Hilltown Commons Presents: Pancakosa Dhyana Retreat with Wisdom Roots Wellness and Yoga Nidhi
Hilltown Commons is delighted to host a weekend workshop with Wisdom Roots Wellness and Yoga Nidhi, offering participants a rare opportunity to study Vedic chanting, breathwork, movement, and meditation while experiencing the tranquil beauty of Hilltown Commons’ 100-acre estate.
Guided by esteemed instructors Sheela & Ravi Shankar of Yoga Nidhi, this retreat explores the five koshas—the layers of being—through a progressive inward journey from the physical body (annamaya-kosa) to the blissful truth within (anandamaya-kosa).
Join us in this sacred space for learning, reflection, and connection.
Program Overview
Over two days, participants will engage in five key practices to harmonize body, breath, mind, and spirit:
Asana – Mindful movement connecting body and breath
Pranayama – Conscious breath regulation to still the mind
Vedic Chanting – Sacred sound as a meditative anchor
Upanisadic Teaching – Deep philosophical inquiry into the Self
Music – Classical Indian music and devotional songs to elevate the spirit
Bonus Offering: Community Kirtan on Saturday evening – An uplifting experience of collective devotion through song.
Retreat Details & Tuition
Dates: May 30th - June 1st (Friday evening to Sunday afternoon)
Location: Hilltown Commons, Rensselaerville, NY
Fee: $980 (all-inclusive)
Expert instruction from Sheela & Ravi Shankar of Nidhi Yoga
Private accommodations with en-suite bath
Chef-prepared meals, including welcome dinner & farewell lunch
Full access to Hilltown Commons’ scenic 100-acre retreat
Meet Your Teachers
SHEELA SHANKAR, a student of T.K.V. Desikachar who pioneered the use of Vedic Chanting as a meditative practice in Yoga. She has undergone the 2-year teacher training Diploma in Yoga at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (KYM), Chennai. She was one of TKV Desikachar’s foremost teachers of Vedic Chanting and is also a trained classical singer in both the Carnatic and the Hindustani tradition.
Over the years, Sheela has continued to practice and teach Vedic Chanting and bhajans to several individuals and groups from various parts of the world. She is the Vedic Chanting Course Faculty in Yoga Nidhi, India since 2000 and in Sadhana Mala, UK since 2017. She was the keynote speaker at the Association of Yoga Studies Convention, UK in 2019 with Ravi Shankar. She is the Vedic chanting faculty for the Der indische Weg, Miltenberg, Germany, and for Ropana, Japan.
RAVI SHANKAR has been on the path of Yoga for more than 30 years. He is a student of TKV Desikachar and has spent a number of years working under him and continues to teach in the same tradition. He has completed the intensive 2-year teacher training Diploma in Yoga at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. The learning he cherishes most is the years spent working in association with TKV Desikachar on the KYM yoga journal - Darsanam.
He specialises in teaching the philosophy of the Yoga Sutra, Sankhyakarika, Bhagavat Gita, and the Taittiriya Upanisad. In addition, his breath-centric asana programs are very well received for their deeply meditative and therapeutic benefits.
He was the Scholar-in-Residence (2008-09), Denison University, Granville, Ohio. He was earlier the Lilly Scholar at the Laura C. Harris Symposium, March 2007 at Denison University, Granville, Ohio. He has conducted yoga programs for leading corporate houses in India in areas of Wellness, Stress Management, and Learning.