6 Day Mandali Experience Special

The 6 Day Mandali Experience Special is a wellness retreat at the Mandali Retreat Center in Quarna Sopra, Italy, built around daily yoga, Qi Gong and meditation, with a Tibetan theme running through the week. It is open to everyone, from first-timers to seasoned practitioners. This edition is guided by Valentina and Bone Lhamokyap, who bring mantra, dance meditation, the eagle whistle and Tibetan music into the regular Mandali programme.

What to Expect

The week runs six days and five nights, and the theme is "From Roots to Rhythm": from intention and ancestry, through sound and nature, to movement and celebration. Rather than observing Tibetan culture from a distance, you meet it directly, as something alive and embodied.

The first workshop is an Ancestral Blessing and Mantra circle with Bone. He shares his Shonghomah heritage through photographs, film and storytelling, and each participant sets a personal intention, sealed with a simple blessing from his tradition. Tibetan and Sanskrit mantra chanting follows, with live music, and the sound slowly turns inward into silence.

Valentina leads the Energy Awakening Dance Meditation, a movement practice that builds gently and settles into stillness. There is no choreography to learn and no dance experience is needed. In The Voice of the Eagle, Bone introduces the eagle whistle and its link to the Tibetan Plateau. Every participant receives a handmade whistle to learn and play, ideally outdoors. One evening is given to Tibetan folk music and storytelling, which moves into Bone's contemporary electronic fusion of flute, voice and modern rhythms.

Days follow a steady rhythm. Yoga or Qi Gong begins at 7:30, breakfast is taken in silence from 8:30, and the themed workshop starts at 9:45. Morning meditation is at 12:15, lunch at 1:00, and a guided nature walk or workshop follows at 2:30. A second yoga or Qi Gong class begins at 5:30, dinner is at 7:00, and the evening closes with meditation or a group activity at 8:30. On arrival day, check-in is from 2 PM and the Opening Circle starts at 3:30 PM. On the last day there is a closing meeting and meditation before lunch, with departure at 2 PM. You may join as much or as little as you wish.

About Valentina

Valentina is a yoga teacher who has travelled widely and come to see that the real journey leads inward. Her path has moved from naturopathy to spiritual research, meditation and yoga, and she describes herself as an explorer of the soul. Sharing those explorations is her chosen work.

About Bone Lhamokyap

Bone Lhamokyap comes from Tibetan tribal roots, of the Shonghomah heritage, and shares that culture through story, mantra and music. He makes each eagle whistle by hand from natural materials. His music begins with the folk and tribal songs of his homeland, a tradition rarely heard outside it, and extends into contemporary electronic fusion.

The Setting

Mandali Retreat Center sits in Quarna Sopra, in the province of Verbania. The centre has peaceful practice rooms, scenic hiking trails, contemplative outdoor nooks and permaculture gardens. Rooms are welcoming and cosy, and yoga and meditation props are provided. Guests can use the Body Care Centre, with its pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. Meals are freshly prepared and vegetarian, three a day, with tea, fruit and snacks between. Malpensa International Airport is the airport for arrival, though transfers are not included.

Before You Go

All levels are welcome, and no prior yoga or dance experience is needed. The price covers five nights of accommodation, all meals, four daily meditation and movement classes, the daily themed sessions, the welcoming and closing meetings, and Body Care Centre access. Flights, transfers, and massages or therapies at the Body Care Centre are not included.