GAYATRI RETREAT
Monte De Orada Retreat Center
Portugal
June 3rd - 10th , 2022
Thank you to our retreat participants, hosts and teachers for making this a retreat such a success! Stay tuned for Part Two in 2023.
About the Retreat
The past few years have been challenging for everyone and continue to be…
This is an opportunity to recharge, reconnect and become more resilient.
Join us for a 7-Day Journey through the Gayatri Practice in the Portugal countryside. Each day we will present and practice a series of activities to get you deeply immersed in self-reflection, mantra, creativity and calm.
The sacred Gayatri mantra is a request for guidance in the form of spiritual light. In particular, the light of the Sun. With sustained practice, this light begins to show itself in the form of enhanced intuition, keenness of mind, improved sense of well being and enrichment of life.
In this retreat you will learn several spiritual disciplines that will greatly enhance your experience of this mantra and the feeling of connection to spiritual light.
The cosmology that underlies and informs the practice is the royal road back to our Divine origins. Gayatri Mantra is a complete spiritual practice in itself that could easily occupy the rest of one's life.
This retreat will focus on learning, practice and application. The program includes:
Meditation and Teaching
Each day Malcolm McQuirter will take you through the steps of the Gayatri Practice. The format is a mix of teaching, guided meditation, and personal practice.
Session Topics:
Within You Without You:
Gayatri, Chakras, Sutble Bodies and Higher Worlds.
The Royal Road:
Gayatri and the Principles of the Cosmos. Returning to Source.
As Above So Below:
The Sacred Body, Internalizing the Power of Gayatri.
Gayatri Puja:
How to perform a puja and why.
Opening the Sun Door:
Completing the Practice, How to set up a successful daily practice.
Yantra Drawing & Coloring
Experience drawing and coloring the Gayatri Yantra with Sarah Tomlinson. This ritual provides a compliment to the Mantra work; when you return home you will be able to change your Mantras while gazing at your Yantra. Step by step instructions will be given.
Yantra + Mantra = Tantra
Ritual
Join us for special rituals throughout the retreat, including a daily purifying Havan (fire ceremony).
Repose
The retreat is designed to give you ample time to rest, reflect and and explore the beautiful surroundings. The retreat center is part of a regenerative farm and forest. There are plenty of spaces for walking, hiking, swimming, or just napping.
In Conversation
Retreat leaders Malcolm McQuirter, Sarah Tomlinson and Eric Cetnarski talk about the retreat and its benefits.
New: Malcolm and Sarah discuss Gayatri Mudras on Instagram Live. (IG account needed)
Dates & Agenda
June 3rd - travel to Monte De Orado via shuttle.
June 4th - 9th* - Retreat
June 10th - travel to Lisbon Airport via shuttle.
Daily Agenda
7a - Yoga And Breakfast
9a - Gayatri Fire Ceremony
10a - Gayatri Teaching & Practice
12p - Lunch & Free Time
2p - Gayatri Art Painting
4p - Free Time / Optional Programs
6p - Meditation Program
7p - Dinner
*June 7th is a rest day. Optional beach trip.
The Venue
“Monte Orada is an old sanctuary, a place for contemplation and connection with nature and water. It is a place to get inspired to redesign life's attitudes on Earth and manifest that awakening.
Orada was started on the vision that nature, health, sustainability are fundamental insights to Transition out of the toxicity of modern times.
We focus on organic farming, conscious nutrition, meditation and permaculture. We are space holder context, a force for innovative possibilities, new mindsets, not a guesthouse, hotel nor a restaurant.
We are nestled in the heart of a nature sanctuary in the woods of Odemira, Alentejo, South West Portugal, bordering Algarve.”
New: For more information on the venue and lodging, please explore Orada’s updated brochure!
Pricing @ Accommodations
Total Gayatri program, lodging and meal costs rang from $1850 to $3500 per person.
Price includes:
Meditation and Ritual Instruction & Practice
Daily Yantra Making (Supplies Included)
Daily Yoga
Daily Fire Ceremony (Havan)
Siri Joyti Ceremony
Three organic vegetarian meals a day
Coffee/Tea
Access to biopools and sauna.
Shuttle transfer to/fro Lisbon Airport.
(Prices do not cover airfare to Portugal.)
Deposit $500. Deposit early to get your preferred accommodations! Space is limited.
Final Payments due May 1st, 2022. Please see the FAQ for refund and cancellation policy.
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Main House
The Main House is a rebuilt beautiful traditional Portuguese tapia house, facing the sacred fire and valley. It is very central and has easy access to all areas, particularly the meditation temple. This house can host up to 18 people.
The house has 4 bathrooms and has easy access to the independent community showers, for man and women, so no one needs to wait.
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Suites
There are 6 private independent suites, all of them facing sunrise and the mandala gardens.They are very central, and have easy access to all areas, particularly the sauna and the biopool. Each suite has its own private bathroom, hammock, wifi and central heating. Most of them can be prepared as twin or double room.
Want the suite to yourself? Upgrade when reserving.
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Bungalows and Outdoor Spaces
The 2 Bungalows are charming shelters located in a more secluded area, with beautiful vistas to the Valley. Each one of them has their own private bathroom and hot showers. There is also an outdoor bathtub with a breathtaking vista over the forest.
The tree house and teepees offer even more outdoor adventure.
Your Guides
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Sarah Tomlinson
Yantra and Yoga Instructor
Sarah Tomlinson is an internationally acclaimed Yantrika (Yantra teacher and practitioner), yoga teacher and artist, with renowned fans across the globe including Elena Brower and Sharon Gannon, co-founder of Jivamukti Yoga. Sarah worked extensively with her mentor Harish Johari in India, he initiated her into the spiritual practice of painting Yantras. Sarah is the author of Coloring Yantras, (Shambhala Publications, 2017), Nine Designs for Inner Peace, (Destiny Publishing, 2008) and creator of the Yantra Bliss Oracle Deck, (2017). She leads retreats and Yantra workshops around the world and enjoys lots of time by the ocean with her husband and two young boys.
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Malcolm McQuirter
Meditation and Ritual Instructor
Malcolm is a Co-Founder and Director of Samana's Ayurvedic and Mindfulness programs. He has spent the last 20 years studying and practicing the best of Eastern and Western meditation techniques to better understand the Mind's role in healing. Malcolm is steeped in the tantric traditions of South India.He has a Master's in Ayurvedic Medicine from California College of Ayurveda.
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Eric Cetnarski
Sound Healing and Operations
Eric Cetnarski is the Co-Founder and Director of Samana+. Eric is a Sound Therapy Practitioner and has led mindfulness workshops for organizations including McKesson, IDEO, UCSF and Hult Business School. Eric also holds an MBA in Sustainability Management and works in organizational development and management consulting.
FAQs
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We understand the world is a bit, well, complicated of late and we will work to be a flexible with cancellations due to the pandemic. That said, cancellations will only be accepted for pandemic related reasons. This mirrors the policy of our host, Monte Orada. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we go through these interesting times together!
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For the health and safety of the teachers, students and staff, we are requiring vaccinations for this retreat. This is also in compliance with Portugal guidelines. Please contact us if you have any questions about this. Thank you for your understanding.
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Yes! Please let us know if the reservation form.
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In the reservation form there is a area to fill out who you are rooming with. We will pair you! Please note that your roomates have to register separately so we can have their paperwork in system.
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No. We only cover transport from Lisbon Airport to the retreat center.
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We want everyone to have the ability to experience Gayatri and offer limited partial scholarships to those in financial need. Please contact us for more information.
Book Now
Ready to book? Follow these steps:
Check out the brochure for room descriptions. Note as of April 12th - Suite 4, Bungalows 2 and 3 and Dorms are still available!
Choose your room. Want to stay with your partner or friends? You’ll be able to request the rooms together in the form.
Fill out the form and deposit.
We’ll be in touch with confirmation and next steps.
Please note that all participants must register and deposit separately to ensure all forms are submitted. Thank you!
Questions?
Contact us.
