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Namaskar!

Group photo at the end of the retreat

Ananda Marga retreats are wonderful opportunities to meet and uplift. This time it was Monterrey the place where a fantastic retreat happened. Margi from Morelia came one day in advance in order to participate and Dada Cirananda as the host was able make everybody feel at ease. The retreat was held in the jagrti and the space was just enough to allow more than 30 margi to attend parts of all of the venue. With Dada Cirananda there were three more Acaryas, Didi Anudhyana, Dada Ragatmananda and Dada Vimaleshananda.

Dada Cirananda in the Dharma Cakra hall

The baby naming ceremony of Tripti was a very special time which saw the greatest participation from all margi and acaryas. The baby of Abhimanyu and Divya was the center of attention also during the whole retreat. Several mothers enjoyed to take care of such a baby who never cried in the whole retreat.

Tripti in the hands of Divya with Didi Anudhyana

The retreat was marked by four classes given by all the Acaryas present. In the first class Dada Ragatmananda introduced the Secrets to become Great. It was a super interesting topic that kept everybody glued looking for answers. Everybody want to be great and Dadas secrets were centered around the capacity to learn from everybody. Dada first secret was enough to create the most conducive atmosphere for the whole program as everybody started to respect others.

Food Preparation by Volunteers with Dada Cirananda

The second class was on the subject of Tantra. Dada Cirananda talked in Spanish which is the local language in Mexico. Although engaged in the kitchen he really desired to give more than the expected hospitality and he succeeded fully. All the margi and also the neighbors knows him as a very hard worker dedicated to yoga and spiritual practices and also to social work. He is distributing food to the homeless twice a week with the help of a few young volunteers and he maintains the jagrti which is in the old historical part of Monterrey.

Dining together in the patio

The third class was on the subject of Dharma. Didi Anudhyana used a multimedia presentation engaging the audience with several ideological questions. At the end there was a loud run of applause and a great motivation for spreading Dharma in all possible ways.

The fourth class was on the subject of the Future of Civilization and Dada Vimaleshananda used it as a spring board to raise awareness around the role of the margi in society. It was very well participated and at the end of it the closing ceremony gave scope to express positive comments for the whole retreat. A few initiations took place in the practice of Ananda Marga meditation and margi remained still in the spiritual atmosphere for quite some time before departing for their destinations.

Kiirtan during the retreat

The retreat brought all the participants very close in their hearts. Even the photographers that happened to come and visit during the retreat where feeling the pleasure of being in an elated atmosphere.

During the retreat Dada Ragatmananda had the opportunity to perform at the sitar a meditative raga.

Brother Arjuna and brother Manorainajn led several Prabhat Samgiita and inspiring kiirtan throughout the retreat.

Three full days of Inner and Outer Transformation just concluded at Ananda Girisuta near Asheville, North Carolina. The Ananda Marga Regional Retreat for Atlanta Region has been an intense and productive time for all the participants engaged in the workshops and activities geared on the themes of Tantra, PROUT and Neohumanism.

All the workshops were very well presented and engaged the participants in active discussion. Tantra was presented in its core ideas that reflect the ideology of Ananda Marga. All the presenter where demonstrating to be able to convey the topics with profound insights and direct knowledge.

PROUT as a theory was introduced through its 5 fundamental principles and followed up by a presentation of all the PROUT projects around the world. It was a way to recognize the impact of the socio-economic theory propounded by Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar in 1959.

More than fifteen margi of Atlanta Region demonstrated the interest and keen desire to see PROUT in Action on the Ananda Girisuta Master Unit which resulted in a immediate decision to follow at the closest available time with a meeting in which participants wishes to coordinate and cooperate for the further development of the different projects happening at the Regional Master Unit.

Almost as a natural consequence and continuation everybody participated in the Karma Yoga which provided further opportunity to bond together as a universal family in the spirit of the Neohumanist values.

The final workshops were on the topic of diversity in the light of neohumanism. The discussions that took place and the general uproar of benevolent enthusiasm and laughter were the most dignified conclusion for three days of communion and spiritual transformation.  All the participants voted unanimously to have the next fall retreat for Atlanta Region at the same time in the same place – Ananda Girisuta Master Unit near Asheville, North Carolina.

The news of the Sectorial Summer Conference Berlin Sector is already out via different means already. However, this is a formal way to apprise you of the event. You may please share it with your core margii circle. Thanks.

Berlin Sectorial Conference 2015 July 27 to August 2

The 2015 Summer Conference of Berlin Sector re-united us with Madhu Karuna, our Marga Guru Quarters, which has served as our sectorial conference home since 1988.

We had taken a three-year break for needed renovations, including the time to make the renovation plans, raise money and complete the work. The major improvements to Madhu Karuna included a completely new kitchen, improvements in several of the sleeping quarters, for families, single sisters and single brothers, improvements in the Dharmacakra hall, the dining hall, the garden area in the back and in the Ananda Bazaar area.
(Great thanks to Dada Aniishananda and Dada Devavratananda for leading this work and to the many volunteers who helped.)

The conference, attended by over 250 people from over 20 countries, started with a 51-hour Akhanda Kaiirtana, bringing a sense of spiritual unity to all participants, in line with the conference theme of “One Human Society”. Along with the theme, the classes and workshops included a Prout and Master Unit Symposium, a workshop on education and society building, a dharma pracar workshop and an intercultural acceptance panel discussion.

Our Central Representative, Ac. Svarupananda Avt gave all attendees a rich volume of Baba stories, explanations of Ananda Marga philosophy and ways to improve our spiritual practices. The conference ended with a Baba video and a nine hour Akhanda Kiirtana. This was followed by a two day Microvita workshop.

All through as ever Baba has been the perennial source of inspiration and encouragement to carry on this process of forward movement and incessant progress.
And finally it all ended with a blissful and unprecedented vibration as all the margii participants returned to their respective homes. Now looking forward to continue to maintain this flow with regular and new organizational activities in the field by the margiis, dadas and didis posted in the sector. With best wishes.

In Him,
Ac Shubhatmananda Avt,
SS Berlin