Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Dec 13 - 21 • Art of Living Retreat Centre - Canada
FAQ
You are welcome to attend the Art of Living Part 1 program or the Sahaj Samadhi Meditation program. For the Art of Living Part 1 program, participants must be 18 years and over. For the Sahaj Samadhi Meditation program, participants can be 16 years and over.
Yes, anyone who has completed the Art of Living Part 1 course can attend the Silence Retreat. This is a unique and special opportunity to participate in the Long Silence Retreat in the presence of Gurudev. You do not need to have attended a previous silence retreat to join this one.
One must have completed the Art of Living part 1 Program.
If you have not completed the art of Living Part 1 program yet, you can do so in a city near you. You can find a list of upcoming programs by clicking here
The early bird discount ends at midnight (EST) on Nov 10th. There will be no extension of this deadline.
Childcare will be available for children ages 4 - 11 yrs old from December 14th morning to December 20th 6:00 pm evening for the parents registered on a program
Visitors are required to purchase a Meditation & Satsang Pass or an Evening Satsang Pass (available after 6:00pm only) to access the Centre. These passes include all free meals, guided noon meditation (on days when Gurudev's schedule permits) and evening Satsang.
Children aged 12 and under do not need to purchase a pass. Youth aged 13-17 participating in volunteer activities will need to purchase a Youth Volunteer Activity Pass. You can purchase the passes here.
Yes, visitors can have meals with the purchase of a Meditation & Satsang Pass at the reception or online. In order to avoid line-ups, visitors are requested to arrive for lunch only after 1:30pm and dinner after 7:00pm, once the majority of the course participants have had their meals
Youth Volunteer Activity Pass includes all free meals and evening satsang. The Youth Volunteer Activity Pass is your ticket to fun, learning, and making a difference! Register here
Since we have a very limited capacity of housing onsite, and participants are in silence, our general policy is that all children will need to stay off-site with parents.
Course registrations and on-site accommodations are non-transferable.
We are able to accept only Visa and Mastercard Credit Cards at this point.
If you are registered for the Long Silence Retreat and would like the Centre to arrange a hotel stay and shuttle to the Centre, please send a request to info.july2024@artofliving.ca. For your child to stay with you, they will also have to be registered for the kids programs from June 30th-July 6th. You are also welcome to make your own hotel/other housing and transport arrangements.
If you are attending the Long Silence Retreat and are registered for Onsite housing, you can request a roommate who is also registered for the Long Silence Retreat in the same category of housing. We will do our best to house you with your preferred roommate, but we cannot guarantee it.
Those who register for the Long Silence Retreat may book on-site housing in the category they prefer (Bodhi, Hermitage, Camping Cabins, Camping). Onsite housing is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
If on-site housing fills up, you can join a waitlist, and if there are cancellations, you will be offered the spot based on your number on the waiting list. Otherwise, you will need to make your own housing arrangements.
All those attending the Short Silence Retreat or the Meditation & Satsang package will need to make their own housing and transportation arrangements offsite.
Here is a suggested list of some hotels in the area. You can also look at AirBnB and other hotels in Shawinigan (approx 30 min drive) or Trois Rivieres (approx 40 min drive)
A list of some Hotel options:
* Hôtels Gouverneur Trois-Rivières, Tel: 1-888-910-111-1975 – Address: Rue Hart, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 4S3
* Auberge St-Mathieu-Du-Lac, Tel: (819) 532-3397 – Address: 2081 Chem. Principal, Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, QC G0X 1N0
* Auberge Refuge du Trappeur, Tel: (819) 532-2600 – Address: 2120 Chemin St François, Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, QC G0X 1N0
* Auberge du Lac-à-l'Eau Claire, Tel: (819) 265-3185 – Address: 500 Chem. du Lac à l'Eau Claire, Saint-Alexis-des-Monts, QC J0K 1V0
Transportation and Parking
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport (YUL) in Montreal is the closest airport. The airport is 2 hours from the International Art of Living Center.
Course participants who are interested in the airport shuttle from Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport in Montreal, must indicate their interest on the registration form at the time of registration.
Shuttle service for course participants from the airport to the Centre is only available on the afternoon of Dec 13th. Shuttle service from the Centre to the airport is available on the morning of Dec 21st.
Taking an Uber is also an option.
Airport Shuttle:
Pick-up on Dec 13th at 6:00 pm from P.E.T. Montreal airport to the Art of Living Retreat Centre
Pick-up on Dec 16th at 6:00 pm from P.E.T. Montreal airport to the Art of Living Retreat Centre
Pick-up on Dec 18th at 6:00 pm from P.E.T. Montreal airport to the Art of Living Retreat Centre
Drop-off on Dec 21st from the Art of Living Retreat Centre to P.E.T. Montreal airport
Shuttle registrations are non-refundable.
The International Art of Living Center is situated 160 km/93 miles (about 2 to 2.5 hours depending on traffic) east of Montreal, near the village of Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc in the pristine Quebec countryside. Plan your trip to ensure that your transportation to and from the Centre is as smooth as possible. When booking flights, please leave plenty of time for traffic and any unexpected delays on route. Driving directions from neighboring Canadian and US cities.
You will need to make your own driving arrangements or carpool with others. Taxi or Uber service in the area is not available for the most part.
Driving and Parking Instructions:
GPS Directions to the Art of Living Canada Centre can be found using Waze or Maps
You can use the following address on your GPS 1151 Chemin Saint Marc, Saint Mathieu du Parc, G0X 1N0. It is 100 meters from our entrance.
NOTE: The GPS may ask you to turn on Lac Gareau road, DO NOT turn there and continue on for approximately another 1.5 km - 2 km until you will see the Art of Living Centre sign.
Limited parking will be available at the entrance of the Retreat Centre on a first-come, first served basis. · Complimentary shuttle from your parking location to the Centre and back will be available in short intervals during peak hours which are: 8:00 am - 10:00 am and 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm.
Outside of peak hours, please come to the main entrance of the ashram and request a shuttle to escort you to the lot and bring you back to the Centre.
To get to the Centre from the airport you can either:
- Request the shuttle service at the time of registration
- Uber
- Taxi
- Carpool
Programs
Individual program times vary and are subject to change at the direction of the instructor(s). Please refer to the specific program listing and description for start and end times..
Miscellaneous
If you require special-needs meals due to food allergies, please select this option when you register. Special needs meals will be gluten-free, vegan and nut-free. Please note that we will be providing separate wristbands only for those who have requested special needs food prior to the start of the course. The wristband will give you access to the special needs food during every meal.
If you have celiac disease, a severe nut allergy, or any other special dietary requirement other than the above 3 options, please write to the us to check if we will be able to accommodate your request (info.july2024@artofliving.ca). While we do our best to accommodate your needs, we cannot guarantee it. Note that we do not have a separate kitchen for those with severe allergies and cannot ensure there will be no cross contamination.
• You may want to bring a pair of indoor shoes such as slippers along with winter boots to stroll on our trails.
• Bring warm winter clothing like Jacket, caps, gloves etc.
• Mosquito/insect repellent.
• A sweater and/or shawl and any other effects to settle comfortably in the meditation hall.
- Personal effects (bath towels, toiletries and biodegradable soap and shampoo to care for our pristine nature).
• A watch and an alarm clock to make the most out of the course.
•Loose clothing is preferred; short and tight-fitting garments are not encouraged. You may wish to bring a change of more festive outfits for the evening satsang.
• We have made every effort to ensure that you are not housed with a roommate who snores, sometimes they themselves do not know they snore, thus please feel free to bring some ear-plugs or pass by the reception to pick up a pair.
• A water bottle. We will not have plastic water bottles available. You can purchase a metal water bottle in our Divine Shop.
• You can expect it to rain. Please bring with you an umbrella, rain jacket, along with sturdy footwear, as the grounds can get wet and slushy.
Please go to this site for a weather forecast: https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/14-day-weather-trend/quebec/saint-m...
NOTE:
• Yoga mats will be provided and are not necessary for you to bring along.
• Our courses are scent free, so please refrain from using strong scents and perfumes during the course of the program for the comfort of all participants.
Please send an email to info.july2024@artofliving.ca
At the time of registration, you can request your roommate. The requested roommate must be registered for the same course and category of housing. While we will do our best to house you with your requested roommate, we cannot guarantee it.
Yes, you can pre-book a treatment. You can find more details about the offerings and book your spot at https://SriSriAyurvedaCanada.as.me/. Spots are limited so book soon. More spots may be made available later. You may also book once you are at the Centre in the basement of the Big Meditation Hall if spots are still open.
Yes. We will have snacks available at Sri Sri Cafe. We accept cash and credit cards.
Yes, you can buy gifts, books, and knowledge series at our Divine Shop.
Yes, there will be the Shankara skin care and Sri Sri Tattva booth where you will be able to purchase Ayurvedic beauty and wellness products.
Cash, Visa, Mastercard and Debit Cards accepted forms of payment.