Visit a shaman or drink from a healing waterfall -- alternative vacations can be life-changing
If it’s inner peace, rejuvenation and enlightenment you’re after –- together with a new passport stamp -– take to the road for these spiritually uplifting experiences.
They promise to bear fruit long after you return home.
1. Amarnath Cave Trek: Kashmir, India
A group of soul-seekers hike up the mountains of Kashmir.
This annual pilgrimage takes place every summer -- depending on the political situation -- high in the mountains of Kashmir.
Thousands of devotees walk to the Amarnath Cave to see the Shiva-lingam, a miraculous phallic-shaped manifestation of the Hindu God Lord Shiva (formed by an ice stalagmite). As legend has it, Shiva came here to share the secret of eternity with his bride Parvati.
The trek is a challenge -– mostly vertical, up mountain slopes, and at an altitude of around 4,000 meters. But while the going can be tough, the camaraderie and kindness you’ll experience en route are manna for the soul.
Rates: Tailored to your trip
Indus Discoveries; +91 11 4166 4082; www.indusdiscoveries.com
(NB: Please check travel advisories before traveling to Kashmir)
2. Meditation retreat: Bali, Indonesia
Rejuvenate your body and mind in Bali.
The sacred island, known for its magical energy, is a magnet for spiritual seekers.
It’s the ideal setting for a nurturing yoga and meditation retreat. Every morning you rise with the sun, meditate and explore postures to develop flexibility, self-love and inner calm.
However the last quality may be tested on a trip to the Bat Cave temple -– where a mythical giant snake Naga Basuki is said to reside.
With massages, cookery classes, visits to holy waters and village walks, you will return with mind and body restored.
Rates: A 10-night trip for two people costs from US$3,898
Spirit Tours; +1 866 566 8078; www.spirit-tour.com
3. Fasting and feasting: Sinai Desert, Egypt
Spend some time in silent contemplation in the pristine Sinai Desert.
If you have hermit-like tendencies, or are simply craving solitude, embark on a cleansing, fasting retreat in the pristine Sinai Desert.
You’ll be following in the footsteps of the saints and seekers who, over the centuries, have holed up among the sand dunes and caves here in silent contemplation.
For three days and three nights your tummy may be empty –- but you won’t be starved for inspiration -– you’ll feast on the scenery: wind-sculpted mountains and a night sky brimming with constellations.
And at a distance, your Bedouin carers will keep a caring, watchful eye over you.
Rates: An eight-day trip costs from US$1,265
The Makhad Trust; +44 (0)1242 544 546; www.makhad.org
4. Drink Ayahuasca and detoxify: Sussex, England
The Rain Queen Mother personalizes every detoxification.
A potent healing medicine, made from the Ayahuasca vine and the leaf of the Chacruna plant, and collected from the jungles of the Amazon, is at the centre of this retreat. It causes purging as a means of removing toxins.
Rain Queen Mother, a gifted shaman who orchestrates the safe, highly personalized, one-to-one healing retreats at the Wellbeing and Cermonial Sanctuary in England, believes Ayahuasca can enable anyone who drinks it to access higher levels of emotional intelligence and foster a deeper connection with nature.
Not for the faint-hearted, but mind-blowing and truly transformative.
Rates: A three-night retreat costs from US$890
Wellbeing and Ceremonial Sanctuary; +44 (0)75 8146 2905; www.herbalandwellbeingsanctuary.com
5. Walk the Way of St. James: Spain
Follow the Camino to experience cosmic revelations.
This network of hiking routes to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain -– also known as The Camino –- has been traversed for thousands of years by pilgrims looking for a retreat from daily life, or as a spiritual discipline.
Some say The Camino lies directly under the Milky Way and follows ley lines.
Featured in "The Way", starring Martin Sheen, and in "The Camino", a book by actress Shirley MacLaine recording her mystical experiences en route, the landscapes vary from rugged alpine scenery to coastline, fishing villages and hills.
It’s the perfect opportunity for an inner journey –- and recalling Ms MacLaine –- to experience cosmic revelations.
Rates: A seven-night hike costs from US$1,600
Foot Abroad Dublin; +353 1 443 3972; www.followthecamino.com
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