http://www.indiamike.com/india Searching for the perfect Guru? General well being from Ayurvedic Medicine to Reiki to Yoga. en Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:49:04 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.indiamike.com/india/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.indiamike.com/india http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/rishikesh-in-december-t95909/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:37:45 GMT Any idea what to expect in rishikesh in december? Does it get really cold or manageable? I've been there in summer, but iam concerned about the weather in december , especially due to my plans to stay in an ashram and iam sure they will be without heater or hot water.

Any feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India prince09 http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/rishikesh-in-december-t95909/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/ashram-for-a-beginner-t95573/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:10:29 GMT i'm a westerner, i am a complete beginner when it comes to ashrams, yoga and meditation, but it is something thats had my interest for a while now. but, being such a newbie to it all, im a bit shy i guess about starting out. i will be spending some time travelling india in the new year and was hoping to stop at an ashram to get myself a good introduction.

so, can anyone make any suggestions of places you know are good for beginners? i'll be going up and down the country so can stop at any time anywhere along the typical backpacker trail, although i like the idea of being at a retreat which is isolated and very green (typical idealist, i know, but i feel i'd be more comfortable and at peace surrounded by nature).

(on a side note, i was looking as vipassana until reading the sticky - is it really that tough? any first hand experience from someone who tried it as a beginner would be great!)

thanks ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India reelist http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/ashram-for-a-beginner-t95573/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/the-walls-within-t95114/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:42:48 GMT Twenty years ago… a wall broke down… promising to bring humanity closer… promising to break down artificial barriers that had divided humanity for many decades, or perhaps centuries… promising to usher the world into unprecedented peace and brotherhood. Twenty year… down the line… the promise remains unfulfilled… the world has further slipped into insanity… into mutual suspicion and hatred… the optimism had paled and pessimism reigns large. Berlin wall… though important… was entirely symbolic… a higher and stronger wall still remains… within our hearts… within every heart… which doesn’t allow us to place unqualified trust, submission on to other fellow humans… we still find solace in being a race, a nation, a clan, a creed, a caste and a religion… and not in being a Human Being. Twenty years ago… I had a number of walls in my heart… this blog is the story of how these walls cracked and withered away… how it brought me closer to those, whom I thought, were my enemy (or at least adversary)… how it brought me closer to myself… how it made me cherish and relish the fact that I am a human being… to whom God has bestowed the blessing of not being provincial… but, who, still behaves provincially… as he were no better than a pack of wolf… My formative years… saw two most tumultuous incident of Indian modern history… the Mandal Commission agitation… in which the so called “Upper Caste Hindus” agitated against affirmative action is favour of the so called “Backward Caste Hindus”… and Ram Mandir agitation… in which right-leaning Hindus agitated in favour of constructing a temple in Ayodhya… in place of a defunct Mosque, which was constructed in medieval ages after demolishing a temple. These two incidents… had big impact on me… as an Upper Caste Hindu… I was fashioned to believe that my identity was endangered… and the only way to preserve myself was to ghettoize and construct wall that separates me from my adversaries… namely the Backward Caste Hindus and Muslims… respectively… no one told me… not even my parents… that such walls often use the raw materials of hatred, suspicion and selfishness… to be constructed. The walls kept growing bigger and stronger… during my Engineering College days… where caste used to play a huge role in deciding the election of General Secretary of the hostels… and the institute… these walls were very deceptive… they never appeared during personal interactions with a person from the adversarial group… they appeared only when the group identity took over… it made us think… that perhaps we are all right… as an individual and as a group… That I was in Kanpur… a communally sensitive city in the heart of communally charged Northern Indian plains… had another effect. Every time my cycle-rickshaw left Kanpur Central station… winding through the roads of Muslim-dominated areas… famous for their riots that broke out for petty reasons- like a Hindu eve-teased a Muslim girl or a policeman thrashed a Muslim boy… I felt a strange feeling in my gut… what if I am caught in one of these riots… would I turn into a mangled piece of flesh… Can I call this Muslim dominated part of Kanpur my own country… why do THEY celebrate when Pakistan wins in a cricket match…? This wall was even more deceptive… it made me feel like a patriot, a proud Indian… it not only made me think that I am right… but also that only I am right. This wall grew with every bomb-blast… that ripped the body of my motherland… Life it seems has its own way to even itself out… traveling was never a passion with me… it was just a way to spend long weekends… or meet some distant friend… or see some monuments… that common logic says… should be seen in one’s lifetime. However, later in my lonely hours of Jamnagar, I started traveling for refuge… the very first time when I ventured out alone… without a plan, out of my comfort zone… These lonely travels took me to different places… to Somnath… where I discovered God… the discovery that changed me from an uncaring atheist to the believer… to Alang, where I discovered myself… and to Nagpur… where I discovered that I may be a born Hindu… but was a blessing of Sufi saint Tajuddin Baba… when on the night of 7th October 1975, a Sufi appeared before my father… in a small railway station called Bindaki Road in Fatehpur… where my father was eagerly awaiting for a much-delayed passenger train to Allahabad… where my mother was undergoing labour pains… the Sufi said, all by himself without a prompt… the spirit of Tajuddin Baba has told me that you have been blessed with a son… tell him to visit Tajuddin Baba’s Mazar. I never looked back; thereafter… my travels broke down, slowly but surely, the walls within me… I still remember the face of Rohidas Gaekwad… whom I met during the aimless wanderings in Konkan… in a place called Jaitapur… who gave me new ways to think… new horizons to explore… who transformed me as a person, forever… he was a Dalit… the most backward caste of Indian society… and yet he would always be etched in my heart for being my Guru. Today… I am no longer an Upper Caste Hindu… I am just a human being… I discovered the Rohidas (or Raidas, a learned Hindu saint from Dalit caste) during traveling… he helped me in demolishing a huge wall inside my heart. My wanderings took me to Egypt, Syria and Jordan… where I met amazing people… where I started shedding doubts about Islam… about Muslims… where I learnt that I was wrong… Muslims are not preachers of hate… or intolerance… they are like me… or perhaps even better… they pray together… they eat together… they invite me for a iftaar… without even batting an eyelid… or questioning as to whether I am a Muslim or not… they helped me in breaking another huge wall inside my heart… Today… when I am perturbed by huge walls in the hearts of people all around… I wish they travel… to meet people beyond their comfort zones… to feel that a world palpates beyond their recognized patterns… which defies the walls… the stereotypes… which awaits them to make them realize that they first and foremost… are humans… Twenty years ago… a wall broke down… promising to bring humanity closer… promising to break down artificial barriers that had divided humanity for many decades, or perhaps centuries… promising to usher the world into unprecedented peace and brotherhood.

Twenty year… down the line… the promise remains unfulfilled… the world has further slipped into insanity… into mutual suspicion and hatred… the optimism had paled and pessimism reigns large.

Berlin wall… though important… was entirely symbolic… a higher and stronger wall still remains… within our hearts… within every heart… which doesn’t allow us to place unqualified trust, submission on to other fellow humans… we still find solace in being a race, a nation, a clan, a creed, a caste and a religion… and not in being a Human Being.

Twenty years ago… I had a number of walls in my heart… this blog is the story of how these walls cracked and withered away… how it brought me closer to those, whom I thought, were my enemy (or at least adversary)… how it brought me closer to myself… how it made me cherish and relish the fact that I am a human being… to whom God has bestowed the blessing of not being provincial… but, who, still behaves provincially… as he were no better than a pack of wolf…

My formative years… saw two most tumultuous incident of Indian modern history… the Mandal Commission agitation… in which the so called “Upper Caste Hindus” agitated against affirmative action is favour of the so called “Backward Caste Hindus”… and Ram Mandir agitation… in which right-leaning Hindus agitated in favour of constructing a temple in Ayodhya… in place of a defunct Mosque, which was constructed in medieval ages after demolishing a temple.

These two incidents… had big impact on me… as an Upper Caste Hindu… I was fashioned to believe that my identity was endangered… and the only way to preserve myself was to ghettoize and construct wall that separates me from my adversaries… namely the Backward Caste Hindus and Muslims… respectively… no one told me… not even my parents… that such walls often use the raw materials of hatred, suspicion and selfishness… to be constructed.

The walls kept growing bigger and stronger… during my Engineering College days… where caste used to play a huge role in deciding the election of General Secretary of the hostels… and the institute… these walls were very deceptive… they never appeared during personal interactions with a person from the adversarial group… they appeared only when the group identity took over… it made us think… that perhaps we are all right… as an individual and as a group…

That I was in Kanpur… a communally sensitive city in the heart of communally charged Northern Indian plains… had another effect. Every time my cycle-rickshaw left Kanpur Central station… winding through the roads of Muslim-dominated areas… famous for their riots that broke out for petty reasons- like a Hindu eve-teased a Muslim girl or a policeman thrashed a Muslim boy… I felt a strange feeling in my gut… what if I am caught in one of these riots… would I turn into a mangled piece of flesh… Can I call this Muslim dominated part of Kanpur my own country… why do THEY celebrate when Pakistan wins in a cricket match…? This wall was even more deceptive… it made me feel like a patriot, a proud Indian… it not only made me think that I am right… but also that only I am right. This wall grew with every bomb-blast… that ripped the body of my motherland…

Life it seems has its own way to even itself out… traveling was never a passion with me… it was just a way to spend long weekends… or meet some distant friend… or see some monuments… that common logic says… should be seen in one’s lifetime. However, later in my lonely hours of Jamnagar, I started traveling for refuge… the very first time when I ventured out alone… without a plan, out of my comfort zone…

These lonely travels took me to different places… to Somnath… where I discovered God… the discovery that changed me from an uncaring atheist to the believer… to Alang, where I discovered myself… and to Nagpur… where I discovered that I may be a born Hindu… but was a blessing of Sufi saint Tajuddin Baba… when on the night of 7th October 1975, a Sufi appeared before my father… in a small railway station called Bindaki Road in Fatehpur… where my father was eagerly awaiting for a much-delayed passenger train to Allahabad… where my mother was undergoing labour pains… the Sufi said, all by himself without a prompt… the spirit of Tajuddin Baba has told me that you have been blessed with a son… tell him to visit Tajuddin Baba’s Mazar.

I never looked back; thereafter… my travels broke down, slowly but surely, the walls within me…

I still remember the face of Rohidas Gaekwad… whom I met during the aimless wanderings in Konkan… in a place called Jaitapur… who gave me new ways to think… new horizons to explore… who transformed me as a person, forever… he was a Dalit… the most backward caste of Indian society… and yet he would always be etched in my heart for being my Guru. Today… I am no longer an Upper Caste Hindu… I am just a human being… I discovered the Rohidas (or Raidas, a learned Hindu saint from Dalit caste) during traveling… he helped me in demolishing a huge wall inside my heart.

My wanderings took me to Egypt, Syria and Jordan… where I met amazing people… where I started shedding doubts about Islam… about Muslims… where I learnt that I was wrong… Muslims are not preachers of hate… or intolerance… they are like me… or perhaps even better… they pray together… they eat together… they invite me for a iftaar… without even batting an eyelid… or questioning as to whether I am a Muslim or not… they helped me in breaking another huge wall inside my heart…

Today… when I am perturbed by huge walls in the hearts of people all around… I wish they travel… to meet people beyond their comfort zones… to feel that a world palpates beyond their recognized patterns… which defies the walls… the stereotypes… which awaits them to make them realize that they first and foremost… are humans… ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India pranavganesh http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/the-walls-within-t95114/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/help-with-yoga-decision-t94711/ Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:25:54 GMT Hi,

I'm trying to decide where to do a yoga course. I've done yoga a handful of times so really want to get stuck into it at one of the ashrams. I can get into Sivananda Yoga at Neyyar Dam in Trivandrum or into Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram in Rishikesh. I would just really appreciate to hear from others which is the better place to do yoga as well as to hear if any of you have done the courses at these particular ashrams.

At Sivananda, I'd be in a dorm room, which I don't quite fancy sharing with loads of people and at Anand Prakash, I would be in a twin room which is much more doable.

I'd appreciate any advice given. ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India GwynethH http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/help-with-yoga-decision-t94711/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/ashrams-and-homestays-in-kerala-goa-tamil-nadu-t94599/ Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:06:03 GMT We'll be in South Feb and March...any ashram recommendations..we'd like to spend some time in an ashram for yoga, but also considering ashram and homestays instead of hotels? any recommendations...simple is ok as long as it's clean:) ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India sunnysideup http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/ashrams-and-homestays-in-kerala-goa-tamil-nadu-t94599/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/natural-death-in-cows-and-eating-beef-t94586/ Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:02:08 GMT Hello everyone.

I've read several threads about eating cows, but I've done a search and haven't found an answer some very specific questions.

I'm aware that the vast majority Hindu population of India don't slaughter cows for comsuption like in the West.

But I read a book from A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada from the Hare Krshna movement a while back.

Prabhupada says that " You can eat a cow, only if she died of natural causes".

His reason is that he believes that humans reincarnate in cows,and when a cow is killed, the reincarnation is ended violently. If the cow dies naturally (eg:old age),the reincarnated spirit leaves and the dead flesh is safe to eat.

He goes on saying that the slaughtering of cows around the world is what causes all the pain and suffering in the world.

Now,I'm a Christian( not religious,mainly cultural) and I eat beef sometimes, but I respect Brabhupadas's beliefs, even thou I'm not a Hindu and don't believe that people reincarnate in cows.

Now, my questions are:

1) Do Hindus object to eating cow at all? or just cows that have been slaughtered for comsuption?


2) Can a Hindu person eat a cow that has died of natural causes(like old age)? or is still prohibited for Hindus/Jains to eat cow meat at all??

3) can a non-Hindu eat a cow in India as long as she has died of natural causes,and the people are not going to frown on you just because you are eating cow meat?


4) If is ok to eat a natural-death cow in India, Does the butcher must be a non-hindu/jain/Dharmic??


Ok, I know that there are many types of beliefs within Hinduism, I'm not sure if Prabhupada's belief one of the universal belief within the Hindu philosophy, or just a beliefs with some Hindus.

I'll appreciate your answers, thanx. ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India the navigator http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/natural-death-in-cows-and-eating-beef-t94586/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/vipassana-in-punjab-or-karnal-haryana-t94548/ Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:44:49 GMT Which Vipassana Center do you like better - Dhanna Karunika in Karnal, Haryana or Dhamma Dhaja in Hoshiarpur, Punjab? Which Vipassana Center do you like better - Dhanna Karunika in Karnal, Haryana or Dhamma Dhaja in Hoshiarpur, Punjab? ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India michelle1971 http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/vipassana-in-punjab-or-karnal-haryana-t94548/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/torn-between-2-ashrams-t94515/ Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:05:49 GMT hi,

I'm looking to spend a week or 2 in an ashram in Rishikesh and have narrowed my choice down to 2, it's between Phool Chatti and Anand Prakash.

Do any of you have any experience of staying at either of these? I know it's going to be down to me to make the decision at the end of the day (and I may spend some time in both!!) but any opinions would be gratefully received!

thanks,
Titch x ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India titch http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/torn-between-2-ashrams-t94515/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/yoga-ashrams-for-may-and-june-t94432/ Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:06:29 GMT [/b]Hi, we're beginner/intermediates to yoga - have been practising daily in the last 5 months, and on & off prior...

We'll be travelling to India in Mid Feb/March for 3-4 months, and would like to incorporate stays in ashrams for yoga during our travels...We're looking into staying in 2 ashrams w/10 days commitments with yoga regimen (hatha, ashtanga or iyengar) and meditation, chanting is ok but not too much. Any recommendations for ahrams in South and North? I've read quite a lot about the ashram conditions - simple is ok, but definitely cleanliness and good, decent food, and hot water is in our criteria - hopefully this criterion would not bring it up to be a too much of a touristy one just for the westerners!;) If located in a scenic area, all the better...

I've heard of Yoga Vidya Gurukul in Nasik, Yoga Vidya Dham, Sivanand Ashram in Kerala, or Uttarkashi, Parmarth Niketan Rishikesk, Yog Niketan...as good options...has anyone stayed in one of these, any recommendations? thanks:) ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India sunnysideup http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/yoga-ashrams-for-may-and-june-t94432/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/one-question-about-yoga-instructor-need-your-help-t94373/ Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:59:39 GMT Hi all,I am in China.
I have a question about yoga instructor, could you please kindly tell me how to do.
I set up one Yoga instructor training school in China Tianjin.
But in China we do not have a formal certification for yoga, I wonder is that possible if I train the instructor in China and one india school offer the certification, I can adjust my course as the school's, I can also pay for the certification. Cause I never do this before, could you kindly give me some advice. Or tell me where can I get answer. ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India im8610 http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/one-question-about-yoga-instructor-need-your-help-t94373/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/finding-an-ashram-in-early-april-t94238/ Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:43:32 GMT i've just finished 3 years yoga teacher training in the uk and am going to india with a fellow student to get the feel of yoga from its origin. we are finding it hard to diciede on north or south will the south be to hot??
we are there for 3 weeks and would like to spend 10 dayish in an ashram

any help gratefully recieved

trudi ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India trudi13 http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/finding-an-ashram-in-early-april-t94238/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/hatha-teachers-training-in-india-t93992/ Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:22:27 GMT Hello and thanks in advance for any genuine sincere views shared I am looking for schools to obtain teachers training and certification for a friend. prefer Hatha , or a well known blend of predominantly hatha with ashtanga/power/vinyasa if they have International accreditation. I am familiar with Satyananda Yoga in Australia , also like bringing some Ashtanga into the mix too. Please advise teacher training schools with , as mentioned , certification and recognised for integrity as i have heard some other schools lack the integrity part. I like Satyananda in Australia but would like to save money and experience it in the yoga source in India. also , a 3 - 4 month course is more preferable than 1 month if it means deeper quality. anyone got opinions on ; Rishi Yoga Yoga Vidya Dham Sivananda ( did this predate Satyananda ? ) Rishikesh yog Preeth any other suggestions please ??? thankyou mark. Hello and thanks in advance for any genuine sincere views shared

I am looking for schools to obtain teachers training and certification for a friend.

prefer Hatha , or a well known blend of predominantly hatha with ashtanga/power/vinyasa if they have International accreditation.

I am familiar with Satyananda Yoga in Australia , also like bringing some Ashtanga into the mix too.

Please advise teacher training schools with , as mentioned , certification and recognised for integrity as i have heard some other schools lack the integrity part.

I like Satyananda in Australia but would like to save money and experience it in the yoga source in India.

also , a 3 - 4 month course is more preferable than 1 month if it means deeper quality.

anyone got opinions on ;

Rishi Yoga
Yoga Vidya Dham
Sivananda ( did this predate Satyananda ? )
Rishikesh yog Preeth

any other suggestions please ???

thankyou mark. ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India HeadsUp http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/hatha-teachers-training-in-india-t93992/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/vipassana-meditation-courses-in-northern-india-t93951/ Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:03:04 GMT I am looking at Vipassana courses in Northern India - below is a list I pulled from dhamma.org - does anyone have a recommendation on any of these? I would appreciate your help... Haryana Kammaspur Village Dhamma Patthana Meditation Centre Karnal Dhamma Karunika Meditation Centre New Delhi Dhamma Sota Meditation Centre Himachal Pradesh Dharamsala Dhamma Sikhara Meditation Centre Punjab Hoshiarpur Dhamma Dhaja Meditation Centre Rajasthan Jaipur Dhamma Thali Meditation Centre Pushkar Dhamma Pushkar Meditation Centre Uttar Pradesh Lucknow Dhamma Lakkhana Meditation Centre Sarnath Dhamma Cakka Meditation Centre Shravasti Dhamma Suvatthi Meditation Centre Uttarakhand Dehradun Dhamma Salila Meditation Centre I am looking at Vipassana courses in Northern India - below is a list I pulled from dhamma.org - does anyone have a recommendation on any of these? I would appreciate your help...

Haryana
Kammaspur
Village Dhamma Patthana Meditation Centre
Karnal Dhamma Karunika Meditation Centre
New Delhi Dhamma Sota Meditation Centre

Himachal Pradesh
Dharamsala Dhamma Sikhara Meditation Centre

Punjab
Hoshiarpur Dhamma Dhaja Meditation Centre

Rajasthan
Jaipur Dhamma Thali Meditation Centre
Pushkar Dhamma Pushkar Meditation Centre

Uttar Pradesh
Lucknow Dhamma Lakkhana Meditation Centre
Sarnath Dhamma Cakka Meditation Centre
Shravasti Dhamma Suvatthi Meditation Centre

Uttarakhand
Dehradun Dhamma Salila Meditation Centre ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India michelle1971 http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/vipassana-meditation-courses-in-northern-india-t93951/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/need-honest-advice-for-ashram-in-india-t93837/ Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:13:03 GMT I know, I know - there are a lot threads and advice about asharms, yoga, meditation resorts in India - but I am looking for something specific - well, I think it is specific.

I recently sent in my app for the Osho Meditation Resort Work as a Residence program. Reading threads and articles has brought up some serious doubts whether this is the correct place for me.

here is what I am looking for and why I want to go to India:

I feel I am at a cross-roads in my life - as my friend said "are you having a mid-life crisis" - perhaps I said. I have lost my spark, my light, my lightness. I believe I can get this back in getting to know myself and I believe this can be done through meditation,etc.

I need some honest advice from all of you - is there a program, 2-3 months, where I can work and learn meditation, etc. minus the bullcrap stuff that seems to be coming up in the Osho Resort? ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India michelle1971 http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/need-honest-advice-for-ashram-in-india-t93837/ http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/i-want-to-join-a-monastery-t93823/ Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:32:49 GMT I am an American female moving to Bangalore to search for and join a monastery. does anyone know of convents in this area? I have studied Buddhas philosophy and I'm prepared to make this a lifetime commitment. I have 3 thousand dollars saved and I have friends to stay with in Bangalore. I'm an American female. Is there any one who knows about joining convents who could give advice? ]]> Yoga, Spirituality, and Religion in India cheryl.keaton http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/i-want-to-join-a-monastery-t93823/