“We yogis are the keepers of the spiritual flame.  And it is our function to keep that flame alight, and now to let it burst into a great bonfire of Love, of Divine Bliss, that will enable a new world to be born,” declared Shunyamurti to a room full of various kinds of yoga instructors from all parts of Costa Rica at a recent get-together in Orotina. His talk, a lightning bolt of gyana about the true nature of yoga, was the keynote event in a day-long gathering hosted by ASO Yoga, a growing group of yoga teachers who are dedicated to bringing yoga to all.

The wisdom transmitted through Shunyamurti that day was a call to all of us (yoga teacher or not) to responsibly embrace the impending global and psycho-spiritual changes with love and courage. It was a call to return to a non-egoic state of eternal bliss for the salvation of our sacred planet. Shunyamurti eloquently explained, “Yoga teachers [at this moment] are meant to be guides into Sat Yuga, nothing less.  But first you must guide yourself there.  The kingdom of heaven is within.  It is Brahman, it is Shiva… you are That.  Be it.  Dissolve the ego obstructions and reach liberation in life.  Then you are a true yogi.”

This special event was held in the beautiful tropical gazebo of ‘Yoga La Colina’, a yoga and meditation center, recently opened by Vanessa Cavellini. In the open-air studio, overlooking the lovely surrounding landscape of Orotina, an enthusiastic group of yoga teachers and practitioners joined to offer support of ASO Yoga’s mission of bringing yoga to diverse Costa Rican populations (at risk youth, pregnant women, children with cancer, etc.). The event also functioned to synergize the collective energies of local yogis towards a common aim of a rise in consciousness.  Purusha commented, “Our trip to ‘La Colina’ was immensely inspiring. It was wonderful to see so many people whose lives are dedicated to yoga. There was a joyous confluence of myriad playful energies, all merging together to create a unique blend; a divine atmosphere of friendship and love.”

In a day largely devoted to the active practice of asanas and the planning of social service projects, the talk given by Shunyamurti brought the focus back to the essential goal of yoga: living in a state of bliss, united with the one true Self.  “[His] teaching at the ASO yoga event went to the heart of yoga,” remarked Amrita. “The wisdom imparted by Sat Yoga’s spiritual guide enlightened listeners about the history of yoga and the essential nature of the yogic vows, the yamas and niyamas.”

As Yogiraj explained, “Shunyamurti gave a comprehensive yet concise record of yoga in which one was able to realize that yoga is not just a physical practice, but rather a physical, mental and spiritual discipline, which permeates, and in fact is, our existence.”

Many were deeply impacted by Shunyamurti’s compelling words and radiant presence.  “The most mind-blowing event for me (literally) was Shunyamurti’s talk. It is was both humbling and gratifying to hear the entire history of yoga summed up in under an hour! In the meditation that followed, we had the chance to let all of the gyana received and shakti raised throughout the day penetrate into to the depths of our Being. I bow in gratitude to everyone—every manifestation of the One—involved. I left feeling as though I had directly participated in the Sermon on the Mount!” expressed Purusha about his experience.

The loving wisdom and shakti of the Sat Yoga Institute’s founder and spiritual guide added a level of power, depth, and urgency to the ASO Yoga gathering that will certainly be a catalyst for the transformation of many who were present. Satananda summarized the event accurately when he stated, “It was beautiful to share with our fellow yoga teachers from Asoyoga the great value of spiritual community and commitment. Shunyamurti imparted with great compassion the vitalness of taking the traditional spiritual vows, known in Yoga as the Yamas and Niyamas, in service of benevolence, truth, and divine love.”

He added that “Shunyamurti reminded us that the path of a yogi is one of blissful discipline, of higher love and law, and of achieving ultimate perfection and union with the Divine. This is the meaning of Yoga.”

Satananda offered a blessing as well: “May all our fellow yogis of Asoyoga truly achieve this Imperative. Thank you, Shunyamurti, for your tireless service and selflessness.”

Below you will find a video of the teaching that Shunyamurti’s gave during the Asoyoga event (click here for the video link):

As we climbed up the tierra blanca (white land) of the Irazú volcano, passing the district where solo rosas (only roses) grow, we approached the “Rinconcito Orgánico Irazú.” Going off the main road we looked for a black and white gate that marked our entryway into the first organic farm founded north of Cartago (the original capital of Costa Rica). We were greeted by the smiling faces of Don Rodolfo (aka Tigre) and his son Juan Pablo. Rodolfo, in his characteristically cheerful manner, welcomed us blithely, exclaiming, “¡Qué linda la vida!” If there was ever a phrase that summed up our visit, that would have to be it.

Rodolfo and his wife, Hannia, have been longtime friends of ours at “El Trueque,” the organic farmer’s market that we shop at weekly for our urban institute. We had been wanting to visit their finca (farm) for a long time, but because of schedule conflicts, we had never been able to. The visit was well worth the wait and was incredible inspiration.

Rodolfo and Hannia’s story was actually a very interesting one, a real life example of Joseph Campbell’s famous maxim, “Follow your bliss.” Rodolfo was employed as a financial analyst for one of Costa Rica’s national banks. As the days slowly and tediously passed by, he recalled his work in college, researching and interviewing organic farmers, and all the joy that it brought him. One day, tired of his work and the lack of satisfaction it brought him in life, he quit his job, declaring, “I want to live with the hummingbirds, the bees, the trees, and dedicate my life to agriculture!”

It was no easy start for them. When they acquired their farm, they had no water, no phone—no luxuries of any kind. They couldn’t even imagine one day acquiring the status of organic farming. But they made do with what they had, received a little help from some friends, and today they have an extensive organic farm, hold workshops on organic farming, and are a living inspiration for others interested in organic agriculture.

In addition to their organic agricultural practices, they also manage their own personal seed bank, as a means of preserving high-quality, organic seed lines for the benefit of farmers throughout Costa Rica. They also make seeds available to anyone who needs them and encourage people to try and propagate the seeds themselves. The impressive seed bank, managed by Hannia, had its humble beginnings in Hannia’s kitchen, but soon grew to be far too large to be contained inside the house. Now, Rodolfo and Hannia propogate 80% of the seeds themselves to continue the collection and to add to the variety of crops they can make available to the public.

As demonstrated in their selfless seed bank project, Rodolfo and Hannia make it a point to share their information with those who are interested in organic farming. Rodolfo commented that one can go to workshops for years and not really learn that much important information; that people are prone to keep their secrets because of competition. But Rodolfo saw it differently: we’re all in this together, and we have to teach each other so that we can regain the knowledge that our culture has lost, so that we can live in abundance.

Rodolfo showed us around every part of their farm, from the devices they use to measure sunlight, to their highly advanced greenhouses, their soil preparations—even preparing lunch for us and serving us homemade cheese made from the milk of their singing cows! It was a beautiful experience with beautiful people. ¡Qué linda la vida!

The Solar Age is upon us. The Sun, once obscured by clouds of illusion, the bad faith of our egoic malfeasance, again shines unperturbed in Her resplendent glory and heralds the return of Her Son, Their Song again to be sung. Have you heard? It has already begun.

The Sat Yoga New Year’s retreat, “2012: Here Comes the Sun,” which began on December 28, 2011, reminded everyone of the immensity of the change that is rapidly approaching, in both its solemnity and its splendor. It delivered a dharmic dose of the Real into the ego’s false imaginary existence. It provided strength, courage, and love; safety and exposure. It pushed the limits and yet steadied the course. All the opposites intermingled, producing anxiety, ecstasy—and integration; all the power needed for the ultimate peregrination: from egoic enslavement to Liberation.

The sacred ashram at Arunachala was filled with joy as retreatants arrived, largely unaware of the profundity of the inward journey that they were about to embark upon. Some were literally shaking from the electrifying shakti that filled the ashram’s atmosphere. Others marveled at the bounty, the biodiversity, and the sheer beauty of the surrounding environment. But all felt immediately at home in the warmth of the Sat Yoga family.

After settling in, the group was oriented by Saraswati, who explained the form that the retreat would take as well as the ashram guidelines. Afterward, participants were able to meet and greet one another over tea and prepare themselves for the evening activities. That evening, everyone convened for the first group meditation. Shunyamurti welcomed everyone and encouraged them to consider Arunachala their home: “A home of peace; a home of divine love; a home for beings who have dedicated themselves to transcending the ego and its illusions and sufferings and dead-ends in order to live for the highest purpose: to help restore peace and love and beauty to our planet and to achieve the Supreme Liberation.”

The week was filled with magic, wonder, wisdom, love, sharing, exploration (both inner and outer), as well as the joy and vibrancy of communal life. Various retreatants reflected on their experiences at Arunachala:

“I know that it’s a cliché to say that it was a ‘life-changing’ retreat, but I really feel that something inside me has changed in a subtle and yet profound way. I can’t put into words what it is inside me that has changed, but I do have an intuitive knowing that this retreat has triggered a great shift, and I look forward to see how it will unfold in my life,” Carolina reflected.

Saraswati remarked, “The significance of 2012 is something that cannot be expressed or understood in mere discourse: scientific, political, spiritual, or otherwise. The meaning is of such overwhelming power and subtlety, that it simply will not be grasped in full by the mundane ego—or even the more refined and ripened soul. What is needed is a complete, even if momentary, dissolution of the lower forms of thinking and identifying, so that the voice of the Self, and the realization of the Truth, can be received and taken into the Heart. Releasing the defenses of the ego enough to tap into the veiled cosmic energy and intelligence often requires the conditions of a true sacred retreat. This past Sat Yoga retreat, like any other I have been on, featured the perfect components of shakti infused wisdom blows (delivered with gentleness and humor!), giant silent spaces for meditation and contemplation (over a cup of spicy sweet chai…), community support and truthful reflection of shadow aspects of the self (best medicine for quick purification), awe inspiring nature creations out every door and window (visible even to closed eyes through birdsong), and defense-dissolving yet unconditionally-loving drishti from Shunyamurti (the most potent of all ego dismantling drugs) to ignite the dissolution of soul-stifling defenses. A dip into this pool of radiant transformative reality has ignited a 2012 awakening in me.”

“Each retreat deepens my experience and this one had a grounding effect on me. I was at total peace and solitude during the entire stay; this effect has carried over and I’m still within that capsule of peace from Arunachala. The teachings were profound, timely and clear, there was much to digest and absorb from the teachings as well as the beautiful environment. From a deep state of gratitude, I want to thank Shunyamurti for his tireless efforts and the service of the karma yogis and the community at large for making the retreat a timeless experience,” bowed Barrie in reverence.

“It is a great experience to be embraced in a community that focuses on Divine Love.  Life becomes alive and we are part of it!” exclaimed Heather in joy.

“No puedo volver a ser la misma persona después del retiro. Fue una experiencia maravillosa, la meditación, las clases y el contacto con la tierra. El dolor de la lucha con el ego se hace cada día más doloroso. Pero con la meditación y el amor Divino lograré vencer. Gracias (I cannot return to being the same person that I was before this retreat. It was a wonderful experience: the meditation, the classes, the connection with the earth. The pain of the struggle against the ego becomes more painful every day. But with meditation and Divine Love, I will conquer it. Thank you.),” resolved José María.

“The Sat Yoga retreat, nestled in a heavenly location in Costa Rica, infused with Life Energy, is a gathering of beings dedicated to sharing the connectedness of all Life through the Oneness of Love. In this peaceful, supportive environment, one is free to explore and deepen his or her inner journey. I felt revitalized, knowing I was part of a Spiritual family. If you feel the urging of your soul to visit Sat Yoga, trust. All are welcome. Expand the Light,” declared Heidi.

Eric confessed, “I continue to be amazed by the teachings and dedication of the community offered at Sat Yoga retreats. It is felt in all aspects of daily life at the ashram—even in the simplest tasks. Whether it is the mindful act of drying a dinner plate or the most breathtaking sunset meditation, a space is always created with unlimited possibilities at Arunachala. It is felt from the moment you enter the gates and with every step on that sacred land. It is like an unexplainable energy that radiates inwardly; always pointing as a reminder to what is Real, what is Truth, who I am.”

“The silence I found at Arunachala gave me the message that everything is OK; you always have been Bliss. The perseverance and discipline of the karma yogis showed me how to dissolve the mind when we are in a conscious state. The continuity of the meditation process proved to me that it is possible to dissolve any pain and to find this blissful state that is me,” reflected Julio Cesar.

“This retreat became the womb where the divine seed within my heart has been truly fertilized by the Presence of God. I thank Shunyamurti for his endless, compassionate, and powerful wisdom. I also thank the community for organizing such a sacred gathering. May many other beings have the opportunity to abide in such a life-transforming environment,” offered Satananda.

Among the penetrating wisdom teachings, the divine shakti, the blissful meditations, and the safe space provided by the community, the retreat prepared everyone for the trials, tribulations—and unimaginable growth—that every spiritual seeker will face in the coming year.

Shunyamurti offered a final benediction: “May you give your consciousness and the collective consciousness of our sacred planet the ultimate gift of reunion with the Source, the Almighty One, Who is the fount of all miracles. May you surrender your mind and heart to the Supreme Self, here and now, in this auspicious moment. In that way, this year of 2012 will unfold truly as the dawn of the new Solar Age. You are the Sun who must now rise.”

Here Comes the Sun
We are all One, Om Tat Sat,
It’s all bright

Strumming my pain with His fingers
Singing my life with His words
Killing me softly with His song

Life has been intense for all of us: searching for happiness amidst a background of suffering and lostness, trying to find meaning in a world in which the dominant paradigm denies any higher meaning to life, and just under the surface of all appearances lies an intense feeling of anxiety—an ineluctable recognition that one is living an inauthentic existence. And the reason for this, as spiritual teachers have told us since times immemorial, is that we are living an inauthentic existence, identified with a false construct, a “me” that is divorced from both reality and the Real. And, as Shunyamurti pointed out, the “me” is our “Mortal Enemy.” The Sat Yoga Intensive was therefore designed to destroy that mortal enemy, softly, with the song of God.

But, “What is God’s song?” asked Shunyamurti. “God’s song is the song of silence, the stillness in which we return to the pure consciousness of our supreme being.” To kill the “me,” softly, then, is to silence the mind, “to reach that blessed stillness that is bliss.” And so the intensive was spent meditating to reach that place of stillness within, both through the actual practice of meditation and through the teachings of Shunyamurti which were given for the specific purpose of equipping participants with the proper knowledge and power to silence the ego-mind.

“What Shunyamurti offered us during the intensive was pure poetry which melted away my ego into the fire of the Divine Self. What he exhibited was a true flow state, and I learned that that beauty is available to all of us if we just remove the self-imposed resistances that inhibit our True Self from emerging,” smiled Carolina in gratitude.

The day was filled God’s song in all its multidimensional forms—through silence, wisdom teachings, and music—proving that it is not merely the external silence that is to be sought after, but the internal. “Something that impressed me greatly was the quality of the meditation music that Shunyamurti played throughout the day. Shunyamurti reminded us that there is a difference between music and noise, or elegance and cacophonic chaos. After all, ‘the ego is noise; noise is killed through Silence,’ he reminded us. Usually I prefer to meditate in an environment that is silent, but the combination of the deep, soothing music and the group energy field brought me directly into the silence of the inner Self. It took my breath—and thoughts—away,” commented Purusha.

“Sunday’s seminar reminded us that our purpose in this life is the gaining of wisdom, the ultimate end of which is the need for the creation of a higher operating principle to make accurate choices as we move into these trying times.  If we are to have any chance at being a part of the rebirth of our planet and the ushering in of a new age, then the egoic mind and all that it manifests needs to be transcended—now,” concluded Jon.

Tamara triumphantly remarked, “The Sunday meditation intensive was a new opportunity to renew and strengthen my desire and commitment to deepen my spiritual transformation. The profound teachings given by Shunyamurti along with the many hours of meditation reminded me that the only real way to make the world a better place is by reaching the highest level of purity and dissolving my ego. Only then can I become an instrument of God’s love and light and serve the world in a true way.”

“The whole day of meditation was very empowering. As a sangha, we cultivated a powerful energy field, allowing deep and serious transcendental, current teachings to penetrate even more into the inner journey of wisdom and silence,” recalled Shivani in contentment.

Rob remarked in profound joy, “Shunyamurti permeated my heart. I don’t know why I’m so amazed, but I’m very, very impacted. I think I started to have anxiety when I learned on the way back home from Arunachala that the seminar had been turned into an all-day meditation, but I transcended the pain, the physical pain, that I usually experience during meditation. It was gone all day! It was been an absolute joy to sit with the sangha and have my heart penetrated. It’s just been a beautiful experience and I thank Shunyamurti for guiding all of us.”

Indeed, the entire day was, for all, the song of God in manifest form, filled with the heart-melting nectar of love and wisdom. The experience itself permitted students to kill their egos softly in the tenderness of communal trust, openness, and sharing, opening the floodgates of the divine ecstasy that lies within all of us.

“This has been the single most incredible event in my entire life,” declared Dia at the end of the most recent, monumentally moving, and life-changing Sat Yoga retreat.  As the name implies, the “Sadhak Empowerment Retreat” was geared to give students en route to, or even considering, becoming fully vowed Sat Yoga disciples a chance to gather and focus their energies on the greatest question that one may face during any given lifetime: “Am I ready to dedicate my life fully to the realization of who I am, here and now?”

The retreat commenced on September 23 with yogis gathering at the holy hill of Arunachala for a week-long intensive, to be immersed in the practice of spiritual discipleship, community bonding, and pure Being. “The key to discipleship does not lie in some sort of radical asceticism, engrained in the cultural imagination as the image of the emaciated sadhu sitting alone in a cave somewhere, but in the simple practice of staying present, of remembering at all times who one is, of not falling back into identification with the imaginary ego, but rather staying in constant and ceaseless prayer, which may seem to an outsider to be an insurmountable feat, but which to the practitioner blossoms as an act of joy and surrender—an expression of pure vivacity if there ever was one,” gleaned another student from his experience at the retreat.

The gathering was peppered with opportunities for long, undisturbed meditations, allowing participants to discover that the true spice of life lies within. But even when there were no formal meditations being held, there was a subtle air of peace and serenity. “It is rare that we have the opportunity to experience continued peace and solitude within a community and when we do, it is greatly treasured.  I was touched by the light which emanates from Arunachala, increasing day by day, and when I left, my heart was full,” Gita commented.

One of the most powerful experiences for many was a meditation walk in which participants were encouraged to take as much time as possible to be in full presence and awareness at every step of Arunachala’s lush, tropical environment. Meditators took 45 minutes to walk an approximately five minute long trail, but did so in such a state of reverence that it inspired writing, memories, and deep feelings that will last a lifetime.

Saraswati gushed with joy on her experience of the retreat: “The seven nights and eight days spent at the Sadhak Empowerment Retreat were, for me, some of the most transformational and deeply felt ‘imperiences’ and ‘sumeriences’ of my life. The internal shifting and melting away of obstacles on the spiritual path such as judgmental voices, doubt, fear, feelings of inadequacy and in general the compulsion to repeat negative and self-defeating patterns was accelerated by the palpable group energy field that was directed towards ascendance, the awe-inspiring natural beauty of Arunachala and, especially, Shunyamurti’s permeating spiritual presence, love and wisdom that was suffused into all aspects of the retreat.  In my life, this event achieved its objective…to empower a seeker on the Sat Yoga path to open her heart and mind to her soul’s desire: becoming a sadhak!”

For some, the experience of the ashram was an uncanny feeling of returning home and of being with family. “The most important thing in this retreat for me was realizing that the ashram is not just a place I visit but a real home. I think that it was during the creative writing class that I realized I was not only among friends but among family,” remarked Rob in gratitude. The experience of others, who bear no biological ties to us, as family, is an unbelievably beautiful experience, which gives one the understanding that the whole world is our family; that we are all One. And the biological family is just practice for the spiritual family, as Shunyamurti reminds us.

The wise teachings of Shunyamurti were offered throughout this retreat, meeting the needs of aspirants, blowing away the clouds of Maya, and creating a sattvic atmosphere of intellectual and practical delight. Shunyamurti started by asking the pravartaks and pre-pravartaks what they wanted to be rid of by the end of the retreat. It was a great teaching in dharma combat, with Shunyamurti disarming and debunking the negative behaviors/thought patterns that keep people trapped in the throes of Maya, such as anger, attachment, covetousness, judgment, worry, doubt, the need for control, as well as the full egoic panoply of other self-defeating, false presuppositions people make about the nature of reality and themselves.

There were many other beautiful and clarifying teachings throughout the week, ranging from the true meaning of karma yoga and seva, the “seven stages of Satananda,” an in-depth look at the yamas and niyamas (the traditional yogic vows), the ineptitude of Western science and philosophy due to the exclusion of the primal concept of Sat, as well as many others. During and after these teachings, the opportunity was always given to air any doubt or to have any question answered, which inspired and reinvigorated not only the questioner, but all who were listening. In one particular instance, when speaking of the transition now occurring from Kali Yuga to Sat Yuga, Shunyamurti explained, “We have to face the horror of the lack of love in order to pay back all our acts of non-love from previous lifetimes, to become so loving that we have the power to change the world.”

The experience of non-love is nearly a ubiquitous component of modern Western industrial society, in which the solutions to life’s problems have become mass produced kitsch and our most important values have been made subservient to global capitalism’s only god: profit. There is no one person who has not been affected by this. But, as civil rights biographer John D’Emilio reminds us, “The most important stories from the past are often those that have been forgotten, and from obscure origins can emerge in individuals with the power to change the world.” Equally, the most important stories of today are being largely ignored or overlooked, as the shoots of Sat Yuga reemerge, and in the unlikeliest of places, certain individuals, becoming empowered by their practice every day, are cultivating the qualities necessary to change the world.

A Sat Yoga retreat, then, is alchemy: turning the lead of the ego, the sting of non-love that we have all experienced, into the gold of the Real Self: the universal love that is the wisdom of recognizing that all is One, and you are That. And, as Shunyamurti always reminds us, the poison is converted into potent medicine, and the more lead you have, the more riches you will be able to share with the rest of the world when it is transformed into gold.

We hope you share in the riches and join us for our next retreat.

“It was like discovering Shangri-La!” gushed one participant of the spiritual retreat that began on July 29 when she first saw the panoramic view of the Sat Yoga Ashram on the sacred mountain of Arunachala in Costa Rica. “It was pure magic and delight.” The whole group agreed.

The retreatants first received a tour of Mahatma Lodge, the gardens, and their rustic but luxurious lodging. Soon they were ready to drop the ego mind and abide in sweet inner peace as the eternal Self.

The retreat officially commenced with a meditation led by Shunyamurti, in which the participants centered themselves and set their intention for the retreat. Afterward, everyone shared a meal prepared with love by Radha and the dedicated karma yogis on the cooking staff. Saraswati, the retreat coordinator, then gave an orientation. Everyone already felt very much at home.

Every day was filled with early morning, noon, and evening meditation sessions, powerful teachings offered by Shunyamurti, delicious prasad prepared by Radha’s Kitchen, plus time for karma yoga, asana classes, relaxation time, and a variety of other activities ranging from bird watching and nature walks, with expert/naturalist guide, Rafael Campos, to sattvic singing and Shakti-raising dance classes. The retreatants even got the chance to inaugurate the community’s first “campfire” song, “Arunachala Mountain High.”

One retreatant spoke for many in recognizing the power of community: “Participating in the Karma Yoga activities filled me with a joy you would not usually expect from these simple, everyday activities. They gave me a sense of not only belonging to the community but of contributing to it, of sharing in every aspect of the life of the Ashram, of being a healthy contributing cell of this beautiful organism that the Ashram is. Beyond the sharing there is the working in a meditative state, the taking of a simple task and turning it into something beautiful, joyous, chopping an onion as if you were painting a Mona Lisa! Then, there is the learning that if you make a mistake…it is not such a big deal! The community holds you in a space where your ego cannot engage in narratives of self-punishment or resentment; these are immediately recognized and discarded due to the recognition of their totally false nature!!! So there is only growth and gratitude. I feel Karma yoga is an essential part of the retreat.”

Apart from the safe space and creative form that the retreat provided, there were many opportunities for intimate gatherings and joining together in blissful communion. On several nights of the retreat, the participants had the chance to view the awe-inspiring sunsets and meditate together on the wonderful artistic majesty of the day’s end. Shunyamurti always reminded everyone that the beauty that they were viewing vis-à-vis the breathtaking artistry of Nature’s palette was but a mere reflection of the true beauty that lies within.

One of the most spectacular nights of the retreat was a combination of a slow, majestic sunset and a(n) (exceptionally) creative writing class. The group wrote on a variety of topics ranging from their experiences of the retreat, the difficulties encountered on the path by the five obstacles delineated in the Bhagavad Gita (Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, and Ahankar), and the perfect bliss of Pure Awareness. One retreatant wrote the following:

“Blast down the confines of duality;
The obstructively beautiful cosmic kid-you-not.
Discovery of archetypal destruction & rebirth creates a
thirst so strong, yet intangible.
Intangibility: An accelerated journey into Infinity -
The beyond within.”

Uncanny synchronicities permeated the retreat, but this was most evident through the teachings of Shunyamurti. Nearly every one of the retreatants commented that Shunyamurti was speaking to him/her directly through the spiritual guidance given, ostensibly, to the group as a whole. “It was as if every teaching that he gave us was tailor-made for my specific needs at the moment. This had the effect of cutting straight through the ego narratives whirling around in my head and bringing me back to the bliss of the present moment,” commented one retreatant. “We covered myriad topics ranging from relationships, to attachment, to day-to-day spiritual living, which were summed up in the teaching on the five obstacles in the Gita: lust, anger, greed, attachment, and arrogance. The way that Shunyamurti tied these together with the current studies in depth psychology absolutely fascinated me,” remarked another participant.

Participants took a lot away from the retreat. “I feel I took a really big step forward in my spiritual path. If I have any doubt about living a sattvic life, in a sacred place, trying to attain a more elevated consciousness of the Divine, it is now gone!” exclaimed one retreatant in triumphant glory. “I was able to meditate more deeply….I was able to confront my ego in several ways and face some truths I probably would have preferred to overlook if it weren’t for the safety I felt contained in, the purity of intention of the others, the sincerity of action and thought of all including myself. I felt renewed in my faith in God and to trust even without understanding, for there is wisdom and divine love in all…the Ashram is a materialized proof of this,” blissfully commented one participant with a smile on her face. “I got a clearer vision of the limitations of ego consciousness and its corruptness, opposed to the vast infinite potential of living as the Self beyond all duality and recognizing that in others,” concluded another retreatant.

The retreat was certainly an unforgettable experience for every one of the participants, leading all to feel that Arunachala was not only a retreat center, a future spiritual and cultural birthing place, and an exemplar of natural beauty, but more importantly, their home. For some, the retreat brought forth an uprising of blissful and powerful emotions enabled by the powerful energy field created by the community. For others, the retreat was a return to the subtle stillness and blessed simplicity inherent in ashram life. But for all, the retreat was an experience of the essential components of a Sat Yoga retreat: Serenity—and Shaktipat!

The Sat Yoga Ashram and Retreat Center officially opened its doors on 7/1/11 and welcomed our disciples-in-training as the first group of retreatants to enjoy the divine beauty of our new spiritual home. The joyful energy and openness of the retreat atmosphere could be palpably felt. This historic event was the culmination of years of service, devotion, dedication, and divine grace that was finally fulfilled with an indescribable sweetness and significance which made a lasting impression on all of the Sat Yoga postulants.

“It is difficult to describe with words something as powerful as the experiences and even more so the imperiences that I lived during the five day retreat at Arunachala. The incredible beauty of nature, the sounds of the rain, the songs of the birds and above all, Shunyamurti’s teachings and guidance made it easy to go inward and allow for deep silent meditations full of divine energy. The beautiful energy field created by a community that is rising in love enhanced every experience—from eating the delicious meals, to doing nature walks and listening to the teachings—everything was full of magic!” remarked Rafael with calm excitement.

“The retreat, aside from representing the culmination of three years of concerted daily effort by many devoted souls, marked a watershed in the melding of the Sat Yoga family. This was the first time that we’d been together, intensely, for five consecutive days and with so much on our plates. What a joyful time it was!” exclaimed Jagdish.

“Arunachala reinvigorates and recharges my soul’s urge to return to its Source, just as the fine mist in the air penetrates and rejuvenates my skin. The ever-changing sky blows away whatever dark clouds of Maya may attempt to linger. Sunsets mesmerize the senses into silent awareness, while Shiva’s lightning bolts charge from the heavens onto the Sacred Mountain to keep it alight within me. At the Sat Yoga Ashram, I have found the protective grotto-womb for the Madonna to birth and raise the Godseed. The transformational process from the profane false self to the realized Real Self is held safe at the Sat Yoga Ashram in the company of Sat Yogis who, because of their own transformational inner work, are able to see through any remaining coverings that would hide the Divine Light within,” expressed Marjiva in heartfelt bliss.

“Ascending the slopes of Arunachala felt like returning Home. Indeed, this special event, this landmark retreat, has been many years (if not many lifetimes) in the making, and the unique experience (and imperience) that each of us received is a clear manifestation of the love and attention that has gone into this project—both from the earth and from the heavens,” reflected Purusha.

Certainly, the retreat left an indelible mark on the soul of every retreatant.

The postulants, upon arrival at Arunachala, were immediately struck with wonderment by the incredible amount of work and “finishing touches” put in by the retreat committee, evidenced by the spectacular beauty and fine attention to detail displayed in the  construction craftsmanship and the decoration of the cabins and lodge. Perhaps even more incredible were the equanimity and tender smiles of the Karma Yogis who had gone up several days before to make everything perfect for the rest of the retreatants.

The first day of the retreat was spent in gratitude, with all of the postulants giving thanks and blessings for the collective efforts of each other’s Karma Yoga, for the opportunity to be in the position of reverence and responsibility, and for what the Ashram’s opening meant to them. After the sharing of each student’s sacred message, Shunyamurti emphasized the importance that each person be in a state of absolute emptiness, of gratitude, and of remembrance—for each thought that arises in consciousness makes an impact on the surrounding environment and henceforth affects all visitors seeking spiritual solace in Arunachala. The evening closed with a communal “breaking of bread,” the first supper shared by the spiritual family.

“The ashram land, Arunachala, is immersed in meaning; every step, every inch, of the earth is laden with teaching and metaphor.” And so began the second day of the retreat, with a blessing of all of the retreat cabins, or “bhavans.” Bhavan means “peaceful abode,” and thus the group gathered in each bhavan, moving from Prema Bhavan to Viveka Bhavan, Vigyana Bhavan, Vairagya Bhavan, and Purna Bhavan, finally ending in Samyak Sambodhi Bhavan, to offer blessings and infuse each abode with spiritual energy and purity of intention. Shunyamurti provided a teaching on the significance and meaning of every one of the names of the bhavans, as the postulants climbed the higher chakras and lived the metaphors that they had been studying and aspiring for, all the way to the Supreme Enlightenment of Perfect Buddhahood.

That evening, Shunyamurti gave a class, teaching the true meaning and significance of Arunachala, reminding the students that they are Arunachala: “You are Shiva.” Next, the group joined together to intone a hymn to the holy hill of Arunachala written by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. What followed was a spontaneous and immeasurably powerful dehiscence of Divine Energy, a bursting forth of bliss, love, joy, and salvific beauty, and an irruption of the Eternal into the temporal. Immediately after the sharing of this ineffable energy, the group joined together in meditation to further imperience this blissful beatitude of Being.

Before dinner, Shunyamurti gave a class on the levels of discipleship, adumbrating the subtle distinctions of understanding, commitment, and dedication that were available along the spectrum of discipleship. He also renamed the postulants the “Pravartaks,” which is the Sanskrit equivalent of the Catholic term “postulant.”

The next day the Pravartaks performed a pilgrimage along Gangaji, the sacred river of Arunachala: first to Rishikesh, the source of the river, and then to the beach at Varanasi. The group again gathered to offer their blessings and reverential recognition of the powerful energy present in these sacred locations. The day closed with a meditation led by Marjiva, which was followed by “the most majestic sunset I have ever seen.”

On the last night of the retreat, Shunyamurti unveiled a pranayama/breathing exercise known as “transcendental breathwork.” The effect on the group was very intense, bringing some out-of-body into the bliss of their incorporeal essence, and others into their fear of leaving body identification. Half of the Pravartaks meditated to provide a peaceful and secure energy field while the others participated in the actual breathing experience, under the careful guidance of Shunyamurti.

Each day of the retreat was magical, filled with time for activities and time for being. There were graceful asana classes led by Saraswati, Karma Yoga opportunities to bring action into non-action and to give back thanks to the group and the land, unforgettable meditation sittings, Gyana Yoga classes offered by Shunyamurti, and an indescribable air of divine camaraderie. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were a gift of ambrosial prasad offered by Radha’s Kitchen, infused with divine nectar and sattvic energies, which provided the retreatants with the experience of ashram cooking par excellence.

The retreat was resplendently replete with stillness, solitude, and blessed simplicity, while immersed in the conviviality of community life. “I had the uncanny experience of being alone (all-one) while remaining in group.” There was understanding and respect for anyone undergoing internal processing—and many had short, maya-dissolving meetings with Shunyamurti—as well as ample space for those who desired to remain in solitude and silence. Everyone found that his/her personal intention was catered to by the format of the retreat, and responded gleefully to the break from the hustle and bustle of city life.

“The five-day retreat at the Sat Yoga Ashram is difficult to describe because it was so other-worldly. In an age where we are so hardened, cynical and inured to the attacks and withdrawals of others, where we are almost unceasingly focused on ourselves and our myriad short-lived pleasures, forced to remain perpetually on guard, encountering the selflessness, love, commitment and kindness of the many aspiring yogis of Sat Yoga can be an assault on the senses, a challenge to who we think we are and how the contemporary world must be,” described Jagdish quite eloquently.

“The Sat Yoga Postulant Retreat was a chance to return home to our Source, to imperience the bliss of Being while experiencing a get-away with a trusted and beloved family of luminous beings. It is a rare occurrence to meet such a dedicated assembly of enlightened souls in their natural habitat and to share with them in learning, living, and loving” concluded one retreatant.

If you are interested in participating in a future Sat Yoga Retreat, please write to retreats@satyogainstitute.org for more information.

Namaste.

(this article was compiled from the notes of several retreatants)

Last Saturday, June 4, a team of Sat Yoga karma yogis joined together for a party—a garden party! The team celebrated the joy of transformation, changing the newly acquired back lot into a beautiful manifestation of holy communion and divine inspiration. The “Sat Yoga Sacred Meditation Gardens” will come to serve the Sangha in myriad sacred gatherings as the Sangha will likewise serve and maintain its beauty and blissful energy.

Saturday’s mission was led by Sat Yoga volunteer staff members Eric Grosman and Verónica Ramírez who planned and managed the event and provided a dedicated and enthusiastic example of servant leadership, “getting their hands in the dirt,” and joining in on all of the various projects. They explained that the goal of the day was to engage in true Karma Yoga, egoless service in a place of inner stillness and silence, which manifested itself creatively through the landscaping and artistic endeavors.

The day began with a meditation to center all the participants and to open them to all of the possibilities that the day would bring. The meditation continued under the guidance of Sat Yoga student and asana teacher, Saraswati, who helped to integrate the serenity of the sitting meditation with a mindful expression of movement through various asanas—which also served to help warm up all of the karma yogis for the day of service.

After that, karma yogis chose to participate in various projects including the building of a sacred geometric walking meditation trail, painting signs and stones with profound mahavakyas, preparing plant beds along the walls for vine-growing vegetation, digging a fire pit for use in drumming circles and nighttime meditation gatherings, and restoring the soil for actual garden beds.

Throughout the day the karma yogis worked hard, dedicating their time to the various activities of interest. But at the same time, there was an ambiance of relaxation and joyful celebration. Live art could be seen taking place and the sounds of meditative music, Indian kirtans, and even some familiar reggae sounds permeated the air, providing positive vibrations throughout the day. The team was also rejuvenated by delightful treats from the kitchen karma yoginis who worked throughout the day on the creation of culinary wonders for the garden karma yogis.

At the end of the day’s work, the whole team gathered around to bless the offering that had been made and to give thanks for each other’s dedicated service. Shunyamurti expressed his thanks for the community effort and led the participants in a meditation and blessing. Every individual offered his or her own blessing, which added to the purity of the energy field that had been cultivated that day.

After the meditation and blessings, all of the participants came together for a picnic of prasad prepared by the karma yoginis in Radha’s Kitchen. The yogis enjoyed delicious culinary delights, surpassing the expectations of most picnic gatherings.

“This is just the beginning of our journey into community life and service and the celebration of our own creative potentials,” enthused a content Eric Grosman.

“This joyful activity planted seeds of love and gratitude not only in the soil, but in our community members. We all contributed to create a sacred space for peace and inspiration!” rejoiced Veronica at the end of the day.

All in all, the day was a creative expression of wu-wei (action-in-nonaction), and was a wonderful community experience for all of the participants.

We hope to see all of you at the next gardening get-together.

In late May 2011, new and continuing students of the Sat Yoga Institute enjoyed the opportunity to be immersed in a field of intense and beautiful study over a two-day period.  Seminar One, “Initiation Into Sat Yoga,” is designed to introduce new students to basic concepts and practices particular to Sat Yoga.

Each seminar is also an opportunity for Shunyamurti, the Director of the Institute, to introduce new information to all students. The seminar is always a dynamic experience offering a comprehensive review of basic information essential to understanding Sat Yoga and building new knowledge.  Each student adds to the distinct uniqueness of every seminar with their active participation and interaction with the teachers, providing a richness to the personal and group learning experience.

The May 2011 teachings covered a wide array of topics to transform your sense of who you are and of how you live and included the following:

•    7 Contemplates (or temples) of Sat Yoga which show how one can choose to develop within the structure of Sat Yoga from a student in the school to a member of the community and more.
•    7 Heightenings of Psychic Function that will happen to one traveling a spiritual path.
•    7 Phenomenal Psychic Strata, which are encountered along the spiritual path.
•    Basic understanding of the school’s structure based on the ancient concepts of the Trivium and Quadrivium
•    7 Realms of Knowledge – those aspects of Reality we do not normally learn in school!
•    How to Get Out of the Monkey Mind (small mind) and Into the Sat Mind (Big Mind) or moving from the ego mind into the Sublime.
•    10 Universal Traumas, which we have all suffered and from which we can free ourselves.
•    The Fate of the Ego showed how we move from pure Awareness into form and ego.
•    The Sat Yoga Map of Consciousness, which reviews how Consciousness manifests in the ego and beyond.
•    Understanding the gunas – from tamas to sattva (See Shunyamurti’s essay on the gunas, June 4, 2011 on the website.)

A vital part of each seminar finds students engaged in deep meditation (raja yoga) under the gentle and wise guidance of Shunyamurti.

Students hearts and minds are filled along with their physical bodies.  Each seminar includes exquisite, love filled meals prepared by the generous karma yogis of Radha’s Kitchen.

To participate in Seminar One, and all Sat Yoga Seminars, is to take a journey into your Self and to gain greater understanding of the importance of mastering the egoic mind.  If you are considering how to change your life to make it a deeper, more peaceful and meaningful experience on many levels, then participating in the classes at Sat Yoga will introduce you to the tools you need to open your wings and take an amazing flight into Self discovery.

Watch the website for more information about upcoming events, classes and activities.

Check out the video below to see Shunyamurti’s introduction to the seminar (closed captioning available):

On Wednesday, April 13, Shunyamurti visited the University for Peace in El Rodeo, Costa Rica, to give a guest lecture on yoga. Shunyamurti was introduced by fellow Sat Yoga student, and professor at UPeace, Ana Elena Obando (known to the sangha as “Nirava”). Taking a unique approach, Shunyamurti explained that yoga can only be truly grasped by the modern mind if one is familiar with all of the most cutting edge and current fields of study in the contemporary Western scientific and philosophic canon, such as quantum physics, linguistics, psychoanalysis, post-structuralism—as well as many others. Eastern wisdom sees the physical universe as Maya, or illusion, and though this may be counter-intuitive to ordinary, waking consciousness, these modern fields of study confirm it—from the individual level to the collective.

From a yogic perspective, the fundamental problem in designing a societal paradigm of peace lies in the fact that peace cannot exist as something separate from oneself; if it is to be lasting, it must be a part of one. “If you have a planet full of people who are aggressive, paranoid, greedy, anxious, depressed, confused, sadistic, egocentric, and narcissistic, how are you going to bring peace to that kind of a world?” asked Shunyamurti. That’s the difference between having a university of peace and a university for peace: one radiates peace amidst the chaos so that the entire field of being is permeated with loving energy and the other strives to construct peace within the flux of time.

So, although we live in a time of massive externalization, in which the whole panoply of humankind’s internal angst is projected against the backdrop of the phenomenal world, to solve this essentially self-created problem, we must retract our consciousness back to its Source in order to—from there—be able to deconstruct and decathect our own perceptions and preconceptions about reality. As is quoted in the Scriptures, “first cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother’s eye.” Or, put in scientific parlance, we must first correct and calibrate our own measuring apparatus before being able to perform an experiment accurately.

This is a subtle point: it is not a solipsistic reduction that implies that the universe emanates from the personal ego, but rather a pragmatic and pertinent probing into the axiomatic “truths” of the ego itself. And to illustrate this point, Shunyamurti administered a “pop quiz” to the UPeace participants, which helped them survey their own “self-evident,” and perhaps unquestioned, ontological/epistemological assumptions. “How many of you believe the past cannot be changed?” “How many of you believe that you are creating your own reality?” and “How many of you believe that consciousness is more fundamental than matter or energy?” were among the inquiries asked to the participants.

It is difficult to gauge whether or not the students took this exercise at the true depth for which it was intended, but it did at least serve to introduce an element of humility. It can only be from a state of utter humility and awe in which one realizes that the ego-self is conditioned, and therefore neither an autonomous nor wholly objective witness, that the state of peace may begin to emerge. And it is that recognition that has the power to precipitate change.

The feedback seemed mixed: although on the whole the professors and students seemed to enjoy the teaching, a few of the students seemed a bit recalcitrant toward the presentation. And provocative as it may have been perceived—it was, after all, meant to cut through the ego’s normally rose-tinted, all-too “normal” version of reality—it was not simply to frustrate the audience, but rather to reveal the outright mystery that existence is. And, as Albert Einstein observed regarding the nature of the universe, “God is subtle, but he is not malicious.” Ergo, anyone who really takes to heart the questions raised during the UPeace teaching, who let’s the process run its course upon one’s soul, will find that Source of inner peace, silence, and stability within. And this was the heart of Shunyamurti’s talk: “All of us are one. And what I’m saying is that that experience is a reality that is open for you to have. That’s what counts. I’m not telling you to believe what I’m saying; all I’m asking is: have the curiosity to discover for yourself what is the Real Self because when you are there you will not have any question or any doubt.”

All of the Sat Yoga students enjoyed this opportunity to convene with other seekers of peace and to share in this beautiful public outreach event.