New Year and Christmas Retreat
23decAll Day02janEvent OverFeaturedCompletedVirtual/ Physical EventNew Year and Christmas Retreat
Course Details
New Year’s Eve represents a special moment in the year, where large groups of people become synchronized in their awareness, creating strong energetic environments. Such moments offer great opportunities for
Course Details
New Year’s Eve represents a special moment in the year, where large groups of people become synchronized in their awareness, creating strong energetic environments. Such moments offer great opportunities for meditative insights and to positively influence the future of the world.
Sometimes there are especially privileged moments for meditation when cosmic forces or the energetic environment create an exceptional atmosphere and profound effects or insights are possible. For Yogis, spiritual practice in those moments not only propels one’s personal evolution but also can be dedicated to benefiting others.
The week of Christmas and New Year’s – and especially New Year’s Eve – represents such a period of privileged moments, when the synchronized collective energies of large groups of the population set into action forces of a cosmic scope at precisely determined instants. We should never lose the opportunity to meditate in such situations. This year, as every year according to an Agama Yoga tradition established in 2001, we wish to offer students serious about their spiritual evolution the opportunity to choose meditation instead of social hoopla.
This retreat is inspired by the classical Buddhist-style Vipassana retreat yet with fundamental differences such that, actually, it forms the Yogic and Tantric reply to that style. It is meant to offer a powerful, creative, and flexible alternative to the more staid approach of the Buddhist system of practice.
What you will practice:
Among the forms of practice, we will integrate into our retreat: Laya Yoga meditation, Kashmir Shaivism techniques, practice, music and sound meditation, rare Vijnana Bhairava Tantra treasures and guided meditation, plus Hatha Yoga practice for a 10-day marathon of spiritual awakening.
The retreat, held annually from 23 December-2 January, is divided into two sessions. One hour of Hatha Yoga practice is incorporated in the morning session.
We are very happy to provide video recordings for most of our workshops, but we strongly recommend attending them LIVE and using the videos as support. As the method used for the recordings is Zoom, we don’t guarantee high-quality performance. Recordings are available for one week after the workshop has finished.
Schedule
We are very happy to provide video recordings for most of our workshops, but we strongly recommend attending them LIVE and using the videos as support. As the method used for the recordings is Zoom, we don’t guarantee high-quality performance. Recordings are available during the retreat and for one week after the workshop has finished.
We will gather in Shiva Hall, from the reception follow the stone path to your right until the end. You will pass through Enlightment Hall, Shakti at your left, Ganesha at your right Hall and finally arrive to Shiva!
Special Meditations/Activities During the Retreat
25,26,27,28,29,30 dec 21:10 – 22:10 Movie Night: Jesus of Nazareth
24 dec 17:00 – 18:20 Guided Meditation: Birth of Christ / 18:30 – 19:30 Bhajans & Christmas Carols
25 dec 10:00 – 11:00 Meditation: Christ-like sphere of Consciousnesses
31 dec 10:00 – 11:00 Meditation: Invocation of Shambala Meditation
31 dec 21:45 until afternoon
1 Jan New year meditation with all time zones
General Program: From 23rd December to 2nd January
(for 24, 31 dec and 1 Jan see special meditations above)
7:30 – 11:00 3 sessions of meditation and 1 session of Hatha Yoga
17:00 – 21:00 3 sessions of meditation, Sun Salutations , Q&A and Lecture
2 January
On 2 January morning session will be from 9:30 to 12:20 with one session of Hatha and 2 meditations, Evening Session will be 17 to 21hs
Location
Shiva Hall + Zoom
Teachers
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Bhavani
Bhavani
As a young girl, Bhavani sought secrets of the unknown. She was easily moved to contemplate the deeper meaning of life. Thus, she pursued the mysteries of the forest, stars, and sky. Spending her days in nature, she felt her calling towards a way of life that was very different to the usual.
The tests of youth led her to Tantra as a teen, to embrace her sexuality (which was fragile, and in need of nourishment and healing). Meeting Agama and her Guru Swamiji Vivekananda (2011), was a huge turning point in her life. She transformed, and felt exhilarated, by the profound teachings and tradition of Tantra Yoga.
Additionally, Bhavani is a good and loving mother to a wonderful child, who she gracefully grows up with love, spiritual principles, and wisdom. She has dedicated her life, towards teaching Spirituality, and helping to serve others – so they may evolve on this path. Bhavani is a Senior Teacher of Agama Yoga.
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Lucila
Lucila
Lucila’s spiritual journey began in her early childhood, at a Catholic School in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As a child, she was fascinated with Churches and Saints. During her adolescence, she faced the temptations of living in a big city, and lost her faith on the path.
After many travels, studies, and an ardent inner search, a dear friend told her about Agama. Since then, she has never left. She found the true purpose of her life, under the guidance of her beloved Swamiji. Now, she is very enthusiastic about sharing these wonderful spiritual teachings with the world.
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Miguel
Miguel
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Muktananda
Muktananda
Since 2003, Muktananda has been teaching Agama Yoga. He became a Yoga teacher to inspire other people, and to help them evolve on their spiritual path. Yoga teaching is an evolutionary path for him, too. He prefers an action-oriented spirituality and believes that, amongst many such actions, teaching Yoga is very noble, good, and beneficial to all beings.
Teaching Yoga is a part of his Dharma, in terms of service to humanity and Shiva. Thousands of people have greatly benefited from his love, light, care, and no-nonsense style of teaching. He transmits his profound knowledge and experience in an accessible way, and is beloved for his humour, playfulness, and dedication.
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Swamiji
Swamiji
The founder of Agama Yoga, Swami Vivekananda Saraswati, or “Swamiji” to his students, is a passionate and dedicated teacher of the authentic lines of Indian and Tibetan Yoga, which are rapidly becoming lost in today’s “spiritual marketplace.”
In 1998, Swami Vivekananda took full sannyasa vows at the Kumbha Mela in India, at which time he was ordained; his diksha guru bestowing upon him his new and famous name, which means discriminating insight.
Although restrained by a modesty that usually prevents him from discussing it, Swamiji has reached high states of spiritual realisation and samadhi. From this place of knowing, he offers a proven path to spiritual accomplishment in well-articulated concepts. He is one of the few Western Tantric Teachers well-versed in Kundalini Yoga and Gnostic Christianity, and he specialises in the intensely spiritual Tantra Yoga of Kashmir Shaivism.
Swamiji’s guidance is felt in many ways at Agama: from in the classroom, presenting Yoga as a living science, based on common sense and joy; to administering various healing techniques, as a practitioner of chiropractic and other healing methods; to lecturing on esoteric Yogic subjects in weekly Satsang; or discussing personal life problems with pupils, possibly in their own language (as he speaks five).
Swamiji inspires by personal example and examples from history, quoting uninterruptedly from scores of ancient texts and spiritual masters – all with a great sense of humour and unmatched character.
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Vera
Vera
Vera began her journey at Agama with a Tantra workshop, which inspired her to join the Hatha Yoga Level 1 program to go deeper into the Agama teachings. She soon realised that she had found a true spiritual path and stayed at Agama since then, following the curriculum and reconfirming her commitment to Self-realisation. Becoming an Agama teacher brought a much deeper comprehension of the teachings and strengthened her faith and purpose in life. Vera is grateful to be able to pass on what she has learnt and dedicates her life to be in service to the Truth.
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Yogita
Yogita
Yogita was born and grew up, in Israel. Since a young age, she performed gymnastics, and this gave her a good awareness of the physical body. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education, in 2003. After a long unsuccessful spiritual quest in India, she was blessed to find Agama, in Thailand (2006). Thereafter, she committed herself to the practices whole-heartedly, as that is what her soul was longing for. In 2007, she became an Agama Yoga Teacher, and has since taught in various countries worldwide. Yogita, now, is a Senior Agama Teacher. She has has taken numerous Advanced Initiations, in both Yoga & Tantra (the latter, she was empowered to teach, in 2009). She has dedicated a great deal of her time and energy, into the field of sexual healing, and empowerment in light of spirituality.
Yogita loves to sing, and her voice is one of her greatest gifts. This talent, she uses, to express her devotion to the Divine with Bhakti. Additionally, she has led Bhajan circles for many years. She is extremely passionate about sharing the Tantric Teachings with women. She loves to teach “Complete Femininity”, as it has truly transformed her life, and contributed to her spiritual evolution, as a woman on the Tantric Path.
Trainings in Psycho-Spiritual work over the last nine years, have also greatly influenced her approach to teaching. Teaching Yoga has increased her enthusiasm for Spirituality, and made her a stronger practitioner. Yogita is eternally grateful to Swami Vivekananda Saraswati, who founded this exceptional yoga school and remains its Head Teacher. His generous heart, and dedication to teaching Yoga, have been an endless source of inspiration on her path – as a disciple and teacher herself.