March 27 – April 5, 2020
Shambhavan – Kauai, Hawaii
Hosted by
Scott Blossom, Chandra Easton, and Bhairavi
With a talk by special guest Dr. Robert Svoboda
Hidden deep within the pristine jungle on the island of Kauai is Shambhavan. This world-class sanctuary for Ayurvedic healing was imported piece by piece from India and reassembled with painstaking care and an exquisite sense of design and purpose.
Shambhavan was created to be a space of rejuvenation. It is the most authentic and secluded Ayurvedic retreat spa on the islands. Ancient artwork and tapestries of Hindu deities watch over the inviting rooms and each of the 11 spacious bedrooms and adjoining private baths are rendered with beautiful Indian decor and offer views of the lush surrounding gardens. The owners of Shambhavan rarely open this sacred space to the public and we are honored to offer you this intimate 10 day retreat.
The Retreat - Rasāyana: Path of Essence
The intention of this retreat is rejuvenation, or as it is known in Sanskrit, rasayana, which describes the path of restoring and replenishing our essential strength, vitality, and immunity.
Deep rejuvenation occurs naturally after we have balanced our digestion, cleansed and purified our tissues, and aligned our mind with our body’s intelligence and with our intuitive connection to the rhythms of nature. This process ignites the body’s ability to heal itself while daily Ayurvedic practices help protect us from the stressors of modern life. A pure and simple diet, personalized rasayana plant medicine, restorative rest, daily exercise, and finding a pace of life that best aligns with our own unique constitutions all lie at the foundation of this ancient Indian medicinal system. Ayurveda is a way of life that offers innumerable ways to build upon this foundation to encourage remarkable integration of physical, mental, and emotional health.
This retreat is dedicated to providing an environment where deep rest, nourishment, and reflection can occur so that we not only rejuvenate ourselves but gain insight into what is most important to truly thrive in our lives back home. This retreat lasts 10 days but the knowledge gained is intended to be carried with you long after as a foundation in pursuit of a more balanced life.
Why rejuvenate with us at Shambhavan?
What differentiates this retreat from simply going to an Ayurvedic center for ten days of treatment? It is the newfound knowledge that you will carry with you long after the retreat has ended. The experiential guidance you will receive about the rejuvenation practices of Ayurveda are intended to be integrated within the spiritual framework of your everyday life. This is also a rare opportunity to experience a sacred piece of India on an exquisite private estate, which is rarely open to the public.
In parts of India where a traditional way of life is still practiced, sacred moments of transition throughout the day are marked by rituals. Like rituals that align with the rising and setting of the sun and moon to remind us that each step we take can be made in peace, with positive intention and sacred communion with the world around us. These simple gestures, when sincerely made, generate potent ways to preserve and promote our vitality.
This way of living with awareness and intention is the core inspiration for our Rhythms of Rejuvenation retreat.
Modern life confronts us all with the challenge of knowing what is truly essential for our ever evolving daily needs and how to adapt when those needs change. The dizzying pace, high intensity, and chaotic rhythms of life, along with an onslaught of chemicals polluting our soil, water and air are together weakening our bodies and minds. We are burnt out and stretched thin with chronic stress, oxidative damage, and inflammation leading us down a path towards premature aging and disease. But individual treatment and educational programs like those offered at our retreat are critical in tackling these challenges.
The path of rasayana is not just about what you do to restore yourself on a seasonal basis, but equally, if not more importantly, acharya rasayana: what we do–and choose not to do–on a daily basis. Transitional times throughout the day are moments of great influence on our wellbeing. Taking the time to honor these sacred moments with ceremonies such as chanting, lighting a lamp, or a ceremonial fire, and balancing the svara, or flow of prana within us, makes all the difference in imbuing the health benefits of Ayurvedic rejuvenation with a deeper sense of personal meaning.
What to Expect
Before the retreat - The retreat really begins ten days before your arrival at Shambhavan. Prior to coming to the island we will guide you through a gentle 10 day, at-home detoxification program to prepare your body and mind to receive the maximum benefits of the rejuvenation process.
During the retreat - The first five days of the retreat will focus on deep rest and quietude and will include:
· Gourmet Ayurvedic meals and nutrition classes by Bhairavi
· Restorative yoga with Scott and Chandra
· One-on-one meetings with Scott for pulse analysis and health consultation
· Guided meditation practice with Chandra
· Personalized Ayurvedic treatments including three abhyanga massages
· Personalized herbal spice remedies and teas
· Rituals to re-sync our bodies and minds with our natural circadian rhythms
· Daily periods of mauna or silence from 8 p.m. to 10 a.m. the following day
· Time and space for rest, self reflection and for exploring Shambhavan
During the last five days of the retreat - We will enter deeper into the rejuvenation process and strengthen our body and digestive fire through:
· Guest lecture with renowned Ayurvedic doctor and author Dr. Robert Svoboda about how to integrate Ayurveda into your daily lives
· Restorative Yoga
· Ayurvedic massage
· Personalized health and diet consultations with Scott and Bhariavi
· Personal interview with Chandra about meditation
· Visit to the beautiful Shiva Temple and surrounding Rudraksha forest including a private tour of the grounds with the Swami who directs the temple.
· Workshop on rejuvenation practices that you can do at home.
Daily Rhythm - The daily schedule is designed to maximize the rejuvenating benefits of the retreat. We recognize that everyone’s needs are different and so all activities are encouraged but not required:
Morning
· Meditation and ritual honoring the rising sun and our inner light
· Breakfast & Ayurvedic nutrition discussion
· Treatments and consultations
Afternoon
· Lunch & discussion of the yoga of food
· Time for treatments, consultations, and workshops
· Restorative Yoga
Evening
· Ritual honoring the setting sun
· Dinner
· Satsang & meditation
· Entering silence and bed time
Cost
Single room: $7200 per person.
Couple: $6725 per person (shared room).
Cost is all inclusive except airfare. Please see below for the cancellation policy.
REGISTRATION - Please email, or WhatsApp us with any questions, or to secure your place, as we are almost fully booked.
Arrival & Departure Details
ARRIVAL: Friday, March 27th between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Please make sure to book your flight to arrive between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday, March 27th. Please email your flight itinerary to Michael at bhairavisadhana@gmail.com at least two weeks before the retreat begins so we can schedule your pick-up and drop off times. You will be picked-up at the airport, and transported to Shambhavan. Upon arrival you will be welcomed with refreshments, shown to your room, and served a light dinner. An evening satsang and orientation will follow before retiring to bed.
DEPARTURE: Sunday, April 5th, after breakfast (after 9 a.m.).
You will be transported to the airport in shifts, depending on personal departure times. A closing ceremony and farewell breakfast will be offered to close the retreat.
The Hosts
Scott Blossom is a certified traditional Chinese medical practitioner, Shadow Yoga teacher and Ayurvedic consultant. He has been studying yoga for almost thirty years and teaching the practice for over twenty-two years. He was trained by Shandor Remete, founder of Shadow Yoga, and Dr. Robert Svoboda, an Ayurvedic physician and scholar. Scott lives in Berkeley, California with his wife, Chandra, and their children.
Chandra Easton is a teacher and translator of Tibetan Buddhism, focusing on the lineage of the eleventh century yogini, Machig Labdrön, and Lama Tsultrim Allione, founder of Tara Mandala retreat center in Colorado, where she is the assistant spiritual director. She has taught Buddhism and yoga for 18 years and co-translated Sublime Dharma: A Compilation of Two Texts on the Great Perfection, published by Vimala Publishing in 2012. Chandra teaches Shadow Yoga founded by Shandor Remete. She teaches courses on Buddhism and Shadow Yoga in the San Francisco Bay Area where she lives with her husband, Scott, and their children.
Bhairavi grew up in India, the birthplace of yoga. From an early age, she was drawn to the mysticism of life. She practiced meditation, prayer, yoga and ritual growing up and they continue to hold a central place in her life to this day. She has earned her Masters Degree in Nutrition, as well as devoted limitless hours of formal study to both yoga and Ayurveda. She considers herself a lifelong seeker and continues to study yoga, Ayurveda and other esoteric eastern practices under the guidance of her Guru and teachers. Her life's path is best described to be one of a Kalyan Mitra, a spiritual friend who is encouraged by the evolution of consciousness in others.
Dr. Robert Svoboda (Special Guest Speaker), is a licensed Ayurvedic practitioner and scholar and the first westerner to graduate from a college of Ayurveda in India. He has also studied yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore under the guidance of his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. He has published twelve books on the practice including, Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution and the Aghora series. Dr. Svoboda returns to India every year for three months to deepen his practice and lectures on Ayurveda, Jyotish, Tantra and their allied subjects around the world.
Michael Avatar is Bhairavi’s husband. He will be providing all logistics, scheduling, organizing and transportation for this event. Michael is also a certified meditation teacher, and a passionate student of Vedanta and eastern philosophies. If you have a question, or need something, he is the one to ask. Michael's email is michaelavatar@gmail.com.
Cancellation Policy
If the cancellation is made no less than 3 months prior to the start date of the event (1/24/20 or before), the cancellation rate will be 3% if refilled, and 25% if not refilled.
If the cancellation is made less than 3 months prior to the start date of the event (1/25/20 or after), the cancellation rate will be 5% if refilled, and 50% if not refilled.
Cancellations must be done in writing via email to Michael Avatar at bhairavisadhana@gmail.com for more information.
This intimate retreat is unique - in the fact that the facilities, treatments, supplemental staff and ancillary expenses, such as transportation, are fixed and high. Therefore, cancellation will depend upon certain factors, such as when the cancellation is made, as well as the hosts’ ability to refill the vacancy. The hosts will use their best efforts to refill any cancelled spots, but it is not incumbent upon the hosts to refill a spot. The participant may of course use their best efforts as well to find a replacement to refill their spot.
Please understand - this is not intended to be punitive, it is simply to protect the hosts from the percentage of the overhead that will be incurred regardless of whether the participant attends the event or not. Thank you for your understanding.
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