Yoga Retreats and Teacher Training Courses in Nepal

Yoga is a traditional practice of mental and physical discipline that originated in Nepal and North India that has become very popular worldwide, especially in recent times now that western people are more open minded towards Eastern meditative practices. Though yoga workshops can now be taken in almost every city in Europe and America, for many die hard yoga practicers a yoga retreat in Nepal amongst the majestic Himalayas is the ultimate yoga experience that’s not to be missed. An Everest yoga retreat really is something special.

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal is home to a large number of yoga retreats, yoga workshops, ashrams and wellness centres, offering a large choice of yoga styles, holistic nutrition, and also yoga TTC (teacher training courses); these are visited by people from all over the world, all eager to improve their mind, body and spirit by practicing yoga in the Himalayas of Nepal, home to the humble Nepalese and proud Mount Everest.

There are already several well established yoga retreats and ashrams in the Himalayas that have Everest as a spectacular background for their classes, and the number of yoga retreats in Nepal is growing yearly as more and more visitors make the trip to Nepal to enjoy and learn from the many yoga workshops and yoga teachers that are based there.

Ashrams are traditionally a religious hermitage, though in modern times they often denote a place for various spiritual practices such as music study or yoga. There are a large number of ashrams in Nepal that specialise in yoga training, and they are typically located far away from human habitation so as to be able to offer the seclusion one needs for such a spiritual form of exercise.

Ashrams and yoga retreats in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal offer a wide range of different styles of yoga in their yoga workshops, so when choosing a yoga retreat one must consider what goals they are hoping to achieve with their yoga practice, and then research what style of yoga will be the most beneficial to them. Many of them also now offer holistic nutrition.

Yoga workshops don’t just offer training for people who practice yoga, but they also provide yoga teacher training for people that wish to take their yoga skills to a higher level and begin teaching yoga themselves.

Many of the yoga retreats in Nepal offer full yoga teacher training courses (TTC) in their workshops now and TTC’s are one of the fastest growing branches of the yoga retreats in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Studying a teacher training course at a yoga retreat in Nepal takes students to the next level of the yoga experience introducing new skills, knowledge and awareness of yoga practice, and of course most importantly it teaches one how to pass on this knowledge others.

There is something quite special about being nestled away in the Himalayas of Nepal, on the roof of the world, learning and practicing the ancient art of yoga. Perhaps this is because of the obvious historical association Nepal has with yoga, but there is also something about the Himalayas themselves, the remoteness, being cut off from modern civilization, and of course, beautiful scenery gives the region and Nepal a unique spiritual atmosphere that’s hard to find anywhere else. Whatever it is, visiting an Everest ashram or yoga retreat at Everest is an experience that is not to be forgotten.

A yoga retreat or Ashram in Nepal allows one to take time out from their modern lives and everyday stresses and take the time to focus their attention and concentration on themselves and their physical and mental well being, something that many people forget to do in today’s western society.

The benefits of visiting Nepal for a yoga retreat include the obvious physical benefits of increased strength and flexibility that come with yoga practice, the improved mental state of mind that comes from meditation, and last but not least the very basic relaxation and ‘getting away from it all’ feeling that waking up in the morning and looking out upon a mountain range as impressive as the Himalayas gives you.

Of course a yoga retreat is not only rewarding for the time one visits the retreat, it’s an educational holiday and learning new meditation and yoga techniques at a yoga workshop is a long term benefit that one can take home back to their own country where they continue to use the knowledge they have learned about yoga in Nepal to continue their practice and improve their lives.

Outside of yoga workshops and yoga teacher training courses, a yoga retreat or ashram in Nepal also offers an amazing Himalayan holiday experience and visitors can partake in a number of other activities such as taking long walks, trekking in the mountains, canoeing, cycling, and bird watching.

Yoga is considered beneficial for a person’s health for many reasons, including reducing high blood pressure (hypertension), lowering blood glucose levels, lessening the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain and arthritis, and even reducing the symptoms of asthma.

It should be noted though that studies on the medical benefits of yoga are not as comprehensive as they need to be able to have definite proof about the benefits of yoga. One of the reasons for this is that many studies on yoga are conducted in Nepal and India and only published in foreign medical journals where the standards of the journalists and researchers cannot be checked and controlled. Though these yoga study results regarding direct medical benefits are inconclusive there is a general agreement in medical circles and amongst yoga practicers that yoga is beneficial to one’s health.

People who practice yoga report better moods, having less tension and more energy after yoga workshops, all giving a better quality of life. There are also the more obvious benefits gained through exercising one’s body with yoga practice such as increased strength, increased flexibility and improved balance. There are several different styles of yoga and each one has its specific benefits so if you are trying yoga to obtain a specific benefit it’s worth researching what yoga style is going to be the most useful to you.

More information about Yoga retreats and yoga teacher training courses (TTC) in Nepal can be found at Yogi-Nomad.org .