Ray of Nath is Launching Her Meditation Retreats! -

After realizing the dream of leaving Canada to embrace a new life abroad, it’s now with the same level of excitement that I am launching the first editions of my Meditation Retreats!

I’ve been sharing my observations, feelings, and learnings through my blog Ray of Nath for over two years and a half. Now, I want to welcome you to one of my “homes”, where an intimate space will be created to teach, offer, and share everything that this path has taught me so far. The retreats will bring together small groups of up to 10 people in an energetically and spiritually powerful environment surrounded by nature. Are you in?

For now, two editions are planned in 2018

First Edition in Nepal, August 7-16, 2018
Second Edition in Bali, November 2-10, 2018

Registration is on! (by sending me an email over here)

All the details of the two retreats are below.

***

The Goal of this Meditation Retreat

A ten-day break away from your daily routine to

Learn and experiment with different meditation techniques and other fundamentals of yoga
Vibrate with the sounds of mantras as with your own breathing rhythm
Live the force of silence as the force of spiritual talks

This Meditation Retreat aims to give you some tools to help you get rid of unnecessary stress, fears and all of what clutters and tarnishes your energy in order to feel aligned and at peace within your body, mind, and heart.

A meditation retreat designed to meet your needs

Many of you tell me about

The hectic pace that often prevents you from taking time for yourself.
Your interest to learn more about meditation, but you can’t manage to find time to get started
You don’t know anyone who could teach you and where to go to learn
You tried to meditate a few times, but your mind wandered far too much and you were unable to stay still in a cross-legged position.

I know, these are the main obstacles I hear constantly about meditation. I also struggle. But for me, meditation is much more than sitting cross-legged to watch your breath! Yoga, which includes meditation, is a way of life that is reflected in each of our daily actions.

So don’t worry, during this meditation retreat, you won’t be spending 10 days sitting cross-legged, watching your breathing in silence (like we do in vipassana). It will be way more varied and accessible.

The meditation retreat will be personalized according to the profile and needs of the participants. I intend to put all of my heart into it along with my intuition and “my life experience” to craft this spiritual rendez vous.

And in addition, retreats will take place on sacred lands, influenced by Hinduism or Tibetan Buddhism, and surrounded by a beautiful nature. There is no doubt that these are fertile soils for initiating a meditation practice!

FIRST EDITION – NEPAL, AUGUST 7-16, 2018 – COMPLETED!

Annapurna Eco-Village guesthouse in the Annapurna, Nepal, Meditation Retreat August 7-16,2018

Practical Information

Group of 6-10 people.
Target audience: Beginners in meditation (and yoga) / Age group: + 30’s
Language: in French for all mediation and yoga sessions and the spiritual talks; in English for the outdoor activities guided by Nepali.
All inclusive of accommodations, food, transportation, sessions and outdoor activities* Exceptions mentioned below
Excluding: round-trip airfare, visa (US $25), travel insurance and other personal expenses. Lunch & Dinner in Boudhanath (August 8th), Lunch in Bakhatapur (August 8th), lunch on the way to the Annapurna Eco-Village (August 10th), transportation from Pokhara to Kathmandu
Cost: $1200 CAD (about 800 euros).
Payment by bank transfer (information will be given by email at the moment of the inscription)

An overview of the program

In Kathmandu Valley – semi-retreat

(August 7th-10th)

August 7th: Welcoming Day
August 8th: Introduction to Buddhism with a visit to Swayambunath and Boudhanath including a Q&A session with a monk in a monastery. *Lunch and dinner at your own expense.
August 9th: Introduction to Hinduism with a guided visit of Bhaktapur and Pashupatinath. *Lunch at your own expense.
August 10th: Leaving to the Annapurna Eco-Village in private transportation (around 8h drive). Lunch on the way at your own expense.

A few pictures of the place we will call home during our stay in Kathmandu

In the Annapurna, Himalayas, one hour from Pokhara – full retreat

(August 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th)

1 class of asana in the morning (stretching, sun salutations and some asana to awaken the body and prepare it for meditation)
2 meditation sessions a day. The meditations will vary among Buddhist, yogic, vipassana, dynamics of Osho and trataka to make you discover different techniques and feel which one vibrates more with you at this moment
Daily periods of discussion, silence, and chanting
Example of the schedule for a typical day to come.
The yoga and meditation sessions and the discussions will be in French.

And a few pictures of the guesthouse that will welcome us in the mountains

A little more about the guesthouse in this video (in French)

The weather in Nepal in August

The months of June, July, and August correspond to the rainy season in Nepal and in most Southeast Asian countries. It usually rains one or two hours a day, but very hard! and, or at night. Temperatures vary between 18-22 degrees Celsius at night, and up to 27-30 degrees Celsius during the day (according to the weather archives). The temperature varies from Kathmandu to Pokhara and in the mountains. So, warm days and less warm at evening time to assure a good night of sleep!

To know more about Nepal

I wrote a few articles about Nepal during my first visit in 2016.

(Click on the title to read the article, the hyperlink is not underlined)

I visited Nepal for the first time in autumn 2016 for a month and again another month in 2017. I will be back in Nepal in May to prepare our retreat, which I believe will be a major turning point for all of us participating in this first edition.

Reserve your place for the retreat in Nepal

If this invitation resonates very strongly in you, like the vibrations of the famous Tibetan bowls, send me a message including a few words about yourself, your experience (or non-experience) in meditation, why you are interested in participating in this retreat. This is only to start to get to know each other, to see if our goals are aligned and if this meditation is for you.

Payment Terms

Deposit of $ 350 CAD payable by bank transfer at the time of registration. Your place will be confirmed once the deposit is received. A confirmation message will be sent to you. If the registration is made after June 22, 2018, the full amount of $1,200 is payable by bank transfer.
The balance of $ 850 CAD for the cost of registration is payable by bank transfer no later than July 8, 2018.

Refund policies in case of cancellation

For the deposit of $ 350 CAD

100% of the amount paid is refundable until June 8, 2018
(up to 60 days before the beginning of the retreat)
50% of the amount paid is refundable until June 22, 2018
(up to 45 days before the beginning of the retreat)
No refund after June 23, 2018
(less than 45 days before the beginning of the retreat)

The payment of 850$ CAD (the remaining balance after the deposit of 350$ CAD) is non-refundable once paid.

SECOND EDITION – MEDITATION RETREAT IN UBUD, BALI, NOVEMBER 2-10, 2018

The retreat in Bali will be an opportunity to discover a unique Hinduism in Bali by visiting its most beautiful temples and perhaps attending a ceremony if one takes place during our stay.

Bali is a very special land in my heart and in the eyes of many. It’s therefore with great pleasure that I invite you to this spiritual rendez vous in an environment blessed by the Gods! This retreat will be designed in a way to blend harmoniously the yogic and Buddhist teachings and topics with the unique Hindu Balinese culture with the support of local people that I know, trust and consider as members of my family.

Practical Information

Group of 6-10 people. * 5 rooms still available (single ou double occupancy) *
Target audience: Beginners in meditation (and yoga) / Age group: + 30’s
All inclusive (excluding round-trip airfare, the visa is free of charge for many countries for a stay of max. 30 days, travel insurance and other personal expenses.
Price to be confirmed.
Terms and conditions of the payment (cancellation, deposit, refund) and other legal aspects to come
Payment by bank transfer (information will be given by email at the moment of the inscription)

Unlike the meditation retreat in Nepal, the one in Bali will be set in only one location around Ubud for the entire duration of the retreat. Cultural activities outside of the place of the retreat will be organized.

An overview of the program

1 class of asana in the morning (stretching series, sun salutations and some asana to awaken the body and prepare it for meditation)
2 meditation sessions a day. The meditations will vary among Buddhist, yogic, vipassana, dynamics of Osho and trataka to make you discover different techniques and feel which one vibrates more with you at this moment
Daily periods of discussion, silence, and chanting
Example of the schedule for a typical day to come.
The yoga and meditation sessions and the discussions will be organized according to the level of the participants.

Book your place

If this invitation resonates very strongly within your heart, send me a message including a few words about yourself, your experience (or non-experience) in meditation, why you are interested in participating in this retreat. This is only to start to get to know each other, to see if our goals are aligned and if this meditation retreat is for you.

Weather in Bali in October

The month of October is between two seasons, the dry season that ends and the rainy season that will begin around November and December. It is a much quieter and ideal month with an average temperature of 27 degrees (plus humidity) during the day, depending on weather websites:).

To know more about Bali

I wrote many articles about Bali while I was staying there. I chose three to give you a glimpse of this beautiful culture.

(Click on the title to read the article, the hyperlink is not underlined)

Who is behind Ray of Nath? A few words about me

Hello, my name is Nathalie Richard, I’m a Canadian born in New-Brunswick.

I mentioned earlier about “my life experience” by that, I met everything that brought me all the way to here.

15 years of experience as a communications advisor and event organizer for Universities in Canada (Montreal)
3 years of nomadic life in Southeast Asia
6 years on this Spiritual journey that started with meditation and it’s only a beginning
Interests towards Yoga, Buddhism, Hinduism and Moon rituals
Teacher Certifications – Meditation Teacher Training (300 hours, August 2017) and a Therapeutic Hatha Yoga Teacher Training, Sivananda lineage (300 hours, February 2018) both completed in India.

It’s my “spiritual convictions” that gave me the courage and the faith to quit a permanent and well-paid job in Canada to embrace a new life abroad. I didn’t know back then where to go, for how long and to do what. It turned out great (and still does!). I quickly realized that I was feeling at home in this part of the world. After living a year and a half in a village of Ubud (Bali, Indonesia), visiting Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and living nine months in India, I started to hear more clearly the (same) answers.

Shining Blessings,

Nathalie