On Friday 4th July evening after work I came home, had a bath, packed my bag and, grabbed my bedding and started off to the Sannidhi. This was my first experience of a spiritual camp with no idea of what to expect. From my childhood reading of story books, spiritual camp was a total rough-out situation with bare minimum facility. The thought was itching me to give up the plan and enjoy the weekend sleep-in. But the thirst for knowledge and expectations that the knowledge would turn the way I would look at my day to day living gave me strength to go for it. I knew on one side that the retreat being in Sydney and that too at the Chinmaya Sannidhi Ashram and with my regular spiritual
teacher Br Gopal Chaitanyaji would be less harsher.

We had eight devotees arrive on the first day. I was happy with the number and the Sannidhi was well heated and had nothing to complain. House rules were set, we introduced ourselves to each other and four others received their first Japa mala and mantra with the blessings of Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda and the Guru Paramparam from Br Gopalji. We received our copy of “Bhikshu Geeta” by H.H. Swami Tejomayananda – the focal point of our spiritual Study at the retreat. After Arati we went to bed - on the floor of course. I had a camping mattress to give me a bit of comfort.

Day two started at 5.30 am with Japa Meditation. Following that we learnt about Pooja and performed the Pooja to Lord Rama and the Parivar.

We then had a wonderful opportunityt to learn Yoga, which was taught by mission sevika – Sumi Jashwal. It was very educational and challenged our flexibility.

After breakfast we started our Bhikshu Geeta classes. The class went on for the entire day (we had about 6 classes about 1.5 hrs each) and followed on to mid day on Sunday (3 classes of 1.5 hrs each) with the number of participants increasing to ten. The Lecture classes were very inspiring that as we progressed through the day more and more active participation and questions by devotees led the class to become a more of a Discussion classes, it was as though we were back in the Upanishad days, where the Disciples asked the questions and the Guru answers and then disciples asked another question and so on. It was an amazing experience.

The entire text on Bhikshu Geeta - where Lord Sri Krishna, through a story teaches Uddhava and thru Uddhava to us how we can elevate our level of tolerance and reduce of negative emotions and qualities (eg. anger etc) through discriminative thinking and thereby gain control of the mind and what we speak. The teaching also took us through the evil effect of acquiring wealth. Br Gopalji in the discussions (Samvada) explained the level of focus we should have with work, Family life, social life and spiritual indulgence and how we should detach ourselves as we grow older into different stages of life.

On day three, the inspired students asked Br Gopalji to take them thru guided meditation. What a wonderful experience it was to get to that state where we had no thoughts. The mind became absolutely still. With that wonderful experience we continued our inspiring classes. Some of us had ache and pain in our bodies from yesterday’s yoga because we have never done yoga before. Hence we were looking forward to another session of yoga. Sumiji continued to teach us and fine tune our practice. Br Gopalji also joined with us to do Yoga. We then had a talk from Dr Kaushal Bhuta (one of the leading Chiropractors in Sydney and a very close devotee of the mission and a good friend to br gopalji). Kaushalji spoke on men’s health and how what we eat, how we sit and what we do during the day effects our body, and in turn effects our mind and intellect. We were not able to finish the Bikshu Geeta and our inspiration and questioning and inqury slowed Br Gopalji down. Hence we decided to finish of the text on 30th August. We just wanted to come back. On the 30th we had inspired more devotees to come. So the numbers were even bigger. We finished the camp at 4.15PM on 30th August.

What stuck to most of us were?

As human beings we are indebted to 5 claimants. They are:

1. Propitiating deities – when we worship everything that we have (eg. Water, fire, air, space, earth, money, trees, fuel etc) – we use them carefully, we don’t misuse them. When we misuse, we lose it. (eg. Sydney water, ozone layer -> look at climate change, Tsunami etc).

2. Ancient Rishis – knowledge of the Scriptures – when we don’t learn or use the scriptural knowledge which the rishis have given us, we are just wasting our life. (In Vivekachudamani text by Bhagavan Adi Shankaracharyaji calls it commiting suicide, having got this human birth, right family and conditions but not living up to that noble birth and using it for realizing the truth, is like commiting suicide as it is so rare. There is no guarantee next birth will be a human and conducive.

3. Ancestors – If Traditions which were setup by our forefathers and parents are not followed, the pitru karmas are not followed or practiced, we insult them. For great achievements and to be successful, we must remember that the blessings of our parents are the most important thing, we can achieve anything if they give the blessings to us.

4. Society – each one contributes to the total, so we are indebted to everyone. Eg. We buy bread, we think giving money is enough, but if think a little, we will notice how many people have been involved in producing that simple looking loaf of bread. Gratitude should be there and that should translate into us giving back to the world.

5. Other Beings – We co-exist with other beings, hence know we are part not the whole (gives humility)

When one is not blessed and served by the 5 claimants, how can he live a good life now and in the next life. Action of yesterday creates result of today (sorrows for him), what guarantee is it that action of today (if he doesn’t change) will bring different result tomorrow or next life. It will be sorrow only.

Also we learnt not to blame other people or beings, presiding deities, one’s own body, one’s own True Self, the planets, nor our past actions to be responsible for our joys and sorrows. It is our own mind alone is the cause which keeps us entangled in this ignorance, desires and actions (Cycle of Samsara). So to get out of this entanglement, one needs to do sadhana (spiritual practices).

We saw that there are two types of sadhana:

1. Bahiranga Sadhana (outer practices): Charity, doing one’s duties, having disciplines (cleanliness, contenment, austerity, reading of of scriptures, surrendering to the lord), cultivating virtues (non-violence, integrity/Truth, non-stealing, celibacy, Self Control) etc. By regulary practise of this one gains purity of mind and concentration.

2. Antaranga Sadhana (inner practises): Study and reflection upon the scriptures daily, meditation, doing actions based on Scriptures, taking up noble vows etc are inner practices aimed to gain clarity and abidance in the Self.

When one is able to practise, purify and clarify. One will come to the stage of not interpreting what one perceives. In life everything that we perceive through our 5 senses and mind, we interpret based on our past memories, experiences, likes & dislikes, desires (vasanas) etc. Hence we never see the thing for what it really is. The truth is never seen. Hence when we stop interpreting, what remains is the Truth.

Throughout the three days we were treated to delicious food prepared by the Chinmaya Castle Hill Devi Group led by Vatsala Amma. The camp ended around 4.15 pm on 30th August, we were all very inspired and made a promise to ourselves and to our Acharya Br Gopalji that we will practice what we learnt and to enjoy every drop of knowledge it can give us. Especially keep in mind and be mindful that everything that the mind and senses organs perceive are all interpretations and not really the truth.

We are awaiting the next Mens Retreat. Gopalji tells us it might be Hamsa Geeta.

Thankyou Br Gopalji for the wisdom, love and encouragement.

Photo gallery can be accessed here.