As yoga becomes more and more a part of mainstream life in America and elsewhere, those who have experienced its benefits are looking to go deeper. The well of yoga is deep indeed, for the discipline has been practiced in various forms for thousands of years, with countless branches and techniques appearing, flourishing, and influencing others over the course of that long tradition.
Given these facts, much of what is taught to Westerners is necessarily of a simplified sort compared to what a student who delved deep into particular style of yoga might come to learn. While that strikes some as forming an indictment of the Western style of yoga teaching, it is much more likely that the accessibility of yoga has opened up countless people to learning something important that they otherwise never would have become interested in.
As these new yoga adherents advance in their practice, of course, they come to understand that there is always more to learn. Companies like Blooming Lotus Yoga provide an important service here, for they make it as easy as possible for these engaged, ambitious yoga practitioners to take the next step, supplementing their yoga foundations with intensive studies in countries where yoga is traditionally practiced.
In Bali, Indonesia, for example, a distinctive and vital form of yoga has evolved over many centuries. Isolated from the greater population of the world’s yoga practitioners, those based in Bali took the fundamentals of the practice and developed them in unique ways that build on yoga’s basic strengths. The Balinese version of yoga, then, is an important and worthwhile one, and many Western students find that it is among the most appealing and rewarding of all.
Intensive, full-immersion retreats allow students who head to Bali to be sure that they are making the most of their time. While still being able to enjoy the incredible natural splendor and beauty of Bali, students who commit to learning yoga can also benefit from six or more hours per day of practice and hands-on study, learning that ensures that they will come away from these interludes with deeper, more informed perspective on what yoga is and means.