Vishwa Yoga Journey
Schedule / Itinerary
​Nov 26 - Dec 20
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Please Note:
We have decided to take the journey in reverse order this year, as stated on the other pages describing it. However, we still need time to finish rewriting the itinerary below in reverse order. Nevertheless, it can still give you some idea of how the training will flow. Also, even after we get this revision updated, please keep in mind that there is always a chance that some things change due to the general unpredictability of India. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the phrase "expect the unexpected" was derived in India.
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Most students will arrive on Nov 26th, but you may want to arrive a day earlier or later if it saves you a great deal of money on your flight. Just let us know at least a few days ahead of time so we can arrange for a day of additional lodging (or a day less) as well as airport pick-up. However, there is no need to arrive earlier than the 26th if you're thinking you will need to recover from your long flight as we have travel recovery time already built into our program. Nevertheless, the training will officially (and gently) begin in the evening on Nov 26th.
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11/26 Wednesday: Majority of arrivals come today
Rest & Relaxation
6:30PM Group Dinner + Orientation
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11/27 Thursday:
7AM Morning Practice (option to sleep in; although most will find themselves awake by 3 or 4am)
8:30 Rent Bicycles and visit Auroville cafe at the guest center.
10:00 Register for meditation in the Matrimandir
10:45 Go for required initial viewing of Matrimandir
12:30 Lunch at Auroville Guest Center
2:30 Class: Who was Sri Aurobindo and ¨The Mother¨
5PM Free Time
6:30 Dinner at Visitor Center (it will probably take 30 min to receive our orders)
Everything from here until 12/01 (our time in Auroville) may need to be re-arranged as we wait for when our group will be assigned time to sit for meditation inside the Matrimandir.
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11/28 Friday:
7AM Asana practice on the roof of Atithi Griha (option to sleep in)
9AM Breakfast at Griha, or optionally at the Auro Cafe
10AM Video and Discussion on Auroville: City of the Dawn
1PM Lunch
2PM Tour of main campus
3:30 Class / Visit Aurobindo Archives building
Free Time
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11/29 Saturday:
TBD
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11/30 Sunday:
TBD: (Sadhana Forest ?)
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​​​12/01 Monday:
TBD​​​
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12/02 Tuesday:
Check out of Atithi Griha by 11am and go to Pondy for lunch
See Aurobindo Mahasamadhi, bookstore, and the French quarter.
Go to Pondy train station to catch 6hr Sleeper train to Bangalore
12/3 Wednesday - Arrive around 6am (I think) in Bangalore.
Possibly see Masterji Vishwanath, but at least go somewhere for breakfast or brunch.
Transfer to a Van, see a bit of the chaos of the city, then head to the peace and quiet of Pyramid Valley;
arriving in the late afternoon. Check into rooms.
6:00pm Dinner and orientation at PV, and have our first experience in the pyramid in the evening; anapanna meditation. ​​
​​​​12/04 Thursday:
7AM: Morning Asana Practice
9AM: Showers, Breakfast, etc.
10:30AM: Anapanna Meditation Instruction & practice
1PM: Lunch
3:30PM: Meditation instruction & practice
6:30 Dinner
7:30 Pyramid Meditation
Take advantage of this special opportunity; meditate as long as you can in the Pyramid before bed!
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​​​​12/05 Friday:
7AM: Morning Asana Practice
9AM: Showers, Breakfast, etc.
Instruction in Vipassana meditation & practice; commitment to silence.
1PM: Lunch
3:30PM: Meditation Instruction & practice
6:30 Dinner
7:30 Pyramid Meditation
Take advantage of this special opportunity; meditate as long as you can in the Pyramid before bed!
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12/06 Saturday:
7AM: Morning Practice
8:30: Showers
9AM: Breakfast
Noonish: Move out of rooms; pack your things into van.
Take van to Ansari resort in Mysore, Srirangapathna, near bird sanctuary
We will probably drive there in the late afternoon.
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​12/07 Sunday:
7AM: Morning Practice
8:30: Showers
9AM: Breakfast
10AM: Hike to Bird Sanctuary​ (if we didn't already to it
4:00 Leave for Mysore Train Station
6:50pm Depart Mysore for Hospet (via Hampi Express Sleeper Train / 11hrs)
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12/08 Monday:
​Hampi:
Arrive at Hospet (the train station near Hampi) at 7am and take 30min Tuk-tuk to Hampi
?:30: Arrive at ??? guest house in Hampi and settle in.
Showers, Breakfast, etc.
11AM: Class in one of the stone temples
1PM: Lunch at Chill Out
3:30PM: Class in a stone temple
6:30: Dinner
Free Time
8PM Class
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​​12/09 Tuesday:
5:30AM: Take Tuk Tuks to Sunrise Temple
9AM: Breakfast at Chill Out
11AM: Class among the ruins
1PM: Lunch
Free Time
3:30: Class
6:30: Dinner
Free Time
8PM Class
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12/10 Wednesday:
6:AM: Gather to go¨Bouldering¨ (Optional). The climbing guides begin with a short yoga practice.
(You can sleep in or practice asana on your own if you prefer)
10AM: (late) Breakfast, showers, etc
11:30: Class
1PM: Lunch
2:30: Depart for Hanuman Temple / "birthplace" of Hanuman (be prepared to climb like 570 stairs!)
3:30: Class at Hanuman Temple
6:30: Dinner
Free Time
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12/11 Thursday:
7AM: Morning Practice
9AM: Showers, Breakfast, etc.
10AM: Class in one of the stone temples
1PM: Lunch at Mango or Mowgli restaurant
2:30 Class
4:00: Big Hanuman Temple Hike
6:45: Dinner
Free Time
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12/12 Friday:​
7AM: Morning Practice
9AM: Showers, Breakfast, etc.
10AM: Class in one of the stone temples
1PM: Lunch at Mango or Mowgli restaurant
2:30 Class
4:00: "The big sunset hike" (The best hike in Hampi!)
6:45: Dinner
Free Time
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12/13 Saturday:
4:45AM Leave for Hospet Train station
6:20AM Depart Hospet for Goa (about 7hrs)
​2:00 EST Arrive Goa
2:45 Arrive at Bhakti Kutir (Check-in is not until 3pm)
Free time / beach time
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12/14 Sunday:
7AM: Morning Practice
9AM: Showers, Breakfast, etc.
11AM: Class
1PM: Lunch, Siesta, Free Time
3:30PM: Class
6:30PM: Dinner, Free Time
8PM: Class
9:30PM: Free Time
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12/15 Monday
7AM: Morning Practice
9AM: Showers, Breakfast, etc.
11AM: Class
1PM: Lunch, Siesta, Free Time
3:30PM: Class
6:30PM: Dinner, Free Time
8PM: Class
9:30PM: Free Time
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12/16 Tuesday
6AM: Depart for swimming at Dudh Sagar Water Fall (Optional: This is the waterfall you see on our VYJ webpage with the train going in front of it. Yes, it's pretty awesome (although the water is very cold)! However, besides the 2 hour drive to the Jungle to get to the waterfall, you will need to go "Four Wheelin'" in a Jeep for 45min thru the jungle, and then 45min back after swimming. And this is REAL ¨four wheelin¨, tires spinnin in the creek as you plough over rocks as big as GaneshÅ› head; meaning that you are likely to bounce way up out of your seat, again and again, and again, and again... It's a lot of fun for the first 20 minutes, but like i said, it's 45 minutes; both to the falls and back. In other words, for some people it's more fun than their bodies can handle. Therefore, students have the option of skipping this adventure and just having free time at Palolem Beach.
5:00: Class
6:30PM: Dinner
8PM Class
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12/17 Wednesday:
7AM: Morning Practice
9AM: Showers, Breakfast, etc.
11AM: Class
1PM: Lunch, Siesta, Free Time
3:30PM: Class
6:30PM: Dinner, Free Time
8PM: Class
9:30PM: Free Time
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12/18 Thursday:
7AM: Morning Practice
9AM: Showers, Breakfast, etc.
11AM: Class
1PM Lunch, Siesta (advised) or Free Time
3:30PM: Riverboat thru a bird sanctuary
6:30PM: Dinner
8PM: Class
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12/19 Friday:
7AM: Morning Practice
9AM: Showers, Breakfast, etc.
11AM: Class
1PM: Lunch, Siesta, Free Time
3:30PM: Class
6:30PM: Dinner, Free Time
8PM: Class
9:30PM: Free Time
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12/20 Saturday
7AM Morning Practice
9AM Showers, Breakfast, etc
Free Time
5PM Graduation!
6:30PM final dinner together
Although the training ends with graduation in the evening on this day (12/20), your lodging will be paid thru 2pm on noon 12/21
Departurers or lingerers: Our program ends on 12/20 in the afternoon, so we expect some of you might be leaving on the evening of 12/20; but you can also wait until 2pm on 12/21 (check out time) ; but there is nothing to stop you from staying longer - other than a flight home that you may have already booked.
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