Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find answers to many of the practical questions guests have before visiting Sat Manav Yoga Ashram.

For more detailed information about preparing for your visit, please also review our
Guest Guidelines, What to Bring, and Directions pages.

Getting Started

Visiting the Ashram

  • Yes. Visits to Sat Manav Yoga Ashram must be arranged in advance. The Ashram follows an established daily rhythm of practice, meals, work, and silence, and advance notice allows us to welcome guests without disrupting that rhythm.

  • Yes. Day visits are available Friday and must be registered for in advance. Depending on the day, your visit may include a traditional Yoga class, a meal, walking meditation, time on the grounds, or another scheduled Ashram activity.

  • The Ashram is not open for casual drop-in visits or first-time self-guided access to the property. Guests are welcome to experience the grounds, forest paths, and temples as part of an arranged visit, retreat, class, or event.

    Those who become familiar with the Ashram, its trails, and its guidelines may speak with us about arranging future visits for personal practice.

  • Children are welcome at some Ashram offerings, particularly Seasonal Gatherings and designated community days. Because the Ashram requires quiet, respectful conduct, and care within its sacred spaces, children must be able to follow the Guest Guidelines and remain under the supervision of a parent or guardian.

    Not every retreat or offering is appropriate for children, so please review the information for the specific visit or contact us before registering.

Choosing an Offering

Retreats & Gatherings

  • No. Previous experience is not required. Guests are introduced to the practices clearly and are supported throughout their stay.

    What matters most is a willingness to participate, follow the daily schedule, and approach the experience with sincerity and respect.

  • Each retreat offers a different way of entering the life and practice of the Ashram.

    Immersion Retreats provide a full experience of traditional Ashram life and Yogic practice.

    Healing Retreats follow a similar immersive rhythm, with greater emphasis on the healing dimensions of Yogic living and deeper individualized guidance.

    Seva Retreats invite guests most directly into the working life of the Ashram, sharing in the daily care of the land and community as a spiritual practice.

    You can learn more on the individual retreat pages. If you are still uncertain, we are more than happy to answer any questions you have.

  • Retreats at Sat Manav are small, immersive, and woven into the living rhythm of the Ashram.

    The application allows us to learn a little about you, understand what you are seeking, and make sure the retreat is appropriate for your needs and expectations.

    Those who become familiar with the Ashram, its trails, and its guidelines may speak with us about arranging future visits for personal practice.

  • Immersion and Healing Retreats are limited to five guests. Keeping them small allows for personal guidance, an undisturbed atmosphere, and meaningful participation in the daily life of the Ashram.

    Seva Retreats may welcome additional participants, including day guests, depending on the work being undertaken and the needs of the Ashram.

    Seasonal Gatherings are not limited to five guests and are open to greater participation, although attendance varies with each gathering.

  • Our registration pages offer a set number of retreat and gathering packages rather than options for every possible length of visit. Guests are encouraged to participate in the complete offering whenever possible, as the schedule is designed as a whole experience.

    If the available registration options do not work with your schedule, please contact us. Shorter participation may be possible depending on the offering, timing, and space available. When space is limited, priority may be given to guests registering for a complete retreat package.

    In some cases, returning guests may also arrive earlier or remain for additional days, depending on lodging availability and the Ashram schedule. Any extended stay must be arranged in advance.

Where You'll Stay

Lodging & Facilities

  • Guests stay in our comfortable off-grid cabin, unless they choose to tent. The cabin sleeps up to four people and includes two bedrooms: each with a full-size bed.

    The cabin also has a shared common room furnished with couches and books.

    The cabin has solar-powered lights, sinks, and indoor odor-free composting toilets. Water is supplied through a pitcher and dispenser system. There is no conventional running water or electrical service.

  • Guests attending Immersion and Healing Retreats will typically have a private bedroom unless they are attending with a companion.

    If you have a particular lodging need, please include it when applying or registering so that we can let you know what may be possible.

  • The guest cabin has a private half bathroom for each bedroom. Guests staying in this cabin use the nearby Sauna Bathhouse, which has a hot, hand-pumped shower.

  • The cabin has solar-powered lights but no conventional electrical outlets. Charging is available in designated areas.

    Because the entire Ashram operates on three modest solar systems, guests are encouraged to bring only the electronics they genuinely need during their stay.

  • Cell service at the Ashram is extremely limited and unreliable. Internet access is also very limited throughout the Ashram and is not available for general guest use.

    Guests should plan to be offline during their visit.

    Reliable connectivity is available a short drive from the Ashram grounds. Guests may also give family members the Ashram's main telephone number, 207-485-1228, which is monitored from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

  • The Ashram is located on a rural, wooded property with hills, uneven ground, forest paths, and varying distances between buildings. Many spaces are reached by steps or unpaved paths.

    We welcome guests with a range of physical abilities and will help wherever reasonably possible. Please contact us before applying or registering so that we can discuss your individual needs and whether the accommodations and schedule will be suitable.

Nourishment & Care

Food & Health

  • All meals served at the Ashram are vegan and prepared from whole, plant-based foods.

    Meals are guided by the Yogic principle of Mitāhāra: nourishing the body with the right food, in the right quantity, prepared and eaten with care and awareness.

    Our food is simple, abundant, and thoughtfully prepared to support the practices and rhythm of life at the Ashram.

  • We can accommodate many food allergies and medically necessary dietary restrictions when we are informed in advance. Please provide complete and accurate information when applying or registering, including the severity of any allergy.

    Our meals are prepared in a shared community kitchen that is not equipped to prevent cross-contact. We therefore cannot guarantee that any meal will be completely free from traces of a particular allergen.

    Because meals are prepared for the community as a whole, we cannot accommodate food preferences or highly specialized diets beyond what is being served. Meals are served buffet-style, and guests are welcome to choose from the available dishes according to their needs.

    Please see our Menu page for a more detailed description of the food we serve.

    We will let you know before confirming your visit if we are unable to accommodate a medically necessary dietary restriction appropriately.

  • No. Guests should not bring outside food unless it has been discussed and approved in advance for a medical or dietary reason.

    This allows us to maintain the Ashram's food practices and avoid bringing unsuitable foods into shared spaces.

    Please do not keep food in guest cabins unless specifically instructed, as even small amounts of food can attract insects and wildlife.

  • Yes. Sat Manav Yoga Ashram is a fragrance-free environment.

    Guests must arrive without perfume, cologne, essential oils, fragranced hair or body products, scented laundry products, or clothing that retains a strong fragrance.

    This policy protects members of the community and guests who experience significant reactions to scented products. Please review our Guest Guidelines before packing or traveling to the Ashram.

  • Please tell us about any health condition, injury, allergy, mobility limitation, medication need, or other concern that could affect your safety or participation during your visit.

    Sharing this information does not necessarily prevent you from attending. It allows us to understand your needs, determine whether the setting and schedule are appropriate, and make reasonable preparations where possible.

    Sat Manav Yoga Ashram is not a medical facility and does not provide emergency or ongoing medical care. Guests must be able to manage their own medications and ordinary health needs during their stay.

    The Ashram is in a rural location, and emergency medical services will take longer to reach us than they would in a town or city. Anyone with a health concern that could require immediate care should speak with us before registering.

    If you become ill during your stay, we may ask you to leave the Ashram if we determine that doing so is necessary for your wellbeing or the wellbeing of the residential community.

While You're Here

Daily Life & Expectations

  • The Ashram is not silent at all times, but silence is an important part of daily life here.

    Full silence is observed during meals, certain practices, and in designated sacred spaces.

    More detailed guidance about where and when silence is observed will be provided during your arrival orientation. At other times, guests and residents speak naturally while remaining mindful of the atmosphere around them.

  • The daily schedule is an important part of each retreat, and guests are encouraged to participate fully. The practices, meals, periods of silence, Seva, and opportunities for learning and rest are arranged to create a complete experience.

    At the same time, each retreat is personal. The schedule represents what the Ashram is offering, not a demand that every guest participate in every activity regardless of their needs.

    If you need quiet reflection or rest rather than another scheduled activity, you are welcome to make that choice thoughtfully. Please let us know so that we can plan accordingly.

  • Seva is selfless service: work undertaken not only to accomplish a task, but as a practice of attention, care, and contribution.

    Ashram life depends upon the shared work of preparing meals, tending buildings and grounds, caring for sacred spaces, and meeting the ordinary needs of the day.

    Retreat guests may participate in light Seva, such as meal cleanup or simple shared tasks. During Seva Retreats, this work is a central part of the retreat itself.

  • Guests are encouraged to keep phone use to a minimum and remain present for the experience of being at the Ashram.

    Phones should be powered down and put away during practices, meals, teachings, and periods of silence.

    Photography is welcome during free time, provided it is done with awareness and respect for the people, practices, and sacred spaces around you. Please ask before photographing other guests or residents.

  • No. Alcohol, cannabis, recreational drugs, smoking, and vaping are not permitted anywhere on the Ashram property.

    Guests should not arrive under the influence of any intoxicating substance. Prescription medications should be used only as directed and managed by the guest during their stay.

  • Pets cannot be accommodated at the Ashram.

    If you use a trained service animal because of a disability, please contact us before applying or registering.

    Because the Ashram includes shared lodging, community spaces, resident animals, forest trails, and areas used for spiritual practice, we will need to discuss your needs and the conditions of the property in advance.

Getting Here

Travel & Arrival

  • Sat Manav Yoga Ashram is located in central Maine, two hours north of Portland and approximately twenty-five minutes from Farmington.

    The Ashram is situated on a rural, wooded property, and the final portion of the drive follows quiet country roads.

    Please review our Directions page before traveling. Some GPS services provide accurate directions, while others direct guests onto a logging road that is not passable for most vehicles. If you choose to use GPS, please compare its route carefully with the directions we provide.

    Following the provided route is essential. If a guest disregards these directions and Ashram staff must leave the property to locate or assist them, a retrieval fee of $25 per hour may apply.

  • Arrival times vary according to the retreat, gathering, or visit you are attending. Your confirmation materials will include a specific arrival window.

    Please plan to arrive within that window so that you have time to settle in and receive an orientation before the scheduled activities begin.

    First-time travel to the Ashram often takes longer than guests anticipate, particularly along the final rural roads, so please allow generous additional travel time.

    Arriving late may mean missing part or all of your orientation and can disrupt the beginning of your visit. Early arrivals may not be accommodated unless arranged in advance.

  • Pickup and drop-off may be arranged from Portland International Jetport and the Augusta bus station during specific transportation windows for an additional fee.

    Transportation must be coordinated with the Ashram before purchasing airline or bus tickets. We cannot guarantee transportation for itineraries booked outside the available windows.

    Please contact us for current rates and scheduling information.

  • Yes. Complimentary parking is available at the Ashram.

    During winter and early spring, four-wheel drive and adequate ground clearance are necessary to drive comfortably all the way to the Ashram.

    If your vehicle does not meet these requirements, please let us know before your arrival. We will arrange for you to park in our upper lot and assist you with transportation from there.

    Before traveling, please review our Directions and What to Bring pages and check the local seven-day weather forecast.

Confirming Your Visit

Registration & Payment

  • Your registration is confirmed once you have completed the required application and verbal interview process, paid your 20% deposit, and received a confirmation email from the Ashram.

    The remaining balance is due 60 days before the retreat start date. For registrations made within 60 days of the retreat, payment in full is due at the time of registration.

    Please review our Directions page before traveling. Some GPS services provide accurate directions, while others direct guests onto a logging road that is not passable for most vehicles. If you choose to use GPS, please compare its route carefully with the directions we provide.

    Following the provided route is essential. If a guest disregards these directions and Ashram staff must leave the property to locate or assist them, a retrieval fee of $25 per hour may apply.

  • For Immersion and Healing Retreats, which are limited to five participants, cancellations made at least 45 days before the retreat start date are eligible for a full refund minus the 20% deposit.

    The deposit will be held as a credit toward another retreat booked within six months of the original retreat date.

    For Seva Retreats and Seasonal Gatherings, cancellations made at least 30 days before the start date are eligible for a full refund.

    For cancellations made less than 30 days before the start date, 20% of the total registration cost will be held as a credit toward another Ashram offering booked within six months of the original date. Any amount paid beyond that 20% will be refunded.

  • Yes. Immersion and Healing Retreat registrations may be transferred to another available retreat date up to 45 days before the retreat begins.

    Seva Retreat and Seasonal Gathering registrations may be transferred up to 30 days before the offering begins.

    Each registration may be transferred one time. After these deadlines, our cancellation policy will apply.

  • Yes. It is important to us that financial circumstances not be the sole reason someone who sincerely wishes to experience the Ashram is unable to come.

    On a case-by-case basis, we offer Seva, or work-exchange, discounts for Immersion and Healing Retreats. Seasonal Gatherings are donation-based, and pay-what-you-can arrangements may be available for Seva Retreats.

    If cost presents a genuine obstacle, please contact us. We are happy to discuss what may be possible.

For Those Drawn Deeper

Devotion, Discipleship & Initiation

  • No. Many people come to Sat Manav Yoga Ashram simply to attend a retreat, participate in a Seasonal Gathering, deepen their practice, or spend time within the rhythm of Ashram life.

    There is no expectation that a guest become a devotee, disciple, or receive initiation. These relationships arise only for those who feel genuinely drawn toward a deeper and continuing relationship with the Gurus and lineage.

  • A devotee maintains an ongoing relationship with the Gurus and lineage while living outside the Ashram. This relationship may include regular practice, participation in observances and retreats, service, remembrance of the Gurus, and an increasing integration of the teachings into daily life.

    A disciple resides at the Ashram and undertakes the disciplines of Yoga as the organizing structure of life itself. Practice is not confined to formal sādhana; it enters how one eats, works, speaks, relates, serves, rests, and develops.

    Neither relationship is a membership category or title one simply chooses. Both develop through sincerity, practice, relationship, preparation, and time.

  • A deeper relationship with the lineage develops through engagement with its teachings and practices, time spent at the Ashram, and the way a person begins to incorporate what they have received into daily life.

    For those who wish to formally enter the lineage, this process culminates in Dīkṣā, or initiation. Dīkṣā is offered on the New Moon and Full Moon following appropriate preparation.

    Those who receive Dīkṣā and continue to live outside the Ashram enter the lineage as devotees. Those whose path develops toward residential life at the Ashram may enter discipleship, undertaking the disciplines and responsibilities of the lineage as the structure of daily life.

    The path toward Dīkṣā is individual. It develops through sincerity, sustained practice, preparation, and a growing relationship with the teachings and lineage.

  • Yes. Within Sat Manav Yoga Ashram, discipleship is understood as a residential relationship.

    A disciple lives within the Ashram and undertakes the disciplines, responsibilities, sādhana, and daily life of the lineage as a whole.

    Those who receive Dīkṣā and maintain their relationship with the lineage while living elsewhere are understood as devotees.

  • Dīkṣā, or initiation, marks formal entry into the living lineage. It is not part of the Ashram’s public programs or retreats.

    Those drawn toward initiation first develop a relationship with the teachings, practices, and life of the Ashram. Following appropriate preparation, Dīkṣā may be received on a New Moon or Full Moon.

    For a fuller introduction to the lineage, devotion, discipleship, and initiation, please visit our Guru & Lineage page.