Himalayan Journey
Three Traditions, One Path
21 Day Meditation Training
2nd - 22nd May 2027
India
Our 21-Day Meditation Retreat & Immersion in the Foothills of the Himalayas
Join us for a 21-day meditation retreat and immersion in the foothills of the Himalayas in May 2027, exploring practices and teachings from the main schools of Buddhism as we steep ourselves in the path of awakening through teachings and guided meditation — opening ever more fully to the boundless nature of mind.
Over three weeks, we will journey into the Unconditioned — exploring the qualities of non-conceptual awareness and pure presence. Whether you're just beginning to sit or you've been practicing for years and feel called to guide others, this training meets you where you are. In the quiet foothills of the Himalayas, you'll step away from the noise of ordinary life and into a rhythm built entirely around practice, study, and stillness.
This isn't a single-tradition retreat. Together, we'll draw from the three main schools of Buddhism — Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan Dzogchen — to explore a map of the path to insight and awakening, as it has been taught and refined for over 2,500 years. This is a rare opportunity for a sustained, immersive dive into practice.
What will be taught?
The course is built on four main meditation pillars: Samatha, Vipassanā, the Brahmavihāras, and Emptiness & Awareness practices. Across these four pillars, you'll come to know your breath intimately, work hands-on with a wide range of insight meditation techniques, open the boundless qualities of the heart, and settle into the nature of mind — all while deepening your own practice.
We'll understand the mind by developing Paññā (wisdom):
Working with the hindrances — the obstacles that arise in meditation — learning how to meet and work with them, and building the capacity to sit for longer periods. We'll also discuss the nature of insight and awakening, so we know the destination for the journey.
We'll also cover the foundations of guiding others:
Postures and mudras — how to sit and channel energy — how to hold space, how to guide meditations, how to help others work with and move through the hindrances, and how to get started with group practice.
You don't need any desire to teach. These teaching elements are woven in for those who want them, with no obligation for anyone else.
What will I learn?
Samatha
Absorption, samādhi and jhāna
We begin by settling the mind, step by step. Working with the breath, we train attention through the stages of concentration described in the Pāli tradition. We'll also explore fire kasiṇa, building concentration with a candle flame. We move from momentary concentration (khaṇika samādhi) to access concentration (upacāra samādhi), where the hindrances fall away, and towards full absorption (appanā samādhi) and the jhānas. We map each stage clearly, so you know where you are, what comes next and what gets in the way. Not everyone reaches jhāna in three weeks, but everyone leaves with a steadier mind and a clear map for going deeper.
Vipassana
The Path of Insight
Vipassanā means "clear seeing": looking directly into experience to see its true nature. Grounded in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta's four foundations of mindfulness (body, feelings, mind and mental objects), we investigate what arises as it actually is: impermanent, unsatisfactory and without a fixed self.
We draw on complementary approaches from the great modern teachers of insight. From Mahāsī Sayādaw's Burmese tradition comes the precise practice of mental noting, labelling experience moment by moment ("rising", "falling", "hearing", "thinking") until the mind sees it arise and pass without getting caught. From Ajahn Chah and the Thai Forest tradition comes a softer, simpler approach: just knowing, and letting go. With the mind steadied by samatha, insight has something to stand on, and wisdom can mature in its own time.
Metta & the Brahmaviharas
Opening the Heart
We cultivate the four immeasurables: loving-kindness (mettā), compassion (karuṇā), sympathetic joy (muditā) and equanimity (upekkhā). Following the classical method, we extend them step by step, from ourselves to loved ones, strangers and those we find difficult, until the boundaries between self and other begin to dissolve. These practices do more than generate good feeling. They reveal the habits of separation and aversion that limit our capacity to love.
Alongside this, we practise tonglen, the Tibetan practice of "sending and taking": breathing in the suffering of others and breathing out ease and care. Where mettā widens the heart, tonglen gives it courage.
Emptiness & Awareness Practices
Zen & Dzogchen
In Zen, we explore a range of practices within the tradition, from counting and following the breath to zazen and shikantaza, "just sitting", where technique finally falls away. Guided by Dōgen's Fukanzazengi, we sit in zazen with kinhin walking meditation between rounds: upright, wakeful, with nothing to attain.
In Dzogchen, we practise trekchö, "cutting through": the direct recognition of rigpa, the open, knowing awareness already present before we try to improve anything. We read from Longchenpa's You Are the Eyes of the World, his guide to The All-Creating King, one of Dzogchen's oldest and most revered texts. Alongside it we read Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's As It Is, which brings that vast view down to the cushion. Practice follows the traditional retreat structure of four sessions a day, returning to recognition again and again. In Tulku Urgyen's words: short moments, many times. Not a lot changes, and yet everything does.
What's offered here is an overview rather than a formal transmission in the lineage-holder sense: a single drop from the vast ocean of what's known as Dzogchen.
Mantra
Emerging stillness
Alongside silent sitting, we explore one of the oldest supports for meditation: mantra. A mantra is a sacred phrase, repeated softly aloud or silently within, that gives the wandering mind a single place to rest. From the Thai Forest tradition comes Buddho, "the one who knows", recited inwardly with the breath so that the word itself points back to awareness. From the Tibetan tradition, there's Om Mani Padme Hum, the mantra of compassion, and the Vajrasattva mantra, the classical practice of purification. From Zen, the Heart Sutra, which closes with its own mantra of awakening: "gone, gone, gone beyond, gone altogether beyond". We learn each mantra's meaning, pronunciation and intention, and practise it as a meditation in its own right.
During the training, we also gather for kirtan, chanting these mantras in call-and-response with music. We begin and end in silent sitting, so the sound arises from stillness and returns to it. Joy has its place on the Buddhist path too. Pīti, rapture or delight, is one of the seven factors of awakening, so kirtan is part of the practice rather than a break from it. Sound gathers the mind, and the mind grows still.
The Silent Retreat
Three days of noble silence
In the middle of the training, we step fully into silence. For three days, we set aside conversation, reading and devices, and let the practice take over. We move between sitting and walking meditation from early morning into the evening, supported by daily teachings.
Held in the quiet of the hills, these days are where the foundations laid in the first week begin to ripen. Samatha settles into deeper stillness, insight sharpens, and there's space simply to rest as awareness. It's a depth that's hard to reach on a shorter retreat.
We then emerge gently and carry that depth into the final phase. For those who wish, this is where we turn towards the art of guiding others, with a clearer, more direct understanding of what we're sharing.
Weekly Schedule
The immersion is structured around sitting practice and teachings, with more time for meditation as we settle into the rhythm, before easing out of the container over the final few days. Most days run from 6:30am to 6:00pm. In the evenings, there’s a Dharma talk and optional group sit. There’s a free afternoon on Saturdays and a full day off on Sundays – relax and enjoy the surrounding hills, or take your practice outdoors. On rest days, you are welcome to use the swimming pool and steam room on-site. Some meditation slots are optional, while others will be encouraged. Each day runs on a steady rhythm designed to let practice deepen naturally.
6:30 – 9:00 am
Morning Practice
Chanting, meditation & yoga
9:00 – 10:00 am
Light Breakfast
Tea, coffee & fruit
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Guidance & Group Sits
Four 20-min sits with walking
12:00 – 2:00 pm
Lunch & Rest
Lunch, rest & walks
2:00 – 4:00 pm
Afternoon Deepening
Group, guided & solo sits
4:00 – 6:00 pm
Workshop & Tea
Guided workshop, then tea
6:00 – 7:30 pm
Dinner
Community meal
7:30 – 9:30 pm
Dharma Talk & Evening Sits
Talk, chant & sits
Deepen your knowledge and practice of Buddhist meditation amongst community, nature and silence
The Details
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All backgrounds, and all levels of experience are welcome.
This training container welcomes:
New meditators & yogis ready for a serious, structured introduction to meditation across traditions
Experienced meditators looking to deepen their practice and fill in gaps across Theravada, Zen, and Tibetan approaches
Aspiring teachers who feel called to eventually guide others, and want a grounded, embodied foundation before they do
Qualified teachers of mindfulness-based approaches such as MBSR and MBCT
Yoga teachers, counsellors, and therapists who'd like more tools in their toolbox — for themselves and/or their clients
Anyone craving three weeks of deep meditative immersion — away from screens, schedules, and noise
You don't need any prior teaching experience to join. The teacher training elements are woven in for those who want them, without being a requirement for everyone else.
This training is designed to hold both complete beginners and advanced practitioners in the same room — the practices and instruction are layered so everyone can meet the material at their own level.
As with our retreats, for those who want to sit deeply, there's ample time. For those who prefer a gentler rhythm, there's room to adjust the schedule.
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You don't need any desire to become a teacher. The training elements are woven in for those who want them, without being a requirement for everyone else.
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This is a committed training, and it works best when everyone is all in. We ask that you:
attend every group sit and evening Dharma talk, unless you're unwell
arrive in the hall a few minutes before each session
keep full noble silence during the three silent days, with no talking, reading or devices
stay for the full three weeks
avoid alcohol and recreational substances throughout
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What meditation do you teach?
Our retreats are built around four main pillars: Concentration, Insight, Metta, and Awareness-based practice. These are listed in full below. The exact meditations may differ from retreat to retreat, depending on the theme, but are generally flavoured with the following:
Samatha
Calm-abiding technique, where we build the concentration faculty that leads to samadhi and jhana, insight and awakening
Insight
Vipassana
Insight meditation from the Theravada tradition, investigating the three marks of experience — impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and not-self (anatta) — to see clearly into the nature of mindVipashyana
Insight practice from the Tibetan tradition, resting directly in the nature of mind through investigation rather than analysis
Metta
Loving-kindness meditation that opens the qualities of the heart and can lead into deeper states of absorption
Awareness-based
Shikantaza — also known as silent illumination or choiceless awareness, from the Zen tradition, where we marinate in the void of awareness
Trekchö — an awareness-based practice to settle into non-dual awareness, from the Dzogchen tradition
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It will be mixed, with some days more dedicated to teachings and practice, and others where silence might emerge. Conversation will be allowed during meal times in the dining hall – get to know your fellow meditators, share stories and form bonds.
For those who wish to remain in silence for some of the training, silent badges can be provided to inform other participants.
During the three-day retreat, we’ll be in noble silence.
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The retreat includes yoga and pranayama each morning, suitable for all levels of experience. We draw on Vinyasa, Hatha, and YoQi — a blend of yoga and qi gong — alongside pranayama (breath-control techniques) and Kriya Yoga, to stimulate the internal energy system and support the move into non-dual states. This isn't a movement retreat, though — the emphasis stays on meditation, and the movement sessions are there to support it, not to challenge you.
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Chanting is entirely optional, and this is not a religious retreat in any way. We sometimes chant Pali suttas, Tibetan mantras and Zen chants to connect with each of these lineages — it's also a fun way to engage with the traditions. Occasionally we chant specific mantras that have traditionally been used for purification and awakening. We chant each morning as part of the morning practice, and close the day with an evening chant.
During the immersion, we also hold an evening of kirtan.
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Yes. Short meditation interviews can be arranged during the afternoon slot after lunch or we’ll find a time over the weekend. This will be a chance to check in one-to-one if you want guidance on a technique, or just want to talk through what's coming up in your practice.
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Freshly prepared vegetarian meals are served each day — breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Our venue for the training, The Mirage, source their ingredients locally and everything is cooked on-site.
Let us know of any dietary requirements or allergies when you book, and we'll do our best to accommodate them.
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Our venue for the training comprises 7 rooms each with x2 single beds and 3 rooms with queen size beds. When you reserve a Twin Room, you are reserving x1 bed and will share the room with one other participant. The Private Room is for you only, no sharing with others.
Where rooms are shared, we try to place roommates of the same gender.
If you have a specific need or preference around room-sharing, let us know when booking and we'll do our best to accommodate it.
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Towel
Torch or head torch
Waterproof jacket
Light clothing for sunny days
Warm clothing for rainy days and cooler nights (this is the Himalayas)
Toiletries (biodegradable products preferred)
Comfort items — slippers, a hot water bottle, a cosy blanket, journal etc.
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Included:
21 days / 20 nights accommodation
All meals (vegetarian, sourced locally)
Daily teachings and guided practices
Teacher training curriculum and materials, for those pursuing certification
Certificate of completion
Excluded:
Travel insurance
Travel to/from the venue Airport transfer to/from Dharamshala
Personal expenses
Steam room and wellness treatments at the venue
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For most, yes — check the links below:
https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/
https://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/
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The training is held in English.
Some prior meditation experience is recommended.
Recreational drugs and alcohol are not permitted on our retreats.
We won't take your mobile phone away — coming on the training involves a degree of trust that you'll manage your own use of technology.
Our immersions can be intense and emotionally challenging, and require a good level of emotional stability. If you have a mental health condition, please get in touch before booking so we can discuss together whether the retreat is a good fit.
If you have a physical health condition or mobility concern, please get in touch before booking so we can discuss together whether the retreat will be suitable.
If you have any further questions, you can schedule a free 30-minute call with Jason via the "Schedule" tab above.
Venue: The Mirage
A boutique heritage homestay tucked into the idyllic Andretta artist's village, surrounded by dense foliage and backed by jungle and bamboo groves, with the Himalayas in the distance. It's a lush, quiet setting we chose for the training container. The property has held onto its original charm for years, and remains one of the finest retreats in Himachal Pradesh.
Accommodation
The accommodation across the venue comprises 7 rooms with twin beds and 3 rooms with queen size beds. With only 3 private rooms available, they tend to go first — worth booking early if you'd prefer your own space.
Food
There will be 3 freshly prepared vegetarian meals each day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There will be coffee and tea available in the morning, and at times throughout the day, plus a delicious and healthy breakfast to start the day, followed by two hearty and healthy meals for lunch and dinner.
Location
Address: Andretta, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India - 176103
How to arrive: You can arrive in India at New Delhi, Chandigarh or Amritsar international airports. These are the nearest international airports.
From New Delhi: If you arrive via New Delhi Airport, you take a flight to Dharamshala and a taxi for 1hr and 30 minutes straight to The Mirage. We can arrange group shares for the taxi ride once we know individual flight times.
For those who wish to extend their trip…
We're close to the town of Dharamshala. Nearby is the Dalai Lama's residence, where you can visit his temple and, when public teachings are running, hear him speak — some visitors are also able to receive a blessing. Soak up the fresh mountain air in Dharamkot, browse local goods and thangka paintings, or read a book with views across the valley. May is one of the best months in this part of Himachal Pradesh, with plenty of sunshine — perfect for hiking the hills around town.
Meet Jason
About fifteen years ago, a Vipassana retreat in Lumbini cracked something open. Since then I've sat in Zen basements in London, received Vajrayana empowerments in Northern India, and spent years deep in Theravada insight practice, staying at many Thai Forest monasteries along the way and fully intending to ordain as a monk. Life had other plans. What I learned instead is that no single tradition holds the whole map, which is why this training draws on three. Not to blend them into something vague, but to let each one illuminate the other, so you walk away with a fuller picture of the Buddha's path to awakening, and the confidence to guide others along it.
Reserve Your Place
Dates: 2nd – 22nd May 2027
Arrival: 2-4pm on the 2nd
Departure: By 2pm on the 22nd
Schedule: 5.5 days on, 1.5 days off
Places: Limited to 17 participants
Early-Bird Pricing Until: 7th February 2027
Twin Room Option(Shared room)
Standard Cost: £2,495 per person
Early‑Bird: £2,245 per person
Private Room Option(Only 3 available)
Standard Cost: £2,725 per person
Early‑Bird: £2,450 per person
Payment Terms
Deposit
A £775 deposit secures your place on the training.
The deposit is non-refundable and can't be moved to other courses or dates, but your remaining balance payment can be (see Cancellation Policy below).
Payments
Your place is secured with either the £775 deposit or full payment.
To qualify for early bird pricing, full payment must be received by 7th February 2027.
If a deposit is paid but the full balance isn't received by 7th February 2027, the booking reverts to the standard rate.
Remaining Balance
The remaining balance (total cost minus deposit) is due at least 6 weeks before the start date.
We'll email you a link to pay it once your deposit has been received.
Bookings made within 6 weeks of the start date must pay the full balance within 48 hours of booking.
If the balance isn't received by the due date, your place may be released and the deposit will not be refunded.
Cancellation Policy
We get it, plans change - if you need to cancel, please email us as soon as possible.
If you cancel 6+ months before the start date, we'll refund 100% of any balance you've paid (the deposit is non-refundable).
If you cancel 3–6 months before the start date, we'll refund 25% of any balance you've paid (the deposit is non-refundable).
If you cancel less than 3 months before the start date, we're unable to offer a refund.
Alternatively, you can transfer your balance payment to a future training within 18 months, as long as you let us know at least 2 months before the start date. Transfers aren't possible within 2 months of the start date.
If We Cancel
In the unlikely event that we need to cancel the training, you'll receive a full refund of all payments made, or the option to transfer to a future date.
We're not responsible for flights, visas or other travel costs, so we strongly recommend booking flexible flights and taking out travel insurance.