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The Yogini’s Journey March 15-26, 2023
I am super honored to announce another special pilgrimage to India this coming March 2023 for women only. Lead by Uschi Gibson, a well-seasoned guide of India and adept seeker on the path of liberation, along with my colleague Justyn O’Neil. All three of us have been teaching trainings and guiding retreats for many years, as well as having travelled in India on multiple occasions. I’m honored to hold the space in the circle we are building together with our aligned intentions, gathering close students, dear friends, and fellow yogini seekers. We are incredibly excited to build the offerings and dedications we will make throughout the trip, and support each of your unique energy as part of this spiritual pilgrimage together.
A pilgrimage to the source of the Shakti Lineage. Come gather at the banks of the holy river Ganga to purify and anoint yourself in the blessings of the Goddess. This is a sacred invitation to initiate ourselves with a pilgrimage to the source of the Tantric tradition. Connect with fellow Yoginis and refresh how you participate and share your experience as a female yoga practitioner.
Dates: Mar 15th-26th 2023
Your international flight should be booked to arrive in Delhi the evening/night of Mar
15th 2023. Your departure should be booked for the night of Mar 26th, or early hours of Mar 27th 2023
Price:
Non refundable deposit: $1000 USD (included in total cost)
Early Bird (register before Sept 30th 2022): $2800 USD
After Sept 30th 2022: $3000 USD
*Includes hours you can receive in RYT credit through The Seeker Yoga
School/Beloved Retreats
Inclusions:
-Domestic India travel and lodgings
-Double occupancy on arrival in Delhi at The Lemon Tree Premier
-Single occupancy throughout the rest of the journey
-Meals mentioned in Itinerary (Meals that are excluded are listed)
-Support in preparation for travel to India, booking your flight, India Visa etc.
-Yoga, meditation, and discourse sessions throughout the journey
-Silver Yogini Talisman to consecrate throughout the pilgrimage
Exclusions:
-International flight to India
-Your Darshan/Prasad offerings (we will explain and support throughout)
-Tips for drivers
-Optional Ayurvedic massages/treatments/astrology readings
**See the detailed itinerary outline in the following pages. This is an outline which we will be building into over the coming months.
Who are the hosts of The Yogini’s Journey?
Uschi, Jaina, and Justyn will be holding space throughout the The Yogini’s Journey.
Practices we will share include; Tantric Yoga Asana, Non-Linear Movement (inspired by Classical Indian Dance), Mantra, Pranayama, Meditation, Nidra, Council, and Ritual. We are honored to gather a diverse group of women from all over the world to practice, witness each other, and support this transformational journey.
Uschi Gibson is the creator, India hostess, and coordinator of The Yogini’s Journey. As a lifelong student of spirituality and movement, Uschi took a deep dive into South Asian yogic traditions when she moved to Varanasi, India 14 years ago. Learning the language and customs of one of the holiest cities on the planet, Uschi’s tender approach allowed her to connect into this ancient culture at heart level. Uschi hosts international yoga retreats, and teaches classes online imparting the essences of various texts and ritual practices. Uschi is based in Varanasi, where she also works in community development and women empowerment projects.
Instagram: @luckyuschi Website: http://www.luckylalita.com
Justyn O’Neill is the owner and creator of The Seeker Yoga School. She has been
teaching since 2010. Her mission as a teacher is to create a pathway for students to
broaden their perspective, to see their own worth, remember the truth of who they
are, and love themselves in a bigger way. Her intention as a teacher is to offer the
teachings of yoga in a sacred way, upholding the reverence to the roots of the
tradition. Traveling to India has been an integral part of upholding this intention for
her. Immersion in the magic of the culture, the connection to the source of this
ancient wisdom and providing sincere seekers an opportunity to awaken a deeper
connection to The Divine within themselves. Instagram @theseekeryogaschool Website http://www.theseekeryogaschool.com
Jaina Portwood is the owner and creator of Beloved Retreats. She has been practicing yoga since 1998 and teaching since 2002. Above all else she holds an intention for spiritual, and physical expansion. Yoga is union. To be united to the Self, through the Self, into the Self…the heart….unconditional love. This is achieved through pranayama, asana, nutrition, intuition, and insight to take you beyond the seen world and into cosmic consciousness. Jaina believes a journey to the sacred land of India is a privilege and an honor. She helps to facilitate a group space of gratitude, growth, beauty, and selfless service/offering on this heart-expanding pilgrimage. Instagram @belovedretreats Website http://www.belovedretreats.com
The Yogini’s Journey Itinerary March 2023
This is our basic outline of the itinerary throughout The Yogini’s Journey. We will be building in details and the offerings in the months preceding the journey. We hope the information below gives you a sense of what lays ahead, and look forward to questions you may have.
Om Tat Sat
-Uschi, Jaina, and Justyn
Mar 15th: Delhi Arrival
Arrive Delhi before or just after midnight. Taxi to hotel and rest overnight.
Mar 16th: Yogini Maya Darshan/Transition to Kolkata
Meet up for breakfast in the hotel. Hotel check out. Drive to the Yogini Maya Shakti
Peeth Temple for Darshan. Drive to FabIndia for lunch (not included), and some divine shopping to adorn you for the journey. Return to the hotel to freshen up and collect our bags. Transition to the airport for our evening flight to Kolkata. Arrive Kolkata, taxi to our heritage hotel.
Mar 17th: Ecstatic Goddess Kali Darshan
Breakfast in the hotel. Taxi to Belur Math to walk the grounds of the Swami
Vivekananda center. Pause and reflect in the grass to connect and ground. Ferry across the Hooghly river to Dakshineswar Kali Temple, the Center of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, and the ecstatic devotion to Kali on the banks of the Ganga River. Darshan and downtime at the temple, taking in the satsang and Bhava at the center of the Shakta tradition here. Return to the hotel for some downtime and freshening up (you’ll have the option to have lunch but meal is not included). Gather for chai/coffee and discussion about Darshan at Kalighat. Taxi to Kalighat temple-collecting Prasad bundles and intense Darshana at temple. Shopping in the local market around Kalighat. Return to the hotel. Dinner, downloading, rest (meal not included).
Mar 18th: Mother Theresa/Transition to Varanasi
Breakfast in the hotel. Introduction to our morning activity. Sadhana walk to Mother
Theresa’s Ministries of Charity ashram, and her grave. Visit the little museum
dedicated to Mother Theresa’s life work, located in the center of her Ashram. Silence, meditation, and prayer at her grave. Walk back. Hotel check out and discussion. Transition to Kolkata airport, flight to Varanasi. Taxi to Varanasi hotel. Dinner and settling (meal included). Walk to Ganga river for first blessing and sending of Diyas. Goodnight.
Mar 19th: Ganga Blessing, Tantrik Goddess Darshan & Puja
Details of this day are in the works. The activities to be included: Boating on the
Ganga, optional purification, Special Puja for us. Asana practice, Shakti Peeth temple on a walk through the winding Galis (small alleyways) of Varanasi. All meals included.
Mar 20th: Durga, Chinnamasta, and Ashtabhuji Devi Darshan
Morning Asana practice. Introduction to our activity and counsel. Drive to the Durga
temple located outside of the city. Darshan, photos in the magnificent temple
grounds. Visit the small Chinnamasta temple on the grounds. Drive on to Ashtabhuji
Mata temple, located far outside of the city overlooking the Ganga. Special darshan
there. Snacks and using the restroom. Drive back to Varanasi. Dinner, goodnight.
Mar 21st: Varanasi/Transition to Khajuraho
Morning boat across the river for meditation practice on the bank of the opposite
shore, with the view of Varanasi across river. Magnificent photos and chai. Special
breakfast. Hotel check out, come to Uschi’s house for a walk to some nearby temples and special relaxing afternoon till we depart for the train station. Late lunch/dinner. Pack some snacks for the train. Transition to station. Overnight train to Khajuraho.
Mar 22nd: Khajuraho
Arrive Khajuraho early in the morning. Breakfast on the beautiful roof soaking in the
quiet and tranquil atmosphere. Check into rooms. Meet up for lunch, depart for the
Tantric Temples. Meditation practice in one of the Tantric temples. Return to the
hotel. Evening practice, Dinner, goodnight.
Mar 23rd: Khajuraho
Morning practice. Breakfast. Trip out to the village for a special farm to table meal and soaking in the quiet beautiful nature. Connection practice to the Earth Mother. Walk back to the village through the farmlands. Back to the hotel, freshen up. Evening practice. Dinner, Goodnight.
Mar 24th: Khajuraho
Morning practice. Breakfast. Journaling time. Workshop. Private time. Trip to 64
Yogini Temple. Sunset chanting and meditation within the temple. Back to the hotel.
Dinner, counsel, goodnight.
Mar 25th: Transition to Jabalpur/Bhedaghat Yogini Evening Darshana
Breakfast in Khajuraho. Hotel check out, 4-5hr drive to Jabalpur. Check into the hotel, lunch. Freshen up in rooms, afternoon drive to Bhedaghat outside of the city. Walk the steps up to the temple in the afternoon light. Darshan, photographs, prayers and blessings of the 64 Yoginis. Drive back to the hotel, dinner, goodnight.
Mar 26th: Morning Yogini Darshan/Flight to Delhi
Early morning rise and drive to the Yogini Temple. Darshan and Ritual. Drive back to
Jabalpur, breakfast. Hotel check out, flights to Delhi, and then hOMe.
TRANSITIONS:
Delhi to Kolkata (by plane-2 hrs)
Kolkata to Varanasi (by plane-1.5 hrs)
Varanasi to Khajuraho (by train-overnight)
Khajuraho to Jabalpur/Bhedaghat (by car/bus 5-6hrs)
Jabalpur to Delhi (by plane-1.5 hrs)
Ready to Apply?
Send an email to jaina@belovedretreats.com to receive an application for the journey. We are selecting an intentional group of practitioners for this life-changing experience.
Once you register for the pilgrimage we will be forwarding a required reading list, and I will start the basic trip prep info with you. We plan to gather online in the months ahead of the retreat to learn a sacred chant that will thread us together in a circle, and prepare you to participate in ritual at the various temples we visit. We will also be offering learning opportunities online ahead of the retreat, for which you can receive at a special discount as a participant in this journey.
