama (breathing exercises) before you start.

Please phone or email the ashram beforehand to notify them of your arrival.