Northern India
February of 2016, we will take a sacred pilgrimage to Northern India where we will travel for 2 weeks through the truly potent places of ancient power that exist in Mother India. Accompanied by a practicing Hindu Teacher, David Joseph, who has dedicated the last 30 years of his life to studying the oldest religion on Earth…we will learn, as we go, about the mythologies which set the stage for the rest of the world’s religions. David, our guide, has been to these holy sites many times and they are his spiritual homes. We could not go with a more generous and knowledgable teacher, who knows where to stay, and the most wonderful things to do at every place that we will visit.Flying in and out of New Delhi, we will first travel to Vrindavan, which is the birthplace of Lord Krishna and filled with a myriad of potent, gorgeous temples and is teeming with devotees and pilgrims from around the world. Here, David will provide a rich background of Krishna’s life and teachings.
Next we will fly to Varanasi, where we will be staying in the most peaceful location. We will have quick and easy access to the Ganges River and all the magnificent temples and stairways, known as ghats, down the whole length of the river. We will attend the famous and beautiful evening puja/worship service dedicated to Mother Ganges. Varanasi is the oldest continually inhabited city in the world and is Lord Shiva’s sacred city. There is much more that we will experience at this ancient place.
After a morning ceremonial boat ride down the Ganges, we will travel to Bohd Gaya, the most holy town in the Buddhist world. We will stay here for two days. The Mahabodhi Temple is magnificent and the Bodhi tree under which Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment is at the very center of this special and holy place. Bohd Gaya is filled with pilgrims and many fascinating temples, which represent the very best of all the Buddhist nations. We will spend quiet sessions directly under the Bodhi tree meditating and discussing the life and teachings of Lord Buddha.
From there, we travel to Rishikesh, the “Yoga capital of the world” situated on the Ganges river. The Ganges is just emerging here from the Himalaya foothills and is pristinely clean and filled with sanctity. For three days we will drink deeply from the beauty of this holy city. Rishikesh is the gate through which yogis, sadhus and saints have passed from time immemorial. The entire length of the Ganges is lined with Ashrams and the vibe is exquisite. We will stay for 3 days taking side trips to Haridwar, and other special places.