Holy Name Retreat
  • Retreat at Ekachakra
  • Registration
  • Ekachakra
  • Devaki dd
  • Diary
  • Recordings
  • Photos
  • Testimonials

Holy Name Retreat in Sweden

4/30/2014

 
On my arrival in Sweden on the 24th of April I visited the devotees for three days in the Hare Krishna Center in the city of Stockholm. For many years the devotees have maintained a well established Govinda's Restaurant with an adjacent Preaching Center and Govinda's Boutique.
Indeed ideal preaching facilities....
And a ten minutes' drive takes us to Brahmakund - a nice two-storey Scandinavian style building with around ten little flats where devotees and vegetarian non-devotees are living. And in the cellar is a little temple room and a well equipped kitchen. Again perfect facilities.....
I gave two evening programs and the Sunday feast lecture, speaking on the topic of the false ego - our constant companion and troublemaker. It is always a relevant topic for one and all - no matter how long we have been practicing Krsna consciousness. And it always gives me deeper insights and awareness how much I myself am still affected by the orders and demands of this 'good old friend' who has accompanied us for so many life times.
I still have a lot of internal work to do.....
It can be so subtle - not always so easy to detect.....
It requires deep introspection, humility and honesty.....

Krsna consciousness is indeed such a deep and internal process. It is all about transforming the innermost chambers of the heart, to finally allow Krsna to reside in there. Within our heart is a big throne, which is meant for Krsna to take His seat there. But at present it is occupied by our false ego, who thinks himself to be the center of the universe. So we gradually have to kick this false ego off the seat, and allow Krsna to take His place.

On Monday Madhuri Radhika Mataji drove me out to our Village Community in Almvik, a ninety-minutes' drive from the city. It was nice to meet all the devotees again, and the weather was very pleasant and unusually warm for this time of the year.
We had scheduled a three-day Holy Name Retreat over the long weekend of the 1st of May, which is a public holiday in this part of the world. And Almvik is the perfect place for such event, since it is so secluded: away from all distractions, and surrounded by peaceful nature - with forest and fields, and a big lake. Even the network connection is poor, so people can't be so distracted by their mobile phone - one of the main sources of distractions.
Picture
Picture
Devotees arrived from the surrounding countries of Latvia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, England and Germany, and also from various parts of Sweden. We were an intimate circle of around twenty-eight devotees, coming together to focus on the holy name and deepen our relationship with Sri Harinama Prabhu. The wood-panelled yoga room in the tower of the temple building served us as a perfect bhajan kutir for the seminars during the day and the prayerful and deep evening kirtans.
Picture
At the end of those three days devotees shared once again heart moving realizations. Some of the participants experienced deep impacts on their consciousness - a life changing experience which gave them the inspiration to embark on a new beginning in regards to their chanting.
Picture
Sri Harinama Prabhu had reciprocated with our endeavors and had revealed Himself more tangibly....
Holy Name Retreats are almost the only time when I spend several hours per day in deep meditative kirtans. And only during Holy Name Retreats I manage to really prepare my consciousness and open my heart to receive the holy name on deeper levels. For me nothing can really compare to those kirtans during a Holy Name Retreat. In kirtans in my daily practice my chanting is not of the same quality of feeling. Whenever I have an opportunity to join kirtans on festivals, chanted by our pure-hearted preachers, I immediately feel transported back to the mood of the Holy Name Retreats.....
Living from one Holy Name Reteat to the next, and longing to transform my life into one big Holy Name Retreat.....
Picture

I spent a few more days in Almvik, visiting the local devotees in their homes and discussing plans and visions for the future. And we were planning the upcoming Scandinavian Bhakti Sangam Festival in July - one of the highlights of the yatra which brings devotees together in sravanam kirtanam, and in serving the devotees in Vaisnava hospitality. Mukunda Prabhu, one of the local Almvik devotees put two nice videos of our previous festival together, which can be seen on the following links:

                      http://youtu.be/bOqdqCmNGT0

                     http://youtu.be/cUxzAP0tMNQ

On the 8th of May I flew to Munich/Germany to attend yet another joyful event - Nrsimha Caturdasi on Simhachalam....

Your servant, Devaki dd

Comments are closed.

    Devaki Devi Dasi's Travel Diary

    Devaki Devi Dasi is sharing her realizations and adventures in her Traveling Diary.Welcome to relish this nectar!

    Archives

    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.