Kashi Nivas Shiva Meditation Ashram

We never know when the lessons come to find us. We think we are going in a direction or a place for a reason. Then we come face to face with enchantment and are swept away into eternity. The clarity I felt/saw tonight is something I will need to meditate on for a bit. The single clarification I was given was to be humble. To not sit in front of the guru, for I am unworthy. Rather sit by his right side, watch his/her deeds from a place of devotion on an unattached level. The profile of the guru is a viewpoint that brings more clarity and allows the deities to channel an entirely different energy than I've ever known. It's crazy, in front of the guru, he is just a man. On his right is a window of other places that take you on the ride of all the levels he is accessing at once. To sit to the guru's right side is to open the Oz curtain and witness the inner workings of spirit. This was my lesson tonight and it may contradict other truths that you may know, but for me, this is a great light/truth that came out of nowhere. I've been going about it all wrong. Now I know what to do. Peace and thank you.

I arrived in Ann Arbor, MI. Before coming, I had discovered Atmaram through a google search for "kirtan" and "bhakti." After e-mailing him, he called to invite me over to his home for dinner and kirtan. What a delightful surprise! He plays the harmonium and drum, and his Teacher is Muktananda. I was deeply moved by the energy of his beautiful raga version of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra and told him so. Atmaram and I are soul brothers. His heart is filled with tenderness and his knowledge very deep. I feel his love even now. Never had I been so warmly welcomed, particularly by someone I had just met. We ate together, played together, and discussed form, formlessness, and the guru. His dog, Mocha, was just as enthusiastic about the whole event. It is said that during the Golden Age, one could travel across the country and one would not need to be concerned with food or shelter. Everyone would take care of you and provide everything you need just like family. This visit with Atmaram took me back to the Golden Age.

Yesterday I went and visited these two gorgeous old friends Kashi and Atmaram, who run an ashram in Michigan, US. She was a friend at the ashram here that I was at and he fell in love with her on a visit to the ashram from the States. Love at first sight. I kid you not; she stayed with me after he left as she sold everything she had, settled her affairs, and bought her wedding dress. That was three years ago. They’re seriously a beautiful couple.

They both do remarkable work and are great examples of love on legs. Yesterday Atmaram blew my mind. It was refreshing to be in his company. It’s been a while since I’ve hung out with old community friends. As much as I love the world, which I do, so much; it’s not exactly riddled with self-actualised beings. In the right legitimate spiritual circles, they are the more commonplace. As I sat at a table in the garden surrounded by trees, statues, flowers and delicious balmy weather listening to this lovely man, I soaked up his presence.

Everything he said was taking the words straight out of my mouth, his years of meditation and self-inquiry meant he was finely tuned to every nuance of my feelings, language and thought process. Decades of sadhana, spiritual practice, meant he was soft, alert and full of love. This man has done the time and never given up. He knows exactly what it takes to get there. He’s happy; he’s content, he’s a living example of inner peace. His life is simple yet rich, and all his needs are met.

Most importantly. He is himself. Uniquely him. No need to be anyone or anything else. He is aware of his limitations, his tendencies and his strengths. He stands firmly in his being. He gets things wrong sure. He laughs a lot at life. He worked hard both to be a successful academic and to be where he is now, a self-actualised joy to be around.

He sat with an expression of delight and listened to my passionate rants on how beautiful it would be to have entrepreneurial light bearers wanting to be actualised, self-realised, happy, being beacons to the world and giving that grace to free others to be the same. My service type energy is very strong, and it made him laugh, he’s very wisdom type. He’s settled and content with his ashram work but loved the drive and mission pouring through me.

He agreed with me that when we do lots of the inner work, be of service and love with wisdom then we balance out our centres. We become the three types. It doesn’t matter what you may be feeling you are missing now; it is possible to have it grow from grace, intention and doing the time. That is where inner peace comes from. Balance and harmony and acceptance. That is self-actualisation.

I am so deeply indebted to Atmaram and Kashi! After I returned from the Zen Mountain Monastery, I hoped to have some kind of structure to continue with my meditation practice. Though the teachers I met in upper state of New York were great, they didn’t offer “distance” learning programs. Then Atmaram and Kashi came to mind. The first time I saw them was at Yoga Fest 2016. They were walking on the green grass, joyfully and peacefully, their white robes flowing by their barefoot. A Chinese idiom came to my mind “fairy couple (shen xian juan lu)”. Later I had the opportunity to hear them chanting in Sanskrit. Just sitting there quietly listening or watching them alone was rejuvenating. I can’t thank them enough for being my meditation teachers and mentored me throughout this year! It must have been tough to be my teacher, since I constantly found excuses that I couldn’t find time to meditate. Again and again, Atmaram would encourage me to start and restart. Atmaram has given so many inspiring lessons. One day, after I vented with him about some challenges and stress, I waited for him to give some advice on how to deal with those problems. He waited for me to stop talking and asked in his usual calm and compassionate voice, “When was your last time observing your breath?” I was shocked at how he responded to my “problems”. It was like a lightning bolt breaking through the dark sky. I checked my breath. I instantly relaxed and smiled. It wasn’t much of a problem at all. Kashi is also serving as an end-of-life doula. It’s such demanding but also important and honorable work. Love you my wise and compassionate teachers!

Whether you're visiting Kashi Nivas for yoga or meditation, the experience begins the moment you walk through the door. The energy infuses you with a palpable serenity, warmth and profound welcome. By the time you settle in with a cushion or a mat, your body and heart are both saying "YES."

The meditation sessions with Atmaram can hardly be described by the limitations of language. He is the embodiment of heartfelt awareness, and one feels completely accepted, as is, as perfect and whole from the very beginning. Atmaram opens the sessions with an idea in mind for discussion, yet he can so beautifully perceive the moment and energy of the group in such a way that the flow of the session becomes what it's meant to be on its own. Everyone feels free to offer something to the discussion, or not, and that freedom is precisely what allows for many to open to their own experience at that very moment. He allows for complete presence in whatever that is meant to mean, for each individual and for the group. The topics he brings are relevant and timeless. The thing that is most exquisite about Atmaram's sessions is that it's all about self-inquiry. It can't be overstated how much the feeling there is about permission to explore that in such beauty and serenity.

Kashi's yoga classes are by far the most wonderful I've ever attended, and I cannot imagine going anywhere else. It's much more than the method and style of the movements. Kashi possesses a nature of such gentleness and awareness... she guides you through the breath and the movements in such a way that you can sense the thread of connection between her and everyone in the room. One can adjust the props to accommodate comfort level, flexibility and physical condition. There is never any pressure to move beyond one's own threshold. The fact that the space allows for a small number of students at a time is incredibly beneficial, in that it allows for an intentionally intimate setting and personal attention. Anyone at any level will feel completely comfortable in every conceivable way. Kashi offers her gift of yoga practice in a way that is both soothing and refreshing, and I can hardly say enough about how her own lovely energy contributes to the overall experience.

Last year was an amazing journey and I imagine it's only going to pick up even more this year. Kashi Nivas shares a beautiful gift with people and I really felt and saw that this past year. After those 2 retreats in 2015 I feared I'd not be able to find that kind of love and openness in a group of people without flying across the globe and dropping a big chunk of money. It turns out it's also right here at home with me always. Both inside of me and when in the company of satsang with you all.

We are so blessed in this community by the mission, dedication and devotion of Kashi and Atmaram at Kashi Nivas. They are champions of inclusivity, always making sure that others feel welcome regardless of belief, age, race, spiritual path... To be in the company of these sincere seekers is always inspiring. We have attended several kirtans, Puja, and guest speaker events hosted by Kashi Nivas, all of which have left us awe-inspired that this is all happening right here in SE Michigan! Thank you Atmaram and Kashi!

My experience of Self-Inquiry was meaningful and healing. It was greatly enhanced by my two facilitators: Atmaram Chaitanya and Kashi Walters. In this case it was more of a support session as opposed to a group exchange. Lucky me, I got the privilege of receiving the focused feedback and support of these two compassionate people. As I brought my attention to my different centers and breathed into them I was surprised at how deeply I went into some important and active issues in my life. The process gave me fresh perspectives about ways to go about serving others while maintaining my own balance. It did this by leading me to my own realizations of new views on different layers of the dynamics this process. It was both the technique and the feedback and the warm and grounded presence of Atmaram and Kashi that helped me reach my own revelation in a way that I could embrace it constructively. I am very grateful for this session and would highly recommend this process to those who seek within for deeper harmony and truth. It’s likely that many doors will open for you doing Self-Inquiry in whatever form it is offered.

Entering Kashi Nivas brings me to an inner space within myself that feels like home. Atmaram and Kashi have created a space for like-minded souls to come together. A while ago they invited me to sit with them for a self-inquiry session. The session was conducted with loving kindness. Questions were posed to explore the “layers of the onion skin” of my inner being. I came away with a real sense of the “dance of consciousness” or “play of shakti.” I really enjoy the chanting events and I am especially fond of the special pujas that I have been privileged to attend.