If you are thinking that you need ‘time out’ for quiet reflection and to connect with yourself again in these busy lives of ours then I would definitely recommend the Silent Meditation and Live Food Detox Retreat at Croydon Hall facilitated by Sarita, a beautiful and wise woman. The structure was challenging for the likes of myself who hardly meditates, however, the joy of being silent, not talking, switching of mobile and laptop and not reading any books … but replacing this with meditating, chanting and spending luscious time doing yoga exercises with the wonderful and special Ekant was indeed a treat beyond my imagination! Coupled with this the joy of dancing, listening to wonderful music both live and recorded was enchanting. Zen walking in nature along with periods of meditating outside was beneficial in remembering this connection we all have to mother earth, the simplicity of life and just listening to the wonderful sounds of nature all around us. Beautiful and full of wonderment.

Coming into silence at Croydon Hall

This retreat has brought me back to remembering ‘my-self’ again after many months of challenge and upheaval in my life affecting my overall health and well-being. It was great to live in the moment and not think, do, or be interrupted in daily outside influences. It was a relief to remind myself that I am the captain of my own life, that the choices I make are mine, the thoughts I think are mine and my actions are mine, no one else to blame or judge. Just me…. and that I do have choices … Daily individual time in counselling with Sarita was welcome and blessed in her generous words of wisdom and abundant love.

Infused with all this, by allowing the expansion of time, everything seemed perfect and natural, unrushed and unhurried. Bliss. So the crème de la crème of this experience so to speak, (ha ha), was the extraordinary raw food delights prepared by the gorgeous Niten (who has boundless energy reserves, I tell you!) … a French chef who now lives in Ibizia. His passion and flair for the culinary expertise is totally beyond words…..  I can only describe the raw food diet as being back in ‘the Garden of Eden’ (not that I remember it too well, however, some memory stirred)…

A healing session with Chintan was a very special experience; an hour and a half of cranio sacral work alongside a very gentle approach to healing some very deep wounds and painful memories that emerged.

Despite feeling exhausted from months of personal inner chaos, lack of sleep, intake of too much junk food, addictive behaviours, menopause and painful knees (not in a great heap of health, I must say!) I did wonder if I would make it to the sessions which started at 6am and finished at 10pm ish .. then straight to bed.. however, it was a totally amazing inspiring experience and a love affair with myself, that I’d forgotten.  Recommend it? Absolutely!! ..

I have been home for nearly three weeks now. I have decided to continue meditating daily, have changed my diet and been taking steps to healing my addictive behaviours and being more loving to myself. It’s working, I am just starting to feel more energy and inspired about life again…

Thank you to Sarita and her wonderful team.

In blessings, love and peace

Vera Waters

www.veritasprojects.com

It was only when I met Sarita and Geho at the age of 26 that I could validate these earlier experiences as being of spiritual value. Diving into Tantric methods seemed to me like regaining my original face and innocence, as nature intended. The way Sarita and Geho worked could be challenging at times but the essence was always the same: re-discovering my true nature.

My interest in Tantra continued to deepen when reading the fascinating story of Saraha, a Buddhist scholar and consultant of the King who left everything behind to be initiated by a woman in the market place. They lived on a crematory ground, or burning “ghats”, where bodies were burnt. Only when you can celebrate life amidst death can you be truly happy! Those words really struck me as I was living in Varanasi, India, at the time, just few yards away from the “burning ghats”. I remember sitting in front of dead bodies burning and being enveloped by a deep, peaceful silence, as if time totally stopped!

A market in Mumbai, India

Living in India for almost 10 years allowed me to take my time and bring full awareness to my actions. My daily routine in the market place became my school. And shoe makers, rickshaw drivers, “chai walas” (tea stalls), silversmiths and so on, became my masters.

I could watch such people for hours, totally mesmerized by the enormous amount of love, devotion and totality they’d bring into their work. When I participated in my first Tantra courses later on, I would re-call the same qualities that I have experienced while living in India.

To me, the four key words to a sincere Tantric approach to life are: love, awareness, devotion and totality.

Bringing love into our actions immediately changes the quality and the final outcome. Love is like our “soul signature” carved onto every little thing we do in our daily life.

Awareness and totality are like two wings of the same bird, one leads inevitably to the other and vice versa.

To be total means not to be pre-occupied by the end result. Rather, one is so absorbed in the moment that no past, no future exists, only a crystal clear, pure, sense of awareness.

Devotion is like our intimate conversation with existence itself, allowing a sense of deep gratitude to be shared from our deepest core. And for no other reason other than the pure joy to be alive!

I’ve had the privilege to grow on the Tantric path with Sarita as my master. After 14 years of being by her side, imbibing from her wisdom, learning from her life experience and assisting her on numerous courses, I have witnessed a radical transformation within myself.

Lately, Sarita and I started to facilitate courses together within the School of Awakening. Leading groups is for me a deeper way to continue to learn about Tantra as well as having a platform to transmit my insights and life experience.

The beauty of witnessing participants embracing their process from pain/hurt to bliss/ecstasy is always very touching and it confirms one thing that has always been my inner mantra: “in the end, everyone wants to love and to be loved.”

With gratitude and growing happiness,

Niten x

Niten is sharing his Tantric path with his beloved Santoshi, (a Goddess of the highest calibre!) who embodies the essential, feminine principle.

Together, they are in the process of creating new groups that will be offered in China toward the end of 2010.

Niten is also a raw food adept and is currently conducting faw food workshops and retreats in Spain as well as the “Detox/Meditation retreat “with Sarita in the UK (which took place for the first time last month).

Picture of the Mumbai market copyright Isageum 2008

Being on a raw diet has given me many different and surprising benefits. For example, it has increased quite drastically my sensitivity on all levels, including a deeper respect for all living beings on earth.

Walking in nature has become a profound experience that one could describe as spiritual. Not that the yellow of the lemons hanging on the tree was not there before, but it would suddenly turn into a glowing, surreal fruit, as if to reveal its glory, its eternal joy to be alive! Its fragrance would be almost intoxicating,  and I could still smell it even from far away… Eating “Living Foods” meant, for me, re-connecting to the spirit of the earth….In a very tangible way……A direct experience of what can be described in books as esoteric or mystical.

In fact, at some stage, I realized that raw foods not only helped me to deepen my meditation but it brought a totally new perspective:  you don’t  meditate any more, you  simply ARE in a state of meditation: a peaceful, contented and insightful Being, allowing yourself to be carried away by Life… So in this way, Living Raw Foods are tremendously supportive for meditation because it harmonizes body, mind and spirit.

I’ve become less prone to physical sickness, emotional turmoils and mood swings, and there seems to be a subtle harmony that has settled within, just like the perfect equilibrium found in nature. It brings a new joy in your life, an enchanting process…Becoming a totally new person…Eating raw means: reclaiming  our natural state of being. In other words, a new birth. Your eyes see more, your ears hear more, your hands touch more, your body feels more, your heart loves more. Everything becomes “more”, not in the sense of quantity but in the sense of quality.

You can have a communion with Existence now, entering a very intimate conversation.

Life becomes colourful and you become a rainbow. Embracing the whole spectrum of Life.

Life becomes richer, multidimensional.

It has depth, heights, beautiful valleys and beautiful sunlit peaks.

You start expanding as you reclaim your Self.

This is the miracle of combining a Living Raw diet and meditation!

Love Niten x

If you’d like to experience some of what Niten is talking about, then join him, Sarita and Ekant on the Silent Meditation and Live Food Detox Retreat from 19-23 May. Eat delicious raw food, go deeply into silent meditation and Mantra chanting and detox your body, mind and soul, all in the beautiful surrounds of Exmoor, at Croydon Hall – a perfect way to Spring clean! See: www.schoolofawakening.com/detox-meditation.php