**This trip has been postponed until Spring 2012**
Bhutan with Diane: Dragons and Goddesses
November 8 – 18, 2011
11 days/10 nights
Where will you be on 11/11/11? Why not spend that auspicious day in the company of Goddesses and Dragons in Bhutan, the country known for its Gross National Happiness?
Overview:
The Dalai Lama said in 2009 that the world would be saved by the Western Woman. I believe that in 2011, the world does not need saving, but all women can be pivotal in shaping the present and the future by their well-considered, intentional actions today. With a mix of myth and tradition Bhutan is a country like no other, with rich spiritual traditions undisturbed by time. Many consider it the last “Shangri-La”, a soulful, soothing and wondrously magical destination. This journey will begin with a sacred prayer ceremony inside the myth-clad “Tiger’s Nest” Monastery, one of the Himalayas most venerated pilgrimage sites. In Thimphu, while being immersed in the perfectly preserved Bhutanese culture, you will chant and dance around a blessed fire at a Goddess Fire Ceremony. Central Bhutan will find the venerated rare Black-necked crane, paramount in Bhutanese folklore, in a stunning wildlife preserve. Along the way, you will be immersed in the spiritual philosophy of Buddhism, study with a reincarnated Lama, recharge with extended yoga classes, connect with local people, families and traditions all while connecting with your own true goddess nature.
Let us immerse ourselves in a country where the Happiness of the People is celebrated. Let us spend time feeling in our hearts the bountiful blessings we will experience on this amazing journey and bring that feeling home to our own little corner of the world.
Itinerary:
Day 01 Arrive Paro (Altitude 2280 m)
Your guide will receive you at the airport and drive to the hotel. After lunch and an opportunity to freshen up and relax, meet with a Rimpoche (reincarnated Lama) who will teach a class on Buddhism followed by meditation. Stay: Tashi Namgay Resort, Paro (http://www.tnr.bt/)
Day 02 Paro After an early breakfast, visit Kichu Lhakhang, built in 659 A.D by the Tibetan king Srongsen Gampo and visit to the ruins of the Drukgyal Dzong 16 km up the valley. Built in 1647 by the great Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, father and unifier of medieval Bhutan, the Dzong was destroyed by accidental fire and left in ruins as an evocative reminder of the great victories it was built to commemorate. Explore the ramparts and on a clear day, experience an unforgettable view of Mt. Jhomolhari (7,314 m), the energetic sacred mountain of Bhutan. Here our group will join together in meditation and will perform a ceremony designed to awaken your own true nature. You will have direction on how to (and the time to create) a sacred agreement that you will bring back to your home from this revered place.
A short drive takes us to Satsam Chorten, and from there a two-hour walk will take you to the viewpoint of the Taktsang Monastery, the famous “hanging monastery” of Bhutan. The trail climbs through beautiful pine forest, many of the trees festooned with Spanish moss with an occasional grove of fluttering prayer flags. We stop for a rest and light refreshments at the cafeteria and then walk a short distance until we get to enter the Taktsang Monastery. You will get a very rare opportunity to light sacred butter lamps inside the monastery, which clings to the edge of a sheer rock cliff that plunges 900 meters into the valley below. (We will obtain a special entry permit for the group from the Government for this opportunity). The primary building here was constructed around Guru Rimpoche’s meditation cave in 1684 by the Penlop (Governor) of Paro, Gyaltse Tenzin Rabgay. Legend has it that Guru Padmasambhava, the Tantric mystic who brought Buddhism to Bhutan, flew here on the back of a flying tiger, Dorji Drolo, said to be his favorite consort.
In the evening you may have free time or join the group for a private, fire ceremony designed to deeply connect you with this special place and your true Goddess nature. Here we will release the past and create new agreements for each participant to work with during this trip. This ceremony is the beginning of the journey to shape the present and the future by your considered actions.
Stay: Tashi Namgay Resort, Paro
Day 03 Paro – Thimphu (2320 meters)
After breakfast, classes on Buddhism and meditation with the Lama will be conducted. Then, learn what it takes to participate in archery, the Bhutanese national sport, with a lesson from an archer and then try your hand at hitting the target. After lunch, visit Ta Dzong (built in1656 and renovated in 1968), an ancient watchtower, which now houses the spectacular National Museum. Below the museum is the Paro Rimpung Dzong (literally meaning “Heap of Jewels”) built in 1646, the centre of civil and religious authority in this valley. A short walk takes you to the base of the Dzong and across a traditional cantilevered, covered bridge. In the evening, drive to Thimphu. On the way, visit Tamchog Monastery built by Thangthong Gyalpo in the 15th century.
Stay: Hotel Migmar, Thimphu (http://www.hotelmigmar.bt/)
Day 04 Thimphu sightseeing
After breakfast, get ready for your day of sightseeing in Thimphu. First, visit the National Memorial Chorten, the Women’s weaving center at Changzamtog, the tallest statue of Buddha, Changangkha Lhakhang and Anim Dratshang (the nunnery). After lunch, attend a two-hour yoga session with a Bhutanese teacher. In the evening, visit the Trashi Chhoe Dzong, an impressive fort mostly built without nails or written plans. Stay: Hotel Migmar, Thimphu
Day 05 Thimphu
After early breakfast, hike to Cheri Monastery in the Upper Dodina valley just outside of town.
About an hour’s hike will bring you to the monastery, built in 1620, where you may encounter tame deer and soaring birds. After lunch and a yoga session, visit the Rinchen Kuenphen School where Bhutanese women (mostly housewives) are educated in a government-funded school.
Stay: Hotel Migmar, Thimphu
Day 06 Thimphu – Punakha (Altitude 1310 m) (74 km drive)
After breakfast, drive to Punakha via Dochula pass. We stop a while at Dochula Pass to take a view of the higher Himalayas. On the way, visit Chime Lhakhang, also known as the “the temple of fertility”, which was built by Lama Drukpa Kuenley popularly known as “The Divine Madman”. He subdued the demons with his “Magical thunder bolt”.
After lunch, visit Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal which is situated between Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo Chu (Female River). For many years until the time of the second king, it served as the seat of the Government. The construction of the Dzong was foretold by Guru Rimpoche, who predicted, “…a person named Namgyal will arrive at a hill that looks like an elephant”. There was a smaller building here called Dzong Chu (Small Dzong) that housed a statue of Buddha. It is said that Shabdrung ordered the architect, Zowe Palep, to sleep in front of the statue, while Palep was sleeping; the Shabdrung took him in his dreams to paradise and showed him the palace of Guru Rimpoche. From his vision, the architect conceived the design for the new Dzong, which in keeping with the tradition, was never committed to paper. The Dzong was named Druk Pungthang Dechen Phodrang (The Palace of Great Happiness). The war materials captured during the battle with Tibetans are preserved here. Punakha is still the winter residence of His Holiness, The Je-Khenpo (The Head Abbot) and King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk convened the First National Assembly here in 1952.
Stay: Damchen Resort, Punakha
Day 07 Punakha valley sightseeing
After breakfast, excursion to Khamsung Yulley Namgyal Choling Monastery, a modern monastery built in 2003 to commemorate the victory of Bhutanese forces led by the 4th King, Jigme Singye Wangchuk against the Indian Militants in the southern part of the country. After lunch, drive to Wangduephodrang and visit the Dzong built in 1638. Legend relates that as the people were searching for the site of the Dzong; four ravens were seen flying away in four directions. This was considered auspicious sign, representing the spread of Buddhist religion to the four points of the compass. In the evening, visit a Bhutanese farm house to see a typical local way of living and family life.
Stay: Damchen Resort, Punakha
Day 08 Punakha – Gangtey / Phobjikha valley (74 km)
After breakfast, drive to Gangtey. After lunch, visit the Gangtey Gompa Monastery from outside. Gyaltse Pema Thinley, the grandson and mind reincarnation of Pema Lingpa founded the Temple in 1613, and Tenzin Legpai Dhendup, the second reincarnation, built the temple. The present Abbot, Kunzang Pema Namgyal is the ninth reincarnation. It is a Nyingmapa monastery and is affiliated to other Nyingmapa monasteries including Tamshing in Bumthang. In the evening, explore Phobjikha valley, the most beautiful glacial valley in the Himalayas, famous for the rare Black-necked cranes that visit during winter. The cranes are considered sacred in Bhutan, and show up in cultural songs, dances and folklore. (Please note that the upper part of the valley is called Gangtey and lower valley is called Phobjikha) Stay: Gakiling Guest House, Gangtey
Day 09 Gangtey / Phobjikha valley
After breakfast, interested group members can make an excursion to Gogona valley. The people of Gogona speak a language called Bjopkha, the language of nomads. Their life in this isolated valley has encouraged them to continue using their ancient dialect. Packed lunch will be served for the group going on the excursion. In the evening, drive back to Phobjikha. The rest of the group members can have a leisurely day. Stay: Gakiling Guest House, Gangtey
Day 10 Gangtey – Thimphu
After breakfast, drive to Thimphu. In the evening, drive to the Sangaygang view point. Interested group members can raise prayer flags and release their prayers to the wind.
Stay: Hotel Migmar, Thimphu
Day 11 Thimphu – Paro Airport
After early breakfast, drive to the airport and say farewell.
Your Host:
Diane Easley uses her deep, intuitive reserves as a base for her 20+ years of powerful work. She practices the art and science of Feng Shui to create harmonious situations for people who are ready to step into their true power and be the change they wish to see in the world. She is an accomplished Manifestation and Clearing Coach using the pendulum as a means to remove blockages in both physical and energetic space. She has created a powerful program called Walking with the Goddess that is designed to transcend whatever you are going through in a positive way.
Your Bhutanese Guide:
Garab Dorji is one of Bhutan’s most requested guides with 20+ years of experience leading spiritual, botanical, ecological, trekking and cultural tours. He is a current member of Bhutan’s prestigious Tourism Advisory Board and has played host to many well-known business executives and Hollywood celebrities including Demi Moore and David Coulter.
Highlights include:
- Meeting with His Holiness Khentruel Rimpoche (Buddhist reincarnated lama)
- Visit the Women’s weaving center at Changzamtog
- Meeting with local women to talk to them and learn about their life and education
- Hike to the Tiger’s Nest monastery (Taktsang Monastery), and have the rare opportunity to go inside, light butter lamps and offer prayers
- Private yoga, meditation & Buddhism classes
- Sightseeing including dzongs (forts), monasteries, temples, other spiritual sites and wildlife refuges
- Special time for you to conduct classes and workshops
- One Special Goddess Reading* with Diane (30 minutes
- Fire Ceremony on the Evening of Day 2
Cost:
11 days/10 nights — $2795
Cost includes:
- All meals (B, L, D)
- Accommodations (twin shared – $45 extra per night for single supplement)
- Royalty and government taxes
- Entrance fees for museums and monuments
- Visa fee
- Airport tax
- Tourism development fund fee
- Guides
- Meeting with Rimpoche
- Rooms for yoga classes
- Sightseeing
- In country transportation
- One Special Goddess Reading* with Diane (30 minutes) – other sessions can be arranged for an additional cost of $45 per session
- Fire Ceremony
Cost does not include:
- International airfare (approximately $2,000)
- Travel insurance – We recommend Travelex:
- http://www.travelexinsurance.com/index.aspx?LOCATION=47-0136&go=bp)
- Personal services (massage, laundry, etc.)
- Alcoholic beverages
- Tips
- Expenses of a personal nature
*Goddess Readings are 30 minutes privately with Diane to discuss your goals and dreams for the coming year, to determine a plan of action and to receive a specific goddess you can connect with throughout the year to accomplish your dreams.
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