Ashtanga Yoga Crete
As there are many ways to explore sound, our focus is through Dhrupad — the most ancient form of Nāda Yoga — using stringed instruments such as the Sitar, Rudra Veena, Surbahar, and Tanpura.
We offer meditative music sessions, as well as introductory seminars and workshops.
Indian Classical Music
Indian classical music is rich in lyricism and sensitivity, awakening a deep inner silence in the listener.
It often creates peaceful, contemplative moments simply through the act of listening.
Although its introverted beauty might suggest it is a form of entertainment, in truth, it functions more as a kind of therapy — a meditative journey through sound.
For the familiar listener, the experience goes deep.
Yet even those who have never been exposed to this music before can still enjoy and benefit from its therapeutic qualities.
Even during the tuning of the instrument, the atmosphere begins to shift — the expressions on the listeners’ faces begin to glow, like a painting being created in real time.
Through the natural flow of sound, the listener may feel a sense of happiness.
The intensity, rhythm, and melody subtly influence the inner constitution.
As one observes this shift, the sound seems to move with the breath throughout the body, gradually awakening the sensation of inner vibration.
Music invites us to experience the beauty of life — here and now — in each and every moment of our existence.
Music has a profound influence on our existence — something recognized since the earliest days of humanity.
Just as we use asanas to cleanse, unlock, and detoxify the body, we also turn to music to nourish the subtler layers of our being.
Through asana, we cultivate physical well-being. A refined practice brings balance and harmony within us, much like everything in nature that moves with rhythm and is in tune.
To feel peace and joy, we often seek the experience of sound. From the moment of our birth, through every phase of life, and even at the moment we leave the body, music often accompanies us — like an invisible friend that touches the soul.
The effect of sound, especially in combination with rhythm, is a unique and beneficial approach to well-being, one that coexists with every stage of our life.
While asana purifies and grounds the body on a tangible level, music works in a more subtle and spiritual way.
An old story tells that when God asked the soul to enter the human body, the soul refused — daunted by the body's limitations.
So, God commanded the Angels to sing. Ecstatic from the music and dance, the soul entered the body.
And ever since, whenever the soul hears music, even for a few seconds, it remembers that freedom — a timeless journey beyond the narrow boundaries of the human form.
Raga – The Soul of Indian Classical Music
Indian classical music, through the approach of the Raga, can deeply touch the soul and offer abundant therapeutic benefits.
The word Raga, a Sanskrit term, can be translated as “that which colors the mind and the soul.”
By using specific notes in a particular way — with emphasis on certain tones — one can feel as if a painting is being colored, or that the soul is being gently touched and awakened.
The origin of Raga dates back to ancient India. It is said that Shiva, the great yogi, practiced it in nature.
Each Raga is connected to particular moments of the day — morning, afternoon, evening, or night —
or to specific seasons such as spring, summer, or winter.
We see that in the nature of a musician who is also a yogi, someone who has cultivated siddhis (spiritual powers), there lies the ability to influence and even heal through sound.
Historically, this music was cultivated by practitioners who lived in nature, in deep attunement with its rhythms, and who explored the Raga not only as an art but as a path.
The Raga tradition reflects an intense spiritual orientation through sound.
While today we may encounter it in concert halls, its true essence remains in intimate gatherings — in small rooms called baithak in India — where the atmosphere resembles a meditation circle rather than a performance.
Indian Classical Music and Its Instruments
Indian classical music is a tradition rooted primarily in vocal expression.
It is also beautifully expressed through musical instruments that often imitate the voice — typically string or wind instruments.
The Sitar is one of the most popular instruments of North India,
mentioned in texts dating back to around the 13th century.
The Surbahar, sometimes called the “sound of spring,” is similar to the Sitar but larger in size, producing a deeper, bass tone.
Both instruments trace their origins to the Rudra Veena, considered their ancestor.
The Rudra Veena’s construction is said to be an invention of Lord Shiva.
Legend tells that while Shiva was in the forest, he built it to explore the subtle nuances (shrutis) of sound.
Inspired by his wife Parvati’s breasts, he used two large pumpkins as resonators,
and fashioned the frets from Parvati’s bracelets.
He even used one hair from each of the seven Rishis (sages) for the strings of the instrument.
Another essential instrument is the Tanpura, which provides the continuous drone that supports the melodic instruments.
My Musical Journey
For as long as I can remember, music has always been a dear friend.
Although my experiences and tastes evolved over time, whenever the right sound touched the right part of my soul, I felt healed.
I always loved music, but my true interest in learning it began around the age of 25.
In 1995, I was fortunate to attend an Indian classical music concert in Thessaloniki, northern Greece.
It felt like being in a temple, where prayers were made through pure sound — without words.
The following year, I traveled to India and returned with a Sitar.
After a few basic lessons, I realized that to truly learn, I needed to go to the music’s source: India.
In 1998, I journeyed to Varanasi, northern India, on the recommendation to meet a particular Sitar teacher.
To my surprise, he was the same musician I had seen on stage two years earlier in Thessaloniki.
For the next 12 years, I spent about half the year in Varanasi studying with Rabindra Narayan Goswami — first the Sitar, then the Surbahar, a bass instrument similar to the Sitar.
While music was my main purpose, Varanasi offered much more: yoga, philosophy, Vedic astrology.
I want to emphasize that the way and approach to this music, as I experienced it, was a spiritual path.
This approach was unlike anything I had known before, inspiring me to devote a part of my life to it.
There is no end to this journey — but those years planted the seeds of music within me, seeds that continue to grow.
I am deeply grateful to my teacher, for many reasons. Without him, I might never have continued studying this music.
It took time, practice, and persistence to master the basics — tuning, rhythm, comfortable posture.
They say it takes at least 10 years to enjoy your own practice, 20 years for listeners to enjoy your playing, 40 years for your Guru to appreciate your music, and a lifetime for God to enjoy your practice.
I never saw this music as “Indian” in the sense that it belongs only to those born in India.
For me, it is a path through sound to explore the depths within myself, a journey into an endless universe.
During my time in India, I met many inspiring yogi-musicians and attended countless concerts.
Around 2008, I acquired another special instrument, the Rudra Veena.
Soon after, I traveled to the Gurukul (a music study center) of the Dagar family.
There, I spent time with Fariddudin Dagar, one of the last Ustads — masters deeply knowledgeable in music —
and studied the Rudra Veena with Bahauddin Dagar, which profoundly influenced my musical approach.
Another musician who deeply influenced me is Pushpraj Kosthi from Mumbai.
While these musicians had the greatest impact on me, I have also met and listened to many others.
Two musicians who influenced me greatly through their recordings, though I never met them, are Nikhil Banerjee and Zia Mohiuddin Dagar.
I see no limits on this path. I enjoy the practice and feel great joy sharing it with open-hearted listeners.