Amritapuri Ashram in Kerala, India offers two of the most distinctive and accessible wellness practices available to international visitors: Amrita Yoga — Amma's own yoga tradition — and IAM Meditation, a free certified technique you can learn in a single morning and take home with you. This guide covers everything western travelers need to know about both.

This is Blog 4 of 5 in our complete series for international visitors. Start with the Complete Guide to Visiting Amritapuri as an International Traveler for registration, accommodation, and arrival information.

Amrita Yoga — Amma's Own Yoga Tradition

Amrita Yoga is not a standard yoga class. It is a complete spiritual practice rooted in Amma's teachings — combining physical postures, breathwork, mantra, and meditation into a single flowing practice. It was developed under Amma's guidance at Amritapuri and is taught exclusively within her ashrams and centers worldwide.

For western travelers who arrive at the ashram having practiced yoga at home or in studios, Amrita Yoga often feels simultaneously familiar and completely different. The emphasis is not on physical achievement or advanced postures — it is on inner awareness, surrender, and the cultivation of a meditative state throughout the practice.

Yoga means union. Its aim is to unite the individual self with the universal Self.

Amrita Yoga Classes — Practical Information for International Visitors

What to Expect in an Amrita Yoga Class

Classes run for one hour and are led by trained Amrita Yoga teachers — many of whom are long-term residents of the ashram. The practice typically begins with pranayama (breathing exercises), moves through a sequence of asanas (postures) accompanied by mantra, and closes with a guided meditation or relaxation.

The atmosphere is calm and inwardly focused. There is no music playing, no competitive energy, and no pressure to perform. Western visitors with a background in more physically demanding yoga styles sometimes find the slower, more meditative pace an adjustment — and then a revelation.

Amrita Yoga Beyond the Ashram

Amrita Yoga is taught at Amma's centers around the world, including in the United States, Europe, and Australia. If you discover the practice at Amritapuri and want to continue at home, visit amritayoga.com to find classes near you. The Amrita Virtual Academy (amritavirtualacademy.com) also offers online Amrita Yoga courses and retreats for international practitioners who cannot be at the ashram.

The Amrita Virtual Academy (AVA) offers 80 or more on-demand courses covering Amrita Yoga, meditation, scriptures, cooking, music, and gardening — all rooted in Amma's teachings. An AVA membership lets international visitors continue connecting with Amma's practices after they return home. Visit AmritaVirtualAcademy.com for details.

IAM Meditation — Integrated Amrita Meditation

IAM Meditation — Integrated Amrita Meditation — is a free, certified meditation technique developed under Amma's guidance. It is one of the most practical and accessible offerings at Amritapuri for international visitors, and one that is specifically designed to be taken home and integrated into daily life.

The IAM technique combines pranayama (breathing exercises), a body awareness practice, and meditation into a structured sequence that takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. It was developed to be suitable for people with no prior meditation experience — making it ideal for western visitors who are curious about meditation but have never practiced.

IAM Course at Amritapuri — How to Join

What You Learn in the IAM Course

The IAM course covers the complete technique in a single morning session. You will learn the correct sequence and duration of each component, the proper posture and breathing approach, how to integrate the practice into your daily routine, and how to handle common challenges that arise in early meditation practice.

Upon completing the course, you receive certification as an IAM practitioner and join a global community of practitioners who follow the same technique at Amma's centers worldwide. Refresher sessions and group practice sessions are available at the ashram for those who wish to deepen their practice during their stay.

IAM Meditation is consistently rated as one of the highlights of western visitors' stays at Amritapuri. It is practical, structured, free, and portable — you genuinely leave the ashram with a tool you can use every day at home. For visitors who feel unsure about the more devotional aspects of ashram life, the IAM course offers an entry point that is entirely accessible and non-religious in its approach.

Daily Group Guided Meditation — Every Morning at Amritapuri

Separate from the IAM course and Amrita Yoga classes, the ashram holds a daily group guided meditation every morning from 8:00 to 9:00am. This practice is led by senior residents and is open to all visitors — no registration required.

Meditation is as precious as gold.

Amma has strongly encouraged her western visitors to attend this daily group meditation throughout their stay. Men sit on the main stage in the Bhajan Hall; women sit in the Kali Temple. Arrive 5 minutes early to settle in before the session begins.

Wear comfortable, modest clothing. Bring a shawl or light layer — the Bhajan Hall can be cool in the morning. Sit comfortably on the floor or request a chair if needed. The session lasts one hour. Do not leave early as this disturbs others. Mobile phones must be switched off.

Other Spiritual Practices and Classes at Amritapuri

Beyond Amrita Yoga and IAM Meditation, Amritapuri offers a range of spiritual practices and classes that are open to international visitors throughout the week.

Scripture Classes — Vivekachudamani

Classes on the Vivekachudamani — a foundational text of Advaita Vedanta philosophy described as the Crest-Jewel of Discrimination by Adi Shankaracharya — are held in the Main Hall from Wednesday to Friday at 7:10am. Taught by Brahmachari Atmaprakash Chaitanya. Sign up requested at the Information Centre.

Amma's Words — Multilingual Translations

Every Sunday at 5:30pm in the IAM Hall, Amma's words are presented with multilingual translations. French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, German, Japanese, Portuguese, and Finnish translations are all available. This is one of the most accessible and moving sessions for international visitors who want to understand Amma's teachings directly.

Chi Gong Flow

A body-mind-heart practice combining moving meditation, gentle movements, energy and Chi awareness, breathing, and relaxed mental focus. Classes are held Thursdays and Sundays from 8:15 to 9:15am. Led by Neelima and Lisa. Sign up at the Activity Centre on the Kali Temple balcony.

Authentic Movement

A practice of embodied awareness, meditative expression, and unlocking innate creativity. Classes for women only on Fridays, and mixed groups on Saturdays and Mondays — all from 11am to 12:30pm. Led by Vismaya. Sign up at the Activity Centre.

Bhajan Singing — Devotional Music in Your Language

The evening bhajans are one of the most universally accessible spiritual practices at Amritapuri for international visitors. You do not need to know the words — simply connect to the ashram WiFi SSID 'bhajan_lyrics' and open bl.in on your phone to follow along in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, or Tamil in real time during the evening program.

Vedic Astrology Readings at Amritapuri

Vedic astrology readings (Jyotish) are available at Amritapuri for visitors who are physically present at the ashram, as well as online audio readings for those who cannot attend in person. All astrologers offer their readings as a seva — a free service. You will need to know your exact time of birth to receive a reading.

For puja and homa ceremonies, puja recommendations are available through the Information Centre. Translation seva is also available for international visitors who need assistance in French, Spanish, German, or other European or world languages during their reading or appointment — contact the Information Centre to arrange this.

Weekly Yoga and Meditation Schedule at Amritapuri — At a Glance

No. Classes are all-level and completely beginners are warmly welcome. Amrita Yoga emphasizes inner awareness over physical achievement, so flexibility and prior experience are not required.

Amrita Yoga integrates mantra, pranayama, and meditation with the physical postures, treating the practice as a complete spiritual discipline rather than primarily a physical workout. The pace is slower and more meditative than most western yoga styles.

Absolutely. The IAM technique is open to everyone regardless of religion, belief, or relationship to Amma. Many international visitors learn IAM simply as a practical wellness tool and find it enormously beneficial in daily life.

Ask at the IAM office when you register. The ashram has a large multilingual community and translation assistance may be available. The IAM technique itself is also taught at Amma's centers in many countries and languages worldwide.

Yes — this is specifically the intention of the course. Once certified, you can practice the IAM technique at home daily. Amma's centers worldwide also offer IAM group practice sessions and refresher courses.