North India Study Retreat

Yogic Study Retreat Navarati

October 13 – 24th 2020

Northern India

Our retreat study will focus on Sanskrit, mantra, Nada yoga and Ayurvedic cooking and feature twice-daily practices and lectures whilst in Haridwar. Other days we will invite self practice or group practice as time and travel allows.

Our retreat takes place at the auspicious time of Navaratri

Navaratri is a nine night, ten-day festival in honour of the divine feminine. We will celebrate Durga’s victory over evil by infusing our retreat with prayers, puja (fire ceremonies) stories and mantra. A ghee lamp will be installed in the local houses and kept alight for the nine nights to symbolise the universe and the uninterrupted light of the divine feminine, Durga Devi.

We will observe the food rituals as this is traditionally a time of feasting. We’ll be immersed in the culture, celebration and enjoy cultivating and experiencing the Shakti energy that Navaratri brings. We will reflect on the symbolic nature of this festival, enquiring into the nature of our Dharma and the divine feminine. We will do this through the full spectrum of rituals and practices and by learning specific mantras to connect us to Durga’s energy of strength, resilience and fearlessness.

Refresh your Sanskrit

This fun module will inspire you to keep the sanskrit language alive for yourself and your students. Revise your connection to the ancient language of Yoga, the sanskrit alphabet and its unique sounds made by the 5 different mouth positions. Receive feedback on your pronunciation of postures, key words and mantras to ensure that with proper pronunciation, you are saying what you intend to say. We will also affect the heartmind through learning and practising sanskrit mantra, uplifting one another as we learn.

Mantra and Nāda Yoga

In this module, you will experience toning and projection techniques to build confidence whilst teaching, reading and chanting. As a leader you will tune into your unique voice so you can share and lead with confidence and humility. We will explore the effects and application of sound and mantra in Yoga. We will experiment with using the harmonium, learning and leading simple chants. Learn how to use sound bowls and music as a way of bringing nāda Yoga as a well thought-out layer into the yoga practice.

Ayurvedic cooking

Learn simple and exciting ways to nourish yourself with Ayurvedic cooking from Anu who is a complete master in the kitchen. You’ll gain an understanding of the five tastes, how to cook fresh food quickly, experience her culinary secrets and cook amazing dishes and feast together. You’ll receive a copy of an ayurvedic cook book to keep you inspired when you get home.

Download the Info package & book your space!

Sample Schedule

Please note this will vary depending on additional group activities and excursions.

6.30am – 8am Yoga and mantra practice
8am – 9am Breakfast
9am – 11.30am Ayurvedic cooking class/ outing
11.30-11.45am Morning tea
11.45am – 1pm YTT lectures
1pm – 2pm Lunch
2pm – 6pm YTT lectures / temple visit
8pm – 8.30pm Evening practice/ puja

Schedule:

12 or 13th October
Arrive in Delhi. You are welcome to arrive a day early to settle in. Our retreat commences with a tour of Dehli at 10am on the 13thOctober.

14th October – 20th October
We will take a train to Haridwar, which will take around 5 hours. There, we will transfer to the Johari house our base for our retreat.

21st October – 24th October
We will stay and explore the Yoga capital Rishikesh + spend two nights at a mountain retreat in the hills of the Himalaya. On the 24th we will travel back to Delhi and fly out after 8pm or arrange an additional night in our first hotel.

Activities whilst in Haridwar at the Johari house:

• Two Ayurvedic cooking sessions with Anushree
• Yogic lectures/ study • Twice daily yoga practices
• Rituals and ceremonies to celebrate Navartri
• Food, feasts and twin share accommodation
• Two trips to holy sites/temples
• A trip to local markets and shoppingInclusions
• Airport transfers • Twin share accommodation
• All transport costs whilst in India (1 night in Delhi, 7 nights in Hardiwar, 2 nights in the mountains)
• Activities as listed above
• 3 vegetarian meals daily Exclusions
• Airfare to and from Delhi airport
• Travel Visa • Transport for additional shopping trips etc.
• Shopping • 1-2 x traditional outfits recommended for ceremony (you will be taken shopping for this)
• Henna (from $10)
• Jyotish for Vedic astrology chart reading ($ tbc)

On booking

Arrange holiday insurance
Arrange your e visa – 2 months prior to travel https://www.indianvisasonline.org.in
Consult your GP for any vaccinations you may need

Flights – arrivals and departures

Arrive in Chennai for the 31st January

Depart Chennai preferably on the evening of the 14th February.

Cost:

$4595 – twin share Payment plan: 7 x monthly payments $671
*Students enrolling in the advanced training receive a discount of $500 please contact Rachel to discuss.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT OUR INDIA RETREATS

Some of our past retreat participants share their experiences about journeying to India with Ray of Light

Sue Reid ~ Meditation teacher and personal trainer (2016 Retreat)

I know and trusted Rachel as well as the opportunity to do yoga everyday with her. I have travelled in organised groups previously but this group was small and we were going to specific places to do yoga, ayurvedic healing and Hinduism in which I was interested.

I really loved southern India and especially the ayurvedic treatments and sessions with Dr NC in Chennai. Seeing Dr NC and gaining a practice to heal myself was the most beneficial item of my trip.

You will fall in love with India and the lovely people who are so gracious, helpful and accommodating. Fantastic food journey and marvelous experiences that you will remember for a lifetime. Do it!

Anna Scott ~ Teacher (India retreat 2016)

India can be a confronting, overwhelming country with so much to experience. I thought it would be great to explore it with someone who had been before and what better way than to have the company of likeminded people to do so. Your compassionate, fun-loving and easy-going nature made you a perfect choice to go with, as well as your experience with the country. Also being able to maintain and deepen my yoga practice along the way was a great incentive!

I rediscovered myself – my ability to go with the flow, to be excited, and feel at ease in seemingly overwhelming or confronting situations. I discovered my own passions and what is important to me, as well as feeling grateful for my own life and the opportunities I have, so to make to the most of my own life and live compassionately. I also deepened my own spiritual connectedness to life and was inspired by the people we met along the way.

Do it! This is a life changing experience. Rachel is fun and caring, always ensuring you are safe and well looked after. You will get to experience things you wouldn’t otherwise if you travelled alone. An experience you will always cherish!

Sally Curtis ~ Psychologist (India trip 2016)

I decided to travel with Rachel because she has been several times before and have a passion for India so I figured you would know the best places to go and would also show us some unique experiences! Also being time poor I didn’t want to organise anything myself!!

I learnt I want to see more of India!! Probably the biggest thing I got from the trip was learning about yoga from a more spiritual perspective and coming home and applying that to improve my day to day way of life at home.

To definitely go!! Its a unique place, with such an interesting history and culture.

Its opened me up to learning more about India herself and her people but also more about a philosophy of life and living that is completely different to that which we practice in the west.