UPCOMING RETREATS

Bali
18th Aug-23rd Sept 2012
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Gold Coast Hinterland
February 2012
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Thailand
1st-7th September 2012
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INDIA-TOURS

Sadhus on the roadside at Rishikesh

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The Heart Of Siva Tour Series - Ganges & The Himalaya

India is a sensory explosion- everything strikes as different, more alive from what we are used to…………. compared to the relative order of our structured Western society. The vibrant colours, the aromatic spices, the festive worship to over 200,000 gods make India like no other place on Earth.

Perhaps the greatest contrast though is the devotion. Spiritual life in India is a way of life. It permeates every facet of living and expression. What makes India so different from most of the Western world is the expression of the people- they live from the heart. This is the real uniqueness of India - the vibrance, the acceptance, the living in the moment, the genuine innocence of many of the people you will encounter.

Why is India So Different?

India is the oldest continuous civilization on the planet. From 60,000 years ago the first humans, from Africa, migrated initially to the shores of Southern India. This genetic marker can still be found in some communities today. Sounds in the form of chants, prayers and mantras that have no know linguistic base can be heard in sacred rituals. These sounds have been passed down from before recorded history, before even language itself.

This is the spiritual essence of India...ancient wisdom that still exist and are indeed practiced in their original and pure form. More than this, India is the record, the embodiment of a spiritual odyssey, an unbroken chain of learning’s and wisdom handed down from pre history to present day.

From 500BC the rise of Buddhism bought to the forefront enquiry into the nature of the human condition…suffering. Caused by human desire, or more to the point our over attachment to this desire. Buddha’s message was simple, free ourselves from these desires and we can become a liberated human being. But the trick was…it could only come from within.

From Buddha to Gandhi India has been a series of great empires founded on ideas of peace and non violence. Driven by grand ideas of harmony and knowledge, great kings such as Jain would renounce their kingdoms in preference to seeking enlightenment. These core spiritual orders would form the well spring for an intense religious diversity. That’s why today there are over 500 tribal communities with over 200,000 gods actively worshipped, a melting pot of spiritual living.

The Tours

The Heart of Siva series is designed to encompass the magnificence of India in a single journey. Starting with the excitement of Delhi, a city with the population of Australia, bursting with life, a modern economic super power emerging from the chrysalis of the ancient world in a single generation. You will be dazzled by this spectacle of East meets West, a never ending array of visual stimulation always something to be fascinated by as you begin to see a rhythm of natural order in what at first may seem like chaos.

Then a 6 hour drive to the foot hills of the Himalayas, to the town of Rishikesh, a completely different vibe. It is the last major town centre as one ascends towards the central peaks. It is the heart of yoga for India.

Rishikesh is sliced in two by the Ganges, surrounded on three sides by the Himalaya. A great pilgrimage centre, and has been for centuries. Saints and sages of the past have retreated here for the winters before they make there way back up to the sacred mountain temples. Home to many Swami’s and their ashrams of present day, the town is a bustle of ceremonies and rituals. From here you can experience an Aarti (devotional ceremony of fire and song) right on the banks of the Ganges.

We stay at a 4 star spa resort that offers a full range of treatments from traditional ayurvedic body work to ozone therapy. Then we move on up the river to a boutique hotel right on the banks of the Ganges. Surrounded by the forests of the Himalayan hills, one only has to sit out on ones balcony to be entranced by the power of this mighty flow. A days rafting is also included to be fully absorbed in the magic of the Ganges.

The river Ganges according to ancient Hindu scriptures was the manifestation of the goddess Ganga. It is the mother river which manifested from her celestial home onto the Earth for the welfare of humanity. On a physical level the river has nourished a vast section of India’s population and its huge growth since before recorded history. To all Indians the river symbolizes the source of the gods and has become the devotional focus for over a billion people. This is why it is known as the holiest river in the world.

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From this point we offer two tour options......

Please click below on the link in blue for each tour option

TOUR 1 - Journey To The Source – Delhi-Rishikesh-Gangotri-Gaumukh

TOUR 2 - Journey To The Vista Of Siva - Delhi-Rishikesh-Guptkashi

Please click here for information on the course work

For more tour information please click here - Frequently Asked Questions & Useful Information.