Himalayan Yoga Retreat, Jibhi, July 2021
Tucked cosily in the lap of the mighty Himalayas, Jibhi was the destination chosen by Chakra Project for its monsoon yoga retreat. A week long immersive programme to awaken you spiritually, mentally, and physically, it was led by our founder Santhanam Sridharan.
In a Yoga Retreat - you get to escape the humdrum of your metropolitan life & retreat unto your SELF and find inner peace ~ in a guided way through yoga & in the lap of nature, in this case pristine Himalayas & amongst the right tribe of people
Read along to know the kind of success our retreat was!
The land of Wonders - About Jibhi!
Imagine a place that would make you fall in love with it because of its sheer simplicity. Located in Banjar Valley, Jibhi is a town still untainted by over-development in the hills. Surrounded by the sky kissing mighty Himalayas and a sparkling river, its a great place to break the monotony of your mundane city lives. Wh at adds to the grace of Jibhi is a sacred temple located at the top of a hill, which is said to be protecting the entire city from evil forces at work.
Yoga Shala with a view!
The mountains, jungles, river, and picturesque beauty of Jibhi, made it a perfect place to deepen our asana sadhana. Since the retreat was located amidst the peaceful surroundings of nature, it became easier to unwind and relax and let nature take its course. With 2 to 3 asana sessions in a day spread during morning and evening, soon everyone found themselves healthier, happier and more relaxed than ever - as that is a best way to build one's asana sadhana.
Pranamaya & Meditation session to go inward!
The seven-day programme also included a meditation session every morning from 7 to 7 30 led by our very own Neelam Kumari. From chakra mediation to meditation of five senses to full moon meditation, together we worked toward unravelling the cosmos of spirituality.
Home Away From Home - About the place!
Happened at a beautiful place called Wilderness Home, Jibhi - https://g.page/Jibhi?share
The homely charm of this place is what attracts one to the Wilderness Home. Full of love and laughter and a great staff, this boutique property captures Jibhi in its full essence. Located at the main road, this place is an absolute treat to stay in. It features various luxurious like an Infinity pool, a well-crafted community area (gazebo), private balconies, sweeping views of the hills and you get to hear the faint sounds of river flowing.
With Jibhi Waterfalls at walkable distance, Meditate or read a book - by the banks of the river!
Its prime location made exploring near- by areas a breezy affair! Work from home was never more fun.
Pool Party
Clear sky, sun shinning in the back drop, and an infinity pool, everything pointed to a pool day. We all jumped in the water, not wasting any time because a ‘sun’ day is very precious in the hills, especially during monsoons. We bonded, we spread smiles, we swam toward happiness.
Jibhi Waterfalls
Water, Water, Everywhere!
After a half an hour trek from our resort, we discovered this gorgeous waterfall on the banks of the beloved Tirthan river. The way to the waterfall after you enter the premise is nothing short of a magical land straight out of a fairy tale with lush green forests and breath-taking views to offer support. The water was rapid and cold and drained directly into a small man-made swimming pool. This escapade was way more exciting than we expected. We did a little bit of yoga, a little bit of dancing, and a lot of shivering.
Sing It to Wing It
Lalit, the owner of Wilderness Home is a quiet man but is filled with the most fascinating travel stories. He is also a lover of Karaoke and has a kickass karaoke system. One ideal afternoon, he decided to sing old Bollywood numbers and we decided to join him. Suddenly a “work from home afternoon” became a party we never wished would end.
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| Karaoke - fun times |
Breathtaking View
Imagine waking up in the morning and stepping out in your private balcony to see the 360 degree view of the mountains with a stream of river flowing beneath. Isn’t it what dreams are made of? Well, we made our dreams come true every day at the retreat. the early morning clouds and seeing the Himalayas in the distance at the sun comes out was something which cant be even described in words.
Bon Appetite
It was curated sattvic food - no refined oil, no sugar & no preservatives - All the dishes were made of ghee or mustard oil from fresh produce.
We are truly of the believe that food can make or break an experience of a place. The staff at Wilderness Home really made the place feel homely. They were warm, always smiling and ready to help in whatever way possible. Much to everyone’s liking, food was organic, freshly prepared and served with warmth and love. Our taste beds were fully satisfied with the variety of dishes served every day, ranging from South Indian food, to the locals Himachal cuisine to North Indian delicacies. Big shout out to Neelam Kumari for all the help and guidance she provided in the department. She made sure, we looked forward to our eating time everyday.
Walk and Talk and Repeat - Lets go for a Hike!
When there is no difference between morning walks & hikes!
We walked and walked and also did a lot of talking while walking. Nestled a few kms away from Jibhi, trekking on the beautiful trail of Jalori Pass leads way to the hypnotic Sereolsar Lake. It was a misty afternoon, and we were there for an hour, taking strolls, clicking pictures, and doing yoga (obviously). There was a temple sitting at the top of the peak taking care of all its devotees and visitors. On our way back we had ‘Pahado wali maggie’ with chai to ease our throats and souls.
Trekking was a routine for us. It soon became second nature to walk to and from every time we would step out.
Gazebo Community space
Chakra Project is a gradual step toward building a community and we take our activities together very seriously (they are also truck loads of fun). Eating all our meals together, chit chatting, singing songs, laughing, dancing, all these activities happened at the community space. And people who were there will bear witness to the fact that times spent here were the most memorable.
Internet - Work from Mountains
Internet is like breathing now. Essential for survival. We insured that there was a constant supply of good internet connection. After all the retreat was so Instagram worthy, how could you not want to post on social media. Also, we were well aware of the fact that most of our participants were working from home and needed to be on their laptops, connected the world outside, constantly.
Become a Poser, Because Yoga-to Do It.
Our participants took to acro yoga like fish to water. Fun and thrilling, Acro yoga gave us all a feeling of instant gratification. We created human pyramids (yes, its possible), climbed on top of each other holding planks, and made lots and lots of videos to show off later and make everyone back home feel a little jealous. Do you have any more reason to not join us for our next retreat?
Ayurvedic De-cleansing
One of the methods of spiritual cleansing, Jal Neti is a procedure to clean your nasal path and remove any blockages in your respiratory track. We did this twice in the retreat, early in the morning. Said to have a positive influence on all our organs, Jal Neti was a very different experience and one we would like to keep repeating in our daily lives.
Capturing Moments Forever
The last day of retreat was full of bitter sweet memories. Bitter because the retreat was ending, sweet because we had experiences and made memories which we would be talking about for days to come. Thanks to Madhura, our long-time practitioner, we had a Polaroid to capture moments and freeze them.
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