I can higly recommend this place! But do not expect coming to a "normal" western style-yoga place when staying at Swan. Staying at Swan is not about taking one or two Yoga classes per day and have the rest of the day off for hanging around (Actually, you can do this whenever you want, but i wouldnt' recommend it, you'll miss a lot). They (i.d. the yoga teachers Gan Mitra, Shivendra, Om, Daya and the kitchen and cleaning staff etc.) do not only teach the physical yoga asanas that western people usually think this is yoga all about. For the Swan-Community Yoga is an attitude of life, a philosophy. They live it in their everyday life, from meditation and chanting early in the morning to the fire ceremonies in the evening; also the food (excellent and very varying, btw) is part of this system. I loved the seriousness of their attitude, the quietness and loveliness of the place, the conversations with the teachers, and i felt soon and quick integrated in the community. My absolute favourite was the mantra-chanting early in the morning, sitting all together around a fire in the temple. These chantings did have an amazing calming effect to my mind.
I just thought to myself sometimes that they could all take a little little more easier...and they should absoutely fix their Internet ;-)

I spent a week at Swan in April of 2014 - it was an amazing week that I wish I could have extended.
Preparations went very smoothly. I was traveling from Mumbai by bus, and had to catch a cab from Mapusa. Shivendra had given me his number which I called upon getting in the cab - language barrier and I had no idea where Swan was located. Super helpful.
Upon arriving I was shown to my room - I was given a two bed room to myself, even though I had paid the reduced fee for sharing with someone. I believe this was due to it being the slow season.
That being said, I was there before the monsoons hit - 100+ degrees each day, 100% humidity and no air conditioning. The night was difficult - I did have a fan in my cottage, but the breeze did no permeate my mosquito netting. I woke up each morning with bites on my hands, wrists and ankles because I unknowingly draped my hands and feet out the net to get some relief from the heat.
The food was delicious and varied. Indian, Italian, American... they had it all. And all fresh, local and hand prepared by loving staff. The meal hall also had wifi, which was very helpful in determining directions to new locations and planning out my further travels. Swan's location close to Mapusa is also great, but it is hidden away enough that there are no noises, traffic or people to bother you while you relax.
The Havan fire ceremonies were wonderful - a perfect way to end my first two days at the retreat, and get me in the mentality of healing and mindfulness.
They were able to procure me a scooter, which I used to explore the different beaches each afternoon. I believe it was the equivalent of $5USD per day.
Gyanmitra was wonderful in his teachings. I grew and learned more about yoga and meditation that I had ever expected I would.
If I return to Goa (I hope I will at some point) I will definitely return to Swan.

One of the reasons I chose to travel through India was to develop my spiritual knowledge. After extensively researching where might be best for me to fulfill this desire to learn, I found SWAN Retreat and decided to stay for 8 nights.

Set on an exuberantly lush hillside in the jungles of North Goa, SWAN is a Yogic eco-village where students from around the world come to rejuvenate their bodies and reset their souls.

The retreat is ran by a group of Indians who’re comprehensively schooled in the ancient science and philosophy of Yoga. Founder Gyanmitra and his fellow teachers, Om & Shivendra, radiated a positive and calming energy from day one thus allowing me to completely relax and engage with their teachings.

The daily program started at 6am at the temple where myself and a group of fellow devotees would participate in the sacred Havan ritual. Directly following Havan, we’d enter into a 30 minute meditation under Gyanmitra’s guidance.

After meditation, our group would reflect together in the dining area. Here we’d drink herbal tea and eat organic fruit that was often grown on-site, usually consisting of papaya, pineapple, mango and pomegrante. At 8am we’d practice Yoga Asanas with Om at the Yoga shala. Located at the top of the hill, the Yoga shala is a spacious open air build, bound by mosquito nets and perfectly suited to practice whilst being immersed in the jungle.

As somebody who’s always suffered with stiff joints and muscles, particularly around my hips and lower back, I struggled with many of the Asanas. My body simply wouldn’t allow me to get into some of the postures Om prescribed for us.

However, after practicing Asanas & Pranayama every morning and evening of my stay at SWAN, I detected a tangible improvement in the range of movement throughout my body. As my tension released and stiff joints unlocked, I invariably left Asana sessions with a gratifying sense of openness and serene energy.

At 10am and 5.30pm we’d meet at the dining area to eat. The food at Swan was a delight and far exceeded my expectations – the best cuisine I’ve experienced anywhere in India so far, and that’s no mean feat!

Food is regarded as medicine within the ashram. Using only fresh seasonal herbs and organic vegetables from regional farmers or their own garden, SWAN’s Ayurvedic meals are designed to support the healing of the body and enhance the Yogic purification processes. Personally I found the food to be extremely clean, full of natural flavour and wonderfully nourishing.

In the mid-afternoon we’d normally attend an hourly ‘Yoga philosophy’ class where one of the teachers would give a lecture on any number of wide ranging topics relating to the five thousand year old science that is Yoga. This was always a great opportunity for us to engage in open discussions to further deepen our understanding of the spiritual approach being taught.

The insight I gained at SWAN was profound and my gratitude for the wisdom I’ve been provided runs deep. There is a definite new-found sense of awareness flowing through me and I’ve been inspired to act more often out of love, out of joy and out of service.

For anybody wishing to discover more about the Yogic lifestyle: I can’t recommend SWAN highly enough. The team have created an accepting, trusting and relaxing environment; they all live within the ashram as a family and are waiting to welcome you with open arms, provided you come with an open heart and willingness to learn.