Paradise, the new center for spiritual events and retreats belonging to Natha Yogacenter, is situated in the south part of Zealand, on the very place of a former agricultural farm, transformed afterwards into a spiritual recovery, introspection and relaxation area.
This event has brought together over 120 participants, aiming to practice what is called the meditation for revelation of the Supreme immortal Self (Atman) .
But the main question coming back year by year is: What makes someone decide to isolate himself in silence one or two weeks even if it is in Paradise? This question could be raised by all of those who chose gladly to cross the threshold between the years in the midst of splashing, exciting energies, surrounded by a lot of noisy people, music and exuberance.
The spiritual program of this Retreat of which you can still find out information on www.nathayogacenter.dk, integrates more than 7 hours of meditation per day, distributed in 4 sessions, but only one of them made the difference: the 3 hours meditation. The program was completed by common or individual Hatha Yoga practice, theoretical lessons, and meditations of spiritual exemplification subtly suported by the spiritual guide of our yoga school, yoga teacher Gregorian Bivolaru.
So one can say that comfortability is not the first criteria for those following such a program…
Nevertheless, there were 120 “nonconformists” who – having enough of lounging on the sofa, staring at tv programs – decided between to live and to be lived, choosing on purpose to live the beginning of the most exciting adventure of their life in a world full of mysteries, even jeopardies, but mostly full of amazing revelations which is the inner world.
Who are they and what are their hopes and their expectations from such an event?
Maybe they are the daring spiritual adventurers, some of them energetic, some of them shy, and others simply curious – all of them bravely took this challenge. We could call them also “the archers aiming beyond the horizon”, those aspiring to obtain the silence of mind, the peace of the heart, and finding answers to profound questions arisen in the mystery of the inner silence. They are those deciding to pass the narrow, unpredictable path of finding the Immortal Self Atman.
In the inner world, after closing the eyes, and after withdrawing the senses from the external world, those who want to meditate will experience completely alone the inner universe.
The real performance of meditating is characterized by some very simple initial preparations and one big requirement: the perfect stillness of mind which is the main key in order to penetrate the heart of the spiritual heart. In order to accomplish this, one needs endurance, obstination, assiduity, and deep desire to succeed in this.
These will domesticate gradually the mind, and also transform it from a wild, chaotic, obscure creature into a cultivated, sophisticated, stunning engine.
During the retreat, when communication was missing, also the counselling or confessions between participants, as I saw has become a gathering of quiet, steady people meditating in unison in a quite impressive manner.
Right after the end of the Retreat l have been looking into their eyes and l saw there an amazing irradiance springing spontaneously from the heart of their hearts and that was a crystal clear sign that this Retreat was for them an undoubted spiritual impulse.
What makes this Retreat to be so special and what made the difference when comparing it to the other events of this kind that becomes clear from the confessions of the participants themselves:
*The spiritual support, almost palpable, of yoga teacher Gregorian Bivolaru, the spiritual guide of this yoga school. This guidance was unmistakably present sustaining both the elevation of the spiritual field of this event and also the spiritual effort of each participant.
*The content of theoretical presentation about the AWAKENING OF THE SPIRITUAL HEART and THE REVELATION OF THE SUPREME SELF exposed with a brilliant simplicity, common sense and clarity by Mr. Advaitananda Stoian, the coordinator of Natha Yogacenter, who following the leading thread of his beloved spiritual master Gregorian Bivolaru, and practicing meditation unceasingly for more than 25 years, has structured his own experience on meditation as an amazing knowledge into a genuine, efficient and super valuable meditation manual, priceless for all those who really want to learn to meditate.
*The whole heartedness and commitment the organizing staff, put in their devoted work on keeping order, cleanness and harmony in Paradise.
*The paradisiacal ambience of Paradise, a spiritual oasis impregnated with pure and elevated spiritual energies.
But above all: this one thing highlighted the echo, the effect of this retreat. The accounts of the participants were all without any exception about discipline of the mind, a wide openness of the heart, a higher level of understanding of the process of meditation, a deeper connection with the spiritual guide, an ardent desire to live in the present moment, searching with enthusiasm and courage for Self Realization.
Such an incursion into the deepness of ones own being is, analogically speaking, like a drill in the far-off depths, whose after-effect is the complete shift of any view upon who you really are and what is really important for you in this life. The scale of values is dramatically turning upside down, setting-up a new and unexpected perspective. Thus for the Spiritual heart setting free, expanding is crowned as the very queen of the being, while the mind is the chaotic sovereign, dethroned who steadily and obediently stays beyond the bars of a strict and permanent control.
Thus the Divine Order is getting to well deserved rights inside yourself and the endless freedom and happiness of The Divine Spirit will burst in and out.
Now the pass to the Supreme Immortal Self is open and free.
Fixed in the present moment all you have to do is to search to find out who you really are.
It is said that sooner or latter each human being on this planet will experience this stage of inner alchemy becoming the hero of his or her own life. In a precisely certain moment, in each of them will brake and crush all the limits up by the burning of desire and courage to discover the Truth.
The way that the 120 participants went on this path, like the same others did before them, many others will do the same in the future.
But it is one single moment of the Truth: the always and eternal existing HERE and NOW. Do not postpone it and be one! Who will join the 120?
Natha Yogacenter is waiting for you with open arms and open hearts in Paradise!
{gallery}stories/atmanretreat2013{/gallery}