Winter wisdom
October 23, 2023 - Where better to retreat this winter than Six Senses Vana in India? Its magical location will help you set intentions, embrace your inner self, and leave you with a warm glow to carry you through to spring.
Traditionally, winter is the time to slow things down, take a deep breath, and reach for inner tranquility, calm, and peace. The famed Yellow Emperor, the founder of Traditional Chinese Medicine, states in his ancient text: “In winter all is hidden. Winter is the season of retirement into depth. At this time, you must not disturb or disperse the yang (fire, active) energy so that you can allow the yin reserves to be re-established within you.”
In modern reality, we’re often busier than ever during the winter season. We celebrate the holidays, eat and drink heartily, socialize frequently, and try to avoid the aloneness that winter calls us in to, without realizing that the entry to our inner world is most accessible during this time of the year.
To help you take a deep dive into self-expansion, we invite you to a winter retreat at Six Senses Vana, set just outside Dehradun, watched over by the mighty and mystical gaze of the Himalayan Mountain range.
Set intentions and manifest magic
Retreating to Six Senses Vana during the winter season offers you the opportunity to journey into your inner world, safe in the knowledge that you are in very good hands. Our programs allow you to tap into the expertise of our in-house doctors, who will guide you into a place of deeper serenity from which you can emerge uplifted in heart, mind, and spirit.
Our programs include a blend of Ayurveda, Yoga, Tibetan Medicine, and Natural Healing Therapies including Reflexology, Acupressure, and Acupuncture, each supporting your individual uniqueness. Whether you stay for five or 21 days, you can be certain that intentions will be reset and magic manifested.
Every stay at Six Senses Vana includes full-board accommodation and personalized nutrition, a wellness screening and consultations, a daily health retreat program with private treatments, and access to group activities. Based on your arrival consultation and wellness screening, our doctors will plan additional treatments from leading practitioners during your stay.
In case you were wondering how to get your styling on point, each day you’ll be gifted a fresh set of loose-fitting, organic cotton kurta pajamas with a choice of beautiful brightly colored silk scarves - fuchsia pink is India’s monochrome gray after all!
Beauty and balance
An all-inclusive wellness retreat at Six Senses Vana works by planting an intention, a seed that, when nourished, guides you through life, helps you make important decisions, and reminds you of what is most important to you.
Our winter programs create the possibility for you to nurture your personal intention with an open-hearted curiosity, set aside time for rest and reflection and allow you to gather strength and replenish your natural resources. A winter retreat can supercharge personal growth and prepare you to move through the world with grace and ease.
Food plays an important part in our retreats and our doctors will help balance your AGNI (roughly translated as the digestive fire or metabolic potency) with a delicious Ayurvedic winter diet of warming herbs and spices, lentils, legumes, and fats to keep the body in balance and also to provide energy, heat, and nourishment. The dining experience at Six Senses Vana is never less than joyful and might just be one of the highlights of your retreat! Expect beautifully presented, delicate, pure, uncomplicated flavors and fragrant yet not overly spiced curries, savory and naturally sweet dishes. We include allergy-friendly, vegetarian, and vegan options as well as mindfully sourced meat, fish, and poultry. The plentiful buffet lunches and à la carte dinners ensure you never go hungry and still shift a surprising amount of weight.
Other highlights might include reading, recording your dreams, meditating or journaling, going to bed earlier than usual, keeping hydrated, and practicing fluid movements in your yoga practice. As each day progresses, you will become more centered, aware of your breathing, and in touch with your inner self.
Deep comfort in the foothills of the Himalayas
You stay in serene and harmonious rooms or suites, comfortably appointed in muted, soothing tones, and designed as a mindful oasis away from India’s trademark intense color, noise, and activity. Accommodations feature balconies or terraces and wall-to-ceiling windows, and look over the tall, slender trunks of the Sal forest, the gardens, or the mango orchards, making for meditative views.
Sometimes you have to ‘go slow’ to be rewarded with wisdom, insight, and a life-giving pulse of energy that will propel you into spring and beyond.
Extended wellness retreats
Prioritize your wellness journey and enjoy our nourishing cuisine, complementary therapies, healing spaces, caring team, and beautiful environment, plus hikes in the Himalayan foothills, and a private visit to Rishikesh for the Ganges Aarti when you book longer stays. Enjoy a 15 percent saving on stays for 10 nights or longer, and a 25 percent saving on stays for 21 nights or more with our Extended Wellness Retreats.