Deeksha in India: Ayurveda, Bhakti Yoga & Transformation

Arriving in India

In April 2025, I travelled to India to undertake an immersive Deeksha program with Sri Shakti Amma at Sri Narayani Peedam in Tamil Nadu.

What began as a journey across the world became a profound immersion into Bhakti Yoga, mantra, meditation, Ayurveda, sacred ritual, community, and personal transformation.

India has a unique way of weaving spirituality into everyday life. Here, devotion is not separate from daily living. Prayer, service, healing, meditation, community, and ceremony flow together naturally, creating an environment that supports deep inner change.

My journey began in Bangalore, where I stayed at Taj Bangalore before travelling several hours into Tamil Nadu to Sri Narayani Peedam. After a long international journey, the warmth and hospitality of Taj Bangalore provided the perfect transition into India, offering a beautiful space to rest, ground, and prepare for the intensive spiritual immersion that lay ahead.

Entering the Deeksha Experience

For almost two weeks, practitioners from around the world gathered together to participate in an intensive immersion guided by Sri Shakti Amma.

Life inside the Deeksha followed a beautiful daily rhythm of spiritual practice, healing, service, and devotion.

Each day included:

• Hatha Yoga
• Bhakti Yoga
• Japa Mantra
• Mantra Meditation
• Silent Meditation
• Seva (Selfless Service)
• Puja
• Yagams (Sacred Fire Ceremonies)
• Spiritual Teachings
• Community Practice
• Ayurvedic Therapies
• Temple Rituals
• Meditation Hall Practice
• Guru Darshan
• Devotional Chanting

Rather than spirituality being something that happened for one hour and then ended, every aspect of life became part of the practice.

Mantra & Meditation

One of the most profound aspects of the Deeksha was the daily mantra and meditation practice.

Hours were spent in devotional chanting, silent meditation, prayer, and collective practice within the meditation halls and temple spaces.

The atmosphere carried a depth of stillness, devotion, and focus that naturally quietened the mind and opened the heart. The mantra practices became a pathway into deeper presence, clarity, and connection.

Bhakti Yoga

At the heart of the immersion was Bhakti Yoga.

Throughout the program, devotion was expressed through chanting, prayer, service, ceremony, community, and gratitude.

There was a constant reminder that spirituality is not only about personal growth but also about relationship, service, compassion, and love.

The collective field created by thousands of people gathered in devotion was one of the most powerful experiences of the journey.

Ayurveda & Healing

Alongside the spiritual practices, Ayurveda played an important role throughout the immersion.

Traditional Ayurvedic therapies using herbal oils, bodywork, and personalised treatment protocols supported the nervous system, physical body, and overall wellbeing.

One of the greatest insights from the experience was witnessing how Ayurveda, yoga, meditation, mantra, and devotion work together rather than as separate systems.

The result was a noticeable shift in:

• Nervous system regulation
• Mental clarity
• Energy levels
• Emotional balance
• Physical rejuvenation
• Overall wellbeing

The practices worked deeply through body, mind, heart, and spirit simultaneously.

Yagams & Sacred Ceremony

Throughout the Deeksha, sacred fire ceremonies known as Yagams formed an important part of the spiritual process.

These ancient Vedic rituals created a powerful atmosphere of transformation, purification, devotion, and collective intention.

Alongside the Yagams, daily pujas and temple ceremonies allowed participants to immerse themselves in India’s rich spiritual traditions and experience sacred ritual as a living practice.

Proclamation Day

One of the most significant moments of the journey was Proclamation Day with Sri Shakti Amma on May 8th.

Thousands upon thousands of people gathered for a full day of prayer, puja, mantra, ceremony, devotion, and celebration.

After weeks immersed in Bhakti Yoga, Ayurveda, mantra, meditation, and sacred practice, Proclamation Day felt like the culmination of the entire journey and a powerful reminder of the universal qualities that unite humanity:

• Compassion
• Service
• Presence
• Devotion
• Community
• Grace

Returning Home

After almost two weeks immersed in Deeksha, I returned home feeling profoundly changed.

There was a relaxation in my nervous system, a clarity in my mind, and a rejuvenation moving through my entire body that was difficult to put into words.

I returned to Australia feeling:

• Clearer
• Softer
• More grounded
• Deeply rejuvenated
• Inspired by the power of devotion and community
• Grateful for the teachings, practices, and people who made the experience possible

More than anything, I was reminded of the power of coming together in prayer, healing, service, and devotion.

India continues to be one of the most transformative places I have ever experienced, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to study, practise, and learn within this tradition.