"Join us for an 11-day retreat in the heart
of Mystic India."These days we will explore the essence of what is Yoga. Vrindavan is an ancient temple-town with over 5000 temples and ashrams where the locals and pilgrims share a timeless faith in Universal Divinity. Since thousands of years the area has been revered as place for healing and deepening ones own spirituality. Still today students of sanskrit from various Yoga philosophy schools come here for purification and to celebrate their diversity in unity. Our retreat is no exception to that purpose as we embark on a journey within with arts and yoga as our vessel and tool. Our purpose with this retreat is not tourism but rather to share with you an insight into one of the few living ancient cultures of this world.
price: 800 euro
27 february - 10 March
Highlights
- Bhajans, meditation music classes
-Vedanta Art session
- Morning Yoga, pranayama, meditation
-Discovering Vrindavan, excursions, temple dinner
-11 nights accommodation in the ashram
- Airport transfers with taxi
- Daily healthy meals
11 days with instruction in English
Accommodation
During this retreat, you will be staying in ashrams in Vrindavan, where there are double rooms with attached and shared bathroom.
Our stay in Vrinda Kunja ashram offers you a daily morning Yoga and meditation session. The ashrams history goes back to the queen of Manipur who established this temple in the backyard of an ancient Shiva sanctuary. You are introduced on a very personal level to the life of our local friends. We will process our experiences with daily art sessions and meditations.
There will be art sessions where you will process your experiences with artistic assignments that requires no previous experience of painting or sketching.
Daily yoga sessions are designed to balance your body and mind.
Please arrive on February 26, 2017 so that you will have some time to settle before the retreat begins on the next day (there will be no classes on the arrival day). Every day in our ashram we will offer you:
- Morning Yoga, pranayama, meditation
- Breakfast
- Vedanta Art session
- Lunch
- Discovering Vrindavan excursions, meeting new friends
- Temple dinner
- Evening gathering
- Evening excursions
Every evening there is a colorful festival somewhere in Vrindavan, the temples are chiming with bhajans and mantras and perhaps a monkey will steal your sandal. We will offer flower garlands in various temples and take part in ceremonies that has been going on for thousands of years. Monkeys, cows, buffalo, camels, pigs and rikshaws mix in the street like a symphony of diversity. Many areas and structures in Vrindavan are very old and sometimes it feels like you have traveled 500 years back in time. The teenagers of Vrindavan meet up around the temples every evening to sing lively bhajans. The beggar in the street can be a previous millionaire who gave everything away to simply live on mercy.
Itinerary disclaimer
If you decide to come, please keep in mind that this retreat is not for everyone. The mix of a culture that transcends external consideration and the reality of globalization and pollution can be difficult to digest. The schedule adapts to the spontaneous nature of Vrindavan and its colorful locals. Expect the unexpected.
Instructors
Brahma Samhita
Brahma Samhita started his search for spirituality in India, where he found his spiritual master and lived like a monk in several ashrams in India and Sweden. Originally a painter, his life is mostly dedicated to discovering himself and helping people to do the same. He is indeed a very deep philosopher and poet. He is also a high-class lecturer on all kinds of Vedic knowledge and a licensed therapist in OIDA veda art.
The price of this retreat includes all meals, where you will enjoy the best Indian vegetarian dishes with daily breakfast, lunch and dinner
In Vrindavan you can find many extra activities outside our program such as visiting authentic astrologer, taking music-lessons or perhaps visiting our local ayur-vedic doctor. These activities are not included in our price.
You can book an Ayurvedic massage or other treatments on site, with a reservation, for an extra cost.
What's included
11 nights accommodation in Vrinda Kunja ashram
3 daily meals
Airport transfers with taxi to and from the Airport
Bhajan classes
Daily yoga session
Daily art session
Daily excursions
Daily lectures on local culture and faith
What's not included
Airfare
Extra activities
Personal insurance
Travel insurance
Vaccination
Visa for India - 50 EUR
How to get there:
Please book your flight to arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and send us your flightnumber and time of arrival. Transfer from and to the airport is included. Our crew will pick you up from the airport.
Some reviews of our previous retreats:
Review by Mélissa L. from Canada
10 out of 10
"Authentic, heart-warming and deeply inspiring experience! Brahma, our knowledgeable host, created an convivial, respectful space for everyone. The schedule was flexible: spontaneity and creativity were always welcomed and encouraged, breaking up with everyday life rushing schedule and stresses. Vegan food was fresh and delicious thanks to our dear chef, Gopal. The site (Flatön island, Sweden) was simply gorgeous and the accommodation (Greenstone) was totally charming, cozy and well-maintained. This was a amazing atmosphere to share, learn and grow. I loved it !"
December 8, 2016
Review by Frederique P.
10 out of 10
"Thanks to Brahma and Gupalo for this wonderful retreat. The location felt like a cosy cocoon – the perfect place to relax and grow. I am looking forward to visiting you again."
November 29, 2016.
Review by Lenka Strakova from Czech Republic
10 out of 10
"I really enjoy the time in Sweden. The retreat with Lidia was absolutely excellent, lots of activities, spontaneous things, lovely and amazing cooking, amazing nature, amazing people.It was my first retreat yoga and art therapy and I really enjoyed every single moment. Art was something new for me to discover and found so many little details about it, really interesting thing to do relax and have fun too. Will definitely recommend to my friends."
Review by Deborah
10 out of 10
"The retreat was inspiring and life changing. The combination of yoga, being in nature, making artworks, chanting and discussions gave a holistic transformative experience."
Review by Howard S from UK
"This was my first experience of yoga and it was successful in that it has awakened my appetite for yoga back in the UK. It was also greatly enjoyable with the most (bizarrely and wonderfully!) disparate group of people: Israeli / Californian aged 79, Bulgarian, Italian and Romanian 30-somethings, Scottish retired barrister. Long walks in the Swedish forests which surround the house were very productive in a relaxed way, and the 'art as therapy' daily sessions were hugely productive and useful in both drawing everyone out and giving our host the opportunity to explore with us the intellectual considerations of Ayurveda, and showed the remarkable extent to which everyone, without exception, can express their own narrative in a creative way. I was relieved to find that this particular branch of Ayurveda is in no way in conflict with Christianity. I was hugely impressed by Alexander (spiritual name, Brahma). The physical yoga sessions twice a day were well conducted and explained and I even felt significantly more flexible by the end of the week! Vegan food, I discovered, is not my 'cup of (Bio) tea', but was well and generously prepared by Lidia (spiritual name Bhakti). I would definitely recommend it to anyone, whether experienced in yoga or not."
Review by Birgitte and Jakob
10 out of 10
"Thank you all for the authenticity of this retreat, for sharing your faith and and for being you and creating an ambiance for us to just be - us. This retreat, and you guys will be part of yet another beautiful memory and inspiration in our life, and for that we are very grateful."
Review by Marianne van den Haak from The Netherlands
10 out of 10
"This week was a very special experience for me. With both of the dedicated teachers I felt a warm connection right away, both beautiful souls. As well as the art therapy as the yoga were both based on old Vedic science. The yoga brought me closer to myself en I found my passion and inspiration during the art therapy. This really made me happy."
"The teachers were well matched. Both very passionate and knowledgeable in their field. Besides that, they cooked fantastic. We enjoyed their Ayurvedic meals which were accompanied by their knowledge. Everything was tasteful and it was hard to not eat too much. So delicious!"
"They followed our wishes and tailored the program. We've been everyday in the nature, which has fantastic forests and mysterious lakes. "
"During this week there was a small group, we all felt at home right away."
"The accommodation was small, but we learned to be flexibel. Both of the teachers gave us the example of complete flexibility and dedication for their passions. They live because of what they teach."
"I would really recommend this retreat!"
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