Retreat with Gurudevi - Tansa Temple View and programs

The rest of our group stayed at Tansa Temple View, which is the newest hotel and retreat center in Ganeshpuri. This is where all of our programs were held, and where we had all of our meals. This greeted us as we walked in - what a lovely welcome!

It was also a great photo opp spot. A few of us arrived early for the retreat - this is the night before the first morning in the temple. Most of the group will arrive around 3am.

They created an inviting seating area across from the welcome banner

Up a few steps, and you're in the hall where we had our meals. There were three rooms off this hall, and then another two stories up the stairs in the left of this picture. The second floor (called the first floor here in India - this floor is considered the ground floor) had another four rooms that housed the rest of our group.

Meal times were a social affair!

Our program room was on the third floor (technically the second floor here). This picture was taken pretty early on in the program, before we really settled in to the space.

The words I came up with to describe the retreat during the retreat were rustic and austere. I was feeling the lack of comforts that I experienced at Yogini's house. Ashram living is austere, and I felt that to my bones while on retreat with Gurudevi. But you know what? I slept just fine on that small bed. The lack of comforts did not have an adverse effect on my experience. In fact, they probably helped it. There is a method to that madness. It just took me a little time to recognize that.

So, the lack of comfort fueled some discontent on my part. At the same time, I thoroughly enjoyed sharing the Ganeshpuri I have discovered in the past few years with my kula (yoga community). I remember my first trip to Ganeshpuri, when Swami Sahajananda (then Kusuma) took me by the hand and showed me some of the ropes. I was so happy to extend my hand to people as well. My breaks were full of taking people to Vaishali's, which is the best place for clothes, or escorting people to sacred ceremonies. It was a real heart opener!

Kundan, the owner of Vaishali's is on the left. Vaishali, the shop's namesake, is in the front. This is the shopping trip on day one. I had many more trips that were not captured on film. It is a wonderful, personal shopping experience to be taken care of at Vaishali's!

Our retreat days began at Nityananda's temple for the daily sacred bath and Arti ceremonies, just like my non-retreat days.

This is the noontime Arti ceremony. They have the ceremonies five times a day - 4:20am, 6am, 12pm, 8pm, and 9:30pm. The first and last ceremonies of the day are simpler and less elaborate.

This is Nityananda, all decked out for a holiday. You know it's a holiday because he is wearing a hat.

We had some free time after that to meditate around town. Then we'd usually have breakfast, and programs. We'd chant the Guru Gita every day, and have a yoga class. Then it was usually time for lunch. After lunch, we'd have a break, which I always filled with delightful activities. After our break, some days, we'd have a guest speaker. My seva (volunteer work to support the program) was to greet the guest speaker and escort them upstairs to the program. What a fun seva! Some of the days, the guest speaker was a friend of mine.

My friend Mohini was our last guest speaker, the day before the retreat ended. Mohini heads up the Ganeshpuri Yoga School project sponsored by the Ashram. It's also known as Yoga in the Village. She insures that over 2,000 school children a week in surrounding tribal villages get yoga classes. Learn more about the Ganeshpuri Yoga School project. You can even contribute to the cause!

After the guest speakers, we'd usually have a chai break and a snack. Then we were fed teachings by one of the Swamis. The teachings were just as tasty as the chai and snacks - lol! We'd join the meditation club every day from 5pm-6pm, which is 6:30-7:30am here in the states. Then it was dinner time. One of my roommates and I would take that opportunity to go back to Kothavala's and take a bath in the bathhouse. We'd finish our day with a recap and announcements for the next day before heading to the temple for evening Arti. There were some changes to the retreat schedule - when Gurudevi was zooming in for Satsang in Downingtown, we were invited to join. The Sunday program was from 8:30-10pm in Ganeshpuri! In my notes after meditation, I wrote how grateful I was that I rallied and went back for the program. There was the holiday of Vasant Panchami, where we attended a Vedic fire ceremony. I talk about that more in my Temple Living - Vasant Panchami post. Check it out!