Krishna Wisdom (KW) is a department based at Bhaktivedanta Manor which focuses on those who may be unfamiliar with Indian language and culture. It provides a platform for their spiritual development which is relevant and sustainable and in the association of others with similar interests.
From time to time, KW organises special trips to India aimed at its members. The most recent one, an adventure to India (Delhi, Jaipur and Vrindavan) as well as Nepal, was called Mystic India / Nepal 2025.
Daniel Ferrell (33) shared his experiences:
“Mystic India/ Nepal 2025 was an ambitious and once in a lifetime opportunity for me! Yoga, meditation, practical spiritual philosophy taught by a former monk and making new friends half a world away in the spiritual capital of the world…wow! As a full-time student in California with the urge to escape from my comfort zone, this all looked too good to be true. But my eyes were widening at the chance to see beyond the material illusion: So I looked deeper.
“For me, the Mystic India trip offered the opportunity to nurture my spiritual curiosity and find much needed answers on my journey of self-discovery. I decided right then that I would join this community of likeminded people on my search…All my boxes were checked: seeing exquisite palaces, visiting beautiful ancient temples and iconic holy sites, exploring breathtaking natural terrain and celebrating authentic local culture.
“Not only were all of our questions expertly answered but it also gave everyone the opportunity to learn more about each other. We were people with varying interests and experiences, all with the shared context of wanting to awaken our spirituality and find clarity on our path to this common goal. We found right away that we could trust in our guide, Radha Govinda das every step of the way to answer all our questions and make sure we were all ready for our big adventure. He dispensed free-heartedly with his wisdom, making us all feel confident in his leadership capabilities and using his sense of humour!
“The promise of nightly kirtan gatherings and delicious prasadam gave us the boost we needed to venture fearlessly further and further from our comfort zones. Morning yoga sessions helped us to focus on having the most positive experience possible. And, my favourite part, easy to understand philosophical discussions which made the foreign spirituality more accessible.
“The highlight of my experience was the amount of freedom we had. Radha Govinda das and his sidekick Gaura Narayana prabhu were never afraid to go the extra distance to facilitate additional field trips, even with our limited amount of time! Spur of the moment shopping srees, getting covered in Holi colours, dancing with the locals, even a 23km walk around Govardhan Hill.
“Mystic India was the perfect way to make deep connections with new people and places and to learn new things about myself. I am truly grateful that I stumbled into such a unique opportunity. On our last day in the Himalayas, we got to spend time acknowledging each other’s’ transformations and saying goodbye (which was a lot harder than anyone expected!)…I would not have thought it was possible that just two weeks could make such a profound impact on my life. I look forward to the next time I can join the Mystic India community on another great adventure!”
