Sattva Yoga Academy

The campus of Sattva Yoga Academy sits on the banks of a spring-fed river at the base of the Himalayas, in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, near Rishikesh. Its pages make a point of the difference: unlike the many Rishikesh schools run out of guesthouses, Sattva has its own campus, built for yogic practice. It has three yoga and meditation halls, each with garden space, and a chemical-free swimming pool, with the river alongside.

The teaching is what the Academy calls Sattva Yoga, "sattva" being Sanskrit for whole. It is rooted in the Vedantic and Tantric traditions and was developed in the Himalayas. It brings together Hatha asana, breathwork, Kundalini kriyas, Naad (sound, mantra and music), meditation, chanting and free movement. The Academy names its founder and master teacher as Anand Mehrotra, and says it has trained students from 75 countries.

The place is built around its table as much as its halls. Three restaurants serve organic vegetarian meals, and the Academy says 70 percent of the produce comes from its own farms, with the rest sourced locally. Rooms come as standard, deluxe or cottage, with views of the river and mountains. The Sattva Spa has four treatment rooms and a steam room, with Ayurvedic doctors and therapists offering abhyanga, shirodhara, nasya and panchakarma.

The programs run from the 200, 300 and Master Level teacher trainings to an 85-hour Prenatal training, Ayurveda modules, a Jyotish course, a Kirtan retreat and a pilgrimage series to Varanasi with Anand Ji. After more than 15 years of welcoming students, the Academy has announced a phased renovation of its structures, facilities and learning spaces, and has postponed this year's in-person trainings, with the Sattva Summit the stated exception.