Tureya Ashram in India
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The Tureya Ashram in India is one of the many unique spiritual communities in India. Their primary mission is to promote the ancient traditions of the Indian culture, especially that traditional practices of Yoga which include tantra yoga, kriya yoga, yoga therapy, yoga psychology, kundalini yoga, and raja yoga. The Tureya Foundation (TF) operates out of Madurai, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu India although the Ashram is located in the hill station of Kodaikanal.
The Tureya Foundation was started by Swami Tureyananda and his disciples to help spread and share the wisdom and culture of Ancient India. Their primary work is service and community development which they believe is achieved through a global community initiate to encourage knowledge and opportunity indiscriminate of race, sex, or economic class. Their basic slogan is "Go within to grow within" which suggests turning the mind and the senses inward through practices like meditation to invert consciousness to face the inner spirit.
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[edit] Location
The Tureya Ashram is located in Kodaikanal which is one of the few Hill Stations in Southern India. At 7,000 feet, Kodaikanal is able to maintain a relatively cool climate in comparison to the rest of India[1] . Other locations with similar climates include the Himalayas which are located along the southern tip of India. It also is home to many varieties of pants and animal, and farmers are able to grow many varieties of crops that cannot be bread on the plains including coffee beans and a majority of the European vegetables like carrots, lettuce, and cabbage[2].
[edit] Tradition
The traditional sciences and philosophies of the Indian culture is an important part of the teaching and training offered at the Tureya Ashram, and many of the practices that are offered have been documented to exist as far back as the Indus Valley Civilization including the meditation practices and asanas(physical postures)[3]. The other practices and technique from Kriya Yoga and Tantra Yoga are important components of the yogic tradition, and span thousands of years of history. Today many of the practices and techniques taught at the Tureya Foundation are part of an ancient and historic Indian Tradition, although many contemporary sciences have been used to integrate the practice.[citation needed]
Another means by which tradition is used at the Tureya Ashram is the ascetic style of living which they believe promotes the essential practices of spirituality. Although accommodations are made for people who come from developed nations, the main intention at the ashram is to reduce the external distractions and increase the spiritual awareness. In order to fulfill this ideal, the Ashram does not allow some modern equipment on ashram grounds including televisions and computers unless they are for educational purposes. They also keep the living quarters simple to encourage people to spend more time engaged in the Indian culture and their spiritual practices.
[edit] Contemporary Integration
The Tureya Ashram also uses a variety of concepts and techniques from contemporary science which they believe help to unify the gap between Eastern tradition and Western science. This is done through finding consistency between Eastern Philosophy and Western Philosophy respectively. They also teach Yoga Psychology (not yet a recognized medical science) which is a different approach to traditional psychology which uses the techniques and practices for the yogic tradition to help mend psychological disorders. This includes the practices of asanas, pranayama, kriyas, bundhas, meditation, and concentration. The essential idea is to unify the imbalance between the mind, body, and spirit (or universal causation).
Tureya Ashram also teaches the technique from Yoga Therapy which uses the yogic techniques to cure various ailments within the body. With the use of anatomy, physiology, and biology Yoga Therapy claims to be a traditional science with modern understanding because of the symbiotic relationship between the two view, that being Eastern Religiosity and Western physical science. They have also been known to use Ayurveda to assist in the healing process associated with Yoga Therapy[4].
[edit] Community
Community is also an important aspect which is expressed from with the Indian Culture and Yogic tradition. Although the Tureya Foundation teaches international students, they also work with local communities to help develop education and gender rites. In association with the Cohen Foundation of India, the Tureya Foundation is working to help promote the local communities throughout Southern India, especially lower-class villages and slums.
As part of the Karma Yoga tradition, the Tureya community encourages members to work with local groups and communities to relieve the inequality of poverty and sexual discrimination. Ashram visitors and residents are not required to work with the local villages that surround the ashram but there is plenty of opportunity available for people who wish to do community service work while studying yoga.
[edit] References
- ^ Kodaikanal.org, Kodaikanal climateKodaikanal climate
- ^ Thomas, William. The Indian Hill Station: Kodaikanal Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Vol. 64, No. 4 (Dec., 1974), pp. 596-597.
- ^ Rajesh Bhat. Ancient peep into Kashmir's past (HTM). Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
- ^ Lad, Vasant, ed. (1999). The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies. SBN-10 0609802860.
