Featuring Guided Iyengar Yoga Āsana & Prāṇāyāma Classes with Gloria Goldberg CIYT-IV
Teachings On Jyotiṣa Food Upāya & Mantra Sādhanā with Gitte Bechsgaard RP Ph.D. CIYT-III
“The body is your temple.
Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in”
B.K.S. Iyengar
The great sages (ṛṣi) of the Yoga Tradition have long been known for their seemingly superhuman achievements.
A living embodiment of the unbelievable capacities of body and mind.
Yet the great masters only work deeply with their bodies out of necessity, to aid their journeys to higher states of consciousness.
The body was viewed as the Temple of the Spirit.
As Yoga Master Śrī B.K.S Iyengar once wrote wrote:
“Without a body, it is impossible to see God. The body has to undergo some training in order to be an effectual help to reach the highest goal : Ātmadarśana (Self realization). For that you need a sound and strong body.”
The ancient Vedic sister disciplines of Yoga and āyurveda were both cultivated to gift sādhaka with longevity of body and mind, because vitality simply enables you to better fulfill your dharma.
After the long slumber of these Vedic Sister Sciences under colonial rule, BKS Iyengar’s work helped revive the traditions of yoga asana & prāṇāyāma.
Likewise, doctors and scholars of āyurveda have revitalized its ancient medical and preventative healing practices. Today, many Universities worldwide actively engage in new efforts to better understand the benefits of āyurvedic approaches, through the precision of our modern lens.
For many years I’ve dreamed of bringing together the long forgotten soul and dietary medicines of Vedic Astrology in active integration with Yoga and āyurveda.
But elite āyurvedic institutions in India are sometimes quite hospital-like, focused on the clinical pillars of āyurvedic Medicine.
In the years spent in the vicinity of my Jyotiṣa Gurū Sri Krishan Mantriji he shared generously about the deep connections between Jyotiṣa and Ayurveda.
Amongst many Jyotiṣa teachings, he taught me about food and dietary upāyas for the vitality of body and soul.
This teaching was viewed partly through the lens of one’s Sun-sign and Ascendant in the Jātaka horoscope (birth horoscope).
We spent many years in search of the right āyurvedic getaway for a dedicated group of Yogis and sādhakas .
One with a Sattvik and serene healing atmosphere.
Not just an Ayurvedic Hospital nor a simple retreat center, but an all encompassing Yoga & Ayurveda experience.
Once Gloria and I were guided to India’s longest operating Ayurvedic retreat center, on Kerala’s Kovalam Coast, it became clear this was our long sought oasis.
A Yoga, Ayurveda, & Integrative Healing Retreat location like no other.
Featuring classical Ayurvedic spa treatments, herbal oil massage, abhyaṅga & Śirodharā , and more.
2 hours of classical āyurvedic massage and treatment time pre-reserved each day for every participant.
Applied with precision and expertise by 2 practitioners under the supervision of your experienced Ayurvedic Doctor.
Each day these healing treatment modalities are adjusted after close discussion, examination, and follow up with the āyurvedic doctor.
3 hours daily of lecture, mantra, asana & prāṇāyāma classes in the tranquil yoga & study hall nestled in nature.
The space enables centered reflection, retention, and a highly cultivated environment to effortlessly integrate new wisdom with practice.
There’s no better and more sattvik place for us to come together and finally navigate Śrī Krishan Mantriji’s teachings on the Vedic Astrology of Soul Foods.
An authentic experience of Ayurveda while you engage in personal constitutional discovery, through the Vedic Sister Sciences of Jyotiṣa, Ayurveda & Yoga.
15 Days & Nights of Scripture, Philosophy, and Practice.
In a pristine ecological environment to rest, heal, purify and reinvigorate.
A few dozen comfortable cottages nestled among the lush tropical foothills overlooking the Arabian sea.
Every concievable detail tailored to your needs, as you’re followed closely by 2 leading Ayurvedic doctors, expertly guiding you through a 15 day detoxification and rejuvenation protocol.
In the retreat center, the pair of practitioners assigned to you utilize a vast array of different herbs, oils, steams, tinctures, and techniques under the supervision of one of your āyurvedic doctors.
Not simply applied on a fixed schedule, treatments are customized to your health history and your daily state of mind and body.
Locally sourced āyurvedic herbs are used in your prescribed medicines, the abhyaṅga and massage methods & Śirodharā sessions.
Tinctures are crafted on-site by the same experienced ayurvedic doctors following you closely each day. In spite of the local supply chain, Somatheeram’s herbal remedies, oils, and treatments undergo rigorous 3rd party lab testing and are regulated by the state government under the strict controls Kerala maintains as India’s capital of Ayurveda.
Join a passionate and dedicated group of fellow yoga teachers, practitioners and sādhaka in tropical South India for this unique and immersive experience of the Jyotiṣa soul foods, Iyengar Yoga, and Holistic Ayurvedic healing.
2 Weeks Of True Intensive Transformation.
Of Expertly-Guided Herbal Healing.
Of Ancient Massage & Oil Treatments.
Of unique culinary experiences tailored to your physiology.
With the guidance to tailor such choices to your spirit, through the forgotten Jyotiṣa teachings of the soul’s optimal foods and vitalizing upāya.
An opportunity to experience a metamorphosis from one state of the body-mind to another higher, more refined state of spiritualization.
In a sacred setting of pristine natural beauty.
Over centuries past, the Vēdic sages wrote on how each soul is said to have come into this life with certain “food medicines” innate to their spirit.
These teachings are not found within a singular systematic work, but in a variety of old verses.
Cryptic and highly symbolic.
Teachings of Jyotiṣa which at first glance might seem to break the rules of Āyurveda.
Another dimension through which the jyotiṣa sāstra would personalize the daily food consumption, from the perspective of your sun-sign & ascendant.
Tenets on the food medicines of the spirit and soul.
During my years of private study with Śrī Krishan Mantriji, I had the privilege of learning some of the more healing sides of Āyurveda & jyotiṣa from him.
Yet such teachings were rare compared to the breadth of wisdom shared by Mantriji on the topic of Vedic Astrology (jyotiṣa) on a daily basis.
With my first introduction to Āyurveda in India from my early twenties I always treasured its teachings and medicines. These became a very integrated part of daily life and Yoga practice for me. But I never expected to learn about Āyurveda from my Jyotiṣa Guru.
That all changed as Mantriji introduced Jyotiṣa verses and teachings, which seemed like Āyurveda at first glance.
But I quickly realized these teachings were quite different from Āyurvedic medicine, and yet complimentary in their deep impact on body as well as soul.
With these perennial jyotiṣa teachings, determinations on food, herbs, and medicine weren’t made after taking a pulse, nor after a physical examination.
The soul remained foundational.
The natal horoscope (jātaka) with the individual Sun-sign and Ascendant sign became the lens of diagnosis.
Instead of viewing the body first, the sign of your Sun determines the direction to healing and vitality.
A jyotiṣa-directed vedic teaching, complimentary of traditional Āyurveda.
Food medicines based on sun signs and ascendant signs of Vedic Astrology.
A previously unseen perspective on food and herbal healing.
While he never taught these scriptures in public at Vidya, you’d often witness Mantriji direct students with these approaches over the years.
Sometimes, seemingly out of nowhere, Mantriji would come to individual students and instruct them to introduce a single food that needed to be in their diet on a regular basis.
Mantriji never told these students why, but this was based on their astrology.
It wasn’t always one food either.
Everyone’s horoscope is entirely individual. For some people, there are 5 or 10 of these soul foods.
Other Times a mix of a few select foods, traditional herbs, or specific rasāyana.
In class each day, you’ll explore the teachings of Vedic Food Medicine from a focused perspective of the 12 different astrological signs from Aries to Pisces during Gitte Bechsgaard’s lecture.
Uncover new layers in understanding the nature of your constitution.
During the hours of daily guided practice, Gloria Goldberg will guide us through BKS Iyengar’s āsana or prāṇāyāma practices created to most specifically activate the energies of that day’s constellation or sign.
Experience the traditional transformations of Āyurveda as you undergo the personalized Somatheeram protocol.
The eco resort’s vast ayurvedic buffet and daily adjustments to your herbal regime, in discussion with the Āyurvedic Doctors following you closely, presents an incredible opportunity for experimentation.
Studying these jyotiṣa verses in the context of the ayurvedic purification, with the over 200 dishes and ingredients presented for every different constitution, provides a true blank canvas for self discovery and radical healing.
BKS Iyengar’s āsana and prāṇāyāma sequences, tailored to the jyotiṣa teaching presented, further complement the daily philosophy teachings and provide an actionable opportunity to integrate your Yoga Sādhanā with your prescribed soul foods.
Sustenance said to exhibit benefits entirely unique to your body, mind, and Sun sign.
Upon arrival I was to undergo a rigorous detoxification protocol to see if Somatheeram was the right fit for our group.
Gloria and I didn’t know what to expect.
Once we encountered the vast ayurvedic buffet offering plenty of options, and a juice menu so vast in choice, I had a feeling we were in the right place.
The Āyurvedic restaurant features a stunning sun terrace and a view of the Arabian sea.
This retreat delivers a unique opportunity to experience an authentic ayurvedic dietary detox and rejuvenation all together, with a range of items customized to the dietary prescriptions provided by your ayurvedic doctor as well as doṣa specific recommendations labeled alongside each dish.
For breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day, delicious Āyurvedic meals are served using a wide variety of fresh, organic, and locally-sourced ingredients.
100% pure vegetarian sattvik food.
Flavorful north and south Indian dishes, with a fresh made omelet stand and a DIY salad and fruit bar to complement. (Although every buffet also features a varying meat dish and fish dish for those who desire it.)
Endless copper colanders of curries, dosas, briyanis, soups, curries and local delicacies, with detailed descriptions below each item categorizing them by their appropriateness for each of the different doṣas (Vāta, pitta & Kapha).
And further additional instructions paired clearly alongside providing advice to aid choices in reference to your daily consultations with an Āyurvedic doctor.
Fresh & Organic Juices, Smoothies, and Cold Extractions.
To my surprise, the buffett even featured several European & East Asian choices as well, with the same Āyurvedic descriptors found alongside the medicinal food and Indian classics.
In fact, Somatheeram’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets feature over 200 different dishes prepared by the resort’s chefs under supervision of the Āyurvedic Doctors to ensure congruence with the principles of the tradition.
Numerous Vegan, Dairy Free, & Gluten Free Options for everyone.
Every dish and drink features clear details alongside, to guide your choices at the instructions of your doctor.
While it’s best if you adhere to their instructions closely to truly experience the 15 day transformation as intended, the buffets give attendees the flexibility to indulge and experience any cravings which the buffet might deliver.
Please Note that all rooms feature 24/7 room service and 24 hour access to the resort’s on-site Āyurvedic doctors.
Standard Cottage – 1 Space Remaining
Special Cottage – 7 Spaces Remaining
View Room Details Here <<
Kerala Standard Unit – 6 Spaces Remaining
Deluxe Cottage
[FULLY RESERVED]
Kerala Deluxe Suite
[FULLY RESERVED]
The retreat is 15 days and nights long.
No, Somatheeram Āyurvedic Health Resort is fully booked both the night before arrival and the night of departure.
No, the Āyurveda Village is at a different location on the same beach.
Somatheeram Āyurvedic Health Resort is only a 30 minute drive from Trivandrum International Airport (TRV) which is the airport we would advise you fly into, as the resort will arrange for your pickup.
Your enrollment comes with free pickup and dropoff from the airport via the Somatheeram private shuttle. You’ll be asked to provide your flight details to our staff and the resort once you’ve booked your journey.
Participants require at least 2 years of practice under the guidance of a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher in order to attend Gloria Goldberg’s daily classes.
Those who attend Bellur will have the option to pay a 150USD fee for transport, which includes a group flight to Bangalore airport and a bus to the BKS Iyengar Retreat Center in Bellur. And another bus ride back to Bangalore airport once the course is complete.
Yes, we have a zero-fee monthly payment plan available. The resort requires a deposit of 1600USD by February 15th, 2025, the remainder can be spread out over four separate monthly installments. You can select this option during checkout by clicking the “MINIMUM DEPOSIT ONLY” option. You’ll then be contacted 1 month later to initiate your remaining monthly installments.
We recommend booking with Skyscanner.com for your flight in order to find the lowest cost option available. Momondo also shows a wide variety of flight providers.
It is usually easier to fly one way into Trivandrum International Airport (TRV) and another one way flight out of BLR Kempegowda airport.
If you find that it is much cheaper for you to fly round trip to TRV , an additional local Indian flight back to TRV from Bangalore usually only costs 40-50USD.
Yes, the resort’s 13 experienced doctors have worked with a vast array of conditions as well as prescriptions.
We strongly recommend all attendees obtain trip cancellation insurance, if it’s not a feature of the credit card which they use to register.
Due to the rules of the local providers and resort we are unable to provide refunds.
Registration will close when all 30 spaces are reserved or when Somatheeram resort is fully booked. Since the months surrounding our retreat reservation are 100% reserved at the resort, we expect registration to close between February 15th and March 1st.
So long as the deposit is submitted by February 15th, you can complete the remainder of your enrollment in 4 monthly installments, with no additional fees charged for this option.
The deposit is due on February 15th, after which Somatheeram will no longer reserve spaces for Vidya Institute students. Somatheeram is fully booked a year ahead of time, so we suspect all cottages will be taken within a week of the deposit due date.
This retreat is limited to a 30 person class size.
Your enrollment covers all food, amenities, transport, daily Āyurvedic doctor consultations, 2 hours of daily ayurvedic massage/treatments, and 4 hours of daily teachings with Gloria Goldberg & Gitte Bechsgaard.
All cottages and suites are to be shared between two Vidya retreat participants, with two separate twin beds provided in all rooms. If you’re not attending with a friend you can reach out to our staff with rooming preferences or any specific needs.
Somatheeram resort requests a 1600USD deposit from all attendees in order to secure their space.
If you enroll and pay-in-full during checkout, this deposit is already included and your space is reserved.
Those who select a monthly payment plan can elect to submit a deposit first, and then pay the remainder of the enrollment fee gradually over the next four months.
The Total Package Price According To Cottage Choice:
1600USD Deposit + 4 Monthly Installments. (You can select the option to pay-in-full rather than make a deposit during registration)
Complete Full Enrollment or Deposit Payment Here<<
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