We began our tour in Varanasi, representing conscious death, a place where people come on pilgrimage to be purged of impurities and meet death as though slipping into the embrace of a lover. In this holy place, the oldest continually inhabited city in the world, they are meeting God while bathing in the river, or being cremated in the fire, or in the continuous flow of music and chanting. I have never seen such a filthy place in all my life, and yet, in spite of this, the transmutation of poison into nectar was luminously present.

Shiva Lingam at Varanasi

The highlight for me in Varanasi was the two hour Shiva Puja which we were privileged to have offered to us. I was completely captivated by the chanting, the presence of the glorious Shiva Lingam, and the very sensuous ritual, where-in we smeared the Lingam with precious scented oils, with ghee, with honey, with spices and ablutions of milk, cleansed and washed it, and finally offered tiers of flowers and fruits. I felt fully blessed through this experience and this quality has not diminished with the passage of time. I felt in those two hours, that we stepped through a transparent veil into another world, another century, another dimension, where devotional love is the ruler of time, mind and all the senses.

Varanasi photo gallery – you can click on each image to enlarge, or choose the ‘slideshow’ option – you can make the images fullscreen by clicking on the icon with 4 arrows.

Sarita

From Varanasi we went to Khajuraho, a series of Tantra temples, representing sexuality and the invitation to allow meditation to be present in all aspects of life, including our most sensual explorations. The temples are simply exquisite, and are maintained in pristine cleanliness, with gorgeous gardens all around. It is a tremendous pleasure to explore them, taking time to be in awe of such masterful artistry. We were truly blessed to be guided by Ganga, a man who was Osho’s tour guide in Khajuraho, where Osho went numerous times. Ganga received a very powerful transmission from Osho on the subject of Khajuraho and on Tantra in general. I could really feel Osho’s presence in Ganga’s words and gestures as he lovingly shared his experiences of being with the Master and receiving his wisdom. Later, when Ganga had become a disciple of Osho and was living in the commune, Osho asked him to go back to Khajuraho and sing Osho’s song, which he has been doing ever since. He runs an esthetic, clean and loving hotel where people can relax into the nurturing ambiance of Ganga and the Khajuraho vibe.

Khajuraho photo gallery

We then journeyed to Jabalpur, where Osho was a student and then a professor in the University. We stayed in an Osho ashram there, which is on the edge of a marvelous forested area with a beautiful lake. The highlight in this place was to meditate on a very big rock where Osho used to go and meditate regularly, between 1952–1960. The rock has definitely received his transmission. The whole group of us who sat there were transported into deep meditation, and then found ourselves in spontaneous, ecstatic celebration.

Receiving the ecstasy of Osho's transmission

We went to the tree in Jabalpur where Osho experienced enlightenment at the age of 21. I believe that none of us were expecting anything in that strange theme park, decorated with huge plastic dinosaurs. And then we met the tree. And in the tree, we met a presence which was so palpable as to be truly astonishing. I have spent years at Osho’s feet, and so am able to recognize his unique fragrance and presence. I experienced that this tree is the body of Osho. Touching this tree, we are touching Osho’s body. Being embraced by this tree, we are receiving Darshan. It was an extraordinary blessing. As we were meditating there, a local television crew came and asked to interview some of us and to take photos and film us imbibing Osho’s sacred presence through the tree.

After that, still drunk on the divine, we made our way to the Narmada River with the famed marble rocks. We stayed in a hotel run by a Sannyasin named Anil. He was an angel with us, taking us to a very moving sunset Puja by the river. After a feast at his hotel, he then took us for a river cruise with the almost full moon lighting our way. To move in silence upstream and to experience the incredible beauty of this place is a darshan in itself. Everything Osho said about the marble rocks is true, it is one of the wonders of the world. We stopped our boat after about half an hour, and clambered out onto some ghostly white marble rocks which were jutting out into the river. Some people meditated, some people slept, and we were all lulled into the very heart of beauty and silence. It was utterly magical. Anil told us, if we want to come back for a longer time, he can take us on a trip to the marble rocks lasting a few days, and we can just be in the nature imbibing the beauty. He also guides people into Tantric experiences using the 64 sculptures at the Yogini temple in his village. When we visited the temple, it was amazing to feel the energy emanating from the deity inside, the only one of it’s kind in the world, a sculpture of Shiva and Paravati on their marriage day, riding on the back of a bull.

Jabalpur photo gallery

Former maid in Osho's house recounts tales of him as a boy

With much gratefulness in our hearts for Anil, we then journeyed 5 hours by Taxi over abominable roads, to reach Osho’s birthplace. There is an Osho ashram there, run by both Japanese and Indians. It is right on the edge of Osho’s birth village, a tiny hamlet, with houses made of mud brick and cow dung. Crowds of children swarmed around us as we made our way to the house which had been Osho’s home for the first 7 years of his life, the house of his grandparents. The house is abandoned, though it has been kept from complete ruin through the efforts of the nearby ashram. What I experienced meditating in that humble room where he was born, is beyond words. Tears kept welling up in my eyes as I found myself in resonance with the immensity of his soul, born into simplicity and innocence, yet brimming over with enlightened presence. We were guided to the mud, straw and stick hut of a very old woman who was a maid servant in Osho’s grandparents house when Osho was a child there. With ever present raucous laughter, she recounted how he never worked, but simply drank milk, a real lord of the manor so to speak. At the end of our meeting, we found ourselves showering her with money and expressing our gratitude to her for looking after the well being of our master so many years before.

Osho’s birthplace photo gallery

At the foot of the holy mountain

The next day, we came to Pachmari, a hill station, which has many sacred sites and breathtaking views over a vast terrain of wild forests, lakes and rivers. Here, we relaxed in a very luxurious hotel, decorated in a style reminiscent of the British Raj with wonderful vibrant gardens, and a staff ever ready to wait on us hand and foot. This is a great way to unwind and relax after the series of very intense experiences. Today, in the morning, we walked up 1200 steps to the top of a mountain with a Shiva temple on top. The temple was not very interesting, having been left incomplete, but the views as we climb up and down are phenomenal. And to top it all off, an Ayurvedic massage with a 3rd generation practitioner of this art, who is very gifted. This helped to iron out  very sore muscles from the climb up the holy mountain.

Pachmari photo gallery

Stay tuned for more sacred tours, with Niten and Santoshi as guides!

Love

Sarita

I have to begin by saying that I believe that the Kogi Indians of Columbia are the most refined, intelligent, sensitive and advanced civilization on this planet today. I have been researching them for the past 20 years, since the first time I saw the astonishing BBC documentary, ‘The Heart of the World’ by Alan Eirera. Later, I read his book, as well as two books by Eric Julian, who lived with the Kogi for months on end and wrote about his experiences.

Recently, my friend Jean-Paul, who manages the Indian Ocean Film Festival, let me know that my dream of many years was about to be fulfilled. A real Live Kogi was scheduled to come to London! It was the first time Jacinto, a Kogi Representative had been on a plane, and the first time any Kogi has visited London, a historic occasion! He came in order to let people know about a most phenomenal film which is being made about the Kogi and to help us understand the Kogi message.

Through the introduction by Jean Paul and the kindness of the Gaia Foundation in London, I was invited to attend the small informal gathering where Jacinto Zarabata would be presenting the Kogi message. Alan Ereira, who is helping them with their new film, was accompanying Jacinto, and helping to explain about the Kogi.

For those of you reading this who may never have heard about the Kogi, I will explain briefly:

Kogi Indians in their home in the Sierra Nevada mountains

They are a pre-Columbian civilization, with direct links to the earlier Tairona civilization and who live in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Columbia. They had a whole network of eco-villages and pathways throughout the Sierra Nevada, from the highest peaks to the coastal area. Their villages blended perfectly with the surroundings, with minimal impact on the ecology of the region. The structure of their society was deeply respectful of nature and of human beings. They felt they were placed on this earth to be custodians and protectors of the Mother, of a living Gaia. All was done in accord with Aluna, the mysterious force which is the source of our universe.

The conquistadores came and ravaged the land and killed the indigenous people. The people fled up the mountain, seeking refuge with their wise enlightened beings who act as spiritual guides. These beings are called Mama’s or Mamos. They live in the highest part of the Sierra Nevada. The Mamos devised a way of hiding the Kogi from the intruders and they continued to remain invisible for 500 years.

One day, through divination and experience, they realized that if they didn’t come out of hiding and educate us on what we are doing wrong, the very planet is in danger of being destroyed through our ignorance. They refer to themselves as the ‘Older Brother’ and to the so-called civilized man as the ‘younger brother.’ They invited the BBC to make a film where they could deliver their message. Then, they closed the gate into their world, allowing no one to enter uninvited. They waited 20 years to see if the ‘younger brother’ would ‘get’ the message. Now, they realize that a stronger message is needed since it appears that younger brother is hell bent on self-destruction. They called on Alan Eirera, who made the original film, to help them make a new film, to be called ALUNA (see www.alunathemovie.com)

This time, they have decided that in order to help the ‘younger brother ‘to understand, it is essential that they themselves make the film, and show us, through their own eyes, how the world of spirit and matter functions. They went to enormous trouble to get some of their people trained in film-making. The film will explore their sacred sites and sacred ceremonies, literally, how they are constantly maintaining stability on the earth and protecting her from damage, through their rituals and way of being.

The footage of the new film, what little I have seen, is simply breathtaking. It is certain that this will be a groundbreaking documentary, and one which has the potential to radically altar the way we see and experience life. Alan has to make it as an ‘independent film’ in order to maintain the integrity of the Kogi, with their own message, undiluted and direct. Alan has to raise a minimum of £1 million in order to do this heroic work. If you know of anyone who may be interested in contributing or investing in this project, please contact: alunathemovie@aol.com.

Jacinto Zarabata, Kogi Mamos

The night after I met Jacinto, he did a presentation on an internet TV station Esoguru (www.esoguru.com).  This station has done interviews with the Dalai Lama, with the foremost Mayan elder, and other people who are instrumental in transforming our world. The program was 2 ½ hours long. I paraphrase here, some highlights:

Jacinto says: “The Mamos learn behaviour appropriate with the plants and about offerings which have to be made at sacred sites. When the Mamo’s voice deepens, he is given a Poporo and in this way is acknowledged as a man.

Alan adds: “The Poporo represents the womb, containing stardust or semen.”

Jacinto: “The Mamo continues his or her training and is given his divining bowl. He learns how to heal the water, the food, the place where we cut wood, or any other material we require to maintain life. The Mamo learns to make offerings to rivers, lakes and mountains. He learns how to carry out burial rites. He learns how to do ceremonies for pubescent boys or girls. They have to know how to make pots for cooking, how to support birth giving, how to prevent disease, and how to help family problems to be resolved. Mamo means, ‘the Sun.’

The Sun doesn’t only shine for one person, but for everyone and everything in the world. This is why Mamos work for the good and the benefit of the whole planet. The sun cannot deny its heat to anyone. It cannot say, ‘I will not give heat to the thief’ for example.

Our people consult with the Mamos about anything we want to carry out, whether that be the sowing of seeds or the building of a house.”

Alan asks: “Before doing anything in our world, should we consult with the Mamos?”

Jacinto: “Yes, it is obvious. Then things will go the way they should.”

Alan: “Are they prepared to help us in this way?”

Jacinto: “Yes, if a new disease is being created, they do healing and rituals to prevent it. For example, we do not have congenital defects as there are in the outside world.”

Question: what food do the Mamos eat?

Jacinto: “Some are forbidden to eat salt. Some are forbidden to eat meat. Some can eat crab but no meat. They eat white beans and potato. Those Mamos who eat nothing, which has blood, are able to look after the animals which have blood.

Question: why are the Mamos concerned?

Kogis collecting water at an ancient pond

Jacinto: “They are concerned about the sacred sites. The snow capped mountains, ancient lakes or ponds, the sources of rivers, and the sites where mining is destroying the body of the mother. The ancestors have never authorized us to channel water into waterways, to create mines or to dam the water, or other activities which destroy the body of the mother.”

Alan adds: “Se’ is a word which means, the law which precedes all of creation. The sacred sites is where se’ is maintained. If sacred sites are disturbed, the whole of creation is disturbed.”

Jacinto: “There are also sacred sites in the body. Eyes and ears, for example are sacred. If we cut it, we feel a great deal of pain. It is the same for the earth.

Alan asks: “How do the Mamos know what is happening in the rest of the world?”

Jacinto: “Through dreams or visions. Some Mamos immediately know what is happening anywhere on this earth. Then they do rituals to help heal this situation. These abilities, were given by the Mother, directly to us, so we can help to protect her from outside influences.

In the gatherings of the Mamos, each Mamo consults their own divining bowl. They work individually and also in a holistic way. The sacred sites also work individually and collectively. In sacred sites, we have the thought patterns of all the Mamos who have existed in the past.

When I get back, I will go immediately to the Mamos. I will tell them everything I have witnessed or thought about. Perhaps I may have had improper thoughts, for example, I may have fancied a woman not my wife, or had some negativity in my mind. This all has to be healed with the Mamos in a process we call ‘Confession’, so I don’t bring this into my family.

Question: What practice can people do in their own homes?

Jacinto: “We can meditate. We can purge our mind through a process of confession. Between husband and wife, they can speak of every thought, which they have had and everything that has happened during the day. We have to reflect in the evening on how we may have lost the thread and allowed negativity to creep in.

The powerful people of this world, the magnates, can reflect on what they are doing and its implications through this process of ‘confession.’

Question: is there is crime in the Kogi world?

Jacinto: “We do not kill each other. Sometimes, there is some stealing. If this happens, the Mamos search for the source of why this person did such a thing. It could have come from far in the past, even from the grandparents. The person who has stolen will go through a healing process till he becomes whole again.”

Question: How do Kogis view death?

Jacinto: “There are Kogi Mamos who specialize in the various kinds of death. They will do healing on the dead person. They bring back to life all who have died so they can be part of nature. Their life will continue in another generation. It is important to heal their death, so it doesn’t continue into other generations. “

It is my sincere wish that the message contained in this blog can spread far and wide, supporting the wisdom of the Kogi to be heard by one and all. We need to hear this message, and act on it, for the good of ourselves, for our children and for our planet.

Love,

Sarita

Of course, the question on everyone’s mind is, “why did Uezu San drop Aisho?” Strangely enough, he didn’t explain why. So all explanations are only conjecture. One of the basic truths I have learned is; love does not try to change a person, but rather accepts this person as he or she is. And so it is that when he announced he was letting go of our combined work, I searched in my heart, and found only gratitude for what we had shared. I wrote a poem and read it to him.

We then did our last healing circle together which was deeper than ever. Afterwards, people were commenting how deeply touched they were by the healing, and Uezu San commented, “It is the combination of yin and yang which makes it so powerful. This transformation will be with you forever.” When he was leaving, I wept in his arms. And that was it. Below, I offer the poem I wrote for him, and by so doing, I invite you to peek into my heart and soul.

Beloved
Lion of God
You are divinely wild
To be near you is to know heaven while on earth
Your voice echoes in the inner sanctum of my heart
Calling me to be Love, each moment
With your touch
You tune my instrument to the sound of the universe
And the strings of my soul vibrate in ecstasy
Together
We have known the merging of sun and moon
And the delicate flower
Born of the union of East and West
We have tasted the nectar of working as one
And beyond all this
My lord,
It is you
Who has given me the ultimate gift
It is your touch
Your presence
Your magic
Which has opened me all the way to source
In that moment of sublime surrender
I abandoned all of my being
Into your hands, the hands of God
And remain,
In deepest gratitude
And in radiant love
Thank you for being
Thank you for sharing
Thank you for your courage

Love,
Sarita

A symbol for the Aisho flowering of consciousness

Aisho Retreat:  Mahabaleshwar, India

With Uzeu-San and Sarita

Three months before the retreat started, I wrote an email to Sarita saying that I couldn’t afford to come as I didn’t have enough money to cover the costs. I received an answer few days later: “To me, money is energy, so, I read that you don’t have enough energy to come….Is that the case?”

It suddenly occurred to me that, yes, I had plenty of energy and good will to be part of that retreat and money couldn’t be a valid reason not to be there. Although my mind was trying to convince me that my finances were too low, something in me decided to Trust and move accordingly…

The retreat started on 3 February. We were 60 people from 11 different countries. In my position as DJ I had organised all my music selection and felt very fortunate to be sitting right beside master Uezu-San. Just like the previous retreat in France, the quality of silence that I experienced defies any description. Perhaps, even more so this time as I could feel his physical presence so close to my body.

There was, however, one thing that my mind was busy with, a chronic bronchitis that had started three months before. I was still coughing a lot of mucus, and my chest was congested, which made it hard to breathe fully.

One afternoon, as participants were having a pause, Master Uezu-San placed his hands on my chest, exactly in the area where I was having trouble breathing. After a short time, I started to feel heat and a very unusual sensation, as if all of my mucus, was being sucked away by his hands.  When he removed his hands, I immediately coughed, sneezed, and blew my nose, releasing all the mucus left in my body. I could breathe again, it really felt like a re-birth and the bronchitis hasn’t returned to this day.

During the retreat, we had various sessions, all very powerful and healing. Besides the usual “Dhamma Ball” and “Heart Chakra” meditations, we also had wonderful “live music” events led by Shivananda, a Bhajan and Heart songs master…I found those musical gatherings so special in bringing participants together in playfulness and simplicity.

Fergus in Satori

Also, very much loved and appreciated was the walk to the top of the cliffs, a short distance from the resort. We gathered there a couple of times at dawn, in silence as the sun was rising. What a stunning sight! One participant later shared he had a profound experience, known as “Satori” or glimpse of the “No-Mind” state, dissolving for a moment in universal consciousness…

Then, we were all blessed with sacred moments like “Shaktipat” which traditionally refers to offering all our suffering and misery to the master who Himself transforms it and releases it back to us in the form of universal, unconditional love…In this case, both Sarita and Uezu-San were offering Shaktipat. To me, they symbolised in a very real way the embodiment of pure Yin and Yang energy, dancing in unison, in unwavering balance.

Another powerful moment was the “Energy Darshan” where participants received a direct transmission from both Sarita and Uezu-San. A special Aisho balm was created, carrying Uezu-San and Sarita’s blessing. Uezu-San spiralled around the third eye (or Ajna chakra) whereas Sarita was stroking upward from the third eye in a vertical motion. It was obvious that everyone was profoundly touched by this unique transmission. The impact was awesome. I was witnessing Sarita and Uezu-San as two empty beings, channelling Divine Source Energy.

Monkeys join Francis for morning meditation

Perhaps it is because the retreat was being held in India that the whole group could so easily receive this immense energetic offering – India is well known to carry the fragrance of mysticism and spiritual experiences of all kinds. Or perhaps it is the ability of Sarita and Uezu-San to “channel” any past masters that have lived and contributed to expand people’s consciousness.  The energy field created during that retreat was incredibly vibrant, full of love, compassion, dance and laughter…Full…Yet one could also experience the deep Void, the vast emptiness, the magnificent stillness in moments of silence. I believe those moments have nurtured all of us participants to the very core of our hearts and spirits…

I am so grateful that I found in Sarita and Uezu-San, the masters that I have been longing for, perhaps, for lives altogether…Or shall I say, I am so grateful that they finally found me!…

This retreat was, for me, a rare opportunity to experience the unconditional love, total understanding and immense compassion of two individuals who have come to realise who they are, in the deepest sense…It was a rare blend of humour, devotion, godliness, silence and meditation. It was a unique combination of two different flavours, giving us the most exquisite, divine taste of how life can be lived in constant celebration.

Aisho was much more than a week long retreat. It was the manifestation of all the wisdom that has ever existed on Earth and still vibrates today. The wisdom of the East and the wisdom of the West. The wisdom of Male principle and the wisdom of Feminine energy.

Buddha statue at retreat centre in Mahabaleshwar

Many people have been transformed coming into contact with Sarita and Uezu-San…I see the Aisho project being another dawn of a wider, collective awakening that the Earth, and we human beings have been longing for…

Namaste…

Dhyan Niten

Now, circumstances are provoking me to come out of the closet.

It is time for my secret to be revealed.

As with all revelations, there is a multifaceted story behind it. In the telling of this story, I bare heart and soul.

My friend Champaka, who together with his wife Ramya, guides the Sacred Japan Tour, has introduced me to two rare and unique enlightened beings, Kohrogi Sensei and Uezusan. I have studied with, hung out with, and adored Kohrogi Sensei for the past 16 years. And I met Uezusan 3 years ago on the first Sacred Japan Tour. Subsequently, I invited him to come and present his work for the first time in Europe. He came to Glastonbury in May 2009 where we did sacred sites touring and a meditation retreat. I love the direct simplicity of Uezusan’s approach, which centers on one method of meditation and one powerful message. His message is, “I am God. God is Love. You are God. Wake up to your true nature.” His method is called Dhamma Ball and is highly effective for opening the door to cosmic consciousness. I love to simply ‘be’ in his presence. He emits a perfume of transcendental wisdom, which is such a blessing to meditate with.

During his retreat in Glastonbury, he was moving around the room offering hands on healing to the roomful of people who were doing the Dhamma Ball Meditation. As he put his hands on my crown chakra, I disappeared as a self, moving through a portal into universal consciousness. Imagine the best orgasmic experience you have ever had, the greatest ecstasy, the most powerful love union. Now, magnify that about a thousand times through the whole body, with crown chakra dissolving into shooting stars, or the sun itself. All is light and love, pulsating ad infinitum. There is no time, no mind. Infinity is revealed as ever present. As this was happening, Uezusan announced loudly to the whole room, “God is now entering Sarita. She is one with universal consciousness.”

Uezusan and Sarita at Stonehenge

He then asked for the microphone to be placed in front of my mouth and requested me to speak. I felt like a virgin being asked to describe her first lovemaking experience as it was happening. It was beyond shocking to find my words echoing out into the crowded room. “All is light. Only Godliness is. Love is our very nature.”

After this, during questions and answers in the group, Uezusan was speaking about his enlightenment, and was careful to mention me in the same breath, as inhabiting the same space. When the group finished, my body went into chaos and became very sick with high fever. It took time to integrate the Glastonbury event. I was very busy with work, and was finally able to rest and recharge in the first two weeks of September. During this period I received an invitation to co-teach groups with Uezusan in 2010. I felt very honored to be invited to work alongside this great master and said “yes!” In my meditation I feel in deep psychic communion with him on an ongoing basis.

Uezusan

In early November, I went to France to take part in Uezusan’s Meditation Retreat. During this retreat, he went on showering me with his love and appreciation. He said, “I am Sarita and Sarita is me; we are one.”  He gave a long talk on the benefits of our combined teaching presence, as it is an experiment, which is happening for the first time, two enlightened people teaching together, a man and a woman, joining east and west, yin and yang. Uezusan and I spoke at length, through Champaka as translator, and he let me know that he would like to teach with me on a regular basis. He said he knew the first time we met that this would happen, that it was only a matter of time. When I am with him, I melt into a devotional way of being, which feels so delicious. His yang element is very powerful, and this becomes the perfect balance for my divine feminine nature.

And so, I find my life spinning into metamorphosis. Uezusan and I come from different backgrounds, and like two musicians playing different instruments, our combined presence creates magical music. I believe Uezusan is extremely courageous to merge his work with a Tantra teacher. As we all know, there are a lot of misconceptions, which abound in the world, regarding the path of Tantra. He appears to care more for truth, and less about his reputation, as he throws himself into this wild river of bliss. And I, in an ecstasy of abandon, find myself living in a world of ever expanding light and love, savoring his divine presence.

As one body can only do so much in our world of time and space, it looks like I will be sharing more of my Tantra work with my ‘dream team’ of Tantra Teachers who have worked with me over the last few years. This will take a clearer form from 2011. As my work with Uezusan increases, my presence in Tantra groups will become more rare, and therefore, something to be treasured. I adore the Tantra work and wish to keep nurturing this exquisite flowering.

With Uezusan, my contribution will be to offer ways of experiencing meditation in everyday life. This means essentially, meditation as a tool to bring transformation to body, mind, emotions and senses. I believe we will be able to touch and transform many more people through our combined presence. It is in fact, nothing short of a miracle to work together like this. We are calling our work Aisho, which means, ‘radiant love.’ I imagine I will be seeing many friends I know, as well as many new friends at Aisho events. We can have a good laugh together, and enjoy mysterious Leela, the Divine Play.

In the last group with Uezusan, some people were feeling confused about whether they should hug me, or namaste me. I started laughing, seeing this dilemma. Just to set the record straight, I still love to hug! Not only that, I still love to tell jokes! And guess what? I still love to cook fabulous meals and to watch funny movies!  In short, I enjoy ordinary and grounded enlightenment. If you see me floating up to heaven, please pull my feet to bring me back to earth. I am a lover of life. It is my sacrament to honor and worship this earth, this body, this moment.

Lotus from Okinawa

Uezusan and Sarita will be co-teaching together in 2010:

• 4–9 February, Mahabaleshwar, India-more info (Please book NOW if you would like to join this retreat, latest by 20th December)
• 21–23 April Okinawa Japan, (as part of the Sacred Japan Tour 2010) – more info
• 15-20 June, Ardeche, France
• 22–27 June, England
• 26–31 October, Paris, France

For more information: please contact info@schoolofawakening.com

These days there is such a sense of rapid change – sometimes unsettling, often inspiring, that calls for us to pay attention to the balance of activity and rest.

September brought an ‘Indian summer’ of some great beauty. I had a beautiful time on a six day silent retreat. It was so wonderful to slooow down, spend time without noise and be immersed in meditation – simply being with the breath, the senses.

After that I was at a Chateau in France for a week with Sarita and the Tantra team from the School of Awakening. We were held among the wooded hills with an impressive vista. It was exciting, hard work and fun to get together. The time was focused on learning and developing a little known method of Tantric massage from Kashmir, and also crafting a transformational new group process Tantra Man-Tantra Woman, which will be unveiled at Croydon Hall this week.

After many years as a massage professional with experience in dozens of methods, it was a very pleasant surprise to experience something new and really quite wonderful. The massage techniques were a joy to share and practice – they are very sensual and powerful – I will certainly be adding them to my menu of individual sessions and look forward to teaching them to others.

I also particularly enjoyed working with Shiva and Sangeet to create the part of the group where the men will all be together away from the women. After choosing Tantric precepts that we felt are essential, we developed the key practices and some dynamic rituals that will really help foster key qualities in a ‘Tantric Man’.

Working with these themes has really fired me up for the upcoming series of Tantra evenings for men in Bristol. I feel that this kind of gathering – where men can offer each other support and inspiration, move and express themselves in an authentic, conscious way and learn with and from each other – is what many men (and the women in their lives!) are really hungry for. I am really looking forward to stepping into a ‘space’ with men and the distinct flavour, the particular atmosphere that emerges there.

Recently I have noticed a subtle change in some of the men’s events – a greater ease and willingness in connecting with other men. It will be interesting to see how widespread these shifts become through the wider society (and not just those who have been ‘working on themselves’). It could be that the times are calling for such an evolution. Who will be a part of the wave?

Namaste,

Suta

www.chooseblissnow.co.uk

The famous Japanese immunologist Dr. Abo found out that stress reduces our lymphocyte count and creates a lower body temperature.  According to Dr. Abo’s research 80% of sicknesses nowadays are occurring out of a stressed body situation. For example: cancer, rheumatism and arthritis etc are happening under such conditions. What we need for healing is to turn from a stressed body-mind state to one which is more relaxed. How can we relax body and mind in our daily life so that we can stay healthy or become healthy? Healthy means that the lymphocyte count rises to a normal number and the body temperature comes back to its natural balance.

Ito Thermie Therapy is an essential and very effective healing method in this context. It gives deep relaxation to the body mind system and triggers the body to detoxify and rejuvenate. Because Ito Thermie uses 7 healing herbs, a special quality of heat can stay in the body for a long time and keeps on working after a session. This profound heat stays much longer in the body than the heat we can get from a shower or from a sauna. After regular treatments the lymphocyte count rises naturally and deep relaxation happens more and more. The beauty of Ito Thermie is that you can treat yourself regularly and even a short self treatment will help you to stay healthy. You can also support your family and friends very effectively with this wonderful healing modality.

The Ito Thermie Basic course with Champaka (and with Sarita assisting) will take place over the weekend of November 13-15 at Sarita’s new (large)apartment in Kings Langley just north of London. For more information and to book visit our website or contact Supragya direct on 01769 581232 or by email at info@schoolofawakening.com

NB As the equipment has to be specially ordered from Japan please let Supragya know that you are interested in attending  by October 20, if possible.

]]> http://blog.schoolofawakening.com/2009/09/ito-thermie/feed/ 0 http://blog.schoolofawakening.com/2009/08/colour-light-therapy-at-month-in-paradise-festival-osho-leela/ http://blog.schoolofawakening.com/2009/08/colour-light-therapy-at-month-in-paradise-festival-osho-leela/#comments Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:32:37 +0000 Sidika http://blog.schoolofawakening.com/?p=146 Taster Workshops and sessions at Osho Leela ‘Month in Paradise Festival’

Kamla Deva, our main Colour Light Therapy facilitator and Amala (a gifted practitioner from Bristol) will be visiting Osho Leela in Gillingham, Dorset next week. They will be providing a taste of this powerful therapy at the Osho Leela Healing Festival which runs from 12-16th August. Amala will be giving sessions during the festival and Kamla will be running a free Colour Light Therapy taster workshop on Saturday, 15^th. Click here for the full festival program.

Kamla and this time Sidika will be visiting Osho Leela again for their Ultimate Celebration Festival on 25-31st August (see programme). Kamla’s workshop will be on Sunday, 30^th August.

So what exactly is Colour Light Therapy?

Child being teated with Colour Light Therapy

Taster workshops and sessions are an ideal way of experiencing the power and versatility of Colour Light Therapy (CLT). Many people confuse CLT with Colour Therapy – the two therapies are very different. CLT is a holographic healing method which uses coloured light to facilitate change at the cellular level, going to the very roots of emotional, spiritual and physical problems. It is gentle, easy to learn, and highly effective. It creates profound results on the levels of body, emotions, mind and soul.

CLT is derived from Colourpuncture – a method of using a light torch to treat acupuncture points and other points on the body, which was developed by German Naturopath, Peter Mandel. In Colour Light Therapy (created by Sarita, founder of the School of Awakening) we use the Colourpuncture treatments and torch as a starting point and we then add Dialoguing, emotional release, picture diagnosis, hypnosis, dream work and meditation.

With these additional elements, we perhaps focus more on facilitating understanding of the emotional and soul issues causing ill health and assisting you to consciously release those issues. Colourpuncture tends to have more of a clinical approach with a greater focus on medical issues. In Colour Light Therapy we also specialise in personal transformation work and include personal development as part of our training approach. It is used extensively and to great effect to support participants in Sarita’s Tantra workshops.

Colour Light Therapy Foundation Courses

On September 11-13^th, Kamla will be facilitating a 3 day residential Colour Light Therapy Foundation Course at Osho Leela. This will be our first time bringing the Foundation Course to our friends at Osho Leela – the price is a bargain as it includes delicious food and accommodation – particularly if you book before the early bird date.

There will also be a Foundation Course with Qiming in London on 4-6th September.

These September dates will most likely be the last opportunity this year to attend the Foundation Course before the Practitioner Training starts in November.

On these beginners’ workshops you will learn and practise about 20 treatments that are a foundation for maintaining the health and emotional balance of you and your family and friends for the rest of your life.

The course covers:

• basic theory of 3 body/energy types
• boosting the immune system and detox
• hormonal balancing
• treatments for stress, anxiety and depression
• harmonising body, mind and emotions
• lymph flow activation
• cold, flu and pain treatments
• spinal balancing
• zones to activate full potential
• colour sound therapy introduction
• dreamwork and diagnostic pictures

The Foundation Course is complete in itself and provides you with an opportunity for deep personal healing, as you will be receiving many treatments over the three days as part of your learning experience. It also forms Level 1 of the Practitioner Training.

Book your course here for London 4-6 September

Book your course here for Osho Leela 11-13 September

For more information and/or to book please contact Sidika on: tel: ++44 (0)117 927 2445
mobile: 07742 053198 or colour@schoolofawakening.com

Love & Light

Sidika

Some of the sutras, (spiritual aphorisms) were on playfulness, and we had a carnival to celebrate this. Other sutras offered an opportunity to enter into communion with nature, so we went on a couple of early morning treks, to forest and river. The many and varied meditation methods helped participants to discover a whole rainbow of ways in which to experience the awakening of expanded consciousness and heightened sensitivity. Overall, this retreat offered an opportunity to expand into our vast potential, as creative, loving, aware and blissful beings. As the saying goes, ‘one picture is worth a thousand words.’ Enjoy the beautiful photo presentation from the Tantra Meditation Retreat, taken by Nick and by Khirad, below. And mark the date for the next retreat in your diary: November 5-15, 2010.

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