Sacred Elements

Sacred Body - Ayurveda & Temple - South India

14 Nights in January
with Micha Augustin - Ayurvedic Practitioner, Yoga Teacher and Tour Guide

The Vedas - all spiritual forms in India stem from the Vedas, an ancient system of knowledge that examines the connection between the universal and the physical.

‘Sacred Body’ looks at this knowledge in the present day, through an enquiry into the traditional Indian medical system of Ayurveda, and through the spiritual life of one of the great temple towns of South India

With an experienced yoga teacher and ayurvedic practitioner as your guide, we will spend a week studying the Ayurvedic system at a centre in Cochin, Kerala.

Although with daily massage and yoga, nevertheless this is not a course of medical treatment.

We then transfer across South India to the spiritual centre and Fire Element temple town of Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, ending with two days on the coast at Mamallapuram.

Jan 17 - 21 Ayurvedic Centre, Cochin

At a fully qualified and staffed residential Ayurvedic Institute, just outside Cochin

07:00 - 08:00 Yoga with Micha
08:00 - 09:00 Breakfast
10:00 - 17:00 Massage, External Herbal & Oil Over Head Therapy, Basics of Ayurveda with Institute
Doctor & Lunch
17:00 - 18:00 Cookery Tuition
18:00 - 19:00 Supper
19:30 - 20:30 Sacred Elements with Micha - Monday to Friday : Five Days - Five Elements : Akash - Space, Vayu - Air, Pejas - Fire, Jala - Water, Prithvi - Earth

January 23 - January 28 Spiritual Enquiry, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu (5 nts) Sunday January 23 - Transfer to Tiruvannamalai Tiruvannamalai is a major spiritual cente in South India, with sacred Mt Arunachala, Fire Element Temple and the Ramana Ashram among its major attractions. We will contact Swami Suddhananda at his Ashram in the area and James Swartz an American spiritual teacher and commentator based in Tiruvannamalai during the winter. Further details to follow.
		James Swartz	Swami Suddhananda

January 28 - January 30
Coastal Resort, Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu (2 nts)
Friday January 28 - Transfer to Mamallapuram

A small seaside town just 45 minutes south of Chennai airport, were we relax for a couple of nights at a well appointed and well managed beach resort - for resting up before the flight or travelling to or from other parts of India.

Mamallapuram itself has a fine tradition of stonemasonry evident everywhere, the fabulous rock carvings in the centre of town, and the famous shore temple, one of India's oldest stone temples. Airport transfers from Chennai Airport are efficiently managed by the hotel.

Michaela Augustin - Course Guide, Tour Guide and Yoga Tutor

A Hatha Yoga teacher and an Ayurvedic practitioner. Originating from northern Germany and now resident in Brighton, England. Also a trained archaeological conservator, having worked on sites in Germany, China, Turkey, Cyprus and England. After studies in Homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Thai Chi and Chi Gong, Micha discovered the complete science of Ayurveda. After training for 2 years in Banares and Pune at the BHU and the Tilak College, she completed certified courses in Ayurveda, Yoga and Ayurvedic massage, and is now completing studies to become an Ayurvedic Doctor in London. Combining her interests in India culture, history, spirituality and Yoga, Micha will guide you on this journey through one of the most inspiring parts of the world.

Yoga Sessions - depending on tour schedule and client wishes. Micha will lead yoga sessions each day. All different styles of yoga will be welcome.

Travel Information
Visas - Clients will almost certainly need to apply for a visa at various Indian High Commissions. At all costs one should avoid the maniacal Visa Section chaos in the weeks before Christmas.
Flights - As all our itineraries are accessible internationally, we do not quote for flights. Fly direct to Kochi ( Cochin ) Frequent connections from Europe go via The Gulf, or via Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay).Clients should book the flight transfer on Sunday January 11 from Cochin to Chennai when making their international flight reservation.
Health - India is a lot healthier than it used to be. Bottled water everywhere has made a big difference to traveller comfort and sticking to the wonderful South Indian vegetarian cooking is recommended as one of the most effective ways of avoiding stomach problems. However - Personal Medical Decisions: All clients must decide on the following immunisation guidelines: Hepatitis A & B - Polio Booster - Tetanus Booster - Typhoid - Diptheria - Rabies - TB (BCG), Japanese Encephalitis - Malaria Protection. Seek relevant professional medical advice.
Insurance - All World Spirit clients are advised to be fully insured, with comprehensive medical policies that cover transfer to first class medical facilities and emergency repatriation.


Communications - Cheap, normal, pay as you go, telephone services are ubiquitous in India. European tri-band mobile phones work in most major destinations. Internet facilities - though subject to overloading and breakdown, are developing and improving fast.
Accommodation - Over the last few years, India has gradually responded to the requirements of the modern traveller, providing more and more reasonably priced mid-market, international standard accommodation. Subject to 'India being India', the Sacred Elements Tour is based on this standard of hotel. World Spirit makes the reservations and clients pay their own hotel bills. We do not offer the sharing of rooms by clients that do not know each other beforehand.

Rituals - Where permissible for non-Hindus, and in order to savour the spiritual atmosphere of the sites visited, participation in simple temple rituals should be considered, For those who have a personal relationship with God, it is quite appropriate to see their deity in the one that is there.

Climate - The December and January Tour dates should benefit from dry and sunny weather:
Late January - Highs 27-33 C Lows - 18-23 C.

Payment - The published budget prices include:
1. 14 nights accommodation, airport taxi transfers & tour transport which clients pay for in the normal way on site.
2.Tuiition & Guide Fees and a Service Charge payable to World Spirit by cheque 2-4 weeks before departure.
3 - General facilities & food at the Ayurvedic Centre in Cochin ( 7 nts )
4 - Flights and living expenses are not included.

NB - Budget Prices - Budget Prices - All prices quoted in this brochure are budget prices based on established costs and variable foreign exchange rates. the actual price can vary either way by approximately 10% as a general rule, possibly more with turbulent foreign exchanges.

	Products Available from World Spirit 'Images'
	'The Unchanging Self' A Journey through Spiritual India - DVD/Video
	'Under a Tree in India' Traditional Vedic Satsang - DVD/Video
	Sacred India Cards A range of photos and spiritual artwork


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Arrive Cochin Sun Jan 16	Arrive Tiruvannamalai Mon Jan 24	Depart Chennai Sun Jan 30