Yoga Retreat with Saraswathi Vasudevan

at Kattiampandal Farm house

Theme: Deepening Personal Practice

August 14 – 17, 2025

This is an in-person retreat offered at my (Saras’) home in the Kattiampandal village (near Chengalpattu, around 2 hours drive from Chennai).

Open for yoga practitioners, teachers and therapists with a steady daily practice of yoga, seeking to understand, deepen and find direction for inner growth.

Retreat begins 5pm Thursday, August 14 and concludes 3pm Sunday, August 17.

Venue: Wellness Foundation, Kattiyampandal Village, 
(near Poornalayam), Kattiampandal, Tamil Nadu 603406.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/i2W3u1hWiKJqfx7t5
 
To register for the retreat, pls fill the form below:
https://forms.gle/C1JVFYSkT95j8uDN9
 
Please note that we are only accepting a limited number of participants. If the space is full, you will be waitlisted and we ask you to wait. If there are any cancellations, we can take you in.
 
Theme: Deepening Personal Practice
 
The retreat will focus on the topics below with scope for further exploration depending on the configuration of the group and our collective engagement:
  • What is Practice? Sadhana and Abhyasa-Vairagya
  • The purpose and design of a daily personal Yoga practice. 
  • What are the essential ingredients of our daily practice and how do they enable growth and learning at all levels?
  • What helps and what are our challenges?
  • How to deepen and ensure progression at the level of the Panca Maya?
 
Accommodation is only shared, no single accommodation available. Depending on the number of participants, we will allocate rooms. 
 
Program Schedule:
 
Participants to arrive and settle in before 4 pm on August 14, 2025 (Thursday)
 
Tentative Schedule for the 3 days:
 
Day 1: Aug 14, 2025 
 
5.00 – 6.00 pm:    Introduction & Orientation
6.00 – 6.30 pm:    Mindful walking practice
6.30 – 7.30 pm:    Dinner
8.00 – 9.00 pm:    Meditation & Relaxation Practice
 
Day 2 & 3: Aug 15, 16, 2025 
 
5.30 – 6.00 am: Meditation
6.00 – 6.30 am: Walking Meditation
7.00 – 8.00 am: Group Asana-Pranayama Practice
8.30 – 9.30 am: Breakfast
9.30 – 11.00 am: Exploratory session
11.00 – 11.15 am: Break
11.15 – 12.30 pm: Application session
12.30 – 1.00 pm: Pranayama Practice
1.00 – 3.00 pm: Lunch break
3.00 – 3.30 pm: Chanting
3.30 – 4.00 pm: Tea Break
4.00 – 5.30 pm: Group exploration & consolidation
5.30 – 6.30 pm: Free time
6.30 – 7.30 pm: Dinner 
8.30 – 9.00 pm: Closing practice 
 
Day 3: Aug 17, 2025
 
5.30 – 6.00 am: Meditation
6.00 – 6.30 am: Walking Meditation
7.00 – 8.00 am: Group (Asana-Pranayama) Practice
8.30 – 9.30 am: Breakfast
9.30 – 11.00 am: Consolidation
11.00 – 11.15 am: Break
11.15 – 12.30 pm: Concluding Session
12.30 – 2.00 pm: Lunch
 

We ask that you do your best to be on time for and participate in all activities while you are with us. 

Pratyahara

The chance to be on a retreat is very precious. To be fully present and benefit from the mindful energy we ask that you minimise the use of electronic devices as much as possible and not engage in unnecessary conversations that can take us away from the purpose of the gathering. 

Clothing & Weather

For everyone’s comfort (especially being in a village in South India) you will find it helpful to bring clothes that are loose fitting and cover your knees and shoulders so that you can practice, walk, sit and engage in all activities comfortably. Weather at the farm at this time of the year is quite warm, light cotton clothes will be most comfortable. 

Food 

South Indian vegetarian meals are served at mealtimes (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and we ask that you refrain from taking food outside of those times. 

Mindful Activity

We hope to c-create a joyful, shared living experience where we participate voluntarily in activities towards upkeep of the space like taking care of cleaning your rooms and bathrooms, preparing the hall for teaching and cleaning up at the end of each day, helping with preparation of meals, washing dishes and cleaning up after meals, gardening etc.,

Practising Silence

There is a period of Noble Silence that begins at 6.30 pm on Day 2 & 3 and continues until after breakfast the next morning. We ask that everyone do their best to avoid unnecessary conversations during that period, so that a deep atmosphere of rest can be enjoyed by all.

What to bring:

  • Personal clothing
  • We will provide clean sheets, pillow covers. However, you may also get a bed sheet and a pillow-cover if necessary.
  • Water bottle
  • Sun hat / cap / umbrella
  • Towel
  • Toiletries
  • Mosquito repellant
  • Walking shoes/sandals
  • Torch
  • Yoga Mat
  • Writing material, notebook for taking notes. 
  • Please bring your Personal practice file (with course sheets) & journal notes if any.
Arriving and Departure:
 
Once your registration is confirmed and you have made your travel plans, we will help you find the right transport to reach the farm from Chennai (Airport/railway station) – takes 2-2.5 hours. We will create a whatsapp group with all the participants so you can plan your commute to and from the farm. 
 
Any more questions?
 
We will have an orientation session online (Zoom) on August 10th (Sunday) where we can meet each other and clarify any questions/concerns. 
 
Looking forward to having you at the retreat in Kattiampandal, 
 
Warmly,
Saraswathi