This blog is contributed by Hema Baskaran

Namaste

For a first timer to the retreat, it was really a new experience. Every time we attend a session or a conference we enjoy it and then over a period of time tend to lose out on what we learnt as we have not recorded them anywhere. This is where I recollect our teachers saying we should record what new things we learnt. So I am just putting down few of my learnings in this post. Also a good soul told me that if we write down our experiences it helps others, so here goes.

The first thing I felt when the sessions started was loving kindness – everyone was smiling. Even strangers smiling as if they know you. It was a great feeling. 

Each session reinforced what we already knew but for some reason slipped out of our awareness.Below are my learnings from the session.

1. Learnt the importance of blue triangle and how it can be used to remove any negative thought. This would help us focus on the positive
2. How to breathe correctly. Helped correct mistakes we do during our breathing exercises
3. Importance of the five pillars and how it is necessary for all round development. Learnt the importance and the necessity for service. Also how easy it is to do service at least by blessing.
4. Purification by water and fire was a new experience. Learnt the importance of 5 elements. Especially how each element affects our body.
5. Learnt new yoga techniques and some of them are so simple. If only we could make time and put our minds to practice regularly , it  would make us so much more flexible.
6. Learnt the importance of grounding and how to overcome the mistakes we tend to make
7. Most important of all felt Guru’s presence reinforcing that he is always there to support and guide us and all we had to do was practice his teachings diligently.

Thank you Guru for this wonderful experience and your continued guidance.
A lot of thanks to Ruchiji and Sanjilji who were instrumental in making me attend the session which I was not planning to attend as I had something important coming up.
It was Guru’s grace and blessing that we could attend this wonderful session.

Thank you teachers. Thank you Guru.