Integritus Prime

So, contrary to popular belief, I’m an introvert (no, really). So, this news about thousands of people in one place was a little unsettling. I would have nowhere to hide, except in my dorm bed in a large room shared with about 124 women. But, I took her advice. I made sure I would be there.

I mentally prepared myself quite well, and listened to the advice of my new ashram friends: “stay in your own energy”, “notice the veil that descends on the campus”, “it’s Krishna energy” and so on.

Two days before the Bhandara was to commence, people began arriving. I’m talking about busloads of people. Accommodations included the comfort dorms with beds, basic dorms with cots, and tents. The majority of people were locals and from what I could tell, poor. I heard that they would have their best meals here. I was touched. I was about to experience the sheer generosity of the heartfulness tradition.

Practically, Bhandara included an extra food stall near the comfort dorms and other dorms, more food vendors in the canteen, very long lines going out of the dining halls at meal hours, and a few busy stalls selling clothing, essential oils, pottery, and cold pressed oils.

Most importantly, Bhandara included three satsangs (group meditations) per day for two days. Daaji, the current leader of heartfulness, gave 3 sittings (meditations) over the Bhandara weekend, finishing with another sitting on Monday morning. That’s 7 intense meditations in a little over 2 days. In these meditations, he was giving yogic transmission, to clean us out of our emotional baggage.

We gathered in the new meditation hall for each satsang. The hall is still under construction and will seat 60,000 people, I hear. It has these circular “satellites” around it that will seat more people. It’s stunning. We would file in and sit, then meditate together, then file out.

My friends were right: the energy that descended onto the ashram was unique. It felt like heightened joy. Happiness was everywhere. I felt like I floated around, engaging with my friends, eating delicious food, and soaking up all the meditation until I was quite saturated.

Something interesting happened during Bhandara. My trauma release work was affirmed. People literally came to me, asking for me to work on them. It was as if they vibrationally recognized me, and wanted to experience a release. Over 2 days, I worked on 5 people, and they each experienced an accelerated shift in their energy. I felt more affirmed and uplifted than I could ever have expected. The Bhandara confirmed to me that I am doing the work I am meant to do, and I had the privilege of doing that work in this atmosphere of intensified spirituality.

I am staying in touch with some of these amazing people, and I had the privilege of receiving healing via a Jin Shin Jyutsu session from one of them. I also received Polarity therapy sessions from various fellow abhyasis (seekers) – a very relaxing experience.

So, my experience of over 20,000 people meditating together was blissful. Introversion aside, this experience showed me the true power of harmony. When we are together as one, peace is possible. I am grateful to have been part of this soulful experience.