December 27, 2025 - January 1, 2026
About this Retreat
Krishna Das is a Grammy-nominated chant artist and has sung with people all around the world for over 35 years. His music offers the practice of chanting mantras– mostly in the Indian tradition, with some Buddhist and Gospel infusions. By sharing his life experiences on the path in his book Chants of a Lifetime, and workshops with people around the world, participants have found a way to integrate spiritual practices in their lives in a better way with some peace of mind. In 2018, Krishna Das released his 16th album “Peace of my Heart.” Learn more at www.krishnadas.com
Suggested Book & Recordings by Krishna Das
Chants of a Lifetime (Book), Kirtan Wallah (Music), Breath of The Heart (Music), Live Ananda (Music), Pilgrim Heart (Music), One Track Heart (Music), Heart As Wide As The World (Music) & Live Workshop from Menla (Audio).
To Learn More About Krishna Das please visit: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Nina Rao learned traditional chants from her grandfather in a village in south India when she was nine years old. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996. For many years Nina has been Krishna Das business manager and assistant, and accompanies him musically. In 2007, she recorded the track ‘Nina Chalisa’ on Krishna Das’ CD “Flow of Grace” and in January 2013, she released her debut double-CD album, “Antarayaami – Knower of All Hearts“. She released her second album “Anubhav” in 2018. You can find her interviews on a number of podcasts, online courses, and documentary films on Bhakti Yoga, kirtan, and chanting the Hanuman Chalisa. She is also a podcast host on the Be Here Now Network. Nina regularly leads retreats, kirtan, and chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa, in her hometown of Brooklyn, New York and beyond. She is also founder and active chairwoman of
SavingWildTigers.org. For more information visit
NinaRaoChant.com
Robert Thurman is Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University as well as co-founder and President of
Tibet House US and it's
Menla Retreat & Spa. A world-wide lecturer on Tibetan Buddhism, activist for the plight of the Tibetan people, translator of Buddhist texts, and writer of popular Buddhist books. He recently has been awarded the Padma Shri Award, India’s fourth highest civilian honor for achievement in enriching Indian education and literature. His most recent book is the 300 page graphic novel,
Man of Peace: the Illustrated Life Story of the Dalai Lama of Tibet.
Suggested Books & Audio by Robert A.F. Thurman:
Man of Peace: Illustrated Life Story of Tibet’s Dalai Lama (Book),
Infinite Life: Awakening to Bliss Within (Book),
Anger: The Seven Deadly Sins (Book),
Inner Revolution (Book),
Circling the Sacred Mountain : A Spiritual Adventure Through the Himalayas (Book),
Essential Tibetan Buddhism (Book),
The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Book of Natural Liberation Through Understanding in the Between (Book)
The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism (Book),
The Central Philosophy of Tibet (Book),
The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: A Mahayana Scripture (Book),
Life & Teachings of Tsong Khapa (Book),
Why the Dalai Lama Matters: His Act of Truth as the Solution for China, Tibet, and the World (Book) &
Liberation Upon Hearing in the Between: Living with the Tibetan Book of the Dead (Audio).
To Learn More About Robert A.F. Thurman please visit: Website |
Twitter |
Facebook |
Instagram
Michele Loew is an international yoga teacher & practitioner of Hatha & Tibetan Yogas & the co-founding director of the Vajra Yoga School of Comparative Buddhist & Indic Yogic Studies where sheco-teaches with Professor Robert A.F. Thurman at Menla & abroad.
She has taught, practiced, & studied avidly since 1998, and continues to run her longtime yoga school and beloved studio,
The Yoga Space in Portland, Oregon. She is also on the Board of
Tibet House US and is devoted to supporting His Holiness The Dalai Lama’s mission, as well as preserving Tibetan Culture and Dharma. You can find her often in New York sharing yoga at Tibet House or upstate at Menla Mountain Retreat.
Her love and commitment to the unexcelled yoga tantras of Vajrayana as a path we can take towards perfect enlightenment and the integration of those teachings with the Hatha yogas more broadly practiced today, seeing both as powerful and not separate extensions of one another, infuses her work with great joy & commitment to a more compassionate and awakened world.
She honors the lineage of teachers she comes from and bows to her longtime Hatha & Classical Yoga teacher,
Richard Freeman for elucidating the middle path of love with the utmost clarity and kindness. To
Robert Thurman, her beloved principle teacher in Buddhist science and her root guru His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the deepest bow for empowering her in the anuttara yogas.
Michele teaches regular classes and 200 & 500 YA trainings in Yoga & Yoga Nidra in Portland &; New York, as well as retreats and workshops internationally. Follow her on instagram
@micheleloew
John Campbell has been practicing yoga and meditation for over thirty years. In 2002 he became one of the few instructors worldwide to be recognized as a Certified Teacher by the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore in southern India. He currently runs the Vajra Yoga program for Tibet House in New York City. A scholar of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, he received a PhD in Religion from Columbia University. He has been a Fulbright Fellow and taught at Columbia University and the University of Virginia, where he co-founded the Contemplative Sciences Center. He is a translator of Sanskrit and Tibetan texts from the yogic and tantric traditions of India and Tibet. His recent publications include The Esoteric Community Tantra by Vajradhara with the Illuminating Lamp by Chandrakirti (2020), the first in a series of commentaries on the Guhyasamāja Tantra co-translated with Prof. Robert Thurman. He is A native New Yorker, he lives with his wife, three children, and various cats and dogs in Newburgh, New York.
Paul studied Chinese philosophy and history at Harvard and Columbia Universities. He has studied and practiced Classical Qigong with Kwan Sai-hung for over 30 years; Zen Buddhism with Roshi Joan Halifax, Roshi Enkyo O’Hara and Sensei Kazuaki Tanahashi; and Tibetan Buddhism with Professor Robert Thurman and Gelek Rinpoche. Paul has led Qigong workshops at the Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, NY; Tibet House, NYC; Menla Retreat, Phoenicia, NY; Casa Bellavista, Montezuma, Costa Rica; and at Buddhist retreats nationwide. He presently teaches throughout the Hudson Valley, including Menla Retreat Center and Zen Mountain Monastery in Mt. Tremper, and at Tibet House in NYC. He lives in Woodstock, NY.
www.paulbloomqigong.com.
A celebrated astrologer and intuitive, Alexander Mallon has practiced for over 45 years, sharing his gifts with clientele spanning the globe, from NY to New Zealand. Alexander has been an avid telescope builder and amateur astronomer for nearly 50 years as well and incorporates his intimate knowledge of the sky and natural cycles into his professional consulting and coaching career. Discovering his calling very early in life, Alexander began his work professionally with private clients including corporate leaders, political figures, entrepreneurs, physicians, lawyers, artists and actors. Over the years he has been featured on numerous radio and television programs, and for 5 years was a guest co-producer of the call-in live TV program “New Planet” which aired in Manhattan and the San Francisco Bay area.
Alexander holds a Certificate of Astrological Study from the Astrological Research Center of New York and a degree in Art Therapy from Long Island University School of Visual and Performing Arts. He has also received training in Body Centered Gestalt Therapy at the Hartford Family Institute in Hartford, CT. Known for his compassionate style and also his direct laser-like insight, Alexander provides Consulting, Coaching and Counseling services for individuals, couples, and corporations. As an avid amateur astronomer and sky observer, Alexander also conducts classes and “experientials” in astronomy and sky lore at his private observatory in Charleston, SC.
Lea Garnier has worked in the healing arts for over 25 years and is an established practitioner in the field. She is the Director of Sage Academy of Sound in Woodstock, NY which she founded in 2007. She is an Upledger trained Craniosacral Therapist, practicing since 1990. She is a certified yoga instructor trained in the Desikachar lineage. Lea is a student of the shamanic arts which inspired her ongoing interest in therapeutic sound for healing, which led to the organization in 2010 of the first annual comprehensive Sound Healing retreat in the northeast
, The Sound Healing Retreat Intensive. Now in its 15th year, it is an ongoing platform created specifically for the pioneers of sound healing to come together and share their knowledge and wisdom, often resulting in deeply transformational experiences for participants.
Due to its massive appeal, and to meet the demands of this emerging healing modality, Sage created
The Sound Healing Certification Program in 2013. The program focuses on the fundamental areas of sound healing and caters to an international audience of practitioners working in the healing arts. In 2013
Gong Camp, with 91-year-old master Don Conreaux was created. In 2014 Lea created an innovative program integrating sound healing and various styles of yoga, specifically Yin and Vinyasa. This grew into a teacher training called
The Yoga of Sound, a
Nada Yoga Retreat.
More here:
https://sageacademyofsound.com/our-programs
Arjun Bruggeman, world percussionist, drummer, composer and session recording artist, is highly acclaimed for his unique hybrid of East-meets-West rhythms. For the past decade, he's toured with Krishna Das worldwide and has recorded and performed with artists such as John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Brian Jackson, Jason Mraz, Belinda Carlisle, Jon Anderson, Colman Barks, Robert Bly, Trevor Hall.
Echoes of Stillness: A Rhythmic Sound & Mantra Journey
Step into an immersive sound journey where rhythm and mantra become the bridge between the outer world and the vast, uncharted depths of the inner self. Through the primal power of percussive instruments—frame drum, tabla, kalimba and hang drum—we create a pulsing, textured soundscape that gently dissolves the surface noise of the mind, guiding you into a deep state of presence and release.
This is a deeply nurturing practice. The element of sound works through the body, unwinding held tension, clearing pathways of energy, and attuning you to the resonance of something greater. As you surrender into the pulse, a profound sense of grounding emerges—one that is not heavy but vast, and steady.
Emerge with a feeling of renewal, a quiet yet undeniable transformation. This is more than just an experience—it’s a remembrance of the stillness that is always within you.
For this journey participants are welcome to sit, lie down, dance, do yoga, qigong or whatever moves you. If you know the mantra you are welcome to chant quietly.
Details of this retreat
As we enter the Year of the Fire Horse, we are invited to light the fire of joy with compassion, harnessing this bold, transformative energy to move forward with purpose, heart, and fearless authenticity.
Join friends of Tibet House US | Menla for an 18-year tradition as our community gathers in person to ring in the New Year in the magical, secret valley of the Medicine Buddha. Over five inspiring days, we’ll practice, pray, and play together—through teachings, breathwork, yoga, astrology, devotional chanting, and more. Let’s release limiting patterns and set powerful intentions for manifesting our dreams for the year ahead—all while sharing in much-needed joy and celebration.
We kick off this year’s retreat with an unforgettable kirtan experience featuring Krishna Das, Nina Rao, and crew. Michele Loew will lead daily morning yoga sessions, and Paul Bloom will guide afternoon Qi Gong classes. Arjun Bruggeman will offer an afternoon of rhythmic sound. Krishna Das and Nina Rao will also offer additional kirtan and join several dynamic group conversations. Bob Thurman will share Dharma teachings alongside John Campbell—with more special guests to be announced soon!
Master astrologer and astronomer Alexander Mallon returns with his renowned Astrological Forecast for 2026, introducing the basics of reading a chart and offering insights into the energetic patterns shaping our personal and collective futures. He’ll also provide expert consultations and lead a group chart-reading session sure to inspire all but the most steadfast skeptics.
On New Year’s Eve, we’ll enjoy our beloved annual group sound bath with Woodstock’s Sage Academy of Sound—a powerful sonic meditation followed by a festive late-night celebration and countdown at the Nalanda Conference Center, complete with refreshments and community connection.
Together, we will recharge, reflect, and realign—ready to face the challenges of our time with fiery joy, clear vision, and compassionate action, manifesting the highest good for ourselves, our communities, and our world in 2026.
We encourage you to register early—space is limited!
THIS PAGE IS FOR IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE REGISTRATION. TO REGISTER FOR ONLINE/VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE, PLEASE CLICK HERE
Schedule
Saturday, December 27
3 - 8 pm Arrival & Check-in
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 pm Welcome with Lynn Schauwecker & Frank Segro, Kirtan with Krishna Das, Nina Rao & Friends
Sunday, December 28
7 - 8 am Vajrayoga Asanas with Michele Loew
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:15 - 10:45 am Morning Class with Special Guest
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 Bruggeman
4 - 5:30 pm Afternoon Teaching with Robert Thurman
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 pm Kirtan with Krishna Das, Nina Rao & Friends
Monday, December 29
7 - 8 am Vajrayoga Asanas with Michele Loew
8 - 9 am Breakfast
10 am - 12 pm Morning Class with Special Guest
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 Robert Thurman and Krishna Das
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 pm Kirtan with Krishna Das, Nina Rao & Friends
Tuesday, December 30
7 - 8 am Vajrayoga Asanas with Michele Loew
8 - 9 am Breakfast
10 am - 12 pm Morning Class with Michele Loew
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 Robert Thurman & Special Guest
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 pm 2026 Astrology Forecast with Alexander Mallon
Wednesday, December 31
7 - 8 am Vajrayoga Asanas with John Campbell
8 - 9 am Breakfast
10 am - 12 pm “Magic Hat” Public Astrological Chart Readings with Alexander Mallon
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 Robert Thurman & John Campbell
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 John Campbell
9:30 am Coffee, Tea and Danishes at the Conference Center
9:45 - 11:15 am Closing New Year’s Talk with Robert Thurman, John Campbell & Special Guest
11:30 - 1:30 Brunch & Departure
1:30 - 4:30 pm Individual Astrology Consultation with Alexander Mallon by Appointment
*Please note that the schedule is subject to change.
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