February is a short month, but it was a full and enriching month. A three-week retreat “Mantra and Purashcharana” was organised at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama. All participants did purascharana with their personal initiation Guru mantra, that is 125,000 mantras or 1250 malas.

The first day, Sunday, after Guru puja, we were introduced to the daily schedule, which would include many hours of self-practice every day. Each of us could arrange our own meditation seat in the Swami Rama Hall to occupy for the full three weeks. The hall would be open day and night for us to practice. An inspiring class with Rabindra connected purashcharana to the five elements, from which the fire of tapas moves us up and the most subtle element, space, is filled with the subtle mantra-vibrations. Purascharana involves all five koshas, making it panchakosha sadhana. Also, connections to the scriptures of Yoga-sutras and Bhagavad-gita were made. And we were re-confirmed that our personal mantra is just the right mantra, even if you can have doubts about that at times. We were about to (re)dis-cover our relationship with this secret companion and were told to keep our spiritual practices secret, because they are sacred.

In the afternoon we all had the opportunity for a personal interview with one of the three initiators who guided our retreat: Swami Ritavan ji, Ragavendra ji, and Yoong ji. We were encouraged to ask any questions about our personal practice and about the japa practice. And we could always see them again during the weeks, for further guidance.

On Monday we started with our japa. The first few days Swamiji was guiding a morning session, in which he gave more inspiration and practical guidance, sometimes through beautiful comparisons. I remember him saying: “you are training for the marathon of living in the world, knowing how to (re)balance all parts of life.”  And: “remembering you all, in a previous life, sitting under a banyan tree, wearing white clothes, receiving the teachings…” We could feel deep inside that we had come home again. We listened to audios of Swami Rama and Swami Veda. As always in our Tradition, it’s about “refining the basics” – not about doing more different or fancy practices, but about staying close to the core and go subtler. Yoong ji told us about his experiences of mantra with Swami Rama and Yoong’s wise words: “you can rise up to the mantra, not bring the mantra down to where you are” stayed with me during the weeks and were very helpful. Three books were recommended for reading and further inspiration: the new release “Samyama” by Swami Rama and the fresh reprint of “Mantra and Meditation” by Swami Veda. And, again the basics – “Night Birds”. For me especially the Samyama chapters about mantra and prayer were inspiring my contemplations.

The second week started with two sessions with Ragavendra ji, who connected our practice to the Yoga-sutras and guided us in meditation. He touched deep devotion, mentioning the mantra is the devata, is your conscious being, is absolute grace. We also got the opportunity for daily silent fire offerings with our personal Guru-mantra. Sitting together in a group around the fire pit, all silently absorbed in our practice, again I could almost view us in a previous life around the ancient fires. Such a wonderful experience.

Following the daily schedule was comforting and challenging at the same time. We had to take our own responsibility for showing up at our seats and doing the japa. Respond to the ability that was given, in this long period of self-practice. Sometimes it was easy, sometimes more difficult, as legs got sore, and mind got bored. But day by day we went deeper into our japa and the meditation hall filled with silent mantra vibrations. What a beautiful opportunity to have so much time for sadhana, in the peaceful ashram environment, with the organizers, guides, teachers, and the reception-, bookstore-, kitchen-, garden-, guard- and hoursekeeping-staff taking care of all aspects of our daily life.

Some of my personal experiences and contemplations:

– From doing the mantra, everything gets softer, the mantra and the stream of thoughts, gradually bringing more moments of silence. The calming feeling of mantra synchronizing with my heartbeat.

– Walking around the campus, feeling deep connection with the 5 elements. And one evening watching the almost full moon rise from behind the hills gave me a deep awareness of Saumya – the mind being calm, cool, and shining softly like the moon.

– Sitting at the fire hut (yajnashala), contemplating about all my desires, which ones to burn to ashes and which ones to let burn brightly. The meaning of my mantra helped to make the distinction between the two.

– Sometimes the japa brought back in my mind some words of Christian hymns and prayers from my youth, and a deeper meaning shone through, in which mantra and hymns became one.

– Fire is the only element man can make – or at least bring forward and let die. That makes it powerful but can also be dangerous. Our tapas-fire is precious, and we need to guide it carefully.

– The fire needs knowledge (like ghee) to keep burning; knowledge gives power to let the fire of consciousness burn brightly; while at the same time: all knowledge will be burnt in the fire of consciousness.

– The freedom in the schedule and the respons-ability made my personal practice strong, not only the japa, but also hatha and pranayama, which will be a good solid foundation to continue at home.

Maha-Shivaratri brought more mantra and joyful ceremonies. First the puranhuti (final offering) of the “Om Gam Ganapataye Namah” Sangha mantra practice that we had done the last year. And then sankalpa for the new Sangha mantra practice, which will be “Akhanda Mandalakaram”. Both were done with fire-offerings. Atsuko from Japan, and a dear friend of me, took the Vanaprastha vow and received Swamiji’s blessings. And a new book by Swami Veda was released: “Cultivating Meditative Voice”. In his presentation Swami Ritavan encouraged us all to read it and practice to have a peaceful voice in all aspects of our lives. In the evening and upto early hours of the next day, there were more celebrations at the Ashram. Swami Veda’s voice reciting the 1000 names of Lord Shiva (Sri Shiva Sahasranama) and the long evening program culminating with the Shiva Manasa Puja (internal worship of Lord Shiva in meditation), also guided by Swami Veda ji.

• Swami Ritavan Bharati shared the recitation of the Shiva Sahasranama – 1000 Names of Lord Shiva by Swami Veda Bharati

• Swami Ritavan Bharati also shared the Shivaratri Manasa Puja, as guided by Swami Veda Bharati

Early Thursday morning at the Havan we recited our new Sangha mantra 108 times. Then we went back to our seats in the Swami Rama Hall to continue our purashcharana japa. Swamiji guided us in the afternoon, connecting our japa-abhyasa to the Shivaratri celebrations and then also to the new Sangha mantra. The “Akhanda mandalakarama mantra” is also honouring the celebration of the birth centennial of Gurudeva Swami Rama, which is this year.

The last two days of this retreat brought the guidance from Swamiji and Rabindra about how to continue our practice at home. It gave us confidence: shraddha and virya, the path to freedom. In the closing puja we offered our practice to the Guru Lineage and bowed down at Guru’s feet with deep devotion.

And now I’m back home, content and happy, with a much bigger “mantra-bank account”. The best bank-account you can have and to which you can keep adding, as we were told on the first day of the retreat, as your Guru mantra will go on guiding you beyond this earthly life. I got to know my secret friend and companion a whole lot better.

Editor’s Note:

Riemke is a long-term initiate and student within the Himalayan Tradition. She is also a teacher and mentor with the Himalayan Yoga Tradition – Teacher Training Program (HYT-TTP). She is also on the Board of Directors within the ‘Himalayan Yoga Meditation Netherlands Society’ (HYMNS). HYMNS is an affiliate center of AHYMSIN, with many programs and activities, including annual silence retreats.

You may read more at www.yoga-enschede.nl and www.yoga-hymns.nl