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SEEKÂ THE LIGHT
Maha Gayatri New Years Retreat
December 30, 2026 - January 5, 2027 | Oulu, Finland
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Step into the threshold of the New Year and choose the light.
There are moments in time that ask for more than intention. They ask for devotion. For discipline. For a return to what is sacred.
Seek the Light is a deeply immersive japa retreat devoted to the Maha Gayatri Mantra—one of the most powerful and illuminating mantras in the yogic tradition. Led by three Sattva Yoga Master Teachers, we enter into rhythm with this mantra through repetition, ritual, and stillness… allowing it to reshape the inner landscape from the inside out.
You don’t chase the light. You become available to it.
WHY MAHA GAYATRI
The Maha Gayatri Mantra is a direct invocation of illumination; a call to awaken clarity, truth, and higher intelligence within you.
It is said to purify the mind, dissolve illusion, and align you with your highest path.
Through consistent japa practice, this mantra becomes more than sound; it becomes state, frequency, way of being.
And while it is ancient in origin, its impact is immediate, visceral, and deeply alive.
There is no high like mantra (believe me, we have tried it all). No external experience compares to the clarity, openness, and subtle power it awakens within.Â
THE EXPERIENCE
This is not a retreat where you consume.
It is a retreat where you practice.
Each day is intentionally designed to support depth, rhythm, and transformation:
- Mala Making & Intention Setting Ceremony
Craft your own mala and anchor your personal prayer for the year ahead - 4 Days of Guided Japa Rounds
Immerse in the repetition of the Maha Gayatri Mantra in a held and powerful container - Daily Meditation & Kriya Journeys
Refine your awareness and move energy through intentional, transformative practices - Sacred Puja Rituals
Connect to the elements and the subtle layers of devotion - Full Day of Integration
Space to land, listen, and allow the work to settle into your system - Evening Practices
Yoga Nidra + Sound Healing to restore and integrate each day’s depth - Northern Lights Viewing
A reminder of the vastness, beauty, and mystery you are part of - Nourishment at the Highest Level
Grounding, intentional meals prepared by a private chef with Michelin-star experience
WHO THIS IS FOR
This retreat is for you if:
- You’re ready to start the year with clarity and intention—not chaos
- You crave a true practice-based experience, not just relaxation
- You feel called to mantra, ritual, or the deeper limbs of yoga
- You want to be held in a space that is both structured and deeply transformative
No prior experience with japa is required—only willingness.
WHAT YOU’LL LEAVE WITH
- A personal relationship with the Maha Gayatri Mantra
- A completed mala infused with your intention
- Tools for daily practice (japa, kriya, meditation)
- A nervous system that feels clearer, steadier, and more regulated
- A powerful energetic reset to carry into the new year
And most importantly—
a felt sense of light that isn’t dependent on anything outside of you.
RETREAT RHYTHM
Each day is intentionally designed to guide you deeper into stillness, into practice, into the frequency of the mantra.
There is a rhythm we will follow…one that balances devotion, spaciousness, and integration.
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DECEMBER 30: ARRIVAL + OPENING THE PORTAL
You’ll arrive into a warm, grounded space, settling into the land, the home, and the container we’ll co-create together.
In the evening, we gather for our Opening Ceremony;Â a moment to arrive fully, both physically and energetically.
Together, we will:
- Set clear and intentional prayers for the year ahead
- Be introduced to the Maha Gayatri Mantra and the path of japa
- Create your personal mala, infusing each bead with intention and devotion
This night is about anchoring your why so that every practice moving forward is infused with meaning.
DECEMBER 31 – JANUARY 3: THE PRACTICE
These four days are devoted to japa, ritual, and transformation.
Each day follows a sacred rhythm:
Morning — Awakening the Field
- 8:00 AM | Puja
We begin in ritual, connecting to the elements and invoking clarity, guidance, and light - 8:30 AM | Meditation
A steadying of the mind and refinement of awareness - 9:00 AM | Kriya Journey (90 min)
Transformative, energizing practices designed to move prana and awaken the inner current - 10:30 AM | Nourishing Brunch
Grounding, intentional meals prepared by our private chef
Midday — Entering the Mantra
- 11:00 AM | Japa Rounds (2 rounds)
Repetition of the Maha Gayatri Mantra, building momentum, focus, and internal resonance - 1:00 PM | Light Lunch (Soup + Bread)
Simple, grounding nourishment to support practice
Afternoon — Deepening Devotion
- 3:00 PM | Japa Rounds (4 rounds)
Extended immersion into the mantra: this is where the shift happens, where repetition becomes meditation… and meditation becomes state
Evening — Integration + Restoration
- 7:00 PM | Dinner
Warm, deeply nourishing meals to replenish the body - 9:00 PM | Restorative Yoga + Yoga Nidra / Sound Healing
Integration practices to allow the nervous system to receive and process the day - 10:00 PM | Optional Northern Lights Viewing
Step outside into the night: into stillness, awe, and the vastness of nature
SPACIOUSNESS + SUPPORT THROUGHOUT
This retreat honors both discipline and softness.
During free time, you’re invited to:
- Soak in the hot tub or sauna
- Walk in nature and integrate in silence
- Rest, journal, or simply be
Optional Add-On Experiences:
- Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) Readings
- Reiki Sessions
- Private Sound Healing
JANUARY 4: INTEGRATION DAY
After days of deep practice, we shift into integration.
This is where the experience becomes embodied.
The day will include:
- 1:1 Integration Sessions for personalized reflection and support
- Group Integration Circle to process, share, and anchor your experience
- A gentle outdoor group experience to reconnect with the body and the natural world
There is nothing to push here—only to listen, absorb, and allow.
JANUARY 5: DEPARTURE
We close the container and prepare to transition not by leaving the practice behind, but by carrying it forward.
You’ll depart with:
- A completed mala
- A lived experience of japa
- A clear, grounded energetic state to enter the new year
A NOTE ON THE PRACTICE
This rhythm is intentional.
Japa is not about intensity for the sake of effort; it is about consistency, repetition, and devotion.
Over these days, something begins to shift:
The mind quiets.
The body softens.
The mantra takes root.
And what begins as something you practice…
becomes something you are.
Meet Your Facilitators: Catherine, Charrise, and Laura
This retreat is guided by a team of three dedicated teachers, each bringing depth, devotion, and years of lived practice to the space we’ll share.
Together, we are Sattva Yoga Master Teachers, trained in the Himalayan tradition and teaching internationally—offering practices rooted in kriya, mantra, meditation, and ritual.
Our work is grounded in the understanding that yoga is not just something you do, but something you become.
Across our individual paths, we have guided thousands of students through trainings, retreats, and transformational containers around the world. What unites us is a shared devotion to the authentic transmission of these practices and a commitment to holding spaces that are both powerful and deeply supportive.
Throughout this retreat, you’ll be held by all three of us through practice, through integration, and through the subtle moments in between.
Catherine Wetenkamp
Founder of Seek Yoga Collective, Sattva Yoga Master Teacher, Vedic Astrologer
Cat is an E-RYT 500 Yoga Instructor and YACEP through Yoga Alliance. She leads powerful yoga classes, workshops, retreats and teacher training programs across the world. Cat has taught over 5000 hours of yoga, facilitated twelve 200 hour yoga teacher trainings and three 300 hour yoga teacher trainings. She has been a featured teacher at Yoga on the Rocks three times with over 2K students in attendance for each of her sold out classes. Cat works with the Denver Broncos football team and individual players weekly teaching yoga for athletic recovery and mindfulness techniques that can be utilized in high pressure situations.Â
Above all, Cat loves being a student. She has completed 1000+ hours of training in Vinyasa, Power, Aerial, Himalayan Kriya, Meditation, Yin, Sculpt & Trauma Informed Yoga.
Cat's teachings primarily stem from the Himalayan region of India. She is a dedicated student of Kriya Yoga, the yoga of "evolutionary action". The classes and sound healing sessions she leads help to free the mind from the bondage of our moment to moment consciousness.
Charrise Ramkissoon
Sattva Yoga Master Teacher, Sound Healer
Lindsey fell in love with Hot Yoga 18 years ago. Her passion for Hot Yoga led her to expand her practice and knowledge by receiving her Hot Yoga teaching certificate in 2017 and completing her 200 hour YTT in 2023.Â
Lindsey’s classes allow you to tap into your power and mental strength, where she skillfully guides individuals to explore their physical and mental boundaries in the hot series, facilitating a transformational process of self-discovery and mental toughness. Lindsey’s love and passion for the hot series comes through with joy for this disciplined and detoxifying practice.
Laura
Sattva Yoga Master Teacher, Vedic Astrologer, Chef
Laura Bio
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Your experience is designed to be seamless, nourishing, and deeply supportive so you can fully devote yourself to the practice.
Your retreat includes:
- 6 Nights Luxury Accommodation
Shared or private rooms in a secluded, high-end mountain home designed for rest, warmth, and connection - All Daily Meals
Thoughtfully prepared, nourishing cuisine by a private chef with Michelin-star experience
(Brunch, light lunch, and dinner daily) - Full Guided Retreat Experience
- Opening Ceremony + Intention Setting
- Mala Making Workshop (all materials included)
- Daily puja, meditation, and kriya journeys
- 4 days of guided Maha Gayatri japa rounds
- Evening restorative yoga, yoga nidra, and/or sound healing
- Integration Day with group + optional 1:1 support
- Sacred Ritual + Practice Materials
Everything you need for japa and ceremony, including supplies to make your own personal mala - Access to On-Site Amenities
Hot tub, sauna, and nature immersion spaces - Northern Lights Viewing Opportunities
Weather permitting, with guidance on optimal times to experience - Held by 3 International Sattva Yoga Master Teachers
Continuous support, guidance, and energetic holding throughout the retreat
*Retreat programming and inclusions, add-ons, and exclusions are subject to change as details become finalized.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
To keep the experience flexible and personalized, the following are not included:
- FlightsÂ
- Optional Add-On Sessions, including:
- Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) Readings
- Reiki
- Private Sound Healing
- Travel Insurance (required)
- Personal Expenses (snacks, special requests, etc.)
A NOTE ON VALUE
This retreat is not simply a place to stay;
it is a fully guided, immersive practice container.
Every detail from the food to the schedule to the teachings is designed to support a single intention:
To help you enter the new year clear, grounded, and deeply connected to your inner light.
