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Journalism of Courage
The young and restless take a vacation for the mind and soul as they de-stress at spiritual retreats
Bordered by pine forests,orchards and an idyllic mountain stream,the Osho Nisarga,spread over six acres near Dharamsala,Himachal Pradesh,is a serene setting for Oshos holistic vision of life. Osho Nisarga follows the philosophy of meditation,healing and liveliness. And it is not just senior citizens who are making the most of this oasis. Many frazzled youth,looking to get away from the pressure and stress of everyday life,are seeking a spiritual retreat to recharge their body and mind.
Twenty-one-year-old Tanvi Kamlat,a computer applications student from Mumbai,who is at Nisarga for a three-day programme,says that after a meditation retreat,group therapy,mountain trek and a slow meditative walk,she is now rejuvenated and can handle anything. She says,With debates,absorbing talks on nature,meditative dancing and delicious vegetarian meals made mostly with organic ingredients fresh from the farm here,I feel brand new. Tanvi hopes to be back at the ashram in a couple of months. And she is not alone. The centre has seen a rising inflow of young professionals looking for a break. They want to celebrate their life,experience something deepernot minus the comforts,but something thats truly satisfying, says Swami Chaitanya Keerti,who lives at Nisarga. When you meditate and do yoga regularly,difficulties appear as challenges,not problems, he says.
But the spiritual aspect of the getaway is the highlight for many. Gursimran Singh Sethi,a professional golfer from Chandigarh,regularly heads to the Siddhanath Forest Ashram,nestled in a valley in the Sitamai forest,25 km from Pune,to get some spiritual answers. Id met Yogiraj Siddhanath before and was at a point of time in life when I was seeking some answers. I wanted to empty out the past and was open to receiving advice, says Gursimran.
Switching to the spiritual side in an instant is not easy on the mind for these youngsters. The silence and structure stuns you the first day and is tough. Its physically and mentally challenging too. But living there,the outer peace translates into inner calmness,something that is tangible and you cant touch in the big city and with bright lights, says Gursimran.
The camps,which are held at the ashram through the year,are attended by students from India and abroad. The ashram has resident teachers as well as visiting ones. Yogiraj Siddhanath believes in breaking peoples slavery to routine in their daily lives,so we dont have a strict regimen guided by the clock. We cook,meditate,do yoga,follow traditional methods of healing,discuss,all in the presence of a living master, says Jyoti Subramanium,who teaches the practices of the ashram.
For the young ones,this spiritual quest doesnt have to be a lonely one. Community activities and meeting like-minded people are a big draw at these spiritual holidays. As Chandigarh-based product designer Kanchan Rana,who has been visiting the Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry since 2003,says,Here you meet people with creative interests who are involved in developing handicrafts and pottery. We do organic farming,yoga,meditation,gardening and live a holiday thats unique and fun.
While creative pursuits are great for community bonding,it is the perfect blend of spirituality and fitness that works best for Ashish Choudhary. He is currently busy with a yoga retreat at the quiet Aurobindo Ashram in Ramgarh,Uttarakhand. Surrounded by fruit orchards,this one-week yoga retreat that began on June 20 is conducted by dancer and yoga exponent Navtej Johar,it offers a yoga experience comprising asanas,pranayama,meditation,vedic chanting and lectures on yoga sutrasplus a yogic way of simple living in a Himalayan village.
I have done a retreat like this every year for the last three years and it has lent meaning to my life, says Choudhary. The 29-year-old is a research analyst in Noida. He fell in love with the entire concept of the retreat which,he says,has helped him know the value of spending quality time with himself.
Choudhary says,The process has made me lose my greed,it has turned into a desire to excel,and not only for money. Contentment does not mean that there is any lack of ambition,but that you are more focused and dont go around in circles to get to the point. The clutter is replaced with clarity.
