Winter Retreat 2010

The Winter Retreat was nicknamed SPSI (or the 'Shiva Process Self Inquiry') retreat by Swamiji and it was, indeed, a feast of Shiva Processing. Retreatants came from interstate and overseas to spend time at the ashram and to learn how to apply Swamiji’s inner world technology to their lives. Every night Swamiji discussed aspects of the Shiva Process and its connections to Kashmir Shaivism and during the days, we also took sessions with Ma Devi. We did group Shiva Process; one-on-one Shiva Process; and individual Shiva Process. A highlight of the Retreat was a midday session with Ma Devi and her ‘Shakti Process’ which combines her insights into self-inquiry along with her training in Gestalt. As the days progressed people began to recognise their inner world contractions and shifted them; had understandings and insights; and learned more about the Inner Self and how to contact it. For old timers it was a chance to see (yet again) how practical and innately mysterious the Shiva Process is and how connected it is to Swamiji’s brilliant understandings of Kashmir Shaivism.

The retreat culminated in the Intensive which offered us the chance to simply relish the shakti (spiritual energy) and spend time in contemplation of the Inner Self. Swamiji was in sparkling form and his humorous and profound teachings laid the ground work for the shaktipat experience (or awakening of the inner kundalini energy). It was a wonderful end to a retreat that Swamiji quite rightly called 'ground breaking' .