In the hills near Beijing, Jody Braverman experienced the simplicity that lives at the heart of the ancient Indian practice
There is a place just outside of Beijing where it is possible - for a moment or a weekend - to forget the fumes, the honking horns, the daily demands of everyday life in China?s overcrowded cities. Here, in a small town in the Fragrant Hills, one finds the antithesis of city life, a place where less is more, and simple, home-cooked food and a walk in the hills can help undo the damage done by the daily grind.
Simplicity is the theme of Gyan Giri?s three-year-old retreat, aptly named Mountain Yoga. While yoga practice is the focus, the deeper goal is getting back to basics. Don?t expect five-star service or gourmet food - you?ll be disappointed. Rather, the bliss here is found in the absence of luxury, and you may, like a Buddhist monk, be able to transcend material desires and find the deeper meaning of life (or least aspire to do so).
That is the basis of yoga, and Giri, although a relative newcomer to the practice, has created exactly the right ambiance first time out.
Do It Yourself
Converting the old courtyard-style house into a yoga retreat was not Giri?s original goal when he bought the property just over three years ago. ?It started with a crazy idea,? said the Beijinger, whose boyish good looks and easy smile defy his 40 years.
Giri started out as an English teacher in the 1980s, then progressed through advertising associate to inventor. Like many young Chinese during that era, he had big dreams and little opportunity. A string of dead-end jobs left him low on cash and empty-hearted. Even a novel invention for a mobile advertising tool called the ?Bike Disc?, which should have been a sure thing in the Kingdom of Bikes, never got off the ground.
Giri found himself questioning the purpose of life and doubting the worth of the everyday struggle.
?One day when I had nothing to do and no orders to fill, I thought to myself: ?How will I ever have a house with a swimming pool if I don?t have anything in the bank??? explained Giri. Then came the Eureka moment when his life?s passion materialized. ?A few minutes later I suddenly had an idea. I said ?Why not? It?s easy. I can go to the countryside and rent a piece of land and I can build a swimming pool myself, I can build a house myself.? And that?s exactly what he did.
With the help of a few friendly loans, Giri rented a house in a good location convenient to Beijing, lacking in decoration but chock-full of charm and set in tranquil natural surroundings. After a few months of DIY decorating, Giri had the house of his dreams. But it wasn?t until a friend, a dancer and yogi, suggested that he open his home to other yogis that the full dream was realized.
From pipe dream to four walls, Giri?s little courtyard now sees a regular stream of visitors from Beijing and further away, looking for a taste of the simple life, the ?Yoga Life?. What began as an impromptu meeting place has now mushroomed into a holistic center spread between three locations covering a lot of land.
The newest addition to the center is the temple retreat, a network of yoga practice areas, indoors and out, and accommodations built around a 500-year-old Buddhist temple. For anyone who loves yoga - not just as sport but also as a mental workout - this is the ideal place within China to practice.
Classes are held both in the stone-floored temple, the coolest place on a hot summer day, and outside in the courtyard underneath a 600-year-old gingko tree, where the rustle of wind through leafy overhangs is the only sound.
In addition to yoga, the centers offer numerous activities, including hiking, Chinese painting and massage. The yoga drama workshop, which employs yogic movement and spirit, is probably the only one of its kind in China and draws a crowd every time. Student artwork from the yoga-inspired painting classes adorns the walls, and Giri is keen to point out the vivid works to visitors.
The center has also attracted the attention of well-known yogis like Swami Satyadharma Saraswati from India?s Bihar School of Yoga; she now makes yearly lecture tours to the Mountain Yoga retreat. It was Saraswati who gave Giri his ?yoga name?, transforming his Chinese name, Zhang, to Gyan, meaning ?inner knowledge?, and adding Giri, which means ?mountain?. Giri speaks of Swami Saraswati like an old, dear friend, recounting last year?s memorable summer evenings around the campfire, filled with long discussions about life, love and learning.
Because of these offerings and more, many Beijing yoga fans, or yogis, have become regular students and supporters of Mountain Yoga. They find that the change of scenery, from downtown studio to mountainside retreat, and practicing yoga in such creative and natural surroundings, helps to deepen their practice and understanding. And they love the spirit and camaraderie that develops among the other retreat-goers.
Calling all yogis ?
But it hasn?t been an easy road for Giri or his well-loved retreat. The financial stress of entering uncharted Chinese waters has taken its toll on his dream - a story that?s been told a thousand times on the China business scene. Many loans granted by willing friends and family members go unpaid; valuable income is lost each year during Beijing?s cold winter season; and a recent property dispute over the ownership of the Buddhist temple has left Giri scrambling for the funds to preserve his dream of building it into the largest holistic center in China, offering a full range of yoga art activities.
Giri, in true yogic style, is hopeful. ?I can only try my best,? he said. But Giri?s ?best? has been well aided by friends and fellow yogis in Beijing who support the cause by joining regular workshops, making donations and raising money. Uncomfortable with the idea of aggressive marketing schemes, Giri is sticking to his keep-it-simple style, hoping that the unspoken spirit of yoga will bring visitors - and funding - from far and wide.
Mountain Yoga is located 45 minutes outside Beijing in Fragrant Hills. The retreat is open year-round, however certain retreats may be canceled due to inclement weather. For rates and schedule, please visit www.mountainyoga.cn or contact Gyan Giri at +86 13901021322
January 2006