A meditation model that moves our awareness through the body, breath, mind, and intellect, to arrive at supreme delight

Presented by Nidhi Yoga

in partnership with Wisdom Roots Wellness & Hilltown Commons

Workshop background:

Introduction to koshas:

The Taittiriya Upanisad teaches of the five concentric aspects that make up every person. They are:

  • Annamaya-kosa – the outermost realm, the physical body

  • Pranamaya-kosa – the next realm in the journey within, the energy of the breath

  • Manomaya-kosa – the third realm, the mind

  • Vijnanamaya-kosa – the penultimate realm, the discriminating power of the intellect

  • Anandamaya-kosa – the innermost realm, the bliss of the Truth that lies within each person

For well-integrated wellness, a person must meditate on each of these five aspects, moving from the least subtle to the most subtle. Through continued engagement in this practice, the person achieves a deeper awareness and mastery over each of these five aspects that constitute their person.

The meditation journey must begin with annam - the physical body - and progressively move through the more subtle, inner realms of prana, manas, and vijnana, before arriving at the Truth which lies within, whose nature is ananda -supreme bliss.

The program:

In the 2-day Pancakosa Dhyana retreat, we will embark on a meditative journey through the five practices of:

  •  Asana – the mindful work that harmonizes body and breath

  • Pranayama – the conscious regulation of the breath, which is the link to the mind

  • Vedic Chanting – the sacred sound of the Vedas that focus the mind and bring it to a place of stillness and silence

  • Upanisadic teaching – the teaching of the Truth that lies within each person is now absorbed by the mind made still

  • Music – the medium that transcends language and logic and elevates the person to the realm of joy. The music comprises the training techniques of classical Indian music that have derived from the Vedas. Together with songs of devotion and surrender to the highest Truth.

Bonus Offering:

On Saturday evening, we’re delighted to share in songs of devotion at our community kirtan!

Daily Schedule:

7 - 8:30am Integrated asana & pranayama practice

8:45 - 9:45am Breakfast

10am - 12pm Program Session (pranayama & vedic chanting)

12;15 - 2:45pm Lunch and free-time

3 - 5pm Program Session (pancakosa philosophy)

5:30 - 6:30pm Guidance in singing the songs of surrender and devotion

6:45 - 8pm Dinner and Saturday kirtan

(Schedule subject to change)

Program at a glance:

Yoga Experience: All levels

Suitable for: All

Program Theme: Spirituality, yoga, self-inquiry

Workshop Tuition:

The all-inclusive $980 fee for this three-day, two-night retreat includes:

  • Program session from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon
  • Expert instruction from renowned teachers of Sheela & Ravi Shankar of Nidhi Yoga
  • Private accommodations with en-suite bathroom
  • 3 all-natural, chef-prepared meals including welcome dinner and farewell lunch
  • Access to the grounds and facilities at Hilltown Commons, a beautiful 100-acre non-profit retreat center in Rensselaerville, New York

Meet your teachers:

SHEELA SHANKAR, a student of T.K.V. Desikachar who pioneered the use of Vedic Chanting as a meditative practice in Yoga. She has undergone the 2-year teacher training Diploma in Yoga at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (KYM), Chennai. She was one of TKV Desikachar’s foremost teachers of Vedic Chanting and is also a trained classical singer in both the Carnatic and the Hindustani tradition. 
Over the years, Sheela has continued to practice and teach Vedic Chanting and bhajans to several individuals and groups from various parts of the world.
She is the Vedic Chanting Course Faculty in Yoga Nidhi, India since 2000 and in Sadhana Mala, UK since 2017. She was the keynote speaker at the Association of Yoga Studies Convention, UK in 2019 with Ravi Shankar. She is the Vedic chanting faculty for the Der indische Weg, Miltenberg, Germany, and for Ropana, Japan.

RAVI SHANKAR has been on the path of Yoga for more than 30 years. He is a student of TKV Desikachar and has spent a number of years working under him and continues to teach in the same tradition. He has completed the intensive 2-year teacher training Diploma in Yoga at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. The learning he cherishes most is the years spent working in association with TKV Desikachar on the KYM yoga journal - Darsanam.
He specialises in teaching the philosophy of the Yoga Sutra, Sankhyakarika, Bhagavat Gita, and the Taittiriya Upanisad. In addition, his breath-centric asana programs are very well received for their deeply meditative and therapeutic benefits.
He was the Scholar-in-Residence (2008-09), Denison University, Granville, Ohio. He was earlier the Lilly Scholar at the Laura C. Harris Symposium, March 2007 at Denison University, Granville, Ohio. He has conducted yoga programs for leading corporate houses in India in areas of Wellness, Stress Management, and Learning.

The facilities & accommodations:

Wisdom Roots Wellness studio

The main program sessions will take place in the light-filled, 1,200 square-foot Wisdom Roots Wellness studio, which resides within the Hilltown Commons campus. Guests will enjoy the vibrant green of our indoor plant residents, hardwood forest views, as well as occasional wildlife visitors on the grounds of the Commons' campus.

View of the Catskill Mountains, seen from the Hilltown Commons grounds

Accommodations take place on the stunning 100-acre historic grounds of Hilltown Commons, a non-profit retreat center nestled in the hills near the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson River and overlooking the forest, fields and wetlands of the Huyck Preserve..

Participants of the Pancamaya workshop will be housed in Straus, where Wisdom Roots Wellness studio occupies the ground floor. The residence hall offers each guest a comfortable room with a private bath and queen bed, kitchen facilities, high-speed Wi-Fi, indoor and outdoor lounges, library, garden space, and firepit.

Peruse the gallery below for more pictures of the views and offerings you can expect from your retreat weekend.

  • Hilltown Commons campus

  • Straus, participant housing

  • Bedroom suite

  • The Pub & Restaurant, home of meals, libation and revelry

  • Quiant grounds of Hilltown Commons

  • Local Residents

  • Studio Serenity