Living Yoga

INDIA RETREAT 2026

Yoga Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh

8th - 18th March 2026

Come and join Steve, Sarah and the sangha as we take a journey back to the source.

It’s been 8 years since our last Sanctuary pilgrimage to India, so why now?

Because it’s time! The energy, devotion, love and gratitude in our sangha for what we have received on this path has reached such an overflow that we could almost swim to India on it. This retreat will offer us as a sangha the opportunity to say THANK YOU!

We are hosting the retreat on Guruji’s Ashram, and it is our intention to fill it with the energy of our sadhana, the sound of our singing and the joy of our laughter. We will travel to India not as ‘seekers’ or ‘spiritual tourists’ but as a sangha of spiritually-ignited and soul-awakened yogis, walking the path of truth. It is our prayer that we share a deep retreat together in the sacred presence of Guruji's energy and return with a lifetime of blessings. And it is also our wish that we come to India, Rishikesh and the Ashram to give more than we take, to come in the spirit of service.

We’d love for each and every one of you in the sangha to join us for this pilgrimage but we must also be very clear on one important point: this retreat is not a holiday and is therefore not for sight-seeing or shopping. The retreat will be a deep immersion and a powerful spiritual process with Guruji’s shrine at its epicentre. We include visits to surrounding places that have a strong spiritual energy but for the ten days of the retreat we will maintain a strong container for our inner work. You can of course arrange extra time after the retreat to explore India if you so wish.

Whilst the schedule for our retreat will follow a certain pattern, please remember this is India, so anything can happen! Please come with an openness of heart and mind, be willing to go with the flow and have plans change in a moments notice. If this all sounds good, then we’d be honoured and privileged to share this incredible journey with you.

If you feel a 'YES' in your heart and there's the possibility to join us, come! ~ Steve & Sarah

Location

Our retreat will take place at Yoga Niketan Ashram situated in the small north Indian town of Rishikesh, nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas besides the turquoise waters of the River Ganges. Rishikesh has traditionally been held sacred by the countless Yogis who have sought out its powerful spiritual resonance, meaning that over time numerous ashrams have arisen along the banks of Ma Ganga. The spiritual heart of Yoga Niketan Ashram is the Mahasamadhi Shrine of Swami Yogeshwaranda, Steve’s Guru. This is a place of profound stillness and energy and the great Yogi’s vibration continues to uplift all who come to the ashram.
We are blessed to have secured exclusive access to the large Yoga Hall next to his Shrine to host our retreat.

Find out more about Yoga Niketan Ashram on their website:

Yoga Niketan Website

Ashram Accommodation

Yoga Niketan is set amidst lush gardens on a small hillside overlooking the flow of the River Ganga and the hustle and bustle of the town below. Accommodation at the Ashram is simple yet comfortable and mostly clean. Rooms have en-suite bathrooms, with mostly hot running water (except in power cuts!), electricity and fan. Please bear in mind that this is an Ashram, not a hotel and adjust expectations accordingly. Guruji designed the Ashram to fulfil the basic needs of the body whilst tending to the more important matter of nourishing and awakening the soul!

After your place on the retreat is confirmed you will need to book your accommodation directly with the Ashram - We will provide guidance on how to do this. You are welcome to request a single room, however it is unlikely that the Ashram will be able to fulfil all requests for single occupancy. For this reason it might be a good idea to find a fellow yogi in the retreat sangha to pair up with. There will be ample opportunity to do this at our pre-retreat gatherings.

Ashram Meals

Three simple, non-spicy, nourishing Indian meals are included within the cost of the accommodation. Filtered water is also available along with afternoon chai.

Internet

Internet is available at the Ashram library, although Steve will invite you to keep its use to an absolute minimum during the retreat.

Daily Sadhana

Sunrise and sunset Sadhana Sessions form the backbone of each retreat day supported by group satsang and mantra chanting. Each day will conclude with Aarti (offering of light) at Guruji's shrine. There will be time each day for rest, reading and reflection as well personal meditation time at Guruji's samadhi shrine. On some retreat days pilgrimages will be arranged to ancient 'shakti peeths' (energy centres) in the surrounding area.

Typical daily schedule:

4:45 - 5:30	Refreshing bath in the Ganga (optional)
5:30 - 6:00	Morning Chants
6:00 - 7:45	Sunrise Sadhana Session
8:00 - 10:00	Breakfast & personal time
10:00 - 11:45	Gayatri Mantra Meditation & Satsang
12:00 - 15:00	Lunch & personal time
15:00 - 16:00	Satsang
16:00 - 17:00	Chai & Rest
17.00 - 19:00	Sunset Sadhana Session
19:00 - 20:00	Dinner
20:00 - 21:00	Satsang, Kirtan & Aarti

The schedule is subject to change at any time and will adapt around arranged group pilgrimages.

Sunday 8th March is arrival day, we will open the retreat on the Sunday evening with a welcome Satsang at the Ashram.
Our retreat sadhana begins on Monday 9th and goes through to the close of Tuesday evening 17th March, with Wednesday 18th March being the departure day.

Retreat Fee

The cost for the retreat is £690.
A deposit of £200 is required to secure your place.

This includes everything on the retreat schedule and the hire of the Yoga Hall at the Ashram, as well as our pre-retreat gatherings.

Additional costs

The retreat cost does not include your accommodation, you will need to book and pay Yoga Niketan Ashram directly. Yoga Niketan currently charge 1500 rupees per night full board which includes 3 meals per day eaten in the communal food hall. With current exchange rates, this should equate to an approximate cost of around £150 for the 10 night retreat.
Travel costs are not included in the retreat fee. You will need to book your own flights and transfers.
Expenses incurred for the group pilgrimages - We will keep any travel costs to a minimum by pre-arranged minibuses and splitting the costs between everyone.
Meals eaten off the Ashram are not included in the retreat fee or the Ashram accommodation charge.
You will need to apply for your Indian visa and arrange your own travel insurance for your trip.

Pre-trip gatherings

We have arranged several pre-trip gatherings at the Sanctuary in the coming months that all retreat participants are invited to attend. We will use these occasions to get ourselves 'India & retreat ready' so that you can draw the maximum nourishment and enlightenment from the retreat. The pre-trip gatherings are all included in the retreat fee.

All the gatherings are Saturday evenings 6-9pm:-

Saturday 7^th June
Saturday 20^th September
Saturday 18^th October
Saturday 15^th November
Saturday 21^st February 2026

Prerequisite

This retreat is open to all active members of the sangha, who are currently practising with the Sanctuary, either in person or online.

How do I reserve my place?

To book your place on the retreat, click the button and complete the reservation form.

Reserve My Place

Once we have received your reservation request form, we will send you a confirmation email with details of:

How to make your deposit payment of £200,
How to book your Ashram accommodation,
Guidance on travel arrangements and timings.

Please do not make travel arrangements or book ashram accommodation until you have received confirmation of your place from us.

You can contact us at yoga@yogasanctuary.co.uk with any questions about the retreat.

Living Yoga Retreats