Rishikesh for 5 days by bridget may
Traveling solo can be a great way to de-stress, meet new people and experience a destination in a whole new way. Whether you choose to take a group tour to meet new people, head out on a peaceful meditation retreat, or discover a new city all on your own, solo traveling can be an experience of a lifetime.
This week we'll focus on different ways of exploring the world on your own, from going on retreats, to adventures that allow you to meet new people and more. Whether it's backpacking across Europe, walking across the United States, finding secluded meditation retreats, day-tripping near your hometown city, or volunteering abroad, there are many ways to forge an adventure on your own.
Meditation and Yoga Retreats
For a relaxing trip that may actually help you cope with stress long after your holiday ends, consider a meditation or yoga retreat. While India might be the ultimate destination for a retreat spiritual in nature, many destinations in the United States also have much to offer anyone searching for an enlightening vacation.
India
Often referred to as the world capital of yoga, Rishikesh, located in the northern state of Uttaranchal in the Himalayas, each year attracts thousands of pilgrims, both native and foreign. It was here in the Himalayas during the sixties that the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi taught The Beatles to meditate, making the city a household name in the West. Today, the river Ganges attracts not only devotees seeking enlightenment and healing via a dip in the sacred waters, but also white water rafting enthusiasts.
RealTraveler bridget may spent five days in Rishikesh and writes:
"Every morning we are awakened by temple bells and every evening a small band assembles on the sand below and a man chants into a mic accompanied by drums and a tiny piano. The natural beauty of the place is fantastic and add to that the seven story Lakshman Temple in the near distance against the dark misty green of the mountains with the amazing and unusual sound–to us make this place truly dream-like.
There are daily yoga classes which are drop in and seem to cater to the westerners. But the ashram is also a place of spiritual practice and there are Indian (men) who hang out there and chant and meditate all day." (more...)
Also situated in the Himalayas, Dharamsala sits on the slopes of the Kangra Valley with the Dhauladhar mountains serving as a backdrop. The dense forest and snowline with several streams ensure a cool, fresh and healthy environment. Although Dharamsala was first established as a base camp for explorers and travelers, today it is best known as the home of the Dalai Lama and tens of thousands of Tibetan monks.
While in Dharamsala, Adrian B visited Tibetan monks and nuns, learned about the philosophy of yoga, studied massage, attended the "amazing 4th annual Indigenous Grandmothers Council," and "went to the Tibetan Children's Village school to hear the Dalai Lama & others talk." Read more about his adventures in Dharamsala here.
Adrian B also visited Auroville, an intentional community situated in southern India mostly in the State of Tamil Nadu with some parts in the state of Pondicherry. Focusing on human unity through diversity, Auroville is "an experiment in living, inaugurated in 1968 & now 39 years into its evolution. Not really a big commune, but more of a small conscious city of 2,000+ 'Aurovillian' residents & many guests passing through for short & long-term visits." This community offers classes in "sustainability, permaculture, healing arts/massage, dance, yoga, & other very interesting topics." (more...)
Whether you decide to go on a retreat or not, if traveling to India, you may want to visit the bodhi tree under which the Buddha achieved enlightenment. While in Bodgaya, India, RealTraveler Sazman sat in this same spot. He explains that "the tree is next to a temple that has been built in it's honor (of course, as temples are) and all around it are monks, monks, and more monks. And all the monks are chanting. It is really calming and intense at the same time. It was enough to induce spiritual feelings in even the most atheistic of us. This is truly a holy place." (more...)
For more useful information, be sure to read In Wanderland's blog entry Finally! A Place to Relax in India.
United States
The website of the Esalen Institute states that visitors "come from all over the world to participate in Esalen's forty-year-long Olympics of the body, mind, and spirit, committing themselves not so much to 'stronger, faster, higher' as to deeper, richer, more enduring." Located in Big Sur in Northern California overlooking the ocean, Esalen offers personal retreats, hundreds of workshops, classes in meditation, yoga, dance, continuing education and much more. Lodging ranges from sleeping bags to private rooms.
Further north in California is The Expanding Light at Ananda, one of the largest yoga and meditation retreats in the country. Situated in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Sacramento, The Expanding Light welcomes guests of all backgrounds and offers classes in meditation, yoga, cooking, teaching and more. Accommodations range from deluxe rooms, both private and shared, to cabins and tents. Vegetarian meals are served in the communal kitchen. A world wide organization, Ananda also offers retreats in other locations such as Rhode Island and Assisi, Italy.
Useful Resources:
India Travel Guide
United States Travel Guide
California Travel Guide
Travel Blogs about Yoga
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