Regenerating Spirit and Nature:
A Wellness Retreat in Ladakh
I have never met people who seem so healthy emotionally, so secure, as the Ladakhis. The reasons are, of course, complex and spring from a whole way of life and world view. But I am sure that the most important factor is the sense that you are a part of something much larger than yourself, that you are inextricably connected to others and to your surroundings. - Helena Norberg-Hodge, author of "Ancient Futures - Lessons from Ladakh for a Globalizing World"
Join us in Ladakh, India in July of 2024 for a Buddhist-themed wellness retreat, filled with Learn, Serve & Immerse experiences with Buddhist monks, nuns, Amchi-Tibetan doctors, and local villagers while enjoying heritage walks, agricultural rituals, culinary experiences and monastic life.
This uniquely curated retreat, facilitated by Djazia Belle, provides hands-on, engaging learning opportunities with monastics, local villagers, artisans, healers and community members focused on preserving Ladakh's cultural heritage and ancient practices for nurturing their communities and the environment.
Through wellness-emphasized experiences, we will immersive ourselves in the Ladakhi / Tibetan healing culture by engaging in ancient rituals, Buddhist practices, meditation, traditional medicinal practices, and every day village life, while supporting compassionate Ladakhi organizations engaged in nurturing their communities and the natural environment.
Trip dates for this small group, heartfelt adventure are July 4-14, 2024.
Trip Highlights
Learning Highlights include:
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Ladakhi cultural traditions at centuries-old monasteries, quaint villages, multi-generational homes, while you explore one of the important stops on the Silk Road
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Meditate with the Monks at their temples and learn about tantric Buddhist practices
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Immerse in traditional markets and crafts workshops, including a hands-on workshop Pashmina Workshop and the art of textiles from a local, woman-owned shop
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Engage with knowledgeable Amchis (Doctors) and get a real insight into the theory of Sowa-Rigpa, i.e. the Science of healing.
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The impacts of climate change, and the ancient system Ladakh villages use to preserve and distribute water.
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Buddhist mindful healing and traditional medical practices culture, philosophy, and history
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Ladakhi culinary heritage experiences!
Trip Leader & Retreat Facilitator
Trip Facilitator, Jennifer Spatz
A cultural anthropologist at heart, Jennifer Spatz is the Founder and CEO of Global Family Travels. Since she launched the company in 2010, Jennifer’s vision has been to unite humanity and inspire travelers to take responsibility for the challenges and opportunities facing our increasingly interconnected planet through sustainable tourism experiences that support destination stewardship and local communities.
Since 2010, Jennifer has led several group trips to Ladakh on impactful Learn, Serve & Immerse adventures and has helped facilitate cross-cultural school exchanges for the Siddhartha School Partnership (SSP) and Seattle area schools. She serves on the advisory council of the SSP board, and she and her family have been long-time supporters of the school, sponsoring the education of several SSP students. Learn more about Jennifer here.
About Djazia Belle, Retreat Facilitator
Djazia Belle originates from the Amazigh indigenous tribe of North Africa, and is a natural intuitive guide through various healing modalities with certifications in Life Coaching, Yoga, Reiki, Hypnosis, Tai Chi, and Master Esthetics.
Djazia had an adverse upbringing in the middle east and believes that the challenges we all encounter are our greatest gifts. It is our mission to embrace it, do the inner work, and transmute it into our greatest power. She is fluent in English, French, and Arabic, and has worked internationally with royal families, ambassadors, celebrities, and corporate executives.
For the past 20 years of coaching internationally, Djazia has specialized in getting to the root of the problem and sharing authentically how to live fully from our heart space. Her passion is to light the path for self-discovery that activates creativity, authentic connection, healing, and full life expression
Learn, Serve & Immerse with local NGOs and Community in Ladakh
Global Family Travels mission is to Learn, Serve and Immerse through authentic community-based travel experiences which foster cross-cultural understanding, destination stewards and better global citizens. In alignment with our mission, this unique regenerative retreat weaves these three travel pillars into community engagement and support of compassionate Ladakhi organizations engaged in nurturing their communities and the natural environment.
As Ladakh continues to become increasingly popular for both local tourists in India and global visitors, the destination has rapidly expanded its urban services and experiences to meet tourists' expectations. With this urbanization and population growth comes the challenge of managing Ladakh’s environment and scarce resources, particularly water, which is one of the biggest concerns for people in the local government, (See Wall Street Journal article: We can’t Waste a Drop” India is Running out of Water. )
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