Practice for life and soul coaching for self-awareness
Retreat India
Meditation, yoga and spiritual deepening
Blessings and ceremonies in the spiritual tradition of India
In November 2024 was de enchanting and profound India retreat
.
In this 11-day retreat, we will experience the magic and spiritual richness of India by deepening and immersing ourselves in its rituals and sacred traditions, bringing them to our hearts and expanding our consciousness.
We start the retreat in the beautiful Tansa Valley, in the Maharashtra district, north of Mumbai, where once many saints and spiritual teachers settled. The area is described as “the gateway to the Divine”, and is a very special spiritual pilgrimage site. A powerful place where spiritual energy permeates everything and everyone.
We will stay in the Shanti Mandir Ashram – a place of peace and devotion, where harmony and spirituality are seamlessly intertwined. We experience the all-embracing spiritual power within ourselves by participating in the daily ashram rhythm and the activities of yoga, meditation and kirtan (chanting mantras), to come, detached from all thoughts and limiting beliefs, to the place within yourself where it is light and peaceful – your deepest Self.
We delve deeper into the spiritual practices and visit holy temples and other holy places, such as Samadhi shrines – the final resting place of a saint, a place of devotion and imbued with the spiritual power of these saints – and participate in the morning and evening aratis – a beautiful and powerful authentic Indian ritual in which a deity or saint is worshipped by ‘waving’ the flame of a candle, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness, and experience all the blessings of this ritual.
We also bathe in the age-old natural hot springs and experience complete relaxation in body and mind. According to tradition, it was the deity Ganesha – the elephant-headed God who removes all obstacles on your path – who settled here at the source of the Tansa Valley.
Spiritual wisdom and the divine power of consciousness in enchanting India
We continue our spiritual journey and travel to Varanasi, on the holy river Ganges, where we stay at the Shiva Ganges View Guesthouse, in rooms with balconies overlooking the Ganges.
Varanasi means ‘the city of life’, and is one of the oldest (still inhabited) places in the world and considered by Hindus to be the most sacred of the 7 holy cities of India. It is said that Varanasi has been founded by the God Shiva, the destroyer of evil – the ego – and the Deity of supreme and all-pervasive consciousness.
The Ganges is the lifeblood of Varanasi and is affectionately revered by Hindus as ‘Mother (Ma) Ganges’. Immersion in the river brings blessings and is said to bring about Mohksha (liberation from all limiting ideas and beliefs).
We will walk along the sacred river and its more than 84 ‘Ghats’, the steps along the waterfront that lead to the Ganges, each with its own name and ritual theme, and experience the various special and colorful religious rituals, including the magical (evening) arati. One of the highlights will be our own immersion in the sacred river.
We will also sail on the Ganges, both at sunrise and sunset, in a traditional rowing boat from where we will have a unique view of the Ghats and its rituals, and offer a candle to Mother Ganges that we place on a bed of flowers in the water.
Finally, we also visit one of the 12 holiest temples in India, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Shiva, also called the Golden Temple because 3 of its domes are covered with gold. A visit to this favorite abode of Shiva is also said to help in obtaining Mohksha.
The retreat takes place during Diwali, the great 5-day Hindu festival of lights celebrating the victory of light over darkness, of wisdom over ignorance, and of good over evil. We have the unique opportunity to be lifted by this energy and take it to the depths within our own self.
By connecting with the wisdom of India, its rituals and sacred traditions of devotion, and through self-examination through the retreat program, the India retreat is a transformative and consciousness-raising inner journey to the light in your own heart.
The retreat offers:
- a set rhythm of deep spiritual practices, including yoga, pranayama, meditation, silence, rest and relaxation
- a complete program focused on spiritual and personal development
- visits to sacred temples and sacral places, and experiencing authentic rituals and ceremonies
- bathing in hot springs
- boat trips on and immersion in the Ganges
- 6 nights accommodation in a beautiful ashram and 5 nights in a comfortable guesthouse overlooking the Ganges
- excellent vegetarian Indian meals
The retreat brings:
- spiritual deepening and increased consciousness
- attunement to the light within your heart
- personal growth
- an inner transformation that leads to:
* deeper contact with your inner source of wisdom
* more confidence in your life path
* lightness in your life and renewed zest for life
* increased relaxation of body and mind
See also the page: Impressions India Retreat in words and images
Information
On October 30, we will fly with KLM directly from Amsterdam to Mumbai. In Mumbai, we are met by our driver(s) who will take us to the ashram, where we will stay until November 5. On November 5, we will fly with Vistara from Mumbai to Varanasi for the continuation of our retreat. The return flight is on November 9 from Varanasi via Mumbai with KLM back to Amsterdam.
Rates
The costs for this retreat including the full program, coaching, meditations, pranayama and yoga, accommodation based on double rooms, and full board in the ashram and half board in Varanasi, local guides, entrance fees and all excursions and local transport: € 1695.
Not included are the costs of the international return flights Amsterdam – Mumbai, the national return flights Mumbai – Varanasi, and the visa (to be applied in advance in the Netherlands).
In order to ensure your enrolment, I request a deposit upon registration of € 295.
Please transfer the remaining € 1400 before September 1, 2024.
For further questions, registration and the registration form, please contact: lotus@lotuslifecoaching.nl
If you have not yet attended a consultation, retreat or course(day) at Lotus Lifecoaching you are invited to a consultation prior to the retreat. This enables me to properly respond to your wishes and learning opportunities during the retreat. Costs: € 95.
After final registration, the costs of the consultation will be deducted from the total amount of the retreat.
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India
Bali, Indonesia
Sinai desert
White desert
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Lotus Lifecoaching
Dr. Indah Courtens | Telephone: 0031 - 6 – 362 16 149 | E-mail: lotus@lotuslifecoaching.nl