This video makes me think about my own motivation to be in a 3-weeks silent retreat in India. When I was there for the first time, I went there, because it was an adventure for me. The last years, when I went there, I always knew: This brings me to the very core of being. And so often, I am lacking words to talk about this experience. When I then talk to friends about it. They often say: I am living up to this already. And I know: They don’t. This person even hasn’t smelt one noseful of it. But how to talk about it? So, if you think about going to India and attend a silent retreat, I recommend you to watch this video (click).  You can also read, what he was talking to the participants, sitting with him at that time at the feet of Arunachala in the ashram in Adi Annamalai.

Madhukar talking about the motivation to be in a 3-weeks silent retreat in India

Namaskar.

Welcome.

Who is this precious one who can follow my guidance and clarify once and for all – who he is? Who is precious one? You have come here for different reasons to this retreat.

Some are attracted to me, are in love with me. Some came to relax, to rest from all the stress at home, stress from ones owns thoughts, representation or stress in the work, family, what so ever.

Others came to check out: How is it to be in silence for three weeks? How is it to be in an Ashram? What happens there with me? Whatever motivation or whatever mix of motivations brought you here, you are here.

I remember very well, that time, when I went to India. I’d been in India many times before. But this particular time, I went to India to be nobody. Because I had before several times become somebody through my career, lifestyle. And I had already escaped from Germany years before, to escape this trap, to have a very successful career at the TV. But then I was in Amsterdam living. And again I had become a kind of an underground star. And this time I went to India, I wanted to be nobody. Be careful what you wish for. That’s why I tell you, when you go around the mountain, you have a wish, right? Be careful, what you wish. I had before also uttered some wishes in a Pradakshina and they became fulfilled. Then I said afterwards I should have been more precise. I was quite into yoga, yoga many hours a day. Which of course you don’t see anymore when you see my forward bent now. At that time I was practising much yoga. And I heard this Yogi speaking about this Guru in Lucknow and we were in Goa. Not on the beach somewhere up, in the mountains in a jungle. And he spoke about tis Guru who says: “You don’t need to do anything. You don’t need to meditate.” At that time I did not know the difference between meditation and Atma Vichara. I had not been diving into Atma Vichara and even not in the theories of advaita. So when I heard this: “You don’t need to do anything, you don’t need to meditate, you don’t need to do any Sadhana. Sadhana means spiritual practice.

This exploded in me like a bombshell. Yes.

Yes, yes, yes, that makes sense. Because I had seen that all the states you can reach through practice, are not of a permanent nature. Likewise the spiritual experiences, which happened to me – even without pracitse, also haven’t been permanent. And somehow still I did not know who I am. So therefore when I share with you my existential experience like this morning, speak from the now, it’s not that I like to impose any kind of teaching on you.

I don’t like to create a concept, saying this is the absolute truth. I simply like to point you to something very mysterious. Who is really courageous and humble of you, who can grasp the secret? Like my Guru. After I went to him, after two years, he said to me: Therefore I gave you my secret, that you will not die. That you will not die and the voltures will not eat you.

Wat would be your motivation to be in a 3-weeks silent retreat in India?

Very touching, what he said, isn’t it? And if you read so far, have you already reflected on, what would be your motivation, to be in a silent retreat at the feet of Arunachala, the holy mountain? This is the place, that I actually like most on the whole world. At this place, silence is even more silent, it is so precious to be there.

• Do you want to relax?
• Do you want to find out how it is to be in an Ashram?
• Do you want to have a certain adventure?
• Are you curious, what happens in an ashram, in a three weeks silent retreat with you?
• Do you want to grasp the secret of the Master?

Yes, come, check out the information about the retreat – you find it here (click).

You might also be interested in reading further?

What is a pradakshina around the Arunachala in Tiruvannamalai?

Travel to India – health advice for participating in a retreat

Testimonials about the Silence Meditation Retreat in India