Agnihotra Yoga Retreat

Feb 2024 For anyone seriously wishing to deepen their yoga and meditation practice, a stay at Agnihotra retreat is the perfect choice. A sense of calm and deep connection to nature pervades the atmosphere; this is in part created by the Fire Ceremony which happens twice a day. Individual healing sessions, while optional, are an important part of the retreat and Rakesh listens carefully before using his skills to clear blockages and rebalance a person. Ayuverdic food and massage also help to cleanse and reset the body and mind. Rakesh is a deeply knowledgeable person and always willing to answer questions and guide people towards a greater understanding of ancient traditions. Whilst we were there, he also arranged trips to local temple festivals as well as offering a peaceful afternoon in a boat on a Keralan waterway. Quite simply, the week I have just spent at Agnihotra has moved me to a calmer, more mindful space and I look forward to returning.

I can truly recommend this yoga retreat! Rakesh is an excellent spiritual and yoga teacher and the fire rituals are something special! After a week I feel like a new person. Refreshed with new energy. What I liked the most was the fire rituals and the meditations. I got the time to practice pranayama and to calm my mind. The healing sessions had a great impact on me. The retreat is surrounded by nature and it was a beautiful experience listening to all the birds. The food was amazing, freshly made with a big variety. I really liked the hot beetroot tea! I'm happy with all the excursions. I went to the back waters and I had an amazing massage. Rakesh even organised a trip for us so we could experience a Hindu temple festival with a guide that showed us around. After the retreat I stayed by my own in Varkala and Rakesh helped me organise my trip to the airport, that I'm truly grateful for. Namaste

My wife and I spent a restful week end Mar with Rakesh at this awesome location. In the first few days we made new friends from the UK, US and Canada. Inspirations around yoga and meditation were exchanged and we enjoyed little trips out to take in the sights within beautiful Varkala in Kerala. I also had my first taste of Ayurvedic massage and gained much advice from Dr Bose the in-house doctor. Rakesh is a god send. He is most compassionate and wise, yet humble and attentive. Daily fire rituals were perceptibly enhancing our spiritual peace and physical energies, giving us good sleep on top of revitalising our tired bodies. Thoroughly enjoyed the yoga classes as preparation for meditation sessions. Lots of lessons and insights obtained over the fulfilling week that we continue to reflect upon even after leaving the resort. Highly recommended. Go in open minded without high expectations and discover what is in store for yourself. Missing the sounds of the sea waves and birdsong that we have gotten used to and almost take for granted!

Our teacher Rakesh is a genuine person and has a lot of wisdom and knowledge. It was such a blessing to have met him and learned from him. As I was the only participant last 8days, I could ask him questions freely and enjoyed his insights. I could deepen my meditation thanks to him. This place is located in the middle of the nature and it's so peaceful. I enjoyed a lot listening to singing of birds. The beach is just 5min walk away. Also the cook is amazing too! She picks up coconuts from the garden , scrapes them and uses them for cooking every day. Everything is homemade and vegan. I could eat her food forever!! They accept only small number of people, so the atmosphere is intimate and you can get personal attention. I highly recommend this place for people who want to deepen meditation practice and have spiritual growth.

I had a wonderful time and one of a kind - beautiful experience. I am so glad and grateful i was able to be a part of this retreat. There are no words to describe the kind of experience, learning and emotions that was felt throughout this retreat. The Accomodation was very comfortable, surrounded by nature and very peaceful. The food was refreshing , healthy and definitely yummy. Rakesh sir was very welcoming , kind and makes sure we are very comfortable and safe. I really enjoyed , and in-fact miss the so many wonderful conversations we had during our meal time together. The fire ritual and the meditation was very powerful , we can feel the positive energy surrounding us, it truly has profound effects on the mind and the body. His methods of teaching and guiding us with the meditation and yoga was so good . He makes sure that we learn and be able to practice the same in our daily lives to continue reaping the benefits. I have learned so much , and i have felt so much more . I have been feeling so peaceful, calm, sad, emotional , happy and i felt like a whole new person during and after this journey. The energy , vibrations that we can feel there is like no other. It is definitely a healing and transformative experience that will have you feeling grateful that you could be a part of it.