When you travel around Tibetan Buddhist countries you are bound to see layers of prayer flags strung around sacred sites and auspicious places. The prayer flags are strung so that they capture the breeze and their blessings and prayers of positivity, peace, compassion, gratitude and wisdom can be blown and shared with the universe for the benefit of all sentient beings. Tibetans consider prayer flags to be holy. The flags contain sacred texts and symbols and should always be

Mongolian shamanism, called Tengerism , is an ancient spiritual tradition, founded on the deep relationship between humans, nature, and the spirit world. At its heart is reverence for the Tenger, the many “Heavens” or sky-spirits, whose presence governs the cycles of weather, fate, and ecological balance. Among them, Tenger Etseg (Father Heaven) and Gazar Eej (Mother Earth) form the foundational polarity of sky and land. Life is understood as an ongoing dialogue between these

The dharma and yoga of Namastayz adventures is rooted in the ancient Hindu and Buddhist spiritual traditions of TANTRA. Tantra evolved in the area of India, slowly, over many hundreds of years from around the 1st century CE all the way through to the 11th century CE. Around the 6th century is the time when Tantra became popularised as a spiritual tradition and established itself in areas where Vedic traditions were waning in popularity. Tantra emerged from the Vedic era (a pe

When is the best time to travel? Late May to early October is the sweet spot for Mongolia. Summer (June to August) gives you warm days, green steppe and the buzz of Naadam, while late May and September offer calmer roads, fewer crowds and ideal weather for yoga, hiking and quiet reflection. Monthly weather guide Months Weather & Crowds Festival Notes* Why It Suits Yoga Watch-Outs Jan–Feb Deep winter, very cold, clear blue skies. Daytime highs around –16°C in Ulaanbaatar, nigh

When is the best time for my pilgrimage? April to June and September to October are the best times to explore Tibet. We get clear skies, comfortable daytime temperatures, and fewer weather disruptions. Monthly weather guide Months Weather & Crowds Festival Notes* Why It Suits Yoga Watch-Outs Jan–Feb Cold, crisp, very quiet Losar often falls Feb or Mar Deep introspection, uncrowded sites Sub-zero nights, limited rural access Mar Transitional, sometimes restricted to foreign vi

Resting on the northern shore of the river Ganges, Varanasi is an ancient city steeped in history, mythos, lore, and spirituality. Known...

It is impossible not to notice all the temples & shrines (mandirs) in India. From magnificent structures (up to 160 acres in size!) to...

The Bhakti Movement was a spiritual and social reform movement in medieval India. It emphasised personal devotion to the Divine over...

Hinduism is an ancient religion and culture thousands of years old. Its traditions were born in the Indian subcontinent and have shaped...

The Ganges, Ganga Maa, or Mother Ganga, is a Hindu Goddess & sacred river in Northern India.  Beginning in the Gangotri Glacier in the...

With the world’s largest gathering of people ever, over 400 million!!!, celebrating together on the banks of Ma Ganga, I simply couldn’t...

Walking around the cities, towns and villages in India I couldn’t help but notice what appears to swastikas (Nazi Hakenkreuz) decorations painted and hanging on many doorways and alleys. Maybe its my Jewish heritage or perhaps my fervent need to know as much as possible about Hindu way of life, but I just had to dig deeper and find out what this symbol means for Hindus. Here’s what I found out– History of the swastika In Hinduism, symbols and geometry hold empowering signific

Why are there so many homeless street cows in India? ​I have a true love for animals, especially dogs and farm animals, so when...