Total Taoist Recalibration Meditation Training

Trip at a Glance: February 16-28, 2015 (12 days & 12 nights) Minimum 7 guests, maximum 12 guests Guests are met in New Delhi, India We travel to Agra (India), Amritsar (India), Kathmandu (Nepal), and Varanasi (India) Daily yoga, meditation, and kirtan with Cheryl Chaffee Accompanied by BJ & Lauren from Insight Travels $2999 (double occupancy rate) I Want In! Send us an email to start the registration process immediately! Join us on this 12 day & 12 night journey to experience yoga and meditation in sacred spaces across India and Nepal. We’ll visit the timeless Taj Mahal in Agra; take in the breathtaking Golden Temple and spiritual center of the Sikh religion in Amritsar; delve into the compassion of Tibetan Buddhism in Kathmandu; and explore the lifeblood of Hinduism–the Ganges River–in fascinating Varanasi!

Click through the tabs below for a daily itinerary, price, registration, photo album, FAQ & more. For yoga students at any level, , ERYT-500, is a versatile teacher who knows how to give clear, concise instructions that cultivate optimal alignment in both body and spirit. Her themed classes set a positive tone and create a supportive, loving environment in which students revel in their own and each other’s accomplishments. She makes an effort to know her students and uses her knowledge of alignment and anatomy to give options that allow classes to flow for all levels, teaching progressively to more challenging poses. Cheryl is a unique teacher in the way she models that yoga is not just an exercise done on the mat, but a mindfulness practice that can be taken into everyday life. She is currently involved in Seva Yoga projects including fundraising for her local food bank, and teaching free weekly yoga classes to Veterans. Cheryl is also a musician and lover of kirtan, and leads monthlykirtan gatherings with her harmonium. Cheryl was first certified in TriYoga while concurrently undertaking her yoga studies with Betsey Downing and Jaye Martin in Sarasota, FL, and was certified in Anusara Yoga at the RYT-500 level in 2010. She has studied with highly qualified teachers including Amy Ippoliti, Bill Mahony, Christina Sell, Desiree Rumbaugh, Douglas Brooks, John Friend, Kali Ray, and Todd Norian. She completed Yoga Therapy training with Martin Kirk in Arizona in 2010, and BoomerPlus Yoga Therapy Training with Amy Kraft in 2013. Cheryl is currently immersed in a 9 month Living Ayurveda course with Cate Stillman, to integrate more of the science of Ayurveda into her teaching. A skilled instructor since 2005, Cheryl enjoys teaching students of all ages and abilities, and always looks for the beauty in students’ poses and hearts. One of Sarasota, FL’s favorite yoga teachers, she is the current owner and director of the . ; when you click you’ll be taken to a YouTube videotutorial, walking you through the steps of a Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar). Not only are you going to be under Cheryl’s expert care, but you’ll have two more seasoned travel professionals accompanying you on your trip!   created Insight Travels in 2010 with one goal in mind: to make world travel accessible, authentic, and astounding.  In order to focus fully on this passion, they moved out of the U.S. in early 2013 to reside full-time in Asia.  Each day is spent exploring new destinations, strengthening local ties & relationships, and creating memorable, transformative, engaging retreats and tours (aka, !) BJ & Lauren take great pride in the trips they offer, as they can personally vouch for every hotel, every restaurant, and every activity that you will experience. They craft each element of the trip with intention, and they understand that it is this careful attention to detail that sets them apart.  Fueled by their passion, armed with know-how, and supported by knowledgeable localcontacts in all of their destinations, BJ & Lauren set the scene for the vacation of a lifetime. They provide not only on-the-ground support and guidance during the trip, but they are available to answer any and all questions before the trip begins.  From giving advice on the best flights and travel insurance to providing a packing list, FAQ, information about local food, and even a tiny “phrasebook,” BJ & Lauren pride themselves on these ‘nuts & bolts’ of personalized service.  In addition, as a guest, you receive (normally a $200 value) should you choose to extend your travels in Asia; let them help you plan your post-retreat adventure in Singapore, Bangkok, or beyond! As one of their most ‘frequent fliers’ put it recently, BJ & Lauren make everything easy for you. Once you arrive in your destination country, your trip is all-inclusive—your meals, transportation, lodging, site fees, donations, and tips are all taken care of.  The research has been done, the itinerary carefully laidout, the reservations made, the t’s crossed and the i’s dotted. All you have to do is show up and take in all your destination has to show you! So….let’s get going! This is our intended itinerary, but we always remain open and flexible to the desires and needs of our guests. Plenty of time will be built into your experience to explore on your own, shop, and discover with friends old and new! February 16th, New Delhi::  Namaskar & Welcome! We will meet you at the airport in New Delhi when your flight arrives (typically at night); we’ll stay near the airport so that you can relax straight away, in anticipation of tomorrow’s journey to the Taj Mahal. Do you remember when you first saw a photograph of the Taj Mahal and pictured yourself there? February 17th, Agra:: We’ll take the fast train (2 hours) to Agra in the morning (and return to Delhi that evening); you’ll enjoy the scenery along the way, as you get a glimpse into India’s verdant countryside. When we arrive in Agra, we’ll head tothe breathtaking Taj Mahal. It is said that a thing of beauty is a joy forever; we will tap into the heart energy that inspired the creation of the most awe-inspiring monument to love on planet earth. Experience your own beauty, grace and nobility as we explore the monument within. Today is also an important Hindu holiday, Maha Shivaratri. This evening’s yoga and kirtan will be dedicated to Shiva and Shakti.  Cheryl will teach about the 5 acts of Shiva, and we can join together in Shiva chants (such as Om Namah Shivaya and others!) February 18th, Amritsar:: Today we fly to the spiritual center of the Sikh religion, Amritsar. We have found the Golden Temple to be one of the most spiritually electrifying places on the planet, and we will have plenty of opportunity to perform Seva, or selfless service, within the temple. Their kitchen (or langar) serves free meals to 50,000-100,000 people per day, and we can participate in the thoughtful preparation of those nourishing meals. If we wish,we can also contribute by washing the beautiful white marble flooring that surrounds the sacred pool, supporting the feet of pilgrims from all over the globe. We will focus on yoga practices to open our bodies, minds, and hearts to the possibilities of infinite love.  One day we will focus on back bending, to open the heart; one day we will focus on hip openers, to feel grounded in our foundation; and one day we will focus on forward bending, to remember our humility and feel connected to Spirit. February 19th, Amritsar:: This morning we will continue exploring the Golden Temple, serenaded by the sometimes soothing, sometimes invigorating live kirtan taking place inside the central temple and piped into the surrounding areas. February 20th, Amritsar:: Being immersed in the kindness of the Sikh religion is always a cherished experienced for our guests.  This religion is renowned for its fierce dedication to equality amongst all, with a focus on service to others. If you wish, there arefood, we’ve sourced a few great organic, vegetarian cafes in Varanasi for lunch and breakfast–who’s up for a salad? February 28th, Varanasi to New Delhi:: Having experienced the beauty of the Taj Mahal, the profound strength of Amritsar, the compassion of Kathmandu, and the devotion of Varanasi, we head back to our respective corners of the world (via Delhi) to continue the work that we have begun. More than a vacation or get-away, this empowering experience has honed the tools you already possessed for a satisfying, full life. Where will we meet again? Daily pranayama and meditation practice each morning (between 30 and 45 minutes).     [dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”raised” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ][/dropshadowbox] Daily asana practice will be between 1 and 2 hours, depending on the day’s activity schedule. They will be mixed level classes, based on the experience of our guests, and will vary from day to day.Some days we can do back bends, other days hip openers, other days focus on twists, etc. Variety is the spice of life (in Asia)! We will also experience and participate in the beauty of kirtan, a traditional call-and-response singing of hymns and prayers of gratitude and devotion. This beautiful tradition is sure to make your heart sing! Cheryl Chaffee on the main stage at Bhakti Fest. “I was first introduced to kirtan through yoga.  There was live music at a yoga workshop I attended, and afterward the musicians stayed and led kirtan.  I thought it was so strange, so foreign, and so weird how the participants were chanting and swaying and clapping their hands.  It made me feel uncomfortable!  But there was something about it that was intriguing, uplifting, and inspiring, so I stayed and allowed myself to let go, just a little bit at first, into the vibration and the words and the music.  And afterward, I felt so good.  I felt like I was polished from the inside out. “While kirtan is avery traditional practice, and the mantras are ancient, I put them to modern, Western melodies that allow me to connect more fully to the music without feeling like an impostor.  In our kirtan sessions together, I will teach you the meanings behind the mantras, explain the Sanskrit words, and teach you the tunes so that you can sing along and receive this wonderful uplifting resonance from within.  A good singing voice is not required!  Anyone can do kirtan, even if you feel you can’t carry a tune.  It’s the practice of repeating the words over and over that matters, that allows the vibration of the words to infuse your spirit.” The all-inclusive price for this trip is $2999, based on double-occupancy rooms. If you wish to have your own private accommodation, there is an additional $270 single supplement in order to provide you with your own room. If you wish to join in a double-occupancy room but don’t have a roommate, please contact Lauren and we will do our best to match you with asuitable partner who is also looking for a roommate (although we cannot guarantee one!)     What’s included? All-Inclusive makes it easy for you! Included in your yoga journey is the following: all lodging; all meals; all the water, tea, and coffee your heart desires; all transportation in and between India and Nepal; daily yoga & meditation classes; site entrance fees; all tips and donations. We also provide a dedicated guest phone for international calls home. Guests are responsible for: plane fare to and from India, required travel insurance (we recommend ), their India visa (will have to send away for it; contact us for details), Nepal visa (available on arrival, $25 USD), any additional beverages (alcohol, specialty beverages), souvenirs, and extra excursions/optional activities. How do I sign up? 1. Send Lauren an email at  and tell us that you’re interested! You can also leave a message at 941-363-1065; as we are most likely on Asia time, we will call you back as soon as wepossibly can. We’ll also address any questions you may have about the trip. We will send you a contract that you will return with your deposit. 2. Fully reserve your spot by paying the non-refundable deposit of $700 and returning the contract. We love checks (made out to “Insight Travels, LLC” and sent to the address on the contract) and we’re now accepting credit card payments via PayPal. You can find the form below. There is a minimum of 7 guests that must sign up in order for this trip to take place. We will hold your deposit & payments until the minimum number of guests have signed up.  If the minimum number of guests have not signed up 3 months prior to the departure date, we’ll give you the option to transfer your reservation to another tour or fully refund your money. 3. Fill out the Registration Questions in the next tab on this page. 4. You’re in! Now you need a plane ticket to India; we’ll help you with details about flights to Indira Gandhi International Airport in NewDelhi. You will need to scroll down within this window to complete the questions. If you have problems scrolling, you can always use your tab button to get to the next box. Please hit “Submit” when you are finished. Help us to make this the BEST possible experience for you by telling us more about yourself. Thanks! Loading… Click on a picture for the larger, higher resolution photo. Once inside the album, you can click through using your arrow keys! Will I need a visa? What about a passport? Yes and yes!  Your passport should not expire 6 months before the end of the scheduled trip.  That is, if the trip in January 1 – January 15, 2015, your passport should be valid until at least July 15th, 2015. You will need to apply for your Indian visa before you leave home. After you sign up for the trip, we will send you details about how to do this along with a timeline. Your Nepal visa will be available at the airport for $25 USD; you will also need one passport photo foryour visa. You are responsible for your visa costs, although we will help you through the process!  What vaccines do I need? We travel in countries where no vaccines are required for entry. However, we encourage guests to work with their own physicians or their local health department’s travel vaccine department about these choices.  The CDC’s site () is also a good thing to check, but know that they tend toward the overly cautious side. We recommend all people traveling in Asia receive a Hepatitis A vaccine, Typhoid vaccine, and make sure their Tetanus vaccines are up to date.  Should I take malaria medicine? When people envision traveling in Asia, they almost certainly imagine a landscape think with vengeful mosquitoes; we’ve found that couldn’t be farther from the truth. We actually often comment to each that we can’t believe how few mosquitoes we encounter on our travels! While you need to discuss this question with your doctor, we feel that the minimal risk of malaria onlywarrants a bit of “bite-prevention.”  Neither of us take any anti-malarial medication; rather we use common sense approaches to prevent being bitten, including long sleeves/pants at dawn/dusk, mosquito repellant, and mosquito nets at night when necessary. There is no vaccine for dengue fever, which is also transmitted via mosquito bite, so taking the above precautions is important all around.  How will I get by without knowing the local language? If English is your first language, you are truly in luck.  We are constantly amazed by how much of Asia speaks English—and relatively well, considering it’s usually their 3rd or 4th language! That said, we always like to provide you with a few words that will go a long way, including the local greetings and words like “Delicious!” and “See you later!”  It’s not required, but it always elicits a smile and we think it’s only right to learn at least a few local words.  Even saying “Namaskar” can make some locals think that you speak fluent Hindi! What about food?  I don’t know if I like Indian/Nepali food! This seems to be a common concern amongst our guests, and certainly within our own families. [Lauren’s mom thinks we don’t eat (HA!) and BJ’s mom thinks we live on nothing but fried tarantulas and intestines, thanks to shows like Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods. In all fairness, though… We will always give you the scoop on local foods and delicacies; sometimes the dishes often sound exotic (like Aloo Gobi) but are usually quite accessible (Aloo Gobi = “Potatoes and Cauliflower.”)  Even if you don’t want to venture into local fare, almost every single restaurant in India has Western food on the menu, everything from pizza to fries to pasta. One of our favorite restaurants in Kathmandu has amazing & authentic Japanese food!  So no worries (and no judgment) if you’re craving comfort food—it’s available!  I have food allergies/intolerances or I’m a vegetarian/vegan—will I be OK? One of our Registration Questions you’ll answerwhen you sign up for a trip asks about any food allergies or intolerance you may have.  Our answers depend on the areas you’ll be joining us.  Gluten is also avoidable in India and Nepal by choosing rice over chapatis and other local breads. Vegetarians should have no problem anywhere on our travels. The only thing that might be a bump in the road is veganism in India. Although meat is entirely avoidable, India is the world’s largest consumer of butter and it is almost unavoidable in most of their curries, stews, and even breads. Many vegans that I have known to travel through India adopt what is locally referred to as a “pure veg” diet: no meat, no eggs, but it allows for dairy consumption.  (It is worth nothing that some of the reasons for avoiding dairy consumption in the west is slightly mitigated here, as there is less factory farming and antibiotic use in livestock). Milk can be avoided by not consuming creamy dishes or milk tea. Celiactravel.com has GREAT printable cards inlocal language to present to restaurants and hotels about your intolerance of gluten.    If you have multiple dietary needs, it may be worth your while to , available in 60 different languages. Let’s talk more about your specific needs—drop us an email and ask!  Do I have to hang out with the group or can I adventure on my own? You are more than welcome to participate in all or none of our scheduled group activities. We don’t want you to feel like you are at Travel Boot Camp–this is your vacation after all!  That said, we plan our outings carefully in order to make them the most pleasant (best weather, fewest tourists, etc) so some of our activities DO take place around dawn. If that’s not your cup of tea, feel free to snooze away!  Just make sure you have the hotel business card to show to taxi drivers (or helpful people on the street) in case you get turned around!  Do I need travel insurance? We require that our guests carry travel insurance because it just makes sense.  It’s arelatively small expense but affords huge peace of mind! When choosing a travel insurance policy we require that you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. We also recommend you take out trip cancellation insurance, as this may cover cancellation penalties in certain circumstances if you have to cancel your trip unexpectedly due to illness, injury or unforeseen circumstances. We like , but ultimately you have to choose the one that is right for you. If you’re 70 years old or older, you’ll have to use a different company; we like . We’ll be asking for confirmation of your travel insurance 60 days before your departure. Please click on the “Travel Insurance” tab on this page to get a quote. We love the services of these companies so much that we became affiliates, so we would ask that if you do choose to purchase these policies, you do it through our links.  What about money? Can I use credit cards? Will there be ATMs? Don’t count on using credit cards exceptfor very large purchases (furniture, rugs, etc); most stores will only take local currency. There will be ATMs at every destination, but some cities have them few and far between.  ATM fees can be high (although some banks, like Charles Schwab, refund all foreign ATM fees) so plan to get out a large chunk of money instead of getting a lot of small withdrawals.  ATMs are a very convenient way to get local currency, though. Make sure you alert your bank and credit card companies that you will be traveling abroad so they don’t put a hold on your card when they see it being used overseas!  Can I smoke?  Will other people be smoking? None of our hotels allow smoking in the room and we don’t allow it during group dinners or other group activities. Yes, that means no smoking during yoga class, even  😉�   That said, smoking is not uncommon (typically by other foreigners) and should you need to, you’ll be able to find a spot outside to do the deed.  How many people are going? A minimum of 7to wear for travel and yoga. Women: Please do not wear clothes that are tight, transparent or show too much skin or underarms. This means no tank tops or halter tops. We also discourage wearing form-fitting “skinny” jeans and shorts/skirts above the knee. Instead, we recommend wear loose fitting clothing such as long skirts, pants, capri-length pants, and blouses or Indian kurtas.  This is to not only to show respect for the culture but so that you don’t draw unwanted attention to yourself. Men: We suggest pants (no shorts) and shirts and no tank tops. While shorts are not verboten, you won’t see any locals wearing them. > 5+ pairs undergarments; you can always have them washed or wash them in your bathroom > 3-5 pair light cotton pants or long skirts.  You may want to bring leggings (2 or 3 pair) to wear under your long kurtas, tunics, skirts or pants on chilly mornings or evenings (again—it’s all about the layers!) BJ is a fan of nylon pants, as they are lightweight and easy tothe Hampton Inn, Hyatt Place, Holiday Inn, etc). While they are safe and clean, they very often show their age prematurely and the beds may be firmer than you’re accustomed to. All of the hotels we stay in have Western style toilets (as opposed to squat toilets); in addition, all the hotels do have hot water and wifi, although a little patience might occasionally be needed sometimes for both. Indian hotels love their air conditioning, so no need to worry about that! Location is crucial for us. We want our guests to feel as if they can explore on their own during their down time, so we find hotels that are close to the action (while still being as quiet and private as possible). On this trip, we have hotels that are just a few hundred meters (if that!) from the main attractions, allowing for easy exploration at your leisure. One reason we do not list our chosen hotels on our website is because we have spent much time and money discovering these places over the years (BJ has been stayingin some of these hotels for 12 years!) We feel that some of them are hidden gems and don’t want to give away our trade secrets! During these retreats, we will be acting as a small group most of the time and meeting for early morning yoga. It is much more convenient to have the group in one hotel, as you can imagine. However, in a few of our locations, we would have the ability to “upgrade” you to a different hotel at your own cost, and you would be responsible for the cost of transportation back & forth from the group. In some locations, we absolutely do not recommend it, based on the unparalleled location of our chosen hotel. Finally, we like to make these small group trips affordable for a broad swath of interested travelers. If you decide that you’d rather not attend the yoga retreat but instead experience India in luxury on your own, we can certainly help you design your own custom, private tour of Indian high-end resorts and boutique hotels, using all of our resources, knowledge,and connections.  However, we do believe a lot of the experience is lost if you only travel this way throughout India. Thanks for reading—we hope to see you soon! We’re big proponents of Travel Insurance. We believe it instills a sense of security and assurance that sets a positive tone for the entire trip, and this is part of the reason that we require it for all Insight Travels & RetreaTours™ trips. We’ve done much research and found that we prefer for our guests age 69 and younger (). For our guests 70 and older, we prefer (). We believe in each of these companies so strongly that we’ve aligned ourselves with them as affiliates. If you choose to purchase policies through these companies, we ask that you please use these links so that we may continue to grow our relationship with them.  

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Here are some bonus downloads from Cheryl & Garden of the Heart! Krishna Das sings the Hanuman Chalisa Hanuman Chalisa Lyric Download Click here to download a PDF of the lyrics to the Hanuman Chalisa, a perfect way to celebrate Hanuman’s birthday!

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