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The path to nirvana runs through Wan Chai this month as the Asia Yoga Conference hits town, writes Clare Morin

Enlightening vibrations will be reverberating around the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai this fortnight as Evolution: The Asia Yoga Conference takes up residence for three days. Dozens of internationally renowned yogis are flying into town to transform the halls into massive yoga studios, where nearly 2,000 bodies will be stretching into postures, chanting oms and listening to lectures on the meaning of yoga in today’s fast-paced world.

Last year’s inaugural conference was the first of its kind in Asia and drew 1,700 registrants – half from Hong Kong and the rest flying in from around the region. Walking into the conference felt like the city had been momentarily transformed into California: radiant and gorgeous bodies floated around the building, standing on their heads in corridors and generally glowing with health.

Conference Director Paveena Atipatha says that the feedback from last year was overwhelmingly positive. “What they enjoyed most was the vibe, the buzz about the actual conference,” she says, referring to a survey that was taken by 70 per cent of the participants. “Everything was so international with all these kinds of yoga under one roof. They had the opportunity to have all these different types of yoga introduced to them.”

This year, the conference returns with a cast of stellar names such as American Hatha yoga teacher John Friend, Forrest Yoga founder Ana Forrest and Ashtanga yogi David Swenson. There are also eminent holy men gracing the show, with the humanitarian guest of honour H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji appearing for talks and workshops.

Closing the conference is “the teacher’s teacher” Dharma Mittra. The Brazilian yoga legend, now in his seventies, has been teaching yoga for 50 years from his Manhattan centre. Mittra will be bringing people back down to Earth with a closing lecture on “Ethics and the Morality of Yoga”.

“It will be a message towards peace and love,” explains the yogi serenely over the phone from New York. Mittra explains that his message will be reminding people that the good vibes drawn from a yoga practice should be used wisely. “Every religion has ethical rules so I really encourage people to become peaceful and practice kindness to all living beings.”

Mittra is renowned around the world largely because of the Master Yoga Chart which he created in 1984, where he photographed himself in 908 postures and created a poster that still hangs in yoga studios the world over. He was the disciple of Sri Swami Kailashananda, one of the first teachers to bring Hatha yoga to the West in the early ’50s, and is renowned for his pure teachings.

Mittra says that one of his key messages will be promoting the vegetarian diet (“you cannot enter the state of samadhi if you have [meat] in your stomach”) as well as reminding people of the original purpose of yoga – not just to tone your body but to consciously travel the road to enlightenment. “People are looking for mental powers and perfect health, yet the main purpose is self-realisation” he says.

It’s not a cheap route to enlightenment. The conference seems  geared to rich yoga enthusiasts –  an on-site pass for the entire conference costs HK$5,488, a day pass is HK$2,388, and the cheapest option is one two-hour session for HK$550. However, for impoverished yoga students there are seven complimentary events on the bill, including a Yoga Aid challenge, where people can ask their friends to sponsor them in doing 108 sun salutations in two hours, with proceeds going to Unicef and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. There is also a complimentary Q&A session with H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, president of the Parmarth Niketan Ashram. “It’s hard to find someone of his stature who’s willing to take Q&As from people,” says Paveena Atipatha. “This is a great opportunity for people to come when they’re seeking answers.”

For those heading to the conference to try to find a teacher, Mittra offers a final slice of wisdom to aspiring yogis and yoginis. “People have to be careful to find the right teacher who has experience, not knowledge,” he suggests. “Knowledge you can get from the internet: the scriptures are all there. The teachers who have the taste of bliss, who are in search of enlightenment – they will be able to impart the right knowledge.”

It’s a different type of bliss that most people head to Wan Chai to find, but with some of the world’s leading yoga teachers gathering under one roof, this conference would be a smart place to start looking.

Asia Yoga Conference takes place Tue 3-Fri 6 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai, www.asiayogaconference.com.