The Shaktipat Retreat

• The rare opportunity to experience a natural spiritual awakening, blissful stillness, and true contentment
• Obtain a rare, in-person initiation from Somananda for Laya Yoga – a secret tantric meditation technique
• Possible insights into higher levels of self-perception and self-refinement
• Powerful permanent shifts, inner transformation, and life realizations
• A lifting of the veils of delusion from the darker areas of the mind which allow the practitioner to soar within
• Receiving divine grace with the potential of untying the knots of personal karma, both known and unknown
• Being in the presence of a spiritual teacher who is entering elevated states of mind and offering himself as a conduit for manifestations of the Divine

The spiritual transmission of shaktipat is considered an act of grace on the part of the guru, and ultimately, it is a revelation from the Divine. It cannot be forced or manipulated.

The energy or light that you receive in shaktipat acts in its own way according to the will of the Divine and through the universal law of karma, and not according to the discernment of the teacher or the expectations or hopes of the disciple.

A certain divine contact may be transmitted which can enter the disciple and initiate a thrust forward along the authentic spiritual path, catapulting a student to the next stage of evolution.

Shaktipat cleans the dust and dirt from the mirror of your soul so that you can reflect the light more and more. Each individual participant receives something different, perfectly designed and applicable for him or her.

In order for Shaktipat to manifest, a deep state of meditation is necessary. In meditation the guru becomes a channel for which divine energy can flow to the disciple and the disciple becomes open to receive this grace and gift of consciousness.  

To enter into a deep meditative state a powerful technique must be utilized and practiced. The most cherished technique that is used in our lineage stems from the tantric tradition and is known as Laya Yoga. It is the most authoritative technique on the planet and yet remains mostly unknown and secretive. 

In Laya Yoga a practitioner is able to enter into profound states of consciousness by coming into resonance with the most subtle sounds of the divine. To practice Laya Yoga a secret mantra is needed which must be imparted physically by a guru through a process known as nyasa. Such an initiation is considered an important milestone for sincere spiritual aspirants. 

Many of our students have been waiting several years to receive the Laya Yoga teachings and initiation and now Somananda has included this offering in the Shaktipat Retreat.

The Shaktipat Retreat 2022 also aligns with the Maha Shivaratri celebration, which will take place on the evening of 1 March.

Maha Shivaratri means “The Great Night of Shiva”. It is a traditional night of worship to pay homage to Lord Shiva, the father of Tantra and the Great Guru of all the Yogis. 

As a group we will all gather together in the Yoga hall wearing white and through prayer, meditation, bhajans, offerings, prostrations, spiritual readings, studying the various aspects of Shiva, reverential dancing and Bhakti Yoga we will honor, invoke and merge with the Shiva consciousness.  

This is an auspicious moment which presents tantric practitioners with a precious opportunity and favorable circumstances to more easily access and arouse the higher chakras, and specifically, Sahasrara, the Crown chakra!

The Shaktipat Retreat will assume a unique format, unlike any of our other offerings.

In this retreat you will customize your own experience in terms of your daily sadhana, or spiritual practice. You will choose the framework of your practice and techniques, and the level or degree of your introspection and contemplation.

There will be introductory teachings for beginners who do not yet have a spiritual practice, optional daily Hatha Yoga and self-study (svadhyaya) sessions, designated hours of meditation with Somananda every day, and scheduled evening satsangs. Silence, or manua, will be practiced every day until lunch break.

As part of the Shaktipat retreat is daily individual practice of svadhyaya. This word comes from the Sanskrit language and means self-study or study of the true Self. It is a very meaningful yogic concept referring that the true study of the Self actually leads to knowing the Divine.

Yoga itself is svadhyaya leading ultimately to the union with the Divine. In the Shaktipat Retreat, however, you will engage in svadhyaya also through reading spiritual books and contemplating about the meaning and message in them. Each retreat day two hours are allocated for such self-study.

We recommend that you choose your svadhyaya book carefully. The chosen book should be discussing authentic spiritual topics and be written by a true spiritual master. Here you can use our recommended reading list as a reference and to take your pick from the Yoga or Tantra category there.

For the purpose of creating a balanced and harmonious group, all our courses can be joined by application only.

After making your course payment, you will receive an email with a link to an online Application Form. Please fill out the form completely and submit it. In addition to the Application Form, we may ask you to have a video call with one of our head teachers before a final decision about your participation can be made. 

Once the application process is complete, an answer will be given to you within 5 working days. In the case of a negative answer, your payment will be fully refunded.