Upcoming Retreat: Aug 2024
The majestic Taj Mahal
““Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions.” – Rig Veda A large
India can seem unapproachable and insurmountable. But what if you could go to India with an experienced guide by your side? What if you could take in the cultural and spiritual wonders of India with someone who has local connections, street know-how, and knows the lay of the land?
I have extensive experience planning travel in India. This means you won’t have to worry about logistics. That’s my job.
India has many amazing things to offer and I am delighted for the opportunity to share yoga, meditation and the wonders of my homeland with you!
I have been leading retreats to India since 2017.
Your safety and comfort is my utmost goal, so you can relax and take in the culture. I will guide you through all the formalities required prior to travel, from visa to vaccinations and acquaint you with the cultural norms to be mindful of once we are there.
This time it’s back to Kerala, my birthplace, known as God’s Own Country, one of the most popular destinations because of its culture and enchanting landscapes. During this retreat, we cover Kerala’s mountains, tea plantations, the famous backwaters as well as the city of Kochi for its history and culture.
We will explore, practice yoga and meditate (depending on time and the activity level of the day), enjoy the cuisine, journal, relax and rest.
I will be with you from the moment you arrive at Kochi airport until the time I drop you back at the airport at the end of our travels. There are a few reasons I can think of that you might choose to travel with me when there are myriads of yoga retreats available to India. I believe this might be a once in a lifetime trip for some of you. Therefore I want to make the long (and expensive flight) trip worth your while by traveling and experiencing as much as we comfortably can, because travel in India can be difficult. I am striving to be very intentional about it. There is a balance between traveling too much and having a chance to savour. But at the same time, my conscience does not allow me to take you to a yoga retreat center or a resort in one city, do some sightseeing of the city, do yoga every day and come back. This is very enjoyable for some. But others might want to explore the culture and see the country. I grew up in India, speak a couple of Indian languages and know the cultural norms. My utmost priority is your safety, comfort and enjoyment. My family in India helps me with all the arrangements so I can rely on them rather than a local agency. Prior to finalizing the itinerary, one of them takes a trip along the entire route and checks out the hotels we stay at, some of the activities we do and the coach we travel in. This is much much harder to plan and execute in a chaotic country such as mine, than a group stay at one resort for the entire retreat. But for you to see India, it is very much worth it. One philosopher that I really enjoy, Alain de Botton, has written a book on how travel can change you for a lifetime.
“A danger of travel is that we see things at the wrong time, before we have had a chance to build up the necessary receptivity and when new information is therefore as useless and fugitive as necklace beads without a connecting chain.”
― Alain de Botton, The Art of Travel
Daylong and Half-day Retreats
During daylong retreats we’ll explore a variety of different mindfulness methods intended to help you live more fully, more authentically, and with more friendliness and kindness.
The day will be spent in noble silence, meaning no verbal or non-verbal interactions with other participants during sessions or breaks, no eye contact, no electronic communications. The primary reason for silence on meditation retreats is to support your meditation practice. Silence helps keep your focus on cultivating mindfulness and concentration.
The day will include seated meditation, a short dharma talk or instruction, mindful movement, mindful eating, journaling and walking meditation. The silence will end at in the late afternoon, and we will finish with a half-hour dedicated to questions and sharing.