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7 Day Meditation and Yoga Retreat in Varkala, Kerala
Sharanagati Yogahaus, Thiruvambadi Rd, Varkala, Kerala 695141, India
Meditation and Yoga Retreat in India
Expert tip: This is one of the most popular yoga retreats offered in India.
Sharanagati Yogahaus, your authentic Yoga Retreat in Varkala, is a perfect place to spend your time in Kerala. Located in a very quiet part of Varkala Beach and surrounded by natural gardens, it is very peaceful and calm. Just what you are looking for in a relaxing Yoga retreat. Letting go of all responsibilities created for this lifetime, and peacefully surrender to a rejuvenating and healing break. Just for yourself!
Meet the instructors
Hari
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Highlights
- Daily asana classes
- Daily yoga and meditation sessions
- Quiet surroundings, ideal for yoga and meditation
- Daily breakfast, tea, and Kerala style lunch
- Beautiful and spacious yoga garden
- 6 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Yoga styles
7 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: German, Hindi, Malayalam
Group size: Maximum of 15 participants
Accommodation
The two houses at Sharanagati, with a total of ten rooms, are very clean and comfortable. One is a charming, old-style Keralan home, very cozy. The other one is a new-built Keralan-style house. All rooms are private unless you bring a friend to share the room with. They are quiet, have mosquito nets, and ensuite bathrooms.
The rooms are allocated on a "first come first served" basis. You will love the friendliness and kindness of the staff, who prepare delicious meals and keep the rooms and gardens in excellent condition, for you to find peace and tranquility!
Yoga Garden
Sharanagati Yogahaus is set in a beautiful, luscious, very natural and spacious garden, an exclusive sanctuary in which to relax in the shade, and completely unwind. This is an ideal place for you to spend a relaxing Yoga Vacation. Banana, papaya and mango trees grow here, and their fruits are eaten at breakfast, when in season. There is a vast variety of birds and butterflies visiting the premises, daily. All kinds of other animals have found a wonderful playground and will enchant you with their cute presence. There are many cozy corners, for you to just BE. Relaxing in a hammock for a little nap, reading a good book, or finding a quiet spot for yourself to meditate are among the guest's preferred activities.
The tea house has become a popular place to be with other students, for a cup of tea, fun and laughter, and many interesting conversations!
Program
Sharanagati Yogahaus has been established 10 years ago with the clear purpose of having a residential yoga retreat and has not been used in any other way since then, the clear energy, of many years of yoga practice here, can be felt all over the ashram property. Sharanagati Yogahaus is purposefully not offering open classes or teacher training, to keep the energy and purpose of its vision clear and create a space for you for true relaxation.
Sharanagati Yogahaus limits the yoga retreat to a maximum of 15 people, and often there are fewer. The members do not use cell phones, or computers on the premises, to keep themselves away from distractions, which they often are not aware of anymore in their daily lives. You will feel the difference in energy the minute you walk in. Sharanagati Yogahaus is looking forward to YOU having a wonderful, relaxing, and well-deserved yoga vacation at Sharanagati Yogahaus.
"Inhale and Exhale deeply, calmly observe your breath, and please mind the gap"!
Sample schedule
- 06:00 Pranayama
- 06:30 Vipassana meditation
- 07:00 Asana class (2hours)
- 09:00 Morning tea with breakfast
- 13:00 Kerala style lunch (daily fresh home cooking)
- 16:00 Asana class (1.5 hours)
Yoga asanas
Over the last 10 years, Sharanagati Yogahaus created a wonderful, calm, and very natural environment to practice yoga asanas, pranayama, and meditation here in Kerala. And foremost to just BE at Sharanagati Yogahaus. The asana practice is based on Sivananda yoga, presented in a very relaxing and meditative way. Hari spent three years with the Sivananda organization, in California, Canada, and India.
Asanas provide a gentle stretching that acts to lubricate the joints, muscles and ligaments, tendons, and other parts of the body. The inner organs will be well balanced. Asanas help to tone the nervous system, improve circulation, release tension increase flexibility, give you overall well-being, and most importantly, prepare you for pranayama and meditation.
Practicing asanas regularly will help us to look at our habits and behavior patterns in a more healthy manner. For the yogi of the 21st century, a thorough understanding of complete relaxation is far superior to an overly flexible body.
For Sharanagati Yogahaus, it is important that YOU after spending time with Sharanagati Yogahaus, take home practice you can integrate into your daily life. If you like, Sharanagati Yogahaus can provide you with a recording of the yoga class, which you can listen to and practice at your home.
Hari's teaching clearly reflects his background in Buddhist meditation, as he emphasizes strongly on breathing, and it gives a lot of space for the individual during class. The awareness and calmness he brings to his yoga class is well appreciated by his students.
Pranayama
Prana means breath, respiration, life, and vitality. Ayama means stretch, expansion, length, regulation, restraint, and control. Pranayama is a technique to make the respiratory organs move and expand intentionally, and intensively. It consists of inhalation (puraka), exhalation (rechaka) and retention of breath (kumbaka).
Puraka stimulates the system, rechaka removes stale air and toxins, kumbaka distributes the energy throughout the body. There is external and internal retention.
For the beginner, pranayama should be guided by a qualified teacher. You feel comfortable guiding you and preparing you for your practice in your day-to-day life. The regulated breathing purifies the mind and body and helps the mind to concentrate and prepare for meditation.
Your daily morning pranayama practice is a combination of techniques that are simple and easy to understand, and the retreat makes sure to teach it to you in a step-by-step approach.
Vipassana meditation
Vipassana, which means 'to see things as they really are', is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It was taught in India more than 2500 years ago, by the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. The word Buddha means 'awakened one'.
Vipassana meditation is a logical process of mental purification through self-observation. At times you all experience agitation, frustration, and disharmony. Instead of taking 'your moods' out to the world, you simply listen to it as the silent observer. Step by step learning about our true nature, not getting upset, but deeply understanding it and bringing the right attitude to it. Understanding the role of your ego will lead you to see things as they really are, without taking them for 'too personal'.
The highest goal of Vipassana is to be fully liberated from all mental defilement. Hari learned Vipassana meditation thoroughly at the Abhayagiri Monastery, where he spent one year in the forest as an Anagarika. His approach is very clear and to be easily understood by his students.
Instructors
Hari Herbst
Hari has spent more than three years as a teacher at several Sivananda ashrams in Canada, California, and India. He was ordained as an anagarika for one year at the Abhayagiri Monastery in Redwood Valley, California. He opened Sharanagati Yogahaus in Varkala, Kerala, 10 years ago and has been running it since. Hari is a well-experienced and brilliant spiritual master with 30 years of spiritual living behind him.
Retreat location
Sharanagati Yogahaus is ideally located in Thiruvambadi, the north end of the Varkala Cliff, only a few minutes away from the Arabian Sea. You will be delighted by the peaceful atmosphere and close location to beautiful beaches. Black beach is less than a 5 minute walk, Papanasam Beach less then 10 minutes walking distance. The Varkala Cliff, with its' restaurants (wifi) and shops is easy to get to. It is a short rickshaw ride away from beautiful temples and towns where you can experience Indian culture. At times, morning walks will be organized, along the coastal path that goes north, passing fishing villages and quiet golden sandy beaches, for you to enjoy the beautiful and natural surroundings of the slow-paced life in Kerala.
Unique features
General
- Garden
- Hammock
- Meditation garden
- Yoga shala
Services
- Mosquito net
This Yoga Retreat is vegetarian-friendly
Click to see more vegetarian-friendly Yoga Retreats
Food
During the holiday, Sharanagati Yogahaus Varkala Kerala will offer daily breakfast, tea and Kerala style lunch. Dinner is not provided however, the nearby cliff has many wonderful restaurants. You can try them for a delicious dinner and to support the local community.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
What's included
- 6 nights accommodation
- 2 times yoga, morning pranayama, and meditation
- Morning tea with breakfast, one Kerala-style lunch, home cooking
- Free drinking water refill
- 12% tax
What's not included
- Airfare
- Airport transfer
- Personal expenses
- Anything not mentioned in the inclusions
How to get there
Recommended Airports
TRV
Trivandrum International Airport
37 km
Transfer not provided
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Trivandrum International Airport, Kerala (TRV). From the airport, you may take a taxi (1 hour drive) to Thiruvambadi road. Sharanagati Yogahaus will be on the left side and have a green outside wall. Please inform Sharanagati Yogahaus if you would like them to arrange an airport transfer for you. The cost of the transfer is to be paid to the driver.
Arrival by train
The closest train station is Varkala station. From there, you may take a rickshaw to Thiruvambadi Road.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 50% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookYogaRetreats.com. All major credit cards supported.
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