If making a spiritual journey

to the birthplace of yoga is on

your bucket list—or, if you’ve

been and want to return in a

way that feels more authentic

and connected—read on.

From the must-see places

and pilgrimages to top tips on

how to stay healthy on the

road, here’s what you need

to know before

you plan your trip.

I STARTED PRACTICING YOGA in a

crowded gym, my mat so close to the

student’s next to mine that I couldn’t tell

whose sweat droplets were whose. Like

many Westeners, I was introduced to

yoga as a physical activity—I considered

it a complement to the triathlon

training I was doing at the time—and

thought of it as only that for the first five

or so years I practiced.

Then, I started practicing with a yoga

teacher who dropped lessons about

yoga’s lineage into her classes. That led

me to another instructor, who taught

me even more about this ancient

practice, the origins of which date to

pre-Vedic times (1500–500 BCE) and are

widely believed to have morphed into

the Hatha Yoga that spread during

British colonial rule of India and that

Westerners practice today. The more I

learned, the more I realised that eventually,

I’d want to make a pilgrimage to yoga’s

birthplace so I could understand more

fully the practice I’d come to love.

I had that chance three years ago.

What I learned is that, similar to my

journey on my yoga mat, a meaningful

trip to India can’t just be about taking.

Rather, it should be about studying up

on the places you’ll visit and cultures

you’ll experience, connecting

meaningfully with the people you meet

when you’re there, giving back through

seva (selfless service) work, and, most

important, staying open to learning. It’s

my sincere hope that this guide will help

you do just that.

IND IA

VARANASI^61

july 2019

yogajournal.com.au

By Meghan Rabbitt