In the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, at an altitude of 1360 m, the charming little village of Tso Pema nestles around a small lake.
Its 1500 inhabitants, Indians and Tibetans, live peacefully to the rhythm of the great bell that marks the rising and setting of the night, day after day.
Every morning and evening, when night and day give way to each other, Tibetan pilgrims invade the small street that runs through the village and continues around the lake to perform the Kora, the daily circumbulation that Tibetans perform to the sound of "Om Mani Padme Hum".
The scene seems set, but not quite. The Tibetan monasteries, 5 in number, are scattered throughout the village, and dominated by the imposing 32 m high statue of Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava by his real name.
Tso means lake in Tibetan, Pema is the lotus. The Lotus Lake is said to have come into being following a manifestation of Guru Rinpoche's powers, transforming the flames of the pyre on which the king wanted to burn him for seducing his daughter, the princess Mandarava, into a magnificent lake which has now become sacred.
It is in this universe that I propose you Tibetan yoga retreats in immersion in a monastery.
Each retreat is organised over 9 days including 8 nights and 7 days of practice.
You have the choice between 3 practices:
Lu Jong, a therapeutic Tibetan yoga: the practice, linked to Tibetan medicine, was adapted to Westerners by Tulku Lobsang and consists of 21 movements divided into 4 groups of movements: the harmonisation of the 5 elements, the mobility of the body, the vital organs, the six conditions. The repeated action of breath-holding combined with compression points on the energetic body allows the circulation of energy to be revived and bliss to be generated.
Tog Chöd, the sword of wisdom: the practice, which originated in monastic dances, was collected by Tulku Lobsang and is practiced with a sword, the symbol of our wisdom. The sword guides us through the movements to cut off our thoughts and establish a calm mind, which is the basis for any deep meditative practice.
Kum Nye, a Tibetan relaxation or meditative yoga: the practice was adapted for Westerners by Tarthang Tulku to bring the practitioner to feel his or her energetic body and learn to initiate the Nye, the self-massage of the body's energies by the energies themselves, thus establishing a deep peace.
The Tibetan yogas are techniques that have preserved the original essence of the teaching through a rigorous transmission carried out within lineages that have been fully traced for several millennia. By establishing a unity of the breath with the body and the mind, the circulation of energy in the channels will allow the release of energy blockages and thus bring consciousness to emerge, modifying our states of mind. In this way we move from a mind agitated by thoughts and emotions to a mind that is content, calm, serene and joyful.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama says: "These yogas improve the flow of energy through the various channels. Once these channels are functioning smoothly, the meditation practice deepens and one can enter the higher tantric practices.
During each retreat, you are provided with accommodation, food and daily teaching, alternating theory, breath work, self-massage, relaxation, practice and meditation.
The last day of the retreat is spent in the mountains to meditate in the caves of Guru Rinpoche and Mandareva. We will then walk back down to the village through small hamlets and farms.
On some evenings we will take time out to do the Kora and to visit the village monasteries.
To participate, there is one low price: 690 euros including teaching and full board accommodation.
Link: www.voyagesbienetre.com