March 4, 2013
The Best Gift You Can Give Yourself – An Annual Weeklong Yoga Vacation!
Sadique Neelgund
Priti and I recently visited and stayed at Kaivalyadham, spread across 182 acres with fresh air in the Hill Station Lonavala which is around 100 Km from Mumbai. Life has been very hectic since last year with FPA Study Tour to San Antonio in October, Network FP Annual Conference in December, all India tour of Financial Plan Construction Workshop in January and then Roundtable on SEBI Investment Advisor Regulations.
It was time to take a break and we decided to go for a Yoga Vacation without mobile phones and internet connection! Thanks to Mr. Gaurav Mashruwala, a regular visitor to Kaivalyadham who suggested us this place which is near to Mumbai. And I thought of sharing this experience and details with you because we really enjoyed our stay and want you to explore and benefit from such a different type of vacation.
I personally feel it’s worth your time, efforts and money to give a week for yourself, to be precise to your mind, body and soul… at least once a year to rejuvenate, re-energize and bounce back. Our last Yoga Vacation was in September 2010 in Kerala at Shivananda Ashram, again an amazing place set up amidst greenery & a lake… We did this after quitting our respective jobs and before starting Network FP!
This post has nothing to do with Financial Planning, so read further for benefit of your personal life, although I do believe that success in professional life increases when you have a good health and a positive mindset. I will share details of Vacation Structure, Costs, Sessions and Benefits of Kaivalyadham which is near to Mumbai. People from other parts of India, if you search for something similar, I am sure you will find one near to your place.
Structure and Cost
The Kaivalyadham Program is a Sunday to Sunday program with 7 night stay and 6 full days of yoga sessions, naturopathy treatments and massages, ayurveda treatments and massages, healthy and nutritious meals, pranayama & meditation courses, some interesting lectures on health and living, early to rise-early to bed schedule with some free time to read books or catch up with new friends you make at campus. You can extend your stay another week or more depending on room availability. The full week schedule is pretty neatly designed to help one experience various activities related to yoga, naturopathy and ayurveda.
Kaivalyadham has different types of rooms which are well-maintained and clean enough to have a comfortable stay. Different room types are Normal, Executive, Deluxe & Cottage. Choose one according to your budget and preference.
Tariffs and Costs are very nominal compared to the package and the benefits you get. For example a one week all inclusive package as mentioned above will cost Rs. 13,500/- only for 2 people in an executive room with naturopathy package. So its like getting all paid one week vacation for just Rs. 6,750 per person.
Yoga Sessions
There are 2 Yoga Sessions held everyday, one in the morning and one in the evening of 1 hour each. Yoga is a wonderful practice to be fit and healthy. 3 types of Yoga sessions are held parallel i.e. Basic for beginners, Therapy for elderly & people with ailments and Advanced for regular yoga practitioners. The Medical Officer will suggest the one best suited for you upon consultation before checking in.
Treatments and Massages
There are 3 types of packages with different costs… Relaxation, Naturopathy and Ayurveda. We opted for naturopathy and got 12 treatments and massages i.e. 2 times a day for 6 days! I enjoyed these sessions the most which relaxes your mind and body. Some of the treatments and massages which we got were;
- Water Massage (Jacuzzi)
- Massages –Backbone, Abdomen
- Massages –Head, Face
- Oil Application and Steam bath
- Kansayati massage – releases heat from body
- Mud Bath (so much wanted to take a photo of myself J )
- Spine Bath, Hip Bath
- Abdomen Pack and Mud Pack on eyes.
Most of the therapies are really refreshing and give you a WOW feel! Ayurveda massages and treatments will come is a different package and are also a little costlier. In Ayurveda, you can also opt for Panchkarma treatment which is Detoxification of body.
Meals
Although many were complaining about the meals, I was happy about it and unlike many others retained my weight J. Morning Herbal tea, breakfast, lunch, evening fresh cut fruits and dinner were all satvik (without garlic and onion) and without much oil and masala. I am a big fan of Dal and they made it really well… so no complaints. The urban taste buds might find the food a little hard but then hunger combined with no other option makes sure you enjoy your meals.
Pranayama & Meditation
Evenings there is a 45 minute time slot for practicing breathing, concentration and meditation techniques. I didn’t attend any of them, as I used the time for jogging and trekking at a nearby hill which I really enjoy! But I did get good reviews from Priti and other people who used to make it to these classes.
Lectures
A good workout followed by a nice dinner and followed with some lecture is a deadly combination to get a quick and deep sleep! After the dinner, we had a 30-45 minutes lecture on different topics each day like living a yogic lifestyle, consuming organically cultivated food, little changes you can make in your daily routine to live a healthy life etc. It’s just nice to listen to topics on health and living. And one cannot miss the lectures given by Mr. Subodh Tiwari, Joint Director of Kaivaladham who was born and brought up in the same campus.
All in all it was a great experience and I think you should seriously consider taking a week out for yourself and of course you can take your family along. Once you are through with the tax season March, schedule a visit in April / May to give a fresh start to financial year 2013-14.
I am not sure much of what we did and learnt there we will be able to put it in practice, but I am happy and satisfied that we got to live it for at least a week. On the last day of vacation we were reminded of importance of continuing the yogic practice with the following quote –
“those who do not find time for exercise now
will have to find time for visiting hospitals later!”
Authored by,
wow… so nice to read all this…. Thanks for sharing…..
Taking time out :-)… inspired by Sushma & you
It is a nice break from a busy schedule.
True… as we say in financial planning… vacations are actually investments !
Wonderful post…. Just like the Holistic financial planning that CFP's do for a client, Network FP is contributing towards holistic development (both Professional and Personal) of Financial Planners, which is indeed laudable…. 🙂
Thanks Manish… I am now feeling motivated to write and share things apart from Financial Planning 🙂 But of course promotion of profession is our purpose. Are there such places in North side? Any suggestions?
Nothing of this sort ever came to my notice in North. Though Brahmakumaris conduct a 2 night Rajayog meditation program at their Manesar retreat centre and it is quite rejuvenating and connects you with ur inner self. But its not on yoga, its on Meditation and is not chargeable, though donations are accepted….
Thanks for sharing Manish…
Great Sharing Sadique. I can imagine the kind of beautiful nature around as I was part of FPGI's 1st annual meet at Khandala. The costing you have given is unbelievable for that kind of stay for a week.You have surely inspired me to take up this in April or latest by May.
Fix a date and work backwards ! Things work out somehow 🙂 We had to postpone it by one week due to Roundtable.
We all need to let go and take that holiday. Nobody is indispensible – if we are not there for a week or ten days, things may work even better in our offices! The cost you have shared is also quite reasonable.
Suresh… let me know if you need any further guidance…. You deserve it more than anyone of us. I have been seeing you work so hard and tirelessly. Take your family along… I am sure they will enjoy it too!
Absoulatly correct, Suresh, Everything is important but there is no urgent. we must go for this as following quote is calling us.
Thanks Sadique. I will take your help on this. This one looks like what I need now 🙂
Sure Suresh!
hi, yes practicing yoga to cope with pressure is MUST DO for all of us. like you I also go for yoga vacations.since school days yoga student. my this years vacation will be frm 4 th april at khandala.
Bhakti….It was a pleasant surprise to meet you in Lonavala. Hope you had a good time too!
Yes, I am also Intrested in Yoga
Sadique has, always, something different to share with us.Thank You Sadique.
Thanks Narayan… Hope you are making progress with financial planning practice
it's really great to know.. will definitely go for it… next time when you conduct a workshop in Mumbai.. do add the yoga vacation to it…
Thats a good idea Rohit! Will try to work out.
yes sadique, last line of information is true, if we cant find time now for this type of vacation we will have go to hospitals for vacation. thanks for good information.
Welcome Shirish… it stands true about managing money also in a way:-)
Thanks for the details Sadique and Priti! The massages sound very enticing and so does the yoga. And I liked the part about jogging and trekking. That in itself is meditation for me!
Dilshad… I have herd good things about Jindal Institute in Bangalore. Have you tried that? Its similar but more sophisticated and expensive too.
Thats more commercial Sadique..Anything on similar lines near bangalore?
Not really…But you can try the Kerala one which I have mentioned in post
Grt Sadique and Priti for sharing details….just to add a point…you can go to Kaivalyadhama at Charni Road, Mumbai and attend yoga sessions and shibirs there(it is the same management)….and make yoga part of your everyday life and then take the week long vacation at Lonavla as you recommend. It would be even more enjoyable.
Yes Tejal… they told us about it. Only Yoga sessions are conducted it seems. People in SOuth Mumbai should make use of it. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for information on yoga.
Because health is wealth. For a sucessful profectional life, must need a healthy body & peacful mind.
Thanks.
True Prabir… We as financial planners should pass on this message to clients also.
Nice Post..Sadique Neelgund! Enjoyed reading it.. Would love to go for it soon..Thanks a lot for posting it!
Welcome Partha… just in case time is constraint… you can take work along… there is wi-fi facility too. however not recommended for complete relaxation.
Hi Sadique…I notice that you have been as diligent in describing the course, as you are in your 'Financial Planning' related write-ups. Cheers…
Maybe learned from former boss 🙂 some good things
Hi Sadique
First of all I would like to complement you for writing on such a different and a very relevant topic. The way you have posted a review in such detail is simply amazing. Thank you.
Yes, I fully agree with your point that such breaks greatly increase productivity and physical and mental well being.
As far as I am concerned, I have been regularly attending such course organised by Art of Living since 2008. It is for full 4 days and included silence, meditation sessions, yoga and breathing exercises, healthy and light food and lectures on ancient wisdom and scriptures.
I believe that in the rush of city life and in trying to efficiently performing various roles as a son, husband, father, employee/ propreitor of a business, we drain ourselves physically, mentally and spirtually. These breaks help us recharge ourselves, connect us with our true values and purpose, and prepare us for taking bigger challenges when we resume our work.
I will just say from personal experience that for professional and urban dwellers like us, such retreats are a MUST.
Abhinav
Heard a lot about Art of Living. Maybe next time… want to try in Bangalore. Thanks for sharing Abhinav
Thanks for sharing your wonderful experience. I am also thinking of visiting it before taking a leap into the world of financial planning.
Thats a wise call. We did take a break before starting Network FP