Cancelled because of COVID-19
To be confirmed if an edition will be organized in 2021

This retreat will take place on a sacred land, cradled both by Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism, and enveloped by the highest mountains in the world, the Himalayas. There is no doubt that it’s one of the most fertile lands to learn more about meditation!

Don’t worry you won’t be spending 10 days sitting cross-legged, watching your breathing in silence. It will be way more varied and accessible.

The Goal of this Spiritual Retreat

A ten-day break away from your daily routine to

• Experiment Several meditation techniques (Osho Active Meditations, Yoga Nidra, Japa mala, Vipassana, and much more!)
• Practice a Gentle Morning Hatha Yoga accessible for all
• Integrate Breathing exercises (pranayama)
• Chant and listen to the sounds of sacred mantras
• Feel the strength of the silence and the joy of sharing during the spiritual talks
• Learn about the Nepalese culture and how Hinduism and Buddhism are practiced hand in hand in the country

 

This Special Moment has been created to offer you different tools to recharge your energy and to calm down from the daily stress and fears that come too often along the way.

The teachings, the visits to holy places and the sacred energy of the city and of the mountains will all work hand-in-hand to support your journey during this 10-day retreat.

Practical Information

• A retreat of 11 days, 10 nights
• Group of 8 people max. 
• Age group target: + 30’s
• People interested in learning meditation
• Language: in French or English for the teachings (depending on the participants), and in English for the visits and interactions with our Nepali collaborators
  

The price of the Spiritual & Meditation Retreat

• 1375$ CAD (900 euros) per person in double occupancy 
• Payment by PayPal or bank transfer (information will be given by email at the moment of the inscription)   

The price includes

• Pickup by taxi at the airport at your arrival to the house where the retreat will be taken place for the first 3 days in Kathmandu
• 10 nights of accommodation on a twin sharing basis
• 3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) except during the visits (specified below)
• Group transportation to the organized sightseeing sites in Kathmandu
• Group transportation from the house in Kathmandu to Annapurna Eco-Village for the second part of the retreat in the mountains
• Group transportation from Annapurna Eco-Village to Pokhara at the end of the retreat

The price excludes

• Round-trip airfare
• Visa (US $25 for 15 days; US $40 for 30 days)
• Travel insurance and other personal expenses.
• Lunch on the first day and during our visit to Boudhanath and Bhaktapur
• 1 Dinner in Kathmandu during a free evening
• Breakfast/lunch on the way to the Annapurna Eco-Village
• Snacks in between meals
• Transportation from Pokhara to Kathmandu (by bus or by plane – can be arranged with me on-site or prior the beginning of the retreat)
  

An overview of the program of the Spiritual & Meditation Retreat

In Kathmandu Valley – semi-retreat

• Day 1: Welcoming Day. Lunch is at your own expense
• Day 2: Introduction to Buddhism with a guided visit to Swayambunath and Boudhanath including a special morning session in a monastery. *Lunch and dinner at your own expense.
• Day 3: Introduction to Hinduism with a guided visit of Bhaktapur and Pashupatinath. *Lunch at your own expense.
• Day 4: Leaving to the Annapurna Eco-Village in private transportation (around 8h drive). Breakfast/Lunch on the way at your own expense.

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

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

Some pictures of the Eco-Village, our home in the mountains

Program

• Day 4, end of pm: Arrival at Annapurna Eco-Village
• Day 5-6-7-8-9: daily schedule with a specific theme per day
• 1 class of asana – Hatha Yoga – 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 Tonglen, Vipassana, Osho Dynamic Meditations, Japa mala, and more. The goal is to make you discover different techniques and feel which ones resonate with you more at this moment
• A New Moon Ritual
• Spiritual Talks
• Free time to encourage introspection and journaling
• Day 10: end of the retreat after breakfast.
  

An example of a daily schedule

6:30 am: Wake up & Jala Neti

7:30 – 9:00 am: Asana Class including pranayama and a short meditation

9 am-10 am: Breakfast

10 am-11:30 am: Free Time

11:30 am-1 pm: Meditation 1

1 pm-2 pm: Lunch

2 pm-4:30 pm: Free Time

4:30 pm-5:30 pm: Spiritual Talk

5:30-7pm: Meditation 2

7:15 Dinner

8pm: Free Time and Rest

An overview of the Editions 2018 & 2019

A video (in French) to tell you a bit more about the place.

The Adhikari family are implementing different sustainable farming techniques on their land and also for the village.

The weather in Nepal

The month of August corresponds to the rainy season in Nepal and in most Southeast Asian countries. It usually doesn’t rain all day and the sun comes out don’t worry! 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 cooler evenings some time to assure you a good night of sleep!

Book your place now

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.

Fill up the application form over here
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Payment Terms

• Deposit of 750 $ CAD (500 euros) payable by bank transfer or PayPal at the time of your registration
• The balance is payable by bank transfer or PayPal latest on July 16th, 2020
• If you reserve your place after July 16th, 2020, 100% of the cost of the retreat is payable at the time of registration.
  

Refund policies in case of cancellation

• The deposit and the balance of the payment of the registration are non-refundable 60 days before the beginning of the retreat (June 16th, 2020)
  

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)

• Nepal is calling and so are the sounds of the Tibetan Bowls
• Namaste Nepal! A first glance into this overpowering energy of this land
• Making friends in charming Bhaktapur
• Boudhanath – turning into the deepest of oneself
• A thought for my grandmother from the top of the Himalayas
  

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

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

• 15 years of experience as a communications advisor and event organizer for Universities in Canada (Montreal)
• 4 years living as a nomad in Southeast Asia, especially between Bali, Nepal and India
• 2 Spiritual & Meditation Retreats in Nepal and 3 editions in Bali
• 7 years on this Spiritual journey that started with meditation and it’s only a beginning
• Teacher Certifications –  Meditation Teacher Training (300 hours, August 2017), Hatha Yoga Therapeutic Teacher Training, Sivananda lineage (300 hours, February 2018), Yoga Education Teacher Training (900 jours, July 2019) all completed in India.
  

 

Testimonials from the participants

You can also read more about the first Retreat held in 2018 over here

We feel privileged to live this rich experience of knowledge and practice. All taught by Nathalie with so much kindness and generosity. It’s pure happiness to meet Nathalie. Her natural talents as an organizer and good pedagogue make this retreat a success. We return home focused with the desire to deepen his practice of meditation. A great experience towards our Higher Self … Thank you again Nathalie for your beautiful presence!! Annie Mercier, August 2018 ” 

 

“Congratulations for this first retreat very well organized and thank you for giving us so much diversity with the visits, the topics, the meditations, etc. Thank you also for your availability and your entire support before the retreat. I fully felt your involvement and your willingness to do well, both for the logistics and for all the personalized answers and information.” Jean Haddad, August 2018 ” 

 

Nathalie has put all her heart in the preparation of this retreat and it is reflected in her teachings. It was a truly enriching and accessible experience even for those who, like me, are new to meditation and yoga. Yes, I would recommend her retreat very well organized, the good balance between the discussions, meditations, yoga, cultural visits and meetings with Nepalese. We also had a good amount of free time to explore the surroundings in the mountains.  

 

“It was a growing experience. I left Nepal with my head filled with beautiful memories, new friends and lovely meditation experiences. Thank you Nathalie for your openness, your passion and your excellent work.” Vincent Gendreau, August 2018 ” 

“Nathalie made us discover and love yoga and different meditation techniques. Her teaching is comprehensive, respectful and remarkable. The organization was impeccable. I come back to Quebec with a lot of knowledge, memories and a great opening in my heart. I undeniably recommend you to live this experience.”
Gaétan Lafond, August 2018

 

“Without a doubt, I recommend this retreat in Nepal to all of you who want to live this very rewarding experience. Nathalie is an excellent organizer, coach, an exceptional teacher.
She is generous, very well prepared and very well surrounded by local collaborators.

This retreat allowed me to take a break with moments of deep reflection, of awareness, to learn yoga, the Nepali culture and many new techniques of meditation. I appreciated Nathalie’s personalized service, her professionalism and her kindness. I come back different, happier, more confident and more serene.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything. I was touched by this experience from which I have grown so much.
Thank you for being in my life.” Marie-Lise Lalonde, Népal, August 2018.

 

Namaste,

Nathalie