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.

Shown here is a picture of the Dutch Maitreya Institute at Emst, a Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhist Retreat Centre, photographed summer 2011, Katinka Hesselink

Ashram pictures

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Important!

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

headquarters of the Theosophical Society in India, which is an AshramAshrams 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

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Other restrictions to life on an ashram

Ashram Mahatma Gandhi stayed in. His spinning wheel is still thereAs 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 learn from a guru / spiritual teacher

3 points

To get some peace and quiet

2 points

To find my 'center'

2 points

To rethink my life

1 point

To have time to read

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.

waldenthree.net says:

good discussion on Ashram. Family guru was very important two generatoins ago among middle class and working class people in India. I have family heritage. Thanks.

Augadha says:

Sanatan Dharma is the oldest culture in the world, and there was a time when it was spread throughout the world. People can find swastika in every culture like the American Indians, Greece, troy, Italy, Russia and many other countries have this symbol. Look at the 108 symbols of god in Sanatan Dharma and their origin. Things will become very clear about the origin of humanity in this world. It is time to free ourselves from the lies and deception spread throughout the world about our culture.

Dont forget, even today in Sanskrit and Hindi the words for Divorce and any other abusive words do not exist. Yet it contains words like Yantra ( machine) and Vimana ( air-craft), which existed far before the western civilization constructed aircraft themselves.

annieblawrence says:

I lived in an ashram for a month during my yoga teachers training. Loved it. I now offer retreats in Sedona Arizona. Love being a retreat facilitator.

MariaZuzeena says:

Most defnitely! I loved it and if I had the means I would create one.

crystalbeds says:

Spiritual retreats are wonderful. I am currently in the Schochwitz healing castle retreat in Eastern Germany and I recommend it for everyone, including the writer of this article. They receive almost everyone with open arms.

No, I would not go again.

 
view all 10 comments

What do you think of this ashram lens?

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  • Reply
    karmicchristian Aug 15, 2011 @ 10:36 am | delete
    Back to add: In today's world it is nigh impossible to go to 'vanavasa' or 'asrama' (Asrama - a place without toil). The challenge is to be at home - without the mental toil (that is).
  • Reply
    karmicchristian Aug 15, 2011 @ 10:33 am | delete
    The word Asrama in Sanskrit means 'without toil' or more technically - 'a place in the mind, where we offer the least resistance' to the maya around us! When Maya is fought with - it will overpower us, and an Asrama is a conducive place 'with the path of least resistance' to the nature and prakriti around us. :)
  • Reply
    LotusPetalYoga Apr 7, 2011 @ 11:19 am | delete
    I am lucky to have a wonderful ashram near where I live. I have spent many nights there and also can visit for just the day. Even if you spent just a weekend in an ashram, you feel as though you have been on a uch longer holiday as your mind can really settle.
  • Reply
    MariaZuzeena Jan 5, 2011 @ 1:43 pm | delete
    Very good general overview about what an ashram is all about! I like this lense :)
  • Reply
    spirituality May 7, 2009 @ 2:00 am | in reply to Sonia_Gallagher | delete
    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.
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Learn more about India, the home of Ashrams

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Author of this page: Katinka Hesselink

Author of this page: Katinka HesselinkKatinka Hesselink has been fascinated with religion for as long as she can remember. She started studying theosophy and the world religions in earnest when she was 19. She loves reading books about any and all the spiritual traditions, and reviews them online.

She even did a stint of university studying World Religion, specializing in Buddhism and Indian religions.

She has gathered inspiring quotes and informative articles on Buddhism, Sufism, Mystic Christianity and of course theosophy on her website Katinka Hesselink Net. On her popular spiritual blog All Considering she shares her knowledge, experiences and thoughts on spiritual topics.

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