Somewhere between the gentle hush of ancient woods and the muffled stillness of Himalayan snow-covered mountains, there is a place where time seems to be standing still. The birds gently chirp at dawn, the scent of sandalwood fills the air and the only agenda is healing.
It starts with a gentle chime. And then another. A sequence of tones thin and resonant and familiar and yet alien starts to ripple through the silence. You’re reclining in a room filled with sunlight, eyes shut, muscles relaxed, surrounded by the soothing vibration of singing bowls and the hypnotic beat of ancient mantras.
This is not a dream. This is Ananda in the Himalayas.
Long regarded as the world’s greatest wellness retreat, Ananda welcomes visitors into a living sanctuary of peace. Located high in the Himalayan foothills of Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India, the retreat continues to harmonize ancient Vedic traditions with contemporary wellness innovation. Its latest renovation features the extended healing therapies of sound therapy and mantra chanting both of which are increasingly popular among wellness travelers worldwide.
A New Dimension to Whole Person Healing
Ananda has always been devoted to an intensely personal philosophy of wellness. From Ayurvedic treatments to custom yoga programs, every aspect of a visitor’s stay is customized with dedication. Adding sound healing and Vedic mantra chanting more recently to the repertoire offers another dimension to the philosophy one that invites visitors to achieve emotional freedom, spiritual awareness and deep rejuvenation through the healing energy of sound.
In April 2025, Ananda hosted a special Vedic Mantra and Sound Healing Retreat, where participants came from all around the globe. The large turnout and feedback not only indicated the popularity of the practices but also their profound impact on emotional, mental and energetic well-being.
Sound as a Gateway to Inner Stillness
In a world brimming to the point of being overflowing with noise and distraction, conscious sound is a blessing to the soul. Ananda offers weekly sound healing sessions with skilled practitioners who utilize Himalayan singing bowls, gongs, and crystal instruments to generate an evocative soundscape. More than soothing, these sessions are scientifically and spiritually tuned to balance the nervous system, stimulate the energy centers and release tension in the body.
With every sound bath, the mind is led into a meditative state gently and the body enters into a state of natural repair. Once the stress layers melt away, the guests feel light, calm and clear long after the experience has ended.
The Transcendent Potential of Mantra Chanting
Along with sound healing, mantra chanting is also a fundamental pillar of Ananda’s wholistic path to wellness. Drawn from the ancient Vedic tradition, mantras are sacred words or sounds believed to have powerful vibrational energy. Mantras are not words to memorize but tools for tapping into higher consciousness.
Guided by compassionate spiritual mentors, Ananda’s mantra classes assist visitors in cultivating inner peace, sharpening concentration, and heart-opening. For some, they are experiencing an emotional detox, as repressed stress and energy blockages start to dissolve. Sung softly or chanted loudly in harmony, each mantra is a healing and transformative tool.
When Silence Is the Healer
Arguably the most powerful segment of the sessions is what follows the sound the silence. The silence at Ananda is not emptiness but a space where healing continues. After each chanting or sound session, there is intentional quiet where the vibrations can penetrate deep into the mind and body. It is here, in these hard-to-capture moments of complete stillness, that many guests have their most powerful breakthroughs.
Alternating between sound and silence is a practice that resonates with Ananda’s deep connection to the body’s energetic rhythms. In honoring both the retreat is an experience that is timeless, restorative and human.
Surrounded by Nature and Rooted in Tradition
It is difficult to separate Ananda’s healing experience from the environment in which it resides. The Himalayan foothills form a natural calm that deepens with every breath, every mantra, every moment of reflection. With views of sacred Ganges River and ancient Sal forests, the setting itself becomes a part of the healing.
Sound healing and mantra chanting are not provided as separate therapies but as important strings in the greater tapestry of wellness at Ananda. They are integrated into yoga, breathwork, meditation, Ayurveda and nutritional healing allowing a richly immersive experience of self-discovery.
A Summer Invitation to Revitalize and Realign
For those who are ready to feel for themselves the power of sound and mantra, Ananda is offering a special Summer Wellness Promotion for June 1-31, 2025 stays. Prices begin at $610 per night (plus tax) and include all meals, private wellness consultations, yoga and meditation teaching and attendance at sound and mantra sessions.
This is not a luxury resort. It is an invitation to return to yourself, to reconnect with the beauty of silence and to feel the ancient healing energies through every cell in your body.
