Tapas, Svadhyaya, Ishwara Pranidhana

A 45-day residential spiritual retreat at the Satsang Foundation Ashram in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh, home of Bharat Yogavidya Kendra (BYK). Built on the three pillars of Kriya Yoga, tapas (discipline), svadhyaya (self-study) and Ishvara pranidhana (surrender), it is an ashram immersion for sincere practitioners who want to deepen their sadhana within a fixed daily routine. It is led by BYK's senior teachers Vivek Rengaraj and Chitra Ganesh, in the tradition of Sri M.

The retreat is not meant as an escape from life. Its aim is to prepare participants to return to everyday life with more simplicity, steadiness, humility and responsibility.

What to Expect

Days follow one timetable, and the routine itself is part of the practice. Rising, practice, study, meals, seva, silence and rest are all observed with regularity. The idea is to move gradually from external discipline to internal discipline, and to understand why the routine exists and what it shows you.

The day begins at 5:00 AM with morning kriya, a silent walk or meditation, followed by arti at the temple and an asana class with the Madanapalle community. After breakfast comes personal time, then seva at the kitchen, school, temple, goshala or hospital. From 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM there is a svadhyaya session: sutras on Mondays and Fridays, Upanishads on Wednesdays, and optional bhajans, chanting or yoga nidra on other days.

The afternoon holds an hour of rest in silence, a second period of seva, and daily yoga nidra and pranayama supervised by faculty. Evening kriya practice follows, then arti, quiet sitting, and dinner in silence. The day closes with satsang, bhajans or trataka, and then lights out and silence.

Study centres on two books. Sri M's Yoga Also for the Godless treats yoga as a lived discipline and enquiry rather than a set of beliefs. The Mandukya Upanishad turns attention to waking, dream and deep sleep, and to Turiya, which underlies and transcends them.

The retreat also encourages mindful speech and periods of mauna, simplicity in food and possessions, punctuality, respect for teachers and fellow sadhakas, and honest observation of one's own mind. Living together as a sangha is part of the teaching, though responsibility for sadhana rests with each person.

About Vivek Rengaraj

Vivek Rengaraj is Institute Lead at BYK and has been part of the institute since its inception. He has close to a decade of experience in yoga and is known for turning complex asana or philosophy into clear, approachable steps. He is lead trainer for BYK's teacher training programs and its intermediate and advanced yoga classes. His motivation comes from his teacher, Sri M, and from returning to foundational teachings with greater depth.

About Chitra Ganesh

Chitra Ganesh is Academic Lead at BYK and has practised and taught yoga for more than a decade. She is known for a heartfelt approach that blends practice and philosophy and makes yoga accessible across age groups. She designs curriculum and programs at BYK and guides its teachers. She is currently deepening her mantra sadhana and studying naturopathy.

The Setting

Madanapalle is the spiritual home of Sri M. He travels often, so participants may have opportunities to interact with him online or in person depending on his schedule. A senior yoga teacher is always present on campus to correct technique and guide practice. Participants have access to the library, Yogashala and temple. Rooms are twin or triple sharing, and all meals are vegetarian, with tea.

Before You Go

The cohort is small, with only ten participants each year. Preference goes to those already initiated into Kriya by Sri M, since Kriya forms the core of the daily schedule. The program can be attended once every two years.

The fee covers tuition, accommodation, vegetarian meals and tea, and a course kit with one yoga mat, two BYK uniforms and one bag. Travel to and from Madanapalle, laundry, and medical expenses or medicines are not included.

Applying begins with a handwritten letter describing your background, yoga experience, current profession, whether you have been initiated into Kriya, and what draws you to the program. You also sign a Code of Conduct, which BYK reviews before replying about your application.