• Table of Contents
  • Delete Death by Swami Veda Bharati
  • Mind and Prana by Swami Rama
  • Guru Purnima Letter by Swami Ritavan Bharati
  • Third Mahasamadhi Anniversary by Tarinee Awasthi
  • Welcome home dear Swami Ritavan by Sofia Foteina
  • International Yoga Day 2018 by Carolyn Hume
  • Hungary International Yoga Day by Andrea Zsolnai
  • Noida International Yoga Day by Prateek Panday
  • Dear Yoga Mentor, My Question Is…
  • SRSG International Yoga Day by Tarinee Awasthi
  • The Dance of Transformation by Ildikó Duna
  • A Month in South Korea by Pandit Priyadarshan (Pierre Lefebvre)
  • 2018 Events and Beyond
  • Full Moon Meditation Dates
  • Location of our SRSG ashram
• AHYMSIN Newsletter Archive

Welcome home dear Swami Ritavan

by Sofia Foteina

at the center “Café Ecole - Himalayan Yoga Meditation of Hellas”

[slideshow at the bottom]

Namaste ! Hari Om!

It was one of the happiest events that took place in our center in Athens. A center that was long prepared to embrace the messages that were to be given to our being. Swami Ritavan Bharati came to us in mid June 2018 with his abundant offerings and love. His being a mirror to us helped us to understand more than we would have acquired by words.

During his stay, he released the book Kundalini, Stilled or Stirred, by Swami Veda Bharati, translated in Greek and published by “Café Ecole Publications” in Athens, and we are greatly indebted to him.

During his stay the following events took place:

1.) On Saturday the 16th of June in the morning, 11:00-12:30, the Yoga children “welcomed home” Swamiji presenting to him some of the postures they were practicing in our centre during the year. We are grateful that he took the time to join the children in their presentation.

2.) The same day, in the evening 19:00-21:00 Swami Ritavan Bharati, kindly released and introduced Swami Veda Bharati’s book Kundalini, Stilled or Stirred, translated in Greek.

During this event we appreciated George Tsagrinos connecting the energy of kundalini with the Ancient Greek equivalent symbol of Hermes, the caduceus, as referred in this same book by Swami Veda Bharati. He also said that India and Greece have a deep philosophical-religious common cultural background and in a subtler level we can call them sisters.

We also appreciated Dr. Prakriti’s Bhaskar presentation of kundalini energy by the classical Indian dance Bharatanatyam. As she usually does, she inspired people to get up and dance with her under her guidance. Yoga children still repeat her inspired movements.

This event took place at AEGEAN COLLEGE, in the center of Athens.

3.) On Sunday the 17th of June, from 18:00-21:30, Swami Ritavan Bharati gave a Seminar for parents, grandparents and teachers on: “Raising Spiritual Families”. This was the first official event in our premises; therefore Swamiji also inaugurated the function of our center by this seminar. At the end of the seminar, Swamiji blessed a young couple that came from the north of Greece and had just had the news that they are expecting a child.

4.) On Thursday the 21st of June from 18:00 to 21:30 was a great opportunity for us to celebrate with Swamiji the occasion of the 4th International Day of Yoga. We enjoyed a yoga class by Sofia, and meditation and sangha meeting with Swami Ritavan.

5.) On Friday the 22nd, from 18:00-20:00 and on 23rd and 24th of June, from 10:00 to 17:30 Swami Ritavan gave a Seminar on “Kundalini: Stilled or Stirred”. Among other things, he dealt at length and alleviated some misconceptions about what Tantra is, and what is the nature of chakras-the consciousness centers. He also explained the meaning of “raising the Kundalini”, and “opening the chakras” helping us to drop some of our mental habit patterns that delay our “liberation”. We appreciated Litsa Matzoukou’s translation for the Kundalini Seminar.

We especially thank our brother Bhaskarji Nagarajan, who apart from helping, shared love around him.

Last but not least, we had the pleasure to meet our sisters Anna Mezosi, the directress of the Himalayan Yoga Center in Hungary, and Ilona Dioszegi, experienced teacher of the center, who traveled from Hungary to attend Swami Ritavan seminars, and honored us with their presence and assistance.

Our experience was outstanding. The knowledge inspiring, the messages enlightening. We are greatly indebted to Swamiji’s amiable presence and sharing with us.  We all enjoyed his laughter and openness; he acted as if he was brought up in Greece. Love and giving is very important to people in Greece, but Swamiji surpassed us.

Here are some extracts of letters we received:

• K. F.: “Interesting and enlightening seminar (on Kundalini). I hope there will be more on that subject.”
• M.T. "On this path of seeking inner and outer peace I have been blessed with great teachers every step of the way. Help and support was abundantly provided and I am immensely grateful for that. As Guru Purnima is approaching, I would like to express once more my gratitude. This time for the presence of Swami Ritavan in Greece last June (2018). Thank you, Swami ji, for helping me in such a subtle way to go past some of my inner conflicts and experience Oneness in my meditation. "
• K.P.: “What I felt then, what I remember most, what get in to my Soul:
• First of all, the power of speech.
• The silence between the words.
• The truth that is revealed through simplicity,
• They simply bring clarity.
• Words dressed in beautiful words! So beautiful that bring the soul to harmony, beauty and spiritual satisfaction. So true that cause ecstasy, opening up the perception and bring up questions, questions without answer.
• Questions for further self-explore and self-knowledge, about the Truth, about Him.
• I feel grateful about our meeting.
• I am full of Gratitude about the blessing of the tradition of Himalaya Yoga, to have taken my personal Mantram, that was a push to my spiritual life, very much needed and asked as well.
• At this special moment that was the very top of our meeting, it was also a meeting with Him, a very strong emotional moment and an ecstasy, a promise that the Way is open and that I only have to go forward.
• I feel Love and Respect for Swami Ritavan Bharati.”

Thank you dear Swamiji, come again,
Your Greek students

Slideshow

(Fullscreen control - top right (white); next & previous controls bottom right)

•