What's life like in an Ashram?
30 days in.
On the 5th of February 2025 I finally arrived.
After years of thinking, wondering and questioning. I arrived back at the place it all began. Govinda Valley Yoga school and Ashram.
Within a blink of my eyes its already been close to 30 days since I arrived.
Its been a wild ride.
But lets give you some context as to what Govinda Valley means to me. Lets take a minute to set the scene.
I first arrived at Govinda Valley 5 years ago. I was a stoner, a boozer and a purveyor of the finest caffeinate beverages I could get my hands on. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing but I knew something had to change. During those initial months here everything as I knew it would change forever.
But, lets back up a second. You might be thinking “What the hell is an Ashram Jake”. Let me explain. An ashram is a place where you can go for spiritual, emotional and physical growth. Think of it as a shelter for the chaotic “real world” that we all inhabit. Basically the arrangement is you help around the property or centre for a couple hours a day. You wash dishes, cut carrots, change bedding. Anything to maintain the upkeep and function of the place you live. In exchange you get some food in your belly, a place to sleep and a supportive environment that helps you to journey inward and grow practice spiritual discipline. This is the basic ashram arrangement, however Govinda valley is a little different.
5 years ago, I could begin to even fathom how this place would effect the trajectory of my life. When I came here the first time, I engaged in sobriety for the first time, I discovered the power of meditation and breathwork and I met a whole host of incredibly special and beautiful people. This place had changed everything for me. It set me on the path that I am today.
So you might be wondering why I am back?
Well, let me explain.
Govinda valley ignited a fire of curiosity in me that has been raging through my soul for the past 5 years. The initial experience propelled me forward on a journey of self development of growth.
As I continued my life back in Scotland, things were good. I felt like I had positive momentum. I had a good group of friends. But, this place just kept coming back in to my consciousness. I knew deep down that there was still work here to be done. Questions to be answered and experiences to be gained.
Originally when I came here. The structure was fairly loose. You did you 4 hours of service a day aka volunteering and in exchange you got three amazingly beautiful vegan meals, a place to stay and access to the retreat program that the guests had access too.
Things are a little different now. I am taking part in there level 1 course. In this course we do one hour of yoga per day everyday from 6am - 7am. We have classes on yoga philosophy, habit creation, ayurveda and many other esoteric disiplince’s. My service is in the kitchen and I help to prepare delicious vegan meals for up to 100 people. The rest of my afternoon is spent on cultivating good habits. Im meditating more, working out more, writing more. Doing everything I know that is good for my soul and spirit.
There is certain guidelines to being in a place like this. Commitments that we make to ourselves to uphold the integrity of the space. Things like no meat, no diary, no caffeine, no alcohol, no substances. Men and women sleep in different buildings. We are encouraged to spend our free time mindfully. Working on our dreams and our visions for the future.
You might be thinking “Wow, Jake this sounds like a lot” and your right it is. A place like this is not for everyone. However if you are a curious soul looking to expand your heart and mind then you should keep reading.
Its not all sunshine and vegan rainbows though.
Trust me its not easy getting up at 5:15am everyday to do my yoga and meditation practice. But I can tell you that my body feels the best its felt in years.
Washing dishes is not my favorite thing to do in the world. However with each dish I was I feel like I’m cleaning a corner of my soul. I get to be blessed with the amazing company of a group of beautiful souls. There is no shouting, no swearing. Everybody is always smiling. We engage in soul centered discussions around growth and spirituality. It doesn’t matter how many dishes I wash, how many carrots I cut or how many potatoes I peel. I always walk out of the kitchen feeling lighter than when I came in.
Govinda Valley is situated in a beautiful emerald oasis that is Otford NSW Australia. No matter in which way you look. You are always surrounded by trees - a protective green embrace that shields us from the outside world, These ancient beings protect us and shield the ashram from the outside world. Helping us to create a space where we can dive deep to explore the texture of our souls.
I feel lucky that I get to be apart of this environment for at least 4 months. One month in, what have I learned?
Restriction is the key to freedom. We live in a world where we can access almost any of our hearts desires within the click of a button. A world of infinite choice and possibility. You’d think that would be great right? Wrong. Our brains are simply not able to process this mass of data and information that is thrown to us on a daily occurrence. Restricting yourself for a time, helps to open up to your mind to what you need vs what you think you need. I used to think I need to drink coffee in the morning, one month without coffee and it turns out I don’t.
The act of selfless service can cleanse any emotion that the heart faces. Do you remember the last time you helped someone? It felt good right? Well that’s how service can feel. Every single day.
Stillness is the antidote. We live in a world that your value as a human being is intricately linked to what you produce, what you can offer the world. Intentional stillness brings us back to our true nature. Its brings us back into a space of being. We are not human doings. We are human beings.
There is approximately thirty residents on the property. That means I have thirty room mates. Living in community is such a beautiful experience but it does come with its challenges. It helps me to be aware of my social battery, when I can give and when I need to take a step back and bathe in the silence that surrounds us.
If you are interested in finding out more about Govinda Valley. I’ve popped there website link here. -
https://www.govindavalley.com.au/
In terms of lessons, I’m going to check out for now. As I write this my bed time fast approaches. 9pm. Got to be up at 5:15am for yoga.
Until next time.
With love,
Jake