Ideal for busy individuals seeking relaxation and mental rejuvenation. A gentle weekend to step away from the noise and return to yourself.

Every day blends traditional practice with rest — morning silence, Hatha yoga, guided meditation, sattvic meals and quiet time by the Ganga.

A weekend yoga retreat in Rishikesh, India

This short residential retreat is held at the Parasha ashram near Pushkar Mandir in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand — the town yogis have come to for generations, on the banks of the Ganga at the foothills of the Himalayas. Over two to three days you step out of schedules and screens and into a gentler rhythm: gentle Hatha yoga, guided meditation and pranayama, sattvic meals, and unhurried time by the river.

Mauna: a weekend of silence and mind training in Rishikesh, 4 to 6 December 2026

Mauna is our December 2026 weekend retreat at the Parasha ashram near Pushkar Mandir in Rishikesh, led by Parasha Ji. It runs from Friday 4 December, with arrival from 4 pm, to Sunday 6 December, with departure at 2 pm: two nights of yoga, pranayama, concentration practice, silence and meditation for anyone who wants two days away from phones and noise to learn how to sit with and train their own mind. Registrations close on 1 December.

The weekend follows one progression: awareness, then concentration, then silence, then witnessing, then bringing it into daily life.

Who Mauna is for

Beginners and experienced practitioners are both welcome, and no experience is needed. If you have never meditated, you will be taught from the start; if you already practise, the weekend gives you two uninterrupted days to deepen it.

Residential or day guest

Residential: ₹7,000 ($99 for international guests). Two nights in a shared ashram room, all sattvic vegetarian meals from Friday dinner to Sunday lunch, all sessions, and a take-home practice sheet. Rooms are shared, so please plan for that. Coming with a friend? The combined rate for two residential guests is ₹13,000.

Day guest: ₹4,500 ($60 for international guests). All sessions on Friday from 4 pm to 9 pm, Saturday from 6 am to 9 pm and Sunday from 6 am to 2 pm, with meals while you are at the ashram. Accommodation is not included.

There are 8 residential places and up to 10 day-guest places, so the group stays small and each guest receives personal attention.

Payment in full is required to book your place.

What you take home

Every guest leaves with a simple 10-minute daily practice written on one page, a 21-day practice tracker, and an invitation to a free online follow-up sitting one week later, on Sunday 13 December, so the group stays connected.

Weekend schedule

Times and practices may be adjusted by the teacher during the weekend.

Friday 4 December: arriving

4:00 pm — Arrival, check-in, chai
5:30 pm — Welcome circle: why we’re here, ashram guidelines, setting an intention
6:30 pm — Evening meditation: breath awareness
7:30 pm — Dinner
8:30 pm — Satsang with Parasha Ji: what meditation is, and what it isn’t
9:30 pm — Mauna (silence) begins

Saturday 5 December: training attention (silent morning)

5:30 am — Wake up
6:00 am — Hatha Yoga and Pranayama (Nadi Śodhana)
7:30 am — Dhāraṇā: concentration practice
8:30 am — Silent breakfast
10:00 am — Philosophy: Citta and Vṛtti, understanding how the mind moves
11:30 am — Trāṭaka
12:30 pm — Lunch; silence ends
2:00 pm — Rest, journaling, self-reflection questions
3:30 pm — Yoga Nidra
5:00 pm — Sunset Ganga Arti
7:00 pm — Dinner
8:00 pm — Mantra and So’ham practice; open Q&A

Sunday 6 December: witnessing and taking it home

5:30 am — Wake up
6:00 am — Hatha Yoga and Pranayama
7:30 am — Sākṣī Bhāva: witness meditation
8:30 am — Breakfast
10:00 am — Practice for daily life: building your 10-minute routine, conscious pauses
11:30 am — Closing circle: sharing, reflections, next steps
12:30 pm — Lunch
2:00 pm — Departure

Practical notes

December mornings in Rishikesh are cold, so bring warm layers and a shawl. Rooms are shared.

Phones are kept away during sessions, and silence is held from Friday night until Saturday lunch.

To reach the ashram, fly into Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport, or take a train to Haridwar or Rishikesh railway station. Write to us after booking and we will help you plan the route.

Who this weekend is for

Busy professionals, first-time visitors to an ashram, and anyone who needs a genuine pause. No yoga experience is required — every practice is taught gently and adapted to the group. If you have only a weekend and want it to actually restore you, this is the retreat to begin with. Ready for something deeper? See the 5-day Inner Wellness Retreat or the full 7-day Yogic Living Retreat.

Getting here

Rishikesh is around five to six hours by road from Delhi, and about 35 minutes from Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport (DED), which has daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai. Write to us after booking and we will help you plan the easiest route to the ashram.

Reserve your place

Places are limited to twenty guests so the retreat stays quiet and personal. Dates and transparent pricing — in INR for Indian residents and USD for international guests — are shown in the booking panel above; you can reserve with a 25% deposit and pay securely online. Questions first? Write to us — we answer within a day or two.

A calm, structured weekend: morning silence, yoga, meditation, spiritual talks and rest — all in a riverside ashram setting.