ANGKOR WAT

THE KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA

&

LUANG PRABANG, LAOS

Dear Friend,

Having lived in Cambodia I found it to be one of the most unique, enchanting and impressive places I've ever been. The people are wonderful, resilient and welcoming, the landscape is magical, Angkor Wat – majestic beyond compare, the food absolutely delicious and the experience of being there powerfully heart-opening and expansive. Add the exquisite beauty and peacefulness of Luang Prabang, Laos and this becomes a journey of a lifetime.

Motivation is what separates a pilgrimage from ordinary travel.
….A pilgrimage is not a required act.
It comes from the heart.
Dalai Lama

WHEN: The middle two weeks of January, 2010

This journey is for those of you who are adventurous at heart and are willing to partake in a pilgimage that will allow for serendipitous occurrences and stretching …both literally and figuratively…. yoga, breathwork and well-being practices are integral to the journey…and also stretching to understand some different and difficult life paradigms of both ancient and contemporary cultures.

In order to maintain intimacy and ease of travel we will limit ourselves to a small group of venturesome women.

You will begin and end with free time in Bangkok, a city that has been called the gateway between the West and the East. As some participants may want to spend extra time in Thailand in order to recover from jetlag before the rest of the journey, the time there is completely open. There will be help with where to stay and what to do. Everyone will then fly as a group from Bangkok to Phnom Penh.

Highlights include:

• Daily Wellness Practices, Self Inquiry and Laughter Yoga
  
  
• Three days exploring the temples of Angkor Wat in all of their magnificence during the times of the fewest crowds
  
  
• Sunrise sun salutations and morning picnics on temple grounds
  
  
• Jungle hike to Sacred Sites
  
  
• Explorations of traditional culture and life
  
  
• Classical and folkloric dance and music at the Apsara Arts Association
  
  
• An array of charming accommodations
  
  
• Exploration of Phnom Penh, its allures and also places that “stretch”
  
  
• River Promenade, Grand Palace and stunning Art Museum
  
  
• The NGO world and the global service community
  
  
• Meetings with Cambodians and expats from many walks of life
  
  
• Shopping in the fabulous Russian Market
  
  
• Yoga and Practices at The Cambodia Center For Yoga and The Healing Arts (voted one of the ten best international yoga centers in the world)
  
  
• Relaxation and Renewal time in charming spas with traditional massage
  
  
• Boating on the Mekong and the Tonle Sap Rivers
  
  
• The exquisite art of Silk Weaving
  
  
• Meditation with Buddhist monks and nuns at Wat Lanka
  
  
• Sunset “Happy Hour” from the top of the FCC (Foreign Correspondents Club)
  
  
• The enchantment of Luang Prabang, Laos and environs
  
  
• Exploration of Laotian temples of unparalleled beauty and detail
  
  
• Interactions with elephants at nearby elephant sanctuary
  
  
• Dawn Procession of Monks and Night Market

PRICE: $2400 includes:

• All transportation: ground, boat and airfare within Asia
• All hotel accommodations
• Departure taxes between Cambodia and Laos
• Two vegetarian meals a day (some fish)
• All tips, gratuities and donations
• All admissions to museums and World Heritage Sites
• Laurie's services & Serendipitous Surprises

NOT INCLUDED:

• Roundtrip airfare to/from Bangkok and any visa fees
• Bangkok expenses
• Free time activities & alcoholic beverages
• Excess Baggage

$600 non-refundable deposit due at registration

$1000 due November 15

Remaining $800 due January 1

Please feel free to call me if you have any questions call: (208) 553-8624
or email at: Laurie@BreatheTheChange.com

For more information please see below:

A pilgrimage is not an ordinary trip.
It is done with the intention of enlivening the spirit,
nourishing the soul and nurturing our true self.
The goal is not a destination but to journey with an open heart
in order to experience the celebrations and struggles of living life full-strength.

In a journey to any place in Asia there will be moments that are sublime and also those moments of feeling both love for the world and pain for the world, together at the same time.

After years of war and turmoil Cambodia is at peace now and is one of the most enthralling destinations on the planet. The alluring Temples of Angkor Wat, magnificent in the grandeur of their setting and individual splendor are considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World with which few sites on Earth can compare. Built by the Khmer civilization between 802 and 1220 AD they represent one of humankind's most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements. The structures one sees today, more than 100 stone temples in all, are surviving remains of a grand religious, social and administrative metropolis.

Alternative scholars believe the geographical location of the Angkor complex and the temple arrangements, precisely aligned with the stars, like other ancient Egyptian, Aztec, Incan and Mayan temples, was based on sacred geometry. Disagreeing with orthodox archaeologists who sometimes interpret the temples as being tombs of megalomaniacal kings, they believe the Angkor temples were instruments for assisting humans in their realization of the divine, with the purpose of mirroring the heavens in order to assist in the harmonization of the Earth and the stars.

During the 500 years of Khmer occupation, the city of Angkor became a pilgrimage destination of great importance throughout Southeast Asia. Abandoned in 1432, Angkor was forgotten except by pilgrims from distant reaches of Asia who remembered legends of a mystic city of the gods. In 1860 French explorer Henri Mouhot brought Angkor to the world's attention. The French, enchanted with the ancient city, funded and superbly managed an extensive restoration project.

Jayavaram VII , spoke of his intentions in erecting the temples as being: "full of deep sympathy for the good of the world, so as to bestow on men the ambrosia of remedies to win them immortality....By virtue of these good works would that I might rescue all those who are struggling in the ocean of existence."