Namaskar - July 2009

Yoga Destination
Stepping out of the
mainstream in Ko
Pha-ngan, Thailand
Adrian Blackhurst
For thousands of years in India and
Thailand people have taken time to
step out of the mainstream and
dedicate themselves to developing their
knowledge of the inner-self. In Thailand it
is a requirement for every young man to
spend some months in a Buddhist
monastery learning about the mind and
practicing meditation. I find this fascinating
about ancient Asia - their culture prizes the
quiet mind, controlled emotions and the
peaceful way that Buddha called ‘the middle
path.’
The path I have chosen is yoga and in this
article we will explore the many amazing
yoga, health and healing centers that Ko
Pha-ngan currently offers. Thailand is also
known as ‘The Land of Smiles’ and I
recently spent five months on the small
tropical island of Ko Pha-ngan. This island
is located about 10 hours south of Bangkok
by train followed by an hour and a half ferry
ride. The island was uninhabited until
about 600 years ago when passing monks
decided to settle there because of its
tranquility and spiritual importance. There
are still a few monasteries on Ko Pha-ngan
but another spiritual practice is rapidly
expanding there - yoga!
There are lots of activities on the island
including snorkeling, scuba diving, trekking
and wind-surfing. The island is currently
host to six yoga centers. I came to Ko Phangan
for a yoga teacher training at one of
the most respected yoga schools in the
world, Agama Yoga. After nine months
traveling in India sampling various yoga
schools and styles, I chose to do their 500
hour, 3-month Hatha yoga course because it
is an extremely thorough programme. They
teach the ancient kundalini and tantric form
of Hatha yoga which emphasizes the
awareness of the chakras during the asanas,
as well as the full teachings of the eight
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