Meet Chris Nelson, a dynamic wellbeing entrepreneur, author and devoted Yogi whose journey through the realm of holistic wellness has shaped his life and the lives of countless others. In his early thirties, feeling the weight of a fastpaced world, Chris made a pivotal decision to “slow his life down” and immerse himself in the transformative practice of Yoga.
In 2006, he founded the renowned Ashiyana Yoga Retreat Centre in Goa, India, a sanctuary for those seeking peace and rejuvenation. His vision didn’t stop there; by 2020, he expanded his reach to Brazil, and in 2024, Ashiyana Spain opened its doors, further solidifying his commitment to creating a global wellbeing ecosystem that thrives both online and offline.
Chris is also an author, having published his first book, Wake Up and SOAR, in April 2016, and his second book, BEST ME – Unleash Your Natural Capacity for Health, Fulfilment and Longevity, is set to inspire readers later this year. Passionate about helping individuals find peace and explore their full potential, Chris’s journey embraces the power of intentional living and holistic health.
In this interview, we touch on his philosophy, explore the essence of Ashiyana, and uncover the insights that fuel his mission.
What inspired you to start Ashiyana and how did you envision it evolving when you first began?
When I was 19 years old, at university, a friend asked me what I was going to do with my life. I spontaneously replied, “Create a retreat centre in the tropics somewhere.” At that time, I had no real idea what “retreat centre” actually meant, but this declaration hadn’t emanated from my conscious mind, but rather came from the depth of my being. It took over twenty years, but once I’d become a Yoga teacher (similar kind of story), and was running retreats around the world, it was inevitable that I would find my own little piece of paradise, and set up my own retreat centre.
In 2024 you launched Ashiyana Spain – your first European outpost. What kind of retreats and training are you offering?
The model is essentially the same as we’ve had in Goa for 18 years, with Yoga retreats, Yoga holidays, Personalised Detox programmes, and Yoga teacher trainings. We’ll also be running our signature programme – BEST ME Journey, monthly – eight times in Spain, twice in Goa, and twice in the US, at a venue to be selected. As with each centre, Spain has its own unique flavour, and therefore we will be offering a few retreats that focus on the nature and facilities provided by our magical setting in Les Guilleries National Park, by the Sau reservoir.
Ashiyana offers both retreats and teacher training courses. How do these two offerings complement each other, and what unique experiences do they provide to your students/ clients?
My vision for Ashiyana has evolved into both an ecosystem of support for our guests, and also for our teachers, therapists and coaches. As such, there is the possibility for considerable synergy between the different elements of what we offer—many students discover our teacher training through having previously been guests with us, and many of the students we train go on to work with us on and offline supporting our guests.
From the very beginning, my intention was to offer our guests a deeper experience than is commonly available in the retreats and wellbeing industries. This deeper, spiritual intention is greatly facilitated by creating surroundings that guide our guests towards relaxation. This includes our staff, design of our centres, nurturing food and sleep, conscious movement, and all other areas of daily life while with us.
What we constantly hear from our guests is that Ashiyana feels like their home away from home. We especially love this feedback, since our primary intention is to hold them in a loving embrace, and even the word, Ashiyana, means ‘safe home’ in Hindi.
The wellness industry is highly competitive. What differentiates your brand from others, and how do you ensure that your retreats and courses remain authentic and impactful?
My entry into Yoga and wellbeing coincided with meeting a spiritual master, Satyananda. This afforded me a deep insight into what it is to be human, and what stands in the way of way of our peace of mind and joy. With this perspective, I have approached everything that I do with the intention of nudging myself and others towards awakening to our true nature.
Authenticity has its own unique frequency of vibration. In fact, the highest frequency that is possible for a human. This is the frequency and resonance associated with presence or consciousness. Unfortunately, most of what we experience in life doesn’t emanate from the energy field of authenticity. In this context, my job is to ensure that Ashiyana and BEST ME remain authentic in their intentions. The other marvellous outcome of presence, is that you access eternal wisdom and an unending reservoir of creativity.
Any amusing cultural misunderstandings along the way?
The cultures of India, Brazil and Spain are different for sure. The local Goans and Brazilians are very laid back, and trying to encourage them to work at a westernpace is futile. Catalonians on the other hand are far more industrious. So, it has been less about misunderstandings, and more about learning to accept the pace that people are comfortable with. What’s amusing is seeing how I and others in the team have struggled with accepting that
Building a brand across multiple countries with different cultures must have required significant adaptability. How have you navigated these cultural differences while maintaining a consistent brand identity?
That has actually been easier than you might imagine. I guess that since I have remained consistent with my vision and mission, I have attracted key people who resonated with these. I also recognise that I have incredible karma when it comes to attracting wonderful human beings. Great people with a tonne of empathy, and who buy into your vision, become like frequency holders for the brand.
Personal growth is a key focus of your wellbeing system. How has your own journey of personal growth influenced the design and philosophy of your retreats?
Just as with any creator, artist, or entrepreneur, everything that I create has been tempered and forged in the laboratory of my own experiences. My struggles and failures have been invaluable for fashioning Ashiyana and BEST ME as they are today. It is my realisation of just how hard life is, which has fuelled my passion for supporting others.
If you could teach a Yoga class to your younger self, what advice would you weave into the practice? Would it be about flexibility, patience, or something else entirely?
Accept how you manifest, who you are, your strengths and weaknesses, and remember that life is a journey of experiencing rather than achieving. Relax, and learn to be in a calm state of flow.
What is your vision for the future of Ashiyana? Are there plans to expand to more locations or develop new offerings that align with your core mission?
We will likely open more centres, yes, in Europe, and further afield. But since the launch of BEST ME, I now see that the greatest and most positive impact that we can have, is to bring BEST ME Journey to as many people in the world as possible. This will likely mean making urban retreats available in all of the major cities of the world.
