Himalayan Journey
21 Day Meditation Training
Immersion, Retreat & Training
3 - 23rd May 2027
India
Our 21-Day Meditation Retreat, Training & Immersion will take place in the foothills of the Himalayas
Join us for a 21-day Meditation Training, Retreat & Immersion in The Himalayas in May 2027, exploring meditation techniques and teachings from the main schools of Buddhism, where we'll steep ourselves in the practices of awakening through teaching and guided meditations, opening ever more fully to the boundless nature of mind.
During this container, we will journey into the Unconditioned — its qualities and functions of non-conceptual awareness and pure presence. Whether you're just beginning to sit with the breath, or you've been practicing for years and are ready to guide, this training meets you where you are. Over three weeks 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 a rare opportunity for a sustained, immersive dive into practice, and, if you're called, the training to guide others.
What will be taught?
The course is built on four main meditation pillars: Samatha, Vipassana, 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 and how to pacify them, learning to sit for longer periods, turning toward the obstacles that arise in meditation, and developing insight and wisdom. We'll also discuss 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 clients work with and overcome the hindrances, and how to get started with group practice.
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.
What will I learn?
Samatha
Absorption, jhāna, and samādhi
The art of steadying and settling the mind, and the deep states of stillness this makes possible. Samatha, often translated as calm abiding, is the foundational practice of steadying and settling the mind through sustained, gentle attention. Traditionally cultivated through anchors such as the breath, this practice gradually quiets mental agitation and distraction, giving rise to a clear, stable, and workable mind. Far from mere relaxation, samatha builds the concentration and inner spaciousness that make deeper insight possible. We'll explore progressive stages of settling the mind, working with the subtle balance between effort and ease that allows genuine stillness to emerge — building the foundations for this immersion.
Vipassana
The Path of Insight
Vipassanā — from vi (clear, special) + passanā (seeing) — means seeing clearly into the true nature of phenomena. Rather than simply resting the mind, as in samatha, Vipassanā investigates it directly, moment by moment. We’ll explore the Satipatthana Sutta and its four foundations — one of the Buddha's most influential teachings, known as a 'direct path' to freedom from suffering. body, feelings, mind, and mental objects — offering a complete map of experience, revealing its actual nature: impermanent, unsatisfying, and without a fixed self. This isn't merely intellectual understanding but a way of investigating and seeing that can fundamentally shift our relationship to experience and to suffering itself. We'll work with different approaches to insight practice, cultivating the discernment that allows wisdom to mature naturally over time.
Metta & the Brahmaviharas
The Four Immeasurables
The Brahmaviharas — loving-kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita), and equanimity (upekkha) — are known as the four immeasurable qualities of the heart. Together they form a path of practice that dissolves the boundaries we place between self and other, cultivating a boundless warmth and openness toward all beings, including ourselves. Rather than simply generating positive feeling, these practices reveal and remove the habitual patterns of separation and aversion that limit our capacity to love. We'll work progressively through each of the four immeasurables, exploring how they support and deepen one another as a unified path of heart-opening.
Emptiness & Awareness Practices
The Great Perfection
From awareness-based Zen practices such as Shikantaza and Zazen, to Dzogchen – the Great Perfection, we’ll look at teachings pointing directly to the innate purity and spontaneous presence of our own awareness. Rather than a gradual path of accumulation, Dzogchen in particular offers a direct recognition of mind's true nature — open, luminous, and already complete. We'll draw on profound guidance that illuminates the stages through which practitioners come to rest ever more fully in natural awareness, weaving together view, meditation, and conduct to encounter the heart essence of the Dzogchen tradition. We’ll practice using The Third Karmapa’s instructions and Rushen, and settle into the natural state with Trekchö.
Weekly Schedule
The immersion is structured around sitting practice and teachings, with more time for sitting practice as we settle into the rhythm, before easing out of the container over the final few days. Each day runs on a steady rhythm designed to let practice deepen naturally: rising at 6am for the morning sit, followed by yoqi (yoga and qi gong) and pranayama, group and solo sits, community meals, Dharma talks and Q&As, and time for rest, reflection, and walks in nature.
5.5 days on, 1.5 days off each week
Weekday mornings and evenings structured around sitting practice, teachings, and guided technique
Saturday afternoons are free to rest with Sunday’s off — explore the surrounding hills, or take your practice outdoors, sitting like cave yogis in the Himalayas. On rest days, you are welcome to use the swimming pool and steam room on-site.
Deepen your knowledge and practice of Buddhist meditation amongst community, nature and silence
Frequently Asked Questions
-
All backgrounds, and all levels of experience are welcome. For those who want to sit deeply, there's ample time; for those who prefer a gentler rhythm, there's room to move at your own pace.
This training container welcomes:
New practitioners 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.
-
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.
-
No. 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.
-
The accommodation at The Mirage comprises 7 rooms with twin beds and 3 rooms with queen size beds.
-
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 retreat, including meal times, silent badges can be provided to inform other participants.
-
For most, yes — check the links below:
-
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
-
Travel insurance
Travel to/from the venue Airport transfer to/from Dharamshala
Personal expenses
Steam room and wellness treatments at the venue
-
Anything that makes you feel comfortable for the duration of the immersion. You may also wish to bring a light waterproof jacket, jumper, sturdy shoes, sandals, a towel, a journal and pen. In addition to your usual items for time spent away from home.
-
There will be 3 freshly prepared vegetarian meals each day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
-
If you have any remaining questions email jason@pathofinsight.com or schedule a 30-minute call via the scheduling page.
Our Venue for the Immersion: The Mirage
A boutique heritage homestay nestled in a lush, quiet setting offering stunning views. Set in the idyllic Andretta artist’s village, it’s the perfect space to relax and rejuvenate – set amongst dense foliage, against a backdrop of jungle & bamboo groves, with views of the Himalayas. The Mirage sustains its original charm & position as 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
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.
If you arrive via New Delhi Airport, you take a flight to Dharamshala and a taxi for 1hr and 30 minutes to The Mirage.
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.
Teacher
Jason first came across the teachings of Buddhism in Lumbini in his early twenties. In the years since, his practice has deepened across monasteries and retreat centres throughout Asia — shaped by the insight tradition of Theravada Buddhism, the Thai Forest lineage, Dzogchen, and Zen, and guided by teachers including Geshe Tenzin Zopa, Lama Justin, Bettina Bäumer, and Tantraya.
Twenty-one days. Three traditions, one path
Booking Details
Dates: 2nd – 21st May 2027
Twin Room: £2,495 per person for a shared room
Early-Bird: £2,225 per person if paid in full by 20th December 2026
Private: £2,725 per person for a private room
Early-Bird: £2,450 per person if paid in full by 20th December 2026
Booking & Payment
A 50% deposit (£1,248 twin / £1,363 private) or full payment secures your place
To qualify for early-bird pricing, full payment must be received by 20th December 2026
If a deposit is paid but the full balance isn't received by 20th December 2026, the booking reverts to the standard rate
Remaining balance due 6 weeks before the training starts
Cancellation Policy
Deposits and payments are non-refundable. If the remaining balance is not received by 6 weeks before the start date, the booking will be cancelled and the deposit forfeited. All payments made are transferable to any of our other live courses (subject to availability) within an 18-month period, provided the transfer is requested more than 6 weeks before your original training start date.
Reserve Your Place
Twin Room Option
Twin Room Deposit
£1,248
OR
Pay Early-Bird in Full
£2,225 before 20th Dec
Private Room Option