Incredible India
Yoga in the Temples of South India
with Vishali Varga, Vanessa Airey & Sarah Webb
June 25 – July 8th, 2026
Join Vishali Varga, Vanessa Airey & Sarah Webb in this incredible opportunity to deeply immerse yourself in the experience of yatra, the yogic practice of traveling to the most sacred spaces in India. A yatra is not a ‘vacation’, but an engagement of the body, like asana, a demanding activity that allows one to experience stretching and re-balancing body, heart, and mind.
there is no beginning and no end, there is only the path traveled. this is one of many mysteries of pilgrimage…. ..
A yatra is a ‘pilgrimage’ made with a particular intention to expand your own spiritual journey, and an opportunity to receive the ancient teachings from the Gods and Goddesses, to reset the rhythm of the mind through rituals and writings, bound by the five elements, held within the cosmos. Through the rituals of darshan and puja, we remember that our daily lives are sacred, worthy of devotion, and that we are all inherently divine.
Indian temple culture holds profound practices often unknown in the West, where yoga is usually introduced through asana, Patanjali’s 8 limbs, and cursory philosophical study. In reality, thousands of rituals, texts, and practices to support the path to realizing the bliss of the Self.
In the year leading up to departure, we will study to prepare you for the experience. While there, we will do our best to invigorate the body as our senses meet wondrous new experiences. An expanded mind and heart are guaranteed as we focus on opening to receive the gifts of this ancient culture.
On our pilgrimage, we travel through South India—one of the few places where ancient traditions remain alive and practiced for millennia. Here, we gain direct experience of a wisdom that is both timeless and urgently relevant today, but hidden in plain sight, as experiencing and decoding the rituals requires interest and access.
The people, their myths, rituals, and way of life offer new ways of seeing the world and the Self. This journey goes beyond typical tours, opening a rare window into 2,000 years of living spiritual tradition still vibrant in South Indian temples.
As we journey through the Temples, we will write contemplations for ourselves, each representing one of the five elements of being - air, fire, earth, water, space - to carry in our hearts and continue our journey at home.
On this trip, you’ll be travelling with leaders who offer such access and provide the decoding necessary to take us deeply into the culture, deeply into the Self. We will dress in Indian clothes, and because of this, we will be welcomed as honored guests and thanked for taking the time to study and practice their ancient teachings – even the clothing is deeply meaningful. At each temple we will participate in the rituals of the temple deities.
During mealtimes, we will eat with the locals at small restaurants or at the homes of friends or priests. The yatra includes visits to daily life, to local schools, a rural village, and cottage industries of weaving and bronze casting. All this will deepen your understanding of the power of cultural lineage in the practice of yoga.
When we arrive in Chidambaram, the home of the Dancing Shiva Nataraja, we will unpack the significance of the stories of Kali, Patanjali, Shiva, Ganesha, and the Goddesses. Together, we will explore how and why their cultural/political/socio/physio/ religious heritage is relevant to us and a deeper understanding of the Self.
In 15 days, you’ll have a lifetime of experiences to inspire and further your unfolding understanding of the vastness of yoga from the inside out. Won’t you join us? All you need is a steady heart, a tender mind, and an adventurous spirit!
For more information, please contact Vanessa, Sarah, or Vishali
REGISTER:
PP Double Occupancy $4695; Single Occupancy $5795
all hotels have private bath and air conditioning.
Upon arrival, we travel by deluxe air-conditioned coach
To reserve your spot:
Deposit: $825. cash, check, Zelle, Venmo or credit card (with 3.5% fee)
A monthly payment plan is available. All Payments must be made by April 12, 2026
Your trip will include:
Temple visits:
Hindu deities: Kali, Nataraja, Krishna, Lakshmi, Ganapati, Murugan & more
Rituals: homa, abhishekam, darshan, pradakshina, and more….explained and practiced
satsang and deeper teachings into the rituals and practices of yoga, asana practice, ritual attendance, sari Shopping, sari wrapping, bronze casting, cotton & silk loom visit, visit to 19th 19th-century mansions of ancient trading caste, rural village visit with lunch, hike to meditation cave, elephant rides, shopping, swimming, spa services (fees not included) available at some hotels, priest home visit, rural village and school visit
Not included: Airfare, Tips and donations, Lunch and dinners, Indian clothing. A “savings friendly” spending plan will be provided for budgeting purposes in the training.
Sample Itinerary
June 25
Depart US (an inexpensive nonstop option: Air Canada flight 42 leaving Toronto 7:40 pm on June 25 - Arriving Delhi 7:50 pm June 26)
June 26
Arrive in Delhi: stay in Delhi overnight, time for clothes shopping and 💤💤💤
June 27
Delhi to Chennai — Drive to Tirupati. Stay SriKalahasti.
June 28
SriKalahasti: Morning Asana & Satsang, visit Srikalahasteeswara Temple, representing the element of air (vayu).
June 29
SriKalahasti - Drive to Mahabalipuram: Morning Asana & Satsang, Afternoon trip to Shore Temple.
June 30
Mahabalipuram - Drive to Chidambaram: Evening Satsang & Ardha Janma at Nataraja Temple, representing the element of space
(akasha/ether)
July 1
Chidambaram: Morning visit to temple, Darshan, Thillai Kaliamman, Afternoon Mariamman, Evening Coconuts with Ganesh.
July 2
Chidambaram: Morning Homa, Afternoon – Satsang, Evening – Ardha Janma
July 3
Chidambaram – Kumbakonam: Morning Thillai Kali Amman, Drive to rural Village for lunch, and school visit, Afternoon- Satsang & Spa Treatments, Stay Kumbakonam Resort
July 4
Kumbakonam: Morning Asana, Lunch in town, Afternoon Spa treatments.
July 5
Kumbakonam: Morning Asana & Satsang, Sw. Malai/Bronze makers, Adhi Kumbeshwara temples, Evening Thiruvarau Temple, representing the element of water (appu/jalam)
July 6
Kumbakonam – Thiruvannamalai: Morning Asana & Satsang, Afternoon trip to Temple, representing the element of fire (agni). Stay Thiruvannamalai Sparsha Resort
July 7
Thiruvannamalai — Kanchipuram, the temple representing the element of earth (Prithvi) — Mahabalipuram
July 8
Chennai — Delhi — Toronto (nonstop option: Air Canada 43 leaving Delhi 10:50 - Arriving in Toronto at 5:30 am July 9th)
