Spring brings joy…so was the sadhana for the whole week which started from 18th March, 2018 with Ugadi also the beginning of Chaitra Navaratri culminated on 25th March, 2018 with Sri Rama Navami.
At Dhrti, the whole week was dedicated to deepen the sadhana, with some set of practices to be followed the entire week. We started with Dr. Sandhya’s Ritucharya session on Basant Ritu, understanding – pathya & apathya, ahaara, vichara, achara, vyahara, which helped the sadhakas understand the essence Basant ritu.
The daily Hatha yoga sadhana, included a new asana which was practiced for the whole week – Akarna Dhanurasana (Bow and Arrow pose), apart from physical relaxation this posture brought joy to mind as practitioners offered it meditating of Sri Ram before, while in the asana, and after.
A special meditation technique of likhita japa was introduced wherein initially practitioners were given basic instructions of writing Sri Ram for 11 times with full awareness and without mistakes, later breath was incorporated along with writing – Inhale Sri Exhale Ram. During classroom session, instructions were given to write 11 times and to continue the practice at home with similar instructions. It was new for most of the practitioners.
Sri Ram Raksha stotram was also learnt by many as it was the sadhana of week. Recited by all with full feelings and joy. Most of the practitioners were new to this stotram too but they learnt in a proper sequence by writing 4 shlokas daily in their notebook with meaning and later chanting it out loud. Guru’s blessings showered when little squirrel visited while we were chanting the stotram and stayed happily..
The early morning sadhakas did one mala of Ram nama japa, mid day morning students recited Durga Suktam, and the evening sadhakas continued chanting 32 names of Durga, they also practiced visualisation on one form of devi on each day.
Finally, the sadhana culminated on Ram Navami day, sadhakas from all the batches were present and the satsang began with Ram Gayatri x 24, with Sri Ram Raksha Strotram, Hanuman Chalisa, Ram Stuti, Bhagavati Stuti, Aarti, with Kirtans. The chaitra navaratri culminated offering prayers to the Kanyas and Batuk, who enjoyed the most.
Nevertheless, the samskuta students who had appeared for exam received their certificates.
Very good start of new year with new learnings.
Happy New Year Ahead.