Letters from the AWAKENING retreat

Everything manifests in brimming over abundance.
Woman collecting flowers.
Wind touches my body.
Singing of the birds succeeds without the slightest effort.
The entire Being, full of clarity and silence
This morning (2:45) I surrendered!
It was like a liberation stroke.
One searching expedition after the other since more than 20 years.
I have searched my insides, the earth and the universe with pain and suffering.
I was digging holes – until hell. It is enough! Finished, end, over!
I cannot anymore! I do not want anymore! Never again!!!
After – what a relief. Knowing that I am welcome in the Here and Now unconditionally.
Everything manifests in brimming over abundance without the slightest effort.
Nothing to do.

Dr. Erich T., Corinthia, Awakening Retreat 2012

Beloved Master,

This afternoon I woke up and it was silent,
more silent than usual. First it felt strange, but also very comfortable.
It is like something crude has left me and had made room for a deeper,
more silent being. In my heart I feel a warm love for myself and silence,
wonderful silence. Thank you that I am allowed to be with you.
Thank you for the possibility to participate this beautiful retreat!

Love,
P., Hannover

*************************************************
Beloved Master,

Thank you from my heart for this wonderful time of
DOING NOTHING, only enjoying and being happy.
At the beginning of this retreat you said to me – Find the Seer – “Who am I.”
After intense searching and digging, and already a little bit desperate,
and then again full of trust – I found him. I had never lost him, I was just busy with the world.
Everything is good!

Om Shanti
Theresia, Upper Austria

*************************************************
Dear Madhukarji!
Thank you very much! I already had a wonderful week here,
very much joy, relaxation and insights. Thank you very much!

I embrace you,
Yours, Nicolai

Satsang and Traditions

When you come to Satsang first time, you probably look for a presence of an absolute truth and a possibility to perceive it and become aware of it. Yes, that is what you will meet when you look for it. Though as well you may encounter some traditions, which enable this meeting – Satsang (“fellowship or company with truth”) – to have a certain form.

I see that some people, who are first time at Satsang with a Master, naturally are surprised by some traditions which they don’t know and therefore can’t understand. It reveals itself as curiosity, bewilderment or even slight resistance.

On the other hand, I can’t help noticing that many other who are used to have them as a custom seem to perceive traditions as a wonderful way to express their love, devotion and trust to the Master.

The last three weeks of my life have passed in a sacred silence, in a simple quiet though filled with experiences life at the territory of a blossoming ashram at the feet of Arunachala, close to a place where lived the greatest sadhu of the last century – Ramana Maharshi. Here Indian and especially ashram life is filled with traditions. And during this time I’ve witnessed a beautiful performance – I saw how traditions which seem to be a fixed forms transformed and led me behind their appearance where they are initially an expressions of deep wisdom, love and devotion. They are the door to surrender. In words of Madhukar: “You allow a form to be in order to become formless”.

The way how Madhukar conducts Satsangs nowadays is mostly the way how it was done by Papaji (at his last years with foreign visitors). This Master who always pointed to indivisibility and to formlessness, himself could speak of Krishna and Ram with deepest love, see them and play with them expressing his devotion.

Using his words I would like to speak of some traditions to a new visitor.

Prostrating to a Master, Namaste

«Prostrating to your teacher is a good tradition. The teacher himself doesn’t care whether you prostrate or not, but by having this as a custom, it gives devotees an opportunity to reduce their egos and get rid of a little of their arrogance. When you prostrate with humility before your teacher, he takes on some of your defects, your faults, and in return gives you love and freedom. Even though this is a great bargain for the devotee, many westerners still find it difficult to bow down in front of a teacher. Indians don’t have this trouble. If they see their teacher walking down the road, they will happily throw themselves full-length in the dirt to lie prostrate at his feet. In my experience, foreign heads do not bend very easily».*

“We start our satsang with the word Om. When we utter this word, where does it come from? How does it manifest?

It has its own inherent nature concealed within it. As clay has an inherent power, a shakti, to become a jar, so Om has a latent power to become creation itself. But when we utter the word Om, where does it come from? …

When I say Om, it immediately points to its source. Om is both the pointer and the place that is pointed out. Saying Om takes you back to your source where you are That Itself.

… If you want to know the real nature of Om though, you will not find it in books. Instead, repeat the word Om and feel the source from where the word rises. That place is silence, but in that silence Om is also repeating itself… If you are very quiet, very silent inside, you can hear and feel this subtle vibration. It is Brahman itself.” **

*The quotations from Papaji represented in this text are borrowed from the book: D. Godman. Nothing Ever Happened. Volume Two. p. 141

**Ibid, p. 301

Everything

I will fight for you like a lion,
cavort about you like a gazelle
and delight you like a court jester.
Everything that can serve you shall be yours.

‘Oneness’ by Madhukar

Celebrate your true self!

When we come to Satsang, the past should fall away from us completely,
even if it is only for two hours to begin with.
Give yourself this chance! Celebrate peace,
celebrate your true Self!

‘Oneness’ by Madhukar