Ayurveda India Retreat 2020
with John de Kadt & Katie O’Connell
February 14~March 6 2020
Ayurveda, Yoga, Music, Storytelling & so much more!
This is a life-changing retreat for your body, mind, and spirit!
In our very chaotic and busy world full of what feels like unstoppable stress, this retreat is a true blessing. Taking three weeks for yourself is a true act of self love and nurturance. Here you can unwind and jumpstart into a whole new level of health and well being. Ayurvedic consultations with the retreat’s on-site Ayurvedic doctor and pharmacist, meals to support your treatment plan, and cleansing practices specific to your needs are all facets of this retreat, which will leave you feeling clear, vibrant, and deeply healed. Your group leaders have designed a retreat experience that includes daily yoga classes with Katie, storytelling and drumming with John, presentations on Ayurveda, and lots of free time to walk into the Indian countryside that borders the retreat, investigate the town, or visit local attractions.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda means “Science of Life.” The focus of Ayurveda is on long-lasting holistic health, not just a short-term cure. It offers a unique blend of science and philosophy that balances the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual components necessary for long term wellness. A time-tested, ancient system of disease prevention and healthcare, Ayurveda is a complete system of natural medicine and has been a way of life for millions of people across the planet. In Ayurveda, specific therapies are developed for each individual as opposed to a generic cure commonly prescribed by modern medicine. Ayurveda addresses disease from the root cause and provides a permanent cure instead of a quick fix.
Panchakarma: An Ayurvedic Healing Retreat
Pancha means “five” and Karma means “to cleanse” and so Panchakarma is the ultimate healing experience for detoxifying the body and mind, strengthening the immune system, and restoring balance and well being. It is a deeply powerful yet gentle cleansing process that utilizes deep rest, herbs, body treatments, enemas, steam baths, diet, and specific treatments catered to an individual’s unique constitution and health concerns. This extended retreat allows each participant adequate time to release deeply held toxins and blocks that adverse affect the mind and body, allowing the opportunity to reorganize and heal on a profound level.
“PK” is effective for treating a variety of health concerns and imbalances, including but not limited to: stress, anxiety and depression, migraines, arthritis, digestive issues, hypertension, chronic fatigue, joint pain, obesity, diabetes, back pain, ulcers, IBS, muscle and tendon disorders, skin disorders, respiratory diseases, urinary and bowel diseases, chronic constipation, sinusitis, insomnia, addictions, infertility, reversed hearing loss, eating disorders, and more.
This is a life-changing retreat for your body, mind, and spirit!
In our very chaotic and busy world full of what feels like unstoppable stress, this retreat is a true blessing. Taking three weeks for yourself is a true act of self love and nurturance. Here you can unwind and jumpstart into a whole new level of health and well being. Ayurvedic consultations with the retreat’s on-site Ayurvedic doctor and pharmacist, meals to support your treatment plan, and cleansing practices specific to your needs are all facets of this retreat, which will leave you feeling clear, vibrant, and deeply healed. Your group leaders have designed a retreat experience that includes daily yoga classes with Katie, storytelling and drumming with John, presentations on Ayurveda, and lots of free time to walk into the Indian countryside that borders the retreat, investigate the town, or visit local attractions.
Location: Ayurveda Yoga Retreat Center, Coonoor
This idyllic Ayurvedic center is located in the mountains of western Tamil Nadu, close to Kerala is one of the prettiest parts of India. Nestled amidst a lush 10-acre green tea plantation, healing eucalyptus forests, nearby waterfalls, and surrounded by the pure Nilgiri Mountain air, the retreat is in the perfect environment for rejuvenation. Away from the hustle of the city and surrounded in natural beauty, expect a profound transformation to take place! Every meal is made fresh with the retreat’s own source of pure mineral water and organic vegetables and herbs. With world-class Ayurvedic physicians and panchakarma therapists, and an amazing staff of chefs and gardeners, this peaceful retreat center combines modern comforts with the best of ancient medicine and a beautiful setting you will come to call home. Should you want to venture out for day trips, there are also many optional excursions to personalize your once in a lifetime experience in India, including the markets of Coonoor City, a train ride through the mountains to the town of Ooty, and even a day trip to an elephant reservation, not to mention endless walking and hiking just steps out of the retreat!
The beautiful thing about this retreat center is that it offers an opportunity to be intimate with the Indian villages nearby and to offer Karma yoga either by participating with school children or donating time to families in need. We’ll explore some of these villages together and meet some of the families John has come to know well over the years, and here you will find opportunities to give of yourself and receive the warmth and brightness of their spirit. It’s a living, breathing reminder of our interconnectedness on this planet. To get a flavor of these villages, watch John de Kadt’s music video “The Village” on YouTube
Your Guides: John de Kadt & Katie O’Connell
John de Kadt is a percussionist, poet, and storyteller. He has played ethnic hand percussive instruments for over 30 years and plays drums from across the globe. He has performed around the world, taught drumming on PBS and live nationally on NBC, and has performed with Krishna Das, David Darling, Subash Chandra, Ganesh Kumar, Jai Uttal, Robert Bly, Baba Olantunji, Colman Barks, and many others including being a founding member of Internationally acclaimed group, The Hanumen. John has released five CDs and travels world wide performing his unique and powerful blend of poetry, story, and percussion. Before doing music full time, John was an acupuncturist, herbalist, and Ayurvedic consultant for 15 years. He loves and still practices many aspects of these holistic medicines.
Katie O’Connell has been practicing yoga for almost 20 years and is an Ayurvedic Health Practitioner and Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist. Katie owns her own retreat center, Dragonfly Yoga Barn, in the beautiful White Mountains of NH with her husband of 24 years, where they facilitate retreats and events of all kinds. Katie is a singer, poet, mother, gardener, and life-long student of Nature. She has over 700 hours of yoga study with Paula Tursi, Sudha Lundeen (Kripalu), Cora Wen, Sadie Nardini, and many others, and nearly 1,000 hours in the study of Ayurveda with Dr. Paul Dugliss (New World Ayurveda) and Dr. Marc Halpern (California College of Ayurveda) as well as certifications in Thai Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Restorative Yoga, Reiki, and more. Katie runs international retreats, teaches daily yoga classes, provides education in Ayurveda and yoga, offers Ayurveda consultations, private yoga therapy, Thai bodywork, and yoga coaching at Dragonfly. Her greatest teachers of all are her students, her children, and her husband and parter in everything, Declan.
Stay tuned for pricing and registration links, as well as information about flights, Visas, traveling to Coonor, insurance, and more, coming this week when registration opens Wed. June 8th!!!
Rise Retreat 2020
with John de Kadt and Malaika Marveena Darville
April 10~16 2020
Join John de Kadt and Malaika Marveena Darville in Bali from April 8th – 14th. This retreat includes all healthy meals, beautiful accommodations in a private oceanside tropical villa, and excursions to an ancient Balinese temple and waterfall. You can purchase tickets here.