Tapas retreat during Navaratri 29.09-14.10.2024

The time of Navaratri offers a special opportunity to deepen spiritual practice and accelerate spiritual development. Navaratri symbolizes the feminine aspect of divinity and the triumph over evil forces, which is also a significant theme in Sanatana Dharma, Kriya Yoga, and Siddha traditions. Read more about Navaratri here.

The retreat lasts fifteen days, and participants arrive on the eve of the retreat.

Tapas begins with a special ceremony where participants make a sacred vow. The vow describes the purpose of entering Tapas, lists self-imposed restrictions, planned practices, and to whom the benefits achieved through Tapas are dedicated. A kapu is tied around the wrist. Traditionally, this is a sacred root combined with a string and a strip of fabric, intended to protect the devotee during their time in Tapas. During the retreat, participants withdraw from daily life – family and work –, practice austerity, and focus on the selected Tapas practices. Austerity is facilitated on-site in Lilleoru through a fixed schedule and simple rules.

What to Consider During Tapas

• Full-time presence on site;
• Social isolation (including no use of phones or computers);
• Sleeping on the ashram grounds, on a yoga mat or thin mattress;
• Following the daily schedule, including early wake-up, practices, participation in havans and aaratis;
• Implementing niyamas and yamas (yogic ethics and habits);
• Keeping a practice journal;
• Fasting (one meal a day plus some healthy additions, abstaining from coffee-tea, salt-pepper, alcohol-tobacco);
• Preparing one’s own food in the ashram house;
• Wearing yellow, red, orange, or beige clothes (which facilitates Tapas);
• Abstaining from shaving and makeup;
• Walking barefoot (where possible and sensible, outdoors according to the weather)

Tentative Daily Schedule

5:30 AM – Wake-up, practices
8:00 AM – Havan and Tapas opening ceremony
10 AM – Personal practices
1:00 PM – Lunch (in ashram house)
2:00 PM – Personal practices
6:30 PM – Group satsang or meeting with Ishwarananda (on the 5th, 10th, and 15th days)
8:30 PM – Aarati
10:00 PM – Night’s rest

Register

For more information tapas@lilleoru.ee