8 Day Silent Vipassana Meditation Retreat in Varkala, Kerala

Facilities

The institute

The Vedansha Institute of Vedic Science and Alternative Medicine was founded by Yogacharya Dr. Sanjeev Pandey Ji. It was established to provide education in Vedic science, holistic treatment, and support programs with yogic and Ayurvedic methods in common and non-curative diseases, and help humans control emotions, remove fears, improve their lives, find themselves in a society of modern technology, and open their power in order to feel harmony and happiness.

The institute follows its policy on sexual misconduct towards the client, which makes all their programs safe and secure for female students. The institute keeps the ancient yogic tradition of Himalayan masters adapted to contemporary service requirements according to international standards of yoga education.

Its teachers were born in yogic families and have scientific degrees in yoga, astrology, and Ayurveda. Its yoga masters have spent more than 90,000 hours on improving their practice of yoga postures and meditation. Its founder, Dr. Sanjeev Pandey, has spent more than 20,000 hours in deep meditation in the Himalayan mountains.

Vedansha collaborates with medical doctors and performs research in yoga and cancer in Germany. It also performs special healing programs for people with different diseases to support their health. Its programs are based on centuries-old traditions and adapted to contemporary conditions that make its clients 99% satisfied.

What is the Vipassana silent meditation retreat?

The main practice of Vipassana consists of mentally scanning one by one of each body part and feeling the sensations in each of these body parts. Practitioners are instructed to move their attention down from the top of the head to the tips of the toes and then in the opposite direction in a repetitive pattern, paying attention to somatic sensations.

The instruction for the subject is to keep your attention moving and to observe, objectively and with equanimity, the sensations that you experience. Given the explicit focus on tomato sensory sensations, this particular tradition of Vipassana is a good example of meditation practice where focused attention and open monitoring are combined.

Vedansha Institute of Vedic Science and Alternative Medicine will explain and show how to do the practice that you will perform yourself. Only in this way you can concentrate more on your own emotions, sensations, and feeling without external influence. Don’t worry, they will support you in this way.

How you will do your practice?

After check in and taking lunch, you will have a talk with the master to understand better your goals, background and discuss focus points, communication channels. You become silent and will follow the daily schedule.

Benefits of Vipassana silent meditation retreat

• Decreases stress level
• Makes your mind clear
• Increases your mental ability
• Creates inner stability and harmony
• Removes anger, fear, and worries
• Let you feel inner peace

Who does Vipassana silent meditation retreat suitable for?

• Beginner, intermediate, advanced practitioner
• For people who have the desire to learn meditation
• For yoga and meditation teachers
• For medical and educational staff

Vipassana silent meditation retreat teaching plan

Meditation practice

• Origin of Vipassana?
• Meaning of Vipassana
• How to reach concentration state?
• Vipassana and other meditation styles?
• Requirements for meditation practice
• Meditation and concentration in Vipassana
• What is the role of silence in Vipassana?
• Vipassana diary
• Asana for Vipassana silent meditation
• Pain during practice in Vipassana silent meditation
• Mindfulness during Vipassana
• How to create inner peace?
• Simple guided concentration
• Breath awareness meditation
• OM meditation
• AUM meditation
• Yoga Nidra and body scanning
• Aura cleansing meditation
• Body stillness and silence
• Trataka meditation
• Sound meditation
• Five prana meditation
• Five elements meditation
• Akasha meditation
• Agni meditation
• Nadis meditation
• Object bound meditation
• General chakra Meditation
• Walking meditation
• Mantra Japa Ajapa meditation
• Postures for meditation practice
• Connect with yourself!

Breathing practice

• Pranayama, main principles
• Pranayama techniques required for Vipassana (abdominal breathing, preparational breathing, Kapalabhati, Nadi Shodana with/without retention Level I, II, Ujjayi breathing).
• The pranic body
• Parana energy and human's lifestyle
• Breathe exercise, health, and pranayama
• Preparational breath
• Breath and increase life span - hidden ancient techniques
• Kriyas (body cleansing methods): Jala Neti, Netra Shuddhi, Sutra Neti, Kapalabhati, and Trataka Shanka Prakshalana
• Advanced kriyas (Netra Shuddi, Sutra neti, and Shanka Prakshalana)
• Levels of Kapalabhati - use of mudra and bandha
• Levels of Nadi Shodhana - use of mudra and bandha
• Nadi Shodhana - level of retention
• Ujjayi breathing - how to do and its effect
• Bramari pranayama - how to do and its effect
• Bhastrika pranayama - how to do, its effect, and precautions
• Surya Bheda - how to do, its effect, and precautions
• Sheetali pranayama - how to do, its effect, and time for practice
• Shetkari pranayama - how to do, its effect, and time for practice
• Chandra Bheda pranayama - how to do, its effect, time for practice, and contraindications
• Safety techniques and precautions in pranayama techniques
• Pranic body and the three main Nadis
• Is it possible to feel Pranic body?
• Concept of mudra and bandha
• Moola, Uddyana Bandha, and Jalandra Bandha
• Ashwani Mudra
• Dyana, Ajali, Prithvi, Varuna, Shakti, Gyana, Chin, Shambhavi, Khechari Mudra, Hansi mudra, Vayu mudra, akash Mudra, Shunya Mudra, Surya mudra, Jalodarnashak mudra, Apan mudra, Pran Mudra, shankh mudra, Apan Vayu Mudra, Ling Mudra, Dhyan Mudra, and Lotus Mudra
• Shatkarma (concept, aim, safety, and performance)
• How to add pranayama in a yoga class of 30, 60, and 90 minutes
• What is border between pranayama and meditation
• Five pranana concept - prana, apana, udana, samana, and vyana
• Role of five pranas in spiritual practice and healing
• Contemporary research on pranayama techniques
• Kevala kumhaka - how to reach and benefits.
• Gas changes in blood during the performance of kevala kumhaka
• Role of Ayurveda on pranayama practice
• Feeling of prana in daily life
• How to create a place for successful pranayama practice
• Pranayama practice at home and high vibrative spiritual place
• Where to practice pranayama after Rishikesh

Vipassana according to Goenka

• Experience of body sensations, joy, and pain
• Concept of systematic attention to sensations
• Concept of anicca (impermanence, change), dukkha (unsatisfactoriness/suffering), and anatta (non-self, impersonal)
• Purification and way of removing of old samskharas
• State of Kalapas
• Limitations of Goenka method
• Samma Vaca
• Sama Kammanta
• Samma Ajiva
• Samma Vayama
• Samma Sati
• Samma Samadhi
• Samma Sankappa
• Bhavana Maya Panna Concept
• Concept of 10 Parami to dissolve the ego
• Nekkhamma - renunciation
• Sila - morality
• Viriya - effort
• Panna - wisdom
• Khanti - tolerance
• Sacca - truth
• Adhitthana - strong determination
• Metta - pure
• Upekkha - equanimity
• Dana - charity

Vipassana and asana practice

• Importance of asana for successful meditation
• Natural relaxation asana
• Natural standing asana with external rotations
• Forward bending asana
• Backward extensions
• Spinal twisting asana
• Inverted asana
• Balancing asana

Vipassana and mantra practice

• What is mantra?
• Shiva mantra
• So Ham Ham So
• Gayatri mantra
• Maha Mritunjaya mantra
• Surya mantra
• Surya Namaskar mantra
• Shakti mantra
• Role of mantra in Vipassana
• AUM mantra
• Mantra for health

Daily sample schedule

Day 1

• 12:00 Check-in
• 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
• 14:00 - 15:00 Introduction to course, consultation
• 15:00 - 16:30 Asana class
• 16:30 - 17:30 Vipassana practice group
• 17:30 - 18:30 Vipassana practice temple with instructions
• 19:00 - 20:00 Dinner
• 20:00 - 22:00 Free time
• 22:00 - 06:00 Free time

Day 2 to 7

• 06:00 - 06:30 Wake up and shower
• 06:30 - 07:00 Shatkriya and herbal tea (yogic cleansing with Jala neti (special techniques of nose cleansing), pooja (mantra recitation and fire ceremony purification)
• 07:00 - 08:30 Morning guided meditation in hall
• 08:30 - 09:30 Pranayama: breathing exercises and meditation
• 09:30 - 10:30 Breakfast: special yogic menu
• 10:30 - 11:30 Walking meditation to Holy Ganga River audio-guided by master
• 11:30 - 12:30 Guided meditation
• 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
• 14:00 - 15:00 Instructed self-practice in temple
• 15:00 - 16:00 Mandala drawing or mantra recitation and meditation with master
• 16:00 - 17:00 Yoga asana for improvement of meditation posture
• 17:30 - 18:30 Yoga Nidra/guided meditation: guided relaxation practice, meditation, and concentration
• 18:30 - 19:30 Dinner
• 20:00 - 21:00 Audio guided meditation in ashram with aromatherapy
• 21:00 - 22:00 Sleep preparation

Day 8

• Classes till 12 p.m
• 13:00 Check out

Pre-requisites

You have to have the interest to learn Vedic science, personal work on body and mind and not only to spend a vacation as on all-inclusive resort. Vedansha is spiritual ashram and do not allow the following activity: eating a non-vegetarian meals, smoking, drinking alcohol, abuse their staff, show any type of sexual misconduct, manipulating, annoying other clients, damage the vedansha property, study material, and interrupt teaching process.

Individuals with disabilities or ailments, people who have any disease or unfit before the course are advised to refrain from applying. If you join the course and feel worse after this, Vedansha will help you to arrange all required medical help, but they will not allow you to continue the course and your payment will be not refunded.

Minimum age at the time of admission is 18 years. Applicants aged over 60 years could apply after consultation with Vedansha via email. Pregnant women need a medical authorization permitting them to practice yoga from their own country with translation in English. Any candidate found unfit after the commencement of the course will not be permitted to continue the training and a refund of fees and other charges will not be admissible.

Students are reminded to remain aware and respectful of cultural differences among the participants and teachers. Any disruptions to the teaching process or behavior deemed harmful to other students, teachers, or the institute's property is in violation of the rules and policies of Vedansha Institute. Violation of the school's policies may result in dismissal from the program without any refund of the course fees.

The teachers are not fitness instructors, most of them are spiritual yoga masters who have a completely different way of life and devotion to their practice. Some of them are monks, pandits in temples, or swamis. They request you to please be polite and respect their work. If you find something that not suitable for you or for your faith or mentality, please do not put the blame on them. Let them know at the front desk, online, or just discuss with the founder Dr. Pandey Ji directly if you want any changes and what you find not suitable for you. In 99% misunderstanding will be solved in a good way.

The course language is English. Any other mentioned language is used for online communication and in some cases can be used in communication during the course on the place. If you wish to get a translator for any other language kindly request to ask about availability before booking.

If a booking is done without the request of translation Vedansha have the right to cancel the booking and refund the deposit. If translation will be requested ion place Vedansha has the right to dismiss the client from the course and do not refund the deposit. If a client request to arrange another school with appropriate language ability it can be done upon request if the school with this language is available in Rishikesh for extra costs.

The booking should be performed by the person who is going to participate in the course. If a booking is done by the third person (relatives, friends, parents, etc.) the direct participant should send Vedansha an email or scanned copy of confirmation that he/she acknowledges the program, rules, and regulations of the organizer.

Any candidate who decided to change the program after arriving have to apply for it in written form. If you decide to cancel the course after arriving, Vedansha will have to charge the amount that covered their costs of 30% of the course days as Vedansha reserve teacher, accommodation, and meal prior to your arrival.

This yoga teacher training will take place in Varkala Beach, in the state of Kerala, India.

Distances

• Varkala beach, 70 meters
• Thiruvananthapuram (or Trivandrum) International Airport, 36 kilometers - 1 hour 40 minutes
• Varkala Lake, 2 kilometers
• 2000 years old Janardhana swami temple, 4 kilometers
• Anjengo Fort, 10 kilometers

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All food that you get during the course is fresh cooked. Vedansha takes care of its food quality. If you eat outside sometimes you can have problems with stomach. Remember that better to ask about fewer amounts of spices for your meal preparation in the restaurants if you have a sensitive stomach or any stomach problems. Vedansha provides pure filtered drinking water. Vedansha only caters to vegetarian and vegan meals.

In Rishikesh non-vegetarian meal is not provided. Vedansha can fulfill all dietary requirements from a gluten-free meal until a special menu for diabetes, obesity, kidney failure, cancer, etc. Here you can find the standard dishes that Vedansha offers during a week. Each mealtime includes three to five different dishes.

Breakfast menu

• Different sauces are used for the preparation
• Oatmeal porridge
• Cereals
• Poha
• Sevai
• Paratha (plain, stuffed with cheese, potatoes, and green spices)
• Puri with peas sauce
• Bread
• Pakora
• 14 sandwich
• Different fruits
• Sprouts
• Plus different types of healthy superfood
• Mung bean pancakes
• Dalia

Lunch or dinner menu

• Boiled mixed vegetable sabzi (spinach, mushrooms, potatoes, and gourd)
• 15 sabzi (cauliflower, pumpkin, and broccoli)
• Sabzi (potatoes and tomatoes)
• Moon dal, arhar dal, masoor dal, chana dal, and rajma dal
• Makhnee Kari
• Rice Chapatti
• Shahi paneer
• Matar paneer
• 16 khadaip paneer
• Different dishes with tofu
• Ridge gourd
• Vegetarian pasta
• Kad ginger
• Khitchari soups (mushrooms, gourd, tomato, onion, and vegetable)

Deserts:

• Pumpkin halwa
• Kheersuzi halwa

Additional spa treatment

Acupuncture

Ayurveda massage therapy

One Kerala Ayurveda massage is included in the program.

• Daily variety of meditation and sessions
• Consultation and individual issued plan of retreat with guided recommendations
• Excursion in Kerala
• 3 daily vegetarian meals
• 7 nights accommodation
• Mala string of beads energized by a Yogacharya, Dr. S.K. Pandey-Ji
• Study materials
• Meditation cleansing kit
• 1 t-shirt with the school symbol

• Airport transfer
• Extra Ayurveda procedures
• Ayurveda doctor consultation
• Extra excursions
• Detailed aura check-up
• Detailed horoscope assessment
• Extra nights accommodation

Recommended Airports

• A reservation requires a deposit of 18% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.