FAQ

Yes, you need a visa to enter India. Please refer to the List of Countries  for who can get an e-visa. If your country is listed, select the box titles “For eVisa by Bureau of Immigration, Apply Here.” All other countries need to select “For Regular/Paper Visa by Indian Mission/Post, Apply Here.” 

***All eVisa’s from Tourist to Medical require your passport to be valid for six months from the arrival date***

https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

1. **Choose TOURIST visa.** Very important you do NOT choose yoga or short-term yoga program. These are specific programs that we are not registered with. 
2. When asked where you intend to visit, write: Goa, Gokarna and anywhere else you plan to travel on your own.
3. Contact Information and Indian address for Visa:
   • Sajesh P Sadanandan, Little Cottage, Westhill Po, Kozhikode, Kerala, India 673005
   • Phone number: +91 96562 24784
4. When taking a photo of yourself and your passport, clearly follow instructions. The photo of yourself should be taken against a plain background. The passport page is glossy, so be sure all information can be read clearly without glare.

Arrive at least one day before the start date of your program, this included in the price of your program. You can also come earlier as long as there is space available.

Plan to stay at least until the day after your program ends. You can stay longer as long as there is space available. 

Let us know what days you would like to arrive and depart, so we can reserve your room.

We can arrange taxi pick up from either Goa airport: GOI or GOX airport codes. GOI is closer to us so a better choice if other factors are similar. 

Usually it is less expensive to fly into Mumbai or Delhi and then book a domestic flight to Goa.

Be aware that baggage allowances are usually less for Domestic flights than International flights so make sure you are not over the allowance for a domestic flight if you choose to book separate flights.

When transferring in Mumbai book flights on the airlines below. These airlines fly out of the International Terminal, Terminal 2. The domestic terminal, Terminal 1, is a separate airport and requires a taxi ride to reach from the international terminal. 

• Vistara
• Air India
• Indigo
• Spice Jet

Flight Information: Send us your flight information; airline, flight number, date and time. We will use this information to book your taxi. Your taxi driver will have a white paper with your full name on it unless you specify otherwise. 

Taxi: We can arrange taxi service from the Goa airports (GOI and GOX) and from local train stations. The prices are $35* from GOI and $60* from GOX.

Train: You can arrive by train to the Cancona (CNO, 15 min from Sva-Tantra, approximately $7 taxi*) or Madgaon (MAO, 1 hour from sva-tantra, approximately $25 taxi*) train station.

USE EXIT GATE A2 AT GOI AIRPORT

* Prices for taxis are approximate. Accurate pricing can be given closer to your arrival date. 

In Goa it is appropriate to wear typical western clothing. Tank tops, shorts, yoga leggings, bikinis, etc. are all okay. 

In the rest of the country and for visiting temples, dress more conservatively. Be sure to cover your shoulders and legs.

• Up to date passport, visa
• Credit/debit cards (notify bank of your travel plans if necessary)
• Phone (check roaming prices or suspend coverage)
• Converter/plug adapter for EU plugs (India plugs are compatible with EU plugs)
• Ear plugs (if you’re sensitive to noise while sleeping)
• Eye mask for sleeping/yoga
• Water bottle
• Comfortable yoga clothes
• Swim suit
• Sunglasses/sun hat
• Yoga mat (We have mats if you do not want to travel with one, but they are likely lower quality than your personal mat)
• Shawl/blanket/sweater/something to cover for cool evening and morning yoga
• Clothing that covers legs and shoulders for visiting temples or traveling outside of Goa
• Flip flops or sandals that are easy to take on and off
• Comfortable shoes for traveling
• Toiletries can be purchased here if you don’t want to travel with them. Please bring anything specific or unique you need. 
• Notebook and pen for journaling and taking notes, also available here if you do not want to bring

• Makeup- come as you are. Embrace au naturel!
• Strong perfume/aftershave- embrace your smell! Many are sensitive to strong scents
• Jewelry- this can be a hindrance during yoga and massage
• Uncomfortable, tight, heavy clothing/jeans

Accommodation and Ashram locations have Wifi. Sim cards with data are also available at the airport or in town. 

We will supply filtered water for you everyday needs as well as for filling a water bottle. We will not supply the bottle so please bring one with you. 

You can purchase bottled water at all restaurants and at many shops when you leave the Ashram. 

We do not advise drinking water that is not from a bottle or our filters because we cannot assure you the filter has been maintained and changed properly.

A full meal program is available on location.  Below are a list of places to visit during free time. 

Chaudi – 

Supermarket, vegetable market, various restaurants

Galgibaga Beach – 15 minute drive via motor bike or taxi

Blue Whale – Full service beach style restaurant. 

Two Sisters- next to Blue Whale. Best to order ahead of time. Takes 1 hour to prepare. 

Namrata’s Home – Homemade food at our next door neighbors’ home. Must order ahead of time. 

• Fish curry meals: with rice/chapati, Goan fish curry, seared fish, vegetable dish and tomato/onion/cucumber salad
• Vegetarian meals: with rice/chapati, lentil soup, vegetable dish and tomato/onion/cucumber salad

Santosh – Beach Restaurant 

Surya’s – Beach Restaurant

Talpona Beach– 15 min drive by motor bike or taxi

Peace Garden – Nice lounge-like full service beach restaurant. Tourist prices.

Tejas and Dipiksha Restaurants – local restaurants specialising in Goan fish and veg dishes, other types of food available. Local prices.

Palolem Beach – 20 minute drive via motor bike or taxi

Restaurants, bars, clubs, shopping

Up-tempo party beach with a wide variety of restaurants to choose from

Dropadi – Upscale restaurant with many options, good fish and Indian cuisine. Slightly higher than average prices.

Sai Family Restaurant – Off the beach local restaurant.  Local prices.

Patnam Beach– 20 minute drive by motor bike or taxi

Mellow alternative to Palolem with many beach restaurants and some dance and lounge options.

There is a shared space for making tea/coffee and basic kitchen needs. Please do not expect to cook. The rooms do not have kitchens. A full meal program is part of the course. 

Government Hospital Canacona – 15 minute drive by motor bike or taxi

2352+2HV, NH 66, Mastimol, Canacona, Goa 403702

There are several pharmacies and local doctors in Chaudi, Canacona.

Yes. The Talpona River is a tidal river so it rises and falls 2 meters every 12 hours. It is salty ocean water. During high tide it is easy to swim. When it is low it is only 50-100cm at its deepest and parts of the river bottom are above water.

We have 50 meters of direct access to the river from our property. 

If, for any reason, you do not complete the necessary hours to fulfill the course requirements we cannot issue a certificate for Yoga Alliance registration. We can give you a certificate with the amount of hours you did complete. 

*We encourage you to come for the experience and self integration. For us, the certificate is of secondary importance. Tantra is not about external validation so being recognised by Yoga Alliance or others is not a valid measure of value. However, we do recognise the importance of your livelihood and physical well being and we know income can depend on this certification so we are happy to give because we can give without compromising our standards. 

We have found that personal connection and close community allows for us to experience the full depth of the kaula tantra system. For this reason we have decided to limit our courses to a maximum of 25 practitioners. 

As the community grows we may have more people living on the property which will include senior students and resident staff, but training programs will not exceed 25 participants per senior teacher.   

Yes, our 200hr, 300hr, and 500hr courses are Yoga Alliance certified. 

The Kaula Tantra Yoga sequence is done as a sequence because it focuses on balancing the prana system. Like acupuncture, we a have systematic approach to balancing your prana, or chi. Your Nādi system, the channels in which your prana or chi flows, has the same structure everyday so to optimize it we do basically the same series everyday. This approach also cultures the conscious mind to shut down which allows the superconscious to bring us back to pranic balance and physical homeostasis. By balancing the prana system all other systems in the body will regulate and optimize.

The Kaula system brings a deep sense of calm we call the “zero state” which is an essential experience when exploring the divine. Without this timeless, body-less, experience, discussion of Kaula philosophy is only theoretical and integration is impossible. The asana system is a necessary precursor to integrating the Kaula teachings of the divine as everything. You must experience yourself as the blissful divine to truly know this system.  

The asanas in this system are like mantras. They are repeated over and over to transcend the measuring, linear mind/experience. The sensation of relaxation into your deepest self transcends the concept of space and time so linearity is no longer a possibility and you can experience your dynamic, non-linear, absolute self.

No. There is no sexuality taught as a part of any of the teacher trainings. While the Kaula Tantra system celebrates sexuality, it is practiced as a form of experiencing and integrating bliss into our everyday lives after a practitioner has integrated life as the divine. 

We see that it is valuable for practitioners to have time and space to themselves to integrate the experiences and knowledge they are receiving during the trainings. For this reason we encourage participants to abstain from involving themselves romantically or sexually (emotionally/physically) during their time in the trainings. 

If after completing a training, a graduate decides to extend her/his stay or return to SKaSTA and he/she feels she/he has a sound foundation of selfhood and wants to engage romantically or sexually with other non-trainees in the community, that is between those consenting adults. We support the honest, self aware expression of your innate bliss and encourage you to practice deep self honesty and awareness in any sexual engagement. 

There may be supplementary offerings that are outside the scope of the teacher trainings and participation is in no way required or expected. These offerings have not yet been developed but may include teachings on psycho-sexual health (i.e. what underlies our desires/urges), awareness and education on female and male orgasm/ejaculation (ability to and regulation of), using non-violent communication around our sexual needs and desires, etc. 

*We, the space holders here at SKaSTA, have all agreed not to engage with trainees in any romantic/sexual exchanges, emotional or physical. If you, as a member of the SKaSTA community, interpret any action from one of us as romantic, inappropriately intimate or in any other way uncomfortable please share your concerns with that person or contact anyone of us and share your concerns if you feel uncomfortable sharing with that person directly. This information is very important to us so please know that we want to hear your experience to create a supportive environment in which to celebrate life.