RECOMMENDATIONS AND BASIC INFORMATION

The contribution you made will cover your expenses for food, lodging and education during the aforementioned period. It should be noted that by provision of Uruguayan legislation for non-profit foundations, this contribution is considered a donation, therefore, it is not legally reimbursable. If a justified situation of force majeure arises that prevents you from starting this program, your contribution will be held in your favor (less a 20% deduction of $ 2200), but only for the next 6 months program to be held in the year 2020, that is, for no other event at our center until that date, and, it is non-transferable and cannot be used by anyone else. Once you start your program you can no longer apply this exception (that is, there is no refund or change of dates) and this is very important, because it implies a commitment on your behalf to finish your program, which is of course, what will generate the growth you’re looking for. If for some important reason you have to be absent within the 6 months, you can recover the days missed, at the end of the program, but not at another time, because you gain the greatest benefit through continuity of the process and the depth that is acquired with constant practice. The maximum period for recovering time is until December 6, 2018. If there is a special case, it will be evaluated individually.

How to get the most out of your participation in this intensive six months:

1. It is very important that you inform your relatives and friends that you are going to be doing an educational process, therefore, you will have several activities during the day and your communication schedules will be changing all the time. The general recommendation is to minimize communication so you can take advantage of this time for yourself, but if you need to communicate for important matters, address a family situation, resolve legal, financial or work issues, of course you can do so. It is also necessary that you inform them that they can contact you by phone at the center or send you e-mails when they need to, in case you are in some activity, through the following e-mail: [email protected] , telephone  +598 43736994, or WhatsApp: +598 94197166. The internet in the center is open access, except during the hours of activities, if you need to coordinate more time for work or for some special reason you must arrange this with a teacher.

2. It is recommended that you come with a moderate amount of luggage, consisting of clothes and footwear for autumn, winter and spring. You should also bring personal hygiene items. Due to the number of participants in this program, we only have enough space for each person to have a large suitcase and one carry-on bag, so we suggest you adjust your needs to this amount of luggage. Because the program of activities is very specific, you are advised not to bring books, magazines, movies, or any other form of entertainment. We may use some of Isha’s books as study material, but if you do not have them, you can purchase them here when you arrive. It is also useful if you bring your computer and a flash drive for the facilitators program.

3. To ensure that you detoxify your body and to prevent your digestion from being heavy or slow, we have a special diet for the intensive six months, which will help you deepen your process. According to this regime we will basically serve you a breakfast and lunch consisting of fruits of the season and oatmeal. The idea is that you follow this diet to take full advantage of the process of introspection, but in case you want to incorporate more, some other healthy foods are allowed, such as raisins, almonds, walnuts, chestnuts or peanuts. If so, we recommend you bring your own Tupperware to store your food. At dinner you will receive a diet based on vegetables, cereals, pasta, grains, etc. You are strongly recommended to follow our diet and avoid sweets, soft drinks, canned goods, etc. If for health reasons you cannot follow this type of diet, you must present a medical certificate with your health diagnosis and the specific recommendations. If you have special protein requirements, you can use protein powder.

4. You need to look after washing your own clothes, so it is necessary to have money to cover this expense during the six months. Our center now has its own laundry service during the 6 months, which will cost 10 dollars for a load of up to 5 kilos. IMPORTANT: It is not allowed to wash clothes in the bathrooms of our facilities.

5. The six-month group will usually stay at the headquarters of the Isha Centre Uruguay, overlooking the beach and they will be housed in shared rooms with other members of the program (in rooms of up to 6 people). However, depending on the program, we can have activities or even residence in our country house located about 3 kilometers from the center. On these occasions, students of the six-month program will occupy a building specially built to house them. It has all the necessary amenities and equipment; It has a community room shared by all participants, bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, meeting room and expression room. So that coexistence is harmonious and the atmosphere cozy, we will organize teams of students to be in charge of caring for the places where they live; Therefore, it is important that each one is willing to assume specific responsibilities regarding the maintenance of order and cleanliness in their room in the hotel, and in these premises that will be their home.

6. It is COMPULSORY that you have a Total Coverage Medical Insurance, covering the entire time you will be in our center. If you want to get a quote we can recommend a company called Tarjeta Celeste. You can contact:

natalia.garcia @ tarjetaceleste.com,and organize your insurance before leaving your country so you are covered in case of any unforeseen incident during your trip, or you can acquire this from someone in your own country. When you arrive at the center you need to provide us with a printed copy of the insurance policy, so that in case of any emergency, we can support you and make a call on your behalf.

7. Upon entering Uruguay, the Migration authorities at the airport, bus terminal or port will grant you a permit to stay in the country for a maximum of 90 days. Once this period has expired, you need to obtain an extension of this permit for a further 90 days so you can complete the 6-month process. This is done at the Migration Office in Montevideo. Currently, this procedure costs about US $ 30. It is important that your travel ticket has a return date, even if you have plans to remain longer in Uruguay. The foreigners who can enter with only an ID are from the following countries: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela and Chile. If you are from another country and want to check if you need a visa to enter Uruguay, you use the following link: https://migracion.minterior.gub.uy (and check the Visa Section).

8. . If a student wishes to stay for more than six months in Uruguay, he / she can do so, but will not be able to process another extension of the permit. Instead when leaving the country he / she must go to the migration office of the port, bus terminal or airport and pay a fine, which is currently 40 US dollars. This fine is not a criminal fine that generates any migratory consequences, but rather the payment of a permit to leave the country. Remaining in Uruguay as a tourist for more than six months does not generate the sanction of deportation.

9. As mentioned before, your food expenses on our diet, accommodation, teaching and facilitator certification are covered by the contribution or donation you made for your enrollment in the program. However, you will have some extra personal expenses that are not included in this. We estimate that on average these personal expenses are around $ 100-150 per month, because in addition to your personal laundry, you may participate in some extracurricular leisure activities or community service activities; such as tours, celebrations, parties, enjoying free time or free social support events. For these occasions you will need to have the money to meet your needs, so we recommend you build these eventualities into your budget of extra personal expenses during the six months.

10. The weather in Uruguay is very changeable, during your stay it is Autumn-Winter and for a part of the time, Spring, so your luggage should contain some clothes that are warm and suitable for rain and cold, (we recommend rubber boots that are waterproof for activities in the field ). You should also bring exercise clothes, sneakers, and comfortable clothes to wear during meditative practice, a blanket (a sleeping bag is recommended), a pillow and sheet to cover your mat when you meditate, and a yoga mat. It is necessary to bring some clothes for special celebrations, birthdays and parties. Bath towels and bed linen are included, but we recommend you bring an extra bath towel for the beach, and slippers to use in the carpeted areas. Bring a bottle that you can fill with water to drink while you are meditating, a block of A4 paper and coloring pencils.

11. The 6-month program this year for the first time includes the certification of Level 1 Facilitators, that is, you will be certified to teach the Isha System in: courses for the general public, social programs, organizations and businesses, educational institutions, etc. Although all will attend this phase of training and there is no test to pass, because it is experiential, in order to be certified to teach and associated with our website, it is necessary to meet the minimum requirements of the program, including general provisions and human qualities.

12. Extra training is required to be certified as Level 2 and 3 Facilitators of the Meditative Education Program. This is a unique methodology created by our Foundation to transform education in the family and in the school, based on internal change. The Training in Meditative Education, has 4 main areas:
    a) Teach children to maintain the connection with their inner being, rather than getting lost in the external world
    b) Train teachers or other professionals in the area, to carry out a deep process of self-knowledge, so that they can inspire with their own example, and transmit this program to their students.
    c) Use the simplicity of this methodology to share any knowledge with children, so that the educational contents are not only intellectual, but are incorporated as acquired wisdom.
    d) Gain tools to work with families, so that parents and guardians have activities, stories, and songs, that replicate the program and enable them transmit their own internal growth to their children.

    Level 2 of Facilitators is so that you can teach the Meditative Education Program and Level 3, is so you can train professionals who already work with children to facilitate the program, that is, a double level of Training. We believe that any real change in the world must begin with education, and it would be incredible that you can assist in this by training at these levels. This facilitates greater personal growth for you and enables you to give much more, especially at level 3, where by training other people to share the program we can give so much more and reach so many more people. To attend these levels, running from October 29 to November 18, the additional contribution covering accommodation, meals and training, is $ 2,500 per person. If you make the decision now, you receive a discount and the contribution would be $ 2250.

    13. Our center in Uruguay is an educational facility, not medical, psychological or therapeutic, so all participants will undergo a psychological interview (by Skype or WhatsApp), and receive a medical evaluation of their emotional state (Alexia , our psychologist will contact you). If you are undergoing treatment, this should continue under the supervision of your own professional and if necessary with support from someone in Uruguay. All this is evaluated in each case, but the work here is always in conjunction with the medical profession if necessary. The 6-month program never replaces a medical or psychological treatment, but is an invaluable contribution from the educational point of view. If you still did not have your psychological interview, let us know what date would work for you. When you talk with Alexia by WhatsApp she may request that you provide a certificate from your doctor, if relevant, in which case you need to provide her with a copy as soon as possible. Once you arrive at the center you must give us the original certificate, so we can attach it to your entry form. (This is a mandatory requirement, as we undergo educational supervision)
    14. It is very important to maintain health and safety standards for everyone’s sake. People with infectious-contagious diseases that could affect others cannot take part in the program, such as: Pediculosis (lice, nits), Scabies (scabies), Tuberculosis, Hepatitis A, Parotiditis (mumps), Varicella, Measles, Conjunctivitis.
        If a participant has any illness or takes any medication, they must record the fact in their file on arrival, in this way we are aware of it and we can take necessary action if required. It is also important to communicate verbally on arrival if you have any disease that may create a crisis, eg: epilepsy; special care, eg diabetes and hypertension; or anything that requires general precautions, eg: HIV.
    15. The consumption of alcoholic beverages or narcotics is forbidden inside the Center or anywhere else during the time you are in the program, and you cannot enter the premises under the effects of same. Failure to comply with this important rule, will result in suspension and immediate termination of your participation in the program. Here we ask for absolute responsibility, because everyone comes to achieve a total process of internal transformation. In the case of suspected substance use, a urine test will be performed to rule out any doubt. Regarding cigarettes, smoking is prohibited in the interior areas and at the entrance to the center (if possible it is better to avoid them altogether). The center also reserves the right to end the program of participants who violate the basic rules of coexistence.
    16. Anyone who has an outstanding balance must rectify this situation before April 2, 2018, which is the maximum term if you received a discount (that is, less than $ 11,000). If your contribution for the 6-month program is $ 11,000, you have until April 30 to send all the money. If you are having any difficulty please contact us so we can support you. In the case of the people who will study Level 2 and 3 of Facilitators, we can discuss when you are here how you can make the extra contribution.

SUMMARY. CHECK LIST: TO PREPARE FOR YOUR TRIP!

– Your own Tupperware dish to keep extra food (if you want to have something extra)

– The printed copy of your health insurance card

– The original medical certificate that your doctor will give you, if necessary, after the interview with Alexia

– A bottle to carry your water, for use when you are meditating

– A4 paper

– Coloring pencils.

– Money for extra expenses

– Passport, identity card or Visa, as the case may be

-If you have other medical issues, or require special food, etc., you must bring a written certificate from your doctor with instructions that we must follow during your stay.

In addition to the daily activities, which include yoga, meditative practice, physical exercise, group meetings and activities with Isha and the teachers, it is considered a very important part of this educational program, that you provide voluntary service in the basic tasks of the center. Such service activities will always be the responsibility of a teacher and / or facilitator. These are very important opportunities, because that is where everything learned during the process is applied. You learn to be ‘Concentrado en acción’, to be able to give to others without losing oneself, to be fully present, to be excellent in every action, and to work as a team. This is called Service Learning and it is one of the most important aspects of the program, because the highest expression of inner growth is being able to give what one has to others. It will be for a short time, given the number of people who will be here, but it will be a very important experience for everyone. It is not mandatory and is evaluated in each case, especially if there are special health restrictions.

Of course, the 6-month program is a very intensive program of practice and total transformation, but it is also the most incredible and most entertaining experience you can have. There will be many recreational activities, that become more wonderful as a result of the process. There will be opportunity for lots of experiences, encounters, trips, and sharing with other participants in ways you will never forget. You will have days off during the process, depending on the group. Also each Saturday is cinema day and you will see an inspiring movie. Once a month we will have a celebration of all the birthdays that took place during that time, and usually there is a big celebration party. And, of course there will be several surprises during your time here, because everything flows in agreement with the group: the activities in nature, in the garden, with the animals, different workshops, everything that can ensure the process is the best experience of your life, and we will give everything we have to make it that way. The combination of introspection, together with all the joy and movement of the program, generates the perfect balance and achieves the greatest possible internal benefit. This environment ensures that participants experience so much love, so much gratitude and joy, that everything that is not that will be transformed in a natural, gradual and effortless way, so that your life becomes the greatest possible expression of your being, and you can find the inner potential that each person has.

Another Novelty! as you will see on our website, every year we shoot a mini video of the participants and their experiences, but this year will be very special , because we are making a documentary, as a sequel to Why Walk If You Can Fly? for NETFLIX. In this way, we can share a new model of life with the world, because what happens in the center is unique. It is the solution for world peace: because when a person heals his own life, he heals his relationship with the world. That is why we can have 150 people from all over the world, of different ages, religions, social conditions, who can live in absolute unity and experience themselves as one great team. This does not happen in any community in the world , this is the only place it is only possible, because each one of you will return to the inner experience of love, of peace, of unity and transform the difficulties of your life into the greatest opportunities for transformation. So if you ever wanted to change the world, now it’s in your hands! It is your own change that will inspire millions of people. Of course, participation in the movie is voluntary, but we invite you all to be part of this great project. We have an incredible team of professionals who will direct the documentary and you will get to know them later. So if you agree to take part in this, your process will be documented and you will be able to share it with your family and the whole world, and thus inspire everyone to see that the dream of a world united in peace is possible.

Finally, we want to reiterate our total support for you, in this beautiful experience of transformation that you have decided to undertake, guided by Isha and the teachers of the center. It is essential that you listen to us and follow the recommendations and reflections that we give you, so that we can really help you and give you the best of ourselves,. We are here to serve you in your process of returning to your heart, and to teach you how to achieve a life full of love, happiness and self-realization.

We are waiting for you at home!

With lots of love,

Teachers of the Isha Uruguay Center