New Buddhist tour promises spiritual journey

by SA Kyle, LA Buddhism Examiner, Feb 28, 2009

Los Angeles, USA -- A new tour to Tibetan Buddhist holy sites guided by western Buddhism teachers Trinlay Tulku Rinpoche and other meditation masters will begin this March. The Spiritual Adventure Tour promises to bring an in-depth view of Tibetan Buddhism and Buddhist meditation while visiting Buddhist holy sites and UNSECO World Heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley.

"We feel privileged to provide people with the rare opportunity to embark on an exhilarating and life-changing journey that will expose them to one of the most spiritual locations in the world," said Suzan Garner, co-founder of Drala Adventures.

The Kathmandu Valley is rich with Buddhist history and art, as well as sites considered holy by local Buddhists. The Spiritual Adventure tour features accommodation at the Kathmandu Hyatt Regency Hotel and day trips to six UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Buddhist stupas of Boudhanath and Swayambhunath, the Durbar Margs ('Palace Squares') of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, and the Hindu temple Pashupatinath. The tours also include visits to local Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and ancient caves where historic Buddhist masters are reputed to have meditated and accomplished Buddhist feats 1500 years ago.

In addition to the tour sites, Buddhist guides Trinlay Tulku Rinpoche and Bart Mendel offer a spiritual journey through guided meditation.

“An ever growing number of scientific studies and medical practitioners maintain that meditation calms the mind and can contribute greatly to our health and well-being," said Gyaltrul Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation master and Harvard PhD, whose monastery is one of the sites visited in Kathmandu. “An integral aspect of Drala's journeys is the personalized instruction travelers receive each day from the spiritual guides on the techniques of meditation and how it can help achieve a more peaceful state of mind and cultivate a genuine lasting happiness."

Drala Adventures is aiming to provide a life-changing spiritual experience at the top of the world with their new Spiritual Adventure Tours.

"We all share the desire to be happy, but often feel dissatisfied with our fast-paced lives and stressed by troubling world events," said Bart Mendel, Drala Adventures co-founder and spiritual guide. "Our intent in creating these extraordinary spiritual journeys is to provide an atmosphere conducive to developing a more joyful state of mind and rediscovering the deeper meaning of life."

The new tour is a package released by Drala Adventures of Santa Barbara. Two eight-day Spiritual Adventure Tours are planned for March 20 to 28, and March 28 to April 5, 2009. Drala Adventures also offers custom Spiritual Adventure tour dates for groups of seven or more.

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New Buddhist tour promises spiritual journey

by SA Kyle, LA Buddhism Examiner, Feb 28, 2009