It’s only when I wrote the testimonials from the participants on my website that I came to realize that I did it! I had manifested my dream of creating a meditation retreat. The first edition took place in Nepal in August 2018 with 6 lovely participants from Quebec, Canada.

My goal was to recruit 6 participants that would form a harmonious, open-minded, and respectful group and this is exactly what I received! Jean, Annie, Vincent, Andrée-Eve, Marie-Lise, and Gaétan quickly felt familiar with each other and with their new environment. Six very different personalities brought their distinctive touch to the group. Some were new to meditation and others to Yoga.

A Few Highlights of the Meditation Retreat

The immense advantage of living in the country where I’m hosting the retreats is to work closely with local people. I often say that I see myself as a bridge connecting people from abroad with Nepalese in this case.

First Part of the Retreat learning about the Nepalese Culture in Kathmandu

Homemade Food Cooked with Love
It is said that a good way to discover the culture of a country is by tasting the local food. Tashi, a friend and a business partner, her sister and her associate prepared two traditional meals for us.

One of the famous Nepalese dishes is no doubt the “momos” (steamed dumplings). They usually come stuffed with meat or vegetables. We had a homemade version with tofu and vegetables that was absolutely delicious! Not only we tasted the momos but the participants also learned how to make them!

The second meal was a sample of many local dishes and no doubt among the best food we tasted.

Memorable Meeting in a Monastery
In addition to visiting the sacred sites of Boudhanath, Swayambunath, Pashupatinath and the beautiful medieval city of Bhaktapur – a favorite for many participants – a memorable moment was attending a puja (a religious ritual) in a Buddhist monastery performed by about twenty monks. After the ritual, we had the privilege to talk with two of them about life and Buddhism. Tashi’s family has been regularly visiting this monastery for several years, which allowed us to participate in this very special meeting.

The second Part of the Retreat in a village in the footsteps of the Annapurna

After introducing the participants to the Nepalese culture and the spirituality of Kathmandu, we traveled to an Eco guesthouse (Annapurna Eco-Village) where most of the program was dedicated to meditation, yoga, writing exercises, and Satsang (spiritual talks).

Yoga

I’m so happy and grateful to have completed my first Hatha Yoga Teacher Training (300hrs) in 2018 which allows me to add a daily morning session of asanas to the retreat.

It was the first time that I was teaching an asana class and I must admit that I was nervous, especially because one of the participants was an experienced yoga teacher.

Fortunately, the group quickly put me in confidence and at ease. It was a growing experience to be in front of the class leading students of different levels compared to practicing alone.

Four of the participants were new to yoga or had very little experience before. At the end of the retreat, one of them told me that he would look for a Yoga studio back home to continue practicing. Another one was surprised to see an improvement in her body in such a short period.

Meditation

For 10 days, participants experienced nearly 20 meditation sessions of different styles including Vipassana, Osho active meditations, chakra visualizations, and japa mala with a mala.

Toward the end of the retreat, I asked the participants to choose their favorite meditation so we could schedule a “best of” for our last day. To see their enthusiasm in trying to remember which meditation they would like to redo was really rewarding! Three meditations made the “top 3”: Osho Kundalini, No Dimension, and Vipassana.

Prayers, mantras, and songs

The teachings given during the Meditation Retreats must reflect my daily practice and values. Prayers and mantras are a big part of it.

Before beginning the first session of the day which is the asana class, I recite an opening prayer (Sivananda opening prayer), followed by the Gayatri Mantra Gayatri. This mantra represents the Mother of the Universe who has the power to do everything. She has the power to purify our spirit, destroy pain, negativity, and sins, free us from doubts, and give us strength, vitality, intelligence, and a magnetic aura! (ref Vishnananda).

To my surprise, some of them told me in their feedback sheets that they were seduced by the vibrations of the prayers and mantras. A participant even mentioned that it was the first time she had seen someone praying and chanting and she found that moment touching!

This is a beautiful proof that even if we don’t understand the words we hear or sing, their ancestral vibrations know how to reach our hearts and souls.

Gayatri Mantra

To be chanting 3 times after waking up

Om Bhoor Bhuvah Svah

Tat Savitur Varennyam

Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi

Dhiyo Yo Nah Pracodayaat

With my heart filled with gratitude

Huge thanks to my precious friend and business partner, Tashi, and her helpers.

Huge thanks to the Adhikari family at Eco-Village and their staff

Huge thanks to my first ambassadors, Annie, Jean, Vincent, Andree-Eve, Marie-Lise, and Gaetan, for your confidence and for helping me to make this first edition possible.

Next Meditation Retreat in Nepal

August 26th to September 4th, 2019 (in French)
All the details are over HERE

For any inquiries for a Meditation Retreat in English, please send me a message

Testimonials from the participants

“We feel privileged to live this rich experience led by Nathalie with such gentleness and generosity. Her professional background as an event organizer and her natural skills as a teacher make this retreat a success. I went back home more focused with the desire to deepen my practice of meditation.”

Annie Mercier, Nepal, August 2018

“Congratulations on your great job planning and organizing this retreat. Thank you for giving us so much diversity throughout the entire retreat. Thank you also for your availability and your support before the retreat. I felt fully supported and I appreciated all the information that you provided us along with your personalized responses.”

Jean Haddad, Nepal, August 2018

“Nathalie has put all her heart in the preparation of this Meditation Retreat and we could feel it in all of her teachings. It was a truly enriching and accessible experience even for those who like me are new to meditation.

Andrée-Eve Brochu, Nepal, August 2018

“It was a growing experience. I left my head filled with beautiful memories, beautiful encounters, and beautiful moments of meditation. Thank you Nathalie for your openness, your passion and your excellent work. “

Vincent Gendreau, Nepal, August 2018

“Nathalie along with her Nepalese team gave us a great opportunity to learn more about the Nepalese culture. She made us discover and love yoga and different meditation techniques. Her teachings are comprehensive, respectful, and remarkable. Her organizational skills are impeccable. I undeniably recommend you to live this experience.”

Gaétan Lafond, Nepal, August 2018

“Nathalie is generous, very well prepared, and also very well surrounded by local collaborators. This retreat allowed me to take a break, moments of deep reflection, and to open myself more to Yoga. I really appreciated Nathalie’s warmth and professionalism.
The energy of the group allowed me to be comfortable from the very first day. I loved the trust and love that the group shared. I go back to Canada different, happier, more confident, and more serene. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything.”

Marie-Lise Lalonde, Nepal, August 2018