Varanasi City
Yoga at Varanasi has flourished for hundreds of years. Besides the traditional Yoga centers, there are many institutional Yoga centers at Varanasi.

Varanasi : Art & Culture : Yoga at Varanasi

Yoga at Varanasi

Varanasi has been a great center of Indian philosophy, spiritualism, Ayurveda, Yoga and mysticism. Yoga is a way of balancing and harmonizing the body, mind and emotions. Yoga is done through the practice of asana (the physical exercise), pranayama (the breathing technique) and mudra. All these practices purify the body, mind and energy system to prepare the ground for higher practice of meditation and for the ultimate experience of cosmic consciousness.

The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word "Yog", which means "unity" or means to join. This unity or joining is described in spiritual term as the union of Shakti (energy) with his consort Shiva (the supreme consciousness) and this is the central theme of yoga. At Varanasi, there is a great tradition of Yoga learning and this continues even to this day. Traditionally, Ashrams and Muths have been the center of Yoga practice and learning and with the establishment and development of modern institutions of learning, Yoga has been given due place in their curriculum.

There are separate faculties and departments of Yoga, Ayurveda, and Meditation and Astrology in B.H.U. and Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. Varanasi is the center for Yoga, Ayurveda, Meditation and Astrology. Following are main centers for Yoga, Meditation and Astrology.

  • B.H.U.
  • Man Mandir
  • Bhring Sanhita Kendra, Bhadaini
  • Center For Yoga & Meditation, Nirala Nagar
  • Pragya Yoga Institute, Jagat Ganj
  • S.S.U.
  • Gayan Pravah
  • Kashi Yoga Sangh, Sankat Mochan
  • International Yoga & Meditation Centre, Nagawa