Wellness Unlimited Co  ×  SWAN Yoga Retreat, Goa

The Online Meditation Foundation Course

Authentic meditation, transmitted from a living lineage and filmed inside SWAN Yoga Retreat in Goa, India - ten modules to begin and deepen your practice, from the comfort of home.

Enrol now - £299 or pay in two: 2 × £175 Begin Module 1 - Free
10 modules ~7 hours of teaching Satyananda · Bihar School of Yoga lineage Self-paced, lifetime access

Meditation, as it was actually meant

Most “meditation” online is the Western, simplified version

In the West, meditation has been flattened into a relaxation technique - a few minutes of breathing to take the edge off a stressful day. That has its place. But it is the surface of something far deeper.

In the yogic tradition, meditation - dhyana - is not concentration, and not escape. It is a state that emerges through preparation, awareness and practice, refined and passed from teacher to student over thousands of years.

This is an authentic online meditation course that brings you that tradition, intact - the philosophy beneath the practice, and the practice itself - so you can learn to meditate properly, at your own pace, from home.

Meditation is not concentration; it is the expansion of awareness.

- Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati
Meditation practice at SWAN Yoga Retreat in Goa
Filmed on location at SWAN Yoga Retreat - so the rhythm of nature and the quality of presence reach you through the screen.

Ten modules

A complete foundation - from philosophy to practice

Module 01 Free

Course introduction

How this knowledge is transmitted - Guru–Shishya Parampara, the lineage of teacher and student - and Karma Yoga as part of the practice itself.

Module 02

What is meditation?

The real meaning of dhyana, why “meditation” is an imperfect translation, how it differs from Western meditation, and the common myths and misconceptions.

Module 03

Introduction to Yoga

Yoga as union (yuj) - the joining of individual and cosmic consciousness - and the mythological and phenomenological roots of the tradition.

Module 04

Yogic philosophy

Samkhya (Purusha & Prakriti), the koshas, the parts of the mind and the kleshas - the inner map every practitioner works from.

Module 05

The subtle body

The energetic anatomy the physical body sits within: prana, the nadis, the pancha pranas and the chakras - felt as practice deepens.

Module 06

Foundations of practice

Environment, posture and sankalpa - preparing the conditions for meditation before any technique. Simple, but not optional.

Module 07

Breath, Prana & Pranayama

The breath as the most accessible expression of prana - something we can lengthen, slow and observe - and through which the mind is influenced directly.

Module 08

Meditation through science

Nervous-system regulation, brainwaves, neuroplasticity and the gut–brain axis: where the tradition and modern research describe the same thing.

Module 09

Daily practice & integration

Moving from guided to self-led practice; regularity, duration and building a sadhana that is realistic and sustainable over time.

Module 10

Guided practices

Three practices to return to again and again: a full guided meditation, Yoga Nidra and Trataka - each with a short introduction.

Inside SWAN Yoga Retreat, Goa, where the course was filmed

Everything you receive

What’s included

  • 10 video modules (~7 hours) - watch at your own pace, in any order that serves you.
  • A companion course workbook (PDF) - breaking down each lesson, the Sanskrit terms and the frameworks for reference.
  • Reflection prompts after every module - to pause, absorb and translate the teaching into your own experience.
  • Three guided practices to keep - a full guided meditation, Yoga Nidra and Trataka.
  • Opening & closing conversations - with Lucie asking questions on behalf of you, the student.
  • Self-paced, lifetime access - return to it as your practice deepens.
Gyanmitra Saraswati teaching meditation at SWAN Yoga Retreat

Teaching from lineage

From the source - not a copy of a copy

This course is grounded in the teachings of Swami Satyananda Saraswati - founder of the Bihar School of Yoga and author of the classic text on Yoga Nidra - and Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati, where meditation is understood as the art of conscious living, not performance or attainment.

It is taught by Gyanmitra Saraswati and filmed at SWAN Yoga Retreat, a sanctuary in the Goan jungle run in the spirit of a traditional ashram. The teaching has not been reshaped to suit a Western market - it reaches you as it is taught there, on the ground, where it lives.

Where tradition meets research

What the science is catching up to

The yogis mapped this through direct experience long before instruments existed to measure it. Modern research now describes the same phenomena in its own language - and increasingly confirms what the tradition has said for thousands of years.

Nervous system

Meditation downregulates the nervous system and improves vagal tone - shifting the body out of chronic stress and into rest, repair and regulation.

Inflammation

Studies measuring inflammatory markers such as CRP show meaningful reductions in regular meditators. Physiologically, it may be one of the most anti-inflammatory practices you can adopt.

The gut

Around 90% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut. By calming the nervous system, meditation directly supports digestion, the gut lining and the microbiome.

Cellular ageing

Nobel-Prize-winning research on telomeres - the protective caps on our chromosomes - links regular meditation to slower cellular ageing.

Sleep

Of all practices studied for sleep, Yoga Nidra has some of the most compelling evidence - more slow-wave and REM sleep, faster onset, better quality.

The mind

Neuroplasticity research shows that what we practise, we strengthen. A regular practice reshapes attention, emotional regulation and resilience over time.

The nervous system talks to the brain; the brain talks to the gut; the gut talks to the immune system. None of it stands apart - the tradition described this network through direct experience long before science could measure it.

Where this sits

A meditation app won’t teach you to meditate.

 
Meditation apps
This course
Teacher trainings
Depth
A surface technique for calming down
The full tradition - philosophy through to practice
Deep, but pitched at future teachers
Source
Western, secular, generic
Authentic lineage, filmed in a Goan ashram
Varies widely by school
Format
Bite-size daily audio
10 structured modules + workbook + guided practices
Weeks to years, often in person
Cost
£10–15 / month, forever
£299 once (or 2 × £175) - lifetime access
Often £1,000s
Best for
A quick moment of calm
Genuinely learning to meditate, properly, from home
Becoming a certified teacher

Who you’ll learn from

Your teacher & host

Gyanmitra Saraswati, meditation teacher and co-founder of SWAN Yoga Retreat
Gyanmitra Saraswati
Teacher

Gyanmitra Saraswati is co-founder of the SWAN Foundation for Ayurveda and Yoga Research, a social enterprise in Goa, India, with a focus on need-based programmes for underserved communities.

He is also co-founder of SWAN Yoga Retreat, a sanctuary in the Goan jungle run in the spirit of a traditional ashram, where he leads teacher trainings, courses and daily practice - sharing his deep-rooted teaching with visitors from around the world.

Lucie Marchelot Shukla, founder of Wellness Unlimited Co
Lucie Marchelot Shukla
Host & Curator

Lucie is a holistic practitioner trained in integrative and anti-inflammatory nutrition, health coaching, breathwork, energy work and Vedic / Ayurvedic principles - with an approach shaped just as much by lived experience.

Through her practice, Wellness Unlimited Co, she developed the WU Anti-inflammatory RESET Method®, a practical, integrative approach to addressing chronic inflammation and supporting the prevention, management, and reversal of chronic disease.

She authored Living and Eating the Anti-Inflammatory Way, and leads seasonal workshops, retreats, and her signature 6-week RESET course. Lucie also develops recipes, curates seasonal anti-inflammatory recipe guides, and works as a culinary wellness consultatnt and strategist for luxury hotels and brands.

Is this for you?

A solid foundation, whether you’re starting or starting over

This is for you if…

  • You’re a complete beginner who wants to start the right way
  • Your practice feels stuck, scattered or surface-level
  • You practise yoga and want the philosophy beneath the postures
  • You’re drawn to meditation as self-knowledge, not just stress relief
  • You want depth and authenticity - without leaving home

It’s probably not for you if…

  • You're not ready to dedicate a portion of your day to building a lasting practice
  • You only want a five-minute calming hack (an app will do that)
  • You’re looking for a quick fix rather than a daily practice
  • You’d rather not engage with any philosophy or tradition

Begin today

Start free. Continue when you’re ready.

No subscription, no recurring fees. Pay once and the course - and every guided practice - is yours for life.

Full course

The complete course

All ten modules, yours for life.

£299 one-time

or pay in two: 2 × £175 over two months

  • All 10 video modules (~7 hours)
  • Companion workbook (PDF) + reflections
  • Guided meditation, Yoga Nidra & Trataka practices
  • Self-paced, lifetime access
Enrol now

Module 1 - Free

Begin before you decide.

Free

No payment details required

  • Full first module - a conversation on tradition, knowledge & practice
  • The foundations of the tradition
  • See how the course feels
  • Upgrade when you're ready
Begin Module 1

Good questions

Frequently asked

Is it really free to start?

Yes. Module 1 - the course introduction and the foundations of the tradition - is completely free, with no payment details required. You only pay if you choose to continue with the full course.

Do I need any experience?

None at all. There’s no prerequisite and nothing you need to know in advance. The course is built for complete beginners as well as those deepening an existing practice. Just come with an open mind.

How is this different from an app like Calm or Headspace?

Apps offer short, secular techniques aimed at relaxation. This course teaches the tradition itself - dhyana as it has been transmitted from teacher to student for thousands of years - structured into ten modules, with a companion workbook and guided practices you keep for life.

How long do I have access?

The course is fully self-paced with lifetime access. Return to the modules, the workbook and the guided practices as often as you like, as your practice deepens.

Is meditation religious?

No. The course is rooted in yogic philosophy and practice, taught as an inner science of awareness rather than a religion. People of all backgrounds and beliefs are welcome.

How much time does it take?

Around 7 hours of teaching across ten modules, watched at your own pace. A sustainable daily practice starts with roughly 30 minutes - and the course shows you how to build towards it gradually.

What do I need to take part?

Just a quiet corner, somewhere comfortable to sit, and a device to watch on. Everything else - the teaching, the workbook and the guided practices - is provided.

Can this lead to teaching meditation?

This is the foundation course. If you feel called to teach, Wellness Unlimited Co also runs an in-person, Yoga-Alliance-accredited Meditation Teacher Training led by Gyanmitra Saraswati. Get in touch to hear about future cohorts.

Begin where every real practice begins

With the foundations. Module 1 is free - start today, from wherever you are.