Wild Earth Journeys

TRIP DETAILS

The Kathmandu Valley was once a vast lake trapped by the Himalayas. According to legend, the yogi Manjushree saw a sacred lotus rising from the waters and opened a channel with his sword to drain the waters. Since then, the valley has been populated by the likes of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, Lord Shiva, great yogis like Goraknath and Matsyendra, Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), Kali, Vajrayogini, a retinue of dakinis and a continual mix of Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims dating back to the 5th C BC. The entire Kathmandu Valley is a World Heritage site, a living museum, filled with ancient temples, hidden shrines, enormous stupas, and priceless stone sculptures. Nepal is the perfect location to explore TANTRA in both ancient Hindu and Buddhist yogic practices. And this is what we intend to do. Our teachers are yogis who have lived in the Kathmandu Valley for over 25 years, and we will follow them on a pilgrimage to sacred Tantric sites in the Kathmandu Valley and to the remote monasteries of the Mustang District in high Himalayas.
We will be guided by yogis, spiritual masters and teachers, all with Tantric practices and who have lived in the Kathmandu Valley for over 25 years. We will follow them through atmospheric winding streets of medieval towns to visit ancient shrines and temples, venture to the inner sanctum for puja and darshan, meditate in the cremation ghats of Pashupatinath, circumnavigate the ancient stupas at Swayambunath topped by a gilded spire painted with the eyes of the Buddha, attend a full moon celebration at Bodhnath when the stupa is filled with thousands of flickering butter lamps, spin prayer wheels, raise prayer flags, recite mantras, mediate with monks and receive blessings and teachings from Tibetan masters.
We will sit, watch and observe ancient spiritual techniques still practiced daily. We will mediate at sunrise, do a pranayama and light asana practice, as well as participate in ceremony, ritual and puja. We will decipher the fascinating mix of Buddhist and Hindu iconography; discover the roots of Tantra in Nepal and within the context of yogic philosophy and practice. It will be an experience of a lifetime, a yogic adventure that will take you deep into your own practice and illuminate your psyche.

Who should come?

This program is accredited for 100 hours with the Yoga Alliance. Participants wanting Yoga Alliance accreditation need to already be accredited at the 200 RYT level with Yoga Alliance. Buddhists, scholars, writers, photographers, and people who are not interested in a formal teacher training are also welcome, as long as you have a keen interest in higher levels of philosophical discourse and participation in tantric practice. You should be fit and open to new experiences. Pre-requisite reading is required.

DAILY ITINERARY

Day 1- (17 March) – Arrive in Kathmandu
Day 2 – (18 March) - Patan
Day 3 – (19 March) - Pharping
Day 4 – (20 March) - Pashupatinath & Bodhnath
Day 5 – (21 March) - Bhaktapur
Day 6 – (22 March) - Jomsom, Mustang Valley
Day 7 – (23 March) - Jomsom, Mustang Valley
Day 8 – (24 March) - Jomsom, Mustang Valley
Day 9 – (25 March) - Jomsom, Mustang Valley
Day 10 – (26 March) - Jomsom, Mustang Valley
Day 11 – (27 March) - Jomsom to Bodhnath
Day 12 - (28 March) - Departure Day
                                                                              (Detailed Itinerary Coming Soon)

TRIP COST: 1495 GBP

Included in price: yoga tuition,  2 vegetarian meals a day and  twin share accommodation