Master Your Mind, Open Your Heart
A Yoga & Spiritual Awakening Retreat
Friday, July 19, 2024 through Sunday, July 21, 2024
Mercy by the Sea Retreat Center
Madison, Connecticut, USA
There is a reason you are reading this.
Each of us has a Divine purpose, a reason that our soul is here on earth in our current physical manifestation. It is not a coincidence that you are interested in this retreat.
Your heart yearns to shed layers and your soul desires to be uncovered.
Join us as we dive deep into the ancient wisdom of Vedanta and Bhakti yoga while utilizing the five sacred elements to come into balance and harmony with our own being and with those around us.
Through ancient yogic practices intuitively guided through earth, water, fire, air and ether, we will be held in our own Divinity and guided toward spiritual awakening and transformation. Led by Vedaji, we will begin to uncover how to distance from our busy minds and listen to our own hearts.
About Vedaji
Spiritual Guide and Retreat Leader
A luminary, a guru and teacher to thousands throughout the world, Vedaji travels from Atlanta, Georgia to join us in person for this weekend retreat. He currently travels the world touching countless hearts through his retreats and group tours throughout the United States, Europe, and India.
As founder of Food4Lives and Mindful Seva Institute, Vedaji’s dharma (life purpose) is to raise global consciousness, eliminate the mental health crisis, to help people open their hearts, and to create lasting spiritual communities (sanghas) throughout the world. Through his Chitta Cleanse Technique (CCT), he assists those looking to overcome harmful patterns and traumas in their life to ultimately find their unique dharma.
Vedaji has helped countless individuals throughout his lifetime and remains a humble devotee of the Divine. Those who cross his path note his playful nature, unique ability to see the good in all situations, and his mystical abilities. Join us in New England to experience the magic.
Explore the Five Sacred Elements
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Earth
Participate in earthing ceremonies on the beach and surrounding grounds through electromagnetic therapy. This may include mindful walking, yoga asana, and outdoor evening ceremonies.
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Water
Vedaji plans to guide us in an aarti ceremony, giving gratitude to the sea with flowers, lamps, and yoga mantras. Enjoy ocean coastline, its calming presence and beautiful views.
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Fire
Vedaji will lead a ceremony in which the fire element allows us to release what doesn’t serve and welcome in what does.
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Air
Enjoy yogic practices such as yoga asana, kirtan (sacred mantra chanting), and Vedaji’s signature breath of detachment. These sessions will stimulate balance and help to release unwanted emotions.
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Ether
Morning meditations will be offered along with spontaneous meditation and silence throughout the program so that we are able to acclimate the teachings and experiences.
Tentative Retreat Schedule*
*As with all Vedaji programs, please allow room for spontaneity and some flexibility in the schedule as dictated by the needs of participants. Prior to the start of the retreat, please allow for some adjustments as we refine the schedule.
Friday, July 19, 2024
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Arrive between 4-5:30pm to register, check-in to your room, and get comfortable prior to dinner at 5:30pm.
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Vegetarian cuisine will be provided, along with vegan and gluten free options. If you have dietary constraints outside of these parameters, we ask that you supplement your meals accordingly. Refrigerators are available. Coffee, tea, and water will be available throughout the day (kindly bring water bottles for refilling). Please email sangha@chittacleanse.com with questions.
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Retreat leaders will provide an introduction and welcome to the retreat, followed by an opening circle where participants are welcome to share their intentions and heart. Session may include group icebreakers guided by Vedaji.
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An interactive musical, meditative mantra experience guided by Vedaji, Nirvana Devi, Keshavi Devi, and guest musicians to be announced closer to the start of the retreat. No experience required, come with an open heart and mind.
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Possible outdoor ceremony following kirtan, led by Vedaji or another experienced practitioner.
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Wind down outdoors on the beautiful grounds or retreat to your room to rest for the next full day.
Saturday, July 20, 2024
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Participants choose from one of the following two offerings:
Yoga asana: Nirvana Devi or another experienced teacher will lead an outdoor (weather-dependent) yoga class, intuitively guided to accommodate the needs of those in attendance.
Meditation: Keshavi Devi or another experienced teacher will lead meditation. Practices could include a variety of offerings including mantra chanting, japa meditation, a guided east meets west meditation to align with Vedaji’s teachings, silent meditation, and/or sun gazing.
The 7am morning session is only available to those who are staying on campus in a single or shared room.
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Commuters check-in at 8am.
Vegetarian cuisine will be provided, along with vegan and gluten free options. If you have dietary constraints outside of these parameters, we ask that you supplement your meals accordingly. Refrigerators are available. Coffee, tea, and water will be available throughout the day (kindly bring water bottles for refilling). Please email sangha@chittacleanse.com with questions.
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Vedaji will guide these interactive sessions; please allow some room for flexibility as Vedaji shares based on the audience needs. This could include, but is not limited to, sharing intuitive wisdom, interactive dialogue, Q&A, group or partner work, journaling, breathwork, meditation, light movement, outdoor gounding exercises, or teaching ancient yogic practices, and includes breaks as needed. Specific topic for this session will be included closer to the start of the retreat.
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Participants choose from one of the following two offerings:
Yoga Asana: An experienced teacher TBD will lead an indoor or outdoor (weather-dependent) yoga class, intuitively guided to accommodate the needs of those in attendance.
Thai Massage: Details TBD.
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Vegetarian cuisine will be provided, along with vegan and gluten free options. If you have dietary constraints outside of these parameters, we ask that you supplement your meals accordingly. Refrigerators are available. Coffee, tea, and water will be available throughout the day (kindly bring water bottles for refilling). Please email sangha@chittacleanse.com with questions.
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Use this time to enjoy the beautiful grounds and the ocean coastline. Take a walk on the beach, journal, share time with your new sangha, meditate, or do whatever your heart feels called to do. This retreat is about you; please do what feels appropriate now and throughout the retreat.
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A signature breathwork offering led by Vedaji, who incorporates music and the breath to tap into the separation of the gross and subtle aspects of our existence. Participants may experience a release of multi-life traumas, sometimes considered to be a regressional experience.
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Vedaji will guide these interactive sessions; please allow some room for flexibility as Vedaji shares based on the audience needs. This could include, but is not limited to, sharing intuitive wisdom, interactive dialogue, Q&A, group or partner work, journaling, breathwork, meditation, light movement, outdoor grounding exercises, or teaching ancient yogic practices, and includes breaks as needed. While subject to change, the topic for this session will likely be about processing the previous session’s breathwork experience.
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Daksa Devi (Erin Day) will lead this gentle yoga class, designed to wind down and integrate after the breathwork session. Daksa Devi is incredibly intuitive and will tailor the class to the needs of participants to align with the day’s events. This class is designed to integrate and flow easily into the relaxing sound healing session immediately following.
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Sound healing session led by practitioner TBD. Details to be provided.
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Vegetarian cuisine will be provided, along with vegan and gluten free options. If you have dietary constraints outside of these parameters, we ask that you supplement your meals accordingly. Refrigerators are available. Coffee, tea, and water will be available throughout the day (kindly bring water bottles for refilling). Please email sangha@chittacleanse.com with questions.
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An interactive musical, meditative mantra experience guided by Vedaji, Nirvana Devi, Keshavi Devi, and guest musicians to be announced closer to the start of the retreat. No experience required, come with an open heart and mind.
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Wind down with a full moon ceremony on the banks of the ocean under the light of the full moon. Guided by Vedaji and/or our other experienced leaders, this session will help you to open your heart and sooth the soul.
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Retreat to your room after a full day; ensure you get enough rest in order to enjoy the final day of the retreat.
Sunday, July 21, 2024
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Participants choose between one of the following two offerings.
Yoga asana: Daksa Devi or another experienced teacher will lead an outdoor (weather-dependent) yoga class, intuitively guided to accommodate the needs of those in attendance.
Meditation: Keshavi Devi or another experienced teacher will lead meditation. Practices could include a variety of offerings including mantra chanting, japa meditation, a guided east meets west meditation to align with Vedaji’s teachings, silent meditation, and/or sun gazing.
The 7am morning session is only available to those who are staying on campus in a single or shared room.
-
Commuters check-in at 8am.
Vegetarian cuisine will be provided, along with vegan and gluten free options. If you have dietary constraints outside of these parameters, we ask that you supplement your meals accordingly. Refrigerators are available. Coffee, tea, and water will be available throughout the day (kindly bring water bottles for refilling). Please email sangha@chittacleanse.com with questions.
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After breakfast, retreat to your rooms for check-out. If you are commuter, enjoy the down time prior to the next session.
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Vedaji will guide these interactive sessions; please allow some room for flexibility as Vedaji shares based on the audience needs. This could include, but is not limited to, sharing intuitive wisdom, interactive dialogue, Q&A, group or partner work, journaling, breathwork, meditation, light movement, outdoor grounding exercises, or teaching ancient yogic practices, and includes breaks as needed. Specific topic for this session will be included closer to the start of the retreat.
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Vegetarian cuisine will be provided, along with vegan and gluten free options. If you have dietary constraints outside of these parameters, we ask that you supplement your meals accordingly. Refrigerators are available. Coffee, tea, and water will be available throughout the day (kindly bring water bottles for refilling). Please email sangha@chittacleanse.com with questions.
-
Vedaji will guide these interactive sessions; please allow some room for flexibility as Vedaji shares based on the audience needs. This could include, but is not limited to, sharing intuitive wisdom, interactive dialogue, Q&A, group or partner work, journaling, breathwork, meditation, light movement, outdoor grounding exercises, or teaching ancient yogic practices, and includes breaks as needed. Specific topic for this session will be included closer to the start of the retreat.
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Participants can choose from one of the two offerings.
Yoga Asana: Join Vedaji, Nirvana Devi, or a to be announced teacher for this grounding, movement inspired yoga class to get the energy flowing prior to closing circle.
Meditation: Class may involve a grounding meditation, a class about how to establish a daily spiritual practice (sadhana), and may include a prompted journaling session to process your weekend realizations.
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Retreat leaders close the retreat, which may include a gratitude and sharing circle amongst participants. This is always a moving, beautiful offering and a wonderful way to merge and acclimate back into everyday life with your new loving community.
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Thank you for sharing your heart with us. We hope that your experience was as rewarding as it was for us, and we hope to maintain contact for future events. Ways to stay in touch with the community for future gatherings, online classes, and events will be offered during the Closing Circle and throughout the program.
Meet the Teachers
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Vedaji
As a practitioner of the ancient yoga lineages of Advaita Vedanta and Bhakti since the age of five, Vedaji leads a life devoted to the service of others, currently traveling the world to assist his devotees through the process of self-realization. As the founder of the non-profit organizations Mindful Seva Institute and Food4lives, he has transformed the lives of many devotees and remains in service to thousands of followers all over the world. Learn more about Vedaji and the Chitta Cleanse Technique he created here.
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Hara Keshavi Devi
Keshavi (Jodi Robinson), RYT 200, MPH found yoga 15 years ago while living a demanding, corporate lifestyle in Washington, DC. Knowing there was something more to yoga than what is taught in the west, she went on a search for truth which ultimately led to yoga training in Bali, on yoga yatras and living in northern India, to spending time with one of her most influential teachers, Ram Dass, on Maui. As a Director of Food4Lives in Connecticut, she lives Neem Karoli Baba’s directive to “Love Everyone, Feed Everyone.” Keshavi now devotes her time to raising the consciousness of the world as a global leader in Vedaji’s community and through sharing the lifestyle of yoga.
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Daksa Devi (Erin Day)
Daksa Devi encourages inner and outer environments through which individuality and wisdom of self thrive and collective experience and conscious interaction with all of life is embraced. For twenty-five years, anchored by Yogic studies, she's mentored others in exploring their relationship to body, breath, mind and spirit. As an herbalist and Greenspirit practitioner, Erin works with nature in tangible and nonphysical ways in order to support all beings in realizing their oneness with all and their unique expression of self. She's the founder of Ten Summit Yoga & Earth Based Wellness in CT.
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Danielle Newton (Nirvana Devi)
Danielle Newton, farmer, mother of 3, and owner of Be Brave Yoga LLC is a 500hr RYT, Meditation Instructor, and Kirtan Leader. Danielle has been practicing Yoga for 14 years and started her teaching career in 2015. She came to Yoga seeking relief from chronic pain and arthritis in her early twenties. What was even more astonishing than the practice leaving her feeling pain free and improving her mobility, is that the practice spoke to her spirit like nothing ever had before. Diving into yoga as a complete system and not just a physical exercise has led her to meet some of the most amazing and inspirational people. She uses the practice to spread inspiration to others through uplifting classes and heart filled Kirtan. Danielle continues to study the art of Yoga and is currently in the process of opening Be Brave Yoga’s first brick and mortar studio in Central CT.
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Genipher Love
Genipher Love has always been a seeker. With blood roots from Thailand and India, an abundance of life tragedies, a toxic lifestyle, and 10 year alcohol addiction led her back to her yogic roots and a deeper dive into herself. She received her 200hr YTT in Rishikesh, India in April 2019. She now completely leans on the Divine for intuitive knowledge and inspiration. She currently teaches yoga at several studios in CT & RI, facilitates sacred Full Moon & Cacao Ceremonies, and leads a variety of workshops centered around coming back to the heartspace. Genipher’s deepest intention for each Yogi is to uplift ones's own soul & create a loving community for everyone to reach their highest Self. When she is not on the mat or traveling you can find her outdoors with Mother Earth or tending to all her cats and 300 houseplants.
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Connie Drake (Haripriya Devi)
Connie Drake’s love of massage and its healing effects make it a joy to be able to share with others. Connie feels that every body is unique and she approaches each massage session with an open heart and mind to work with each individual from where they're at. Connie is a graduate of the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy where she was trained in multiple massage modalities including Swedish, Deep Tissue and Orthopedic. She also has additional training in Prenatal massage, Thai massage, Energy Work, and Body Mobilization Techniques.
Join the family
Vedaji’s loving spiritual community (sangha) spans the globe… from the United States to Europe to Bali, Indonesia, our loving community welcomes you with an open heart. Get a taste of the magic by participating in this retreat.
Pricing
Single rooms are SOLD OUT!* Only a few shared rooms remain!
Bring a friend and get $108 off when you purchase two tickets together; that’s $54 off each of your tickets! Special applies to Shared Room and Commuter Pass tickets only. Add two tickets to your cart and use code MYMOYHBOGO at checkout.
This is a not-for-profit event! Net proceeds go directly to Food4Lives.
*Email sangha@chittacleanse.com to get on the single room waitlist.
Daypasses are also available. Click the button above or email sangha@chittacleanse.com for details.
Housing Options for Commuters
We are partnering with two local housing options to accommodate our commuters who are unable to book a retreat center room before they sell out. To book, reach out to either of the two options below and mention that you are from the Food4Lives group to receive discounted group pricing. We plan to have shuttle service running back and forth to each location at the start and end of each day of the retreat for those who do not have their own cars.
Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Old Saybrook: Located in Old Saybrook, CT and a 15 minute drive from Mercy by the Sea. Receive a 10% discounted room rate for as low as $159.99 per night by calling (860) 399-7973 and booking under the FOOD4LIVES room block. Rooms reserved for retreat guest bookings now through June 18, 2024.
Riverdale Farm Campsites: Located in Clinton, CT and a 12 minute drive from Mercy by the Sea. For $55/night, campsites can accommodate up to two tents and two vehicles with three adults per campsite. You must supply your own camping gear (tents, bedding, etc.). Campground supplies showers, bathrooms, water, wifi, and electricity. Call (860) 669-5388 to book.
Prefer a Payment Plan?
Payment plans are available!!! They are based on the current rate subject to a 7% handling fee. All payment plans require you to create an account by setting a login and password through the website. Payment plans are only available for single rooms, shared rooms, and the full retreat commuter pass.
This is a not for profit event! Net proceeds go to Food4Lives in Connecticut and Georgia, both 501(c)3 registered non-profit organizations.
We are offering a limited number of seva (selfless service) opportunities, where a discounted ticket can be exchanged for help with the retreat. Specifically, we are seeking someone who is tech-savvy and/or someone with marketing experience. Email sangha@chittacleanse.com to discuss available positions.
Are you experiencing a financial hardship? We have a limited number of discounted passes available for those who demonstrate an inability to pay the listed retreat ticket price. Email sangha@chittacleanse.com for more information.
Please email sangha@chittacleanse.com if an ADA compliant room is needed and we will advise of available room options prior to booking.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
January 16 - June 14, 2024: 50% of the full price of your ticket at the time of purchase is refundable. If you have already paid the full fee and cancel, you will receive a 50% refund from the price of the full cost of the ticket at the time of purchase. If you utilized a payment plan, you will receive a 50% refund based on the full cost of the ticket at the time of purchase less the payment plan processing fee of 7%.
June 15, 2024 - July 21, 2024: All ticket sales are non-refundable; this includes but is not limited to the following reasons:
If your transportation (train/air etc.) is cancelled;
No-shows, i.e. you don’t cancel and don’t let us know that you won’t be attending, or if you cancel at such short notice that your space is unable to be filled;
Any illnesses. We recommend purchasing the appropriate travel insurance to protect your investment if this is a concern.
All tickets are fully transferrable if you find someone as a replacement. Please email sangha@chittacleanse.com for ticket refund or transfer requests.
We reserve the right to cancel the retreat for any reason. This would only happen in exceptional circumstances resulting in not being able to offer the retreat as advertised or if the minimum number of participants to run the retreat is not met. Should this occur, we will notify you as soon as we have knowledge of the retreat cancellation and will refund you the full price of the ticket at the time of purchase, less the payment plan processing fee of 7% if you utilized a payment plan. In the rare event that we must cancel the retreat, we cannot be held liable for any expenses you may have incurred, including but not limited to travel costs, vacation days, or exchange rate losses.
Retreat Terms & Conditions
As this is a retreat to raise our consciousness, no alcohol or drugs of any kind are permitted at the retreat. Additionally, Mercy by the Sea is a non-smoking facility and campus, and as such smoking is not allowed anywhere on the grounds. Mercy by the Sea welcomes guests 18 years of age and older.
By purchasing a ticket, you acknowledge that you have read, understand, and agree to the Cancellation and Refund Policy and the Retreat Terms and Conditions.
“Every day is an opportunity for spiritual growth. Picture it like tending to a little plant in a pot. To protect your precious plant from being overshadowed by weeds and thriving, you must carefully nurture it. In the same way, we all possess this Divine spirit, our true nature. It’s crucial to nurture and cultivate our spiritual essence. If we neglect this practice, we risk losing our connection to spiritual disposition.”
~ Vedaji
Consider this an investment into your spiritual evolution. You won’t regret it.
Still Unsure?
Join Vedaji in a free Zoom class! He hosts The Heartspace with Vedaji every Saturday at 9am ET. This is a free weekly class for his global sangha. Join us!
Contact us.
Need more information about the retreat, the chitta cleanse process, or anything else? Email us and we are happy to answer any questions you have.
sangha@chittacleanse.com