What next?
Contact: John or Barbara (whoever leads your trip) by email or telephone or in person to discuss your participation in the trip.
Barbara — bbrodsky@deepspring.org 734-971-2076 (barbara's deaf phone).
or John — john.orr@duke.edu (919) 943-0438
If we agree this trip is suitable for you, then ... (only needed for new people)
Forms and deposit: Download the Application Contract from the link on the side of the home page
Send your $500 deposit made out to Barbara Brodsky to:
Barbara Brodsky 3455 Charing Cross Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Barbara will call or email you to further confirm your participation.
Passport: Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the start of this trip. If needed, please apply for one immediately.
Ticket: You may take any flight of your choice, in order to use your award miles, a preferred airline, or if you find cheaper fares, but many would like to travel together. A direct flight from the USA is both the best value and the shortest by many hours. We plan to leave the US on a Saturday evening and arrive in Brasilia on Sunday morning. Our pick up is geared to this timetable. If you choose a different route we will help you find flights, and will arrange pick-up but unless you arrive in Brasilia in time to join group transportation, you will need to pay about $65 of your taxi fare since you will not be riding in the group van. Similarly, departure is on a Sunday. If you choose a different route, you will need to pay about $65 toward your taxi. Our ground transportation will be based on these times and will change only to accommodate changes or delays in the flights.
We suggest you find flights that give at least 3 hours between
segments, to allow time for delayed flights and to pass Customs.
If you must take a different route, we have found it more pleasant and easy to enter and leave Brazil in Rio than Sao Paulo, but either is OK. Rio is a newer and better organized airport.
If you live in Ann Arbor, MI, Conlin Travel in Ann Arbor will help you to book the flight if you prefer their service ($42 booking fee) to booking through the airlines by Internet or phone. If flight changes are made by the airlines, Conlin would alert you and work with you to rebook appropriate flights. Their phone number is 734-477-6000. The agent is Sandy. Conlin can help people flying from outside the Ann Arbor/ Detroit area too.
We highly recommend BACC TRAVEL 1-800-222-2746.
Ask for Nice nice@bacctravel.com
Visa: As of June, 2019 a visa is no longer needed for US citizens traveling to Brazil.
Av. Belem Q. 16 L. 01
airro Lindo Horizonte Abadiânia, Brazil
062) 3343-1793 (tel);
Reading: Be sure to read the “Vital Answers to Questions” section of our web site. After reading, contact John or Barbara with any questions.
Other suggested reading (not required but helpful):
* my own book, Cosmic Healing, A Spiritual Journey with Aaron and John of God Link
* Book of Miracles by Josie Ravenwing Link
see more in VAQ - books
Immunizations: Check with your own doctor for what is advised for you. There is no malaria in this part of Brazil. The immunizations we suggest are tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A and B, and yellow fever. Yellow fever immunization is highly recommended. Many insurance companies cover such immunizations for travel. In Ann Arbor, you may wish to consult the University of Michigan Hospital Travel Clinic.
Travel health insurance: is compulsory on a group trip. We must have a copy of your insurance contract no later than 45 days before the start of the trip. We recommend it also for independent travelers. This can be purchased through many on-line sites. The plan we have used is through Allianz. There are various options that offer more or fewer features. Trip interruption insurance and baggage loss are optional but for travel with our group you must have emergency medical coverage (Emergency Medical / Dental Coverage and Emergency Medical Transportation) that will pay your medical costs in Brazil and provide emergency transportation home if needed. Allainz Basics or Basics Annual are good choices.
Why would some one is reasonable health need such insurance? In 2004 Barbara was knocked unconscious by a wave in NC, and ended up with serious injuries and broken bones, 1000 miles from home. She learned the value of this plan!
Meeting with John or Barbara: By phone or in person with your trip leader if possible, to discuss your present meditation practice and your intentions and desires for the trip in more depth. Now that you have committed to come, the entities are working with you and you may feel their energy or presence at times in your meditation. It's helpful to begin to talk to them, literally, to express your gratitude for their help and your healing intentions at all levels.
Picture: If you wish, in the fall we can arrange to send a picture to the Casa. The entities may reply by starting you on herbs that support their work with you. This is an optional step. If you do so, when you arrive at the Casa they will know your needs better which is an advantage. and you will go through the second time line. However, this is optional.
Intentions: Please reflect further on your intentions for the trip. This process is part of the healing, as we come to hold a clearer intention for what wholeness means to us, and our highest intentions at all levels, physical, mental and spiritual. Bring this reflection into your meditation. Before the trip, we'll ask you to write it out.
Packing: Please see the suggested list on the web site. The entities ask that we wear white clothing as much as is possible during the days each week when we are at the Casa. The reason for this is that they can see our energy field better when we wear white. While this is not compulsory, it does help them to help you. Try to respect this request from them. Colored clothing is fine for other times of day. We recommend modest clothing, no shorts, halter tops or strapless dresses.
You can hand wash clothes at the pousada or pay the house keeping staff to wash them. There are ample clothes lines. Pack lightly. The list will give suggestions. Feel free to ask John or Barbara for advice.
We usually travel with a second, almost empty, wheeled suitcase to carry some blessed, high vibrational water home. Once it is home, you can dilute it and make it last a very long time. Plan to bring a flattened cardboard box that will open to fit into the suitcase, with the water put in the box to prevent breakage.
Money: You will want to change money before the trip, as late flights can create a rush during connections as you travel. You will need between $200 and $250 US for your personal expenses on the trip, depending on what you want to buy. $200 will cover your herbs and extra crystal bed sessions (we provide the first one) if prescribed, water, and an occasional ice cream, taxi, or swim, plus a little extra. If you want to buy souvenirs, crystals, or have money for a pizza or some other larger treat, bring more money. It's possible to convert smaller sums of money in Abadiânia, but means extra effort while there. It's costly to have to take a 45 minute taxi ride to another town to convert large sums.
Medications / prescriptions: Be sure you have adequate supply of any prescriptions for the trip. The entities request you continue all prescriptions while at the Casa. To carry through customs, prescription drugs must be in the original container. Some drugs such as certain painkillers may require a letter from your doctor. Please ask your doctor about this, and/ or check with the airlines.
Group gathering: We'll gather once or several times in late fall in Ann Arbor and Durham areas if several people are coming from those areas, to discuss the trip, see some slides, meditate together and get to know each other. For people at a distance from Ann Arbor or Durham, we'll spend more time together by phone or email to answer your questions.
Final payment: Your final payment of $1,700 (US $1,500 for people who have traveled to the Casa with us before) is due Dec. 15, 2019. Details are in the contract.
Please make the check payable to Vipassana Healing, and send to:
Barbara Brodsky,
3455 Charing Cross Rd.,
Ann Arbor, MI 48108.
or if John Orr is your primary contact for this trip, sign contract and make check payable to John Orr and mail to
2301 Hermitage Road, Hillsboro, NC 27278
We will send an e-mail update to those registered with any new information.