Detailed Description
Getting a Nat Blessing in Chiang Mai
| Item |
Details |
| Pick-up Point |
Your Chiang Mai Hotel (specified to us ‘after’ your online reservation via email) |
| Drop-off Point |
Your Chiang Mai Hotel |
| Duration |
Between 3-5 hours (depending on distance of your hotel, and duration of your consultation) |
| Physical Level |
Basic – moderate walking through some markets |
| Cultural Rating |
High – Deep cultural exchange |
| Ages |
18+ (must be 18 or older – younger must be accompanied by parents/guardians) |
| Group Size |
Private – Max 6 people per booking (larger groups may be possible on request) |
Itinerary for getting a nat blessing in Chiang Mai
On the day of your nat blessing ceremony, we will have a Travel Guru (local guide) meet you at your hotel or an agreed upon location. You will travel together to a rural area of the city of Chiang Mai, in which a revered Ajarn’s samnak (traditional sak yant studio) is located. Upon arrival, you will begin to feel the authenticity and seclusion of this ajarn’s practice, and see how serious and involved he really is. Often there are several other locals there awaiting their own blessing and protections from him.
You will be guided through the entire ceremony with the help of your travel guru. The duration of the ceremonies are only about 30 mins total, including the processes before and after, though the duration of your consultation can be longer depending on what you want to share with the ajarn. It all happens in an incredible setting, and one that not many would ever forget. The smells, the sounds, the statues and masks and incense burning.
Upon completion of your sacred blessing, our travel guru will escort you to a local food market for a well deserved meal, where you can reflect on your experience while further being exposed to the local culture through the sights, sounds, and tastes of this part of Chiang Mai.
With your new protection and a full belly, our guide will help arrange transit for your journey back to your hotel, happy and blessed.
Who gives you a nat blessing in Chiang Mai?
Ajarn Rung – Nat Blessing in Chiang Mai
In Chiang Mai, we practice Sak Yant with master Ajarn Rung. He has lived an incredible life of servitude to both Buddhism and to sak yant. Arjun Rung is a practicing Buddhist monk who’s been giving Sak Yant blessings to his followers since he was a teenager, in 2001. He comes from a long family of Sak Yant masters and is one of three primary masters currently living in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Arjun Rung was a nomadic monk who travelled across many countries in search of numerous Sak Yant masters to teach him and expand his knowledge. He became a solitary sage who lived alone in the forests and studied Sak Yant methods and deepen his meditation practice. This was the norm centuries ago, as one of the main figures depicted and paid tribute to in every samnak (studio) is the the Russi (hermit) who lived in the forest to practice and expand their knowledge and connection to the natural world. Ajarn Rung is a kind and empathetic soul, mindful to his guests needs and has a great sense of humour as well. You could not be in better hands in Chiang Mai.
Though relatively unknown to the outside world prior to our collaboration with him, he has since served hundreds of foreigners coming to learn about his trade and experience the ancient rituals of sak yant. Much of his popularity has come from bloggers who have joined us in this sacred practice and written about their experiences while here.
Ajarn Rung is an ajarn known for listening well and often shares Buddhist ideas of living a more thoughtful life in his consultations. His knowledge and wisdom is met with a gentle demeanour, and if you get him laughing, it is definitely contagious. We are honoured to work alongside this wise and respected ajarn.
What is included in your Ink-less Experience in Chiang Mai?
Your nat blessing experience includes:
– information provided before your experience to educate you and properly prepare you
– pick-up and drop-off transfers to your hotel (must be centrally located within Chiang Mai).
Note: We will use a private vehicle to get to the ajarn, as he is located outside the city. We will use either a small SUV or a bigger Songtaew (red truck) depending on your group size.
– a specially trained and licensed guide who will facilitate your experience
– a fully translated consultation with the ajarn to discuss what yant would best suit you based on your life’s values (your passions, fears, goals and challenges you face).
– all offerings for the ritual (flowers, incense, etc)
– a traditional and clean nat blessing with gold-leaf
– food (simple lunch and snacks) to keep your energy levels up
What is not included in your Ink Experience in Chiang Mai?
– Travel Insurance (Compulsory)
– International flights or transportation to/from the itinerary’s start point
– Accommodation in Chiang Mai (we suggest Agoda for the best hotel rates)
– Activities not listed in the itinerary
– Meals not listed in the itinerary
– Gratuities and tips
– All drinks
– Spending Money
More information about getting a lueng nat blessing
Getting a nat blessing in Chiang Mai – The process of getting a lueng nat (blessing) is a sacred experience – one that has been regarded as a very important service for centuries in South East Asia, and has grown and evolved over time. We feel very fortunate to be able to offer this experience to our guests.
It’s probably a good idea to know a bit about the process prior to getting a nat blessing to understand what you are about to experience. Based on old traditions, it is common for locals to come meet with their Ajarn prior to getting a nat blessing, to be able to consult them on things troubling their lives. Generally Nat blessings are for the intent of having better success with your work-life, family/love-life and to become better at communication. Many people who have received sak yants also get nat blessings to ‘recharge’ their sak yant if they feel they need more power from it later on.
We try to bridge cultural gaps with a full consultation prior to your experience. When you visit Chiang Mai to get a nat blessing on our ink-less experience, you will be able to converse with the ajarn with the aid of your Travel Guru (licensed local guide), to hear the ajarn’s teachings and suggestions for what might help you in your onward journey. It is a beautiful process, and we encourage everyone to go through it.
We take hygiene and quality very seriously, and have many interviewed ajarns to ensure that we could find the best suited for you to get a nat blessing in Chiang Mai. The ajarn we practice with is also comfortable to give a nat blessing to women (though no photos of women are allowed during the blessing process, but feel free before and after). You will be assured good hygiene while being very traditional in the ceremonies with a respected ajarn – so you can come worry free and be able to be more ‘present’ both mentally, physically, and spiritually for you experience.
Supporting Local Projects with our TRiP Foundation
Every TRiP that you go on with WSE Travel, we will donate 2% of the total sales price to an environmental or community-based project in the country you’re visiting. We want to ensure that every guest we help, in turn helps support and preserve the destination we’re experiencing together as a direct result. We live by an ethos to Travel Responsibly & Impact Positively (TRiP).
For more information on the projects supported by this experience, please visit our Thailand TRIP projects.
Cancellations & Rebooking
All tours, services and experiences booked through WSE Travel are bound to our Terms and Conditions, which were modelled after most other travel services such as flights, hotels and other tour operators.
Should you need to cancel or change your reservation for any reason (including but not limited to missed flights, illness, or change of mind), you will still be bound to the terms and conditions agreed to at the time of booking.
Should you give us more than 14 days notice of a change in your reservation, we can store your payment in the ‘safety deposit box’, to be used for a future travel date, either by you, or to be transferred to a friend or family member. Refunds are not available, unless your reservation is cancelled by WSE Travel for circumstances outside of our control.
Should you give us less than 14 days notice of a change in your reservation, a rebooking fee will be imposed. We do try to be flexible for our guests, but not at the sacrifice of the livelihoods of any locals hired for your private experiences. As these are private experiences, your guide and any other local service provider block their days off from other work to accommodate your reservation, and may not be able to fill that day again in the event of cancellation. To be fair and responsible to them and their reliance on your reservation’s promised work, your guide will still be paid for your reservation. As such, last minute cancellation or changes will be subject to a rebooking fee of $100 USD (per booking, not per guest), to re-hire a guide for your future travel date.
This flexibility is a bend in our Terms and Conditions to try and be fair both to our guests, and the locals hired to facilitate your reservation. If you feel there is a high chance of cancellations or changes, please make sure you buy appropriate travel insurance which will be able to reimburse you for cancellations of things such as flights, hotels and tours.
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