The total experience of both halves is the complete experience in India that 90% of our pilgrims choose. The first half is our signature pilgrimage!
January 2024 is the last time we offer our signature pilgrimage and chanting retreat in South India, a life-changing event we've offered since 1999.
This is our theme for our January 2024 Pilgrimage and Extension.
We are thrilled to resume our pilgrimages after COVID. 2023 was a fantastic experience for those who could travel with us to India in January and February. The theme for our 2024 pilgrimage is "Inspired by Love; Transformed By Light."
Signature Pilgrimage (First Half): Our signature pilgrimage is the "Journey to Find The Other Half Of The Soul." These first two weeks are our tried and true experience that offers chanting, some visits to temples, and our profound retreat sessions at the ashram.
Instead of jumping on a plane after the first half of our pilgrimage, the second half allows us to settle into our retreat routine and go deep into our meditation and spiritual practices. We also visit many more temples, including special expeditions (see below). The total time for the complete experience (Signature Pilgrimage Plus Extension) is 28 to 30 days. Most of our pilgrims choose this option, although we understand when some need to return earlier.
Inspired By Love: In the second half of our pilgrimage, participants will be guided into more profound mystical practices that will offer opportunities for interspiritual dialog, relating to other traditions using the Hindu tradition as the essential platform. We intend to include Jewish, Buddhist, Sufi, and medieval mystics of Christianity (Meister Eckhart, Hildegard of Bingen, etcetera) in our chanting and sacred movements. We call this spiritual process inspired by the world's mystical traditions: "Inspired By Love."
Transformed By Light: During the second half of our pilgrimage, we will also focus on a deep practice of the Gayatri Mantra Sadhana. While many people know the Gayatri mantra, there are practices "around" the chanting of the Gayatri, placements on the body, ritual gestures, and more to enhance our experience and make it magical. This component of our extension is "Transformed By Light." Imagine learning and practicing these components at the spiritual hot spots we journey to in India.
Special Expeditions: Our second half will also include unique journeys to vibrant temples, rituals at sacred hot spots, and a mini-pilgrimage to "Temple Town." As the name suggests, "Temple Town," is a revered spiritual hotspot of numerous temples compacted into a tiny region, including UNESCO heritage temples and an off-the-beaten-path Tantric Healing Temple.
Online Study Option: We will focus on "Transformed By Light" practices during our new Yogic Mystery School year (June 2023 to May 2024) so our student community, many of whom travel with us to India, can prepare in advance. And for others, the online components can be a form of support after our return from India. All students who traveled with us to India on pilgrimage in January 2023 unanimously agree that our online courses complement their pilgrimage.
""How much I appreciate the enormous effort you both expended on giving us a perfect Pilgrimage. From my point of view it was flawless. Everything was taken care of so well that "life" could just happen. And it did! I will always hold our Pilgrimage experience as the example of how life can be when lived to the fullest of our capacities. Thank you for the finest, most meaningful travel experience I have ever had." "
""No matter what obstacle was set before us, it was set aside with calmness, care & love. It got to the point in a short while, that I simply knew that the issue would be taken care of without any fuss. As pilgrimage leaders you were wonderful. As friends you were wonderful.""