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MEDITATION
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DESTINATIONS:
TIBET
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NEPAL
DATES:
2022
2023
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MEDITATION JOURNEY IN NEPAL
14 DAYS
FROM $3,100
Activity Level
Moderate
Travelers should be physically fit and mentally prepared for multiple hours (2-4) of activity hiking almost daily.
Service Level
Ultimate Journeys
Ultimate Journeys feature a fully immersive itinerary with a particular theme. Great distances are covered using only the best vehicles available. These itineraries are carefully designed to be comprised of daily sessions of meditation and philosophy, an intimate introduction to the rich Himalayan culture, exclusive access to remote & sacred sites, and visits/talks with local specialists & experts. All-inclusive services include: travel by the highest quality land transportation vehicles and/or plane, knowledgeable local guides, porters, first-class accommodation, healthy & delicious meals, and experienced & dynamic Himalayan Hermitage facilitators as well as local specialists & experts.
Group Size
Max 21
The journey in a nutshell
- Discover Nepal by hiking in the footsteps of realized yogis & yoginis as we visit the most sought after sacred sites in the Kathmandu valley and the Everest region
- 14 day itinerary incorporating daily meditation sessions and group discussions on Buddhist philosophy. Includes all meals, accommodation, & transportation
- Accommodation ranges from luxurious eco-resorts to simple yet majestic monasteries
- Healthy & delicious vegetarian meals. Please inquire about dietary needs
- ‘Early bird’ price of $3,100 USD per person
Facilitators
A Himalayan Hermitage facilitator will lead this journey.
Sisse d’Artois
Co-Founder, Facilitator & Photographer
Itinerary
Day 7: Hiking amongst the Himalayan foothills
Day 8: Tibetan Buddhist Nunnery
How to prepare for this journey?
Physically:
We like to make our journeys accessible to participants of all levels of physical fitness. On this journey we don’t hike everyday, but most days you can expect 1-3 hours of hiking. The hike up to the nunnery in the Everest region will take around 8 hours at a moderate pace, including breaks & lunch. The terrain is not too strenuous. As an alternative to this hike, it is possible to be led on horseback for all or part of the way, or to even get to the nunnery by jeep – please inquire with us about the best option for you!
All this to say that simply adding a daily walk, with stairs and/or hills, will be sufficient physical preparation. If you enjoy training then increasing the amount that you walk until maintaining 40km (25 miles) per week, along with some stairs/hills to get your heart rate up, will create a physical condition where the journey’s itinerary will be comfortable for you.
Altitude: we will not be venturing higher than 3,050 meters (10,000 feet). 3,000 meters is the point at which one may notice a difference in the air and experience some effects of high altitude – if you stop to acclimatize at this elevation before going further, then there shouldn’t be any problem, but we will not go further than this point, so altitude sickness is not a concern during this itinerary.
Mentally:
The best way to prepare yourself mentally for this journey is to start contemplating the reasons why you would like to go. Becoming clear about your motivation for going on a potentially meaningful trip, such as an immersive journey (like this one!), will not only help you to keep an open mind while on the trip, but it will aid in taking home with you your experiences & discoveries, and integrating them into your life back home. We can not emphasize how powerful this point can be and strongly recommend journaling & reflecting about your why. If you aren’t clear on wether this journey is for you or not, exploring your why may also be helpful in your decision making process.
Culture shock: The east is quite different than the west in its; sights, sounds, smells, psychology, social customs, etc. In developing countries like Nepal, it is always best to expect the unexpected, especially while traveling en route. Although Nepal is much less intense than India, in terms of sensory-stimulation, it is still good to prepare for a vastly different atmosphere. There is less infrastructure and therefore more of a perceived chaos (there is sanity to this chaos, it just takes a while to adapt before you can recognize it!). The best antidote here is openness, curiosity, and a sense of humour!
Accommodation
We will be staying in the best possible locations throughout the journey ranging from high-end eco-resorts to Monastery guesthouses with all basic facilities.
Namo Buddha Resort in Namo Buddha, Nepal.
This beautifully located Newari, organic resort Namo Buddha Resort is nestled in the Kathmandu Valley.
Covid-19 Travel Protocol
As we prepare to welcome back travellers onto our journeys throughout the Himalayas, please review our new Covid-19 Travel Protocol carefully before your departure to help us ensure safety for all travellers.
Pricing & What Is Included
Pricing
- The Early Bird Special of $3,100 ends six months before the journey’s starting date.
- The Normal Price is $3,350
- The Single Room Supplement is an added $600*
* Please note that in the event that there is no other solo traveller of the same gender with whom to share a double room, participants will be liable to cover 50% of the single room.
What is included
- 14 days & 13 nights
- Airport pick-up & drop-off
- All accommodation as per itinerary
- All healthy vegetarian meals (vegan possible too)
- Daily Buddhist philosophy discussions & meditation sessions
- Notebook for journaling during the journey
What is not included
- International airfare to and from Nepal
- Personal Travel Medical Insurance during the journey (compulsory)
- Visa for Nepal
- Alcoholic beverages during the journey
- Tips to local guides & porters
Dates
2023
March 20th – April 2nd, 2023
Sisse d’Artois
More info
Sisse d’Artois
More info
Meditation and Buddhist Philosophy
Throughout the journey, we will practice meditation together as a group, as well as have discussions on Buddhist philosophy. There is no prerequisite for joining a journey, nor is it required to have any prior knowledge or experience with the practice of meditation or of Buddhism. Simply to have the wish to go deeper with one’s mind, and to have curiosity regarding its qualities, is enough!
Note: meditation and philosophy sessions will not always be possible on days of extensive travel.
Meditation:
There is nothing religious about the practice of meditation or in visiting sacred places. In fact, there is nothing even Buddhist about it! The idea of pilgrimage here, means that while we are exploring sacred sites, we are also investigating ourselves with a ‘tried, tested, and true’ introspective process called meditation. The practice of meditation is simply a tool to bring your mind back to a place of naked awareness, to a place of basic space with yourself and environment.
It is simply a technique with which to uncover all the layers of hope, fear, grasping, and judgement that are all such strong habits which cloud the mind. With the practice of meditation, we can learn to come back to ourselves, to become familiar with the groundless, unfabricated, and raw quality of reality. The daily schedule in this itinerary comprises of meditating together every morning and evening – this may be for 20-60 minutes (several sessions of sitting and walking meditation) depending on what the group wants and where we are in our itinerary. We will not meditate for longer than 15-20 minutes in a single sit and making adjustments so that you are comfortable is encouraged.
Buddhist Philosophy:
Buddhist philosophy sessions are roughly 1-hour per day, combining a short presentation with group discussion.
Throughout the journey we slowly walk through all 3 yanas (vehicles) of the Tibetan Buddhist path. We explore how & why shamatha/mindfulness (one-pointed calm-abiding meditation) + vipassana (insight) are used as tools from the beginning through to the end of the path. The foundational path of the Shravakayana is comprised of: The 4 Turnings of the Mind, Refuge, The 3 Marks of Existence, and The Four Noble Truths. There is an emphasis on exploring the middle yana – the Mahayana (the great vehicle of the Bodhisattvas) which entails: Bodhicitta (awakened heart/mind), The 6 Paramitas (perfect actions), Shunyayta (emptiness), and Lojong (mind-training).
We explore Lojong slogans as brought forth in an accessible way by great Tibetan/Western hybrid teachers Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Pema Chodron. We touch upon the final yana, the Vajrayana of Tibetan Buddhism, by exploring its many expressions and intricate symbolism. At face value Tibetan Buddhism may look esoteric, but with investigation we may see first-hand how it is simply a system for training one’s mind by utilizing various methods which combine mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom cultivation practices.
Daily Schedule
We start the day with a meditation practice by exploring some of the techniques we learn about in the Buddhist philosophy sessions. In the afternoon we becoming pilgrims by exploring the outer element of sacredness, visiting, and paying homage to the many sacred sites in the Kathmandu valley such as; temples, shrines, monasteries, and caves. Evening meditation after dinner.
- 7:45 – 8:8.30 Meditation
- 9:00 – 10:00 Breakfast
- 10:30 – 12:00 Morning session on Tibetan Buddhism & Meditation Practice
- 1:00 – 2:00 Lunch
- 2:00 – 3:30 Free time
- 3:30 – 5:30 Visiting sacred places
- 7:00 – 8:00 Dinner
- 8:15 – 8:45 Evening meditation
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