Vismaya | Evoking Awe, Reclaiming Wonder
Dates | May 4th to May 10th 2024 (Participants should arrive by 2 PM on the 4th of May and plan to leave any time after 2 PM on 10th of May, 2024).
Venue | Uttarkashi
“A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.”
These are poignant words from the pen of well-known poet W H Davies in which he laments mankind’s inability to delight in the myriad wonders that nature has to offer us. These words remain as true and perhaps even more relevant even 9 decades after they were written. We live in times of significant stress, competition and turmoil, in concrete jungles of steel and cement, with very little exposure to the sun or the skies, often in closed environments, with a pace of life that is driven by an ever ticking clock. Our life situations collectively, while no doubt conducive to material abundance, leave significant vacuums when it comes to self-care, reflection, spiritual growth and healing.
In contrast, the knowledge traditions that have grown over millennia in India were nurtured by close alignment with all of nature, a sense of deep wonder at the marvels and mysteries of the universe, a healthy quest for seeking and understanding truth and a capacity to seamlessly integrate one’s life with the rhythms of the cosmos itself. There lies in allowing ourselves to experience wonder, the possibility of experiencing the greatest Ānanda, as inner and outer experiences resonate in harmony. This is reflective of a childlike delight and wonder at all that the universe has to offer, a delight in experiencing small moments in nature that can prove transformational at multiple levels. Sadly, this is a delight we rarely allow ourselves to experience.
This KYM retreat is designed to offer participants a chance to experience this connection to nature, in a serene venue in close proximity to the Uttarkhand hills and the Ganga. Lectures highlighting the Vedic vision of the cosmos, the proliferation of symbols and their symbolisms in Indian culture that celebrate these outer and inner connections, and explorations of core teachings of the Upaniṣad-s will be interwoven with guided practices of Āsana, Prāṇāyāma, Mantra and Bhāvana, apart from walks along the river, nature study and an exploration of the night skies.
There are only limited seats available on this retreat and KYM will close registrations as soon as we reach capacity.
The retreat will be anchored by Ms. Nrithya Jagannathan, Director, KYM Institute of Yoga Studies.