Thursday, March 19, 2009

Euro Headers for You










Hari Om!

Here are 2 headers for you to use which were very kindly designed for us by Raghavan in the UK.

It's another way of coming together and sharing - we can all have the same "look" for our fliers and stationery. It's not compulsory of course, just there if you would like to use it.

If you would like any part of it translated into your own language, just send the translation you would like to revpadma @gmail.com and we'll email you your very own header.

If you're unable to download or copy the image from this page, just send me an email (as above)and I'll send it to you direct.

May the silent rain of Divine Grace flood our Souls

and overflow out into the World

Om Shanthi



Thursday, March 12, 2009

Correction - Inviting Swami Asokananda

Hari Om!

We have been asked to wait a little while before inviting Swami Asokananda.

Stay tuned to this space...

Om Shanthi

Monday, March 9, 2009

Vow of Non-Violence



Hari Om!

We begin to see the Age of Aquarius in action - over 17,000 people so far have taken a vow of non-violence in thought, speech and action - living in the spirit of Ahimsa.
If you want to learn more, go to www.itakethevow.com.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

How to Support Quinta da Calma!



Hari Om Dear Ones,

Here is a membership drive letter from our beloved Divyajyothi telling you exactly how you can help to ensure that Quinta da Calma continues to offer its healing presence to the world.

Beloved Sisters and Brothers,

"We all need at least two homes: one physical home....but also one
spiritual home that is in our hearts that provides sustenance for our soul".

These words, spoken by Edgar Cayce(1877-1945) are as true, and maybe even
more so, today, as then.

For many persons who have done programs, trainings, workshops, and classes
here, Quinta da Calma is just that: their spiritual home.

It is almost 30 years ago that Al and I opened the doors to Quinta da Calma
with Integral Yoga as its foundation. A dedicated team of highly qualified
therapists, Yoga teachers, and other spiritual teachers and presenters have
helped, comforted, given treatments, classes, guidance and love to thousands
of people.

Now it is the Quinta that needs help.

The American stock market crash has had a severe impact on my personal
ability to continue to subsidize the Quinta. Therefore, for the first time
in our long history, I must ask for help. Although we have reduced our
staff and thereby our costs, we still need financial aid in order to allow
the Quinta to continue to provide and maintain the facilities to the
standard that our students and guests have come to expect from us.

For this reason, we have put together and are launching a new membership
structure, details of which follow. We are humbly asking as many of you as
possible to take out a membership in The School of Life at Quinta da Calma.

This great support will help ensure that we can continue to be here for you,
and to continue to be able to share the teachings of our beloved Gurudev,
who blessed us with His presence and wisdom in 1989.

Equally, if you don´t wish to be a member, donations of any amount would be
very welcome and gratefully received and, of course, personally
acknowledged.

Thank you for your support in the past, and on behalf of the team at Quinta
da Calma,
thank you for your help now.
Om Shanti.
With Love and Peace, Divyajyoti
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------please copy & paste this form and print it out and mail to Quinta da Calma at the address below, or send it by email to groups@quintadacalma.com---------------------------------------------------------
The School of Life at Quinta da Calma Membership Subscription
One year subscription: 35 euro
Two year subscription: 50 euro
Three year subscription: 75 euro
Five year subscription: 100 euro
A subscription carries with it several benefits for the members such as a
discount on therapies, a discount on accommodation bookings for member and
family, and more. Each member will be sent a membership card with the list
of benefits they will receive.
What we would like to know about you:
Name:-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address:-----------------------------------------------------------------------
e-mail:-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tel.--------------------------------Fax:---------------------------------------
International payments are best made by bank transfer to the following:
School of Life Association
N.I.B: 0018 0000 21639784001 80
IBAN: PT50001800002163978400180
BIC/SWIFT: TOTOPTPL
Postal Address: School of Life, Quinta da Calma, Apartado 3053, 8135 Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
To see all the wonderful events on offer at Quinta da Calma click on this link to their website:

Monday, March 2, 2009

Spotlight on Belgium



Hari Om!


This is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and what is happening in all the corners of Integral Yoga in Europe.

This month we go to Belgium to visit with Ramakrishna, a humble and devoted Soul who lives to serve. I asked him a few questions -and you will see his answers in his own heartfelt form of words.
This photo is of Ramakrishna singing "Salve Regina" during the puja at the last Euro Re-union in Portugal- all who were there will remember how moving it was and his beautiful voice.


pp: Would you give us an outline of your spiritual biography?

RK : I don´t know wher to begin. I startet to study the sciptures long ago when i was a teenager. Some times i forgot the importance of this and then it came back in to my live.
So when i was 33 i made a tour trough the Nord of India. It was ther that my live turned for good. When i came back i meet my wife who was study yoga and she let my in to the spirituale world.
I thit not study yoga on that time, but was intrestet in the sciptures of the Theosofic Society. It was after that i was devorced that i came very cloos to the study of the Theosofic Society.
The first to works that i was study wher " The Divine Plan" from the author G. Barborka and " The Yoga Sutras from Patanjali." from the author Dr.I.K.Taimni.
It hit my all so much that i hat to withdraw myself . I went on a pelgrimage to Santiago de Compostella. I spent three and a half month to go ther and i can tell you it wher the most intensely hapy months of that time. But i thit not came home, i am still a pelgrim, thil i came in contact whit yoga three years later.


pp: How did you first come into contact with the teachings of Sri Swami Satchidananda?

RK: It was when i came in the house of a friend of my wher i first lookt to a picture of Swami Satchidananda. I found it very intressting but thit not go deeper in to that.
A year later i came to Spain to baby sit on a spiritual center for three months. The first yoga lesson in that place was given by Padma Prya. The lesson was going verry deep in to my soul. Ther was a littel altar and on that altar ther he was again and i felt myself attract to Him. It was from that moment that i followt the lessons from Swami Satchidananda through the soul of Padma Prya.

pp: Can you tell us a little about your Integral Yoga Centre near Antwerp in Belgium?

RK: Well after finisht the first half of the TT cource that i followt in Spain with Padma, i went back to Belgium and just startet to give lesson.
First the lessons wher given in a house in Turnhout. It wher the longest lessons that i have given. The people wher verry entousiast about it. They got three hours yoga for the price of 5 euros. It was fun to do.
Later the group growt and we mouved to a hall above a cafe. We hat to clean up the room and moving the tables and chairs to have a place to do yoga. When the lesson was finisht we hat to put every thing back on the same place becouse the next morning people having ther breakfirst ther. I think they not only eat ther breakfirst but wher showert whit the energy that was still in that room.
The group growt and we went to a public hall. On that moment i startert a second class in Wiekevorst. I was searching for a good hall and lookt every wher but could not find one.
One day a friend of me calt me up and said to my that ther was a hall in my street. It was just acrosse my door. We opent that second class and the first slowly deserted. It was a time from ups and downs but we did not stopt.
On the moment now we have five yoga classes in diferent places. It is fun to see how they all grow and have ther own nature. This is all whit the help of our beloved Gurudev. He is doing every thing and has great fun here.

pp: You have been translating the Living Gita and are now working on the Yoga Sutras. Can you tell us something about that work?

RK: Well the translation from the Living Gita was a long work that much time confiscate. It was verry intens and I felt the help of Swamiji all the way through. Some times it was gowing like a train and on other moments it was verry hard work. Why? becouse i was going through my own process. On this moment we are setting every thing in correct Dutch. The Yoga Sutras is the next work that we are going to do. The first two sutras are translatet and in the free time that i have i am doing this whit all the pleasure. It is in fact not working at all. Hahaha

pp: Do you have any Yoga events coming up in Belgium this year?

RK: Yes in March 7 and 8 we have a first a great fair in Leuven. On this fair we give a Hatha Yoga Class and a Partner Yoga Class. I am also giving a talk about Mantra Yoga and Raja Yoga. You can find all the information about this fair on http://www.eco-therapeutica.be/.


The next Sunday the 15 of March we giving a Open Yoga day in Veltem Bijsem in a place cald La Riposa. The day start at 10am whit a Hatha Yogaclass. After this class we have lunch. At 13.00 we start again whit a partner yoga class. We end the day whit chanting mantras. The price of this day is 10 euro for the holl day.You can find all the information on the site http://www.lariposa.be/.
The weekend of 20,21 and 22 of March we have a Yoga Retraite in the Ardennen in a small place called Heyd. We are going to celebrate the spring inversion together. Whit a lot of yoga, meditation, singing, walking and laughting. This weekend costs 150 euro. You can see the location on the site http://users.skynet.be/boda.
The weekend from 19, 20 and 21 of June we are going on a Camping Yoga Weekend in Wechelterzande. This is a special weekend becouse we are staying in two teepee tents - in the biggest we can sleep 15 people and in the other we will sleep 7 persons. We will celebrate summer solstice whit a big campfire, singing and dance , stillness and meditation. The cost will be the same as the other weekend.
Every first Saterday of the month ther is a mantra recitation in the Theosofic Society of Antwerp. It is starting at 14.00uur and ends at 17.00uur. Ther ar no costs for this.

pp: Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

RK: Yes it is beautifull to be an instrument of Gurudev in this times. Ther is so much to do, and it is don with all the love that is. We should never think on the losts or profit in this world. Ther is always the benifit of all that commes first and if that mean that we have to melt in to God we have to do it whit all the joy that is. May be this is all we have to do. Thank you for all the Love and Joy. Always Your Ramakrishna.