Lost and Found

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Under hanging banners emblazoned with symbols of peace and harmony, guests sit with their legs crossed and eyes closed, oblivious to the world beyond these walls. All is quiet. In the meditation room at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm there is no clickety-clack of computer keys or gurgle of a fax machine or blaring of telephones. And this, of course, is why they have come.

“My personal operating system was burnt out,” says Mira Crisp, 36, who came to the yoga farm in August. “I became totally imbalanced with my mind and body.”  

The path to the yoga farm is rough and narrow, a rugged ride on gravelly road that meanders through the green maze of Grass Valley. Fifty-two miles north and a world away from the urban wilderness of Sacramento, the yoga farm stretches across 40 secluded acres in the Sierra Nevada foothills. It is a hidden haven that draws visitors from various walks of life and fields of work from all over the world: high-level suits, business owners, big-city chefs, attorneys, college professors.

You might get lost trying to get there if you don’t see the signs. Some guests would say that, in many ways, they were lost in life long before they stepped barefoot onto the farm. Many come to escape the clutches of the corporate world, and some wind up finding divine direction through daily chants and yoga poses.

Consider Crisp, who for the past two decades had been a creative consultant for media giants Apple, Sony BMG and Fox. She was living the high life in Los Angeles, working 90 hours a week for a six-figure salary on a double espresso diet. Most recently, Crisp had been creative director for wireless carrier Helio. This year, she quit.

“For me, 21st century life is increasingly toxic, in particular the domination of technology,” she says. “Out here, there’s no cell phone, no email, no Simpsons. I’m cut off, but I feel healthier, and for my long-term prosperity, that’s huge.”

NO CIGARETTES, ALCOHOL, NUDITY

Founded in 1971 by world-renowned yoga master Swami Vishnu-devananda, the spiritual retreat center is part of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers, a nonprofit organization. Its philosophy blends Eastern and Western lifestyles rooted in age-old traditions that promote enlightenment under the direction of Swami Sitaramananda. The idea is that through postures, meditation, a healthy diet, chanting and selfless service, one can release the tensions and toxins built up from the stress of daily life.

The Retreat is open year-round and run completely by volunteers. Guests sleep in two- to four-bed cabins or tents. They must wear modest clothing and remove their shoes before entering buildings. The strict daily schedule includes two buffet-style vegetarian meals. Cigarettes, alcohol and nudity are off limits. A pond and a walking labyrinth for quiet reflection also sit amid rolling hills and majestic oaks. The yoga farm’s entrance reads “Gate of Peace.”

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