Our Story
A Little About Us
The founders of Setu Vermont, Emily Murphy Kaur and Harmeet Singh
History
Many people want to study yoga but don’t have access to the yoga culture, as it is in India. To a westerner’s ear, Indians speak of yoga and it’s something deeper, extending well beyond the physical practice of asana and what is offered through a weekly yoga class. The question then arrises, how can one grow their yoga practice when much of the knowledge and culture is not-accessible without heading to India? Does it need to be this encrypted and hard to gain access to?
In response to this, Emily & Harmeet— a couple that spans the two cultures—formed Sētu Vermont. Sētu is a space that acts as a bridge for people to experience traditional Indian wellness in the context that it flourish within, by bringing together communities and cultures like Emily & Harmeet were brought together—with purpose.
Sētu is a traditional Indian wellness center offering overnight retreats; programs focused on yoga, meditation; semester-long trainings in Ayurveda (traditional Indian Medicine); Indian cooking experiences; and authentic Ayurvedic massages and health consultations.
On Our Naming
Shundo Aoyama, a well-known Japanese writer and female Zen priest, wrote a poem that captures what our intention is for Sētu Retreat
Helping [one] to cross And [two] to cross:
Such a bridge I wish to be, Yet I am merely helped to cross.
This poem resonates a strong message of inclusivity, humbleness, helping and being helped. It is our intention that Sētu (meaning bridge in Sanskrit) capture these elements in its creation and ongoing activities and that we, while striving to be a bridge for others, find bridges in others that help us to discover new things on the path to self-mastery.