India 2026
With Gurudev Shri Amritji, Kamini Desai, Ph.D, Malay Desai, Nirali Lauren McCrea and Hasu Marney Coulter
February 1 - 8, 2026
I AM India: A Yogic & Spiritual Lifestyle Retreat
Hosted at the Kripalu Samadhi Mandir
February 1-8, 2026
A rare pilgrimage into the heart of a living lineage, where mystical teachings become direct experience…
To enter the Kripalu Samadhi Mandir is to enter the living heart of a sacred lineage. Beneath this temple rests the body of Swami Kripalu, whose life was given entirely to unbroken sadhana. The atmosphere is permeated with his presence, and the silence vibrates with the same devotion that once drew seekers into the mysteries of yoga under his direct guidance. Every stone carries the imprint of tapasya, and as you sit within this energy vortex you are drawn into a continuity of practice and realization that transcends time.
The pilgrimage invites you to participate in that energy rather than simply witness it.
Morning and evening ceremonies of puja and aarti open the heart and connect you directly to the masters of the lineage, allowing their presence to be felt as a living force within you. Chanting and meditation within the Samadhi Mandir deepen this connection until you recognize yourself as part of the same stream of devotion that carried Bapuji and Dadaji into states of timeless awareness.
The journey is held by teachers who carry this living transmission forward. Through satsang, through the clarity of Kamini’s teachings, classes with Nirali and Hasu, the practices of I AM Yoga® and I AM Yoga Nidra™ become doorways into transformation. What begins in the stillness of practice extends into every part of daily life, so that the mystical becomes tangible, and the tangible becomes a pathway to the mystical.
Life at the ashram sustains this awakening through the rhythms of community.
Together we gather for meals, for chanting and kirtan, for afternoon tea, and for times of reflection in the natural beauty of the countryside. Surrounded by fields, flowers, and wildlife, you feel carried back into an ancient India where spiritual life was woven into every detail of existence. Visits to sacred lineage sites, including the Kayavarohan Temple, the Krishna Cow Sanctuary where Gurudev first met Bapuji, and the childhood village of Pratappura, extend this immersion into the living story of the lineage.
This pilgrimage is more than travel to a holy place. It is an initiation into a field of energy that shifts the trajectory of your spiritual life. Within the presence of the temples, teachers, and traditions of this lineage, you will discover the possibility of healing, transformation, and renewal at the deepest level of your being.
Philosophical, mystical teachings are made practical and readily available to initiate a self-healing and transformational impact in your life. It is a rare opportunity to travel on a pilgrimage here for sadhana, devotional practices, and energetic gatherings. Together, we will initiate a powerful paradigm shift that will alter the course of your spiritual journey forever.
What you can expect:
- Satsang with Gurudev
- Sessions with Kamini, Nirali and Hasu
- Daily I AM Yoga® and I AM Yoga Nidra™
- Daily chanting & prayers at Kripalu Samadhi Mandir, Bapuji’s Temple
- Kirtan (high energy music and chanting) with local musicians
- Three delicious meals a day with afternoon tea (chai) breaks
- Tour of our sacred lineage sites, including: Kayavarohan Temple, Krishna Cow Sanctuary where Gurudev first met Bapuji & Gurudev’s childhood village of Pratappura
- Personal reflection & connection with like minded community
About The Ashram
The ashram provides a natural, peaceful setting permeated by the powerful vibrations and felt energetic presence of Bapuji and Dadaji, the masters of our lineage. The morning and evening devotional ceremonies of puja and aarti open your heart and connect you directly and energetically. Nestled in the rural countryside surrounded by flowers, farmland and local wildlife, you will feel drawn back in time into ancient India.
About The Kripalu Samadhi Mandir
Swami Kripalu’s body is buried beneath this incredible temple. It is a powerful energy vortex and the epicenter of our Lineage. Nearby, Bapuji spent many years in sadhana. At this sacred place, Gurudev Shri Amritji was invited by Bapuji to study the secrets of Kundalini yoga. This is recorded in the book Letters from Swami Kripalu to Yogi Amrit Desai, 1966-1973. Since Bapuji’s passing in 1981, the Patel family has played a significant role in carrying forward the legacy of our lineage by building and maintaining the Kripalu Samadhi Mandir.
What is the payment schedule?
- $1000 Deposit at the time of registration
- Payment plans available & must complete December 1, 2025
- Full payment due December 1, 2025
What if I must cancel?
- Cancellations must be made via email to [email protected].
- All refundable portions of payments may be refunded or held on account for three (3) years to use for future programs. If you do not use the monies held on account within three (3) years they may be given to the Amrit Yoga Institute as a tax deductible donation. You may request an official letter stating the amount of your donation.
- Payment is 100% non-refundable after November 15, 2025
- This includes cancellation, leaving early for any reason and no-show
Cancellation on or prior to September 1, 2025
- 50% of $1000 deposit is non-refundable for cancellations made on or prior to September 1, 2025. Remaining payment made above $1000 deposit is refundable. In other words, if you made a $2000 payment, $500 is non-refundable and $1500 is refundable.
Cancellation on or prior to November 15, 2025
- Deposit of $1000 is non-refundable for any cancellations made on or prior to November 15, 2025. Remaining payment made above $1000 deposit is refundable. In other words, if you made a $2000 payment, $1000 is non-refundable and $1000 is refundable.
Cancellation after November 15, 2025
Payment is 100% non-refundable after November 15, 2025
Lead Teachers
Gurudev Shri Amritji is the first disciple to bring the sacred teachings of the Lord Lakulish (Shiva) and Kripalu Lineage to the West in 1960. Gurudev was personally empowered to give shaktipat by his Guru Swami Shri Kripalvanada. In 1970 Gurudev experienced a spontaneous awakening of the Soul Being Presence that I AM. This was reinforced by a three month meditation retreat in silence and seclusion. He emerged as a spiritual master embodying the rare capacity to transmit profound healing and transformative prana Shakti through energetic transmission. He discovered the body is the book of secrets; it is the temple of prana Shakti, and heart is the center of Shiva consciousness. Gurudev is repeatedly honored by prestigious organizations and world-renowned authorities in the East and West. You can learn more about Gurudev Shri Amritji at https://amritji.org He comes from an ancient lineage of energetic transmission and his teachings have ignited the fire…
Learn more about Gurudev Shri Amritji
Yogeshwari Kamini Desai, PhD is the author of Yoga Nidra: The Art of Transformational Sleep, has created an exciting and unique body of teachings incorporating western psychology, eastern philosophy and science. Considered an expert in Yoga Nidra Meditation, relaxation, yoga therapy and artful living, her practical and accessible teaching style is welcomed worldwide. In 2012 she was awarded the title Yogeshwari (woman of yogic mastery) for her keen ability to bring ancient illumination to the genuine challenges of the human experience. Her teachings have benefited employees at Sony, Kelloggs, KPN Telecom, Mars Confectionery, the Department of Corrections and Departments of the Netherlands Government. Learn more about Kamini Desai, Ph.D
Learn more about Kamini Desai, Ph.D
Named Mahacharya in 2012 and formally appointed a lineage carrier by Gurudev Shri Amritji in 2018, Malay is an authentic ambassador of compassion, service and purpose. As a heart-forward visionary and yogi, Malay has dedicated his life to collecting and preserving the teachings, historical footage and traditions of the Lakulish-Kripalu-Amrit lineage that otherwise could have been diluted or lost through the inevitable consequences of time. Having spent decades restoring and archiving such important works, his primary focus today is to ensure that these teachings become and remain accessible to practitioners worldwide, for generations to come.
Learn more about Malay Desai
Yogacharya and Senior Training Faculty. Nirali synthesizes the power of breath, bodily wisdom and meditative awareness to experientially guide students into the heart of yoga. Finding solace on the mat as a young teen, Nirali has immersed herself in the depths of yoga for 20 years. Inspired to move to the Amrit Yoga Institute in 2009, she has extensively trained in the I AM Yoga® approach ever since. For over a decade, Nirali has helped oversee the development and reach of education offered by the Amrit Yoga Institute and has led seminars across the United States, Canada, Mexico and India. In 2021, she was awarded the title “Yogacharya” by Gurudev Shri Amritji, acknowledging her lifelong dedication to yoga and unique ability to decode and impart its practical and mystical subtleties. Today, she is the lead faculty of the Level 1 I AM Yoga® 200-hour Teacher Training, offers free weekly classes…
Learn more about Nirali Lauren McCrea
Senior Training Faculty Hasu is an intuitive and knowledgeable Yogi. For more than 20 years, she has shared a flowing practice which creates self alignment and attunement, based on teachings from her own life experience, Kripalu Yoga, Amrit Yoga, and Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy. The focus is on exploring sensation through movement and stillness, while drawing on the breath as a tool for transformation, allowing you to explore your inner edges and thresholds with willful practice and mindfulness; learning how to trust, accept, experience peace with ourselves and life, by deepening the connection with the vital life force, and adding a sense of ease to one’s life. From here, we learn how to carry what is experienced on the mat into daily interactions. Life becomes a waking meditation. In April 2011, Marney received initiation into the Kripalu Lineage from her teacher Gurudev, Yogi Amrit Desai, and can be called by the…
Learn more about Hasu Marney Coulter