Settle the nervous system
Two days away from screens, schedules and noise, with a rhythm designed to slow the breath before it asks anything of the mind.
Shri Kalyanika, Dol Ashram
Return to the Stillness Within
A weekend held in the quiet of the Himalayan foothills, where meditation and pranayama are taught the way they were meant to be learned — slowly, in silence, and under guidance. There is nothing to achieve here. You arrive carrying the noise of the week, and you leave carrying a practice you can keep.
Friday evening to Sunday afternoon · Two nights at the ashram
Reserve your place
The core promise
You will leave with a breath and meditation practice you can actually sustain at home — not a memory of a nice weekend.
Retreat objectives
What this weekend sets out to do
Learn pranayama correctly
Foundational breathing practices taught in person, with attention to posture, ratio and safety, so you are not guessing from a video.
Sit with guidance
Guided meditation sessions morning and evening, with space afterwards to ask the questions that only arise once you have actually sat.
Leave with a practice
A take-home sequence in three lengths, so the practice survives contact with an ordinary week.
Guiding principles
How we hold the weekend
Silence is a support, not a rule
Long stretches of the weekend are kept quiet. Nobody is policed into silence — it is simply protected for those who want it.
Practice before philosophy
Teaching stays close to the mat and the cushion. Context is offered when it helps the practice, not to fill the day.
Nothing is compulsory
Rest instead of a session if your body asks for it. Sitting out is a legitimate part of the practice.
Simple by design
Simple food, simple rooms, early nights. The plainness is the method, not a compromise.
The retreat journey
Three movements across two nights
Friday
Arrive and set down
Check in through the afternoon, an orientation circle at dusk, a light supper and a first short sitting before an early night.
Saturday
The full day of practice
Pranayama at first light, a long guided meditation, teaching and rest through the middle of the day, and a closing evening sitting.
Sunday
Take the practice home
A final morning practice, the take-home sequence taught in three lengths, questions answered, and departure after lunch.
Included / Not included
What your contribution covers
Included
- Two nights' accommodation at the ashram in your chosen room type
- All meals from Friday supper to Sunday lunch — simple sattvic vegetarian food
- All guided meditation and pranayama sessions
- Teaching sessions and the take-home practice sheet
- Use of the meditation hall and grounds through the weekend
Not included
- Travel to and from the ashram
- Personal expenses, purchases and donations
- Therapies, treatments or one-to-one sessions
- Any extension of your stay beyond Sunday afternoon
- Travel insurance
Take-home practice
One practice, three lengths
The same sequence, scaled to the time you actually have. Learn all three on Sunday and use whichever the day allows.
| Segment | 20 minutes | 30 minutes | 45 minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Settling and posture | 3 min | 4 min | 5 min |
| Breath awareness | 4 min | 5 min | 7 min |
| Pranayama | 6 min | 9 min | 13 min |
| Silent sitting | 5 min | 9 min | 16 min |
| Closing and rest | 2 min | 3 min | 4 min |
Travel & arrival
Getting to the ashram
Shri Kalyanika, Dol Ashram sits in the hills of Kumaon, Uttarakhand, a road journey from the plains. Most guests travel by overnight train or flight to the nearest railhead or airport and continue by road.
Arrival is on Friday between early afternoon and 6:00 pm so that everyone is settled before the orientation circle. Departure is after lunch on Sunday.
Our coordination team will send you detailed travel guidance, road timings and pickup options once your booking is confirmed. If you are arriving from outside India, tell us and we will plan the last leg with you.
What to bring
Pack lightly, and warmly
Essentials
- Loose, warm clothing you can sit in comfortably
- A shawl or blanket for early-morning sittings
- Warm layers — hill mornings and nights are cold year-round
- Comfortable walking shoes
- A reusable water bottle
- Any personal medication, clearly labelled
Good to have
- A notebook and pen
- Your own meditation cushion, if you use one
- Torch or headlamp
- Basic toiletries and a small towel
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- A book, if you read in the quiet hours
Suitability
Is this weekend for you?
This is for you if
- You want to begin, or restart, a serious meditation and breathing practice
- You are comfortable with early mornings, simple food and long quiet stretches
- You can sit on the floor with support, or on a chair, for around thirty minutes
- You are willing to set your phone aside for the weekend
Not suitable without consultation
- Uncontrolled high or low blood pressure, or a recent cardiac event
- Epilepsy, seizures or a history of severe vertigo
- Severe respiratory conditions, or recent chest or abdominal surgery
- Pregnancy
- An acute psychiatric condition, or a recent significant change in psychiatric medication
- Glaucoma or recent retinal or eye surgery
Some pranayama practices affect blood pressure, intracranial pressure and the nervous system. If anything on this list applies to you, please still tell us in the health declaration when you book — it does not stop you booking. Our team will reach out to plan a modified practice with you, and we may ask you to check with your doctor first.
Retreat rhythm & code of conduct
How the weekend is kept
The daily rhythm
Days begin before sunrise and end early. Practice sits at the two ends of the day, with teaching and rest in the middle. Meals are at fixed times and are taken quietly. The rhythm is not demanding, but it is steady, and it works because everyone keeps it together.
Silence and speech
The hours from the evening sitting until after morning practice are kept in silence, as is the meditation hall at all times. Elsewhere, speak softly and sparingly. If you need to talk something through with a teacher, there is time set aside for exactly that.
Phones, cameras and devices
Please keep phones on silent and out of shared spaces. There is no photography or recording in the meditation hall or during sessions, and none of other guests anywhere without asking. If you must stay reachable, tell us at check-in and we will help you arrange it without disturbing others.
Respect for the ashram
This is a living, working ashram, not a resort. Dress modestly, remove footwear where indicated, follow the instructions of the ashram staff, and treat the grounds, shrines and residents with care. No alcohol, tobacco, cannabis or other intoxicants, and no meat, fish or eggs on the premises.
Booking this weekend is an agreement to keep the rhythm and the code of conduct. If it is not kept, we may ask a guest to leave, without refund. In many years this has almost never been necessary.
Come as you are. Leave with your breath.
Reserve your place
Book the weekend
Choose your weekend and room types, tell us who is coming, and complete payment securely. Confirmation reaches your inbox immediately.
01
Choose your weekend and rooms
Twin Sharing
Two guests to a room
₹5,000 per guest
2
Single Occupancy
A room to yourself
₹6,500 per guest
0
- Subtotal
- ₹10,000
- GST @ 18%
- ₹1,800
- Total
- ₹11,800
02
Lead booker details
03
Health declaration
Do you have any medical or psychological condition, injury, or medication that we should know about before you practise pranayama with us?
04
Confirm and pay
Fri 4 Sep – Sun 6 Sep
2 twin sharing · 0 single occupancy · 2 guests
Payable now ₹11,800
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