Bodhidham
The Annapurna range at sunrise from Bodhidham ashram
About Bodhidham

An abode ofenlightenment.

Bodhidham is a traditional Himalayan yoga and spiritual retreat ashram in Pokhara, Nepal. A place to step out of the rush of modern life and into the rhythm of practice, taught by lineage-trained masters in the foothills of the Annapurna range.

Ghachowk · Pokhara · 1,320m
The name

What Bodhidham means.

The word carries two ideas: an awakening, and the place where it can occur. Together they describe what an ashram is for.

01

Bodhi to awaken.

From the Sanskrit Budh, meaning to wake, to understand, to realise. The faculty of buddhi, of discrimination, of seeing clearly. The first step on the path.

02

Dham the abode.

A place where divine consciousness prevails. Not a building, a frequency. The abode of enlightenment, where the inner work can finally happen.

03

Bodhidham the abode of enlightenment.

An ashram designed as a vision: foster peace, harmony and bliss through yogic life, and prepare the seeker for the state of supreme joy.

From the West, looking East“
Quite apart from the charm of the new and the fascination of the half-understood, there is good cause for Yoga to have many adherents. It offers the possibility of controllable experience, and thus satisfies the scientific need of facts. By reason of its breadth and depth, its venerable age, its doctrine and method, which include every phase of life, it promises undreamed-of possibilities.
Dr. C.G. Jung, quoted in Autobiography of a Yogi, by Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda
Daily sadhana at Bodhidham ashram
Our purpose

A school built around practice, not performance.

To provide authentic, lineage-based yogic education that fosters peace, harmony, and spiritual growth in a natural, supportive environment.

To be a beacon of traditional yoga and meditation in Nepal, offering life-changing experiences that connect students with the deep roots of yogic wisdom.

  • Yoga Teacher Training. 100, 200 and 300 hour Yoga Alliance certifications.
  • Yoga and Meditation Retreats, from a weekend reset to multi-month immersion.
  • Meditation Retreats. Silent, vipassana, mantra, Buddha-teaching.
  • Yoga Treks. Poon Hill and Mardi Himal, asana by sunrise, ascent by day.
  • Wellness Retreats. Ayurveda, detox, singing-bowl sound healing.
  • Spiritual guidance, one to one counselling with Swami Ananda.
Three principles

What we teach, and what we don't.

01

Yoga is not a religion.

It does not encourage dogma or belief. It is the science of living. Holistic, dimensional, evolutionary. Whatever your background, the practice is available.

02

All paths lead to one goal.

Hatha, Jnana, Karma, Raja, Bhakti. The bypaths differ; the destination is the same. Union of the soul with Spirit, which is the very definition of yoga.

03

Practice is the only proof.

Doctrines have been expounded enough. Books by the million. The benefits are inevitable, but only for those who do the work. Sincerely, regularly, in the right environment.

An unbroken lineage

A thousand-year-old tradition, taught in a small room.

The ancient tradition of yoga is a universal and evolutionary science, preserved and transmitted across ages through an unbroken lineage of exalted beings. Yogis and rishis. Whose practice and wisdom continue to shape how we live, sit, and breathe today.

The land that gave it to the world, Bharatvarsha, is the same one from which our teachers have come. From Rishikesh, from Kerala, from Himachal, from the deep silence of the Himalayan caves.

Holistic in outlook, yoga has many dimensions and many facets. Hatha, Jnana, Karma, Raja, Bhakti. The bypaths differ. The destination is one. The union of soul with Spirit, which is the very definition of yoga.

Annapurna massif at sunrise
Daily practice

Every session begins and ends with a chant

Mantras are the oldest tools of the tradition. We open the day with a salutation to the Guru and close it with the Pavamana Mantra, asking to be led from darkness to light. The full texts are below, with transliteration, meaning and printable PDFs.

अखण्डमण्डलाकारं
व्याप्तं येन चराचरम् ।
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन
तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥
Akhaṇḍa-maṇḍalākāraṁ vyāptaṁ yena carācaram,
tatpadaṁ darśitaṁ yena tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ.

I bow to the Guru who revealed the Ultimate Truth, undivided and infinite, which pervades the entire universe.

Why Bodhidham

Why choose Bodhidham?

We give a personal touch, as we value you and your time and energy. We believe in quality; therefore, we give personal attention to each participant to help them to have overall growth in all aspects. That’s why we keep a limited seat so you can be at ease with the feeling that you are at home, which leads you towards your heart and soul.

  • i.Traditional lineage-based teaching from experienced yogis
  • ii.Family Environment
  • iii.Organic food grown on a local farm.
  • iv.Away from the city. At the height of 1320 m, Ghachowk Village.
  • v.Pollution-Free Location, Best AQI.
  • vi.In a lap of the holy mountain, Machhapuchhre.
  • vii.Village of Ethnic Local Community.
  • viii.Different cultural exposure, along with daily life of the village.
  • ix.Connecting with a tradition and becoming part of a global spiritual family.
  • x.Lifetime guidance and help in spiritual pursuit.
Why choose
Begin your journey

Where spiritual growth meets tranquility.

Bodhidham has trained many and helped many in their pursuit to lead a balanced life. The right equilibrium between work, physical and mental wellness, and for the keen aspirant, the routines that support deeper spiritual development.

The teaching team

Taught by practitioners, not performers.

TripAdvisor4.9★ from 160+ reviews

Reviews from our students

★★★★★Google
Swami Ananda and Deepika are great Yogis and excellent hosts, radiating love and kindness. They helped us with every request we had and did everything they could to make our stay pleasant. The yoga is profound, authentic and deeply spiritual. A true blessing, being able to stay at Bodhidham and experience their teachings. 🙏🕊️🦋🧘‍♀️
CT
Christina TreiberAshram Stay
★★★★★Google
Swami Ananda is the most helpful person I have ever met. He has a very good knowledge of yoga. He provided me with free accommodation and respected me. I am blessed to have met him and wish him success. I recommend him to anybody who wants to become a yoga teacher.- Jogi Bishwanath
JB
Jogi BishwanathAshram Stay
★★★★★Google
Amazing experience with amazing soul.❤️
BC
Binaya Chaurasiya
★★★★★Google
We had a great 12-day stay at the Yoga Retreat. The teachers there are so kind and helped us a lot getting into the basics of doing yoga. The food was amazing, the people were amazing, we had a great time!
R
RobinYoga Retreat
★★★★★Google
Excellent service and humble staff, I booked detox yoga retreat program and it was so amazing. Cannot express my feeling in word. This is my suggestion for everyone at least should try once, it is actually life changing. My heartiest thanks to bodhidham family for pampering and all the efforts they made for me.🙏🏻🌺
PB
Prakash BhusalDetox Yoga Retreat
★★★★★Google · translated from French
I'm going to Bodhidham to complete my 200-hour yoga training. Whether you're looking for a room for the night, a yoga class, or a training program, don't hesitate. A great team, attentive, and eager to offer and share the best possible experience. Quality is their motto. You'll be accompanied for three weeks by two passionate yogis who strive to share their knowledge and kindness. A very comfortable private room, with vegetarian cuisine prepared in-house with local and organic products. Many shared moments. See you soon!
BR
Benoit RidardYoga Teacher Training
★★★★★Google
This was a life changing experience to learn and practice yoga on all levels in such a beautiful and authentic setting. The instructors and guides were amazing. Always with kindness and confidence, they led me through my trip in Pokhara. I received constant support and spiritual guidance throughout my entire stay, which made me grow as a person. The food was delicious and everything was made with thought and love. Love and blessings to the beautiful people at Bodhiham Yoga Ashram! I will see you again soon 💚🙏🏻
L
LizYoga Retreat
★★★★★Google
While staying in Pokhara the Swami invited us to a wonderful ritual, that happend on full moon in Mai 2024. Because of his great energy we took a Yoga class the next day. His teaching was really high quality and thanks to him we started the day full of great energy. We came back to meditate in the evening and I really wished we could stay longer. Highly recommend a visit. It' s really worth it.
JV
Joy Victoria WagnerYoga Class
Sounds promising?

Come explore the undreamt-of possibilities awaiting you in structured, regular practice.

The teachers at Bodhidham are ardent practitioners of yogic philosophy who have spent years in the spiritual centres of India and Nepal, and in the Himalayan solitude. Come, do the work, find what is waiting.