Tapas Retreat 16.06-1.07.2024

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