Celebrating our first wedding anniversary, Ananda in the Himalayas, Rishikesh, October 2014
This post has been written for the theme “26 Places, 26 Memories” for the #AtoZChallenge.
R FOR RISHIKESH:
The holy city of Rishikesh is located on the foothills of the Himalayas, in the state of Uttarakhand. It’s best known for its temples, meditation and yoga retreats, Ganga Arti (ritual of prayer), and river-rafting. It’s easily accessible from Delhi, and makes for a great cultural experience.
In October 2014, my husband and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary in Rishikesh, at the luxury resort, Ananda in the Himalayas. The entire weekend was spent in the resort walking in sublime nature, eating delicious and healthy food, meditating, and spending loads of quality time together. The resort’s policy of having the guests wear only white cotton pyjama sets, enhanced the experience further. Though I loved every moment of our trip, here’s the memory that really stands out.
REGRESSING INTO PAST REALMS IN RISHIKESH:
Ananda markets itself as a wellness retreat. Guests can take part in numerous activities planned by the hotel, or simply relax. My husband and I avoided most scheduled events, yet I was intrigued by the past-life regression therapy they offered. The high price tag, and the idea of leaving him alone for a period of time, deterred me from signing up. My sweet husband, however, secretly booked me a session.
Dr. Roma Singh, a certified hypnotherapist and past-life regressionist, was very experienced, and her calm demeanour helped with my nervousness. I didn’t know what to expect, mistrusted the idea of hypnosis, and was unsure about opening a potential can of worms. Hence, I shivered with tension, through the entire session of 1.5 hours.
Past-life regression is unlike anything I’ve experienced. Traditionally, the subject apprises the therapist of any worries they have or problems they need help with. The therapist then guides the subject through a journey within their sub-conscience. The subject remains completely lucid through the process, envisioning incidents and people in their minds eye. Often, the subject can recognise a person from their present life in these visions. After therapy, the subject remembers everything they saw and experienced, clearly.
At this session, I was attempting to understand the reason for my mortal fear of water. The different lifetimes I purportedly visited, showed me potential causes. Dying in a terrible shipwreck, a lonely life as a princess, in a tower that looked onto a body of water, a life of poverty as an orphan in a seaside town; all showed up in my visions. I can’t say if these were past lives of mine, or images conjured by a healthy imagination; but I felt I recognised people from my present life, in very unexpected roles. Our relationship in past lives possibly explained their troubling behaviour toward me in my current life.
I walked out of the session quite spooked, but also very intrigued. Past-life regression may not have changed my world, but it definitely makes for an interesting anecdote. In case you’re wondering though, I’m still mortally afraid of water 😉
Come back tomorrow for the letter S and another story!
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*Unless otherwise specified, the copyright in all pictures belongs to nooranandchawla.
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A for Amritsar, B for Bhopal, C for Cambodia, D for Delhi, E for England, F for France, G for Gwalior, H for Hemkund Sahib, I for Italy, J for Jim Corbett National Park, K for Kamakhya Devi Temple, L for London, M for Munich, N for Naples, O for Odisha, P for Prague, Q for Qila Mehrangarh Jodhpur
You are total ghummakad Noor.. Anand is on my wishlist though I have always watched it from the distance
Thanks Arti.. that i am 😊
You must at least once.. highly recommend:)
Oh my my! That would have been quite an experience! Just reading this made me jump out of my skin! Oops!
It was really something else! You’ve got to experience it yourself to really understand it!
I have never been to any therapies so this is new to me. Instead I love Spas for relaxation. I have the same fear with water. Last year I tried to learn swimming so that I can overcome my water phobia but couldn’t do it.
I’ve tried learning to swim so many times, and always freeze up.. I love going to spas too 😋
AAH I need to go to this resort now. I mean I need to understand my fetish for timeliness and my extreme dislike for people who shirk responsibility
You can consult her in Delhi too if that’s easier for you, she’s back and forth between both places. I highly recommend a visit to the resort in general though 😊
I have been to Rishikesh many times with my parents but never tried any activities it’s famous for. Good to read about memories of the place.
Can’t say what I loved reading more about, Ananda or the PLR Session. Bummer that you haven’t got over your fear of water though, as that is what a PLR Session is supposed to do. Help you recognise your blocks and remove them.
I think I needed more sessions, I just never followed up. I might do it this year 🙂
That is interesting. What else did you see? Were you married to the same person in last several lives May be your husband wanted know is it his first life with you and he has six more to go with you and wanted to prepare himself. Jokes apart, how much do they charge? Did they ask leading questions that resulted in images of ship wreck etc? I would like to do it once. I have a mortal fear of being lynched.
Abhijit Ray hahah! No thankfully I didn’t see my husband in past lives so he has no way of knowing that 😂
She charged 6000 for a 1.5 hour session at the resort but i think her prices are half of that in her office in Gurgaon. She kept asking me to imagine water bodies, so it was leading in that way- otherwise she never asked very specific questions; only related to what i described seeing. I think it’s definitely worth trying at least once!
Oh wow! Now this was unexpected, kuch choda hai unexplored ?
I was reading about PLR, I find the concept quite interesting, I don’t know If I believe in it but I like to read about such stuffs. Rishikesh is a divine place andu par se ye spooky experience, another memory for you 🙂
Haha abhi toh aur bohot karna hai, but I’m glad you’re enjoying my journey so far 🙂
Yes very much 😀
The Ananda Resort is one of its kind and one feels very relaxed there.
Yes definitely:)
i really always wanted to meet such a therapist just to experience how tow it feels to have a view of my past life and also to know does it really happen?
About the phobia, i had one such but i have recovered from that by giving therapy to myself.
Enjoyed reading your experience.
You should get it once- it’s an interesting experience!
Thanks for appreciating:)
Oh man, another spooky experience. Honestly, this sounds quite interesting to me. But you should have got your answer no? What’s the use of such therapy if it can’t help you with the problem. Did the therapist ask to take more of her sessions? What was her judgement in the end of the session?
Yes I was supposed to continue the sessions to heal my fear of water, I just never went back. Maybe i’ll go back again and pick up where I left off!
I went Rishikesh once when I was in uttrakhand. Such a wonderful place!!!!!
Wow…how do u end up doing these things? 🙂 I would be paranoid. Even I have hydrophobia but I do enter the pool.
I’d like to try everything at least once 😋😃
I do enter the pool but I mostly stand in the shallow end. I can’t put my head under water..
Ananda is a beautiful resort… n PLR.. somehow i am unable to believe in Tarot Card Readings, Reiki healings, Numerology, Horroscopes, and anything else that would fall close to this… But loved reading about ur experience…
I understand.. I’m also kind of skeptical about it all, but I don’t mind trying everything out at least once 😊
I so want to visit here once!! Loved it
You should.. it’s lovely!
How Romantic I this is .loved the way you have written about it. And I badly want to visit this place.
You should.. it’s lovely!
I definitely will, soon 💟
Must have been a one-of-a-kind experience! There was once a time in my life when I was a huge fan to Dr. Brain Weiss’ books. Inspired by his books, I attended several past life regression workshops and sessions, and have seen quite a lot of past lives, well maybe my subconscious memories as you say. Regardless of whether it is all true or not, it was a great explorative period of life.
Yes I completely agree with you 😊
I have been to Rishikesh too and loved the beauty of this divine place. Well I personally have never experienced something as spooky and exciting at the same time but it quite interests me and hence I enjoyed reading about it 🙂
I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Quite daring of you to go ahead with the session, Noor. Personally, I would chicken out or be mortified with it forever. The fact that it didn’t let you win over your fear proves that its just a fad, yes?
Did your husband attend a session too, I’m curious. Why book you for a session? 😀
I was supposed to continue the sessions to properly cure the fear, but I stopped going. Maybe i’ll resume it sometime.
My husband is a firm non-believer but he’s very indulgent of my beliefs. He knew I wanted a session but I was hesitating so he surprised me with it 🙂
He didn’t get one for himself!
Visited Rishikesh recently but missed going ti Anand. Heard such good things about the place. Guess I will have to make another trip.
Yes Ananda is really lovely
I think I would have opted out at the last moment just out of the fear of uncertainty. Really brave of you to complete this. Enjoyed reading this new kind of adventure of yours.
Glad you liked it 🙂
I have been to Hrishikesh and trust me my experience was so amazing…I feel like going again and again! LOVED the Blog!
So glad you liked it 🙂
Oh god your post are giving me major travel goals 😭 I am saving all these and sending it to my parents to allow me to travel as much as you do!
Aww i’m glad you like them 🙂
My wishlist is getting longer with each post of yours:)
😊
Oh gosh, learning about the past life…. if this isn’t spooky than what is? I could never attend such a session, who would know if I was a dino or godzilla in the past life.
I have been to Rishikesh many times, my younger bro did his schooling from Vidhyapeeth there.
Haha! That’s so funny 😂 Dipika even if you were a Dino or Godzilla, you’d make a very beautiful one 😃
Rishikesh is lovely!
why somehow all spooky things find their way to you.. They find you equally interesting i believe.. Lol. I do believe in past life regression therapy and i am planning to get done for myself as well for my trust issues
Haha! Yes perhaps I attract them.
You should, it’s a very interesting experience.
What a perfect way to celebrate aniversery ,the place look sceneric, hope you enjoyed your stay
Yes we loved it!
It is amazing to know that you love traveling to places. Rishikesh is an amazing place to visit.
Thanks for stopping by!
I love to read ur travel stories Noor. I am sure you must have had a time of ur life and many congratulations on your anniversary.
Thank you. This was back in 2014, not currently
Noor… that’s something .. going to Rishikesh for the first anniversary. You truly are a spiritual being.
Thank you.. though i have to be honest, the real draw was the luxury resort, not the spiritual aspect!
Rishikesh is probably the most visited hill station of my life till date! You have written very beautifully!
Thank you!
I have never been to rishikesh. But heard that it’s a very nice place. And after reading your blog I’m surely planning a trip to rishikesh. Also intrigued by the past life hypnosis experience of yours.. thanks for sharing the resort details.. m saving it for the future.
Glad you liked it! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I actually want to experience this past life regression thing cause i am really intrigued by this concept.
Yes you should.. it’s an interesting experience
WOW!! That must have been one spooky and fascinating experience. I am interested to know why I have mortal fear of driving and traffic. Perhaps, past life regression could throw some light!!
That’s so strange Shilpa, I have that fear too! Maybe we should both do it and compare notes 🙂
This would indeed have been an experience of a lifetime dear. Your nervousness was quite natural, I too would love to try it
It was quite interesting.. you should try it!
Ananda is in my bucket list from long and I never been to any therapy so I guess it would be interesting to me, mental, body wellness peace. Kind of interesting.
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I am spooked just reading your experience. I would have ran away rather than experiencing hypnosis 😂
Haha yes its spooky but I remember everything clearly.. strange experience!
Another amazing destination. Rishikesh is in our bucket list from long time. We are planning to visit soon may be in this year. This resort looks quite amazing. We would love to spend some time here.
Yes it’s lovely
Rishikesh is one of my favorite designation as it is near to ghaziabad.. sad to know about your fear for water whereas I just love ig..Lovely pictures
Thanks Sapna.. you’re lucky to love water 😊
I have seen all the celebrities going there and it has such a huge reputation. I think I too would like to stay at the Anandas. I can only imagine the wonder experience you have had there.
It was just awesome!
Thrilled to read this post. That must be some experience, Noor. I can’t dare do it somehow as mere reading it gives me goosebumps.
It’s really interesting.. try it some time!
Well, I too am quite afraid of water and would want to know why! I would love to experience the past life regression at Rishikesh. As it is the place has a great calming effect in me. Btw, Rishikesh is also a great honeymoon destination!
Noor, just nominated you!
https://trendtofit.com/the-mystery-blogger-award/
Thanks Srishti! That’s so sweet! Will go read your post now 🙂
Wow thats such an amazing experience. Loved your take on it. I don’t think I can dare to do it my dear
Thanks for reading and appreciating:)
I have a lot of interest in this subject and so wanna do a session but anxious what will happen.
It’s a very interesting experience for sure!
I wanna try it once.
This is an interesting article and i hope it will be very useful for all readers and i love to read this post its an amazing article and very helpful article.. thanks for shearing this article to us..