Meditation/Nature Retreat Along the Ganga
Meditation/Nature Retreat Along the Ganga, from Rishikesh to Gangotri, India.
Join internationally renowned meditation teacher, Ajayan Borys, for a 16-day meditation retreat from Rishikesh to Gangotri, the source of the Ganga in India’s Himalayas. This sacred journey includes much more than an ordinary tourist sightsee. It is designed for those interested in meditation and in accelerating their own personal/spiritual growth through a retreat in one of the great remote spiritual areas of the world.
This excursion/retreat will include an abundance of sacred sights: intimate encounters with the yogis and holy men of this area of the Himalayas, visits to important temples, sacred pujas on the Ganga, easy walks through gorgeous mountain forests and along the virginal Ganga, optional trekking to the glacier that is the Ganga’s source, and optional river rafting on the Ganga. You will enjoy delicious local North Indian cuisine, and comfortable and clean accommodations. Perhaps most importantly, this retreat offers expert instruction in the profound meditation and yogic practices indigenous to this region of the Himalayas. This instruction will be tailored according to your own individual level of experience and ability, from complete beginner through advanced.
Ajayan Borys has been exploring and teaching a variety of meditation practices since 1970, and is an author of several books on spiritual growth. From 1994 into 1998 he lived in India and taught meditation at the main ashram of Mata Amritanandamayi in Kerala. In the summer of 96 he journeyed to Gangotri, where he lived in a cave in silent retreat practicing the unique blend of Raja and Jnana Yoga common in this area of the Himalayas. With his 33 years experience teaching meditation to thousands of individuals at all levels of proficiency, in North America, Europe, Australia, and India, as well as his in-depth knowledge of India—her customs, scriptures, spiritual heritage, and current conditions—and with his love for the lore and beauty of this holy region, Ajayan is ideally suited to guide this tour of inner and outer sacred ground.
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Meal Options |
Non-Veg (all) |
Vegetarian |
Organic |
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Non-Veg (fish/chicken) |
Vegan |
Ayurvedic |
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Diabetic |
Low Salt |
Low Fat/Cholesterol |
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Kosher |
Hindu |
Muslim |
Additional: Participants can order according to their tastes, but the menus at the restraunts we will eat at are primarily vegetarian.
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| Additional |
Meditation and yoga instruction will be tailored according to your own individual level of experience and ability, from complete beginner through advanced. Daily walking during the retreat is easy; longer hikes are optional. All instruction, ground transportation, meals, accomodations, and bottled water are included. |
| Nearby Attractions |
Hiking, river-rafting, sight-seeing, visits to temples, visits to ashrams, meeting holy men, seeing their caves and huts, shopping for local crafts, arts, clothing, jewelry, etc. |
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Subject to change:
Day 1—September 11, 2006
Arrive in Delhi and transfer to hotel. Rest.
Day 2—September 12
Ride to Rishikesh situated on the banks of the Ganga in the Himalayan foothills. Dinner and rest. We'll stay in a modern and comfortable ashram/hotel on the banks of the holy Ganga.
Day 3—September 13
Enjoy a morning of rest and relaxation, and in the afternoon an introduction to the retreat/tour, as well as preliminary instruction in yogic practices especially conducive to meditation (pranayama and bandhas). In the evening, we'll observe a traditional puja performed on the Ganga's banks.
Day 4 and 5—September 14 and 15
Morning hatha yoga instruction, plus meditation instruction in the morning and again in the late afternoon of both days. Over the course of this retreat/tour, you will have the opportunity to learn several exceptionally effective forms of meditation readily accessible to beginners, yet proven to deepen the experience of even the most experienced meditators.
During this retreat, we'll also discuss various topics relating to meditation and Indian thought and culture. Among the topics that will be presented are:
*Purification: The Purpose of Spiritual Practice
*An Introduction to Hinduism
*The Legend of the Ganga
*What is Enlightenment?
*Paths to God Realization
*Living Patanjali's Yoga Philosophy
*Practical Do's and Don'ts of Meditation
Day 6—September 16
After individual practice of yoga, meditation, and breakfast, we'll drive to Uttarkashi (6 hours of travel). You'll get a first taste of the gorgeous foothills of the Himalayas and the life of India's mountain farmers, which has remained much the same for hundreds of years—unforgettable scenery and equally unforgettable glimpses of a charming and ancient culture. Arriving in Uttarkashi (at 3,500 feet), a quaint Himalayan village on the banks of the Ganga, we'll be staying in a comfortable hotel. Individual meditation, dinner, and rest.
Day 7—September 17
Morning yoga class and individual meditation practice. A day of rest along the Ganga just above Uttarkashi, with meditation instruction, and a chance to adjust to the increasing altitude. In the evening, after group meditation and dinner, we'll visit the famous Vishvanath temple (one of India's 12 major temples for the worship of Shiva) and observe a powerful Arati (worship with the waving of oil or camphor lamps).
Day 8—September 18
After individual meditation and a morning yoga class, we'll drive to Gangotri (4 to 5 hours) at just over 9,000 feet—a breathtaking trip as we continue to follow the Ganga upstream, whose waters here explode with power, cutting through the vast maze of mountains. Colossal peaks lushly forested with jungle and pine, towering cliffs, and cascading waterfalls all make for otherworldly dramatic beauty. In Gangotri, individual meditation, dinner, and rest.
Days 9 through 11—September 19 through the 21st
The remote Himalayan hamlet of Gangotri is considered to be among India's most sacred pilgrimage sites. Natural beauty provides spiritual haven for local and visiting yogis and holy men. The Gangotri temple serves as focus for devout Hindu pilgrims. Dramatic canyons, surrounding mountains and forest, a cascading waterfall, the virginal holy waters of India's most sacred river, an atmosphere soaked in centuries of devotion and meditation, and typically sunny weather, make an ideal setting for enjoying the bliss of meditation and yoga. Our days here will include:
*Final instruction in meditation, pranayama, and other yogic practices.
*Group meditations and discussions.
*Leisurely nature hikes along and within picturesque canyons; visits to the Gangotri temple, and to the caves and huts of local holy men.
*Free time to relax and enjoy the exquisite sights of the area.
*Optional bathing in the Ganga flowing in its pristine purity.
Day 12—September 22
After individual yoga/meditation practice and breakfast, we'll drive 4 hours back to Uttarkashi. Individual meditation, dinner, and rest.
Day 13—September 23
After yoga instruction and individual meditation, we'll drive 6 hours from Uttarkashi to Rishikesh. Individual meditation, dinner, and free time.
Day 14, 15—September 24, 25
At our ashram/hotel in Rishikesh, yoga classes will be offered in the mornings, as well as group meditations both morning and early evening. In the evenings we'll finish any discussion topic we haven't yet covered. We'll drive to Vasishtha Guha, said to be the cave of the great ancient rishi, who was a mind-born son of Brahma the Creator. You'll also have the option of taking an 8 km river rafting trip on the Ganga from Brahmpuri to Rishikesh.
Day 16—September 26
Ride to Delhi, lunch, dinner, and relaxing in hotel. To Delhi international airport to fly back home (early AM of September 27).
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| Required Skill Level |
Open to All
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| Required Equipment |
Not Applicable
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| Our Certificatons |
Ajayan Borys has been exploring and teaching a variety of meditation practices since 1970. In the early 70's, he spent several years studying in residence under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the Transcendental Meditation Program®. For the next ten years, Ajayan taught the TM Program®. Since then he has traveled the globe continuing an impassioned exploration of consciousness and developing human potential through a number of forms of meditation.
From 1994 to 1998 Ajayan studied with India's most widely revered living woman saint, Mata Amritanandamayi ("Ammachi"), living at her main ashram in Kerala, India. Amma selected Ajayan to be the meditation teacher at her main ashram, and during those four years he taught daily meditation classes to many thousands of visitors. |
Yoga Styles |
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Hatha Yoga |
Asthanga Yoga |
Iyengar Yoga |
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Vinyasa Yoga |
Bikram Yoga |
Jivamukti Yoga |
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Kripalu Yoga |
Kundalini Yoga |
Ishta Yoga |
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Power Yoga |
Sivananda Yoga |
Raja Yoga |
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Bharata Yoga |
Karma Yoga |
Bhakti Yoga |
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Jnana Yoga |
Tantric Yoga |
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Meditation Styles |
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Zen Meditation |
Transcendental Med. |
Mindfulness Med. |
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Vipassana Meditation |
Osho Meditation |
Yoga Meditation |
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Qigong/TaiChi |
Visualisation |
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Additional: Jnana Yoga Meditation combined with Kundalini and Raja Yoga meditations
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Basics & Backgrounds
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