Nepali Yoga Retreat including Navaratri (2024)
24/09/2024 – 13/10/2024
About Our Retreat
Our Navaratri Yoga Retreat offers an alternative to the Diwali trek and retreat for those of you that would love to understand the nine aspects of the goddess a little more.
Our focus on this retreat is the 9 Nights of Navaratri, the Hindu/Buddhist festival celebrating the 9 different aspects of the Goddess Durga.
This retreat will be based within Kathmandu, Pokhara and the majestic Dhaulagiri range. Where we will explore the feminine goddesses/shakti’s and dakini’s as well as the temples and holy sites that represent them and their energies. As well as taking our amazing trek through the pilgrimage way towards kayer lake.
Each day Claire will lead you through a morning yoga practice with a
contemplative meditation on the day’s Goddess and how we can embody her specific qualities within our own lives and hold her close throughout the day. We will visit many dakini temples as well as the world heritage sites of Nepal.
There is always time scheduled for deep reflection and group connection as well as personal free time for shopping and exploring.
About Your Host
Yoga Sols 2024 Nepali Yoga Retreat will be led by Claire Tierney. Claire has been travelling to Nepal regularly for the last 7 years and considers it a home away from home.
Bringing over 30 years’ experience as a yoga/meditation teacher, and massage therapist Claire will guide you through traditional yoga, meditation, and breath work on a daily basis throughout your stay in Nepal. She has extensive knowledge on the culture and festivals which will be explored through Satsang and Q&A sessions each day.
Itinerary
Day 1 (25th September)
● Flights leaving Brisbane are usually around 9-10am. We will land in
Kathmandu around 8-9pm
● We will arrange pick up at Kathmandu airport.
● We check in and sleep. You may wake up early as they are 4 ¼ hours behind us but a good time to just laze around after a 16hr flight.
Day 2 (26th September)
● Breakfast at Hotel Dreams Connect.
● Yoga, Bowl Meditation and Satsang.
● Day exploring Thamel. Settle in and walk the heady streets of Thamel and surrounds. We will see our first street side temples and get our first taste of Nepali culture.
● Lunch
● Sound Bowl Meditation to unwind from your day and jet lag.
● Followed by dinner out at a local restaurant.
Day 3 (27th September)
● Morning Yoga, Meditation and Satsang.
● Today we will be visiting two temples; first the Gokarneswar Bhagwati Temple, devoted to the feminine within the hills and next to the Bagmati river just outside of the Kathmandu valley as well as the World Heritage listed Bouldanath on our return.
There are a lot of steps to the Gokarneswar Bhagwati, so you are welcome to cross the river to avoid climbing the steps.
Day 4 (28th September)
● Morning yoga, bowl meditation at Nepal Singing Bowls and Satsang
followed by breakfast at the hotel.
● Today is a big day with 2 Bigger Temples to visit: Guhyeswari and
Pashupatinath temples.
● We will walk through the Pashupati Forest to arrive at the feminine site of
Guhyeshwari.
● The Guhyeswari Temple has significant cultural significance and is located close to the world heritage site of Pashupatinath. The two temples together represent the joining of Ida and Pingala: the sacred Union of Shiva and Shakti.
● We then head back through Pashupati Forest where we can stop for
refreshments before reaching Pashupatinath (Shiva Temple) where we see
the circle of life through the conception of the Karma Sutra on the walls,
watching the dead be washed, smoked, wrapped, and then placed on the
pyre.
● Take photos with Sadu’s.
● Claire will lead you through the warren of symbols and religious icons to
give you a deeper understanding and connection of the site.
● HamSa meditation, as well as Satsang.
● This is a later trip at dusk, so we catch nightly Arti (puja).
Day 5 (29th September)
Head to Pokhara around lunch time.
● From the heady spiritual highs of Kathmandu, we will embark a tourist
plane through the Mountain tops (with views to die for) to Pokhara. A
beautiful lakeside town of peace and serenity. The flight to Pokhara takes 2
hours so plenty of time to explore the lakeside town in the afternoon.
● Enjoy a beautiful lakeside lunch.
● Explore our surroundings.
● We will conclude the day with a sunset walk along the lakeside stopping for
a silent meditation and then dinner in one of the lakeside restaurants.
● Meet our guides for the trek
Want to know more about our Navaratri Yoga Retreat?
You can send an email to yogaandmassage@gmail.com and we will send you a copy of full itinerary which includes the costs and inclusions.
See our FAQ’s about our Yoga Retreats here.