shakaizen
Yoga & Meditation Retreats In India & Japan
Private yoga and meditation retreats in India and Japan, grounded in the classical teachings and scriptures—free from new age influence—to help you cultivate a practice that truly integrates body, breath, and mind.
"Yoga is the stilling of the mind." — Yoga Sutra 1.2
Yoga is when the thought process stops and you achieve stillness of the mind. Having a flexible body does not make you a yogi, neither does wearing white clothes, mala necklaces, and knowing a few Sanskrit words.
Yoga is not something that can be practiced, it is the end goal. What you practice is asana, yoga postures for physical conditioning, pranayama, breathing exercises for breath control, and concentration techniques as a preparation for meditation.
At Shakaizen, we embrace the original essence of yoga, far removed from the modern misconceptions of yoga as merely physical exercise or a trending lifestyle full of new age pseudo-beliefs. Our teachings are rooted in the classical scriptures of yoga, backed by over a decade of real-life experience, focusing on the profound philosophy and spiritual discipline that guide the mind toward stillness.
With our private yoga and meditation retreats in India and Japan, we redefine the retreat experience by returning to yoga’s true essence, by putting the teachings and students first, providing a transformative journey that goes beyond superficial pleasures to foster inner peace and mental clarity.
If you seek a deeper, authentic yoga and meditation retreat that transcends the physical, you have found your sanctuary.
Asana
Asana taught for its original purpose: preparing the body to sit comfortably for pranayama and meditation. The focus is on structural alignment and sustainability rather than flexibility or performance, building capacity that serves practice for decades.
Pranayama
Pranayama as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika teaches it: the central practice of classical yoga, regulating vital energy through controlled breath. The bridge between physical practice and meditation that most contemporary yoga ignores entirely.
Meditation
What’s taught is concentration (dharana)—training attention to remain on a chosen object—with the understanding that meditation (dhyana) may arise if practice deepens sufficiently. The approach is honest about this distinction.
Philosophy
Philosophy integrated directly with practice through text study, inquiry, and application to what arises during practice. We work with sutras from the Yoga Sutras, verses from the Bhagavad Gita, and testing what the texts claim through experience.
About
Hi, thank you for dropping by, my name is Alexandre Latour, and I’m the teacher behind Shakaizen.
Fifth generation Indian, I was born and raised in Mauritius by my single mother who lulled me with stories from the Mahabharata, an epic of ancient India, and had me exposed to yoga philosophy from an early age.
I grew up an introvert more interested in knowledge regarding the meaning of life and death than in earning a university degree. I dropped out of high school, started studying yoga philosophy, and practiced yoga postures rigorously.
I found myself teaching at the age of 21, and for nearly a decade I traveled the world as an asana and pranayama teacher, teaching audiences of different cultural backgrounds and ability levels.
what you receive from a retreat with me
a teacher who is Knowledgeable And experienced
"The sources of right knowledge are direct perception, inference and scriptural testimony." — Yoga Sutra 1.7
The yoga industry has reached a point of over-saturation with hundreds of thousands of undertrained yoga teachers, and more being rapidly certified in just 5 weeks through the Yoga Alliance’s 200-hour and 500-hour yoga teacher training courses all over the world.
I consider myself lucky to have been exposed to a purer source of yogic knowledge very early in my life. In me you’ll find a teacher whose knowledge of yoga has not been diluted by the industry, whose experience of the practice has been gained from decades of real-life commitment, and whose pedagogy has been polished over 10000 hours of real classes.
Teachings that are Authentic And new age free
"Misconception occurs when knowledge of something is not based upon its true form." — Yoga Sutra 1.8
Most yoga teachers nowadays often intertwined their teachings with new-age pseudo-practices that have no relation or utility whatsoever with yoga and meditation. Crystal healing, sound healing, breathwork, full moon ceremonies, chakra alignment, these have become common offerings in yoga retreats.
I’m a musician and dancer myself, but when I make music, I make music. When I dance, I dance. When I teach about yoga, I teach about yoga, not music or dancing. There is so much already to learn about yoga, yet so little time to practice what we have learned. I won’t add further distractions.
an environment for inner growth
"The yogi should concentrate constantly on the Self, remaining in solitude, alone, with controlled mind and body, having no desires and free from material acquisitiveness." — Bhagavad Gita 6.10
Yoga and meditation retreats have become social gatherings, where quite often you’ll find yourself putting as much effort to socialize as in your actual practice.
My retreats are designed to provide a close-to-ideal environment for introspection and inner growth. For that to happen, I consciously limit every retreat to a maximum of four participants and will still conduct it with equal passion even if there is only one person.
Joining a retreat with me means you won’t be treated like a number in a group of 15+ persons that you’ll feel forced to interact with. Instead, you’ll receive personalized attention, meaningful interaction, and a high level of commitment from someone genuinely interested in your learning experience and progress.
an approach that makes you autonomous
"Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, with reverence and without break." — Yoga Sutra 1.14
My teaching philosophy is centered on empowering you to become self-reliant in your practice. Unlike most yoga classes where you just follow the lead of an instructor for an hour or so, without gaining no real understanding of the practice, the classes in my retreats are conducted in a way to provide you with the tools, knowledge, and techniques necessary to continue your journey independently.
You will leave the retreat not only with enhanced skills and understanding but also with the confidence to maintain and develop your practice on your own. This self-sufficiency is a crucial aspect of the learning experience I offer, ensuring that the benefits of the retreat extend well beyond our time together.