India 2024 Nov 17th-30th

Bhakti Heart Immersion

Vrindavan. Jaipur. Jaisalmer Desert Safari.

This retreat is for those who are serious about their spiritual practice and interested in learning more about the Bhakti path.

Dive into the heart of Bhakti--devotion in motion--in the land of Vrindavan, where every word becomes a song, where calm is found in chaos, ritual and prayer, and sacred chants become a gateway to entering Divine Love.

Before we reach Vrindavan, we’ll explore India’s history and culture in the state of Rajasthan. Visit forts and temples in Jaipur, the famous Pink City… try your hand at block printing as you learn how traditional textiles are made… and have a desert safari adventure in Jaisalmer.

Entering the Heart:

Dates: NOV 17th - 30th

$2950 total

Deposit due at sign up (your first payment on whichever plan you select).

$150 discount sign up before Aug 15th

India

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Jaipur - 3 days

The famous Pink City of royalty, forts and palaces, Indian history, culture and beauty, Jaipur is our first stop, where we will stay in a beautiful Rajasthani hotel. In Jaipur stand famous temples where forms of Divinity have been worshipped and adorned in the Bhakti tradition for centuries. Seeing these forms is said to awaken a deep mystical love in the heart.

Jaipur is known for arts and handmade textiles. We will have the opportunity to visit a textile factory and witness the procedure of dyeing and hand-printing fabric. The fun then begins with a hands-on block printing workshop where you’ll get to design and make your own unique cotton scarf.

We then depart Jaipur, traveling to Jaisalmer overnight on a 2nd class sleeper train. An overnight train journey is an unforgettable way to really see India’s landscape, feel the local culture and taste all kinds of yummy food. We’ll keep it safe and fun!

Desert Safari/Jaisalmer - 3 days

Jaisalmer, "the Golden City," stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone crowned by the ancient Jaisalmer Fort. This fort contains a royal palace and several ornate Jain temples. Many of the houses and temples of both the fort and of the town below are built of finely sculptured sandstone. The town lies in the heart of the Thar Desert (the Great Indian Desert). In Jaisalmer we will experience a once-in-a-lifetime overnight camel safari with a glittering night sky and colorful sunrise. Camels will carry us from a small village outside Jaisalmer into the desert, where we will visit the famous Khaba Fort and a natural serene oasis, and sleep in comfortable and cozy bedding amid the sand dunes.

  • The camel safari starts at 6:30 AM from Jaisalmer. You’ll receive a warm welcome by friendly guides and healthy camels.

  • Have a freshly cooked breakfast prepared by our guides.

  • Enjoy a long camel ride each day (one person per camel).

  • Stop at the dunes, marvel at the sunset and have a delicious traditional dinner.

  • Sleep under the stars (a bed with mattress, pillow and blankets will be provided).

  • Visit a Serene Oasis and the Khaba Fort on your way back.

  • Return to Jaisalmer via jeep.

VRINDAVAN - 7 days (including 3-day Govardhan retreat)

The birthplace of Lord Krishna, Vrindavan is a place of pilgrimage for Hindus and home to over 5000 temples, large and small. Mantra chanting resonates throughout the town. Each day will offer a new experience and adventure. Sitting in on the famous 24 hour mantra music kirtan at the most beautiful and vibrant Krishna Balaram temple will be an unforgettable experience.  We will enjoy a boat ride on the sacred river Yamuna, surrounded by puja (ritual). Each day we will visit significant historical temples, diving into the mystical stories behind these living shrines. We will also tour a wonderful charity school that educates girls from very poor families, not only changing their lives but also ending generations of poverty. We’ll meet local saints and sages living lives of devotion, practice yoga and meditation and enjoy delicious healthy food. We’ll also make time for a henna party and of course plenty of shopping. We will be staying at a comfortable, calm hotel called the MVT Guesthouse.

We will also spend 3 days by the sacred hill of Govardhan near Vrindavan, considered to be a living force and avatar of divinity, grace in the form of a mountain. Thousands of pilgrims circumambulate barefoot around it every day, chanting names of God. Its energy and power is infectious for believers and skeptics alike. Around the 24 km long pilgrim path are many holy spots where one is invited to prayer and meditation, as well as gorgeous sacred ponds where locals and visitors bathe for purification. We will stay at the newly built Govardhan Retreat Center, partaking in a Kirtan mantra music festival led by musicians from all over the globe, gathering to unite their souls in one sacred song of Divine Love. We will also visit Barsana, the land and home of the Goddess Sri Radha, a mystical place that graces pilgrims with love and touches individuals’ hearts in unexplainable ways.

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Additional Information

  • Departure: We recommend students flying from the DMV area book a seat on Air India, departing from Dulles International Airport (IAD) usually between 10-11am and arriving in Delhi Nov 17th between 11 am and 12 noon. If you are unable to book this flight due to price increase or because your departure city is different, please look for a flight that will arrive in Delhi late at night early in the morning . We can work with you to book a room in a convenient hotel where you can stay until it is time to join the group.

    Return: Our retreat ends the afternoon and we will travel directly to the Delhi airport from there. There is an Air India flight to IAD departing at approximately 1 am (Dec 1st). If you are taking another airline, please be sure it leaves late at night on Dec 1st. If you wish to extend your itinerary and visit other places in India before leaving, please let us know if you’d like advice!

  • All meals, accommodations, internal transportation, yoga sessions, tourist excursions and day pilgrimages are covered.

  • International flights to India are not covered. Snacks and water outside mealtimes are not covered. Taxis/rickshaws for personal excursions outside group trips are not covered. If you require an overnight hotel on Nov. 16th it will not be covered. .

  • The retreat is $2950. You will get a $150 discount if you sign up before Aug 15th) First payment as deposit is required to secure your spot. On registration you will be asked for your passport detail. If you book before Aug 15th you will receive a $150 discount. We plan to book all internal flights and trains by Aug 15th to secure best seating and prices. Booking internal flights and trains will be more challenging if you register later and may result in some complications.

    If you need a payment plan we encourage setting that up early and paying most of the retreat expenses before the trip. We allow 2 months after trip to complete the payment plan.

  • The majority of our internal travel will be via private bus. We will have the luxury experience of a 12 hour overnight train ride from Jaipur to Jaisalmer. Trains are a fun way to travel in India, allowing you to really experience the people, vistas and culture from a different perspective. We will also take an internal flight from Jaisalmer to Delhi.

  • Please pack as light as possible! With travel on trains, buses and internal flights we have limited space for luggage, and there are strict weight limits on internal flights. We’ll have opportunities to do laundry in the hotels. You also want to be sure to have room in your bag for all the souvenir shopping you’ll do in the bazaars…