Author: Divya - Administrator

We are delighted to share that our newest publication, “Bondage or Freedom” by our dear Swami Veda Bharati was released on the sacred occasion of Maha-shivaratri by Swami Ritavan Bharati, our Ashram Pramukha, along with Swami Tattavananda Bharati and Swami Maa Tripura Bharati. This book is the fourth one from the series Mind, Emotions and Relationships.

Bondage or Freedom answers the eternal question as to how we bind ourselves into the complexities of life and our own personalities. The answer to this eternal question is the essence of this book. Our beloved Swami Ji with his experiential wisdom and profound knowledge guides us through the efficacious ways to free ourselves from the bondages created by our own self.

We wish to express our gratitude to Rajini Prakash ji, for her devoted service to Swami ji’s mission by editing this book. We were delighted to have Rajini ji at SRSG during the book release and she beautifully introduced Swamiji’s book,

“First of all, this book would not be possible without Swami Ritavan’s grace. And he has been the guide and the inspiration behind it. We have had a wonderful team working on the book. Rabindra ji, who is heading publications as a Director, Divya, who is an integral part of the publications team, Deepti and Aruna, who have worked very hard in the background to bring the work to fruition. So, without them, it would not have been possible. It is teamwork.

How can one even introduce something of Swami Veda! Every word he has said, we all know, is pearls of wisdom.

Swamiji said in his talk on Yoga Sutras that the mind stream, the mind field can flow in two different directions. In one direction, we can weave a beautiful tapestry of lovely, lovely colours, tapestry of life that could bind us tighter and tighter into the world of Samsara. And on the other hand, we can go towards freedom, towards moksha.

And that is what this book is all about. It’s beautiful; it’s very profound. Swamiji talks about what is true freedom.

Swamiji used to talk about confluence of minds. This morning one of the initiates—of Swami Rama said, ‘what is true freedom I would like to know’. And we were going to have a wonderful time discussing that question. We will read the book to find out.”

Swami Ritavan then introduced the book through a humorous word play, giving us a glimpse into what the book would be about and inspiring us to grab our own copy of the book, “As sadhakas, in the Mantra tradition, you know that there is a science of Mantra. It actually means a science of language. It’s the secret language.

But this particular way in which we said bondage or freedom – those that know about bondage in the analogy of ‘this shore’. We live our lives with this relative reality, meaning on this shore only. And every so often we look across and we see the other shore. So, the question becomes, ‘Oh, what is that and how to get there?’
Of course, you need a boat.
But what do you do in a boat?

You take an oar.

So you need the oars to work your way from bondage to freedom. You become free, but you have to do the work. You have to do the oar-ring.”

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Editor’s Note:

Please write to hyptbooks@gmail.com for a physical copy. For Kindle edition, click on Bondage or Freedom.

 

The serenity and extensive gardens that envelop Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama (SRSG) provide a peaceful sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of Rishikesh town. As we immerse ourselves in the teachings, the natural beauty that surrounds us helps us feel a deep connection to the nature and all its wonders. The lush greenery, the gentle whispers of the wind through the trees, the melodious songs of the birds, and the familiar mooing of the mother cows create a harmonious symphony that soothes the soul.

The serene atmosphere of SRSG in the early months of 2024 was filled with a renewed energy as sadhakas from all walks of life gathered to immerse themselves in the core teachings of the Himalayan Tradition of Yoga Meditation. The ashram became a hub of spiritual growth and self-discovery, with each retreat and activity designed to peel back the layers of the ancient wisdom, revealing new insights and practices, to those sincere on the path.

As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, a sense of community and shared purpose blossomed among all our visiting sadhakas. It was a time of introspection, connection, and transformation, as we delved deep into our practice, with blessings and guidance of Swami Ritavan Bharati, our Ashram Pramukha and Spiritual Guide, and other experienced teachers.

Each event and activity was a unique and memorable experience that brought joy and nourishment to all who participated. From the vibrant colors and sounds of Holi to the profound silence of our Akhanda practices to the deep contemplations facilitated by our teachers, each moments seems to have left a lasting impact on all of us. We hope that the below event summaries will serve as a reminder of the eternal teachings shared and received.

Mantra Practice after Initiation – Purash-charana with Raghavendra Adiga ji

21 Jan – 2 Feb, 2024

We began with new year with a resolve to recommit ourselves to our Personal Guru Mantras and our Mantra Japa practices. Under the guidance of Raghavendra ji, (Mantra Initiator within the Himalayan Tradition and AHYMSIN Spiritual Committee member) we received a unique opportunity to deepen and intensify our personal mantra practice through the transformative power of a Purash-charana (125,000 repetitions of the mantra).

Swami Veda has said, “The word purash-charana means a step forward. When one undertakes such observances one takes a quantum leap on one’s spiritual journey.”

16 initiates from 6 countries participated in this retreat and began their purash-charana practice of their personal mantra. They also received opportunities to seek personal guidance from Raghavendra ji with regards to any questions they had about their mantra or other practices.

Mauni Amavasya Silence Retreat with Raghavendra Adiga ji

3 – 9 Feb, 2024

Having undertaken the sankalpa for deepening of our personal mantra practice, we were blessed with the perfect opportunity to enter into silence during the Mauni Amavasya Silence Retreat.

As Swami Veda has said, “Silence is such a profound and deep experience of human existence that only when we have understood silence can we understand the inspiration that has ever flowed to humanity from the minds and mouths of the great rishis, sages and prophets.”

The silence retreat was a beautiful gathering of 36 sadhakas from 10 countries, on the sacred occasion of the Mauni Amavasya. The participants began a profound inward journey, diving into the quietude of their heart under the loving guidance of Raghavendra Ji.

We are very grateful to Raghavendra ji for his nurturing presence in both the retreats, which served as a source of inspiration for all present.

Intensive Meditation Retreat with Swami Ritavan Bharati

11 – 17 Feb, 2024

We naturally transitioned from the depths of profound silence and embarked on a journey of deepening and intensifying our meditation practice under the guidance of Swami Ritavan Bharati, our Ashram Pramukha and Spiritual Guide. During the retreat, Swami Ritavan illuminated the path to enhancing and deepening one’s already established practice of meditation through many specialty guided meditations, personal guidance from Swamiji, and returning to the teachings of meditation as taught by Gurudeva Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati.

While Swamiji unveiled the profound secrets of meditation, Rabindra Sahu (Acharya, Swami Rama Dhyana Gurukulam) offered practical guidance on how to integrate these teachings into one’s daily life and how to realign our everyday lives in accordance with our spiritual goals and aspirations.

Sadhana Panchakam: 40 Steps towards Liberation with Rabindra Sahu

18 – 23 Feb, 2024

In this special event with Rabindra ji, we studied and contemplated on a short (yet very profound) text containing only five verses by Adi Sankaracharya. The text contains 40 systematic and sequential instructions, furthering one’s journey on the path of liberation.

It was a beautiful opportunity to contemplate and reflect upon many practical ways and means which will help and guide us on every step of our sadhana.

Entrance to the Subtle Body with Swami Ritavan Bharati

15 Feb – 5 Mar, 2024

Having understood the many paths and means of sadhana, we began our inward journey towards the essence of our Self under the guidance of Swami Ritavan Bharati with this special retreat on Entrance to the Subtle Body. This retreat resonated deeply with sadhakas from all over the world. It was one of the most successful retreats at the ashram in the past many years as over 110 sadhakas from as many as 20 countries joined in, creating a microcosm of our global spiritual family at SRSG. We received students from 14 affiliated centers of AHYMSIN for this special event with Swamiji, and it certainly felt like a mini Sangha gathering.

Swami ji masterfully guided everyone on the transformative journey, unveiling the subtle realms beyond the physical. He progressively took us through the teachings on many key topics, including—body-breath-mind, pancha pranas, pancha koshas, rasana buddhi, and other concepts from Swami Veda’s Commentary on the Yoga Sutras. We began the preparations for this entrance into our subtle bodies with progressive guided practices on pranayama, exercise without movement, systematic relaxations, and specialty meditations with Swami Ritavan. As he led the group through specialty meditations, a sense of peace and clarity enveloped the room, creating a sacred space for inner exploration and self-discovery. His teachings resonated deeply, inspiring all to continue their journey of transformation with grace and determination.

This retreat was special and unique in many ways. As is the practice in the Ashram, each Thursday (Guruvaara in Hindi – the Day of the Guru) is the day of silence. The silence practice on Thursday included Akhanda Japa (non-stop recitation of the our personal guru mantra) for 24 hrs in the Meditation Hall, now called as the Swami Rama Hall. This Akhanda Japa was truly special as it was the very first time in the history of ashram that the Akhanda Japa continued for 24 hrs (9 am on Thursday – 8am on Friday).

We also went on a pilgrimage to the holy confluence at the Devprayag, where the holy rivers of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi merge together to form the holy Ganges. Almost all the members joined this beautiful excursion, along with Swami Ritavan. As we stood in awe of the natural beauty and spiritual significance of this confluence, we felt a deep connection to the Himalayas, the great Himalayan Sages, and each other. The memories of this sacred excursion will forever remain etched in our hearts.

AHYMSIN Sangha Mantra Practice and Mahashivaratri Celebrations

6 – 8 Mar, 2024

Collectively, we offered a Purashcharana (125,000 repetitions) of the AHYMSIN Sangha Mantra ‘Om Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ’ with Yajna (fire offerings) at the big Yajnashala on 6 & 7 March, followed by Yajna Purnahuti & Sankalpa for the AHYMSIN sangha mantra practice for the next one year until the next Mahashivaratri in 2025.

On the morning of the Mahashivaratri, a lovely and loving member of our Sangha received Vanaprastha vows from Swami Ritavan Bharati – Riemke de Groot from Netherlands.

Onto our journey into the subtle realms, we celebrated the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri—the great night of Lord Shiva, who is the lord of all the realms. Braving the cold night, most of the seekers stayed awake the whole night to join the pujas at our Shiva Temple which is named as Sadhakeshwara (Lord of the Sadhakas) temple. We not only worshiped lord Shiva externally but also internally by invoking the Shiva principle and energy within us. Each moment came as a reminder to strengthen our Sankalpa (resolve) with “Tan me manah shiva sankalpam astu”. Each moment, seeking Lord Shiva’s Grace and blessings so that we may one day develop the ability to be in the word yet remain above it.

Himalayan Yoga Tradition – Teacher Training (Transformation) Program

Level 1 & 3 Retreat: 10 – 23 Mar, 2024

March continued the momentum of activities at the ashram with the HYT-TTP level 1 and 3 retreats. We received one of the highest number of registrations in the level 1, with 50 participants joining the retreat. We also had 10 participants in the TTP Level 3 retreat.

While Swami Ritavan and our wonderful senior teachers—Pt. Ashutosh Sharma, Sonia van Nispen, John Sellinger, Pt. Jay Prakash Bahuguna and others—spent day and night in guiding the students, many others worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make the TTP such a great success, including the entire Ashram community and most importantly Pt Priyadarshan (Pierre Lefebvre).

Our Beloved Swami Veda Bharati’s 91^st Birthday Celebration

24 March 2024: Full Moon Meditation & Holi Celebrations

The most auspicious day of our beloved Swami Veda Bharati’s 91^st Birthday Celebration coincided with the holy full moon day of the Holi festival.

In timeless remembrance of our dearest Swamiji, we offered 24 hours of Akhanda Japa of our personal guru mantra. To quote a small verse from one of Swamiji’s beautiful poems, “play the games the masters fancy…”

This collective nonstop recitation for 24 hrs created such a beautiful, enriching, and profound energy and was one of the most special full moon days. Many sadhakas, including participants and residents, sat throughout the night as well to make the offering of their personal mantra at the feet of our dearest Swamiji. It was as if He had lovingly wrapped us all in His meditation shawl.

The Swami Rama Hall was filled with love and reverence as sadhakas from all walks of life came together to offer their personal guru mantras. The night was a tapestry of shared spiritual energy, as the mantra japa continued uninterrupted, nurturing a profound sense of connection. Swamiji’s presence was palpable, enveloping us in a cocoon of meditation and grace. It was a night to remember, where time seemed to stand still, and the collective devotion illuminated our hearts with pure joy and gratitude.

There was a unique union of love, devotion, silence and peace that night, which we had not experienced before…

One could see initiates silently sitting,

filled with light of mantra within,

throughout the night, sleep having eluded their eyes,

the loving presence of our dearest Swamiji having filled their hearts.

Narada Bhakti Sutra – Treatise on Love and Surrender with Rabindra Sahu

24 – 30 Mar, 2024

This beautiful event on Sage Narada’s treatise on love and surrender with Rabindra Sahu allowed us to fill and overfill our hearts with devotion and offered us with invaluable insights into the essence of unconditional love and surrender. In this text, Sage Narada explains the nature of perfectional, unconditional love and devotion and the ways to achieve this state.

Rabindra ji guided us towards a deeper understanding of the nature of true devotion and the various paths to experiencing this supreme bliss that is the divine love within. He also shared with us many stories of bhaktas (devotees), their absolute love and devotion, from the Puranas (mythology). As Swami Veda Bharati has said, “Knowledge without action is lame. Action without knowledge is blind. And knowledge and action both without love and devotion are heartless.”

This satsang was a soulful journey into the realms of selflessness, unconditional love, and unwavering devotion towards the Guru and the Lord. It was a beautiful exploration that left our hearts full and our spirits uplifted, paving the way for continued growth and spiritual evolution.

Navaratri Retreat – Cultivating the Divine Feminine with Rabindra Sahu

9 – 17 Apr, 2024

During this auspicious time of Navaratri, the Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama ashram immerses itself in the vibrant celebrations that honour the Divine Mother. We celebrated the sacred 9 nights of Navaratri with daily pujas, akhanda (24 hours non-stop) recitation of the Lalita-sahasra-nama (Thousand Names of Divine Mother), and a retreat on “Cultivating the Divine Feminine.” The Lalita Sahasranama recitations echo through the tranquil surroundings, filling the hearts of participants with reverence and devotion.

The retreat on “Cultivating the Divine Feminine” served as a guiding light, encouraging us all to embody qualities such as compassion, nurturing, and inner strength, mirroring the essence of the Mother herself. Rabindra ji inspired the participants to align, cultivate, and honour the feminine principles that are ever-present within us all and to nurture these divine feminine qualities within all of us. We spoke of ways of embracing feminine qualities like love, softness, subtlety, grace, gentleness, and humility in our daily life.

The celebration culminated in Kanya Pujan, a deeply moving tradition, brings together young girls adorned as manifestations of the Mother Divine. Their presence symbolizes purity, innocence, and the loving nature of the Mother.

This sacred festival serves as a reminder of the transformative energy that flows through all of creation, inviting all the sadhakas to embrace the divine within themselves and in every living being they encounter.

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During most of February and March, the ashram was fully booked as family members from across the world joined the many special events. We received as many as 18 groups during this time, including three groups from Korea, two groups each from Hungary, Netherlands, and Taiwan, and one group each from Ecuador, Japan, India, Italy, Malaysia, Spain, Slovakia & Slovenia, UK, and USA. We received sadhakas from as many as 44 countries and representatives from 16 AHYMSIN Affiliated centers.

We are extremely grateful to our Ashram sahayakas (support staff) who also worked tirelessly throughout these months, behind the scenes, to ensure that all our visiting family members had a comfortable stay for their sadhana. We were overwhelmed with the love we received from everyone, whether it was the delicious treats (many, many chocolates and other goodies!), everyone’s loving understanding in sharing accommodations and facilities, their enthusiastic seva in helping and serving each other…

Navaratri truly served as a perfect culmination of these few months, a period that was brimming with abundant knowledge and enriching experiences. With the sentiments of love and surrender, we bow down to the lineage to keep guiding us on this path and bless us all with continuing purification on our spiritual journey. With each breath and each moment of stillness, it seemed that we are moving closer to the Guru Force within.

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Editor’s Note:

• About visiting the ashram – Accommodation
• About our other short-term upcoming events – Events
• About our ongoing short-term Ashram Immersion Program
• About our long-term residential program – Gurukulam

AHYMSIN Thailand organised the Yoga and Meditation Retreat on “Aapo Deepo Bhava” at Sampran, Thailand from 8-11 December 2023.

By Little Student of Himalayan Yoga Meditation Tradition

“Aapo Deepo Bhava” means “Be a Light Unto Thyself”. This has been a message to people from all the great Gurus, past and present, in all traditions. They had/have worked so hard to create the real understanding of this profound message in the human hearts. Why? Because it is the common and only goal of all human beings who wish to find true and lasting happiness. We cannot find such happiness as long as we are trapped in the samsara (the cycle of suffering through unending rounds of birth and death). The light is our true nature and if we cannot find our true nature which resides in us, the exit from the suffering cycle is simply impossible.

Aapo Deepo Bhava is the theme for AHYMSIN’s sangha for 2023 and it finally made its way to Thailand.  Thai people were blessed with the presence of Swami Ritavan Bharati, our beloved spiritual guide, who was accompanied by two outstanding teachers, Shi Hong and Rabindra Sahu (who visited Thailand for the first time).

When Swami Rama first went to the west, his Master asked him to spread two key messages to the people there. The first message was “Do not live in fear” and the second message was “realize the reality within”.  When one realizes the reality within, fear naturally vanishes as the light (within) dispels the darkness of ignorance.

Swami Ritavan beautifully read Swami Veda Bharati’s “Light”, a poem that he composed after he experienced his own inner light.  Swami Ritavan explained that it might be a poem to a reader or a listener, but for Swami Veda it was the expression (in the best way he could) of the inner state he had attained in deep meditation. Swamiji used this poem as a tool to inspire people and his teachings flew smoothly from it.  Swamiji emphasized how important “building the strong foundation” for one’s own spiritual life was. A wise man builds a house on solid rock. When a heavy storm comes, the house stands firm on the solid foundation. A fool person builds a house on sand. When a heavy storm comes, it sweeps away a house with it and nothing is left. To become a wise man, one needs self-discipline and guidance from an authentic Guru.

Shi Hong is an expert in story telling (as always) and he used his skill effectively to captivate the attention of the participants. And he has countless stories from various traditions, all of them convey profound spiritual teachings for deep contemplation. One of the beautiful stories he shared with us reminded us of the highest truth; “nothing is permanent, good or bad”.  Thus, we need to learn to accept things as they are. To realize that everything that happens in our lives is the result of the actions we already committed in the past and we could not do anything about them. This realization will help us to accept things with neutral mind and convince us to choose our action wisely in the present moment so that what will happen in the future will pleasant and conducive to our progress towards the goal.

Rabindra led the practices of asana, pranayama, relaxation and meditation so effectively while also lovingly sharing with us his deep knowledges and personal experiences in his spiritual journey. One of the things he said that left the impression in the minds of many was “If you want to transform yourself, nothing on this earth has the power to stop you; If you do not want to transform yourself, nothing on this earth has the power to persuade you to do so”. That is a good reminder for all us that true responsibilities are on our shoulders. Indeed, “Be a Light unto Thyself”.  Swami Rama repeatedly said to his disciples and students that “You are an architect of your life. You create your own destiny”.  Let’s stop blaming the world and take responsibilities for your own happiness and suffering. The way to achieve this is to go deep within, to the place where deep silence resides and you will hear the voice from the Guru within.

This retreat was so special because of two other things. First, we had been honored with Wong Yoong Khiang’s presence. Yoong is a longstanding initiate/initiator within Himalayan Yoga Meditation Tradition, a disciple of both Swami Rama and Swami Veda.  He shared with us his beautiful experiences with Swami Rama and Swami Veda, which helped further inspire participants to seek within.  Second, this retreat looked like an international retreat as we had participants from so many countries, including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, France, Switzerland and Thailand. Special thanks to Yuko Metsugi from Japan for joining our retreat and for her lovely services offered during Swamiji and Rabindra’s asana classes. Five people from China and one person from Thailand decided to take mantra initiations from Swamiji during the retreat.

I would like to thank you several people who made sincere and selfless contributions (in many forms, seva, financial and etc.,) to make this retreat another vehicle to spread the teachings of the lineage. These people did so without seeking any recognition and anything in return so I would not mention the names here. As per Swamiji, “secret is sacred”.  Last but not least, my gratitude goes to all the participants, without them and their contributions, there would not have been any retreat.

To this end, my great appreciation for Ms. Eakurairak and Ms. Ying of Bangkok Yoga School. They kindly organized a charity session for their students and members through which the teachings from Himalayan sages and Gurus have been passed on for the benefits of many. A few cried during the session with Swamiji and Rabindra as their hearts were touched by the universal love and compassion, which lifted the sadness they have been carrying from some losses in their lives off their hearts.

“May the ever generous Mother Night give us her stars
that burn like flames of souls in our bodies of clay.
May every darkness of human being
turn in light every night.
May She bestow upon us playful joys
of immortal kingdoms filled with light.”

– Swami Veda Bharati

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There is a tradition that we have been carrying on for years at the Himalayan Yoga Institute in Florence: celebrating together the Winter Solstice and the Return to the Light.

The Festival of Light is a very ancient and magical festival, rich in symbolism: it’s a transition celebration from darkness to light, that recalls the importance of transformation and rebirth. The Winter Solstice is the shortest and darkest day of the year from which light, and its extension throughout the day, grows wider and wider: a time of preparation for a new season and the rebirth of nature itself.

The term ‘solstice’ derives from the Latin language ‘solstitium’: ‘sol’ sun and ‘sistere’ stop, ‘steady sun’: it is the instant the Sun ceases to move away from the Earth, as if it were steady. The sun stops descending versus the celestial equator, only to reverse its path and start giving more hours of light again. And at this time its path almost seems to proceed more slowly.

In the Catholic culture, the Winter Solstice also acquires a religious significance as it is the beginning of the Christmas festivities; moreover, all the traditions celebrate the Winter Solstice festivities with fires, lights and candles, for light is a rebirth symbol that purifies and transforms, a reminder of the continuous dance between opposites that are complementary and essential to life, just as Nature reminds us in each moment that every situation carries within itself the seed of its opposite.

Over the years, this moment of transition has become a time for all the Institute’s members to gather together and to celebrate the season of silence, light, love and hope; but also to express gratitude, to contemplate and to meditate, to honour and to let go everything that is no longer needed in our lives, in order to welcome the new through a small symbolic ritual: in a fire and light ceremony, each participant is invited to write, in a small piece of paper, what he/she would like to let go of the year coming to an end, to burn the paper and to take a well-wishing word, which will be the guiding word for the new year.

But besides representing a moment of joy and sharing together, the Festival of Light is for all of us an important moment, the conclusion of a fundraising whose proceeds will go to support the SRSG Ashram and Swami Veda’s projects in India. Every year, in the period leading up to the Festival of Light, until the evening of its celebration, the Himalayan Yoga Institute of Florence opens its doors to the “Dianella’s Market – Handmade to give a Hand”, an initiative deeply felt by our dear Dianella, for which she used to produce with her own hands handicrafts and creations. Our feeling, when Dianella left her body, was to keep alive this noble initiative, involving friends and members of the Institute in creating and donating small handicrafts made with the heart (hats, bags, scarves, lota, T-shirts, etc.).

This year, also our dear friend Victor joined us and brought some Lakshmi Elephants, a small thanks token hand-made by women of local villages in Odhissa, part of an educational and economic development project supported by Wolfgang Bishoff and Bhagaban Dev.

This is the spirit with which every year we celebrate the Winter Solstice and the Festival of Light, at the presence of visible and invisible Beings of Light, who silently show us the path and allow our hearts to meet in a space of Love and Joy.

In loving service,

Ilaria

[Rabindra Sahu, Acharya of Swami Rama Dhyana Gurukulam, taught a class on ‘Attitude of Worship and Surrender in the Practice of Sun Salutation’ at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama on 22 november 2023. You may watch a glimpse of the session by clicking on the video below.]

Hatha yoga is worship with the body, whereby each action and posture becomes a ritual, an offering to the divine light within. How then we approach our yoga meditation practice and offer salutations to the sun—with a sense of purity, with a sense of sacredness.

This is the context within which we practice hatha yoga and we set the intention before we even approach our practice. With what approach we are going to the seat of our meditation or even our hatha yoga practice is something we can bring more awareness to. The quality and depth of our practice is dependent on our approach and intention alone.

Before going to the temple or church in the morning, we don’t just get up from the bed and go. We make sure to cleanse and purify our bodies by brushing our teeth, taking a bath, and wearing nice clothes. Why do we do it? We feel clean, sacred, pure. And only then we enter the sacred chambers of the external temple. In our practice, we can also approach and enter the sacred chambers of the internal temple in the same manner, with a feeling of purity and sacredness.

When was the last time you felt that there is something very sacred within you?

If we allow ourselves to remain in tune with that purity and sacredness within, we cannot do anything that is non-harmonious. Can we say, ‘I feel so pure and sacred that I want to scold you. I feel so pure and sacred that I want to punch you.’? It in itself is impossible. The moment we feel so pure and sacred, the silence and stillness naturally dawns within us and we just want to remain there.

We are not unfamiliar with the sentiment of surrender, as we do surrender and offer ourselves (to whatever degree) in our daily lives towards those from whom we have received something that is of value to us. We then bow down to them in gratitude. It is then natural to have the same feeling of gratitude and surrender towards the life affirming Sun.

As we allow ourselves to surrender and be in tune with something higher, something deeper with us, then we are able to experience this body as a temple of Divinity.

Swami Veda Bharati writes in the Philosophy of Hatha Yoga that “To making the body a fit vessel for God’s worship becomes the purpose of hatha yoga. That was the purpose, the only reason, for which the ancient yogis started the science of hatha yoga.”

As the seasons turn, Mother Nature herself undergoes a metamorphosis, while always covered in a blanket of softness and grace. The sweet songs of birds in the pleasantly cold mornings carry the promise of a new dawn, imbuing the sacred ashram atmosphere with a sense of wonder, awe and magic. In the sacred sanctuary that is the Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama ashram, the onset of Navaratri reminds us of the spirit of the revered Mother Divine, inviting us to bask in her love and warmth.

Our ashram joyfully celebrates the Divine Mother’s presence and the transformative energy of the Navaratri festival. The festivities commenced with a morning puja at the Ma Tara temple, where the 9-day pujas began with Kalash-sthapana, Panchanga puja, Guru puja and a sankalpa for the 9-day non-stop 24-hour recitation of the Lalita Sahasranama (Thousand names of the Mother Divine). The mantra chantings filled the air, holding all in their loving embrace, and setting the stage for the 9-day celebrations.

The unbroken recitation of the Lalita Sahasranama chantings filled these 9 days and nights with countless blessings and resonating vibrations. These chantings are dedicated to the Divine Mother, who is Shakti Herself, and infused a fresh radiance to our days and a depth of silence to our nights.

With the blessings of the Mother Divine, we began our special retreat on “Cultivating the Divine Feminine” with Rabindra Sahu on the first day of the Navaratri. The retreat was dedicated to understanding and contemplating upon the 9 forms of the Divine Mother for each day of the Navaratri. We also spoke on how to cultivate and revere the feminine energy within ourselves and in others around us. During the retreat, we learnt how to properly recite the Lalita Sahasranama as well.

Rabindra ji inspired the participants to align, cultivate, and honour the feminine principles that are ever-present within us all and to nurture these divine feminine qualities within all of us.

During the retreat, many participants shared that in a world that often emphasizes competitiveness and harshness for material success, the value of gentleness is often not appreciated and is overlooked. As we all remember our dear Swami Veda emphasising the importance of remaining feminine in nature and loving all. The retreat offered much opportunity to reflect upon his teachings, “Your success as a commander in the army or your becoming a president or your becoming a millionaire, they are absolutely no worth so far as the perennial principles dealing with the essences of life are concerned and when you establish a society in which the entire  value is a political value and the entire value is an economic value, in  such a society there is no place left for two representatives of the  perennial essences, the philosopher and the woman.”

We learnt how the feminine principle encourages us to embrace softness, and humility. We learned how to cultivate love, beginning with our families and how we can extend these qualities into our interactions at workplaces, in social circles, and in our interactions with everyone else.

On the 9th day of the Navaratri, we celebrated Kanya Pujan, where we worshipped 9 young girls representing the 9 forms of Goddess Durga (Navadurga). They are considered as manifestations of Shakti, and offerings of mantras, food, clothes, and other gifts were made to them. After the offerings were accepted by the young goddesses, prasada or gracious remanent food is accepted by all others.

We pray to the Mother Divine for her continued blessings and grace upon us.

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Editor’s Note:

Dr Swati Saharan is an initiate in the Himalayan Tradition. She was a student at the Swami Rama Dhyana Gurukulam during 2022-23 and is now offering her seva at the SRSG Ashram.

You may also want to read about the experiences of the Hungarian group during the Cultivating the Divine Feminine Retreat here.