Author: Divya - Administrator

Yesterday evening we spoke about how great masters as Swami Rama are like a living flame of consciousness, living flame of light and love. Today is the culmination of the yajna (fire ritual) that we are offering with the akhanda-mandalakaram mantra dedicating to Gurudeva.

Let us talk more about the fire rituals that are going on at the ashram right now and contemplate upon how we can connect with it at a deeper level, when we sit for the next session together. We can think of the fire ritual as the manifestation of the living flame that is within us, the living flame of the Guru force, the living flame of the Divine, the living flame of love, the living fire of tapas, the fire that purifies, the fire that soothes, the fire that nurtures and nourishes. The external fire (agni) is the manifestation of all that.

The akhanda-mandalakaram mantra acts as the bridge for our connection with the Guru force (Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati). When we chant the mantra, it invokes his presence and we connect with that “living flame” within our own hearts through that vibration, through that doorway. Before we go to the yajnashala, let us sit in deep reverence, and take a few deep breaths with eyes softly closed and listen to the mantra as it is being chanted.

Now let us set our own sankalpa (intention) silently, or softly state your intention. For example, one may say:

“With a heart full of reverence, I connect to the living flame of my Guru, Swami Rama/Swami Veda/the Guru force. Through this yajna, I offer my limited self into the fire of awareness, seeking to merge with the silence of the Supreme Self, seeking to merge with the divinity/Guru.”  This where we build an invisible and intangible bridge from our heart to the ritual.

Let us start chanting the Guru Mantra softly and rhythmically…

And now let us chant aloud for a few minutes and then gradually soften your voice…

Finally, continue chanting mentally, letting the sound reverberate inside you.

Visualize a flame as you chant, visualize a brilliant, gentle, luminous flame in your heart center. This is the “living flame” of Swami Rama – his grace, his wisdom, his transformative power. Visualize that this inner flame is growing and glowing brighter with each repetition of the akhanda-mandalakaram mantra…

In your mind’s eye, see this inner flame travel from your heart, down to your arm, and into your hand. Feel your hand becoming charged with this spiritual energy. You are now ready to make offerings not just with physical samagri[i], but with the essence of the Guru’s grace. Now, the external fire in the yajna-kunda becomes the container for your internal devotion.

When we go to the yajnashala and sit facing the yajna-kunda (fire pit), as we place the offering into the fire, let us feel that we are not just offering material substances. We are offering all the 5 kleshas[ii].

And let us allow the fire to purify those aspects of emotions within ourselves. You are offering something external and it is burning. You see that that is being burned. What is it that I wish to be burned in my life through the invocation of the Guru Spirit, the ever-present Guru Spirit? So, do I want to burn my anger? Offer it. Do I want to burn my insecurities? Offer it. Do I want to burn my jealousy, greed, attachments, laziness? Offer them. Offer it to the great fire spirit and that will elevate us. It is for our elevation.

The fire looks like an upward triangle. Fire defies gravity. It is anti-gravity. It moves up. So, when we worship the fire, we are choosing to elevate ourselves from anything that pulls us downwards. We become purified and uplifted. When we do a fire offering, we connect with that. Connect with that light, we connect with that fire, that fire that burns us, that burns our lower self. Am I ready to be burned?

The entire havana then becomes a dialogue between our internal chant and the external fire. We are feeding the external flame with the samagri (matter) and it in turn is feeding our internal flame with light and clarity. With each remembrance of your mantra as an offering to the flame, the flame expands within you, covering your whole being as if you have become that living flame, the fire.

Towards the end, let us make one last, conscious offering, perhaps of a larger portion of samagri, as a symbolic offering of our entire self with a loud “namaha swaha”.

Let the mental repetition of akhanda-mandalakaram mantra become slower and slower, until it dissolves completely into the crackling sound of the fire leading to the stillness of our minds.

We can then choose to simply sit. Looking softly at the flames. Not trying to do anything, Nothing to think, nothing to do, nowhere to go… Just being a witness…

And in that profound silence, the distinction between you (the offerer), the process of offering, and the fire (the receiver) begins to dissolve. Zero and zero becomes infinite. That is yoga. Union of two zeros. That’s what yoga is. Not one and one. The Guru is already the zero. I need to become zero through burning off all my old samskaras etc.

You could choose to remain in this silence for as long as you can, absorbing the peace and purity generated by the ritual. By weaving these elements together, our yajna transforms from a simple ritual into a direct, experiential communion/connection/link with the luminous flame of consciousness of the Guru.

Then we are not just performing a fire ritual ceremony; we are participating in the eternal process of transformation that Gurudeva Swami Rama himself embodied. Am I ready? Am I willing to offer myself at the feet of the Master to be burnt and purified?

The connection with the Guru is not limited to the physical body. It is a connection within that flame of consciousness.

Editor’s Note:

This article is an excerpt from the lecture by Rabindra Sahu during the Guru-Disciple Relationship Retreat conducted at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama from 19-25 October 2025, in celebration of Gurudeva Swami Rama’s birth centenary.

[i] Samagri  in a yajna  is made of a combination of sesame seeds, barley, rice, sugar, nuts, ghee and several aromatic herbs.

[ii] The five kleshas (afflictions) are avidya (ignorance), asmita (i-am-ness), raga (attraction), dvesha (aversion) and abhinivesha (fear of death).  See the commentaries on Sutras I.5, I.8 and II.5 in Swami Veda Bharati’s Yoga-sutras of Patanjali with the Exposition of Vyasa, Volumes One and Two.

“We are creators of our bondage. We are creators of our freedom. We are creators of our slavery. In fact, freedom cannot be created. Bondage is created. Freedom cannot be created. Freedom cannot be accomplished. Freedom cannot be achieved. Freedom is the purity of volition. It is the freedom of will.”

— Swami Veda Bharati, You and Your Emotions, p.98

In October, we held a three-day yoga meditation retreat with Rabindra Sahu, themed “Bondage or Freedom – The Source of True Power.”　The venue, Retreat Dome “OR”, was surrounded by the Yatsugatake mountain ridges, where we were gracefully nourished by the prāṇa of Mother Nature, lovingly prepared Ayurvedic vegetarian meals, and the warm hospitality of the staff.

The venue’s name, “OR”, means “light” in Hebrew. As beautifully expressed on their website, it reminds us that each of us carries a radiant light within. In the peaceful dome house embraced by the Yatsugatake forest, we are invited to pause, reset the heart, and begin the journey toward our own inner light.

We began the retreat with an introduction to the Himalayan tradition and shared the systematic steps of meditation practice. The evening program explored the mind and its functions—how we can learn to use our buddhi, the higher mind, rather than being governed by lower tendencies.  After evening prayers, participants practiced joints and glands exercises and haṭha yoga, followed by a guided meditation the next morning.

Through sessions on “The Essence of Being,” “The Life Force,” and “Liberation and Awareness,” participants gradually deepened their understanding of “Who am I?” — discovering the answer through understanding what we are not and recognizing our true nature.  On the final day, Mt. Fuji revealed its beauty, surrounded by a rare “sea of clouds.”  We embraced the moment as a blessing.

That morning, we meditated together by integrating proper posture, breathing, and breath awareness.  The wave of breath and the sound of mantra gently merged into silence, filling the atmosphere with stillness and peace.  Our final session centered on the source of true power, which is Love — the power that never changes but continues to grow as we rediscover its source within.

Throughout the retreat, we were blessed by the loving beauty of nature and the openness of the participants, which graced the entire gathering.  I offer heartfelt gratitude to the staff who welcomed us so warmly and prepared such nourishing Ayurvedic meals. Above all, I express deep gratitude to the Guru Lineage, for reconnecting us—with one another, and with our own inner essence. These are some of the reflections shared by participants:

“My view of yoga has changed.  Inspired by the teacher’s words that the mind’s flexibility matters more than the body’s, I’ve begun to explore how to bring this understanding into my practice.”

“I was reminded that meditation is not about forcing myself into a particular posture or method, but about allowing the body and mind to be at ease — relaxed and natural.”

“The vague anxiety I used to wake up with has disappeared.  Even the short time I spend preparing for meditation — even just one minute — is now something I look forward to. I’m surprised at how much my life can change simply by working with my mind.  I’ve also become more mindful of my roles, and the desire to fulfill them meaningfully seems to have naturally deepened my patience and tolerance.”

“It was a very meaningful time.  It hasn’t even been a week yet, but I can already feel a clear difference within myself.  I would love to have a follow-up sharing session.”

Following the retreat, we held three one-day workshops in Kanagawa, Nara, and Shiga.  Some were themed “A Practical Guide to Holistic Health,” while others focused on yoga meditation in daily life.  Around fifty participants joined in total, many of whom were new to the Himalayan tradition yet showed genuine interest in self-discovery.

“It became clear to me that the mind and body are distinct from myself.  Emotions and thoughts often feel as if they arise from within the body, yet through practice, I experienced that I can guide my thoughts.  I also noticed how even a slight change in my breathing brought a deep sense of calmness to both mind and body.”

“Spending just one day at the retreat gave me a wonderfully peaceful experience, allowing both my mind and body to fully relax.  I feel enriched by the love I received and wish to share that love with those around me.”

I would like to express sincere gratitude to Midori-san and Sachiko-san, who organized the workshops in Nara and Shiga.  Having both stayed in the ashram, they devoted their time and effort to sharing the teachings of the Himalayan tradition with their students and communities.

On a personal note, I have felt deep love and connection through the people I have met while traveling, translating, and sharing what I have learned.  Rabindra-ji showed us that when we give, we receive — and that when we discover love within, it keeps growing, naturally and endlessly.  Through this reflection, I came to see that it is also our own choice whether to welcome love or to turn away from it.  As Swami Veda wrote, “We are creators of our bondage,” but “freedom cannot be created.”  Our willingness, or Trust and Surrender is what open the inner door to Freedom.

With heartfelt gratitude to the Tradition and the Guru Lineage,

Yuko

3-Day Immersion Course on Purpose, Practice & Inner Peace with Rabindra in Johor Bahru, Malaysia 

We are deeply grateful to welcome Rabindra, a teacher from Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama (SRSG) of the Himalayan tradition, to The Seeds Iyengar Yoga Johor Bahru. He offered our students a truly unique and heartfelt inner experience.

The connection with the Himalayan tradition of The seeds Iyengar Yoga Studio Johor Bahru began from Dec 2019. We invited teacher Shi Hong to give a mandarin Yoga Sutra learning workshop. From there, the learning started and this year we again received the blessing from Guru, sending Rabindra to here.

The initial invitation was extended in March 2025, when we met at the ashram and shared the wish of one day hosting him in Malaysia. With his warmth and commitment, Rabindra graciously fulfilled that promise and travelled across thousands of miles to be with us this November.

Although the immersion lasted only three days, the clarity and depth of the insights we received will stay with us for a long time.

Day 1 — Introduction to the Himalayan Yoga Tradition

Rabindra began by guiding us into the origins of yoga, its ancient purpose, and its relevance in today’s world—contrasting the essence of traditional practice with contemporary modern yoga.

He opened our eyes to the many dimensions of yoga and expanded our understanding of its true intention.

Day 2 — Introducing the Eight Limbs of Yoga

Through engaging stories and everyday scenarios, he explained profound yogic wisdom in a simple, humorous, and relatable way.

After understanding the philosophy, he showed us how to bring small changes into daily life:

Do we offer gratitude to Mother Earth each morning before stepping onto the floor? “Dear Mother, please forgive me for placing my feet upon you. Thank you for your unconditional support…”

When we shower, do we thank the precious water source? “Thank you for cleansing this body and giving me freshness for a new day…”

These small gestures of gratitude—toward the Earth that supports and sustains us—are also yoga practice. To cherish, to protect, and to appreciate… this is yoga.

Even our food and the prayer before meals can nourish us more deeply. A meal cooked with sincere intention carries the love of the one who prepared it, offering nourishment beyond taste. As the teacher often said, our food contains Vitamin L — Love.

Day 3 — Relaxation & Gentle Meditation Guidance

Rabindra guided students into understanding the layers of preparation needed before meditation: a relaxed body, a steady breath, and a quiet mind. When these elements are present, meditation happens naturally—rather than something we “try hard” to do.

These three days concluded beautifully, filled with laughter, ease, serenity, and heartfelt quietude.

Rabindra led us step by step with the simplest of words, opening the doorway to the methods and wisdom of ancient yoga practice. He reminded us with his own words: “Undigested knowledge is philosophy. Digested knowledge is wisdom.”

The Himalayan Yoga Tradition emphasizes direct experience, and in him we witnessed this truth—nothing superficial, only years of sincere, continuous, and gentle practice woven into lived understanding.

We are deeply grateful for his long journey to be with us. We look forward to learning from him again. On behalf of all students in Malaysia, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the teacher and to the lineage for their support and blessings.

Namaste.

October has been a special month for the Himalayan Yoga Institute of Florence, rich in events and initiatives to reconnect, to gather together, to share in the joy of kalyana mitras’ presence, and “to receive”, with deep gratitude, the guidance and the teachings of our International Teachers in the Himalayan Tradition: Rabindra Sahu and Stoma Parker.

As part of the initiatives dedicated to the celebration of the centenary of Swami Rama’s birthday, the month began with an online workshop with Rabindra Sahu, dedicated to the sacred theme of the “Divine Feminine”: with great surprise, more than 90 people attended the workshop, that was projected at the Institute for those who could meet in person.

Rabindra introduced us to the many possible ways to reconnect with the Shakti force, a welcoming, nurturing and transformative force of kindness, compassion, and love that each of us should learn to rediscover and to cultivate within: a non physical force, the union of the masculine and the feminine force inside each of us, the life force, an intangible and subtle force that resides within each of us. Rabindra invited us to contemplate on the importance to learn to reconnect with Her and to live our lives under Her Divine guidance. Stoma Parker opened the beginning of second year of the Italian TTP with an online session on the topic of mind and emotions: he went deep into the explanation of the connections between mind and emotions according to the Yoga Philosophy, talking also about the four primary fountains and how the awareness of their profound interconnections could help us in deepening emotional purification.

Even if online, the presence of Stoma Ji contributed to let all the entire Italian Sangha feel closer and more unite than ever: all the TTP students and the Italian teachers had the perception a special energy was circulating among us.

On Saturday October 25th the Institute organized a six hours akhanda japa to celebrate Swami Rama’s birthday and to reconnect with the ashram Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama, our spiritual home, where it had been organised a 28 hours akhanda japa. Teachers, students of the current TTP and members of the Institute joined the practice with enthusiasm and a sentiment of love, discovering the joy of deepening the practice and the feeling of a more profound connection to the Lineage.
At the end of the day the Institute was like a sacred cave, filled of silent prayers.

Our profound Gratitude goes to Rabindra and Stoma, to the entire Italian Sangha and to our Beloved Masters.

May our hearts continue to be filled with this sacred sentiment of Love.

In Loving Service,

Ilaria Sarri

Editor’s Note:

Ilaria Sarri is one of the center leaders of Himalayan Yoga Institute Italia – Centro Per La Salute Globale in Firenze (Florence), Italy. She is a long term initiate in the Tradition, and a TTP teacher and mentor since several years.

The photos were shared by Carlotta Nucci.

3rd AHYMSIN Family Yoga Summer Camp 2025 in Greece from 31^st July to 7^th August

dedicated to Sri Swami Rama, on the occasion of 100 years from His birth

organized by “Himalayan Yoga Meditation of Hellas”

It was a simple meeting of people coming to meet “their family”, which felt as if we knew each other before we met.

Dear AHYMSIN Family,

We have received the video about the AHYMSIN Family Yoga Summer Camp made by Panagiotis and Christos Fotinas Voinas. We thank them, as well as our beloved senior teachers, the participants, the organizers and junior teachers, for their offerings to make this event made of family moments that will be remembered as one of the heart – created events of our life.

Τhe participants came from different countries (England, India, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, and Greece). We were all immensely humbled and honored by the online presence of our beloved Senior teachers: Stomaji (Stephen Parker), Carol and Charles Crenshaw and Sonia Van Nispen who were students of Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati (*). They told us stories about how they met Swami Rama and “How he raised us up” either by His presence or by his spirit. This was a way of teaching through experience and not through a lecture: A live suggestion to parents about how to raise their own children by their example.

The hours and days passed so quickly with three yoga classes per day, karma yoga, three hours that children with parents enjoying each other at the seaside, relaxing time during the hot hours of the day, one and a half hour parents’ time meeting online with our Senior teachers, while at the same time children enjoyed arts and crafts creation time. At the end of the day one hour for the whole family, with presentations, sharing ideas, chanting, folklore dances from each other’s countries. It goes without saying, we enjoyed three vegetarian meals per day by the blessed hands of Mr. Stathis, the scout chef.

The atmosphere was so calm and joyful right from the first moment, everything was flowing smoothly until the moment that an unexpected event was present in front of all of us. We admired how we all protected the harmony that existed from the beginning, by just naming the event but not identifying ourselves with it. We just continued experiencing an atmosphere of serenity and love. We wish that all of us face the difficult events in our lives in a similar way.

I would like to end up with the feedback of somebody who joined the Summer Camp for the first time: “A wonderful retreat experience! I enjoyed the beautiful and peaceful nature, the variety of sessions offered to guide our mind, body and soul. A unique family with members from all over the world willing to share and explore our inner strength, the potential of “our own laboratory”. I did not like that it ended so quickly… But I am sure we will meet again soon! Thank you”.

After the end of the Summer Camp, this is what I found as I was walking at the seaside, created by nature.

Om. It is a blessing to know that we are all together walking the only path there is… Life…Love…Light

Editor’s Note:

Our teachers’ videos are available to whomever is interested. You may reach out to Sofia at info@himalayanyoga.gr

In Search of the Silent Mind: The Dutch Silence Retreat

There were calm September days for the annual HYMNS retreat at the Beukenhof in Biezenmortel.  The lady officer at passport control at Schipol airport asked for my destination.  Biezenmortel, I said with a smile. Where’s that? she asked. I have yet to meet a Dutch person who knows of it. Therefore. it must be the perfect place for a silence retreat.

The Beukenhof is a robust, stone-built former Capuchin monastery.  Next door is a former nunnery and to the back a field of cows. On the bus to Biezenmortel you pass a large church.  The area would have had a big rural population once, before the migration to the cities.  Around you see thatched houses some with interesting modern alterations.

In an evening meeting the teachers gave funny, sober, playful and sometimes serious accounts of their experiences with silence.  Reimke told of first experiencing silence as a child in church. That made me remember my own experience noticing silence around me.  It was palpable, it came as I went about in sight of distant hills.  Later, older but not wiser, I opted to read Kant’s Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysic where I came across the Transcendental Aesthetic in which space and time are inherent conditions of our thought prior to consideration of the world.  Then it must follow that the space surrounding objects has an affinity with our consciousness.  There is no separation, whatever the difference might be, for objects in space and the subtle sense of space within us.  It is true we would not know our bodies were it not for the mind and our bodies exist in  the space of our mind.   But the consideration of space, offering unity of consciousness by its intrinsic nature can’t be the final condition of knowing. What is the condition allowing space and time to be?  If consciousness of the world rests on space, what does space rest on?  We are looking behind what makes knowledge possible here.  What’s left after space?  Silence.  Think about it – there’s no thought there.  Just silence. The deepest thinking is not reason but contemplation.  Contemplation feeds on silence. I fancy all great philosophers east and west knew this silence and looked out upon the world from there.  And this is where we were being directed at the Beukenhof.

We were given a choice: ākāra mauna or kaśta mauna, silent but not so strictly or as silent as wood with total control over the senses, indriya gupti.  We were encouraged to consider the latter.  Then it is not just a case of not acknowledging others or not reading or not playing with a phone but not letting the mind attach itself to anything. If the eyes stray to a picture, then draw the eyes back, draw the mind from everything and manas will shut up.  Then buddhi,. without manas troubling it, turns more easily to see the difference between itself and silence.  It is the difference between the stillness of a faraway point in the sky and the leaves of the nearby trees rustling and distracting. Shailendra used this metaphor to explain contemplative walking.  Beyond the activity of manas and the indriyas is stillness, silence and uninterrupted consciousness.

Silence practice depends on discerning the subtle body.  We began with the Joints & Glands practice led by Uta.  The progressive attention from head to feet enhanced by prana mudra and agni sara draws awareness of the body from the body as object to a mental reception of physical movements.

Contemplative walking presents the inherent integration of the body though it is a physical practice.  One more step is all that’s needed to unity of awareness.

Pierre gave talks on japa and introduced a system of two 45-minute meditations with five minutes stretching exercises between, then nine rounds of nadi shodana. The effort was worth it: that bit nearer to silence.

Swami Ma Tripura Shakti led us through shitali karana, 61 points and yoga nidra over the days.  She also led guided meditations where we were invited to make friends and play within the subtle body.

Then came the akhanda japa: 25 hours with the stipulation that four sadhakas at least be in attendance each hour making 100 in respect of Swami Rama’s birth centenary.  The preceding subtle body practices prepare the way to grasp the inner sense of the japa:

“Undivided, indivisible, that which is not constituted of parts, ever remains one, whole and complete. By the invocation of which, by the presence of which within us all divisiveness and delusion of our minds and spiritual forces recover and discover our own interior indivisibility and rediscover that we are made of objects for a part of which we identify ourselves are not the part of the one, undivided, indivisible, spiritual essence.” – Swami Veda Bharati, 2010

To begin we chanted the mantra aloud, continued more softly and then by mental recitation.  Twenty-five hours later the mantra was withdrawn by bringing it back from the mind into the room.  All that remained was the quiet vibration.

This was a longer silence than in previous silence retreats at the Beukenhof.  The silence was deeper for that. It was a wonderful retreat, well thought out and delivered.

Swami Rama has said,

“The relationship between the Guru and disciple is the purest, with unconditional love. There is absolute selflessness. The Guru wants nothing from the disciple. The Guru’s only wish is that we become a little more regular in our practice and he waits for the disciple endlessly, incarnations after incarnations after incarnations. The Guru never leaves the disciple. Everything in life leaves us at some time or other. Nothing will stay with us forever. All our wealth, all the name and fame, good health, beauty, parents, spouse, children, etc., nobody stays with us, even in one lifetime, forever all the time. The relationship with the Guru extends beyond lifetimes, provided we are a worthy disciple.” (Sacred Journey, p. 84)

In my limited understanding, there are three most important pillars in the Guru disciple relationship.

1. First S – Shraddha is absolute faith and belief with sincerity and receptivity.

The Bhagavad-gita (Ch. 4, v. 39) says, śhraddhāvānllabhate jñānaṁ. Śhraddhāvān—somebody who’s endowed with Shraddha. Labhate—gets or is benefited with. Jñānam—wisdom.

The disciple must possess the first essential quality shraddha—faith and receptivity—to be able to benefit from the Guru’s guidance. The disciple must trust that whatever the master does is for their ultimate good.

If I am truly a disciple, I don’t decide. If I am sick, I don’t decide the medicine. I go to the doctor, whatever the doctor prescribes, that’s what I do. If I say, ‘doctor, I don’t believe you, I doubt you’, then I should go to somebody else. I cannot take a medicine without trust. I have to trust. That’s the first step—shraddha. If there is no trust, no progress can happen. The Guru is the one who personally guides us on the spiritual path. The Guru knows all the pitfalls that may come up on this path and knows our mind, our samskaras, tendencies, vasanas, and even our past lives. So, the Guru knows what kind of practice would be suitable for each of us. The disciple thinks, ‘I may not fully understand why the Guru is giving this specific instruction (a particular mantra, a seemingly mundane task), but I trust his wisdom and the map of the Tradition enough to practice it sincerely.’

At the same time another importance and often overlooked aspect is that the disciple must have faith in themselves, that they are capable of transforming themselves. The disciple is not meant to ignore their own intellect and intuition, otherwise faith in the Guru becomes a dependency. True shraddha begins with a trust to try.

As we all know, doubt is the enemy of faith. Shraddha is challenged by doubt. The disciple will inevitably face doubts about the path, the Guru or their own capacity. We have seen many examples of that in Swami Rama’s autobiography—Living with the Himalayan Masters. The way to overcome doubt is to be open about it and bring it to the Guru for clarification.

Another challenge that prevents us from having shraddha is the ego of knowing. The disciple must cultivate humility and remain open as a beginner, letting go of the need to already know or understand everything. Do I have faith in my Master? Am I receptive? Then, personal guidance is received.

So the Guru-disciple relationship is based upon the foundation of shraddha, that is the first pillar.

2. Second S – Sadhana

Sadhana is disciplined, daily effort, practice, and commitment. Continued commitment towards our ultimate goal. Sincere commitment is called sadhana. We may fail a thousand times, but we must remain committed towards our practice. Which practice? The practice given by the Master.

In the Guru-disciple relationship, practice is non-negotiable. We must practice the guidance we receive. Sometimes a kick, sometimes a blow, sometimes a hug where we feel that there is heaven in that hug, sometimes a slap where you feel that there is destruction of ego, as if we are being destroyed.

Once we go to the doctor, we sincerely, diligently follow the doctor’s prescription and advice. We need to practice diligence and sincerity in following the prescription that has been given to me by my master, no matter how many times we fail. If I do not live the teachings that have been given to me by my Guru, nothing else would count and I would not progress far. The best that a disciple can offer to the Guru Force is by living the teachings of the Masters.

There are two wings of sadhana:

1. abhyasa, diligence in our practice, and
2. vairagya, dispassion, detachment.

When we start one practice which is leading us towards something higher, naturally we are detached from something else. It could be anything. For example, if I take the principle of eating sattvic food. That means I have to detach from rajasic and tamasic foods, I have to detach myself from those kind of foods that excites my nervous system, that gives excitement to my mind or that brings dullness for the sake of something that is easy to digest, keeps me fresh, alert, and is nourishing etc.

Sadhana is challenged by laziness and procrastination where our lower mind always find excuses. There could be periods where our practice feels mechanical, empty, and devoid of progress, as if we are stuck. The ultimate test of Sadhana is not how calm we are in meditation, but how we respond to a traffic jam, a criticism, or a personal loss. This is the phase where our faith and discipline is challenged. Leading to the importance of the third pillar of Samarpana.

3. Third S – Samarpana is self-surrender.

Samarpana is not slavery. We can think of it as progressive surrendering of my lower mind onto the higher self. Samarpana is a conscious choice to merge my individual will with the Divine Will. This allows the disciples to receive the Guru’s grace.

A disciple must learn to surrender the need to control and see/realize that our mind is limited and very often misguided by the preconceived ideas, past samskaras, conditionings etc.

It is not that we are new to the concept of surrendering. Sometimes when we listen to this word surrender, we get frightened.

When we go to a barber, we have surrendered ourselves to the barber. We trust that the barber will only cut my hair, and not my neck or ear. When we board a flight, we surrender ourselves to the pilot.

Absolute surrender is a big thing. It is about surrendering everything that is “Me” and “Mine”. It will come eventually but we can practice progressive surrender. Let me surrender one aspect of my life to my Master, whatever it could be. Let me surrender a particular thought, let me surrender an emotion to my Master, let me surrender the attachment to wealth, whichever it is, in our own ways—let us spend time to contemplate what we are ready to leave. Every time we choose to purify and overcome one of the many weaknesses—it could be a jealousy, or a fear, or anger/resentment—and offer that struggle at the feet of the Master, that is a small yet powerful act of surrender. Samarpana to the Guru therefore is never an act of suppression, it is an act of expansion.

When we start our journey/relationship upon the foundation of a little shraddha, it leads us to begin our sadhana. Regularity in sadhana provides us with direct experience which then deepens our shraddha in the Guru and as our sadhana deepens we inherently feel the burden or our own ego that needs to be surrendered making us more willing to practice samarpana and eventually the samarpana removes the final block of our Ego making our sadhana fruitful and shraddha more profound.

These three qualities [shraddha, sadhana, samarpana] are the most essential between the Guru and the disciple.

Gurudeva Swami Rama’s entire life was an example of these pillars. His unwavering shraddha in his Master allowed him to endure unimaginable sadhana which led to the ultimate samarpana.

Om Shreem Gurave Namah.

Om Shreem Gurave Namah.

Om Shreem Gurave Namah.

Om Shantih Shantih Shantih.

Editor’s Note:

This is an excerpt from Rabindra Sahu’s class on the same topic during the Guru-Disciple Relationship Retreat from 19-25 October, 2025.

With a heart so full of love, head bowed down in surrender, and hands folded in humility and devotion, we began celebration of Gurudeva HH Swami Rama’s Birth Centenary day on 25 October 2025 with the Guru-Disciple Relationship Retreat from 19-25 October 2205.

As we prepared the ashram, and more importantly, ourselves to commemorate the centenary of Gurudeva’s physical presence, we received guidance and inspiration from Swami Ritavan Bharati, Swami Tat Sat Bharati, Wong Yoong Khiang, and Rabindra Sahu. They all shared teachings on the theme of our week—how to deepen our relationship with the Guru Force and how to become worthy of being a disciple.​

In homage to Gurudeva, we organised a 7-day yajna (fire offerings) with the akhanda-mandalakaram mantra from 19-25 October 2025. In preparation for this once in a lifetime celebration, the entire ashram was decorated with flowers and holy leaves of the Ashoka and Mango trees. Each cottage door was decorated with a traditional flowers and leaves ‘bandhanwar’ or ‘toran’ lovingly handmade by our visiting sadhakas.

Nine priests organised daily pujas and led the yajna everyday for ​several hours. And the ashram reverberated with the chants of the akhanda-mandalakaram mantra and other Vedic mantras throughout the week. With each repetition of the mantra, we were reminded of the Guru’s Grace to be allowed to be a tiny part of this ancient, unbroken Tradition and to receive the timeless teachings of the Himalayan Masters. The ashram was filled with the fragrant scent of the yajna, as a beautiful reminder of the Path of Fire and Light, so lovingly shown by our Gurudeva.

The yajna concluded with the Purnahuti on 25 October, on Swami Rama’s 100th birthday and was attended by more than 450 devotees including many global family members who journeyed far, and several followers from Rishikesh, whose lives were touched by the light of Swami Rama. Many global family members from all over the world connected with us during the events via Facebook live to pay their obeisances to our dearest Gurudeva.

Swami Rama Birth Centenary (13)

Swami Rama Birth Centenary (12)

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Swami Rama Birth Centenary (36)

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Swami Rama Birth Centenary (41)

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Swami Rama Birth Centenary (51)

On 25th October, we began a 28-hour akhanda japa (non-stop remembrance) of the akhanda-mandalakaram mantra at 4 am in the Initiation Room. The japa continued throughout the day and night, until 8 am on 26th October. For those 28 hours, Swami Veda’s Initiation Room became a sacred sanctuary where everyone sat in stillness and silence turning their gaze inward on a shared inner pilgrimage. It was a beautiful experience to see people sitting with utter devotion through the brightness of the day and deep silence of the night, all engaged in remembrance of Swami Rama through their japa.

We initially took a silent sankalpa to offer 100 hours of japa in remembrance of Gurudeva Swami Rama. With heartfelt devotion and dedication of all initiates, both ashramites and visiting sadhakas, we were very happy to have collectively completed over 120 hours of japa.

With every single offering into the sacred yajna fire and through our japa, we prayed at the lotus feet of Gurudeva so we may be purified and may become worthy of following the path that he illuminated for us.

Editor’s note:

In the year 2033, we will be celebrating Gurudeva Swami Rama’s 108th birthday and our beloved Swami Veda Bharati’s 100th birthday with a grand event, and the preparations have already begun. 🙂

It is always an honour and delight for the disciples and seekers on the path of Truth to celebrate the birth centenary of luminous beings whose lives and teachings have touched and transformed countless souls—leading them from the darkness of ignorance to the light of Truth.

As we celebrate and commemorate the centenary of our Gurudeva HH Swami Rama’s earthly presence, we bow in loving reverence. Gurudeva reminded us that life is both fleeting and precious—and that we must not waste time. He showed us the way to translate all desires of life into a singular desire: to seek the Atman, the one eternal witness, and to discover the mystery of this life.

In this Centennial Year, our current spiritual guide and Ashram Pramukha, Swami Ritavan Bharati, lovingly called upon all initiates of the Himalayan Tradition and all disciples of the Lineage to renew their sankalpa—to live in the world yet remain above it, to live skilfully and selflessly, while holding dear the teachings of Gurudeva.

The Birth Centenary Celebration is not merely a moment of remembrance of Gurudeva Swami Rama. It is a loving reminder for reconnection and rededication towards the teachings of the Himalayan Tradition in order to transform our lives. As we know, the mission of the Himalayan Tradition, as carried forward by Swami Rama, is to awaken the divine flame within every human being, enabling each one of us to realize our true Self.

Within my limited understanding, Swami Rama is that living flame of pure consciousness. He has written:

“The word guru is a compound of two words, gu and ru. Gu means darkness and ru means light. That which dispels the darkness of ignorance is called guru. The energy and action of removing darkness are guru. Guru is not a person; it is a force driven by grace.” (Sacred Journey, p. 82)

To me, Gurudeva Swami Rama is that being of light, a living flame. When we celebrate his birth centenary, we are really celebrating that living flame and dedicating our lives to rekindle the light of the sacred teachings within ourselves. The Guru represents the highest wisdom, the truth, the light, and the love. We must allow that divine flame to ignite within us. The light is always there. The question is—am I willing to receive? Am I willing to be transformed?

gurur brahmā gurur viṣṇur gurur devo maheśvaraḥ,
guruḥ sākṣāt paraṁ brahma tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

In our prayer and worship to the Guru, we say: Guru Brahma—the Guru is the Creator; Guru Vishnu—the Guru is the Sustainer; Guru Maheshvara—the Guru is the Destroyer. So, when we surrender ourselves at the feet of the Master—to be recreated, to sustain what has been created, and to allow complete destruction of my ego. Are we ready? Do we truly want this?

Only worshipping the Guru is not enough. If I am thirsty and hold a cup of water, yet I continue to only worship the water without drinking it, my thirst will remain unquenched. The water has the potential to quench my thirst, but unless I drink it, nothing changes. In the same way, we can go on worshipping the Guru outwardly, but unless we allow the Guru to enter our hearts, transformation will not occur.

Through mantra initiation, one drop of the Guru’s mind-field is implanted into our own. The Guru has planted one drop of nectar, one drop of that light of love within us.

On Gurudeva Swami Rama’s birth centenary, the greatest tribute we can offer him is to recommit to our sadhana—to approach the path with the same sincerity, courage, and dedication that he exemplified as both a disciple and a Guru (even though he never claimed to be one).

Now is the time for us to go forth and ignite the flame of light and love in ourselves and others.

May our lives become the living echo of Gurudeva’s words—LOVE, SERVE, REMEMBER.