Every year Mind Body Education and the IMTTA hosts a ‘Gathering’ for graduates of MBE training courses. To attend, you must be a graduate of the Certificate in Meditation Teaching and Holistic Human Development or the Diploma of Holistic Integrated Creative Arts Therapy.
This year we are off to find our peaceful centres amid the hustle and bustle of magical India once again!
You will have the opportunity to complete four postgraduate training course and upgrade to your Diploma or Advanced Diploma in Meditation Therapy and Holistic Counselling or your Advanced Diploma of Holistic Integrated Creative Arts Therapy. There are several courses available for you to choose from.
Join Isabelle, Kerry, Yvette and Julie-Anne along with a handful of your fellow practitioners for two magical weeks in Jodhpur, India.
India is the motherland of Meditation. Through attending this unique Practitioner Gathering you will step out of your every-day life into the spiritual heartland and come home re-invented, refreshed, revived, with some fantastic new skills and insights to help you elevate your own holistic practice to a new level of success.
All those who attended last years Gathering felt the experience was truly life changing.
You will have the opportunity to complete four postgraduate training courses and be able to participate in a variety of workshops aimed at building on to your current skills and qualifications to help you develop the confidence and experience you need to expand your career and grow your business.
You will be able to practice a wide variety of different Meditation styles (both contemporary and traditional) and you can join in the Chair Yoga class each morning.
You will be cocooned in a beautiful, safe, traditional environment in comfortable, private accommodation, with people who know the area and are focused on making sure you enjoy your time in India.
You will have abundant, delicious, healthy meals prepared for you in a beautiful setting.
We will visit a wide variety of interesting destinations, including the Mandore Gardens with its ancient temple ruins; the Mehrangarh Fort; Jaswant Thada, Toorji's Step Well, Umaid Bhawan Palace and Museum the Jain Mahavira temple and some other local places of interest.
The culture in Jodhpur is colourful, vibrant and creative. It is steeped in history and of special interest due to its position on the edge of the desert.
You will have plenty of time to relax, shop and explore the local area.
You will meet like-minded people who are on a path similar to your own (and may even make lifetime friendships).
You will return home, having experienced the spiritual essence of India blended with the modern research, holistic techniques and practical hands-on training that will launch you into your career and your lifestyle into the next exciting phase; refreshed, relaxed...inspired!
You will be staying in your own private, air-conditioned room with private bathroom, in a beautiful 500-year-old Haveli in the heart of the magical, colourful city of Jodhpur. Or you can choose to share a room with another practitioner of the same sex. Or, bring a friend or partner and share a room with them.
The Haveli is the ancestral home of a delightful family, who will make you feel like a dear friend and provide you with a very traditional experience over two enchanting weeks.
You will feel more like a visiting friend or family member than a guest and their kind and helpful team will make sure you feel completely at home.
The Haveli has been lovingly restored and is a delightful oasis, offering an authentic and unique experience of the Marwar region. It has the grandeur of olden days Rajhatstan mixed with modern amenities and comfort.
There is a little courtyard garden, swimming pool, WiFi and a delightful rooftop restaurant that looks out across the rooftops to the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort.
The market is only five minutes walk through the lively streets.
The streets outside the Haveli are lined with little shops and alive with the hustle, bustle, sounds scents and colours of India.
(Above) The view of the fort from the Haveli dining room
The Haveli is a tranquil, peaceful and very comfortable retreat.
Breakfast offers the typical western choices of fruit, cereals and toast, enhanced with some more traditional Indian breakfast options.
Lunch is fairly standard each day with a delicious (and not too spicy) banquet including samosa, Indian potato dishes, rice dishes, spring rolls and fresh fruit. The fruit will be washed and cut up on the table so we can all be sure it is hygienic and healthy to eat.
You will be able to choose from the multi-cuisine menu at the Haveli's restaurant for dinner each night and special diets can be catered for.
In the interest of staying healthy in India, all of our meals will be at the Haveli (which we know and trust) and will be vegan. Having eaten in many places in India, we are pretty sure the Haveli has the very best food anywhere!
The choices are many and the food here is truly delicious. You can rest assured the Haveli kitchen is clean and healthy.
You will also be provided with unlimited fresh bottled drinking water every day.
On our last evening at the Haveli together, we will have a special banquet and Bollywood party.
All you need to do is book your flights from your nearest international airport to Jodhpur and get on the plane. We will meet you, provide everything you need in India and put you back on your flight home.
Remember to make sure you have a valid passport!
You will also need a visa to enter India - See information below.
You will need to take out travel insurance for your trip to India - See below for how to do this.
Check airfares from your city to Jodhpur, India (click the link below).
Fares from Australia to Jodhpur are circa $1,500 return at this time of year, with reputable airlines.
Flights to and from Jodhpur are NOT included in the Gathering fee.
We will arrange for you to be collected from and returned to Jodhpur airport.
Pick up from Airport, any time of day on October 16th and transport from the hotel to the Airport, any time on October 30th - so please book your flights to correspond with these dates.
Let us know where you are travelling from and we can put you in touch with other attendees, leaving from the same airport, so that you can book your flights and travel to the Gathering together.
Transport from Jodhpur airport to the Gathering and back to the airport on departure (to meet your flight).
14 nights accommodation in your own comfortable, air-conditioned, private room with private bathroom.
All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) from lunch or dinner (depending on what time you arrive) on 16.10.19 to breakfast or lunch (depending on what time you need to leave) on 30.10.19. You will be able to purchase additional snacks yourself if you want to but we seriously doubt you will need to.
Fresh, clean bottled drinking water will be provided in abundance, every day.
All training and materials required to participate in all training courses and workshops.
A variety if sightseeing outings including transport and entrance fees.
|
Total |
BEST OPTION |
Payment Plan – start any time prior to October 1st, 2019 |
Private Semi-Deluxe room |
$3,840 |
$3,540 |
$3,840 divided into payments over remaining months to October 10th 2019 |
Private Deluxe room |
$4,020 |
$3,720 |
$4,020 divided into payments over remaining months to October 10th 2019 |
Student Shared Deluxe room |
$2,910 |
$2,610 |
$2,910 divided into payments over remaining months to October 10th 2019 |
(NON-STUDENT) |
$2,010 |
$1,710 |
$2,010 divided into payments over remaining months to October 10th 2019 |
Once you have paid for your Gathering fee you will also need to arrange and pay for the following:
Australian nationals require a valid visa for entry into India - Choose a Tourist Visa.
There are a few ways to apply for an India visa and the easiest is through the new e-visa process. Australian and New Zealand passport holders can apply for an e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) to enter India at designated airports.
You can apply online a minimum of four days before your arrival, up to 120 days. For example, if you’re applying on the 1st of September, you can arrive between the 5th of September and the 2nd of January.
The visa must be paid for at least four days before you travel and will be valid for 60 days from the date of arrival in India. You’ll need to have a recent front-facing photograph with a white background and a scanned copy of your passport photo page that can be uploaded in order to proceed with your application.
One last thing, your passport will need to be valid for at least six months after your arrival date into India and have at least two blank pages for stamping.
Apply HERE
Travel insurance will cost from $30 t0 $100 depending on the level of cover you choose. Get an instant quote from 10 different providers HERE
We recommend you talk to your bank about the best way to access your money in India - You can't just take your ATM card and use it overseas without arranging this with your bank first. (All of your accommodation, meals, organized sightseeing and transport within India is included in your Gathering fee, as outlined above).
The local currency in India is the Rupee (INR or Rs)
Wednesday, October 16th- Arrive/orientation/introductions
Relax & settle in and adjust to life in a beautiful Indian Haveli.
You will be collected from Jodhpur Airport and brought to the Haveli where you will be able to settle into your private room. Take your time to re-set your body clock and maybe sip a chai on the terrace.
There will be a chair yoga class at 7am each morning, to welcome the new day followed by a meditation, before we meet for breakfast around 8am.
There will be a class every day from around 9am until lunchtime at 12.30pm.
The afternoons will be devoted to relaxation, reflection, sightseeing excursions and extrapolation!
Some afternoon excursions will include a visit to the colourful local markets. Mandore Garden, Jaswant Thada, Toorji's Step Well, Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum, the Jain Mahavira temple and the Mehrangarh Fort - These will be included in your course fee and optional to attend.
Mandore Garden with its ancient temples. The monkeys here are very timid and sweet. They are not the type that steals your sunglasses or tries to climb on you.
Above: Toorji's Step Well
Diwali in 2019 will start on Sunday, the 27th of October and will continue for 5 days until Thursday, the 31st of October. Also, know as the Festival of Lights, Diwali Puja symbolizes the victory of good over evil. The lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope. Diwali is one of the most popular holidays in Hindu countries. This is a very exciting time to be in India!
Thursday, October 29th
This will be our last full day together and your chance to do any last minute treasure hunting at the market. We will be having a very special banquet this evening to celebrate Diwali, say farewell to new friends, the Haveli and Jodhpur. We encourage you to dress up and get into the festive spirit.`
(Above). Some of our 2018 group at our farewell dinner.
Wednesday, October 30th
We will take you to Jodhpur Airport to meet your flight.
Weather in Jodhpur in late October is typically very warm during the day (around 28 -31).
Once you have booked, you will be emailed an information package.
This will provide guidance in regard to what clothes to pack for the weather, and a checklist to make planning your trip simple, including booking your air travel, getting your visa and arranging travel insurance.
We will assist you in preparing for your Indian adventure and make sure all of your needs are taken care of in India.
** You will need to be in good health and reasonable fitness to attend this Gathering.
*** This is an alcohol-free event.
You can bring a partner on this, very special training course in India.
Partners will share your room. They will not be able to participate in workshops or classes (free time each morning for them) but they will be welcome to join in our morning and evening meditation sessions and chair yoga classes if they wish. Naturally, they will be very welcome at all of our meals, special activities and to come on all of our planned excursions.
The "Non-Student Fee" Includes everything that your fee includes, except the actual certificate level training course.
It includes all meals, accommodation (sharing a room with you in either a double or two single beds) all planned excursions and entry fees, collection from and returns to the airport (with you).
Partners need to understand that our focus will be on the training course in the mornings with exploring and excursions in the afternoons.
This is an alcohol-free event.
Though you will be free to do as you please in your free time, of course.
All participants must be over 21 years of age.