Encounter with Niraamaya ④

After spending over a month at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in Madurai, South India, we found ourselves once again rocked by the rhythm of a seven-hour train journey as we made our way back to Kerala.

An ashram is an environment where everything is purified and seamlessly aligned. Because of this, the moment we stepped outside and were thrown back into the chaotic roar of the Indian streets, returning to everyday reality came as a profound culture shock to our systems.

And it was no surprise. The ashram was a sacred space designed for returning to absolute stillness. Day after day, we tuned our bodies, immersed ourselves in meditation, and nourished ourselves with a mild, pure vegetarian diet. Within those walls, time simply flowed with gentle serenity. It was the very archetype of our ideal way of living. Even among the fiercely hard-working locals in India, many visit the ashram once every few months, spending several weeks recharging their minds and bodies. For so many, the ashram is an indispensable pillar of spiritual support.

When you emerge from that world of silence into the city, however, the landscape instantly shifts. We found ourselves navigating through crazy traffic in an auto-rickshaw (tuktuk), and from the very second we stepped off, we were overwhelmed by the intense heat and the relentless energy of bustling people calling out to us from every direction.Walking into a restaurant, we were greeted by fiery, spiced dishes that we had never encountered at the ashram,powerfully stimulating our palates. It was an experience that made us deeply realize just how much stimulation we usually consume in our ordinary lives.

Holding this vast duality within us, we arrived in Kerala. I still vividly remember drifting off to sleep the night before our meeting with Niraamaya, wrapped in a unique mixture of pure anticipation and quiet nervous tension.

The following day, after a 30-minute ride in a swaying tuktuk, we finally arrived at the Niraamaya headquarters. The structure that stood before us was an exquisitely beautiful building erected right on the edge of the ocean. The rhythmic sound of the waves blended with a comforting, cooling breeze.

"Because it is crafted in an environment like this, it naturally births that one-of-a-kind texture and experience." Just witnessing that scenery made everything resonate deeply within me; it completely made sense.

It was there that we were warmly welcomed by the founder, Mr. Mathew. He, too, was a dedicated soul who practiced yoga daily. Having spent long years building a rich career as a specialist in natural dyes, Mr. Mathew utilized his profound knowledge to birth a brand called Niraamaya, driven by a pure desire to "create something genuinely exceptional for the world of yoga."

As he guided us through the facility, a breathtaking sight opened up before us. Dozens of varieties of raw herbs and spices were being utilized as dyes—everything that caught our eyes was entirely derived from nature. Touching the very source of the product's magnificence, my wife and I became even deeper, lifelong devotees of the brand.

Then, as we finally transitioned into the core of our conversation, Mr. Mathew shared these words: "We have seen a growing number of customers from Japan, and we were just in the process of searching for a trustworthy partner there.Right at that moment, your message reached us."

It was a timing so flawless it felt as though it had been meticulously orchestrated beforehand. At the ashram, we were taught that "the universe always brings things into manifestation at the absolute best timing." To see this truth materialize right before our eyes filled us with a sense of deep clarity and wonder.

Witnessing this profound alignment, I was able to accept, with pure and transparent clarity, that this was the path we were meant to walk. Thus, the destiny to deliver Niraamaya’s yoga mats to Japan was sealed.

The deeper one studies yoga, the more the things we "ought to do" naturally find their way to us, and the required energy wells up from deep within our core at the most divine timing. That conviction forged itself into an unshakeable reality at the center of our being.

One year has passed since that turning point. To give a tangible, grounded form to this blessed connection, we have made a monumental decision. That decision is the establishment of "Yogoda LLC" in the land we call home—Hase, Ina City,Nagano Prefecture.

From this exact space, our grand challenge officially begins to move into motion.