FAQs – Creativegarh – Creativity Retreats

A life transformation through creativity program for those seeking answers.
Also for those wanting to ask the right questions.

FAQs

Before the Retreat

Do I need to prepare for the retreat in advance?

Yes. Prepare to arrive at the Retreat with an open mind, a welcoming heart and the intent to transform. This journey will not be easy but it will be transformative for life. Come with an open mind and allow the universe to work through you. As we get closer to the date, we will be sharing more details with you.

What should I pack?

The Retreat is a very involved experience and requires you to be physically and mentally at ease, so please pack according to what you are comfortable in. We advise you to check the weather of the selected location to make an informed decision about how cold/hot it will be according to your comfort.
Carry clothes for all 5 days, accounting for the lack of laundry services.
Carry all your personal hygiene products and toiletries including towels and slippers.

When do I arrive and when do I leave?

So that we begin our Retreat on time in the morning, you are expected to arrive the night before. Take a day to travel comfortably, reach the chosen venue, ease in, stretch your legs and meet all the other attendees. Break bread with us and turn in to get a good night’s sleep so that we can start nice and early the next day. The Retreat will take place over 5 whole days. This effectively means that you arrive on Day 0, attend the Retreat on Days 1 to 5 and leave on Day 6.

Is transportation included / does the team help with transportation?

Transportation to and from the venue is not included. However, we are happy to arrange it for you on request. The entire cost of this travel will be borne by you and/or other participants who you wish you share the journey with. 

How do I pay for this?

You can make an online Bank Transfer or Credit Card payment on the link that will be sent to you once your application is approved. If there are concerns about the mode of payment, please reach out to us at hello@creativegarh.com and we will get in touch with you to discuss this further.

Are there any additional or hidden costs involved?

The total cost of the retreat includes your 5 day stay, workshop access and food. Nothing hidden, nothing mandatorily additional. The cost doesn’t cover your travel to and from the venue or any other individual personal purchases you may wish to make, including off-menu snacks, toiletries, laundry and other services provided by the venue. To read more about it, visit our Fees page

What if the retreat gets cancelled?

If the organisers cancel the event for any reason, you are eligible for a refund. If the Retreat is cancelled due to unforeseen Acts of Nature or national/geopolitical events or even a pandemic, the team will try their best to make sure a satisfying conclusion for a refund is reached, depending on how close to the day of the event the cancellation is. For more information, you can read our policies in our Terms and Conditions here. However, a cancellation is highly unlikely and the Retreat will most likely be postponed, in which case, you will be rescheduled into a future Retreat.

What is the cancellation/refund policy?

*Your commitment to the Retreat is paramount in your creative journey. If for any reason, you cannot attend the chosen Retreat, here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • This is a non-refundable amount, however, we understand that an unexpected change of plans is always a possibility. So, if you are unable to attend your chosen Retreat, do let us know at least three weeks before the start of the Retreat so that we can accommodate you in a future Retreat with zero rescheduling cost.
  • If you fail to inform us at least three weeks before the start of the Retreat about about your inability to attend, we will charge you a rescheduling fee of upto 50% of the retreat fee.
  • If you fail to inform us at one week before the start of the Retreat about about your inability to attend, we will charge you a rescheduling fee of upto 75% of the retreat fee.
  • If you do not show up, you will be marked as a No Show and your entire fees will be forfeited. There will be no refund issued.

Please write to us at hello@creativegarh.com at the earliest if you need to reschedule your Retreat.

If you, or any member of your immediate family test positive less than one week before the start of the Retreat that you have signed up for, you can reschedule your edition anytime at no extra cost. We have kept this flexibility for your convenience. You can send us the Covid report at hello@creativegarh.com

I am not sure if this is for me. How can I know more?

Reach out to us at hello@creativegarh.com and have a discussion with our curators for complete clarity about what to expect. You can also read and view the transformation journeys of our previous participants here.

I am interested in the retreat but can’t afford it right now. Can you help?

We’re not rich enough to give you a monthly EMI plan, however, talk to us and we’ll help you with the payment modules. Write to us at hello@creativegarh.com and we’ll figure out the best way forward together. 

If your intent is strong enough, we will find the right solution for you.

I know of someone who can benefit from this retreat. Can someone from your team reach out to them?

Let us know more about them at hello@creativegarh.com and we will get in touch with them. If you do recommend someone to us and they end up attending one of the Retreats, we’ll be sending a goodie bag your way as thanks! 

During the Retreat

Who are the facilitators?

The Creativegarh Retreats have been created by Arun Verma, Curator and Founder of Creativegarh.
While Arun Verma takes care of about 70% of the workshop with regard to the content, the internalisation of the same is done through the process of reaching deeper states of awareness through mindfulness and meditation exercises including a bit of breath work and visualisation. This part is lead by Mihika who is going to be co-facilitating the workshop. Mihika is a meditation teacher and has been on an intense spiritual journey for many years. You can read more about both of them here.

How many candidates will there be in all?

Each Retreat hosts a maximum of 20 attendees, depending on the chosen property and the cohort. There will be two facilitators at the Retreat.

Are there any documents I need to sign?

Upon arrival at the venue, you will need to submit your government IDs for verification and sign your attendance to the venue.
You will also be required to sign an indemnity form.
At Creativegarh Retreats, we take your commitment to the creative journey seriously, for which we will need you to sign an Intent Form. Because, all you need to begin to change, is the intent itself to transform.
On the last day, we will ask you to sign a Creator’s Oath. This oath is an agreement between you and the universe that verbalises your creative purpose and intent to stay on the path to fulfilment.

What should I expect a typical day to look like?

A typical day schedule is available on the page for each Retreat, or you can write to us at hello@creativegarh.com and we’ll send you the breakup.
With regard to timings, we know that inspiration doesn’t wait for the right hour to strike, this is exactly why there are no set hours at the Retreat. We like to start at breakfast and end early, but when you are in the throes of creative passion, time becomes immaterial. After all, the best ideas come to you during charged discussions at 1 am in the night or at fireside chats when you’re staring at the stars.
Which is all to say, though we try to stick to a schedule, the schedule is often defined by the discussion.

Do I have to attend all the sessions?

Yes. The entire experience of the retreat is solely built around these sessions. It is mandatory that you attend all of them as they are all interlinked, sequential and essential in your journey.
Every bit of the Retreat is connected and you are required to attend each session on every day with the right intent to access your creative purpose. You can find a day wise schedule for your chosen Retreat on the page for it.

Is it possible for me to come late or leave early?

No. Each and every session at the Retreat is important and linked to every other session. In case you can’t devote 5 whole days, please feel free to opt for a future Retreat. The format of the Retreat requires your whole attention for all of the 5 days. You have to be physically, emotionally and mentally available for the sessions. Please have 5 days away from work and other commitments before you arrive at the Retreat.

Will I have access to my mobile phone, wifi, laptop etc.?

While you will have access to your phone and wifi, you are required to put these aside during the sessions. You may use them any other time.
You will get ample breaks to catch up on your socials. But during the sessions, we need your entire attention unhindered by any distractions.
This is not a working holiday, so you cannot take a break to attend your work calls. You have to be physically, emotionally and mentally available for the sessions. Please have 5 days away from work and other commitments before you arrive at the Retreat.

Do I have to share the room with another person?

Every Retreat has different specifications according to the location, for more details about them, please visit the specific page of the Retreat you are interested in. The rooms are typically double sharing. Triple sharing is recommended only for amply comfortable and spacious rooms. But in our experience, by the end of Day 2, everyone will be hanging out in the same room anyway! 

I'm vegetarian, and consume little to no dairy, will my dietary preferences be met?

Every meal will have a vegetarian option. Sandwiches / fruits / vegetables and lentils / other snacks aplenty. For the Retreat we tend to choose luxurious home stay option with home cooks. So, if there is anything specific that you require to be cooked, you can let the cooks or the organisers know and we’ll get it organised.

What if I have food allergies/restrictions?

If you have any dietary concerns, please write to us at hello@creativegarh.com and we will do our best to make your experience at the Retreat suitable. Most of the meals will be buffet style and will include a variety of dishes, however we suggest you plan for any eventuality and work with us to avoid unfortunate circumstances. 

What happens in the case of a medical emergency?

While the organisers of the retreat and the members of the staff at the venue will be prepared with a first aid kit and treatments for common illnesses, please be advised that the Retreat will take place at a remote location with no quick access to multi-speciality hospitals. Do inform the organisers if you have pre-existing health conditions that may require attention or hinder your participation at the Retreat. Do carry all your required medications specific to your concern that you may need in such an event.
Creativegarh Retreats is not liable for any injuries and ailments and its associated treatments. In the event of a medical emergency, all costs will be borne by the attendee.

Are the COVID norms/restrictions being followed?

As Covid 19 continues to be an active threat to our lives, we have made certain protocols mandatory and we request you adhere to these policies as well.
All the rooms will be sanitised before your arrival and cleaned only at your request, for your safety. All participants are requested to adhere to the government specified protocol, for personal safety as well as those of other attendees.
We recommend you carry your double vaccination certificate or carry a Covid-19 negative RT-PCR report generated within 72 hours of your travel.

Sanitisers will be available in each room as well as dining areas.
We encourage you to complete both vaccinations before you attend the Retreat.
Creativegarh Retreat is not liable in the event of a Covid-19 positive diagnosis for any of the attendees. Here’s our Covid Protocol.

After the Retreat

How do we keep in touch after the retreat?

Once you attend the Retreat, your co-attendees become your cheerleaders for life. Typically, each group of attendees at a particular Retreat forms their own Whatsapp/Telegram group as a way of staying linked by one purpose, the desire to create. You will also be officially sent an invite to be a part of the Creativegarh Community, which is a group that consists of all the past attendees of the Retreats and prominent members in creative professions.

How will this Retreat help make my business sustainable?

This Retreat has been curated by people who have been running successful design businesses for 2 decades, run a tech startup that has been acquired, and have been running creativity workshops to great results for many years. So believe us when we say, we do know a thing or two about creative purposes. 

We are well versed with encouraging creativity out of potential laden minds. And when it comes to translating that into business results, yes of course, the idea of the retreat is to find guidance, projects, ideas, mentors etc. to become your network for life.

How will the mix of people impact my experience of the retreat or help me bring out the best from the retreat?

There will be an eclectic mix of people from different fields and experiences to create a well rounded and wholesome perspective for you. The diversity itself is your starting point for ideas. While the idea of the Retreat is to help you access your own creative purpose, you cannot create in silos, so you will also get to meet people who have different mindsets, a variety of professions and interesting creative callings. All this will give you the right mix to align your creative purpose to what is truly your own.

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