On the weekend of September 15, more than forty Ananda Sangha members gathered from Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom to practice Kriya Yoga together and draw inspiration from Jyotish and Devi, Ananda’s spiritual directors worldwide, and from Anand and Kirtani, our European directors. We met in the Dutch province of Limburg – a strategic geopolitical crossroad, once part of a united kingdom that included the territories of present-day Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
Our teachers talked about the elements of an enlightened society and supportive leadership, themes so important in these times of confusion and polarization.
Ananda, they said, is a model society that prioritizes the spiritual evolution of the individual through meditation, service and cooperation. Its leadership is supportive; its natural strength is based on the spiritual attunement and magnetism of the leaders.
So we studied, meditated, sang and had fun together. In the end, devotees from each country went home with a clearer awareness of the next steps to be taken, both nationally and internationally.
A seed was planted for future growth. The energy put out by all participants to unite with like-minded souls certainly strengthened us both individually and collectively. Who knows if one day centers and communities like ours will also be born in other European countries!
Darshan
HOLLAND RETREAT PHOTO GALLERY
