Neuschwanstein built by King Ludwig II.
Our retreat center is on the Romantic Road, the unbroken series of romantic towns and lanscapes between Wurzburg and Fussen.
Bavaria, Germany July 7 - 14, 2012
Opening the Gates to Heaven: A Yogis Path to Enlightenment
Prices $1288 €920 Register here.
"When we go on retreat we are not retreating from life; we are retreating from our almost constant avoidance of life. If our spiritual life is to be something authentic and not merely the pursuit of some idealized fantasy, we must find a way into the very heart of our existence." Adyashanti
Indeed, how to find the way in.
The spiritual technology of yoga is a proven valuable key that can open the gates to heaven inside each of us.
During our retreat the early morning Kripalu hatha yoga class will feature an invigorating
pranayama component with 13 hand mudras to direct the prana flow, postures selected to stretch out hamstrings,
calf and quadricep muscles, as well as a series of twists to loosen
the spine. Our intention for the morning practice will be to get
our bodies ready to enter into deep meditaion.
The Kripalu Yoga
style of practicing accommodates all levels of flexibility, strength and
experience. Beginners are welcome and those with years of experience will be able to drop deep into their practice supported by the group energy and the peaceful location for our retreat.
Mid-moring we will gather together for seated meditation practice using various
technigues including mantra meditation, a slow-motion prana experience, and Heart-Space breathing (Hrdyam Dvadashanta Vishranti). The
late afternoon practice will alternate between a moving meditation experience and iRest Yoga Nidra.
Each evening we will gather for a seated group meditation in the adjacent chapel to close the day together with sanskrit prayers and arti.
Included during the week will be one amazing sightseeing tour of the dream castle Neuschwanstein built (1851-53) by the fairytale king Ludwig II. Not to be missed on this tour is his throne room which, just by its immensity, speaks to the power of being a king.
View at sunset to the south from the retreat center were we can see the beginning of the Austrian Alps. Panoramic short video here.
Accommodation and Food
All rooms are simple and functional with ensuite bathrooms and showers. I examined several and found them to be clean and very quiet. The perfect setting for our retreat.
As we dive deeper inside, your room will become a haven for inner reflection and journaling.
For those seeking more private time and solitude single accommodation is available for an additional 60 euros
for the week.
Meals are served buffet style using local seasonal produce. The facility caters to vegetarian, vegan and lactose intollerant food preferences.
I arranged to have an evening meal on my last visit there and I must say it was excellent.
Sample Daily Schedule
| 7:00-9:00 am | Kripalu Yoga postures & pranayama |
| 9:00-10:00 am | Breakfast |
| 11:00am-1:00 pm | Meditation practice - Satsanga |
| 1:00-2:30 pm | Lunch |
| 2:30-5:00 pm | Exploring - hiking - contemplation |
| 5:00-6:00 pm | Moving Meditation or Yoga Nidra |
| 6:30 | Dinner |
| 8:30-9:30 pm | Group Meditation |
Adjacent to our accommodations is a Unesco World Heritage Site, the Wieskirche - 
Pilgramage Church of the Scourged Savior in the Wies (1746-57).
A truly spectacular must-see church for spiritual seekers including a rare ceiling painting of the gates to heaven.
As a group we will make a 1.2 kilometer walking pilgrimage to this church and sit in contemplation
of the nature of our divinity.
Getting There
Flying into Munich is the best option. It is a beautiful, clean, easy to negotiate airport and USAirways has several flights with competitive airfare prices.
Right at the airport, within 5-8 minutes walking time, is the train that will take you to the downtown Munich Bahnhof. There you can change to a local train on track 28 or 30 that will take you through the beautiful Bavarian countryside to a small train stop in Peiting. The train fare will be about 21 euros and take about 2 hours. Buy your ticket for this at the Munich airport train station. Everybody speaks a functional English and they are tourist friendly - its easy.
At the Peiting train station take a taxi to the retreat center. Its only 15 minutes away and the cost will be about 27 euros for the ride. This ride can be shared with a travel companion or two.
American Airlines has announced Germany as a new getaway destination.
Take a look at their invitation here. In my experience its a fair representation of Germany today.
Join Bhavani and me next July and we will walk this yogic path together.
