A Sacred Art & Meditation Retreat on Maui, Hawaii, USA
Sunday, April 13 – Friday, April 18, 2025
** Fly in on Sunday, 13th - depart Saturday, 19th
Hosted by: Swami Khecaranatha, Mavis Gewant, Ekabhumi, and Naima Audant
Have you ever daydreamed about relaxing in a tropical paradise? Making art and hanging out with friendly creative people while a private chef prepares your meals? Where your only dilemma in the morning is deciding whether to attend an optional yoga asana class, add some color to a sublime painting, drive to visit a stunning waterfall, or stroll on an idyllic beach where sea turtles sunbathe?
Join three masters of their respective disciplines at a private resort on the lush north coast of Maui, surrounded by wide green lawns and mature tropical trees. This is a deep dive into the rejuvenating practice of sacred art, where we learn to create the most powerful ritual diagram of the Tantric tradition: the Sri Yantra. We will celebrate the beauty of manifestation through creative expression and traditional ceremony to invoke wisdom, delight, luck, and prosperity.
This is a rare opportunity to enjoy a week-long immersive experience of meditation, ceremony, and sacred art. Participants will be guided by life-long devotees of the Goddess who spent decades learning from their own gurus. We do not know of any workshop or retreat in the world that offers this depth of devotion, hands-on experience, gentle encouragement, and rigorous technical training.
The Sri Yantra is the most widely-recognized ritual diagram in the world. It is both a Mandala (sacred circle) and a Yantra (spiritual device). It is the most popular icon of Tantra and emblem of Shakta (goddess) worship.
"Then Shiva Mahadev spoke to Parvati, “O Devi, Because it restrains suffering due to desires, anger and karma, it is called Yantra.” - Kularnava Tantra
Yantras are mystical devices comprised of sacred geometry. When made in a ritualized methodical manner, it can be safely utilized for invoking the blessing-power of a deity in ceremony and meditation. They can also be simply displayed for inspiration and improving luck. The process of creating a yantra is a potent Sadhana (spiritual practice) all by itself.
The Sri Yantra is most closely associated with the Tantric tradition called Sri Vidya (Auspicious Wisdom), but it is utilized by adepts in many different lineages. Although most closely associated with goddess Tripura Sundari (the Beauty of the Three Realms), the Sri Yantra is also used to invoke other goddesses such as Lakshmi, Kamakhya, and Bhairavi.
The purpose of this retreat is multifold: as a retreat, participants will have a relaxing experience free of distractions so that they can be calmer, clearer, and more focused. With delicious healthy food, an enervating environment, morning Yoga asana classes, and evening meditations, just showing up is beneficial. Our days will revolve around learning how to create and utilize the yantra. Participants will also learn about the context in which this powerful tool was developed, so as to understand how to use it respectfully and safely when they return home. These lessons will support traditional spiritual practice, of course, but also enhance any creative endeavor as well as enrich our daily lives. The purpose of sacred art is not only to inspire, but to help us find meaning in ordinary activities and understand our place in the cosmos.
Our Tropical Residence:
Nityakash is a private resort is nestled in the lush rainforest of Maui’s north coast, in the hills overlooking the ocean. The property has a large main building (where we will paint) with a long veranda, and a separate meditation hall surrounded by wide lawns and mature trees. It is located near the town of Haiku, about a 20-minute drive east of Paia, and 35 minutes from the Kahului Airport. Guests are welcome to arrive early and stay for a modest daily fee (a fraction of nearby resort prices). Participants will have plenty of unstructured time during our retreat to relax, make art, or explore local beaches, scenic waterfalls, and other natural wonders.
Visit this page to see pictures of Nityakash.
In this workshop you will learn. . .
- How to draw and paint the Sri Yantra accurately for use in meditation and ceremony
- How to draw the Yantra freehand as a meditative practice
- The symbolism of the Sri Yantra’s sacred geometry - how it relates to the cosmos, the five elements, and the human body
- How to use a yantra in Yogic practices of self-realization
- The Three Realms that are ruled by the beguiling goddess of Desire
- The difference between the southern Sri Vidya and the northern Kaula style of yantra creation, and why the colors they use are so dramatically different
- Pros and Cons of different drawing methods
- How to handle the Yantra safely to avoid bad luck and the goddess’ wrath
- Cultural Participation versus Cultural Appreciation versus Cultural Appropriation
Ceremonies & Practices
Puja worship of the Divine Goddess can be done either to an idol of Devi or to the Sri Yantra itself. The Yantra can be three dimensional (a Maha Meru) or two dimensional (the Sri Yantra). All forms of the Divine Mother can be worshiped in the Sri Yantra because Her very essence and all of Her aspects live in this single Yantra.
In this sacred ceremony, Nathaji will lead us into the Sri Yantra, visually, physically, energetically, and in awareness.
- You will experience and activate the correlation of the Sri Yantra with the chakras within you.
- Each of the chakras has an associated bija mantra. That resonance opens the center within the central channel, actuating an ascending flow of shakti.
- Nathaji will open the central channel through shakti touch transmission.
- You will receive the secret 16-syllable mantra of the Goddess that you can use in your private meditations to invoke Her liberating power.
- We will chant 54 key verses of the Lalitāsahasranāma, which enumerates the thousand names of the Goddess.
- The group will participate in adorning the Sri Yantra with incense, flowers, and candles.
All skill levels welcome!
Beginners can simply relax and color in a high-quality print using colored pencils. Skilled students will learn how to draw and paint the yantra. Advanced students will be guided through a meticulous step-by-step process for invoking cosmic forces into a stable form worthy of worship. Each participant will receive a step-by-step guide for drawing the yantra in the traditional manner. The only requirement is respect for the powers that are invoked through this process and the profound impact they can have on the psyche.
Retreat Teachers
Ekabhumi
Ekabhumi Charles Ellik is an award-winning painter, poet, author, illustrator, yoga instructor and arts educator. He is an initiate of the Kaula and the Krama who has studied with sacred art masters from Nepal, Rajasthan, and Kerala. He specializes in the figurative images and geometric icons (yantras) of Hindu deities. Through a ritualized and meditative creative method, he makes artworks for ceremonial, therapeutic, and educational use. His work may be found in temples, yoga studios, private homes, and on altars around the world.
Ekabhumi is founder of One Earth Sacred Arts, co-founder of Mystic Art Retreats, and currently part of the core faculty of online school Living Sanskrit. His instructional adult coloring books Shakti Coloring Book and the uplifting Bhakti Coloring Book are now available world-wide from Sounds True Press. On weekends, he can be found in his garden practicing silence and learning directly from Nature.
Swami Khecaranatha
With a mastery etched from over five decades of disciplined inner practice and selfless service, Khecaranatha is an authentic adept in the Śakti Transmission Lineage of Bhagavan Nityananda and Swami Rudrananda.
Nathaji teaches from his personal experience and revelations. His study of the richness and wisdom of ancient tantric scripture provides a means to articulate the teachings of his lineage within the larger context of these powerful nondual traditions — while emphasizing the essence of his teaching, which is to empower students to discover their own innate divinity.
Over a number of years, Nathaji developed and refined the Sri Chakra Puja, a powerful means of connecting each individual to the power of the Goddess within.
Mavis Gewant
Mavis is a renowned sacred artist and educator with a deep passion for sharing her transformative practice. With over 30 years of experience dedicated to guiding students to express divinity through the creation of sacred art, she leads workshops internationally. Mavis is a master of the Wash Painting Technique, a multi-layered approach that combines watercolor and gouache that she learned from her guru, Harish Johari.
Through her workshops and retreats, Mavis guides students on a profound journey of self-discovery and spiritual connection. Her work has been featured in numerous publications and private collections worldwide, reflecting her dedication to preserving and sharing this ancient art form. As a teacher, Mavis embodies the sacred mother, creating a nurturing and supportive environment for her students to explore their creativity and deepen their understanding of the divine. She shares her expertise through workshops, retreats, and her published works, inspiring others to explore the transformative power of art and self-discovery.
Naima Audant (Production Assistant)
Naima is an artist, yoga instructor, massage practitioner, nutritional practitioner, chef, and horticulturalist who grew up in Haiti and now lives on Maui. She gained an appreciation for making art from a young age, having grown up in a home filled with spiritual and esoteric materials. She moved to Maui as a young adult and after attending business school, my path led me into the healing field as a massage therapist, yoga teacher, and life coach. The Mandalas she creates are infused with positive intentions and incorporate real gemstones and crystals. Through her art, she helps people realize their true spiritual essence and find harmony within themselves and the world around them.
Registration
Full On-Site Package
- Accommodations Sun night (13th) through Friday night (18th) at the Nityakash retreat center - shared room
- All meals (vegetarian) Sunday night through breakfast on the 19th
- Professionally-catered lunches and dinners
- Tea station with snacks available 7 am - 10 pm
- All basic art materials and tools (or feel free to bring your own)
- Access to a dedicated meditation hall for silent sadhana (practice)
- Airport pickup and return
Commuter Package
- Find your own accommodations nearby
- Rent your own car
- All meals (vegetarian) - Sunday night to Friday
- Professionally-catered lunches and dinners
- Tea station with snacks during program hours
- All basic art materials and tools (or feel free to bring your own)
Not Included:
- Airfare to Maui, Hawaii
- Alcoholic drinks (not permitted at Nityakash)
- Local transportation to beaches
- Meat dishes (though we will have eggs for breakfast)
- Teaching certification (personal edification only)
We have planned this retreat to be as inexpensive as possible, to allow our students from around the world to attend. We don’t want money to stop folks from participating, so we are offering several options:
Seva Package
If you cannot afford the full price, some work/trade may be considered. By application only - email [email protected] with your request.
Extended Stay
For those wishing to arrive early and explore, we can provide lodging only (no meals). The rate is $75/day, again arranged by emailing [email protected].
Deposit Information
~ A 50% deposit is required to reserve your spot
~ Deposits are fully-refundable up to February 15
~ Deposits are partially-refundable up to March 15
~ Deposits are NOT refundable after March 15
Full Payment due by March 15
Program Schedule
~ Sunday, April 13 - Arrival day, opening ceremony at 5 pm
(Arrive at the airport no later than 3 pm, or drive over to Nityakash by 4:30)
~ Monday through Friday - practices and painting
~ Friday Evening - Sri Yantra and Closing Ceremonies. The Sri Yantra Ceremony utilizes the Yantra that Eka and Mavis will be creating throughout the week.
~ Saturday, 19th - Departure date
(For those staying on-site, rides to the airport can be provided in the morning.)