Something fundamentally life-altering happens when we pick up and travel halfway around the world, intending to turn an entire chapter of our lives.  That’s what I do for myself.  That is what I lead women to do.  And it is delicious!

Imagine in the morning being gently woken by the soft deepness of a Balinese gong and Hindi singing, calling you to the rooftop terrace for Indian yoga, meditation, fresh Ayurvedic fruit smoothies and morning writing with the breezes and the birds.

Can you see yourself with us already?… Of course you can.

Kapaali is the Hindu Goddess of Dancing, and in the House of Kapaali, your heart will dance like a child again as you let go of the weight of your life and submerge into the rhythms of India and her mysterious eternal transformations.

We will greet you at our lovely oasis with deep Indian smiles, warm hugs, flowers and the traditional Haven fire and chanting ritual our first evening to “clean the slate.” Offering your forehead to receive the ‘tilak,’ the sacred third-eye mark, you can feel yourself letting go of what no longer serves you and open wide to embrace the inner direction that is now waiting for you.

We will lead you by the hand out into India herself… Dancing and chanting in the twilight with the Krishnas at the beloved Iskcon Aarti, exploring the Old Spice Market—in existence for thousands of years, and receiving the deep honor of the Sikhs at Bangla Sahib Gurudwara.

Now picture yourself all in white—dancing under the full October moon in the rustic Indian countryside among a group of the most incredibly loving and alive women you’ve ever met.

For our culminating days, we have beautiful surprises planned just for you.

But, why now?…

My first adventure came unexpectedly. Having gone through a terrible loss in 2009, I was circling the same little existence over days, months, years. I couldn’t go back. And for the first time in my life, I had absolutely no idea where to go next. Nothing moved me. My life was utterly stuck.

How quickly everything can change.

One January morning in the mirror, my voice inside said clearly, “Carmell, when the opportunity presents, you have to be ready to jump.” I looked squarely into my eyes  completely trusting, and said, “Ok.”

By the end of that day, I had rented out my house for a year, had 2.5 months to clean out 20 years of life, and had NO plan or even a clue of what to do next.

On May 5th, in a series of inexplicable events, I found myself at 42-years old on a plane, alone for the first time in 20 years, headed to Paris with only a backpack, no French, knowing no one, and having an AirB&B for the first 2 days.

I had leapt. And I had no plan.

What has ensued in my life since that day, is nothing short of miraculous. I discovered how travel forces you to let go of what you thought you knew.  About yourself. About others. About life. And about what is possible. Long-distance travel breaks wide open all those new thoughts inside, just waiting to burst out—

It’s impossible to create something you’ve not yet conceived.  As I’ve told you, I couldn’t discover what was next until I leapt far into the unknown.

I’ve built these retreats to be a launching point for you and other women who are at that moment…

Ready to leap. Unable to stay where you are.

The future unknown. And utterly open to trusting the universe and the desires inside your heart— Nothing held back.

It’s terrifying, transforming, and exciting beyond what you’ve ever yet known. Can you feel it? Does it make you squirm inside? Edgy?

Good. It should… You’ve grasped that we’re not talking about a vacation retreat. When I leave, I know I will not return.  The person I was will have given way to the person I am becoming.  And that is what my retreats are for you.

I want to immerse you quickly and deeply into the ancient spirituality and strange intuition that is the heart of India.  And emerge the deeper listening, more trusting, fierce, passionate and fearless woman you are.

I want you to stretch yourself

beyond your normal thinking. . .

beyond what’s comfortable. . .

beyond the life you have now.

Most people come as tourists and leave with a checklist of sites they’ve seen, a picture of themselves in front of the Taj Mahal, and some Indian souvenirs from the Old Market.

That is not deeper India.  And it’s not transformative.  All the substance, the mystical knowing, the life happening that you cannot hold back…  all of that is passed over undiscovered.  People leave unchanged.  And it is such a loss.

My discovery of India was the discovery of myself.

And I am not alone.  Throughout time, countless people have come unsuspecting, have been touched by this beautiful primal life-force and have radically altered the course of their lives.

Does this compel you?  Does it grab you and pull you forward towards something you already know – from your gut – is on your horizon?

If the answer is Yes, then you already know you belong here.

I crafted this retreat as a doorway.  When you cross this threshold, you are embarking on a journey only your heart knows.  You let go of figuring it all out with your head, assessing the safety and risk, calculating pros and cons…

And instead, you listen.

Listen deep and hard and clear.  You know that where you want to go next requires a quantum leap from where you are. And all quantum leaps happen when BOTH your feet leave the ground at once.

Everything that comes after will reveal your metamorphosis in the months that follow. Make the leap. If you’ve come this far, I’m pretty sure you know this is right for you. Trust that.

“DELHI!”… the name known near and far when you hear of India. Rich, mystical, full of spices and colours, and burgeoning with people and life.

Your senses will be completely captured as you journey into this land that is instantly ancient and modern, traditional and adventuring—a culture of spirituality and intellectual curiosity above all others.

Delhi was once a significant stop on the ancient Silk Road and ruled by the Mughals, Khiljis and Tughlaqs. From Hindu kings to Muslim Sultans, to the fairly recent British Imperial rule… the shift of powers has formed a truly diverse, noble, and deep Indian knowing of life that you can sense.

In a little oasis just outside of the clamor of Delhi, we’ll be spending 7 transformative nights as the exclusive guests in our boutique hotel, House of Kapaali. Created by Mansi Mahajan and her family, the elegant and wonderfully comfortable rooms decorated from world travels, artists and Indian tradition will draw you effortlessly into India, and into our retreat.

As their welcomed guests in this journey, you will experience so much more of true India through the depth of this cosmopolitan family and their global hospitality.

They are the true treasure I discovered on my month-long trip in India this year, and I cannot wait to share them and their oasis with you. I know you will fly back with House of Kapaali and the Mahajan family in your heart.

Indian cuisine is a gorgeous assault on all of your senses; colourful, spicy, aromatic, textural and complex flavours make it so very unique. Sensual. We at House of Kapaali want you to experience and taste a large selection of Indian specialties from various pockets of the country. Given the diversity of this beautiful country and the short time of your stay with us, that is a big task!

While it is true that a lot of Indian Cuisine can be very spicy, our dishes will be easy on the palate and include all the flavours and textures of delectable Indian cuisine. We have planned Ayurvedic meals on some days to support the Yoga and Meditation programs you will be doing and enhance your body’s energies for holistic healing and balance.

Our chef prepares all the beautiful dishes onsite using fresh local organic produce in season. Our style of food is what you would eat in a typical Indian home, meaning dishes are cooked with less oil and lots of fruits and vegetables. Our approach to food is basic and simple.

We use brown rice/wild rice/quinoa instead of refined white rice. Our flatbread or ‘Roti’ is made of whole wheat flour mixed with chickpea flour and sorghum flour. We use ‘Desi Ghee’ or olive oil, and refined sugar is replaced with jaggery, honey or other natural sugars.

You will fall in love with our cold pressed juices and smoothies using seasonal fruits and vegetables served every morning. At House of Kapaali we take our tea very seriously! Ranging from Carmell’s favorite— Indian ‘Masala Chai’ to fruit and flower teas like lotus, jasmine and hibiscus, we have so much to choose from. The ardent coffee lover won’t be disappointed either!

We will begin our retreat with a Havan: a sacred fire ceremony in which various forms of the divine gods are invoked in a sacred fire kindled according to the guidelines in the Vedic scriptures. Special offerings are made into the fire while Sanskrit mantras are chanted. The combination of the powerful energy of the fire and the Sanskrit mantras create extremely auspicious and purifying vibrations for all experiencing the Havan.

In Mansi’s words: “Havan also brings high energies into our minds and body, paving the way for positive thoughts and  actions to enter our lives. The three energies are of our being are revitalized—Vata, Pitta and Kapha—and our delicate energy balance in the body is elevated.

As if the above adventures were not enough to make you swoon –  indulge in traditional Indian massage at the Six Senses Spa only minutes from our oasis!

An award-winning spa set amidst sixty acres of pristine land in Noida, the Six Senses Spa will introduce you to the beautiful Ayurveda treatment, Abhyanga. This ancient science of life addresses a specific aspect of physical and mental well-being through deep relaxation, therapeutic touch, and spiritual energies. Synonymous with oil bathing in Ayurveda, the art of Abhyanga preserves youthfulness, tones the body, promotes sound sleep as well as softens and firms the skin.

The experience flows through chanting of the Mantra, offering prayers to the God of Indian medicine, followed by soaking the feet, and a gentle cleansing foot scrub with Mudgadichoorna – a combination of natural green gram and horse gram powders.

The treatment then continues with an Indian head massage or Champi Tel Malish followed by a full body massage on the Droni bed. After the massage you will enjoy a warm steam bath, which will assist absorption of the herbal oils.

We’ll complete our spa with a warm shower and a Snana powder to remove excess oil from the body, and Thalipodi – a herbal shampoo for the hair. This treatment is guaranteed to deeply relax, rejuvenate, and energize you for the fun evening ahead!

Everyone comes to Delhi and sees the Old Market with its sometimes less than quality wares. We will see the ancient spice market, the silver sellers, and more, there. But we want to especially take you to Dilli Haat, a unique market place that provides cottage industry artisans from across rural India a platform to sell their arts and crafts in an urban environment – an interesting panorama of culture, arts and crafts, ethnic cuisine and great bargains! And fairly unknown to western tourists—bonus!

The themes that dominate the arts on display vary according to Indian festivals and seasons. During our visit, we may be treated to an artistic feast centered on India’s biggest and brightest yearly festival, Diwali, celebrated in November!