Month: September 2024

On the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima (21^st July), with the blessings and guidance of the Guru Lineage, we welcomed the third batch of Gurukulam with three Indian students – Arun, Manisha and Prudhvi (left to right in the photo below).

The one-year residential program for the Gurukulam has been carefully designed and planned to encompass the teachings of the Himalayan Tradition as taught by Swami Rama and Swami Veda. The focus is to support and nurture self-observation, self-examination, self-purification, and self-pacification that leads to Self-transformation.

The daily schedule for the Gurukulam students begins at 5 am with the Yajna of the Ganpati Mantra, followed by the ashram prayers, joints & glands practice, pranayama, and guided meditation classes. They have special classes thrice each day at 10 am, 3 pm, and 8 pm. While, the afternoon breathing class and evening hatha yoga practice are shared with our visiting sadhakas. Every week, Thursdays are devoted to the practice of silence, fostering inner stillness, while Sundays are dedicated to the practice of Karma Yoga, wherein they contribute towards the ashram in some way.

With Swami Ritavan’s guidance, the Gurukulam curriculum has been designed to be essentially very dynamic in nature, thus can be adapted to the students’ needs and requirements. This year the Gurukulam students are all new to the teachings of the Himalayan Tradition. Therefore, our focus will remain on setting a solid foundation of yoga meditation practices for all of them.

In the past two months, the students have been learning about proper sitting, proper breathing, relaxation, and understanding the foundations of meditation and its practice, along with Sanskrit. All the subjects are taught in an immersive, in-depth manner.

We began with a study of the most foundational and important text of our beloved Swami Veda Bharati—Night Birds—with Gurukulam Acharya, Rabindra Sahu. This was followed by a study of one of his most beautiful books—Mind – The Playground of Gods.

In the coming months, they would be studying the teachings of Gurudeva Swami Rama through his video lectures and books, beginning with the Conscious Living. Swami Veda’s writings—You & Your emotions and Path to Successful Relationship—will also be studied. The focus will be on not just a reading or theoretical study of these books, but practical applications of the teachings in our everyday life. In the meantime, they will also continue to learn and practice the sacred art of Vedic chanting.

Swami Veda held the Gurukulam program very dear in his heart and emphasized the importance of passing down the teachings of the Tradition through long-term in-depth studies at the ashram. As we begin another year of Gurukulam, we feel both humbled and thankful to uphold his vision.

We continually seek the blessings of the Lineage and pray for our own self-purification, so that we may succeed in this endeavour. We hope and pray that the Gurukulam will offer a nurturing space to all the students for learning, practicing, and embodying the teachings of the Tradition.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to our DMT trustees, AHYMSIN family members, all the teachers, ashram sahayakas, and our well-wishers who have continued to support this vision.

For the second time a summer camp in Greece was organized by Sofia Foteina from the Himalayan Tradition in Greece.

Nikos, the friendly taxi driver, was waiting for us at the airport in Athens and in less than an hour we arrived at the camp. The location is great, it is a scouting camp in the forest so there is plenty of shade. It can be very warm in Greece and this time it was 36 degrees Celsius. But luckily, we had a comfortable room with air conditioning. And the camp is very close to the seaside, so every now and then there is a bit of wind cooling us. What I like very much is that there are no tourists at the beach there, besides us that is. A nice walk of only 5 minutes in nature will take you to the seaside with a small sandy beach.

The first evening after arrival we met and did a body percussion game to introduce ourselves. Tamara was guiding it. We shared what we like, what we don’t like and got to know each other a bit. Very soon there was a friendly atmosphere with lots of laughing also. We had a conversation about the subject UNITY and what it meant for us personally. We talked about love, sharing, caring, listening to each other, cooking, communicating and working together.

Every morning at 6 am, before first yoga class began, we met at the gate with Laura and a small group to go to the beach doing some simple standing exercises and after that a nice refreshing swim. After that, at 7 am, there was yoga class in an open space under the trees guided by teachers from the Himalayan Tradition. At 8.30 am, we were ready for a marvelous breakfast. The cook did a great job for us, three times a day there was so much tasty and nutritious food.

After breakfast was finished we did some seva, arranged by Anna, for half an hour only, cleaning tables and brooming away all the needles from the pine trees. We were with 36 adult and 16 kids from different countries in Europe. It was so nice to see the kids trying to communicate and speaking English together and soon new friends were made. From 10 am to 1 pm was time for playing on the beach and in the sea. After lunch we had 2 hours of quiet time.

There is a small office where you can buy books of the Tradition and some malas and bags for yoga mats. Sofia and Athina were so kind to help me sell the good luck elephants to support the school for girls in Odisha India. All elephants I brought with me were sold.

Every afternoon the kids were playing and doing arts and crafts with Tamara. The adults were with the kids or attended a workshop for parents. Carmen shared her experiences with healthcare and we talked a lot about lifestyle and Ayurveda in particular. I shared a massage to bring VATA dominance down. This massage I learned from Aafke de Geus who was my Ayurvedic teacher in the yoga academy Amsterdam. People were very pleased with the workshop and did like to know more about Ayurveda and lifestyle. So Carmen suggested to do an Ayurveda workshop for next year.

After 6 pm, it was time for family yoga classes or adult yoga and children yoga separately guided by Marilu, Sofia and Laura. And then again, the cook surprised us with a delicious meal for dinner.

In the evening time there were different activities. We watched a movie about Mahatma Gandhi. One evening there was kirtan singing, the children played on small instruments. And Anna brought her guitar for me to play. Also Anna played a beautiful Greek song and her husband sang so beautifully. So next year Anna will bring 2 guitars to play and sing together. I am looking forward to that. One evening we shared cultural things from our countries Greece, Italy, Hungary and The Netherlands. We sang and danced and we had so much fun together.

Thursday, we made a trip by bus to the beautiful museum and temple of Artemis. The evening before, a friend of Sofia came to tell us all there was to know about the temple side and that made the trip even more nice. On our way back we had some time to spend on a beach, it was crowded with tourists and there was a line to go in. In Greece you have to pay to go to a nice beach. But my husband and I decided not to go stand in line.  Just across the street there was a nice restaurant, where we ordered a good lunch.

The atmosphere among us in the camp and during all activities was so warm and nice, like one big family. We enjoyed our stay very much and definitely we will come back next year. Thanks to the team that made this possible: Sofia, Anna, Athina, Laura, Carmen, Tamara, Marilu, Irini. We had a great time.

Perhaps you join us next year? You are welcome.
Warmly,
Louise Molenkamp

---

Editor’s Note:

To know more about the Summer Camp in Greece in 2024, you may want to read

Family Summer Camp in Greece in 2024 by Sofia Foteina – https://www.ahymsin.org/family-summer-camp-in-greece-in-2024/

A new big circle, a new big party: thus ended the fourth year of the Italian TTP, in the presence of Pt Ashutosh Sharma.

“Cultivating our selfless love and compassion for other beings is the most important thing we can do. Even Jesus said it to his disciples: Let people know us by how we love”. “Let people know us by how we love them in teaching”, “This is just the beginning of our sadhana! Bringing the heart of this lineage to all people, bringing it out, is the most beautiful thing we can do!”. (Dr Stephen Parker – Stoma ji, connected from Minneapolis, opening the final sharing of the Italian TTP).

“We are blessed with the love and light of our guru-guided path through those words: Love, Serve, Remember. We remain steadfast to continue on the path of light serving selflessly as our expression of gratitude”. (Part of Swami Ritavan Bharati’s message to all attending the final session of Training on the Path of Giving, Sharing, and Loving).

With these inspiring thoughts and words we opened one of the most powerful moments of the final Italian TTP Retreat.

Love, fragility, family, acceptance, harmony, openness, mission, caring, sharing, transformation, freedom, motivation, emotional independence, healing were just few of the many wonderful words that accompanied and warmed the intimate and sacred space of the sangha, united in listening and embracing the other.

It was not a conclusion, but a true celebration: the beginning of a new journey! A spiritual family that over the past four years has matured together, honouring its path of growth and supporting each other with love and mutual respect, even in difficulties. Kalyana mitras truly together and close in joy and sorrow, aware that darkness doesn’t exist: it is only an absence of light.

Strong and intense connections, that will remain forever, beyond time and space; strong and intense connections with no more roles, but only Love, that divine force that allows the light, within each of us, to shine.

It was a time for listening and rediscovery, a time for understanding and compassion, a time for trust and surrender.

“When you surrender, you are there … and something bigger happens.” Ashutosh reminded us.

He reminded us of the importance of remaining humble, of remaining students because once we become teachers we stop learning. “If we want to learn, we have to remain students”.
As he reminded us of the beauty of being ourselves and he did it, as always, through a story Swami Veda often told “In Iran, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, they make the most beautiful carpets in the world. The art of making carpets is part of their history and there is not a mistake in the weaving. So what do they do? Always voluntarily and consciously, they leave a knot, which interrupts the perfection of the carpet. Only God is perfect. Human beings are not perfect and, therefore, they voluntarily and consciously destroy the perfection of the carpet with a small knot in the weave”.

“The real certificate will be given to you by your students when they feel loved in your presence” (Swami Veda Bharati).

With Love and Gratitude to the Lineage,
Om shantih

---

Editor’s Note:

For more information, please email the Himalayan Yoga Institute in Florence, Italy at info@himalayanyogainstitute.it

On Guruwar, our Acharaya and teachers surprised us by taking us on a pilgrimage to the Akshardham temple. We silently embarked on a four-hour long journey, listening to soothing chants and occasionally sharing inspiring stories along the way. Greeted by rain and welcomed by traffic, but nothing could dampen our pilgrim spirit. As we arrived at the magnificent temple and stepped through one of the ten gates, each of us was enthralled and marveled at the sheer beauty of the temple with its central majestic sanctuary and embracing arcades.

We were welcomed by the aarti as we stepped inside the main temple, bowing our heads down in reverence to Bhagwan Swaminarayan. We then paid our respects to the other idols of hindu deities Radha Krishna, Sita Ram, Laxmi Narayan, Shiva Parvati by chanting mantras at each of their altars. All of the beautiful deities were created so artistically they had a life-like quality about them. The intricate artwork of the temple left us in awe, reminding us of the immense potential within each of us. As we stood below the circular dome shaped structure, our eyes were lost above as if we were being drawn up to the heavenly abode depicted so intricately above. Just as the stone has been chiseled into beautiful forms, so too can we shape ourselves into something extraordinary if we choose to do so.

In the introductory exhibition the history of the construction was narrated to us along with a thoughtful contemplation – it took the hands of thousands of devoted sculptors to build the huge temple. How many sculptors are needed to chisel our own personality in order to come closer to Truth? Only one. We are the sculptors of our own mind and life.

We then moved on to the Hall of Values exhibition, which depicted the core teachings and short life story of Bhagwan Swaminarayan using realistic puppets. They demonstrated qualities of unconditional love, compassion, selfless service and how a devotee should have faith in his master. This was followed by the cultural boat ride, showcasing the Vedic era and the astounding gems of India’s ancient culture and contributions in the areas of science, art, literature, filling us with a profound sense of pride in our heritage. Yet, it also brought a touch of despair as we reflected on our country’s current challenges.

The thematic movie depicting the life of Swami Narayan Bhagwan was deeply inspiring. It told the story of a small boy Neelkanth who fearlessly left home in the search of moksha. On the way there he explored India, overcoming dangers and negative forces with such grace and love that it makes one question the very existence of fear itself. He traveled barefoot while clothed in a dhoti and only carried a pot for seeking alms and a mala to practice his japa. People who encountered him were deeply impressed by his strong faith and determination and soon recognised they were standing in front of an enlightened master.

One of the stories struck a deep chord; one evening the little boy was meditating under a tree despite the warnings of the villagers who told him there were ferocious lions. Neelkanth remained sitting in meditation absolutely fearless. In the night a lion came, ready to attack him but Neelkanth lovingly greeted the lion and talked to him. Through his expanded heart he saw the lion and himself as part of one and the same creation, so who should fear whom?

Many villagers wished to be graced by his stay in their village, they seeked to serve him and be blessed by his teachings but Neelkanth was immovable: no attachments neither to people nor to places. He chose to continue his journey, despite all dangers and discomforts. He was above any kind of body identification and totally fearless.

When people felt disappointed when they were not able to serve such a great avatar, he used to tell them: “Serve each other as if you were serving me. By loving each other you will love myself as well. Love knows no distance.” This sentence remains impressed in our heart and reminds us that the light of the Guru is always present within us, wherever we are, in the moment we do selfless service in their name.

Another quote that hit home was “Anger, ego, power, greed and hatred are the primary reasons for a war to start. All wars first start in mind and then manifest in the real world. So a person who takes care of thoughts and values can keep themself at peace and also the community of humanity in peace.” It makes one wonder about the real power of man and how man has been using that power with negative intention to pursue lowly goals. We truly must rise above by inculcating love towards each other and make spiritual enlightenment our goal.

Overall our visit to Akshardham in Delhi was a transformative journey through time, culture and especially spirituality. Akshardham not only celebrated India’s glorious past but also inspired us to think deeply about how we can contribute to a brighter future. Each of us has returned with a heart full of inspirations, revitalized energy and spiritual elevation that we garnered from Akshardham. We are incredibly thankful to our teachers for taking the efforts to organize this beautiful, short trip with a glorious blend of art, architecture, learning and devotion combined with various lessons of life.

---

Editor’s Note:

Anna, Arun, Manisha, and Prudhvi are students at the Swami Rama Dhyana Gurukulam. They went on a pilgrimage to the Akshardham temple in Delhi as a part of their Gurukulam program, along with the Gurukulam Acharya (Rabindra Sahu) and the Gurukulam Administrator (Dr Swati Saharan) on 29 August 2024.

The second year of the Ahymsin Family Summer Camp is already completed with great joy of all of us. This time we can call it a European gathering, as most of the participants were from Hungary, the Netherlands, Italy, and Greece. It was really a beautiful meeting of people of different ages, from one year old to almost 80 years old. The central theme we worked on was “We are all one, nobody is alone”, as is stated by our Gurus, and in many ways united by our dreams and our purpose in life. To evolve not only respecting our material part but evolving in the spiritual realm.

The participant family members said it all. Nothing to add.  In the following lines, I tried to mention everything at least once, except our appreciation of the wonderful nature that is really a gift from God and from the scouts that take care of the place. Here is what was shared with us by the participants

• The teachers were like mothers who took good care of us during the classes. Their presence was like a balsam in the heart. Great location.
• I liked karma yoga, planting included. I enjoyed that time with all the children and the parents.
• I like one hour a day meditation, videos of Swami Rama and/or Swami Veda. This retreat was great. Thank you all.
• Everything was wonderful, unique. We learned a lot, we felt even more, and I wish everything becomes part of our life. I wish from my heart that this collective present continues to be given to us.
• Thank you for inviting us to this beautiful camp, in this wonderful nature. I could get closer to myself, and I could learn a lot about slowing down. Bless you!
• Thank you for helping me in deeper understanding Ahymsa. Blessed we are to be here.
• What did I like most? The people. What did I like less? I tried to think of something for recommendation for next year, but nothing came to my mind.
• What did I enjoy? Yoga classes, lovely teachers, food, good location and good price, kirtan. What to improve? Beach time, not 11.00-13.00 when the UV rays and temperature is the highest. More attention to special diets. More time at the beach on the trip day.
• It was nice to have the plan of the day written on the board. It was nice being so close to the sea, I loved the day trip to the temple of Artemis and museum and being informed about the site in advance. Meeting the people here, everyone was very kind.
• Dear all of you, dear each of you being all-one. Thank you for all the blessed energy!
• Two important activities I liked: we played the “Treasure Hunt” and “Shadow Theatre”, the first showed us how many common things we have among and around us, and the second how much we are one and connected with nature. They both pointed out the interconnection with all beings.
• Some children said : I liked the sea, the program but most of all, the people….. It was a community of people. I like cultivated earth and cultivated people. ……It has been very fun, beautiful. I liked it because in one day we did many different things like yoga, beach, play, rest, karma yoga. I enjoyed the museum. I felt fine with everyone because everyone was kind.

A few good tips were given to us in terms of improving some organizational aspects, which will help us to improve our service next year. We will have more meditation every day and more short videos by Swami Rama and Swami Veda and discussion, as we this time saw a part of the life of Mahatma Gandhi, after the outing day.

We express our gratitude to our Gurus and teachers that guided and protected us.

Thank you to all wonderful participants from Europe and different parts of Greece!

Thank you to the Scouts who offered this exceptional piece of land near Athens, that is imbibed with beautiful energy, and Scout Mr. Stathis who fed us with tasteful Greek specialties.

Thank you Christos Voinas Foteinas and Panayotis Foteinas Voinas for the photos and video.

Thank you to all teachers, who travelled from their countries to offer their services to the Himalayan Tradition: Carmen Lai (Italy and the Nederlands) and Louise Molenkamp (The Nederlands), Timi Varga (Hungary), Tamara Soru, Laura Linzi and Marilou Pistrito (Italy), Sofia (Greece).

A big thank you to the organizing team, who offered their services during the whole year to prepare the Family Summer Camp in a way that all ages were nourished in many different aspects, felt happy and were filled with love: Tamara Soru (Mozambique and Italy), Timi Varga (Hungary), Athina Papadopoulou, Anna Zaharopoulou, Irene Laskaratou, Sofia Foteina (Greece).

From the organizing team

By Sofia

---

Editor’s Note:

To know more about the Summer Camp in Greece in 2024, you may want to read

Summer Camp in Greece in 2024 by Louise Molenkamp – https://www.ahymsin.org/summer-camp-in-greece-in-2024-2/