Before the excitement of the new year begins and spring blossoms in our being, it is a good time to take a step back, to contemplate, awaken our awareness by doing a personal retreat . A retreat allows one to get back with a fresh perspective, more in touch with one’s strengths and vulnerabilities. This retreat shall be based on Intuitive expression and some practices from the nature traditions of the eastern Himalayas and work created by the group together. In this kind of retreat there are not many rules and restrictions, although a one meal diet with no salt should be followed starting from 3 days before the retreat with the setting of intentions and connecting to dreams.
It is said we are made out of memory and there are three kinds of memories, present life, past life and ancestral memories. Most of the work we will do is in relation to present life and ancestral memories. We will be working with discovering our healing voices, narratives, drum journeys, connecting to the elements, our spirit animals, the wind tongue,whirling and most importantly coming face to face with oneself.
Through the various practices in the time of the retreat we will develop skills to create our own sacred space and take individual journeys into the largely unconscious and unknown aspects of our being.
One of the main principles of this kind of work is to go deep without seriousness and be playful. The retreat acts as a window towards both inside and outside. One can see it like a channel that opens pathways for us to connect more deeply and effortlessly with ourselves and the larger community around us.
In this retreat, the rules and restrictions are present but flexible according to a person’s needs. The preparation is an important element to open our channels of receptivity.
Some guidelines for preparation: • 1 meal a day starting Tuesday and you can eat more starting Monday. • No Salt, No fruits, No sugar, Less Oil, Less Spices • Alcohol, Meat and Tobacco is Ok. In some situations, even recommended • Walking for at least 30-45 mins starting Tuesday • Try to use your lesser dominant hand (For eg Use your left hand if your right handed, For eg while eating, brushing your teeth etc) • Find a bamboo, or a piece of hollow wood or if you cant find that then just a branch. The size should be from your shoulder to your hand and a white cloth (preferably new) to cover it. We shall be painting the bamboo, so we will be needing a paintbrush and the colours of a rainbow and white and black. Not much colour is needed so maybe only one person can bring this and it can be shared by all. • Collect 5 stones, the size should be as big as your fist. • One piece of white thread with the length almost equal to your height • Bring a set of clothes that would only be worn for the retreat,preferably light colours • Start trying to remember your dreams and write them in a notebook. • Bring something to create an Altar (not too big) • Drink lots of water
About Vishesh Kalimero
Vishesh Kalimero is a musician, workshop leader and sound therapist from Delhi, India who has been travelling around the globe for the last nine years collecting sounds, performing concerts, facilitating workshops and guiding healing sessions at yoga and meditation centers, festivals, culture and art houses etc in Norway, Germany, Poland, Japan, Lebanon, Guatemala etc. His vision lies in pushing and inspiring all to connect with their intuitive expression and thus create and find their sound to discover the magic that music can bestow. His theme of work is influenced from tribal and folk traditions but presented with a contemporary and experimental approach.
