Located in the Himalayan region of north India, YSS Dwarahat Ashram is situated in the eponymous small town near Ranikhet – offering a unique opportunity to those who wish to meditate in silence amidst nature. The ashram’s annual silent retreat was organized over five days from April 14 to 19, 2019. It was attended by 23 devotees who came from Mumbai, Kolkata, Ranchi, Delhi and as far as Pokhara (Nepal).
All retreatants were required to deposit their mobile phones with the Ashram ahead of the retreat so that they could feel disconnected from the outside world and take advantage of the silence of the Ashram. This profound silence is a special feature of Dwarahat, and the retreat was designed to help the devotees make the most of this feature.
The retreat began with a six-hour-long meditation during the day. In the evening, Swami Lalitananda opened the retreat with Rajarsi Janakanandaji’s words at the SRF Convocation held in 1954, welcoming devotees and urging them to remember that Guruji is here and that Guruji is behind the darkness of our closed eyes, waiting for us to reach that point from where he can lift us to God. He quoted Rajarsi, “The only purpose of retreats and Convocations [Sangams] was fellowship with God through Self-realization. And the only way we can feel Guruji’s full presence is by interiorizing our consciousness, the deeper you go the more tangibly you feel his presence.”
Swamiji read out and explained the retreat guidelines to the attendees to help them maximize the benefits of the five days. It included participation with heart and soul in all the programmes, deep meditation and utilizing the rest of the time most profitably by introspection, contemplation, enjoying the fresh air by walking outdoors and so on.
The next three days covered classes by YSS sannyasis to review meditation techniques, group meditations, time for relaxation, study and counselling, and videos or bhajans in the evenings. Brahmachari Swarupananda conducted the review of the Hong Sau and Aum techniques, Brahmachari Nirliptananda conducted the review of Energization Exercises, and Swami Lalitananda conducted the review of the Kriya Yoga technique for Kriyaban devotees.
On the final day of the retreat, the group visited the cave of Mahavatar Babaji led by Brahmachari Nirliptananda who also conducted a group meditation there.
After five days of being immersed in the joyous silence and spiritual activities, many devotees expressed their deep appreciation, coupled with their apprehension of returning to the world outside to resume their active lives stepping out of this very divine and sacred environment.
To view the images from the retreat, click here.
