Breathing 2025: Annual New Year’s Dharma, Pranayama, Yoga, Kirtan & Astrology Celebration

Celebrate with friends of Tibet House US | Menla, a 17 year tradition, as our community gathers in person to ring in the new year in the magic garden secret valley of the Medicine Buddha, Menla. Practice, pray and party with us across five days of teachings, breathwork, yoga, astrology, devotional chanting and more. Join us in letting go of constricting habit-patterns and setting meaningful and expansive intentions for manifesting our positive dreams for the coming year, all while having much needed fun together!

Master astrologer and astronomer Alexander Mallon will kick off the retreat with his “astrological forecast” for 2025, teaching us the basics of reading an astrological chart and shedding light on patterns we can expect in the near future as individuals, as a nation, and as a world. Alexander will also offer expert astrological consultations throughout the program and a group chart reading session that will amaze all but the most hardened skeptics.

Michele Loew will lead daily morning Vajrayoga practice sessions, and Paul Bloom will offer afternoon Qi Gong classes each day. Krishna Das, and Nina Rao will offer chanting/kirtan sessions and join in several lively discussions. Bob Thurman will give Dharma teachings, and he and meditation teacher and conscious breathing guide, Matteo Pistono, will explore this year’s thematic focus: how we breathe directly impacts the way we feel. Matteo will introduce breathing practices dedicated to helping you regulate your nervous system. Whether you seek to calm racing thoughts before sleep, invigorate your energy during the day, or refine your focus before meditation, you will learn time-tested yogic methods to breathe your way to well-being. Drawing from his book, Breathe How You Want to Feel, this workshop provides a comprehensive psychophysical toolkit. Discover how to optimize your breathing to overcome fatigue, stress, and lack of inspiration, increasing your overall sense of purpose and well-being.

New Year’s eve will feature our annual group sound bath by Woodstock’s Sage Academy of Sound, a spectacular sonic meditation before a late night celebration and countdown session with refreshments at the Lhasa Inn to ring in the new year. Together we will revitalize ourselves to deal joyfully and successfully with the challenges of these pivotal times and make strides to manifest the very best for ourselves and our communities for 2025. We hope you can join us!

Open to all levels of experience.

We encourage you to register early as space is limited!

Click Register Now above if you wish to register to attend in person at Menla. If you cannot attend in person and wish to join virtually/online, please click here to register for virtual participation.

Schedule

Friday, December 27

• 3 – 8 pm Arrival & Check-in
• 6 – 7 pm Dinner
• 7:15 pm Welcome with Michael G Burbank & 2025 Astrology Forecast with Alexander Mallon

Saturday, December 28

• 7 – 8 am Vajrayoga Asanas with Michele Loew
• 8 – 9 am Breakfast
• 10:30 am – 12 pm Intro to the Vajrayoga Experience with Michele and Bob
• 12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
• 1:30 – 4 pm Free Time for Spa Treatments, Astrology Consultations, Relaxation, etc
• 1:45 – 3:15 pm Qi Gong with Paul Bloom
• 4 – 5:30 pm  Dharma Teaching with Matteo and Bob
• 6 – 7 pm Dinner
• 7:30 pm Kirtan with Krishna Das & Friends

Sunday, December 29

• 7 – 8 am Vajrayoga Asanas with Michele
• 8 – 9 am Breakfast
• 9:15 – 10:45 am Morning Class with Matteo
• 11 am – 12:30 pm Prayers for the Goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati and Tara with Nina
• 12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
• 1:30 – 4 pm Free Time for Spa Treatments, Astrology Consultations, Relaxation, etc
• 1:45 – 3:15 pm Qi Gong with Paul Bloom
• 2 – 3:30 pm Rhythmic Sound Journey with Arjun
• 4 – 5:30 pm Afternoon Teaching with Bob
• 6 – 7 pm Dinner
• 7:30 pm Kirtan with Krishna Das & Friends

Monday, December 30

• 7 – 8 am Vajrayoga Asanas with Michele
• 8 – 9 am Breakfast
• 10 am – 12 pm Morning Class with Matteo (and Bob?)
• 12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
• 1:30 – 4 pm Free Time for Spa Treatments, Astrology Consultations, Relaxation, etc
• 1:45 – 3:15 pm Qi Gong with Paul Bloom
• 4 – 5:30 pm Afternoon Class with Bob and KD
• 6 – 7 pm Dinner
• 7:30 pm Kirtan with Krishna Das & Friends

Tuesday, December 31

• 7 – 8 am Vajrayoga Asanas with Michele
• 8 – 9 am Breakfast
• 10 am – 12 pm “Magic Hat” Public Astrological Chart Readings with Alexander
• 12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
• 1:30 – 4 pm Free Time for Spa Treatments, Astrology Consultations, Relaxation, etc
• 1:45 – 3:15 pm Qi Gong with Paul Bloom
• 4 – 5:30 pm Afternoon Class with Bob
• 6 – 7:30 pm Special New Year’s Dinner
• 8 – 9:30 pm Group Sound Bath
• 10:30 pm – 12 am New Year’s Meditation, Intention-Setting, Countdown and Celebration

Wednesday, January 1

• 7 – 11 am Check out of Guest Rooms
• 7 – 8:30 am Qi Gong with Paul
• 8 am – 7 pm 108 Hanuman Chalisas with Nina Rao, KD & Friends: All Day from Tibet House US in NYC (virtual offering)
• 8:30 – 9:30 am Vajrayoga Asanas with Michele
• 9:30 am Coffee, Tea and Danishes at the Conference Center
• 9:45 – 11:15 am Closing New Year’s Talk with Bob
• 11:30 – 1:30 Brunch & Departure
• 1:30 – 4:30 pm Individual Astrology Consultation with Alexander Mallon by Appointment

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