The Center Pole
Keeping Ancient Spiritual Traditions Alive!

96 Bashan Road, East Haddam, CT 06423 • Tel: 860-873-3825

Shamanic Pilgrimage to Nepal with Greg Besek & Larry Peters.

October 28, 2005 to November 18, 2005

20 Days/ 18 Nights Package: $4,950 Air & Land & Classes.

Package Includes:
Roundtrip airfare from Los Angeles to Kathmandu (bussiness class $2000 additional)
Hotels in Bangkok and Pokhara (double occupancy), Hotels in Kathmandu (single occupancy)
Breakfast every morning in Nepal, Air conditioned bus for inland travel
Nepal visa Fees to shamans and staff Shamans costume and accessories
Shamanic Classes with Greg and Larry.

"Our trip is special because it is not traditional tourists visit -- it is a cultural and shamanic immersion salted with a lot of love, and no one can possibly make what I can make happen. My 30 years of hard work and generosity in one community builds special relationships. This is a special trip."–Larry Peters

Registration Deadline & 50% Deposit Due: August 15, 2005
Full Payment Due*: October 1, 2005
For reservation email Carol Peters at carol@petersmgmt.com.
*Balance 50% with passport and completed visa application

Refund Policy:
$150 service charge for refund before October 1, 2005.
NO REFUND AFTER OCTOBER 1ST*
*Date of nonrefundable international flight purchase and hotel deposits

Fee does not include:
Individual healings, Excess baggage, Entrance fees to temples and shrines, Most lunches and dinners
Airport departure taxes, Tips, Drum (can be borrowed for ritual or purchased)

Group leaders are:
Larry Peters, Ph. D. is an anthropologist; psychotherapist; professor; initiated shaman practitioner and teacher, specialing in Tamang and Tibetan shamanic traditions;, field researcher of shamanism in Nepal, Tuva, Siberia, Mongolia since 1976. Initiate of Aama Bombo. Research associate for The Foundation of Shamanic Studies; author of 3 books on shamanisn in Nepal; Tamang Shamans, Psychotherapy in Nepalese Shamanism, and The yeti. Contact by mail at lpshaman@aol.com or www.tibetanshaman.com.

Gregory Besek, is a minister, shamanic practitioner, therapist providing counseling, hypnosis, massage and various forms of energy work. He is a teacher; yogic practioner and has spent over seven years as a Hindu monk, five of which were living in a Hindu Ashram beginning in 1973. A graduate of The Foundation of Shamanic Studies three year advance training in 1997, Greg is founder and Director of The Center Pole, a facility whose purpose is for "keeping ancient traditions alive" since 1994 and is an Initiate of Aama Bomba. Contact by email at thecenterpole@aol.com

A FEW NOTES REGARDING THE SCHEDULE: There is polical turmoil in Nepal. It is safe for tourists in general and particularly safe in the Kathmandu and Pokhara Valleys where our group will be traveling. However, there may be a day or two when there is a transportation strike. On these days we will travel on foot and therefore be somewhat restricted. Thus we may need to rearrange the scheule to include all that is possible. Further, this schedule is not physically difficult. There is a lot of walking but no mountain climbing. We will have an air-conditioned bus at our disposal and our accomodations are first class. Most of our work is early morning and late afternoons are free. Each evening we will meet in a circle to hear the sacred stories and do spiritual work. All activities are optional.

Take a Virtual
Tour to Nepal

View pictures from our last trip to Nepal and Tibet.
About The Center Pole
Our Vision
Directions & Contact
Founder: Greg Besek

Calendar
Satsang
Lecture

Educational Programs
Roots I: Spirituality & Religion
Roots II: Shamanism
Roots III: Divination
Root IV: Shamanic Priestess/Priest

Services
Private Counseling
Healing
Ceremonies
Ministry

Retreats & Journeys
Nepal Journey Oct 28-Nov 18
Book Online: Reservations
Vermont Retreat: TBA

Resources/Links
What is Shamanism?
Other Articles

Departs from
Los Angeles on
October 28

Journey to Nepal
with Greg Besek
and Larry Peters.

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Copyright: The Center Pole ©2005

 
Travel, Accommodations and Detailed Itinerary
Fri Oct 28
Depart Los Angeles for Bangkok
Sat Oct 29
Overnight in Bangkok at luxurious Amari Airport Hotel
Sun Oct 30
Depart Bangkok for Kathmandu.
Check into Tibet Guest House in the Thamel district.
Meet our field assistants/translators, Pramod and Ram Sapkota.
Group dinner at a traditional Nepali restaurant.
First of the Five Days of Tihar: Day of the Cow
Mon Oct 31
 

Meet Aama

and other shamans in Boudhanath.
Visit the sacred Buddhist stupa area of Boudhanath.
Get fitted for shamans’ costumes.
Celebrate the second day of Tihar, the day honoring the Dog.
Tue Nov 1
Learn and observe the healing methods of the Boudhanath shamans, Aama Bombo and Maya Lama.
Dine with Aama, feast on Nepalese cuisine prepared in her home.
Visit Pasupati, home of Shiva, Lord of Yoga and Sex with Aama. In Nepal Shiva is called Mahadev (the Great God). Evening celebration of the Third day of Tihar: Laxmi Puja.
Wed Nov 2
 

Work with Aama in her morning healings and then visit Swayambu Temple, site of the “Self Born Buddha” shrine in Nepal. It is also sacred to Hindus. It is the home of Manjusri, the deity who founded Kathmandu and Nepalese culture. Swayambu is replete with story and myth. Fourth day of Tihar: Day of the Cow.
Thu Nov 3
Celebrate final day of Tihar: Bhai Tika Day with Aama and her family and friends. We will confirm an ancient Nepalese ritual honoring the relationship between brothers and sisters (blood or spiritual). On this day sisters feed their brothers in the center of a mandala and say to them “May your life be as long as a walnut flower remains unfading, your body hard as a walnut, and your heart as soft as butter.” Everybody celebrates this most holy of holidays.
Fri Nov 4
Travel to Bhaktapur, the ancient capital city of Nepal, noted for its artisans.
Visit Changu Narajan (Vishnu) temple.
Meet the “Egg Shaman” and receive a healing (optional). Visit sacred scroll (thankga) shop. Purchases are possible.
Sat Nov 5
Visit Dakshinkali, one of the homes of Kali, on a sacred day honoring her.
We will do ritual and celebrate with Aama and the other Boudhanath shamans at the shrine. Kali and Shiva are consorts.
Learn and observe healing methods of Aama Ram and Maya
Sun Nov 6
Fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara.
En route, see the breath-taking Himalayan mountains from Dhaulagiri in the Far West to Annapurna to Mt Everest in the East.
Day of R&R at the fabulous five-star Fulbari Resort Hotel.
Optional massages, aromatherapy, spa.
Mon Nov 7

Travel to the Phewa Lake area of Pokhara and meet our field assistant/Tibetan translator, Migmar, who will accompany us to the Tibetan Refugee Camp at Tashi Phakel. Here reside three powerful shamans, including Wang Chuk (described earlier). We will watch the shamans work in a method totally distinct from that practiced in Kathmandu by the Tibetan tribal shamans.
Tue Nov 8
Travel to damside area and meet Tibetan tribal shamans of the Magar tribe, Bel and Somendra Thapa.
Before lunch we will trek about 45 minutes uphill to The Peace Pagoda, from which we will experience a panoramic view of the Himalayas including Machu Puchari (Fish Tail) mountain, a towering peak only 15 miles from Pokhara. At the end of the day, we will form a shamanic circle with these shamans and practice together.
Wed Nov 9
Return flight to Kathmandu in the afternoon. R&R and/or local shopping day .
Thu Nov 10
Attend Aama morning healings.
Receive further depossession lessons from Aama Ram and Maya.
Witness a depossession ritual performed by shamans in the evening.
Fri Nov 11
Attend Aama’s morning healings and receive explanations regarding her depossession work from the previous night.
Dine at the home of the Chinea Lama, head lama of Boudhanath,
and visit with his family.
Learn about Tibetan carpet making and visit a showroom.
Purchases are possible.
Meeting to discuss significance of initiation with Tamang shamans.
Sat Nov 12
Celebrate Hari Bodhini Ekadasi at the amazing Vishnu shrine at Budnilkantha in the afternoon.
Practice a depossession ceremony as a group led by Aama in the evening.
Sun Nov 13
Attend Aama’s morning healing rituals and discuss the initiation.
Visit Sanku, home fo the Blue (wrathful) Tara.
Mon Nov 14

Prepare for initiation and learn the Shaman’s Dance from Aama and Ram.
Honor Shiva by revisiting Pasupati and its burning grounds (ghats)
in preparation for the initiation.
Begin ritual cleansing for full moon initiation.
Tue Nov 15

Early AM costuming. Shamanic initiation begins.
Travel to Nagarkot, a home of Shiva, Lord of Shamans, and receive initiation in shaman’s costume.
Return to Boudhanath where we will perform healings in the Tamang shamanic tradition, especially the “power retrievals” taught by Aama.
Wed Nov 16
Healings and private meetings with shamans.
Walking tour of Kathmandu.
Visit the home of Kumari, the child goddess, and the Kastamandap, the first building in Kathmandu and home to Gorknath, patron Hindu saint of Nepal and its monarchy.
Also see the Tantric 16-armed Ganesh, and Bairab, the wrathful form of Shiva.
A day of learning about t the history of Nepalese shamanism, as well as Hindu and Buddhist practices in the KTM Valley.
Last minute shopping.
Personal healings and/or private meetings with any of the Nepalese shamans.
Also R&R and shopping.
Final night party with shamans & staff.
Thu Nov 17
Depart Kathmandu for Bangkok.
Overnight at Amari Airport Hotel
Fri Nov 18
Depart Bangkok and return to the U.S.
For reservation email Carol Peters at carol@petersmgmt.com.

For further information please call Greg Besek at 860-873-3825 or email Greg at: thecenterpole@aol.com
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