7 Day Yoga Nidra (Relaxation) and Meditation Retreat in Rishikesh, India
Yoga Nidra Retreat India
Come and join this retreat that includes twice daily group yoga sessions and one daily meditation session for all guests. For you who would like to delve deeper into the ancient spiritual tradition of yoga, this yoga Nidra retreat is structured carefully to allow you to experience not just the physical aspects of yoga but also yoga, various yogic kriyas, and yoga Nidra (deep relaxation) besides some rejuvenating massages, community service, and much more!
Meet the instructors
Highlights
- 2 daily group yoga sessions
- 1 daily meditation session
- Daily guided instructions into relaxation
- Daily yoga asanas and mantra recitations
- Shat-kriyas, breath, and pranayama practices
- 3 daily nutritious vegetarian meals
- 6 nights' non-AC accommodation
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
Yoga styles
7 days with instruction in English
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 only). However, please note that Yoga Vidya Mandiram School provides accommodation for a student who joins yoga classes. Any friends or relatives will not be included in the accommodation.
There are 3 different room options available for this course: private single room, Twin shared room and Triplet shared room. The rooms are equipped with beddings, attached bathroom and Wi-Fi connection. All shared rooms are shared with the same gender. Mother and daughter, wife and husband can share their rooms. The bathrooms are equipped with hot showers and towels.
Program
Course Certification
Upon course completion, you will receive a certificate of completion. All retreat courses are valid as Continuing Education (CE) training hours for yoga teachers. Yoga retreats do not count towards yoga teacher training hours, nor does it certify you as a yoga teacher.
About the Retreat
This one-week intensive retreat aims to guide you to establish a harmonious lifestyle for yourself and be able to share your experiences with others for the better life.
The practice of yoga Nidra has been secret and imparted to those few yogis who have mastered their sleep. In Indian Mythology, there occurs a unique concept of sleep. You often find even the trinity of the universe lord Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva under the domination of sleep. Nidra is viewed in ancient Indian culture as a Goddess. Texts describe yoga Nidra as a manifestation of transcendental reality whom is called Maha-maya, Tripura-sundari, etc.
The course will explore the concept of yoga Nidra in details at theoretical and practical levels. This is designed assist students of yoga to understand and experience the deeper layers of their personality.
The course mainly includes breathing practices, tension, and relaxation practices of yoga Nidra. You will be guided through a very basic level of yoga Nidra practice and to the advance practices of yoga Nidra as well.
Apart from the yoga Nidra sessions, students will have sessions on pranayama (understanding and regulating of your breath), Pratyahara (internalisation of sensory inputs), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) processes drawn from the Patanjali Yoga Sutras - ancient yogic doctrine that aims to integrate your body, mind, heart, and souls for complete living.
Retreat curriculum
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
- Preparations for Nidra yoga
Nidra yoga (yogic sleep)
- 61 points (deep relaxation moving into Nidra yoga)
- 61 blue star practice
- Nidra yoga practice 1
- Nidra yoga practice 2
Mantra chanting
- Intro to mantra science
- Morning prayers and evening prayers
- Surya namaskar 12 mantras along with bija mantras
Hatha yoga asanas
- Meditative steps of performing the Hatha yoga: centering, entering, refining, holding, coming out, and reflection
- Surya namaskar (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
Meditation
- Meditation in daily life
- Two to five minutes meditations
- Beginning meditation
- So-ham meditation
Yoga philosophy, lifestyle, and yoga ethics
- Introduction to Indian philosophy
- Astanga-yoga: yama, niyam, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi
- Philosophy of Nidra yoga
- Yoga Sutras of Patanjali on Nidra yoga
- Yoga ethics: yamas and niyamas
Typical daily schedule
- 05:00 Wake up
- 06:00 - 06:15 Karma yoga and mantra chanting
- 06:15 - 07:00 Shat-kriyas and pranayama practices
- 07:00 - 08:30 Warm-up exercises, joints, and glands following Hatha yoga asanas
- 08:30 - 10:00 Breakfast and free time
- 10:00 - 12:00 Nidra yoga (workshop 1, philosophy, and practice)
- 13:00 - 14:30 Lunch
- 14:30 - 15:45 Nidra yoga (workshop 2 and practice)
- 16:00 - 16:15 Tea break
- 16:15 - 18:00 Astanga Vinyasa yoga sessions
- 18:30 - 19:30 Dinner and free time
- 19:30 - 20:30 Guest lectures, satsanga, meditation, audios and videos, self-study, or inner dialogue
- 21:00 Go to sleep
Schedule is subject to slight changes without prior notice.
Please note that on the first day, the course will start with an opening fire ceremony at 10:30. Yoga Vidya Mandiram advise that you arrive at least 1-2 hours early to settle into your room and take your time before the course starts. However, if your journey will be a long one, you may plan to arrive a day early to give yourself time to recover from your journey.
Important Note
- Official Check-in Time: 14:00 - 21:00
- Official Check-out Time: 12:00
- Early check-in is possible only if room is available, ready and requested in advance before arrival. Early check-in would be possible only starting from 09:00 onwards. They usually keep rooms available on the first day of the course, so students can check-in when they arrive in the morning.
- Late check-in is not possible after 21:00.
- Please take into account the check-in time to plan your arrival at the school. Many international flights landing in Delhi and overnight transports means arriving in Rishikesh at night. Their school does not have 24 hours check-in, but they can help with taxi pick-up 24 hours and transfer you safely to a hotel / hostel with 24 hours check-in service, if needed.
Included excursions
Yoga Vidya Mandiram organizes a half-day excursion on the rest day, usually to the Vashishtha Cave. The rest day commonly falls on a Sunday but can change if needed. The excursion destination can also change in under unexpected circumstances.
In your free time, you will have the opportunity to explore the surroundings and visit the nearby holy shrines.
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 retreat will be held at Yoga Vidya Mandiram Yoga School, Rishikesh, India. 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
This Yoga Retreat is vegetarian-friendly
Click to see more vegetarian-friendly Yoga Retreats
Food
During this yoga training, you will be served three daily delicious and healthy vegetarian meals; breakfast, lunch and dinners. Filtered water, Chai tea, and snacks are also available. They offer simple Indian dishes balanced with proteins so you feel full and satisfied. If you are planning to have fast in any day, please inform Yoga Vidya Mandiram for avoiding food waste.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten Free
- Lactose Free
Things to do (optional)
- Mountain hiking, walking, or trekking
- Riding boat in the Ganges
- Shopping
- Visit nearby temples and shrines
What's included
- 6 nights non-AC accommodation
- 3 vegetarian meals per day
- Afternoon tea (Masala Chai)
- Half-day excursion
- Free Wi-Fi
- Yoga materials during class (i.e. yoga mat, block, belt, etc.)
- Printed study handouts
- Course certification
- GST (18%)
What's not included
- Airport transfer (available at additional charges)
- Travel expenses (i.e. airfare, train, bus, taxi, and others)
- Extra nights beyond course dates (available at additional charges)
- Extra excursions not organized by the school
- Air conditioning / heater (available at additional charges)
- Travel and medical insurance
- Other personal expenses
- Laundry services (available nextdoor)
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Transfer available for additional US$ 20 per person
Jolly Grant Airport
14 km away from your destination
Transfer available for additional US$ 85 per person
Indira Gandhi International Airport
209 km away from your destination
Arrival by airplane:
Students can enter India at the nearest international airport, Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), in New Delhi. From there, students can take a domestic flight to Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (DED) which is a 1-hr flight. DED airport is only 35-40 minutes from the school in Rishikesh. If students are already in India, students can book a flight directly to Jolly Grant Airport (DED) airport.
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 to reach Rishikesh bus station.
Arrival by train
Students can either get off at Rishikesh Yog Nagiri station or at Haridwar Junction station. The Hardwar Junction is further away by about 45 minutes from Rishikesh, but sometimes there are more train options to choose from. From Haridwar, you can reach Rishikesh by road on via a prebooked taxi or by the so called tuktuk/auto (rickshaws). From Delhi, the train ride takes approximately eight hours, depending on the train type. 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 six hours depending on traffic conditions. Our still can help arrange taxi for students at an additional fee, depending on where the pickup location is.
Important note
- Official Check-in Time: 14:00 - 21:00
- Official Check-out Time: 12:00
Please take into account the check-in time to plan your arrival at the school. Many international flights landing in Delhi and overnight transports means arriving in Rishikesh at night. The school does not have 24 hours check-in, but they can help with taxi pick-up 24 hours and transfer you safely to a hotel / hostel with 24 hours check-in service, if needed.
Early check-in is possible only if room is available, ready and requested in advance before arrival. Early check-in would be possible only starting from 9am onwards.
Late check-in is not possible after 21:00.
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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