Dear Creative Friends,

I'm excited to let you know that Lora Murphy of Essence of Mulranny has invited me to lead a photography and visual journal retreat in Nepal in January, 2026!

In January this year I spent two weeks in Nepal with Lora and her team, and my heart was opened to the beauty of the people, their art and spiritual way of life, and so I am thrilled to be going back. I loved the colorful chaos of Kathmandu, contrasted with the peace of the lake town of Pokhara, a starting place for many people who climb the Himalayas.

I've used my experiences in Nepal to create, together with Lora, a program that feels deep and meaningful. In addition to mindful photography, our time in Nepal includes a Sound Healing program with a wonderful teacher I spent time with in Pokhara. As you probably know, many metal singing bowls come from Nepal, and although I've used them over the years, I really wanted to know more. I came home with a beautiful master signing bowl which I use daily as well as a beautiful gong!

Many of the hand painted mandalas that I came home with include the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum". In trying to understand the meaning of this mantra which is everywhere in Nepal I came across this explanation: "Beyond its literal and interpretive meanings, the "Om Mani Padme Hum" mantra serves as a powerful tool for spiritual transformation. Chanting or reciting the mantra is believed to evoke compassion and invoke the qualities of enlightenment. It is considered an expression of the desire to attain liberation from suffering and cultivate inner peace."

Nepal is a place of deep spirituality.

I soon realized that no journey carries one far unless,

as it extends into the world around us,

it goes on an equal distance into the world within us.

Lillian Smith

What is included in this retreat:

• Workshop photography instruction to bring you closer to seeing through the lens of your senses and your soul. Each day you will receive a handout to focus on different aspects of photography. Each participant will have individual time with Catherine to develop their photography practice.
• Materials to create your own Visual Journal using Nepalese handmade paper.
• A book of Catherine's photographs from her 2025 trip to Nepal which you will cut up to use in your Visual Journal. You can also use these images as inspiration for your own image-making.
• Instruction from Lora on using encaustics with your photographs.
• A session with Catherine on how to embroider on your photographs using the gold thread she found in a shop in Kathmandu.
• Instruction on editing your photographs so that they reflect the essence of what you saw and felt, and become embued with your personal art signature.
• Instruction on creating double exposure images.
• A Sound Healing Nepal Basic Course. Over two enriching days (10 hours total), you'll learn how to harness the vibrational power of sound to support emotional balance, physical wellness, and spiritual growth. This immersive course offers both personal transformation and professional development. At the end, you’ll receive a certificate in sound healing.
• Eleven nights lodging at 4 star Hotels, one in the center of Kathmandu, with free WiFi and room service. Among the various facilities are an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, as well as a garden. The accommodation features a 24-hour front desk, an ATM and currency exchange for guests. Our hotel in Pokhara is equally lovely.
• Pick up and transportation from the Kathmandu airport to the hotel and drop off at the end of the trip.
• All ground transportation to the places we visit such as Bhaktapur, Swayambhunath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa (UNESCO World Heritage site), and more.
• Internal flights from Kathmandu to Pokhara and back.
• Three lunches & three dinners.
• All tour & excursion fees.
• New friends and an art tribe!

More details and information here on the Essence of Mulranny website

Cost

• $4,550 for shared accommodation
• $4,950 for private accommodation
• Non-refundable deposit of $700 secures your place
• Register with Essence of Mulranny here

Making a Difference

One of the things that drew me to this trip to Nepal this year was the request that we each bring a wheelchair with us if we were able to do so. The airlines check these for free and a used wheelchair in good repair is perfect. These were donated to the BIA (Boddhisattvas in Action) Institute who give them to artists in need. Their aim is to help differently-abled people to make their way back to a life worth living by training them as artists and craftspeople. 

If you are willing to do this, I know it will make a huge difference to the life of an artist in Nepal.

Questions?

If you have any questions, email me at cathy@catherineandersonstudio.com and I will be happy to give you the information you need.

I do hope you'll consider joining me. My trip to Nepal felt life-changing, and I'm excited to be going back and sharing this with others.

Warmly,

Catherine

www.creativepilgrimage.com

“The whole point of travel is to have my sense of possibility expanded,

to see every box in which I like to put things exploded …”

Pico Iyer