ashram experience
conditioning
Emotional 

Introduction
The Inbound School of Yoga does not require that you change your religion or become a monk.
We benefit from a very long tradition and gain many benefits for our lives.

Even though many of the course teachers and those who conduct ceremonies are Yogis in their practical life and some have years of training in the Ashram life style, any person can participate, there are no conditions. Praying is
not a must, even though you will witness some mantra chanting and can find your own way to connect to that universal string that connects each one of
us to each other and to nature.

The Ashram expierience is designed to permit anyone to take a break from the routine of their life.
Imagine getting up at four to five in the morning and joining the morning prayers with celebate monks.
Learn how to meditate and purify your mind. 
Practice Jnana Yoga. Learn how to find your own faults and how to deal with them. Get over doubts by discussing the scriptures of Yoga. 
Do Karma Yoga by serving other Yogis in community service.

The Intensive ashram expierience of the Inbound school of Yoga is perfect for the following people:
For those who want to know more about the roots of Hindu and Yoga culture.
For those who need a break.
For those who want to purify their body and mind.
For those who want to know their inner potential.
For those who want to get the strength to be able to follow their own vows.
For those who want to overcome an addiction which is still mentally bothering them, but not for full drug addicts.
For those who want to use their free time for a truly spiritual expierience.
For those who want to know first hand what it feels like to practice Yoga and become filled with a cultural experience free from the consumer society goals and entertainments.

For those who want to do community work such as organic agriculture and other selfless "helping hands" activities.
The Ashram expierience has space for variety in accordance with personal inclinations, but follows a basic program and every student is expected to
follow that strictly to get the real benefit from the course.
Duration of the Courses can be as long as the students likes.
 
There is only one real mystical expierience. That is the one we make in our own hearts.
Meditation, prayer, reflection, self- analysis and a spirit of sacrifice for the benefit of others form part of a substantial relaxation and strenthening of our students.

You will experience a wide range of emotions during the course ranging from elation to fear and from frustration and doubt to triumph. The thrill of meeting new challenges individually and as a group is invariably accompanied
by moments of stress and uncertainty. Be open to change and be ready to communicate, adapt, and utilize your own resources. These qualities will help both you and your group reach emotional highs and deal with emotional lows. 
Also, before you come, you should really think about what you would like to get out of the course.

Physical 
You do not have to be an athlete or highly trained to participate in the Inbound Yoga experience courses. However, you do have to be prepared physically because some courses are demanding. Expect to be using your
muscles, take long walks (shoes optional) and to test your endurance in new ways. Conditioning for the course before you arrive will help you get the maximum enjoyment out of the course. It takes strength and endurance to live
under simple conditions, sharing everything with  others, sleeping on the floor, helping to cook, getting up early, etc. Be prepared.
Exercise
Conditioning for any course and journey involves developing your aerobic fitness by running, biking, swimming, or any other activity that stimulates your heart and lungs for at least 30 minutes without stopping.
Efficient training is not dependent simply on the number of times your heart beats per minute (take your pulse for six seconds and multiply by 10). 
If you exercise too slowly, you just burn calories, too quickly and you may burn out before the 30 minutes. The key is moderate effort. One way to measure if you are exercising too hard is the Talk Test. If you are pushing too hard to carry on a conversation, it¹s possible that you are working harder than your body can train. If fast running leaves you breathless, slow down, even if it means walking. Find a comfortable level, then slowly build up. You¹ve probably heard many people complain of tired achy bodies after exercise. It is likely that they wanted to improve too quickly and pushed too hard. Many are not aware that as long as a person is around their Target
Heart Rate (170-Age =THR), the more moderate they go, the faster they will improve.
For any journey with the Inbound school of Yoga, you should be training five to six days a week, at least 30 minutes a day. Make sure you take one day a week off. A few weeks of endurance exercise will really begin to pay off. Start training at least eight weeks before you start your course.
Choosing an Exercise Program 
For most people, the best exercise for getting and staying in shape is jogging. Why jogging? Aside from being inexpensive and accessible, it is the most efficient way to use your large leg muscles—requiring the heart and circulatory system to pump large quantities of blood and oxygen. However, if jogging is not for you, find an exercise activity that you are motivated to do.  Yoga and stretching to maintain flexibility is also an important aspect of conditioning.
Eight Week Fitness Program
Once you have passed your pre-course medical examination, the following program is appropriate for training. If you do not have the full eight weeks to train, you can still be in good enough shape to take a course. Start as soon as you can and do as much as you are able to in the time you have. Please take this conditioning program seriously. 
If you have the chance visit a preperation talk to get to know more about the journeys and courses of the Inbound School of Yoga, our courses and the Intensive ashram experience.
Local coordinators offer a variety of introductions such as Video presentations and conversations to form the groups to different destinations and courses. They plan the best timings, make all the reservations with the respective local representatives and form the groups. Sometimes they also take the groups personally on the journeys.
 
 

Things to Remember:

Sit at least ten minutes quietly and cross-legged every day. Invoke the holy sound of Om ( Aum) within your mind or by vibrating it deeply and long.
Think about the power that keeps everything going. Pray for success in all your undertakings or simply offer yourself to your inner realizations.
Start every day like that as early as possible before sun rise.

Find a type of exercise that you enjoy.

Mix up the training to avoid doing the same thing everyday (jog, swim, bike, etc.)
Keep your Target Heart Rate in mind and utilize the Talk Test
Don’t push too hard and hurt yourself--increase your work load by no more than 10% a week
Take at least one day off a week
Exercise Plan:
If you do not know any simple Yoga exercises we will send you a brochure when you register so you can start doing the basic exercises as a preperation.
Week One (build)
Get up before sun rise and read the Unknown India for 20 Minutes
When you finish that book in the time of your preparation you may also read the Sri Isopanishad the first reader for students of  Yoga. ( You can order these books from us or we supply them when you register for the course.)
Day 1,3,5: 15 minutes of aerobic fitness training
Day 2,4,6: 10 minutes of stretching, 10 minutes of simple Yoga exercises
Day 7: Rest
Week Two (build)
Day 1,3,5: 30 minutes of aerobic fitness training
Day 2,4,6: 10 minutes of stretching, 15 minutes of simple Yoga exercises
Day 7: Rest
Week Three (build)
Day 1,3,5: 30 minutes of aerobic fitness training
Day 2,4,6: 10 minutes of stretching, 20 minutes of simple Yoga exercises
Day 7: Rest
Week Four and Five (build)
Same as above but increase stretching time slightly
Week Six (build)
Day 1,3,5: 30 minutes of aerobic fitness training
Day 2,4,6: 15 minutes of stretching, 25 minutes of simple Yoga exercises
Day 7: Rest
Week Seven (build)
Day 1,3,5: 30-45 minutes of aerobic fitness training
Day 2,4,6: 15 minutes of stretching, 30 minutes of simple Yoga exercises
Day 7: Rest
Week Eight (taper off one week prior to course)
Day 1,3,5: 30 minutes of aerobic fitness training
Day 2,4,6: 10 minutes of stretching, 10 minutes of simple Yoga exercises
Day 7: Rest and have a great journey and wonderful courses
Try to avoid expectations about how you will perform on your course. There are many kinds of strengths and having strong muscles is only one of them. Stamina involves the mind as well as the body; being strong in mind and spirit is equally important. You’ll find that your group is made up of people very much like yourself—not super men and women. Each member will bring something special and each will have accepted a very personal challenge.
After the Ashram expierience you can maintain contact with the ashram if you like by inviting members to give lectures in your area, etc. We want you to take with you the strength to go on with  the love of Yoga throughout your life.