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Calendar
Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (bio)
Fort Walton Beach, Florida, USA
SwamiJ.com home page
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Purpose of
our Community
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Our community of meditation and contemplation is devoted to
training and nurturing those who deeply long for the direct
experience of union with the eternal, pure center of
consciousness, the bliss of being that is one with the absolute
reality, as the wave who seeks to remember it is one with the
ocean. One word for that union is "Yoga." (See
Self-Realization)
Yoga is traditionally taught, practiced and learned through a
close relationship between the individual mentor and mentee,
teacher and student, in a community of noble friends, known as
kalyana-mitra. Guru is a force-field driven by grace, a stream
of knowledge of direct experience which, though it may operate
through a person, is itself not a person.
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Goal of
Practices
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The goal of our sadhana or
practices is the highest Joy that comes from the Realization in direct
experience of the center of consciousness, the Self, the Atman or
Purusha, which is one and the same with the Absolute Reality.
This Self-Realization
comes through Yoga meditation of the Yoga Sutras, the contemplative
insight of Advaita Vedanta, and the intense devotion of Samaya Sri Vidya
Tantra, the three of which complement one another like fingers on a
hand (Yoga, Vedanta, Tantra).
We employ the classical
approaches of Raja, Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti Yoga, as well as Hatha,
Kriya, Kundalini, Laya, Mantra, Nada, Siddha, and Tantra Yoga.
Meditation, contemplation, mantra and prayer finally converge into a
unified force directed towards the final stage, piercing the pearl of
wisdom called bindu, leading to the Absolute. (Bindu,
Tradition)
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Activities
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The activities below are mostly in
Fort Walton Beach, Florida or nearby communities. Most are at Abhyasa
Ashram or are graciously sponsored by other people at
different locations. While I seldom travel, there are a handful
of other activities in other cities. There are three
newsletters available, including one about local activities.
Please contact
me if you have any questions or requests. See also:
Beach photos
Fort Walton Beach Local hotels
>>>
Latest info
from the Newsletter
<<<
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Special Event:
Swami Rama Intensive and
Yoga Meditation Retreat
November, 2008 / March 2009
Sadhana Mandir (Swami Rama Ashram)
Rishikesh, India
Click here for
Program registration |
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Most
of the time (ongoing): |
Daily Meditation:
11:30am-12:00pm
6:00pm-6:30pm
(except Sun am)
Daily Satsang:
5:30pm-7:30pm+ |
Most days
Silent
Meditation is 11:30-12:00 noon and from 6:00-6:30 pm (evening)
most days.
Satsang (Satsang is coming together
in Truth)
is after 12:00, as well as before and after evening meditation (5:30-7:30 pm).
Let me know if you'd like to visit earlier than 5:30 pm.
(No Sun am meditation; See
Center for
Non-Dualism)
[Not Jun 12(am)-16(am); Next 6:00 pm Jun 16]
[Not Jun 19(am)-23(am); Next 6:00 pm Jun 23] |
1st Friday Satsang
and Discussion
7:00-9:00 pm |
First Friday of
each month (7:00-9:00 pm), there is a longer Satsang and
Discussion, along with a meal together. Please bring topic
questions from sources such as Yoga Sutras, Upanishads, books by Swami
Rama, or articles from SwamiJ.com.
(Food at 6:30 pm, after 6:00 pm meditation)
(Next: Jun 6, Jul 4, Aug 1, Sep 5) |
Saturday (+2)
Satsang |
On the Saturday that
is two weekends after the first Friday (15 days after the first
Friday) there is satsang, topic discussion, meditation, food/prasad.
Please bring topic questions from sources such as Yoga Sutras,
Upanishads, books by Swami Rama, or articles from SwamiJ.com.
(This generally falls on the third Saturday of the month, but
sometimes falls on the fourth Saturday)
[Next: May 17, (not Jun 21), Jul 19, Aug 16, Sep 20] |
Center for
NonDualism
Every Sunday
11:00 - 12:00 |
The Center for
Non-Dualism is a community for people who share the Non-Dual
perspective of Religion, Yoga, and Philosophy. The purpose of
the Center is to provide a nurturing fellowship and create an
environment that is conducive to learning and experiencing the
oneness of Non-Dualism. Program is 11:00-12:00. Fellowship at
10:30 and until 12:30 after the program. Some mornings have
discussions at 9:30 am as well (see the
Center newsletter).
(Center for
Non-Dualism) |
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Special
events: |
Satsang programs
New York City
June 19-20 |
Please contact
me and I'll put you in touch with the local people in New
York City who can give you details about times and places. |
Satsang programs
Pittsburgh, PA
June 19-20 |
Please contact
me and I'll put you in touch with the local people in
Pittsburgh who can give you details about times and places. |
Swami Rama Intensive
and Meditation Retreat
April 5-26, 2008
Rishikesh, India |
Swami Rama Intensive
and Meditation Retreat
April 5-26
Sadhana Mandir (Swami Rama Ashram)
Rishikesh, IndiaThree
week program based directly on Swami Rama's teachings, with ten
or more presenters. Swami Jnaneshvara will be in residence for
the program (as well as some of the days in the preceding couple
weeks).
See the newsletter for the announcement.
Click here for
Program registration. |
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Upcoming |
Guru Purnima
Fri, Jul 18, 2008 |
Friday, Jul 18, 2008, 6:30-8:00
pm: Guru Purnima. Annual celebration of the guiding
force. Full moon is 3:00 am CDST on Sun, Fri 29, 2007 (1:30 pm,
Fri, Jul 18, 2008 in India). We'll have
food and share stories. |
Rishikesh, India
Oct-Nov, 2008
Mar-Apr, 2009
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Mid-October to near end
of November, 2008. Also mid-March to mid-April, 2009 Programs at Sadhana Mandir
(Swami Rama Ashram) and Himalayan Hospital near Rishikesh/Dehradun,
India. Program details will be posted here later. Each period
will include a three week Swami Rama Intensive based directly on
Swami Rama's teachings, and will more than ten presenters. |
Daily
February in Florida
Feb, 2009 |
Entire month of
February is set aside for daily gatherings in Florida (more
info). This is "off-season" here, with many hotels and
condos available for very reasonable rates. All hotels are
within 2-3 miles of our little ashram. Come for a day, weekend,
week, or the whole month. Please contact
me to let me know of your tentative dates of arrival and
departure, as this will help with our planning. |
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Personal
times: |
Personal time
Most days |
Please contact
me to arrange private time to talk about life, meditation practices, or
to receive individualized training, such as with meditation or
breathing techniques.
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From
time to time: |
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Mantra & Meditation |
Saturday evenings (7:00-9:00pm).
Group
mantra practice, including Gayatri,
Mahamrityunjaya,
Soham, and
Om.
(Once every few months) |
OM Chanting
Yoga Room
Niceville |
Group OM mantra chanting session of about an
hour at The Yoga Room of Carolyn Reynolds, in Niceville. Great
acoustics in the room!
6:30pm: Arrival and settling in
7:00-8:00pm: Om chanting
8:00-9:00pm: Snacks and chat |
| Retreats |
Occasional retreats
at the beach, usually Fall or Winter during the off season of
tourism. |
Other cities
in US |
Although I seldom
travel, there are occasional programs in other cities from time
to time. Details of activities and locations are posted here
when programs are scheduled. |
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Out
of town visitors: |
| Extended visits |
If you are traveling
through this area of Florida and would like to stop by for a brief visit,
you are most welcome to do so. If you would like to plan a more
extended stay at one of our local hotels, and to visit
regularly, please contact
me to arrange schedules. Please note that this is not a
residential ashram and there are no overnight accommodations;
visitors stay at hotels or rental condominiums. See also:
Beach photos
Fort Walton Beach Local hotels |
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Local
offerings
from our close circle: |
Hatha Postures &
Meditation
DeFuniak Springs |
Most Tuesdays, 6:00 pm,
plus other times. Group and individual Hatha Yoga Postures and Meditation with June Enfinger
in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, serving Holmes, Washington and N.
Walton counties. Call her at 850-892-2615. See her
website. |
Hatha Postures &
Meditation
Niceville |
Every Tuesday and
Thursday, 6:30-8:00pm. Hatha Yoga Postures and Meditation with
Carolyn Reynolds at The Yoga Room in Niceville, Florida. See her
Emerald Coast Yoga
website or call her at 850-897-4454. |
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Other local links (Florida, USA) |
*Changes in dates: The actual dates of scheduling on
first Friday, third Saturday, etc. might be changed some months due to the
ways the calendar dates align with the days of the week, or as needed to
work around other activities. Any changes are noted in the
descriptions above.
Fees: There are
generally no fees for
classes, other gatherings, or personal meetings. Donations
from the heart are gratefully appreciated, but are never
solicited. A monk of the Himalayan Tradition lives off of
donations as much as possible. For those who question what is an
appropriate donation, please balance your personal financial situation
with typical amounts for personal services, seminars, workshops or donations to churches or
temples. Then let your heart be your guide.
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This site is devoted to
presenting the ancient Self-Realization path of
the Tradition of the Himalayan masters
in simple, understandable and beneficial ways, while not compromising
quality or depth. The goal of our sadhana or practices is the highest
Joy that comes from the Realization in direct experience of the
center of consciousness, the Self, the Atman or Purusha, which is
one and the same with the Absolute Reality.
This Self-Realization comes through Yoga meditation of the Yoga
Sutras, the contemplative insight of Advaita Vedanta, and the
intense devotion of Samaya Sri Vidya Tantra, the three of which
complement one another like fingers on a hand.
We employ the classical approaches of Raja, Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti
Yoga, as well as Hatha, Kriya, Kundalini, Laya, Mantra, Nada, Siddha,
and Tantra Yoga. Meditation, contemplation, mantra and prayer
finally converge into a unified force directed towards the final
stage, piercing the pearl of wisdom called bindu, leading to the
Absolute.
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