The Sacred Elements Tour offers a relatively inexpensive gateway to the vast and complex world of Indian religion, provides a fascinating succession of world class cultural venues and serves as a vehicle for the experience of deep spiritual energies associated with particularly powerful holy sites.

Stepping out of a jumbo jet into the newly remodeled Chennai International airport one is welcomed to the exotic chaos of India by a huge statue of the elephant God, Ganesh, remover of obstacles. Within no time it is obvious that religion is the most powerful and pervasive institution in the society. People worship unselfconsciously at innumerable street shrines. But who are these Gods that are so ardently worshipped? The Sacred Elements tour provides the key that unlocks the meaning of India's most powerful symbols: the deities, the sacred fire, and the temple itself. It presents Indian spiritual life in an objective way by connecting the great religious sites, the deities and devotional practices with their ancient source, the Vedas. Over seven or eight thousand years the one eternal principle enshrined in the Vedas has transformed itself into tens of thousands of potent forms. Through direct contact with these symbols the eternal Spirit in the human heart is awakened.

Indian religion is experience based, not belief based. It is common place for Indians to speak of God as one would of a dear intimate friend. Hundreds of practices, the most common being temple worship, generate direct experience of God, the Self, almost at will. The tour will take us right into the heart of several major temples where the experience of the Divine is commonplace. Because Indian spiritual culture is experience based, the religions that have come out of it...loosely referred to as 'Hinduism'... need not proselytize. Nor is it the intention of the tour to promote any religion or religious practice. The purpose of the tour, which is consistent with World Spirit's stated aim, is simply to open a window on the fascinating world of Indian spirituality and let each individual draw his or her own conclusions.

Obviously two weeks can only provide an introduction to this subject. We have chosen temples within a relatively small geographical area, the northwestern section of Tamil Nadu, and have resisted the temptation to include too many sites on the itinerary. Travel between sites is leisurely; generally not more than two or three hours a day (or every second day)... with two five hour exceptions. Accommodations are comfortable and situated near the sites.

Notice

The tours for the winter season (December 2006 and January 2007) have been enhanced to include daily yoga and Vedanta satsang sessions. For more information and to book see the travel section at www.worldspirit.org.uk.

Custom Tours

Because I spend the winter months in Tiruvannamalai I am available to lead individuals, couples or small groups on custom tours of the spiritual sites of Tamil Nadu. These easy-going tours are suitable for people who plan to spend relatively more time in India and who would like to involve themselves in a spiritual rather than a travel lifestyle. They involve meditation, satsang and temple worship. The cost of these tours is variable depending on the number of people, the client's finances and physical needs. They do not involve public transportation but can include the use of inexpensive but clean and safe guest houses if money is a consideration.

India is safe and everything works but not always according to Western expectations. The idea behind the custom tour is to provide an opportunity to sink into India's eternal now and appreciate India for what it is apart from one's own ideas. If you are goal oriented and time concerned these tours are not for you. The participants should be willing to be flexible concerning practical matters. Contact me by email to set up an apointment to discuss your ideas on the phone.

Increasingly people want to come to Tiruvannamalai to visit me and/or avail themselves of the opportunity of spending time at Arunchala and attending the many satsangs and functions taking place in Tiruvannamalai and Ramanashram during the winter season. Because I have maintained a residence in Tiruvannamalai for the last ten years I can be a useful contact. If you want information about any aspect of a visit to South India contact me by email and we can arrange to speak on the phone.

Your Guide - Jim Swartz aka 'Ram'

I first came to India in 1969. Through a miraculous series of events I formed a relationship with a great Indian sage and as a result was, at the tender age of 28, introduced to the highest levels of the Indian spiritual world. This experience transformed me completely and awakened a life long affection, nay attachment, to India and Indian spirituality, Vedanta in particular. I have received teaching by a number of sages on all of the major Vedantic texts as well as Bhakti and Yoga. I lived in a cave on the Ganges and wandered all over India like a sadhu for many years. I have written extensively (see the Book and Satsang sections of this website) on Vedanta and meditation. I have lost track of the time spent in India but it is definitely in excess of twenty years. Thereore, I feel well qualified to lead this tour.

Practical Considerations

Budget: Because World Spirit is handling the formal tours it is best to check the website for information relating to the cost of a tour. It is not unreasonable to tour South India for less than $50 a day. This includes mid-range hotels, transportation, and food.

Booking: While I have tried to answer most questions concerning the tour on this website prospective clients are welcome to call Mr. Wills, the director of World Spirit, or myself concerning any tour related inquiries. Contact us by email to arrange a phone appointment.

E-mail: www.worldspirit.org.uk or ww.worldspirit99@aol.com or shiningworld@rediffmail.com.

Visas: Visas are required. Contact the Indian consulate in your respective countries. Avoid last minute attempts to obtain visas.

Climate: The January and February Tour dates should benefit from dry and sunny weather :
Early January - Highs - 25-30 C Lows - 15-20 C; Early February - Highs - 27-33 C Lows - 18-23 C

Health: If you observe reasonable sanitary habits health should not be an issue. Bottled water is ubiquitous. A vegetarian diet is recommended and most of the restaurants we will patronize do not serve meat. Mosquito repellent can be purchased locally (as can every imaginable pharmeceutical) and should be used in the late afternoon and evening. Competent doctors capable of treating all the common intestinal and respiratory diseases are readily available. Seek the advice of your doctor about immunizations for common tropical diseases. Bring good ear plugs; noise pollution, particularly in the pilgrimmage season, can be a problem.

Insurance: All clients are advised to be fully insured, with comprehensive medical policies that cover transfer to first class medical facilities and emergency repatriation.

Safety: India is basically free of the threat of physical violence and most crime against foreigners is property crime i.e. theft. Purchase a body wallet and keep vauable documents and money inside your clothing at all times. Do not leave valuables in hotel rooms. No one on previous tours has been robbed due to the fact that we have chosen respectable hotels. However, it is better to be safe than sorry. Women should dress modestly; failure to do so will result in unwanted attention. Although not necessary, wearing local attire which is cheap, comfortable, and attractive is always an intelligent option.

Communications: Cheap, normal, pay as you go. Telephone services are ubiquitous in India. European tri-band mobile phones work in most major destinations. Dial-up internet facilities are availble everywhere. They are slow but work fine. In the cities DSL is cheap and available.

Money: Travellers checks recommended. In some of the small towns we visit it may be a hassle to change money. Change a reasonably large sum at the airport when you arrive. Keep a couple of hundred dollars in cash in case the banks are not open; there are many holidays in India. With cash rupees can be obtained in the bazaar. Dollars, pounds, and Euros are best.