To Friends in the Sadhaka Grama Community, Sponsors, active helpers, leaders and guides in various meditation groups:
Dear Friends,
Kindly circulate this information to as many of your friends and members as possible, and give any suggestions as to what other explanations may be needed in the future versions.
Please see the Question and Answer at the end of the Attached information.
I can provide that service only if I am freed of other considerations.
I am hoping that this would be possible in the future years, as I am yet young!!
Thanking you,
Yours in service of Gurudeva
Swami Veda Bharati
SWAMI RAMA SADHAKA GRAMA
Virpur Khurd Village, Virabhadra Road,
P.O.Pashulok, Rishikesh (Uttaranchal State) 249203
India
The Village of Sadhakas, those aspiring to lead a guided spiritual life, in accordance with the tradition of the Himalayan Masters as interpreted by Swami Rama of the Himalayas.
The Village will serve those who
a) wish to stay for a few months at a time to undertake intensive spiritual practices,
b) those who wish to take temporary breaks from the worldly life to replenish themselves
c) wish to spend most of their time living in a combination of solitude and spiritual community, because
i) they have not yet created major ties in the world and wish to train themselves to lead a spiritual life while living in the world in the future after this initial confirmation and affirmation,
ii) those who have already completed their karmic duties and wish to lead the life a vanaparastha, married preparing for renunciation, or, when deemed ready, the life of a sanyasin(i), renunciate totally dedicated to spiritual life and service.
The Sadhaka Village residential facility is open only to those who are initiated in the tradition of Swami Rama or are planning to be initiated.
Along with spiritual practices assigned, there will be opportunities for karma-yoga, practising an interior life while performing acts of service, which may consist of
a) helping with the work of the larger spiritual mission, and
b) maintenance of the Village.
Approximately five hundred metres away from the Holy Ganga (not visible from our campus but within walking distance), also about five hundred metres from the famous ancient holy shrine of Virabhadra, right on the little Kali river, surrounded by the Shivalik Hills at the footsteps of the Himalayas, the eight-acre campus is located four minutes drive away from Sadhana Mandir Trust, Swami Rama's Ashram, on Virabhadra Road in Rishikesh.
It will help supplement the plans and activities of Swami Rama's Ashram including that it will solve the accommodation problem for the existing Ashram during the heavily booked study and practice programmes.
a) Thirty-two cottages partially sponsored by the would-be residents. The cottages of the sanyasin(i)s are placed closest to the yagya-shala complex.
b) The yagya-shala complex that consists of
i) the sacred area for intensive practices of fire asceticism,
ii) the meditation hall where over a hundred people can lie down for shavasana practices,
iii) library, research and office as well as residential facility for the current and the future acharya, spiritual guide and director.
iv) Staff quarters for the office and research staff.
c) A very small (due to unavailability of more land) Institute for the training of monks and brahmacharins who
i) will be taught the ancient scriptures with a meditational interpretation
ii) will be trained in guiding the future sadhakas worldwide, with a broad cultural perspective so that they may be able to teach the aspirants in a variety of world cultures.
d) Residences owned privately by initiates of the Tradition on the land contiguous to the main campus. These private owners are also part of the Village.
The criterion for being a member of the Village community is not the ownership but commitment to sadhana.
e) Other additions, like the workers quarters, Knowledge Centre, main office etc. are all being planned or already being constructed.
The establishment of Sadhaka Grama has been made possible through the hard work of a few committed devotees in Europe, SE Asia, USA and India. The project has cost approximately five crore rupees (approximately 1,118,459 US dollars) and has been financed through
a) partial sponsorship by the would-be sadhakas for their individual cottages, available for their use during their life time,
b) very generous donations of a very small number of patrons, and
c) money orders sent by Swami Veda Bharati's Mother through the intercession of his Gurudeva's Grace.
The land for the sanyasin(i)s Training Institute as well as a major portion of the construction cost is a donation from a single devotee in the memory of his honoured mother.
The present deficit (December 31, 2001) between income and expenditure is approximately $434,537.
This does not include continued improvements and additions.
The future management and maintenance will be the responsibility of the Residents Council as the members of the Village Community will share the responsibilities equitably.
The Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama will serve as the world headquarters of the Association of the Himalayan Yoga Meditation Societies (International).
This is a fraternal association of an ever increasing number of Centres dedicated to the teachings of Swami Rama of the Himalayas, each an autonomous organization working in its own geographical area under the guidance of Swami Veda Bharati (for example, the Meditation Centre in Minneapolis) OR under the guidance of other disciples of H.H. Swami Rama (for example the Himalayan Institute in Germany directed by Wolfgang Bischoff) in friendly association with SVB.
These Centres and informal meditation groups are active in North America, South America, the West Indies, Europe, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Australia and India.
In addition to the long term
(a) spiritual guidance for the residents,
(b) training program for the future international teachers (sanyasins etc.),
the regular Teachers Training Programs, seminars, retreats and so forth will be continued with the help of our internationally active teachers.
Some of these teachers are already undertaking extensive world tours to disseminate the knowledge in their various areas of expertise.
Of course, the success of the plans depends on their financial viability based on available support.
It is planned that the Village will also serve as a base for production and distribution for the audiocassettes, CDs and printed books and booklets etc. on spiritual topics.
When there are already so many missions training sanyasin(i)s and others into ancient scriptures, why is there need to establish a small Institute to offer the same.
The texts like the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad-gita and the Yoga-sutras are being taught commonly as works of philosophy whereas they are actually records of the experience of and guidance into the meditative states of the highest order.
Here, in our Tradition, the expertise is available to teach the texts in such a meditative context, revealing their meditational content--an area of knowledge not normally available, accessible only to the higher degree initiates of the Himalayan Tradition.
It is this knowledge that will be passed on at Sadhaka Grama to the next generation of teachers.
Yours,
in service of the Guru Lineage
Swami Veda Bharati