8 Days Vipassana Silent Meditation Retreat in Rishikesh, India

Facilities

The institute

The Vedansha Institute of Vedic Science and Alternative Medicine was founded by Yogachariya 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 is accredited by International Yoga Alliance USA and they also follow its policy on sexual misconduct towards the client, that 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 makes its clients 99% satisfied.

Vipassana silent meditation retreat

The main practice of Vipassana consists of mentally scanning one by one 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 his/her attention moving and to observe, objectively and with equanimity, the sensations he/she experiences. Given the explicit focus on soma to sensory sensations, this particular tradition of Vipassana is a good example of meditation practice where focused attention and open monitoring are combined.

Teaching plan of Vipassana silent meditation retreat

Pranayama and mudras

• Introduction to pranayama
• Basic pranayama techniques and benefits for mediatation (Neti, Kapalabhati, Nadi Shodana)
• The pranic body
• Parana and lifestyle
• Nadi and their role in meditation
• Breathing and life span
• Kriyas (body cleansing methods) - Neti, Kapalabhati, Nadi Shodhana

Meditation

• Meditation practice (Vipassana Japa and Ajapa meditation, Vipassana breath awareness meditation, Vipassana Nada Meditation, Mantra and Vipassana awareness, Vipassana Kundalini meditation)

Please note that Vipassana is a self practice with guided consultation. Vedansha Institute of Vedic Science and Alternative Medicine will explain and show how to do the practice that you will perform most of the tasks yourself. Only by this way you can concentrate more on your own emotions, sensations and feeling without external influence. Don't worry Vedansha Institute of Vedic Science and Alternative Medicine will support you on this way.

Pre-requisites

• You have to have interest to learn Vedic science, personal work on body and mind and not only to spend vacation as on all inclusive resort. Vedansha are spiritual Ashram and do not allow following activity: eating non-vegetarian meal, smoking, drinking alcohol, abuse their staff, show any type of sexual misconduct, manipulating, annoying other clients, damage the vedansha property, study material, 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 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
• This teacher training course requires educational abilities and the desire to study the program according to the standards of Yoga Alliance USA. 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 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 right to cancel the booking and refund the deposit. If translation will be requested on place Vedansha has 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 acknowledge 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 amount that covered our costs of 30% of the course days as Vedansha reserve teacher, accommodation, meal prior to your arriving.

Daily sample schedule

Day 1

• 13:00 onward Arrival
• 13:30 - 14:30 Lunch
• 14:30 - 16:30 Free time and relax
• 16:30 - 18:00 Aura check up and individual consultation, set up of plan of vipassana, orientation, kriya practice, issue of evaluation and practical list, and attending meditation class
• 18:00 - 19:00 Dinner
• 19:00 - 22:00 Free time
• 22:00 onward Sleep

Day 2 to 7

• 06:00 - 07:00 Wake up and shower
• 07:00 - 08:00 Morning meditation with special pranayama technique
• 08:00 - 09:00 Breakfast
• 09:00 - 10:00 Free time
• 10:00 - 11:30 Walking awareness meditation with mantra chanting on the Ganga river
• 11:30 - 12:30 Dinner
• 12:30 - 14:00 Free time
• 14:00 - 15:30 Mandala / yantra creation and meditation
• 15:30 - 16:30 Mantra chanting (can be used personal mantra) particular amount of times (possible outside on the Ganga or in Himalaya)
• 16:30 - 18:00 Temple visit eventually with mediation by desire
• 18:00 - 19:00 Dinner
• 19:00 - 20:00 Questions and answers in written form
• 20:00 - 22:00 Reading or free time
• 22:00 - 06:00 Sleep

Day 8

• 06:00 - 06:30 Wake up
• 06:30 - 10:00 Excursion with meditation and breakfast
• 11:00 - 12:00 Discussion of horoscope, evaluation of purposes
• 12:00 - 13:00 Check out

This retreat includes one excursion in the Himalayas.

This retreat will take place in Rishikesh, India.

During your free time, you can relax in spa or book a detailed aura check-up with a written report about the aura statement, disturbances in aura if they are present, supporting methods, and treatment advice of a naturopathic specialist. You can receive an individual plan of asana postures, pranayama, herbs, and meditative practice. Additionally, you can receive a detailed horoscope assessment with methods of correction according to Vedic medical astrology. Vedansha Institute of Vedic Science and Alternative Medicine provides different spa programs by request.

One Ayurvedic massage in Vedansha Institute of Vedic Science and Alternative Medicine's spa is included in your package.

• Daily practical meditation, concentration, and awareness sessions
• Consultation and individual issued plan of retreat with guided recommendations
• Certificate of attendance
• 1 brief aura check-up
• 1 excursion to the Himalaya
• Mala string of beads energized by a Yogacharya, Dr. S.K.Pandey-Ji
• Study materials
• Yoga cleansing kit
• Herbs suggestions for well-being
• 1 t-shirt with the school symbol
• 1 Ayurvedic massage
• 3 daily vegetarian meals
• 7 nights accommodation

• Additional activities
• Airfare
• Airport transfer
• Ayurvedic procedures and consultation
• Detailed aura check-up
• Detailed horoscope assessment
• Naturopathic consultation
• Guided yoga classes

Recommended Airports

• A reservation requires a deposit of 35% of the total price.
• The deposit is fully refundable if the booking is cancelled up to 5 days before the arrival date.
• The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.