YSS Dwarahat Ashram held its annual Sadhana Sangam from September 26 to 30, 2017.
More than 100 devotees attended the Sangam including local devotees from Dwarahat.
The five-day programme included review of YSS meditation techniques in classes and Satsangas on various How-to-Live principles by sannyasis. Swamis Nityanandaji, Vasudevanandaji and Sadanandaji, as well as Brahmacharis Gokulanandaji and Niriliptanandaji conducted the various sessions.
On the morning of September 26, the inaugural session of the Sangam was opened with a welcome address by Monastic Incharge of YSS Dwarahat Ashram, Swami Vasudevanandaji. It was followed by the inaugural satsanga by Swami Nityanandaji. Following the talk, Brahmachari Niriliptanandaji rendered some soulful bhajans which set the tone for the Sangam.
In the afternoon, two review sessions of Energization Exercises were conducted by Brahmachari Nirliptanandaji. Devotees expressed that they were greatly benefited by the class as Niriliptanandaji explained each exercise in minute detail while also explaining the common mistakes devotees make while doing them.
This class was followed by a special function to hand over the first cheques to the four winners of the Centenary Scholarship for Professional Courses. These students belonging to the Bipin Chandra Tripathi Kumaon Institute of Technology in Dwarahat had been previously assessed through an examination based on the Autobiography of a Yogi conducted earlier at the institute on August 26. A total of Rs. 275,000 would be given as scholarship to the four students over their four year course in B. Tech.
The following day, Swami Vasudevanandaji conducted a review of the Hong Sau technique, while Brahmachari Nirliptanandaji conducted a review of the Om technique.
The Sangam was marked by special sessions on relevant spiritual themes conducted by Swami Vasudevanandaji. The topics included “Kriya plus Devotion: Works like Mathematics; It cannot Fail” and “100 Years of YSS: Its Spiritual Impact on the World”, “Meditation and Right Activity: Cornerstones for a Balanced Life” and “Sadguru: The Spiritual Fortress of Love, Guidance and Protection”.
Every afternoon, devotees got the opportunity to get their kriya checked and to receive counsel from the monastics. There was a six-hour-long meditation on the eve of Kriya Diksha day, which was much appreciated by the devotees.
Kriya Diksha ceremony was held on September 30, which was also Dussehra. Twenty new initiates received Kriya Diksha in th sacred ceremony conducted by Swami Nityanandaji. A highlight of this special ceremony was the presence of six local young devotees, all college students among the 20 initiates. Others had come from across India - Bangalore, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi-NCR, Hoshangabad, Mumbai, Neyveli and Saharanpur. The ceremony was attended by 150 Kriyabans.
The Sadhana Sangam concluded with an uplifting open air programme on the evening of Sri Sri Lahiri Mahasaya Avirbhav Divas. The Dhyan Mandir grounds witnessed an attendance of 150 devotees. Swami Vasudevanandaji led the meditation and sang soulful renditions to the Divine under the open skies.
