Gurupoornima Retreat 2023 – Feeling Inner Abundance

Pushpasamarpanam

Providence does help

This was a retreat that was in my destiny! From a previously disregarded application for leave getting hastily approved, to colleagues offering to cover my work shifts, the play of Providence was in full display.

I reached the Ashram nestled amongst the lush green Pandavagiri Hills on the morning of 7th July. Immediately I was blanketed in pure love from complete strangers – the devotee volunteers who were rushing around making sure I settled in and everything was in place.

I realized what being in Gurusannidhi meant during the first Pushpa-samarpanam. It was a gentle, silent yet overwhelming Presence. Tears rolled down and I did not understand why.

The Prabhata-rashmih sessions with Poojya Swamiji were intensely meditative, edged on by his profound and calm words. He spoke in great detail about the mind, meditation, the state of Self-realization and how a Self-realized person functions in the world.

'Bhaja Govindam' by Poojya Swamiji

Dispassion

The classes started in earnest on the 7th evening with Poojya Swamiji’s Bhaja Govindam. Swamiji’s majestic voice rolled over the lines of dispassion. He peppered the lessons with beautiful shlokas from Govindashtakam, Vairagya-shatakam and Madhurashtakam. Each day Swamiji patiently taught us to chant, repeating out each word to hammer home his point – “the world is fleeting, turn to Govinda”.

Whenever we struck a good chorus, Swamiji would suddenly erupt into delightful, child-like laughter. Watching him, our minds became lighter and hearts melted in adoration.

Swamiji’s message was clear. Live in the world; do everything that comes to be done. But understand that all of it is transitory and not worth holding on to. The only way to permanent fulfilment, is to hold on to the Lord within.

Going Deep Within

Poojya Swamiji told us what we need to do, while Nutan Swamiji showed us how to do it.

Nutan Swamiji’s classes on ‘How to Introspect’ were clear and concise. Swamiji’s effortless manner even on difficult concepts such as ‘causal logic and non-causal Creation’ was evident. Swamiji explained the meditational sadhana and then in great detail unearthed the interactional sadhana, to be achieved primarily through introspection.

"How to Introspect" by Nutan Swamiji

I particularly like the advice he gave to be free of the “ghosts” of past memories – call them lovingly in a friendly manner, and simply ask them to go. Nutan Swamiji’s sessions were deep and profound, yet delivered in a manner that was so relaxed and at ease. One just had to sit quietly and freely allow the words to seep in.

Getting anchored in Divinity

I found that Nutan Swamiji’s interactional sessions were so well complemented by Ma’s classes on “How to be Anchored in the Divine”. Ma took us to the lofty heights of devotion through selected verses from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and Shankaracharya’s texts. Her chanting filled the room with inspiration while her face shone with absolute joy. We easily became the Gopikas asking the Lord for his blessings.

Through the shlokas, and sharing her conversations and experiences with Poojya Swamiji, Ma taught us how to remain connected with the supreme Lord, our inner Presence. Ma extolled the need for loving the qualities of the Atma so that those qualities would slowly infuse into us.

In the first class itself, Ma had told us – “Feel blessed. Let that feeling never leave you.”

“How to be Anchored in the Divine” by Ma

New Perspectives

Through this retreat, I learnt that sincerely loving and meditating on any quality of a Self-realized Knower will slowly but surely result in imbibing that quality. And the simplest way to attain the Self is to love and cultivate these qualities. What more, the growth does not end with realization of the Self, it goes on. And the Self-realized person still functions in the world, always for the overall greater good.

Week-long Enrichment

My apprehension of being a first-timer for the Retreat was quickly allayed by my fellow participants on the first day itself. They would patiently show me how attention to detail in everything was important – from neatly folding the asanas to giving proper respect to books while sitting in the class.

I was quite surprised how much I enjoyed being in such a large group even though it was only for a short time. Everyone engaged well with each other, hanging on to an attitude of love and seva.

We felt thoroughly spoilt in Annakshetra, as we were nourished with sumptuous food of different cuisines, and constantly fussed over by serving workers and devotees.

Many other impressions remain in the mind. The lady workers performed a beautiful ‘Kaikottikali’ dance one day. Special treat was the guided tour of Ashram by Nutan Swamiji. The Brahmacharinis’ devotion and hard work was evident everywhere, as the programmes ran smoothly.

Seven days passed without knowing. Let me conclude by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to Sampoojya Swamiji, Nutan Swamiji, Ma and Ashram inmates, workers and my fellow seekers. It was an invaluable gift to be able to see the realized Knowers, to be in their presence. And I felt so happy and indebted for the love and care I received from everyone in the Ashram.

As I take leave from Narayanashrama Tapovanam, my heart is brimming with an indescribable abundance. I am definitely more introspective now. A shloka from Bhaja Govindam plays back and forth in my head.

Jai Guru.

* * *

Images from Group Activities