KYG stands for KAIVALYA YOGA GURUKULAM

An ashram is essentially a place that provides a spiritual environment for rest and peace, although it can also include a spiritual learning component. A Gurukulam, on the other hand, is essentially a place of learning, spiritual practice and experiencing spiritual growth. In modern times, both these terms are used interchangeably. Most of the ashrams in existence today has a Gurukulam component embedded in it and vice versa.

Kaivalya Yoga Gurukulam (KYG) is a place of learning, dedicated to enriching your spiritual wisdom and helping with applying spirituality in daily life. It is a place where you will be expected to actively participate in all the sessions with an open mind and a willingness to explore. You will learn to incorporate some of those teachings in your daily spiritual practice. Hopefully, this will help you progress, with confidence, towards the ultimate yogic goal of attaining Kaivalya.

The core values that govern, guide and grace Kaivalya Yoga Gurukulam are Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteous Action), Shanti (Peace), Prema (Love) and Ahimsa (Non-Violence). These are the values that were treasured by Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He incorporated these values in the lives of those who wished to follow a spiritual and empowered lifestyle.

Sanathana means ‘timeless’ or ‘eternal’. Dharma means ‘code of conduct’ or ‘way of life’. Sanathana Dharma does not connote a creed or religion; rather, it represents a way of life that has individual empowerment and spiritual freedom as its very essence. It represents a way of life that has individual empowerment and spiritual freedom as its very essence. In a way, Sanathana Dharma could be seen as a mother to all religions and spiritual institutions, as it is the most ancient Dharma known to humanity.

Not at all! The Gurukulam is founded on a path of Oneness and Love. We strongly believe and practice only one religion – The Religion of Love. All are welcome, regardless of their faith.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba is the Satguru of the Gurukulam. Sunder Iyer and Maya Iyer studied under Sai Baba for over 15 years, and they consider themselves to be willing, joyful instruments of this great and wonderful master.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba (1926 – 2011), who lived in India, taught that everyone is essentially Divine, and that all our spiritual efforts should be directed towards attaining this everlasting awareness.

You don’t have to be a follower or believer of Sai Baba to be a participant or guest at Kaivalya Yoga Gurukulam. We do not attempt to convert anyone into becoming his devotee. All we teach is Yoga and the ancient philosophies surrounding the yoga path. However, Sunder draws upon his close experiences with Sai Baba and the lessons learnt with the master while he shares his knowledge and teachings of the yoga path.

The dress code at the Gurukulam is very informal. Depending on the weather one could be in shorts the whole day, if required. The only requirement is that the dress is not sexually explicit, is not too short or too revealing. During a yoga practice, one can dress according to one’s comfort. Tights, t-shirts, sport bras, shorts etc are perfectly ok in the yoga class. Saris, Selwar Kameez and other Indian dresses is not be suitable during a yoga practice class. These Indian dresses can be worn the rest of the day, for other sessions.

Yes. Kaivalya Yoga Gurukulam is for spiritual aspirants – those aspiring to take their spiritual practice to the next level or those looking to fine-tune their practice in yoga. Having said that, these are three essential pre-requisites for those wishing to come and stay at the Gurukulam.

1. One must be proficient with the basic practice of yoga asanas. If not, one must complete at least the first 30 classess of the beginner yoga course on our YouTube Channel. Here is the link for the 100 beginner lessons that Sunder has carefully designed for those new to yoga asana practice:

https://www.kyg.org/videos/

2. One must be willing to participate in ALL the sessions that the Gurukulam has to offer.
3. One must complete the Registration process and sign the Waiver Form.

Guests between the ages of 18 to 65 are welcome to stay at our Gurukulam.  Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent.

All sessions are essentially free. This is because the ancient teachings of yoga masters are priceless and can never have a price tag attached to them. Donations, however, are encouraged but never solicited.

There is no minimum suggested amount. You are our guest and it is our honor to host you. Whatever you offer by way of donation will be accepted with gratitude.

Donations to support the Kaivalya Yoga Gurukulam are most welcome, as these will help us expand further and offer facilities and programs that will help create a more inspiring, peaceful and transformational spiritual experience.

If you wish to make donations towards these causes, then you may click on the PayPal link below and offer your kind donation. Any amount that you offer will be accepted with gratitude.

The Eight Fold Path of Raja Yoga as taught in the yoga traditions of India forms the basis of the yoga teaching at the Gurukulam. Yoga Asana practice enriched with Kriyas, Bandhas, Pranayama and Meditation, forms a very important component of this teaching. In addition to this will be Mantra Chanting (Mantra Yoga) and Kirtan singing (Bhakti Yoga) – all aides to the help the practitioner stay focused on his or her path.

Yes! One must be familiar and proficient with the basic practice of yoga asanas. Before attending the yoga program or classes at the Gurukulam, one is encouraged to complete at least the first 30 classes of the 100 beginners yoga lessons hosted on the KYG Channel on YouTube. Here is the link to the Yoga For Beginners Playlist:

https://www.kyg.org/videos

You do not have to ‘master’ all the asanas, but an exposure to them and, at very least, the ability to be able to get into these poses, to whatever extent, you can will definitely help. Each of these classes is built upon the previous class. So don’t skip or jump a class – take it easy and enjoy the course. You will find these asanas pretty easy to learn.

If you have completed at least the first 30 of the 100 lessons in the ‘Yoga for Beginners’ playlist on VIDEOS, page then you will be ready to learn at KYG.

At present, Sunder Iyer is the yoga teacher at the Gurukulam. He received a gold medal for yoga from the divine hands of his Satguru, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, during the Sai University’s convocation in 1984. He has received Yoga, Meditation and Kundalini training from advanced yoga masters and teachers who visited Sai Baba’s ashram, where Sunder also stayed for over 15 years (1979 to mid 1990’s). In addition, he is also qualified as a 200 and 500 hours instructor, under USA Yoga Alliance certifications.

Unfortunately, due to time and resource constraints we do not offer one-on-one yoga class at this point. Hopefully, sometime in the future, when we are able to get more resources and teachers, we may offer this as well.

Yes we do, but not on a daily basis, since we do get a mix of guests who may not be able to participate in advanced asana practice. However, we are planning to keep some days in the month dedicated to intermediate/advanced asana practice at the Gurukulam. Please contact us for these details.

We would love to offer these, but at this point we do not have the facilities that are required to conduct these therapy sessions at a professional level. Hopefully, someday soon, we will be able to provide these as well.

Yes. You are most welcome to attend our yoga classes at the Gurukulam. However, if you wish to practice yoga for spiritual awakening then we encourage you to attend other sessions at the Gurukulam, as well.

If you are a regular student of the yoga classes, you may offer your donation at the end of every class, or at the end of every week or month. Whatever payment plan works for you, works for us as well. For how much donation to offer, please see the above section on donations.

We provide yoga mats, yoga bolsters, blocks and belts. So, you can simply walk into our class for your practice. However, we encourage you to bring your own yoga mat, should you feel uncomfortable practicing on mats that others have used.

Yes, we do have bolsters and belts that will help you learn advanced asanas in a safe manner, reducing the chances of injury.

We are very strict about the timings of the yoga classes and all our sessions at the Gurukulam. All sessions, including yoga classes, start on time. You will NOT BE ALLOWED to enter a yoga class, if you arrive 5 minutes after the class has started!

Regular yoga/exercise wear is recommended. There are no specific dress restrictions as such – Tights, t-shirts, sport bras, shorts, etc., are perfectly ok in the yoga class. Having said that, Saris, Salwar Kameez and other Indian dresses are not suitable during a yoga practice class.

Yes – it is. One is encouraged to come, see and experience the path of yoga in all its entirety. As long as you are staying with us at the Gurukulam, you will be expected to attend all the sessions.

Kirtan singing is an essential component on the path of Bhakti Yoga – the Yoga of Devotion. In this session, you learn or simply participate in the Kirtan singing in the evening after the yoga session. If you are musically inclined and have a talent for singing, you are welcome to join as well. Spiritual music and chants of all languages/faiths/paths around the world will be encouraged. Kirtan singing helps in raising one’s consciousness to higher levels with the melody of music and the magic of rhythm.

The sessions at the Gurukulam are designed so that you have enough personal time in order to be able to absorb the energies and lessons learnt. The only back-to-back sessions are the evening yoga session and the Kirtan session that immediately follows.

No, you don’t. At the Gurukulam, we do our best to explain the ancient Yoga and Vedanta texts in a manner that even a lay person can understand.

Unfortunately, this is not possible. KYG is a spiritual school, where one comes to practice, learn and widen the scope his or her practice. This is not a spa or a retreat where one can simply come and relax. With very limited space available, we want to ensure that every guest gets the very best experience and takes home valuable lessons learnt at the Gurukulam.

Generally, during breakfast, lunch and dinner breaks, we eat together and chat. It’s a time for togetherness, friendship and love! At other times, you can take a nap or relax on the deck, meditate by the river or read a book. It’s your personal time – you are free to do what you like as long as it does not disturb others who may be meditating or practicing.

Not in 2018. But we might do a course or two in 2019. Stay tuned and we’ll keep you informed through our newsletter. If you wish to subscribe to our newsletter, please sign up at the bottom of the page. 

We do not have any scheduled for 2018. We might introduce Yoga Teacher Training mid 2019 – so please stay tuned. Please note, this program will be extended and intense (physically and spiritually) compared with what is normally offered elsewhere.

We do provide clean towels and bedding essentials, so you do not need to bring these. However, we encourage you to bring your own toiletries and cosmetics, as these are personal items. Toothpaste kits, soaps, etc., are always kept for you, should you need them.

Yes, we have a washer and dryer. You are welcome to use these facilities at no extra cost, if you are staying for an extended period.

Of course, we will cater to your specific needs. It would greatly help us, if you let us know beforehand. If you are staying with us, then you would have mentioned this during the registration process, so we will make a note of it and prepare food accordingly.

Even if you are visiting us for the day, we request that you to give us one day prior notice, so that food can be prepared accordingly. At the time of notifying us about your arrival, you can mention if you are allergic to any particular food.

We will do our best to cater to your needs, but we will not be responsible, if under any unfortunate circumstance, you eat food that we serve and fall sick.

Yes. All food prepared at the Gurukulam is vegetarian. There will be no meat-based food served or brought into the Gurukulam.

Yes. A hot water kettle, tea bags, coffee powder, and a coffee machine will be available at all times. 

At the present time, KYG is open from Wednesday through Sunday. You can plan to arrive on a Tuesday evening and leave on Sunday evening.

The registration process is to prepare you and us for your intended stay at the Gurukulam. The registration requirement is only for those intending to stay at the Gurukulam

STEP ONE: The first step is to write to us via the Contact Us page on this website. Mention your name, email address and a short message with proposed dates for your visit. Once we receive this we will proceed to Step 2.

STEP TWO: We will process your request, within 48 hrs and if rooms are available, we will email you a Registration Form. If the dates you requested are not available, then we will reply to your email to let you know, so you can consider other dates.

STEP THREE: Once we receive the Registration Form, we will arrange a phone call with you for a brief orientation and explanation of what you can expect during your stay here. This call will ensure that there are no unexpected surprises for you or for us.

STEP FOUR: We will send you a Waiver Form to sign. Please note that unless you sign this form, we will not be able to finalize your stay at the Gurukulam. For contents of the Waiver Form, please see the question below.

STEP FIVE: You will receive an email confirming your stay with details as to what to bring and other logistics.

The waiver form is a formal release, signed by you. It waives the owners, founders and the Gurukulam Foundation from being held liable for any injury, accident or illness that you may experience during your stay at the Gurukulam. Here is the general content of the form that you will have to sign.

1. That, while staying at the Kaivalya Yoga Gurukulam, situated in Elyria, OH, I will be participating in their physical, mental and spiritual programs and yoga classes during which I will receive information and instruction about yoga, meditation, spirituality and health.  I recognize that yoga requires physical exertion, which may be strenuous and may cause physical injury, and I am fully aware of the risks involved.  I am also aware that meditation practices are sometimes intense for the mind and may require focus and concentration that may be mentally exhausting.
2. I understand that I may be served food that may not be the kind that I am generally used to. I understand that it’s my responsibility to inquire about the contents of the food being served, so as to avoid foods that I may be allergic to. I am aware that, as a guest at the Gurukulam, I am served mainly home cooked meals including processed and raw food items which may be store bought.
3. I understand that it is my responsibility to consult with a physician prior to and regarding my participation in yoga, meditation and related spiritual classes and eating food that I may not be used to.  I agree to assume full responsibility for any risks, injuries or damages, known and unknown, which I might incur as a result of participating in these programs. 
4. I also hereby state that I carry my own medical insurance and will use this, in case of any medical related incident which may require me to pay a visit to an emergency room, physician or hospital. I understand that the Kaivalya Yoga Gurukulam does not and will not cover any of these expenses, should these occur during my stay there. I expressly waive Sunder Iyer, Maya Iyer and their homeowners insurance and explicitly state that I will use my own medical/travel insurance should the need arise.
5. In consideration of being permitted to stay and eat at the Gurukulam and participate in the yoga, meditation and spiritual classes, I knowingly, voluntarily, and expressly waive any claim I may have against the instructors, the cooks, the owners and the Kaivalya Yoga Gurukulam Foundation for injuries or damages that I may sustain as a result of eating their cooked meals, participating in classes or workshops held at the Kaivalya Yoga Gurukulam, Elyria, OH.