“The man whose life is centred around producing, selling and
consuming commodities transforms himself into a commodity.”
- Carl Jung, 1964
There are high levels of stress in contemporary urban society. There
is a dire need for individuals to incorporate means or techniques of lifestyle
change to enable a better living and well-being.
The creation of well being (physical fitness, mental and intellectual
stimulation, and optimisation of faculties, emotional maturity and balance)
through the 4 complementary practices of meditation, contemplation, prayer,
and mantra.
“Yogash chitta vritti nirodah.
Tada drashtuh svarupe vasthanam.”
Yoga is the mastery of the activities of the mind-field. Then the seer rests in its true nature.
Yoga cannot be neatly defined within the boundaries of traditional Western catchwords. One of the best accepted definitions, offered by Swami Satchidananda is:
“Yoga is a scientific system for purifying the body and the mind,
for making each of us the master of our senses so that we may develop our
emotions and intellect to a level at which we function healthfully and
in perfect harmony.”
The Sachitananda Himalayan Retreat is an academy established with
the purpose of promoting well being and imparting the knowledge of methods
of lifestyle change to enable a better living.
This knowledge is being imparted in a modern and organised environment.
It is a unique and highly demanding learning environment that offers different
courses from beginner’s meditation instructions to models of teachers’
training in Kundalini awakening and mastery of different Sidhis (powers
attained through specific practices).
“Two roads diverged in the woods,
I have taken the one less travelled by and that has made all the
difference”
- Robert Frost
The Academy is located in Uttaranchal, a northern state of India, at the foothills of the Himalayas. It is a 7-8 hour ride from Delhi and can be reached by bus or by train to Kathgodam and then by bus or taxi.
Transport is provided at cost by the academy from Delhi by our luxury
bus and from Nainital and Kathgodam by Landcruiser provided we are informed
of arrival in advance.
All fees are inclusive of Tuition, course-materials and full board.
The fees are calculated per person per day, depending on your choice of
accommodation.
The academy offers a range of prices from Rs. 1000 to Rs. 3,200 to suit individual needs. Most rooms are double occupancy. If you require a single room please book early or pay a supplement.
(Rates on request)
The Academy offers a program of need-cum-merit scholarships for
every course it runs. Scholarships are only for Indian citizens. Places
available are limited and applications should be made at least one month
prior to commencement of the course chosen. Each application is individually
assessed. The scholarship grant for beginners’ course does not guarantee
a place in advance courses.
Individuals wishing to register for courses should contact the academy
by phone, email or post. Registration arrangements will also be arranged
at all sites where and when daily discourses or seminars are held in the
cities.
Meals consist of vegetarian food cooked according to yogic principles
that are best suited to the practices being learnt. The food will be nutritious,
healthful and sattwik (pure) and will include fruit juices, vegetables,
beans, grains, milk, curds and dairy products.
During mealtimes, it is expected that we observe silence and eat in
mindfulness.
(Menu available on request)
Alcoholic beverages and all intoxicants are prohibited during courses.
It is recommended that as far as possible, students abstain from cigarettes
and coffee. Green tea and herbal tea will be served. Students are encouraged
to exercise restraint and avoid eating snacks, munchies, biscuits, and
chocolates between meals. This will allow them to derive the maximum benefit
from these courses.
“What can be said but not practised, better left unsaid,
What can be practised but not spoken off, better left unpractised.”
- Zen
saying
(Courses as per the pamphlets provided. Details available on request)
"To be free is nothing.
To become free is heavenly."
- German Philosopher Fichte
Our teachings do not end with the course.
They are meant to be incorporated as a daily part of ones lifestyle
1. Communication Unlimited
There will be continuous communication with all individuals who have participated in the courses of the academy through. These mailers will keep the members updated with the latest developments and changes that have taken place at the retreat. The mailers will also educate them on the new techniques and supply information on the other courses available. It will also inform them about the customised courses and packages that are tailored to suit their varying needs.
The mailers themselves will be sent via post. E-mail with similar content will also be sent, though acre will be taken to fully exploit the potentialities of the internet medium while doing so.
The mailers will be customised to each individual. Basic content will
differ depending on whether the recipient has participated in the basic
or the advanced course, and those who have enquired about the same. Individual
customisation will be extended well beyond the salutation to participants
of the programs by including content such as messages from their teachers
or replies to their personal queries in the mail. This is made possible
due to the smaller volume of individuals interesting his category.
2. Online Access
The academy will also have a website which will provide information about the course to members and other interested people. It will provide data about the institute, the location, the new stress relieving techniques, various yoga aasanas, new methods and tips on leading a stress free life etc.
The website will have a dedicated team which will continuously monitor website traffic and update content. They will be responsible for ensuring that the website is indexed favourably in the top search engines. They will be aware of the intricacies and potentialities of the medium and ‘know their target consumers’ as the website will be the primary medium of generating first-time participants especially in areas where other media and communication have limited access.
The centre will also be responsible with keeping in touch with members through e-mail. Bookings for their next stay can also be made online. Queries can be asked and answered in real time and solutions to problems related to stress management and yogic techniques etc. will also be made available on the website.
The website essentially serves as a platform for spreading communication
and marketing the academy to the ‘uninitiated’ while keeping the members
in constant touch and building a community feeling. This is a translation
of the core concept that our teachings do not end with the course but are
meant to be a daily part of ones lifestyle.
3. Discount on Advanced Courses
For all those who have attended the Basic Course a discount of 25% on
fees will be made available to them on the next Advanced Course, regardless
of whether they attended the basic course as individuals or members of
a corporate programme. This gives them an incentive to return while granting
them recognition and is one of the means by which they are treated as part
of a community with which they can relate to and feel a sense of belonging
towards.
4. References
Participants of the courses and those attending the discourses and seminars in cities will be requested to refer 5 people who they consider will be interested in the programme. The referred individuals will be required to conform to the required qualifications. The incentive to referring members is a 15% discount on basic course fees on their next visit. This discount will be transferable though still subject to the recipients’ eligibility for the same.
For every individual on the reference list who signs up for the programme
there will be an added benefit for the member. In other words, if
one person signs up the member will get 25% discount on the basic course
fee for the next course he takes. If two people sign up the discount
will be 35%, for three people the discount will be 45%, for four people
– 60% and if all five references sign up for a course the referring member
will not be charge the basic course fees on his subsequent visit.
5. Discourses
There will be discourses and seminars in various cities that will include workshops and dry runs of the basic course. This will also provide information about the centre and the benefits it provides. Individuals and corporations may apply for paid invitations to the same. Members in the city will be sent invitations. These discourses will be conducted by teachers at the academy as well as other personalities renowned for knowledge of the subject.
The discourses will be means of generating interest in the activities
and the course itself. They will also act as a marketing platform for the
academy and be an effective source of database.
6. Tie – Ups with Hotels, Credit Cards and Airlines
The academy proposes to tie-up with international hotel groups like The Hyatt, The Marriott and the Hilton. The points that the members get on stay at these hotels can be reimbursed at the retreat for the basic fees and accommodation of the basic course at the retreat.
The centre also plans to tie-up with credit card companies like American Express and Citibank Gold. A special discount will be given to them on payment by card and they can also use their credit card points for a 15% discount on course fees.
They will also tie-up with airlines like Jet, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Virgin and Singapore Airlines. They can use their travel points for discounts on fees and freebies at the centre.
These tie-ups will help us get a huge and high quality database.
The people targeted will also act as influencers and initiators for our
programme.