Ananda’s Colony in Europe

My spouse Lahari and I’ve had the privilege of serving in most of the ashrams Ananda has established all over the world.

Since our arrival within the 1980’s, we had 15 years at Ananda Village, 2 in Portland, 2 in Ananda Ashland, 3 in Palo Alto, 1 in Ananda Rhode Island, 2 in Sacramento, 5 in Gurgaon, 3 in Pune, 10 extra again in Palo Alto, and most just lately 1 in Mumbai. One may rightly say we’ve got been a few of Ananda’s wandering sadhus!

Every Ananda location has its personal strengths, and inevitably, its personal quirks. However all have encompassed the identical underlying threads: Grasp, Swamiji, meditation, service. The readings are the identical, the prayers are the identical, the chants are the identical, the kriyas are the identical. The languages used could differ, however Ananda FEELS the identical in all places you go across the globe.

Beforehand, we had by no means spent longer than two weeks at a time in our sister ashram in Assisi, Italy.  However present circumstances have provided me and my spouse the reward of spending three consecutive months there.

What are a few of the issues that make the ashram at Ananda Assisi so particular? It has so many components, too many to put in writing about in a single quick article. How are you going to not point out lunches on the Terre di Luce farm, the boutique, the ashram program, the programs they train, or the seva program? Every particular person’s perspective on Ananda is certain to be distinctive. Acknowledging that, I’m going to give attention to solely three features from the numerous that may very well be written in regards to the ashram at Ananda Assisi.

The Choir

The primary of my private favourite features is the Ananda Assisi choir. Peter Treichler has been the director for the previous decade, and the schedule he units might be daunting. Simply hearken to the choirs’ schedule for this week simply concluded. There was a 4-hour retreat for each singer on Tuesday, a 1 ½ hour rehearsal for the bigger choir on Wednesday, a 2 ½ hour rehearsal for the smaller choir on Thursday, then a forty five minute live performance for all of the visitors on the retreat that very same evening, a 15 minute sing in the course of the Friday evening introduction for brand new courses beginning on the retreat, and a serious 90 minute launch of their newly recorded album on Saturday night. The choirs’ ordinary three songs for Sunday Service rounded off this beautiful week of music.  Now, admittedly, this week had extra choir occasions than some, nevertheless it suggests how central the choir’s work has change into for the entire ashram. About 25 members of the Assisi ashram participate actively on this side of Ananda’s work, attuning increasingly more subtly to Swamiji via his music.

Espresso bars

I notice that the second side of the Ananda Assisi ashram I wish to spotlight may sound a bit of irreverent. It’s the chats that happen over espresso and cappuccino! Nearly every day I’ve had deep conversations whereas sipping espresso drinks at one of many two “bars” that Ananda members frequent. One is straight throughout from the visitor’s eating corridor, the place Rasamayi serves. The opposite is the bar in Morano, a mere 5 minutes down the street, the place Simone and her household serve. For these unfamiliar with practices in Italy, “bars” right here serve a tiny little bit of liquor and an entire lot of espresso drinks!  In each locations there’s a lot heat banter occurring. It has been amidst these joyful environment that my most significant religious conversations right here in Italy have taken place.

Temple of Gentle (Tempio di Luce)

And on a extra severe word, the third of my most favourite features of life on the Ananda Assisi ashram is that Tempio di Luce! How does one describe the expertise such a spot provides us? It’s nonetheless. It’s quiet. It’s candy. It enfolds you. It is stuffed with presence. It’s dynamic. It’s hovering. It attracts you upward. The sunshine is available in from all instructions. The cupola appears to radiate mild. These beams coax us towards that supply of Gentle above. It’s troublesome NOT to meditate deeply in such environment. The whole lot on this temple is conducive to surrendering your self simply into an upwardly altered state. To place it succinctly, the Tempio di Luce meditates FOR you…

Moksha Mandir

And naturally, what different Ananda middle has the place the place Swamiji took his final breath? The Moksha Mandir makes clear to me that every part that’s necessary about my life comes via Swamiji.  That each precept he taught I now take as my very own. That my ideas about be and suppose on this planet come from him. In these environment I notice that the identical tangible silence I really feel within the Moksha Mandir is identical silence I really feel on the shrines for the Catholic saints in Assisi—for Francis, and Clare, and Joseph of Cupertino. There’s NO distinction! Profound peace. Profound stillness. Vacancy that’s fully full. Stillness that’s pulsing with dynamism. It’s like my pores and skin tingles with out bodily trigger. That’s what the Moksha Mandir is for me.

So sure, all Ananda’s colonies are the identical, in essence. However I can’t assist having a particular place in my coronary heart for Ananda Assisi. You in Europe who dwell so near such a holy spot are significantly blessed. Don’t miss the chance to go to typically!