7 Day Yoga and Meditation Retreat in Rishikesh, India
Invigorating Yoga Retreat India
Expert tip: This is one of the most popular yoga retreats offered in India.
Join this meditation and yoga retreat in Rishikesh, India! Yoga and meditation restore balance into your lives, resolve your inner conflicts, enables total excellence, and allows you to fulfill your potential to become complete human beings. Often misunderstood to be simply a set of physical exercises, yoga philosophy transcends all ritualistic religion and can be practiced by anyone.
Meet the instructors
Highlights
- Daily yoga asanas classes
- Karma-yoga and daily mantra recitations
- Daily shat-kriyas, breath, and pranayama practices
- Daily guided instructions into relaxation and meditation practices
- Introductory study of Indian philosophies including Sankhya and Vedanta
- Visit nearby holy shrines and temples and tracking in the Himalayas
- Healthy nutritious vegetarian meals
- 6 nights' accommodation
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Yoga styles
Jolly Grant Airport (US$ 17 per person)
Indira Gandhi International Airport (US$ 85 per person)
Accommodation
Facilities
- Smoke-free property
- Yoga studio
- Free Wi-Fi
- Library
The accommodation is facilitated with Wi-Fi connection and with air-conditioning available on request (at additional charges). However, please note that Yoga Vidya Mandiram School reserves accommodation for participating students who booked for yoga courses. Any friends or relatives will not be included in the accommodation.
There are two room options available for this course: a private single room and a shared twin room. The rooms are provided with a towel, basic toiletry set, bed sheets and Wi-Fi connection. All rooms are shared with the same gender unless students arrive as a family or friends. There is an attached bathroom in each room with a hot shower.
Program
Yoga posture classes at Yoga Vidya Mandiram yoga school are based on both classical Hatha yoga and Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga. The teachers are unique, being steeped in ancient knowledge, and also trained in modern teaching methods. All classes are adapted for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
Apart from the yoga asana classes, you can participate in sessions on pranayama (understanding and regulating your breath), Pratyahara (internalization of sensory inputs), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) processes drawn from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - ancient yogic doctrine that aims to integrate your body, mind, heart, and souls for complete living.
Twice daily group yoga sessions and one daily meditation session are included in the stay for you. For you who would like to delve deeper into the ancient spiritual tradition of yoga, a yoga retreat is structured carefully to allow you to experience not just the physical aspects of yoga but also Karma yoga (selfless work), various yogic kriyas, and Nidra yoga (deep relaxation) besides some rejuvenating massages, community service, and more.
Retreat curriculum
Yoga Vidya Mandiram guides its students of yoga to a journey of self-discovery and inspires to practice yoga holistically; yoga for you is a process of integrating the body, breath, and the mind, and focus is placed on other limbs of the practice beyond the physical yoga asanas.
Mantra chanting
- Intro to mantra science
- Morning prayers and evening prayers
- Suryanamaskara 12 mantras along with bija mantras
Hatha yoga asanas
- Meditative steps of performing the Hatha yoga: centering, entering, refining, holding, coming out, and reflection
- Suryanamaskar (sun salutations)
- Types of yoga asanas: standing, sitting, backward bending, forward bending, spinal twisting, fire series, inversion, shavasana, and others
- Yoga asanas benefits
Breathing and pranayama practices
- Establishment of diaphragmatic breath
- 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4 breathing practices
- Different practices of pranayama: nadi shodhana, ujjayee, kapalabhati, bhastrika, shitali, shitkari, and brahmari
- Benefits or pranayama practices
Satkarma or cleansing exercises
- Jala-neti
- Sutra-neti
Practice relaxation and preparation for yogic sleep
- Introduction to the concept and practices of relaxation
- Relaxation in daily life
- Sequence of relaxation practices
- Tension and relaxation exercises
- Systematic relaxation exercises
- 31 points relaxation exercise
Meditation
- What is meditation and what is not?
- Meditation in daily life
- Two to five minutes meditations
- So-ham mediation
- Meditation with sushumna breath
Typical Daily Schedule
- 05:00 - 06:00 Wake up
- 06:15 - 06:30 Mantra chanting
- 06:30 - 07:30 Shat-kriyas and pranayama practices
- 07:30 - 09:00 Hatha yoga with Joints and Glands practices
- 09:00 - 10:00 Breakfast
- 10:00 - 12.00 Session I – Meditation theory and practice
- 12:00 - 12:30 Karma yoga (Seva)
- 13:00 - 14:30 Lunch
- 14.30 - 16.00 Free time / self-study / self-practice
- 16:00 - 16:15 Tea break
- 16:30 - 18:00 Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga
- 18:00 - 19:00 Session II – Relaxation and meditation practice
- 19.00 - 20.00 Dinner
- 20:00 - 21:00 Self-study / free time
- 21:00 - 22.00 Go to sleep
Note: It is advised that you arrive at the yoga school one day before the course starts.
Included excursions
One day of the 7 days retreat will be a rest day, on which school arranges a half-day sightseeing trip for students. The destination will be selected by the school which would be a visit to one of the following locations:
- Vashishtha Cave
- Kunjapuri Temple
- Neer Gaddu Waterfall
Instructors
Sukhmit Singh
Sadhak Sukhmit ji has been a disciple of His Holiness Swami Veda Bharati for since 2006 and have since practiced his sadhana on a daily basis until today. However, before he became Swami Veda ji’s disciple, he was already familiar with spiritual practices. He met Swami Veda Bharati ji and became initiated into the Himalayan Tradition of Yoga and Meditation. He spent years as a sadhaka studying the yoga practices, mainly meditation, and yoga texts including Yoga Sutra, Bhagavad Gita and Vedant Darshan, and serving the ashram through teaching and ashram duties as his sadhana.
Anuradha Sharma
Anuradha Sharma, originally from Manipur, India, was inspired by her grandmother, a devout yoga practitioner. While pursuing her bachelor's degree in History, her interest in yoga grew. Guided by her Gurus, she was initiated into the Himalayan meditation tradition at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama Ashram in Rishikesh. Anuradha holds a one-year diploma in holistic science and a Master's in yogic scriptures from Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University. A certified 500-RYT from Yoga Alliance USA, she specializes in traditional Hatha, pranayama, meditation, and Iyengar Yoga.
NIshant Tyagi Kumar
Nishant Tyagi has been a dedicated yoga practitioner for over a decade. His journey with yoga began as a means to heal from depression and has since become a lifelong passion. Through the practice of yoga and its comprehensive philosophy, Nishant achieved a balanced state of mental, emotional, and physical health, leading to profound personal transformation. Nishant's teaching approach is deeply rooted in his personal experiences and professional training. He excels in yoga asana, with a particular focus on alignment and adjustments.
Supriya Karikatti
Yogini Supriya Karikatti Ji brings in the knowledge of holistic yoga from the generational background, 6 years of experience in the industry and from her MA degree in Yoga Science. She is deeply rooted with the rich yogic spiritual culture practicing and guiding students from across the world to connect with oneself through Pranayama, Meditation and sound healing techniques. With her experience, she will guide you to release, relax and restore your energy to be in your absolute self and will assist the students in their teaching skills.
Retreat location
This yoga teacher training will be held at Yoga Vidya Mandiram yoga school in Rishikesh, India. In nearby places, there is Dehradun Airport (DED) which is 15 kilometers from the center. The yoga school is located in the heart of the sacred township of Rishikesh on the bank of the holy river Ganges and at the foothills of the Himalayas, the abode of yogis.
The school is in a wonderful magical place only a short walk from the main town and the bank of the river. It is the perfect location for your activities.
Distances
- Dehradun Airport (DED), 15 kilometers
Unique features
General
- Air-conditioned rooms
- Balcony
- Dining area
- Smoke-free property
- Yoga studio
Services
- Free Wi-Fi
- Internet access
- Laundry
This Yoga Retreat is vegetarian-friendly
Click to see more vegetarian-friendly Yoga Retreats
Food
During this yoga training, you will be served with three daily delicious and healthy vegetarian meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner, as well as chai (Masala tea) for after tea time. Filtered water is always available. The menu is creative and balanced with proteins so you feel full and satisfied. If you are planning to have a fast or skip your meal, please inform Yoga Vidya Mandiram to avoid food waste.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Snacks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
Things to do (optional)
- Community service
- Massages treatments
- Mountain hiking, walking, or trekking
- Riding boat in the Ganges
- Shopping
- Trekking in the Himalayas
- Visit nearby temples and shrines
What's included
- Daily yoga asanas classes
- Karma-yoga and daily mantra recitations
- Daily shat-kriyas, breath, and pranayama practices
- Daily guided instructions into relaxation and meditation practices
- An introductory study of Indian philosophies including Sankhya and Vedanta
- Participation certification from Yoga Vidya Mandiram
- Free use of yoga tools during the course
- Neti pot and sutra neti
- Local sightseeing exploration
- Daily vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Filtered water, herbal tea, and snacks
- 6 nights' non-AC accommodation
- Wi-Fi connection
- GST (18%)
What's not included
- Airport transfer (available at additional charges)
- Travel expenses (i.e. airfare, train, bus, taxi, etc.)
- Laundry services (available at additional charges)
- Extra nights beyond course dates (available at additional charges)
- Extra excursion not organized by the school
- Air conditioner / heater (available at additional charges)
- Travel and medical insurance
- Other personal expenses
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Jolly Grant Airport
14 km
Transfer not provided
Indira Gandhi International Airport
209 km
Transfer not provided
Arrival by airplane
Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is the nearest international airport, where you would most likely enter India from if you are traveling from outside of India. Transfer from and to this airport takes 6-7 hours on average or longer with traffic and is available upon advance request.
From DEL airport, you can take a domestic 1-hr flight to Dehradun Airport (DED). Another option is to book your flight directly to arrive at Dehradun Airport (DED), if you are only traveling from within India.
Arrival by bus
Buses to Rishikesh leave New Delhi from the Kashmiri Gate national bus stand approximately every hour. The bus ride takes about eight hours and costs around 450 INR for air-conditioned buses and 250 INR for buses without air conditioning.
Arrival by train
The best option is to reach Haridwar Junction railway station, which is about 45 minutes away from Rishikesh, by road on a driven taxi or the so-called tuk-tuks. From Delhi, the train ride takes approximately 8 hours, depending on the train. Haridwar is serviced by many trains from and to Delhi, Varanasi, Rajasthan, Amritsar, and many others.
Arrival by taxi
Taxis are always available anywhere in India. The drive from Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) to Rishikesh will take around 6-7 hours depending on the traffic conditions. The drive from Jolly Grant, Dehradun Airport (DED) to the school in Rishikesh takes around 35-35 minutes.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
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