Summary

| Day 5 – 7 |
THE THIRD STEP
is to
learn the art to attain
calmness in victory, tranquility in defeat and serenity in trouble
THE ART OF MINDFULNESS
at,
a spiritual hermitage in
RISHIKESH - THE YOGA CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
by,
remaining unplugged from the world
and,
mirroring the minimalistic, soulful, intellectual and spiritual
LIFE OF A SAGE

Chapter Theme

Spirituality may mean different for different people. One gift, however, remains common to all its seekers – mindfulness - the ability to achieve emotional wellbeing and centeredness at will. Imagine setting aside three days "unplugged" from the world to acquire this gift that will help you live more fully for the rest of your life.

In this chapter, you experience India's spirituality and learn the art of mindfulness in Rishikesh. Your mode of learning will not be limited to pursuing a meditation course or attending a few religious gatherings. Rather, you learn to attain peace while living amongst the masters of this art in an ashram (spiritual hermitage). You immerse yourself in their way of life; you learn to start, end and spend your days thinking, eating, reading, listening and learning the same things they do and, in the process, develop mindfulness in its most authentic form.

The objective of this chapter is to experience the Indian insight that staying peaceful and focused has got much less to do with your outside world than the inner self. With this realization and continued practice of mindfulness, you can stand amidst the hustle and bustle of the stock market or amidst the challenges that lies ahead in the next few pitstops of your journey, and still be at peace.

Chapter Specifics

The journey begins in an ashram in Rishikesh, where you will meet the Chapter Navigators – a group of Yogis who have already traveled down the road you're entering. In this chapter you experience the life of a sage by following three basic tenants of the life of a sage: mindfulness, purity and pursuit of wisdom.

Your days are driven with a constant pursuit of mindfulness by way of cutting down the hundreds of thoughts that cross the "monkey brain" and focus on one powerful, positive thought at a time. You do this in an experiential, hands-on program, involving multiple hours of guided and silent meditation and yoga at the foothills of Ganges amidst the surreal sound of chants, bells and flowing water.

Alongside this pursuit of peace, you experience the genuine joy of living a life of purity, marked with minimalism and good deeds. A good part of your time will be invested in staying close to nature, making your own meals from organic food, feeding the needy and maintaining your surroundings.

Lastly, each day you take a spiritual excursion through temples and religious ceremonies, focusing on the deeper spiritual principles that animate these places and processes. You closely interact with experts on Indian Vedic knowledge, who explain the spiritual science behind yoga, meditation and harmony between mind, body and soul. The goal is to broaden your inner wisdom and help you understand life with depth and profundity, like a sage.