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  • Dive into the Depths of Your True Nature — Swami Veda
  • Yoga Nidra Conference (Feb-Mar 2011)
  • SRSG Outreach
  • Summer 2010 Satsangs
  • Stoma in Lithuania
  • Canadian Visitors
  • Upcoming Worldwide Events in Asia, Europe and North America
  • Full Moon Meditation Dates
  • Location of SRSG on the Globe
• AHYMSIN NEWSLETTERS ARCHIVE

Himalayan Tradition Retreat in Lithuania and Hungary

Stoma (Dr. Stephen Parker) visited the Soham Yoga Camp in Dzukijos National Park in Lithuania, July 26-30, 2010. He was asked to give some talks about the Himalayan Tradition based on one person from that Center having visited SRSG in January 2010.

Report from Lithuania

This was even more lovely than I had hoped. Among the campers there was a real sense of family and perhaps 1/3 of the people there were kids. The camp sits beside a large lake where we swam every morning before dawn in the misty waters. In the afternoon they sat me down under a tree on a slope above the lake. I gave talks on "An Introduction to the Himalayan Tradition," "Subtleties and Breath, Prana and Pranayama," and "Vedanta Sadhana and Psychology." The talks seemed well received.

The family feeling was so strong that while I had not intended to talk about mantra initiation on the first visit there, there was a strong inner urge to do so. Sixteen people decided they wanted initiations, so the next day was a long one. With a lot of help from Darius Plikynas, who invited me to Lithuania on behalf of the Soham Center, and Rokas Zemkaukas and Kristijanos Paskevicius, a couple of 15 year olds who were very eager to help, we managed to get everyone initiated before I left.

In addition to the usual lectures, asana classes and satsanga sessions, there was a talent show and a folk music concert. At the end of the concert, near dusk, people wanted to keep singing and so they formed a circle and began to sing traditional rounds addressed to the setting sun, doing a slow shuffling dance step as they sang. I was talking to several people when suddenly someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into the center of two circles moving in opposite directions singing these beautiful rounds. They sang with such love that I was (almost) speechless. I felt as if I stood in the heart of Lithuania.

Report from Hungary

Swami Veda gave a three day seminar on the Yoga Sutras for a large audience as he has done in several previous years. There were 263 in attendance. The lecture duties were shared by Swami Ritavan Bharati and Stoma (Stephen Parker), and asanas were taught by Ashutosh Sharma.

During the lectures, the Hungarian students would bring their children for a blessing and many received an initiation as well, right on stage! After the seminar, about 40 initiations were given. Swami Ritavan, Stoma and Ashutosh then conducted final practical examinations for the Hungarian Teacher Training Program, completing 12 exams in two (long) days at the Budapest Himalayan Yoga Center. http://www.himalayanyoga.hu/  

Silence Retreat at Lake Balaton

On July 10th Swami Ritavan, Stoma and Ashu headed off to Lake Balaton for a seven day silence retreat with the Hungarian students.

For photos of Swami Veda in Budapest 2010, please visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/37736500@N02/sets/72157624450753302/