What is an Ashram? Spiritual Retreat Centres!

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Spiritual Retreat

What is an ashram? Why go on a spiritual retreat? This lens explains the way of life on an ashram and has links to ashrams and pictures of ashrams.

An ashram is a place of spiritual retreat. Usually there are permanent residents as well as visitors who come for retreats.

The word Ashram is originally Indian (and Hindu), but is used for more general spiritual retreat centers as well these days.

Ashram pictures 

miles to go ... by bay_range

miles to go ...

short corridor... by bay_range

short corridor...

DSC02810 by Ben Sutherland

DSC02810

Young Gandhi by Ben Sutherland

Young Gandhi

automatically generated by Flickr

Going on a Retreat - three reasons to do it

  1. To get away from it all

  2. To rethink your life

  3. To regroup, find your center, get in touch with yourself (again)

About food on an Ashram 

Ashrams usually have practical rules to make sure the atmosphere stays spiritual and meditative. For the permanent residents these rules have become a way of life. For visitors they are voluntarily taken on, usually for spiritual cleansing purposes.

Rules often found in Ashrams include:

  • No meat: vegetarian food

  • No alcohol or other intoxicants

  • No smoking


On stricter Ashrams rules may even include the following:
  • No sweets or sugar

  • No coffee or tea (these contain caffeine)



Source for this image of the headquarters of the Theosophical Society in India, which is an Ashram

Books about Spiritual Retreats 

Eckhart Tolle's Findhorn Retreat: Stillness Amidst the World

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now

A Long Retreat: In Search of a Religious Life

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Amazon Price: $25.00 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now

Europe's Monastery and Convent Guesthouses

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Amazon Price: $12.71 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now

One Hundred Days of Solitude: Losing Myself and Finding Grace on a Zen Retreat

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Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

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Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now

Other restrictions to life on an ashram 

As spiritual growth is supposed to be the main occupation on ashrams, everything else can be secondary to that.

The following are rules that may or may not be practised on specific ashrams. Just to give you an idea.

  • No tv, radio or internet

  • Strict rules about waking and sleeping times

  • Silence, except during talks with a spiritual teacher

  • Shared physical activities like cooking, cleaning and gardening


The image is of the room Mahatma Gandhi stayed in. His spinning wheel is still there

Why do you go on retreats? 

What do you look for in an ashram?

Vote for your reason(s) for going on a retreat. If your reason isn't listed, add it.

To find my 'center'

2 points

To get some peace and quiet

1 point

To rethink my life

1 point

To have time to read

1 point

To learn from a guru / spiritual teacher

1 point

Ashram: etymology and dictionary meaning 

ashram
"religious hermitage," from Skt. asramah, from a-, adnomial prefix, + sramah "effort, toll, fatigue."

Etymology online

ashram
1. a secluded building, often the residence of a guru, used for religious retreat or instruction in Hinduism.
2. the persons instructed there.

Dictionary .com

Ashrams as Monasteries 

Ashrams today really have a lot in common with monasteries. Especially now that many monasteries give retreats. Both are part of a growing culture of spiritual resources which enrich and calm the lives the busy life of working people.

Have you ever been to an ashram? 

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Did you like the Ashram? 

For those of you who have experience with going on a retreat, please tell the rest of us whether you liked it or not.

Did you like going on a retreat? Would you go again?

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Yes, I would go again.

Amyji says:

The ashram I attend periodically is near my home. The Oakland SYDA Ashram doesn't offer many retreats, so my vote was incorrect - I just attend periodically, as one would visit a temple or church. The program I attend includes chanting and meditating.

Jewelsofawe says:

Depends on the retreat

EelKat says:

I built one in my backyard, it's where I go to do my reading, writing, and meditating.

TheresaAnn says:

Yes

spirituality says:

I loved meeting people and having time for reflection. I didn't like the cold showers too much - but I do feel it was essential to the experience.

No, I would not go again.

 

What do you think of this ashram lens? 

spirituality wrote...

in reply to Sonia_Gallagher I'm sure there are several Ashram's in The Netherlands. After all, it has a population of 16 million people. The one mentioned here is just the one I know (and love) about personally.

ReplyPosted May 07, 2009

Sonia_Gallagher wrote...

Great lens. I did not know there was an ashram in the Netherlands. I lived in Leiden for several months (wish I had known while I was there). I am now in South Florida so I meditate at home with my husband, in the Morikami Japanese Botanical Gardens, at the beach, and in parks. I love the feel of the breeze while I am meditating. Its a very different experience to meditating indoors.

ReplyPosted May 06, 2009

Soul-expert wrote...

Great lens! You've put together a lot of helpful information on retreats and ashrams. I'd love for you to visit my lens and say hello when you have the chance.

ReplyPosted January 08, 2009

Jewelsofawe wrote...

I forgot to tell you that I added this lens to my lens: a> Welcome to the Spirituality Group!

ReplyPosted December 18, 2008

Jewelsofawe wrote...

I like it. I am debating whether I would want to go to an ashram or not. Probably not. I can meditate at home and be comfortable.

ReplyPosted December 18, 2008

view all 7 comments

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