The Ashram Tradition
As a tradition, ashrams existed as hermitages for Saints and sages living the path of tranquility and peace through the guidance of yoga and other esoteric traditions from the Indian culture. They lived in nature, immersed in the sanctuary and beauty of mother Earth. Ashram dwellers lived simple lives, sometimes to the extent of residing in nothing more than a cave along the side of a mountain in the Himalayas. Ashrams, whether in the mountains, plains, by the ocean, or along the Ganges, all provided a place for spiritual hermits to rest themselves and in some instances pursue the guidance of a guru to whom they devoted their lives .
While the tradition may have changed as new generations of Yogis have come into the world with new trends and new beliefs, the ashram tradition still remains as an embodiment of spiritual society. No longer isolated within the Indian borders, ashrams have sprung up all over the world as centers for spiritual uplift and transcendental training to help the spirit cross from the physical to the metaphysical realm of human living. There are many forms of ashrams today, some as rustic as those in the past and others as modern as a Hilton hotel. What matters is not the external features of the ashram, although this may be an incentive for staying, the true essence of the ashram environment is rooted within the soil of spirituality and higher visions for life’s purpose.
Traditionally ashrams were located within environments which would conduct the vibrant forces of spirituality, making it possible for the spiritual practitioner to achieve greater goals of spirituality in a shorter period of time. The potency of the environment was dependent on several factors:
- On an external level, the quality of the natural environment directly influenced the peace surrounding the spiritual practitioner. While spirituality is conducted on an inner level, a proper natural setting does help in conducting spiritual practices. On a simple note, yoga has never depended on external environment for spirituality, however nature has always held the capacity to inspire insight and creativity which may not have been possible in other environments.
- The guru of the ashram also played a significant role in the quality of the ashram itself. In yoga it is believed that the guru is divine and leader of the disciple, and without a proper teacher or guide, yoga philosophy believes it is extremely difficult for the spiritual practitioner to stay on the path of spirituality which leads to self-realization.
- There are also locations which are said to be under the influence of the divine. Such locations have been chosen by various forms of the cosmic consciousnesses as outlets for people to obtain the higher goals of living.
- Among other things, the final quality which helped to define an ashram was the competency of the disciples, as the proficiency and devotion of the disciples directly influenced the vibrancy of the ashram. With more devotion, the ashrams became greater centers for new spiritual practitioners to take the path of yoga.
Of course as positive qualities existed, so too did negative qualities, and for this reason ashrams were selectively chosen to help students obtain self-realization in the most potent environment. For this reason, ashrams were typically detached from human habitation, and are also located in natural settings such as forest regions and mountain regions in which the practitioners can easily connect with nature and find the means necessary to induce their spiritual practice and meditation.
Today, the standard location for ashrams has changed as more people flock to yoga for spirituality and health benefits. While the tradition requisite for a proper ashram environment is one located nature, away from the demands of society, there are many ashrams which have taken up residency in larger cities to help accommodate the growing population of individuals devoted to yoga.
Both in the past and present, ashrams have been locations for residential students who are committed to practicing and performing spiritual techniques and discipline which lead to greater wellness, health, and spiritual awareness. To maintain their discipline, practices such as yoga asanas, pranayama, kriyas, and meditation were all performed to assist in the development of the mind, body, and spirit. There is no generic form of yoga, even 10,000 years ago there were several divisions of yoga practiced, each with their own design and philosophical beliefs and aims. Not all yoga practitioners perform the same techniques to accomplish the goals of spirituality; some maintain strict adherence to physical discipline where other traditions focused primarily on the mind and reshaping the mental thought patterns. There are also ashrams for yoga practitioners who devote the majority of their day to devotion and prayer in reverence to God.
Some major differences between ashrams of the past and ashrams of the present is the fact that previously there were numerous ashrams throughout India which acted as both spiritual centers as well as schools for growing children and young adults. In some cases parents would send their children to an ashram from the age of 8 to 18 to have their child brought up and trained in a gurukal study environment. Under such training, children were taught to excel in all aspects of life from the mundane to the super natural. Ashrams of the past had also existed as places for study in which people learned traditional arts from the Indian culture. Ashram visitors of the present are individuals who come to are seek spiritual refuge and means in which they can improve their life through the practice of yoga.
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