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Traveling to India is a life-transforming experience.
While there are no words that can convey the auspicious opportunity that such a trip represents, as I reflect on some of the palpable impressions that will be infused into your body and heart, the profound experience of being in an ancient culture, rooted in the sacred (not the consumeristic) is, all on its own, a powerful force. Our lives and the directions in which we are flowing, ironically, come to make much more sense in the seeming chaos and other-worldly nature of India. |
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Spend 6 nights at at the Shanti Makaan Ayurveda Wellness Center for Ayurvedic therapies, jet lag adjustment, and getting oriented to India. This center is located in Rishikesh within a short walk of the Ganga and a short distance from the marketplace along the river. It offers a quiet landing place for our India tour arrival. Ayurvedic therapies are included in your stay.
Please note: This is included in the full tour investment below. For those who can not arrive for this portion, there is a reduced price, noted below. |
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In Rishikesh, we will also have lessons with Mataji and Induji at Parmarth Niketan Ashram where I have been visiting for almost 20 years. In addition, we will visit the Pankaj music school, attend arti, explore the Beatles Ashram, and enjoy both the marketplace and the natural enticements up river from Rishikesh (mountains, forest, and river).
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We will stay at the Aghor Ashram, home to the Amrit Yoga Holistic Center and many programs for social welfare.
Visit Krishnamurti's Library, Sarnath (the place where the Buddha gave his first public talks), the famous burning ghats of India, the International Music Center Ashram, the Ganga Learning Center for children and orphans, and the intense marketplace of Varanasi! We will be joined by Dr Shubham Kulkarni for Naad Yoga and teachings from the Bhagavad Gita. Dr Kulkarni also has a specialty in death and dying, which is an important contemplation when visiting Varanasi. |
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I have followed the teachings of His Holiness the Dalia Lama since I was in college. I have been fortunate to be with him in Harvard Square, Portland, Oregon, BodhGaya, and Dharamsala. He is in his later years now. His time is limited to greeting lines and more rare teaching occasions. The Tibetan community is sensitive to his well-being and to the numbers of foreigners who visit him. We have been working with the Office of the Secretary to arrange visits on each trip to India. It is not guaranteed.
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Dr Shankaranarayana Jois has been one of my teachers for philosophy, meditation and pranayama since 2005. His center is in Mysore. The Bharati Yoga Dharma aims to revive the cultural and spiritual heritage of India while also conveying the sacred teachings of Yoga, as the full science, not merely as Asana.
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The Satsang Foundation was established in 1994 by Sri M as a meeting point for seekers from all walks of life. It was envisioned as a space where the pursuit of truth and the spirit of selfless service could come together in everyday action.
Over the years, the Foundation has grown from a small circle of seekers into a wide-reaching community committed to seva (service) and sadhana (spiritual practice). Its guiding principle, "With our minds put together, may we understand," continues to shape both its spiritual journey and its social outreach. In 2015–2016, the Walk of Hope—a 7,500 km padayatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir—became a living expression of the Foundation's mission: uniting people across religions, castes, and communities in a collective walk for peace and harmony. |
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Chennai has a strong fishing culture as well as boasting multiple centers for education, including 9 universities. It is also home to the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandalam.
Saraswathi Vasuden is the founder of Yoga Vahini, a yoga school and therapy center. She teaches yoga philosophy in our training school modules. Saras and I were board members with the Yoga Alliance for 6 years together. Shekar Ganesh is a music teacher specializing in the harmonium and the Ragas of Classical Indian Music. He has been my teacher (and music therapist!) since 2023. Sharmila Ragnath teaches Vedic Chanting. She has been my Vedic Chanting teacher since 2023. |
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This is our Integration Retreat. We'll be hosted by the Vishva Niketan Peace and Meditation Center in Sri Lanka.
Traveling to India, visiting sacred sites, meeting teachers, learning yoga and meditation, all of these experiences can arouse profound internal shifts for people. Many say that these trips are life-changing. This retreat is hosted at a Peace and Meditation Center in Sri Lanka with the intention to help integrate all of the learnings and experiences of the tour. No doubt the tour will provide you with profoundly beautiful experiences; and with very difficult ones too. The process of integrating all of this into the depth of learnings that you can bring home into your life is one that requires consideration and dedication. |
Sri Lanka Retrat: $1500 Includes lodging, meals, and teachings. This option is for those wanting to come only to the Sri Lanka Retreat. (This is already included in the full tour.)
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