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Satsang · Rishikesh

Satsang in Rishikesh

A spiritual gathering in the company of truth: reading, discourse, questions, meditation and song.

Teacher instructing five students seated in meditation in a spacious Rishikesh yoga hall with views of the hills
A class in the Anantadrishti Yoga shala, Lower Tapovan, Rishikesh

What is satsang?

Satsang means “being in the company of truth” (sat, truth; sanga, company). It is a gathering of seekers for spiritual discourse, meditation and the sharing of wisdom.

In the company of sincere seekers and a teacher, one’s own understanding deepens. Satsang makes room for questioning, contemplation and growth.

सत्सङ्गत्वे निस्सङ्गत्वं निस्सङ्गत्वे निर्मोहत्वम् ।

satsaṅgatve nissaṅgatvaṃ nissaṅgatve nirmohatvam |

Good company leads to non-attachment; non-attachment leads to freedom from delusion.
Bhaja Govindam 9

The shape of a gathering

What happens at a satsang

A satsang has no fixed form, but most follow a similar arc.

  1. Opening chant

    Invocation mantras open the gathering.

  2. Reading

    A passage from a sacred text, read slowly for reflection.

  3. Discourse

    The teacher's commentary on the passage and what it asks of daily life.

  4. Questions

    Open discussion and clarification.

  5. Meditation

    Guided or silent contemplation.

  6. Bhajan

    Devotional singing.

  7. Closing prayer

    Gratitude and blessings.

Why seekers value satsang

The tradition gives several reasons for keeping good company.
  • Doubts and misreadings are cleared in conversation.
  • It builds a spiritual community, a sangha.
  • It deepens the understanding of the scriptures.
  • It renews the motivation to practise.
  • It gives questions a place to be asked.
Students and teacher in white greet with namaste hands in the Anantadrishti Yoga shala in Rishikesh
Students and their teacher greet each other in the shala, Rishikesh

Study with us

Philosophy, in the company of the breath

The Advanced Pranayama & Yoga Philosophy Course keeps something of this spirit. Its late-morning session covers corrections, practice, and the science and philosophy of pranayama: how classical yoga texts, such as Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, describe prana, the breath and the mind.

Read more about yoga philosophy in Rishikesh, or ask us whether a satsang is planned during your dates.

Advanced Pranayama & Yoga Philosophy Course

Go deeper: 7, 15 or 30 days in Rishikesh

  • A new start every month
  • Two guided sessions each teaching day
  • Tuition only

Tuition from149 $US13 000 ₹

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