Ascending the Mystical Mountain: Sonic Tibetan Healing Journey

This one-of-a-kind retreat weaves together ancient Tibetan teachings, practices and ceremonies with cutting-edge celestial trance music, therapeutic laughter, sound bath and “playshop” experiences, among other inspiring offerings. Master of the Tibetan Nyingma Longchen Nying-Thig lineage, Lama Lhanang Rinpoche teams up with pioneering ambient musicians and sound healers, Swami Laraaji NadaBrahmananda and Arji OceAnanda Cakouros for an immersive healing retreat experience unlike any other.

Through the skillful use of chant voice, gong tone performance, celestial zither, intuitive voice, gentle percussive sound textures, and nature sounds, a richly supportive atmosphere will be created as an outer setting for deep inner connection and meditative release opportunities, resulting in a light wonderful feeling of natural flow that will illuminate your deeper sensitivities and leave you ready to face your life’s challenges with greater grace and equipoise.

The main retreat offerings include:

• Daily Tibetan yoga and meditation
• Authentic healing Chod practice
  • Healing Chod practice is a sonically supported spiritual path that “cuts through” obstacles, negativity and self-delusion, while relying on Feminine Wisdom energy to purify body, mind and spirit. Combining all the powerful elements of Tibetan Buddhism in a single practice, it brings about a direct experience of one’s inner brilliance and original wisdom. It also helps the practitioner accumulate merit.
• Tibetan fire puja
  • Through traditional Tibetan Fire Puja ceremony, one makes offerings to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas firstly, and then to the protectors and very high spiritual gods/goddesses. Offerings are made to all sentient beings as well as an offering to demons and hungry ghosts in order to release any negative karma. It is like paying a karmic debt while the fire devours all that is humbly offered in the spirit of release. A dedication to world peace is an overall objective, through the transformation of lesser energies.
• Sonically-supported meditative trance work
  • Celestial music immersion is a means of relaxing into our stillness in a safe space. This experience of being bathed and held lovingly by the sounds flowing through the presenters allows for a rich meditative opportunity of resultant connection, peace, and bliss.
• Open-hearted therapeutic laughter yoga
  • Laughter yogic release therapy is an opportunity to be expertly guided through an interactive, musically supported laughter release session that will help deliver us into our deeper relaxation and healing inner stillness. We will be guided in using our own voice tone and laughter as vehicles for internal energy medicine and positive psychology. The sessions will include a deeply supportive sonic immersion experience to enhance individual inner alignment and integration of our inner child and adult persona.
• A full ambient musical concert evening with Laraaji and Arji.
• We also include a few periods of stillness and silence to accompany us as this mystical mountain journey unfolds for our own inner connection and release.

Each of our internationally-recognized presenters will also be available for private healing sessions during the course of your stay (extra fees apply – book via Dewa Spa):

• • Tibetan Healing Massage with Lama Lhanang: Rinpoche has been trained in the healing art of KuNye Tibetan Massage. His restorative sessions are not simply physical applications of physical massage techniques. As a result of Lama’s deep and extensive practice, empowerments and teachings received from great masters over his lifetime, he brings enlightened energy to every person he meets or massages. Depending on what he perceives to be most beneficial for each person, and what is requested, Lama will either apply a vigorous body massage, gentle energetic touch, or some combination resulting in a very enlivening experience.  In addition, he may also use vocalization in the form of chanting, prayers or sounds to accelerate healing and peace.
  • Tandem Sound Healing Sessions with Laraaji and Arji:  Enjoy a private healing session with creative artists and healers Laraaji and Arji. Intentional intuitive instrumental and vocal sounding with optional light Reiki friendly touch will draw you into the present moment and into your meditative consciousness. This healing session consists of deep comfortable relaxation while being bathed in a variety of mystical, rhythmic, soothing sounds and flow tones to open you to your own expansive inner world of creativity and healing. In addition to being a Usui Reiki master, Arji OceAnanda is also a master dreamwork therapist in the ancient Hellenic Asclepian tradition. Feel free to bring a dream image or very brief visionary experience to honor and utilize as a portal, if you are so guided.

If you can only attend 2 or 3 nights of this retreat, you may register for pro-rated partial attendance via our Front Desk at frontdesk@menla.org.

Program Schedule

Wednesday, July 3

• 3 – 6 pm Check-in
• 6 – 7 pm Dinner
• 7:30 pm Welcome, Healing Chod Practice with Music (Lama Lhanang, Laraaji, Arji)

Thursday, July 4

• 7 – 8 am Tibetan Yoga (Lama Lhanang)
• 8 – 9 am Breakfast
• 10 am Tibetan Meditation: Instruction and Practice (Lama Lhanang)
• 12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
• 1:30 – 4 pm Free Time for Hiking, Spa Treatments, Private Healings with Lama Lhanang, Private Sessions with Arji & Laraaji
• 4 pm Afternoon Class TBD
• 6 – 7 pm Dinner
• 7:30 pm Sound Bath: Entering the Celestial Dream Realm (Laaraji and Arji)

Friday, July 5

• 7 – 8 am Tibetan Yoga (Lama Lhanang)
• 8 – 9 am Breakfast
• 10 am Tibetan Meditation: Instruction and Practice (Lama Lhanang)
• 12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
• 1:30 – 4 pm Free Time for Spa Treatments, Private Healing with Lama Lhanang (1-2pm only this day), Private Sessions with Arji & Laraaji, Hiking, etc.
• 4 pm Traditional Tibetan Fire Puja weather permitting (Lama Lhanang)
• 6 – 7 pm Dinner
• 7:30 pm Healing Chod Practice (Lama Lhanang)

Saturday, July 6

• 7 – 8 am Tibetan Yoga (Lama Lhanang)
• 8 – 9 am Breakfast
• 10 am Tibetan Meditation: Instruction and Practice (Lama Lhanang)
• 12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
• 1 – 3 pm Free Time for Spa Treatments, Private Healings with Lama Lhanang, Hiking, etc.
• 3 – 5 pm Laughter Yoga and Sound “Playshop” (Laraaji and Arji)
• 6 – 7 pm Dinner
• 8 pm Concert Performance: Into the Peace Garden (Laraaji and Arji)

Sunday, July 7

• 7 – 11 am Check-out of Guest Rooms
• 7 – 8 am Tibetan Yoga (Lama Lhanang)
• 8 – 9 am Breakfast
• 10 am Tibetan Book of the Dead for Beginners Book Signing (Lama Lhanang)
• 12:30 – 1:30 am Lunch & Departure

*Please note that the schedule is subject to change at any time.