This journey through the universe of Tibetan and Himalayan Tantric Buddhism in India and Bhutan and the places of power of the ḍākinīs–female embodiments of enlightenment–presents Buddhism through its iconographic art in artists’ studios, temples, and monasteries. The trip also includes visits to rarely visited sacred sites and pilgrimages to cave sanctuaries where Buddhist yogis and yoginis meditated and left their blessings.

 The trip will begin in India with a journey to the mountain town of Dharamsala, the principal home of the Tibetan community-in-exile and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Tiffani Gyatso lived and studied for three years at Dharamsala’s Norbulingka Art Institute. She will guide us through the environs of Dharamsala with visits to the temples of H.H. the Dalai Lama and the 17 th Karmapa, in addition to local artists’ studios where the group will experience the process of creating Tibetan thangka paintings and other traditional arts, as well as exploring the lively streets of McLeod Ganj and the smaller villages on the slopes of Nadi and Dharamkot mountains.

​After this introduction to Tibetan Buddhism in India, the journey will continue in the Kingdom of Bhutan, amidst rugged Himalayas peaks, pristine nature, and majestic temples. It is here in this last Himalayan Buddhist Kingdom that we will explore the magic and mysteries of the Five Wisdom ḍākinīs, the ‘sky farers’ who exemplify our innermost awakened nature and assist seekers on the path to enlightenment. We will explore the ways in which the ḍākinī archetype manifests in Bhutanese Buddhist geography, art, and culture, as well as within our own experience as the dynamic expression of the Five Buddha Families and Five Elements. While Outer Ḍākinīs embody sublime human qualities, Inner Ḍākinīs refer to our innate wisdom and transform afflictive emotions into liberating awareness. When we fail to recognize our five inner Wisdom Ḍākinīs, they can manifest as the five klesha-s, or mental disturbances, of anxiety, anger, jealousy, arrogance, and desire. When we acknowledge and express them, they appear as relational, emotional intelligence and wisdom. Signifying openness, boundless energy, and liberating action, ḍākinīs invite intimate connection with our own deepest nature in myth, meditation, ritual, and art, urging us to live ever more aligned with the interconnected flow of life. 

It is possible to choose only the Bhutan or India + Bhutan section. See COMPLETE ITINERARY PDF here.

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Join Tiffani Gyatso, Ian Baker, and local Bhutanese yoginīs on this immersive, magical journey through the “last jewel in Buddhism’s Himalayan crown” while rediscovering your original nature of innate wisdom, intrinsic freedom, and altruistic joy through experiential immersion in the symbology and power of Tantric Buddhism, combined with contemplative practices in settings of extraordinary cultural, artistic, and environmental beauty. The Bhutan portion of our journey will begin in the Paro Valley and extend to spiritual power places in Punakha, the Phobjikha Valley, and Bumthang, Bhutan’s cultural and religious heartland. 

​For those lacking time to participate in both the India and Bhutan portions of this journey, it is possible to join only the Bhutan portion.

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​“For the past twenty years, I have dedicated my life to the sacred arts of Tibet, India, and the Middle East, producing original creations while serving as a teacher and guide on art-oriented journeys in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. All accommodations and scheduled activities on this journey have been personally chosen to ensure the highest quality experience for an intimate group of up to fifteen people. Like all art, this journey represents a kind of alchemy in which challenges that may arise can deepen and enrich our experience of life. Taking its lead from the Five Wisdom Ḍākinīs, we will be guided throughout our journey by beauty, art, and poetry, as well as fearless love.”

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– Tiffani Gyatso