Kanha Shanti Vanam: A Mystifying Experience

I have just been introduced to spirituality by the Heartfulness Institute, Hubli Center with the advice to follow their processes of relaxation, meditation and cleaning, along with the prayer at bedtime. This system is useful to all without any exception, there are no compulsions and no membership charges – their advocacy is to practice the 3 processes and be a happy individual. This February, I visited the Heartfulness Institute’s ashram, Kanha Shanti Vanam (Hyderabad) for a spiritual retreat. I saw thousands of people meditating together in silence in a huge campus free of any plastic and litter, and realized the global reach of the Heartfulness system, which is now present in over 160 countries, and has around 4 million practitioners.

The Heartfulness centers offer a wide range of services and facilities. For example, the Kanha ashram includes –

1. The world’s largest mediation center, an open and airy structure which can accommodate over a hundred thousand people .
2. A sustainable way of living, with extensive plantation, green spaces, self-reliant food and water production projects and electrical vehicles to preserve peace and air quality.
3. A number of initiatives contributing to the development of innovative practices in education and health.
4. Dormitories and provision of food for hundreds of people.

One more interesting and important thing to learn is organization of the event. Not a word more is spoken than is required, no unnecessary speeches and only the practice of meditation. During the 3-day program Daaji spoke only once for 20 minute and the rest of the time he conduction group meditation. In his speech, he emphasized, “To get purity remove impurities and to get simplicity remove complexity”. It is a very simple statement but is deeply profound and powerful, and can be applied to all walks of life.
My take away as a lay man from this experience are:

• Trust is a most powerful tool which makes the impossible possible
• If ego is taken out, life becomes calm, peaceful and happy
• Volunteerism can stretch arms up to the sky

I wish this sublime experience on because putting it into words does not do justice.