BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//DanielSowelu.com - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://danielsowelu.com X-WR-CALDESC:Events for DanielSowelu.com REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Australia/Sydney BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20250405T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20251004T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20260404T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20261003T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20270403T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20271002T160000 END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261002 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261015 DTSTAMP:20260604T122255 CREATED:20230904T071723Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251224T051040Z UID:10000062-1790899200-1792022399@danielsowelu.com SUMMARY:Sacred India Retreat - A 12 day Cultural and Spiritual immersion in the Shiva Shakti traditions of India DESCRIPTION:Embark on a Profound Spiritual Journey at the Sacred India Retreat\, Ganeshpuri\, Maharashtra State For Men and Women\, Singles and Couples.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n My trip to India with Daniel was a gift to myself for my 50th birthday. From the moment we arrived in the village of Ganeshpuri\, I felt at home\, safe and welcome. Our lovely host family made us feel like family\, and we were treated to their warm\, generous hospitality with great care and love for our entire stay. It was a joy to travel with other pilgrims who were also on their own paths of healing and transformation. We shared a lot of laughs and learned a lot about ourselves and each other. For me\, the overall experience was deep\, exhilarating\, profound and liberating. I can’t recommend it highly enough!\n Anne-Marie Hoyne\n Goddess Tour participant\, Perth West Australia \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n A Sacred Exploration of The Divine Within You\n \n \n \n \n \n This retreat is an invitation to step into the heart of India — to explore\, both inwardly and outwardly\, the living Shiva–Shakti traditions as reflections of the sacred masculine and feminine within each of us. Over 12 days\, you’ll be guided into the culture\, practices\, rituals and community that have shaped this ancient spiritual landscape for centuries. \nGuided by Daniel Sowelu\, Chandu Bickford\, and warmly hosted by the Jadhav family\, you’ll stay in their peaceful guesthouse in the small pilgrimage town of Ganeshpuri — a quiet\, devotional village in rural Maharashtra known for its temples\, natural springs\, and deep spiritual lineage. \nOur days unfold with a rhythm designed to open you gently and powerfully from the inside out.You’ll experience: \nDaily meditation and grounding practices \n\nGroup circle work and inquiry\nChanting\, mantras and embodied rituals\nCeremonies drawn from the Shiva–Shakti traditions\nCultural immersion with local families\, temples\, customs and community\n\nThis is a rare chance to be held in an authentic Indian homestay environment — to explore sacred sites\, learn ancient practices\, and allow the grace of the tradition to move through your own inner work. \nAcross these 12 days\, you’ll cultivate greater stillness\, clarity\, intuition\, and the capacity to take aligned action in your outer world. \nA pilgrimage of culture and spirit — and a homecoming to yourself. \n \n✨ Sacred Highlights \n\nVisit ancient Shiva and Shakti temples\, rich in history\, devotion and living tradition\nExplore sacred natural sites\, rivers\, hot springs and pilgrimage pathways\nMeet local spiritual leaders\, elders and community members who continue these lineages\nLearn the stories\, myths and teachings of Ganeshpuri — a village steeped in grace\n\n \n ✨ Ceremonies & Rituals \n\nParticipate in gentle yet powerful rituals designed to support your growth and inner unfolding\nExperience traditional mantras\, chanting and fire ceremonies\nReceive guided practices that honour the masculine and feminine energies within\nEngage in embodied ritual spaces that cultivate clarity\, courage and self-trust\n\n \n ✨ Joy\, Play & Fun \n\nEnjoy local dance lessons full of rhythm\, colour and laughter\nJoin a guided shopping expedition to nearby markets and artisan stalls\nTake part in group outings that bring levity\, adventure and delight to the journey\n\n \n ✨ Cultural Immersion \n\nLearn to cook traditional home-style Indian meals with your host family\nCreate fresh-flower garlands in a hands-on workshop\nExperience traditional Indian dress for our final ceremony and celebration\nVisit the local buffalo for early-morning milking — a family ritual\nSpend time in the family’s flower farm\, learning the stories behind daily rural life\n\n \n ✨ Rest\, Relaxation & Renewal \n\nBathe in the local hot springs — a longstanding healing tradition of Ganeshpuri\nEnjoy daily guided meditations to quiet the mind and restore your energy\nTake spacious downtime to wander the village\, journal\, rest or simply be\nWalk through the surrounding farm and fields for reflection and gentle grounding.\n\n \n Book Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Daniel Sowelu is a Practitioner\, Teacher\, Mentor of the Highest order. I cannot recommend him more. He carries great knowledge & mileage in his work … his love and quiet\, but deeply held passion shines through in his every moment. His integrity shines and his care runs deep. Many kudos to you dear Daniel Sowelu.\n Juliet\n Goddess Tour Participant\, from Oregon USA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n A Facilitated Program\n \nThe foundation of our Sacred India Retreat is a fully designed spiritual program developed over many years and is professionally facilitated by Daniel Sowelu and Chandu Bickford. \nEach day we will be learning and practicing the traditional local meditations\, mantras and visualisations to access these parts of ourselves\, whether we call them archetypes or gods and goddesses. These will be supplemented with experiential astrology\, meditation\, chanting\, dance\, and movement. \nThese are all transformative and healing processes and Daniel brings over 45 years of gathered spiritual\, healing\, groupwork\, and therapeutic skills to care and nourish these processes in you during the course of the 12 days. His facilitation is supported by the brilliant Chandu who’s 20+ years of womens group leadership\, her pioneering work around feminine insight and cross-cultural experience put her in a unique position to embody the awakened Shakti. \n \n🌿 For Men — A Return to Stillness\, Strength & Authentic Power \nThis retreat invites men into a rare space of grounded inner work — a place to cultivate true stillness\, clarify direction\, and reconnect with the deep\, steady masculine at the core of who you are. \nAcross our time together you will: \n\nDiscover your authentic power — not through force\, but through clarity\, alignment and inner steadiness.\nClarify your path and capacity to act\, learning how to take decisive\, meaningful steps in your outer life.\nExplore the sacred masculine within\, meeting both the fierce and tender aspects of your inner nature.\nDeepen your relationship with the feminine — the intuitive\, generative\, creative energy within you\, and the women in your life.\nLearn from ancient stories and archetypes\, drawing on time-honoured role models that inspire healthy\, modern masculine leadership and integrity.\n\nThis is a powerful opportunity to come home to yourself — to strengthen your centre so you can walk through life with more presence\, purpose and calm authority. \n \n🌺 For Women — Harmony\, Intuition & the Radiant Feminine \nFor women\, this journey is an immersion into the beauty\, power and wisdom of the sacred feminine — a chance to reconnect with what is tender\, intuitive and fiercely transformative within you. \nDuring the retreat you will: \n\nFind inner harmony and balance\, softening old patterns and returning to your natural centre.\nReconnect with your sacred feminine power\, allowing your intuition to become a trusted guide.\nBe inspired by ancient stories of women who transformed themselves and their world.\nStrengthen your inner capacity for change\, gaining confidence in your ability to choose\, create and act from a place of truth.\nExperience deep rest and stillness\, awakening a quieter\, wiser knowing beneath the noise of daily life.\n\nThis journey brings you back to what is essential — your wisdom\, your softness\, your strength\, and your quiet intuitive intelligence. \n \n Book Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Outer Tour Details\n \n \n \n \n \n From Ganeshpuri village we will be visiting temples in the region to the different deities\, including Shiva\, Laxmi and Ganesh\, Rama and Sita\, Saraswati\, Krishna and Radha\, Lalita\, Kali\, Parvati and their local representatives. \nOur daily program includes meditations\, astrological circle work\, chanting\, mantras and ceremonies to prepare ourselves inwardly to open to the grace of the sacred marriage\, to open to the possibility for life-changing spiritual\, emotional\, and tantric awakenings. \nThe outer adventures include day long trips and a 5 day yatra or pilgrimage to significant goddess temples\, including the great mountain temple of the Saptashrungi Devi\, one of 51 Shakti Peethas of the goddess found across India and Tibet. \nTo honour the sacred masculine\, the trip will also take in the ancient Jyoti-linga Shiva temple in Trimbakeshwara and the Kumbla Mela pilgrimage site in the town of Nasik. \nEXTEND YOUR STAY! AN OPPORTUNITY UNIQUE TO 2026! \nNot only does the retreat take in part of Navratri the nine-day festival to the goddess but this year is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people to experience the Kumbla Mela\, the largest spiritual gathering on the planet which happens every 12 years according to the cycle of Jupiter. This is happening at Trimbakeshwar\, the source of the sacred Godavari River\, the southern equivalent of the Ganges\, only three hours drive from our home base of Ganeshpuri. \nDue to logistical issues\, our formal retreat finishes on day five of Navratri\, so you are invited to extend your stay to take in the last four days and grand finale of the festival in the village. For the hardy adventurers amongst you the Kumbla Mela starts on October 30 and our hosts have secured some scarce accommodation at Trimbakeshwar for those who get in early enough. \nIf either or both of these options are of interest to you\, contact Karan directly \nganeshpurigurudevchaya.com +91 86983 32942 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Book Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Anyone who has thought of travelling to the motherland\, or felt to really connect with the spiritual potential of their own God/Goddess essence\, this is a profoundly enriching guided experience. This tour is well organized\, extremely supportive and experiential in all aspects. I have journeyed with Daniel on this tour and my soul has expanded profoundly as a result. I have a much deeper understanding and connection with both my inner masculine and feminine\, and the powerful intimacy we all share with the ancient and sacred Gods and Goddesses.\n Jack Miller\n Goddess Tour Participant\, from Melbourne Australia \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Your Guides\n \n \n \n \n \n Daniel Sowelu has been involved with the Shiva Shakti traditions for 45 years\, having received a radical and life-changing initiation into the tantric path at 20 years of age\, followed by another initiation into a goddess mantra 20 years later. He lived in the Ganeshpuri ashram for periods between 1982 and 1990 along with other trips through India. \nHis work as an experiential and evolutionary astrologer/therapist has had him specialise in the last 20 years with working with the light and dark faces of the sacred feminine\, with the sacred marriage and collaborating with the pioneer of Sacred Activism Andrew Harvey. \nDaniel created the first of these yearly retreats in 2015. \n \n \n \n \n \n Chandu Bickford is a gifted medicine woman\, alchemist\, business coach\, cultural educator\, artist\, poet and dancer who has been leading groups\, particularly for women\, for over 20 years. She has lived as a traditional farmer in Africa and travelled extensively through India\, Nepal and Tibet\, practising Vipassana meditation intensively for a decade and is a great lover of the sacred feminine in all her forms. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Additional Highlights Of The Retreat\n \n \n \n \n \n *may be subject to change \n \n Book Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nDiscover facets of yourself and others through captivating storytelling and ancient myths and legends.\nEmbrace the sacred feminine and masculine energies that reside within you.\nForge connections with like-minded individuals who share your journey.\nEmbark on adventures through the enchanting tapestry of an ancient land.\nDelve deep into your personal inner landscape for profound self-discovery.\nTraverse pilgrim paths leading to revered temples and other sanctified sites.\nWitness the breathtaking dawn vistas from time-honored temples and actively partake in traditional ceremonies.\nRelax into the rhythm of daily village life and join the evening dance celebrations\nEnjoying downtime in a serene and secure pilgrimage town\, hosted by a welcoming local family.\nIndulge in delectable homecooked meals prepared with great love by our hosts.\nExplore vibrant markets and local shops to uncover unique gifts and keepsakes.\nAdditionally your journey will encompass daily outings to local temples and a special four day pilgrimage.\nImmersion in the rituals and ceremonies that invoke the divine presence.\nParticipation in a traditional Vedic ceremony honoring the goddess Saraswati.\nA culminating Shiva Shakti ceremony that venerates the sacred union within.\nRevering the sunrise from the mountain temple of Saptashrungi Devi.\nEmbodying the Goddess through a day of adorning saris and makeup for women.\nA dedicated Shiva Day for men\, featuring a traditional Vedic Shiva fire ceremony.\nChanting the Guru Gita\, a profound dialogue between Parvati and her consort Shiva\, at a local ashram.\nOptional shopping excursions to Vasai\, Nasik\, and local markets for those interested.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n A Journey of a Lifetime\n \n \n \n \n \n Your Investment\n \n \n \n \n \n \n2026 Fees: Early Bird ends March 31st. All fees ex Mumbai in AUD:\n\n$5390 per Individual Twin Share. Early Bird $5190.\n$6540 for Individual Private Room. Early Bird $6340.\n$4990 for Concession Rate\, Individual Twin Share. Early Bird $4790.\n\n\nDeposits of $880 to be paid with your initial booking and are non-refundable after April 1st 2026.\nEarly Bird balance due April 30th. Later balances are due by August 1st. Bookings are cancelled if not paid.\nCancellation Policy: It is recommended that you have cancellation costs covered in your travel insurance.\n\nRefund Percentages on fees paid: Cancelling before May 1st: 80% refund. Cancelling before July 1st: 70% refund. Cancelling before August 1st: 50% refund. Cancellations after August 1st: No refund.\nPayment Plans: For people on payment plans\, early cancellations after April 1st\, a refund excludes your deposit and the same percentages as above for your post deposit payments.\nForce Majeure: There is a full refund\, minus deposit\, should the tour be cancelled due to extraneous circumstances.\n\n\nDeposits of $880 per head to be paid with your booking to secure your place.\nPayment Methods: You can book directly with Daniel\, paying via bank transfer (including for manual payment plans)\, or via this website\, where at the checkout you have three options:\n\nDirect Deposit – OUR PREFERRED OPTION – to the business account DanielSowelu.Com BSB:012 742 Acc No 477675451.\nCredit or Debit Card via this site.\nAutomated Payment Plan\, at checkout\, using a Credit or Debit Card\, with an added 5% processing Fee.\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n The Retreat Fees Include\n \n \n \n \n \n \nAccommodation on all nights of the tour dates\nBreakfast/lunch/dinners while in Ganeshpuri (all lovingly homecooked meals)\nTransfers to and from airport\nTransfers to and from outings\nDay tours\nCeremonies\nMeditation/chanting in sacred spaces\nDown time for shopping and rest.\nFour day Yatra (Spiritual Pilgrimage) to Saptashrungi and Trimbakeshwara Temples.\nCircle facilitation\, ceremony leaders and local guides.\nLocal environmental levy.\nDonations to mountain orphanage\, ashrams and temples.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Please note: Dates may slightly vary. Contact us for more details and to embark on this life-altering journey. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Join Us For An Experience That Transcends Ordinary Travel\n \n \n \n \n \n The Sacred India Retreat promises spiritual growth\, self-discovery\, and a profound connection to the divine energies that shape our existence. Reserve your place today\, and let the sacred dance of Shiva and Shakti awaken the depths of your being. \n \n Book Now URL:https://danielsowelu.com/event/sacred-india-retreat/ LOCATION:Ganeshpuri\, Ganeshpuri\, Maharashtra\, 401206\, India CATEGORIES:Feminine,Marriage,Masculine,Purpose ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://danielsowelu.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Goddess-Tours-of-India-1.webp END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR