On this page you can read the experience of participants from a variety of the activities and retreats that have been organised by Sanghaseva since 2004. If you have been on one of our retreats we would love to hear from you again please share your experience with us below

2009

A Dharma Presence at the Climate talks in Copenhagen

Giving Voice to Compassion
Reflections on a Journey

In December 2009, Gaia House Resident Teacher Rob Burbea and a number of practitioners associated with Gaia House made the journey by train to Copenhagen to be there during the UN summit on climate change. Here he offers some reflections on the experience and on aspects of compassion and engagement.

Back in England, at St Pancras Station, saying goodbye as folks began to go their separate ways, Rachel said something beautiful - “It felt like a kind of pilgrimage.” The others seemed to share that sense keenly, and certainly for me it had very much felt that way.

The truth is, even in the first stages of mulling over the possibility of going, I had, just privately, envisioned it as a kind of ‘prayer’. But foolishly, not even consciously, maybe I had thought that perhaps people wouldn’t understand. So when we originally sent out the e-mail inviting Dharma practitioners to join us in Copenhagen, we wrote that we wanted ‘to be there together as a peaceful presence to ask world leaders to agree to a deal that would respond adequately to the Climate emergency facing the planet and human civilization’. And of course that was true. We were there for that, with a request for decisions and results, to be a few more bodies for the count, to try and persuade the politicians, (though not so completely naïve to believe that our being there would, in itself, make that much significant difference.)

But somehow it felt like there were also other dimensions and reasons for going, reasons which perhaps may not make much sense to a solely ‘practical’ or ‘rational’ mind-set. A desire to be there to give voice to something very deep and very (dare I say it?) precious. Regardless of the outcome. To stand and walk in alignment with our deepest care and truth. To sing the indestructible song of human care, no matter what. We wanted to make a pilgrimage, to pray. Read more

Anandwan

This year in Anandwan I felt both drawn to and repelled from spending some time with the old people. In short the old people’s quarters are not the most appealing of places to spend some time, yet some of the draw to go there was to once more expand my limitations.
In previous years some of the group had offered a very popular program of massage, hair care and nail clipping. So I headed down there with a bottle of warming massage oil and the anticipation that I would be met by eager yet achy elders. The women were already in the courtyard sunshine having their hair brushed by others from our group, so I headed off into the men’s quarters. The first person I offered a massage to said “NO” so firmly I felt I’d insulted him, I felt quite ashamed and a bit deflated. It took a bit of wandering around, before I found someone who looked a bit more receptive. He agreed to a massage, a little too reluctantly for my complete liking, but we got on with it. A small group of men gathered round to watch my technique-less technique of massage, maybe trying to decide whether I was doing more harm than good. But by the time I finished my first man another offered his achy shoulder and I moved my massage station over to him. When I had finished the shoulder, a swollen knee was indicated for me. Following the delicate knee work another man pointed at his lower back. In this way my morning was passed moving from man to man, pouring oil and stretching tired and tight bodies. I was popular at last.

A lot of the men had quite hard muscles and skin possibly an effect of Leprosy, and a lot of them were suffering from mild skin conditions. Either way they loved the oil as much as the massage, and some of them were happy to just get the oil and rub it in themselves. By the end of the session it was a softer place, and quite a bit more slippery. I continued to go down and massage most days and I feel that I’ve received as much as I’ve given. When I hit the right spot they would call out “Isa, Isa” (“That’s it, That’s It”) which gave me a sense of achievement I didn’t anticipate. I would leave when they were called to lunch, and there was always a few who I would promise to do tomorrow.

A few days in I got more comfortable with it all so I tried to converse in my very poor Hindi and Marathi. This added a nice element to the exchange, even though my questions were mundane, and repetitive, the willingness on both sides somehow lifted the relationship to new heights. In these conversations I noticed that it wasn’t just the elderly men who wanted massage, two of my biggest and most demanding customers were their younger helpers. At first I resented them pushing in front of the older men. But of course all of us need care and consideration, so I oiled them up and even gave them as much massage as they demanded, well as much as I could. It was gratifying to be able to give them attention and friendship too.

Massage is an amazing act, it is both very intimate and very soothing, it is also clearly therapeutic for the body, mind and soul, it allows the whole being to flow more freely. It is additionally transformative in Anandwan, a community of people cast away from mainstream society due to their physical condition. For just as it offers softening to the hardened, it offers touch to the untouched, support to the neglected. And it allowed me to get closer to a group of people who brightened my day as I hope I brightened theirs.

2008

Being Peace

This last retreat in Palestine and Israel showed me once again the amazing qualities of human endurance in unbelievable situations. We set out once more with the intention to bring kind open awareness to all we saw, and to thereby try and be peace in the midst of conflict. Some times the feeling of conflict is obvious, and we can really feel it, sometimes it is little more than a point of view which doesn't leave the space for another to have a full life. Is there always a peaceful solution waiting for every uncomfortable scene? I don't know but it seems from what I saw that conflict brings out the worst in us all, and it also brings out the best in so many great souls. These great souls who are acting tirelessly, or even getting really tired, are an inspiration to me, not only in the field of peace work, but on the whole of life. They are truly human, fully amazing, my heart goes out to all of the unsung heroes of Peace. There is a peace in process, this is not optimism speaking, we may or not make it to peace, soon. But love and understanding are still getting through the barriers. I feel we should not stop until all the walls of separation are removed between us and another, in the 'real world' and in our inner worlds of heart and mind. This is real work, healing work, and I thank all who participated and taught me so much on this retreat out into the world.

Nathan

During the Retreat some of us were asked to be interviewed for a television news magazine in Israel. Here are the videos, the language is Hebrew with homemade English subtitles.

Also Elin Wikström wrote an article in Swedish about her experience of 'Being Peace' please read 'Att vara fred i ett värkande land'

WozaMoya “Creating ripples” Reflections on the SanghaSeva Retreat in South Africa.

When Rob Burbea, Resident Teacher at Gaia House, heard Thanissara speak about the work of Woza Moya and her involvement in it, his immediate response was, that this might be an opportunity for SanghaSeva to get involved.
It seemed obvious. The Woza Moya Project, an Aids and HIV outreach project was initiated by Thanissara and Kittisaro and is associated with the Buddhist Retreat Centre near Ixopo. Located in KwaZulu Natal, Woza Moya works in the region with the highest infection rate in the whole of the African continent.

However, there were also arguments speaking against the idea: the long distance to travel and the cost it would involve for those wanting to participate; the implications of travelling by plane for climate change; the potential difficulties in a country like South Africa which has no long standing tradition of Dharma practise and is still recovering from decades of apartheid; potential security issues with crime thriving in a climate of poverty, social deprivation and injustice; an atmosphere of deep rooted anger caused by the harsh and dehumanizing realities of apartheid and the loss of privilege for some which came with the end of it.

So looking back, did it make sense, was it worth it, what did we achieve?
On the most obvious practical level all we did was dig some vegetable gardens to provide healthy food for families affected by the aids pandemic.
All we did was get involved with the production of greeting cards in Woza Moya's incoming-generating scheme for women affected by the virus.
Nothing which could not have been achieved without us. But it turned out that there were other ripples created that were profound and far reaching though not at first immediately obvious. Lets have a look at some of these “unexpected”outcomes:

For more than seven years Woza Moya has been fighting an uphill battle against the further spread of HIV and they are still struggling against deeply held taboos around sexuality and widespread resistance to behavioural change.
And the project workers, although warm-hearted, very engaged and compassionate people feel dispirited at times and overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of the problem.
At the end of our stay we received the feed back that our way of engaging with them and the project as a whole infused them with much-needed new energy and enthusiasm for their work. Energy which gave rise to new ideas:
One unforeseen but potentially extremely significant outcome of the SanghaSeva retreat was the foundation of the Khuphuka Project. This project will be based near Dharmagiri, Thanissara and Kittisaro's retreat centre. It will function in a similar way to Woza Moya but working mostly in townships. (please look at www.dharmagiri.org to find out more).

In many areas of South Africa it is still unusual to see white people walk along country roads on their way to work at such “menial tasks” as digging gardens.
Most members of the SanghaSeva Group had no experience of apartheid and did not grew up within its belief systems. Thus our interactions as white people with the Zulu people in the valley were indeed rather different from what is still often the norm in South Africa. Existing boundaries, boundaries we ourselves weren't even that aware of, were challenged in an open-hearted, non-aggressive way.
One member of the group, born in South Africa but leaving the country as soon as she could as a young woman, shared that the retreat had a healing quality for her: “l always wanted to relate to black people in a different way than was expected from me whilst living in South Africa. This was the first time I had the opportunity to relate to black South Africans in a truly equal way. This is very important and healing for me”.
White South Africans joining the retreat reported equally, that the framework of the retreat offered the opportunity to relate differently with each other and supported the healing of wounds all too common in their country.

Being in contact with so much “human goodness” certainly had a very profound nourishing and inspiring impact on me. Just being together with like minded people, some of them already involved in amazing service work created a fertile ground for inspiration, ideas and future co-operations.

Of course we witnessed a lot of human suffering and on my return I was asked if it wasn't, at times, overwhelming. I think that even when meeting people in the midst of suffering, and for us Europeans, sometimes unimaginable hardship we can always connect with them on a level beyond their suffering. Just one human being meeting another human being. I never felt like I was there to help, a helper, and those people in the valley were to be helped. We just did what we did and each and every encounter felt to me enriching, heart opening, humbling, sometimes confusing and often, in a quiet way, very joyful, but never overwhelming.

During our time together we had lively discussions about the vital role of service in relation to Dharma practice. Getting more and more aware that the movement towards service, generosity and care are natural and logical expressions and outcomes of one's practise.
For me SanghaSeva plays an important role in creating opportunities for service, opportunities to express one's care, love and generosity.
I think it is safe to say that the ripples of this retreat are still doing their work in many ways. Some of these ripples will fade out and others will manifest in concrete projects that will offer us opportunities to connect to our human goodness and our wish to alleviate suffering.

Kirsten

BUDDHIST RETREAT CENTRE, IXOPO

Black-faced monkeys like thunder on the roof
While I silently eat my meal.
A garden of flaming autumn trees,
Rolling leaves in the breeze,
Timeless undulating karki hills.
Clusters of simple habitations
On skyline and in the valley.
A world outside my regular familiar one
Of human dilemmas and disasters.

Yet within this idyllic setting
A secret plague makes it's relentless journey,
Sweeping all in it's path.
Interrupted only by a programme
Of drugs, obtained by a few
Where possible, but needed by many.
Difficult to comprehend the extent
Of the hidden suffering
Here in KwaZulu Natal.

Ros.

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2007

Anandwan

Spending time with the beauty that dwells in the forest of bliss puts a smile in your being.

Tree planting sangha gathering

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2006

Anandwan

Read Jessica's article about her time in Anandwan Leprosy community, published in Vogue September 2007.

Or download as a PDF Vogue Article - The Magic Touch

Being Peace

Soft irregular patter of olives as they drop on the tarpaulin, guttural Arabic stuttering, plop,plop, plop go the olives, branches gently swaying eyes surveying distant hill and terraces, a face the colour of brick dust cracks into a smile, a hunched bent shapeless figure bends to pick up plum coloured olives from the dusty ground. Plop, patter, patter plop, plop, donkey starts to eeeor, sueak, squeal and gasp asthmatic sigh of grief or even joy, who knows? And we all start laughing.
Olive oil the colour of nectar or honey and bread as timeless as the hills; flat; warped and soft, hands deftly darting in, tearing, dipping, smearing creamy hummous and shiny black olives, licking lips everything tastes so good, appreciation all round as tastes of earth, fire , wind and water, mingle with the smoky tea. It dosent get better than this..I dip my bread in the beige hummous as humour surrounds me and the hubbub of people sharing a meal that’s being torn apart appreciatively.
But I soon miss the olives, a welcome slurp of sunset coloured tea and I am back in the swaying tree tops joyfully stripping the precious bitter fruits and letting them fall. A Kestrel catches my eye as its deadly eye scrutinizes the land for a movement that could be its meal, twisting and turning like a balletic dance, circling joyously on the invisible warm thermal. The continuous drone in the blue heavens, the angry roar of F16's- 'boys with their toys' I sigh to myself. I look up and only see the azure sky and the disappearing kestrel as it soars higher and higher. The sun pierces greyish clouds covering the surrounding hills in dark shadows; sullen hills now as the sun descends into late afternoon.

Chris

Ba’rtaa - Jodats welcome, each persons funny little ways, the sound of airplanes flying over, Palestine, the kitchen in the clinic, people arriving from Middle-way, Janet and Aviv, Benoit talking, me crying, Nurit laughing, Ism, young guy talking fast, strange stories, changing identities, love for life, on buses with friends, holding hands in the sun with friends, no enemies, living life in the right way, tired of dharma, mired in karma, supersonic silence, walking in the rain, the bell ringing in the morning,
Muslims marrying Jews, bad breath, people wanting everything to be perfect, being touched by the generosity of strangers, see no evil, hear no evil, worrying about things we cant change, lost in a sea of progress, going back to school, Gabi sniffs, energy in space without any explanations, looking for answers, meditation or action, must be one or the other. "The other" always round the corner, but we never get to meet them, racism in a new country.
Countries are backward, but no one wants to go forward. Losing lives for imagined concepts or distant dreams, but it’s all ok in the end, no reason for despair, living and dying going on and on, why do people only want half the deal. so much love for some people, less love for others, doesn’t seem fair. If we dropped all our concepts, how could we make a problem?
Mudras on a daily basis. Growing a beard. Walls and checkpoints and young soldiers with big guns. Nobody seems to think this strange. Lila's hospitality. Always rushing to try and make sense of things but the answers never last.
Words of wisdom from a prophet, but who cares about the future, when all that’s past is never coming back.

Paulito

Israel Palestina postcard by Gabi

Read Steve's account of Picking Olives in a War Zone

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Sadhana forest work retreat

Being in Sadhana Forest is an intense experience. Not always easy in the surprising heat of late winter.
In the last two weeks of January, only a few weeks after the end of the winter monsoon, a group of 19 of us joined the young community to help bring new life to a barren area of South India. Their dream is to reforest 70 acres of land in the most sensitive and vegan way.
The community is led by the visionary Aviram, the ever-giving Yorit and their full of life daughter Osher. Their watchmen from the local community are felt to be both members of their community and their family. All of them work with the tireless passion of people following their dream.
Our homes for these days were thatched huts and an enormous canvas pulled over 100 year old towering native palms. Our beds were made in the traditional way jute-rope hand-woven over wood. It was beautiful, humbling and very very simple. Our home was a statement of the intention of the community; spirituality borne of simplicity. In the kitchen they don't use sugar or oil as they are cash-crops that deplete the earth. Nor do they have dairy products because they feel it is wrong and unnecessary to cause suffering to another living being. In every moment we were encouraged to look deeply at the consequences of our lives, and to allow our connection to nature to blossom.
Our work over the fortnight was to nurture the young tree saplings planted during the recently passed monsoon. Some had been buried in silt the now invisible river had left behind. We divided into teams, and in twos and threes we silently worked among these delicate but strong trees. One group re-revealing the bowl of earth each plant sits in, another following with a watering can with natural fertiliser in, giving each tree a good feed before the long wait to the next rain, and the last group adding the mulch; dead leaves we collected from the non-native trees.
This gentle nurturing work was possibly the single most transformative part of our time here. A love flowed through us for each tree as the earth is cleared, as the water is offered, as the surrounding area is delicately decorated.
In the second week we were joined by Gemma from Opendharma. Which allowed an even greater emphasis to dive into our inner process. Sitting in meditation in the last remaining few metres of the ancient forest. Still standing because it was protected by the gods themselves, the British, who destroyed much of the native forest, knew better than to destroy the forest temples. Having individual and group discussions in the shade, simply sharing our lives, where we are, how we are.
Of course we also had time to rest, jump into the pool, and sing together in the evenings. The whole retreat was physical in a way retreats are so often not, but rewarding to the heart in a way they so need to be.

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Walk to Walk (Sponsored Walk for Polio Affected)

From 2-9 June 2006 we walked a section of the South West Coast Path of Devon. The aim of the walk was to raise funds for an Indian charity offering physiotherapy. The idea of the walk came from our intention to continue to support this invaluable work, as the charity is helping to get people affected by Polio back on to their feet, we felt that we could walk so that they may walk. This became what we envisage to be the first annual Walk2Walk.

Our friend Sanjay runs this charity mostly with local volunteers, who on their days off work travel out to one of the poorest areas of Bihar state. There they offer basic medical care through a Homeopathic doctor, and physiotherapy to children who have or had polio, cerebral palsy and meningitis. Also they are able to relieve the discomfort of older people who have suffered strokes. The work of the charity is most obvious in the cases of Polio where the involvement of the team can be the difference between walking and not.

Our walk began near Exmouth with a day of meditation and connecting to nature through activities and discussions. On the next day, a Sunday, we were joined by additional friends for one day and we began the walk. The feeling of silently walking alongside the expansive sea is so precious. To be doing so with a group holding the intention of positive change set the mood for the whole walk.

Some of us were walking to the edge of our limits, red faced and tired limbs, heavy breathing in the shade. But yet uplifted by the feeling that my limits are being met to help expand another’s.

On Sunday night many of the group who came for the one day walk left but the sense of purpose they helped grow remained with us. The route of the walk continually opened into amazing beauty of hidden vales, silent woods and enormous views. It also offered us timely reminders of our intentions through challenges both physical and emotional. It has been a satisfying experience of deep transformation.

Together we raised over £1,000 which will be enough to run the charity for 8 months. Although this is short of our dream of raising enough for the year, the satisfaction that so much good has come of this action encourages us to continue this fruitful path. We thank all of you who have made this possible. We bow to your generous spirit.

If you were not able to help before but would now like to support the work of Sanjay and his team, please contact us
If you would like to donate via paypal

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A letter of thanks from Sanjay and his team

Namaste dear Friends

Very many thanks for the people who helped us in such good work.
Please say thanks to everyone you know, and special thanks to you all who are such great persons in the
world who want to support the suffering people in the world.
It was really great help to fill energy in our workers becouse we were not paying them for long time. We did not have money but we still had material to work, the staff knew that they will get salary in the end. I am very much thankful to them for doing continue such good work without pay.
Weather is crazy in Bihar now everyday storm and rain coming which will disturb the monsoon.
I hope you all are doing ok there, I wish all the best for all people who are supporting the work,

Namaste with love big hug,
Sanjay Kumar Shailendra

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Tree planting sangha gathering

...One begins to realise that there is the dharma to be followed and work to be done...

Sitting by the waters of the River at Inverness. I feel that this that I call myself life is not fully commited to life. Whilst I have worked towards a more balanced life and commitment it still feels like this is only watching the water from the bank and not going with the flow towards a fully liberated life.
What is it? Why is this so? My life three years or so ago was in turmoil, now things are settling down more and there is an understanding between the disillussionment that was, and in some ways still is, and the truth that really pervades this, what this calls, existence. Well I am pretty good at fooling myself and that is all this fool seems to do most of the time and whilst I feel more comfortable in myself I am only a little more at ease. When one looks at what has been done in the desire for more comfort it is no wonder that ease with being seems rather distant, fear and doubt seem to undermine heart and the mind is constantly unsettled but for some reason one chooses to ignore this heart felt call and life is numbed, comfortably numb (alas Pink Floyd, the Wall).
Each of us are reponsible for our actions and the illussion of comfort and it's pursuit has cost us dearly. What became of the Beaver, the boar, the wolf, the Lynx, the bear and of course the trees, what has become of our connection with life? Scotland, like most of the UK, like most of the world was once covered in trees a cosmic web of life and whilst this remains part of history doesn't the saying go that history is in the making. The disconnection with life and the minds constant pursuit for comfort and pleasure, has created much suffering both to that which I call myself and to all that is percieved to be beyond 'life and living' the construction of which has created a hugh chasm in my heart. Healing the heart and following it's call even through the thickest of doubt eventually brings some insight and ease to the situation. The triple gem and it's light that shines through the bodhisatvas will warm and come to the call and slowly my heart warms from the deep freeze. One begins to realise that there is the dharma to be followed and work to be done not for this and that but because that is what is right for what is.
Finding a way and the Buddha points to a middleway that is non dual and of complete compassion, between all extremes being at ease with what is and not being pulled along by the desire for comfort at the expense of living. Now can this really make a full commitment to what is and give back what this has falsley identified as me, myself and I? Can we give back to that which is unknown and of complete wilderness, the Beaver, the boar, the wolf, the Lynx, the bear the trees? Healing can be a long process and the trees for life project is I think something like 250 years in which time we could easily be in another ice age, but maybe it won't matter because all would have been done that needed to be.
Thank you to all those Bodhisatvas who work with life for life. Trees for Life through the dharma for the dharma with the dharma helped to shed a little more light on this heart and life that this calls me.

Derek

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2005

Anandwan

The children live together, hearing impaired with visually impaired, in dormitory rooms surrounding a large play area. I would come here when school was over to just be with them.
I felt so good there. It definitely wasn't the most beautiful place, but there is something about the people that live in Anandwan that makes their environment soften. Is it the way they smile, eyes full of love, the way they run to meet a once returning friend, grab his hand and pull him eagerly into their life?
The truth is there is nothing better than being with people who want you around, and are happy to take you as you are.
We brought drums, flutes and chimes for the visually impaired boys, and watched them distribute the instruments then dance off in a circling pattern to a delightful cacophony. Some days when the energy was a little lower, and the instruments fewer, we could sit on the wall together and exchange songs. I loved to hear their young voices filling the air in call and response.
At the same time one or more of us would join the hearing impaired daily cricket match, and lose. The skills of the players would make them professionals in most western countries. It took a while for them to realise that I was really nowhere near their ability, despite being twice their height, but eventually the ball was bowled slowly to me, and I managed to hit it.
We communicated together in a "give us a clue" based sign language we all seemed to enjoy chatting in. Every day we could attempt more advanced concepts and even get a little abstract. And although neither side could be certain the other fully understood, how much does that matter when the conversation is so much fun?
With the visually impaired we were on more shaky ground they did not know much English, and we didn't know much Marati (their language). But once one knew our intentions, the Marati whispers went fast. Also we learnt a little Marati as time went by, but the universal language of touch and music communicated the most.
With the hearing impaired girls our connection was quite different, we were just hanging out. Although we played games sometimes, even more emphasis was on conversation. I would say they were more talented than the boys at explaining themselves, and we got to know more about their lives, their families, their ambitions and dreams. I feel they got to know more about us too.
The girls were full of opinions, especially about the visual world. They would always let us know when our clothes were scruffy, and ask the women why they hadn't brushed their hair that day. But they did this with such caring that it was never offensive, and more loving than if they hadn't.
My heart softens when I remember them. When visitors would come to look around Anandwan, the girls would sometimes be asked to line up and receive sweets. Each time they would demand a few extra sweets and bring them over to share with us. Then we would all sit on their beds smacking sweet fruity chews together, while the TV played silently, and our fingers danced.
The best days of my life.

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Tree planting sangha gathering

Leaning into the wind Feet rooted deeply into the ground Wind blowing Trunk moving, dancing Feet rooted deeply into the ground Somewhere not far away Other trees sway and sing So much movement So much stillness Flying with the wind Rooting with the trees Nothing in between But love

Open moor lands, dark woods. Looking for seeds, blessing young trees, Digging, digging Not so wild wild boar, like cuddly toys, Making me smile Rain,wet,cold,wild,wonderful Tired evenings by the fire Community and deep connection Touching hearts, revealing truth Oneness

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...Una experiencia maravillosa... (memories in spanish by Vincent Aba)

Estar una semana con la sangha, a restaurar el bosque fue una experiencia maravillosa, a todos los niveles. Primero estuve haciendo algo que para mi significa mucho, plantar árboles: dar oxigeno a la Tierra, darle vida, agua, dar sombra o casa para los animales, y sobre todo devolverle a los highlands su antigua forma de bosque. Al estar una semana en la naturaleza, a conectar con ella, a sentir el viento, la lluvia, el sol, al admirar los arco iris y todas las tonalidades de verde que se encuentran allí, hizo que me llenara de energía, de paz. Y sentía que hacía algo que beneficiaba a todos, sin tener expectativas de resultado ya que estaba haciendo algo que tiene una dimensión temporal muy diferente a la que estamos acostumbrados: estaba haciendo algo que tenía consecuencias a largo plazo.

Además, compartir ese trabajo con la sangha es algo que me ha llenado aun más, porque he podido conocer a personas que han elegido un cierto camino en la vida, y eso me ha inspirado mucho. Y las charlas del Dharma también fueron interesantes, al compartir nuestras experiencias y opiniones sobre temas muy diversos, y apoyándonos los unos a los otros.

Lo que más me ha gustado es que no había ningún tipo de presión, me he sentido muy libre aunque estuviéramos en grupo. Al trabajar a veces en silencio, que sea solo o con otra persona, me ha permitido conectar mejor con la naturaleza y conmigo mismo. Poder vivir el momento presente, hacer las cosas a mi propio ritmo.

Otra cosa que me pareció muy interesante, es que estuvimos haciendo trabajos muy diversos, desde recoger semillas, plantar árboles pero también cortándolos. Estuvimos trabajando en todos los diferentes ciclos de vida del bosque, y eso me llenó muchísimo.

Fue una semana muy especial para mí y ojala muchas más personas vivirán esa experiencia que me ha aportado tanto.

Vincent Aba

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2004

Anandwan

Introduction (by Lizzie & Zohar)

An experience of service as Dharma practice in Anandwan Leprosy Community, India

Yesterday afternoon after a relaxing and very joyful time working in the fields we met an old man and a group of people on their daily walk around Anandwan. We were asked if we wanted to join them. As we started walking it occurred to us that we were walking in the footsteps of a man who has radically dedicated his life to selfless service and through that created a place that seems to continuously breath a breath of love, kindness and care to all those who live here or visit. Anandwan is a community dedicated to a dignified life for all. Started fifty years ago by Baba Amte and his family to heal leprosy patients, it offers all outcasts and rejects of society an opportunity for a full and independent life. As Baba Amte walked, supported by a nurse, he took in every sight with a sense of delight. Everyone he passed stopped to bring their hands to their hearts, silently acknowledging what a refuge this place had become for them. Baba Amte’s intimacy with everyone and everything seemed to shine.

Ten friends have been here for three weeks exploring the relationship between inner inquiry and outer action. We have been working along side the people of Anandwan while supporting each other through daily sitting practice and dharma discussion. Our work includes helping in the kitchen, organizing activities for the blind and mute children in the school, dressing wounds in the hospital and working in the fields along side old women and men whose fingers and toes are no longer there. Forgetting the differences between them and us, we have become oblivious to the fact that limbs and fingers are missing.

What seems to shine through every blind face and distorted body is the wholeness of a human life. Many of us came here with an agenda of how we would help, wanting a purpose and physical concrete evidence of our contribution. We soon realized that although Anandwan runs very smoothly, and is not in desperate need of our help, there is still value in us being here. This provoked a deep investigation into the notion of giving. One insight that has been very powerful is the understanding that just by being here and participating fully in the daily rhythm there is a transformation: letting go of expectations and connecting more to the simplicity of life living itself. Not needing to know the outcome of our actions, whether they seem concrete and obviously helpful like changing dressings in the hospital or as intangible as simply working together in the fields.

Being touched and moved by the people here, by the earth and by each other and trusting in the love that flows through us all. What we do doesn’t seem as important as the way in which we do it.To use the words of Baba Amte ‘The joy in Anandwan is more infectious than the disease in Anandwan’.

We feel deeply inspired by the simple joy of life here. Deeply infected by the love here. We have learnt that there is a very simple way of giving, of being, not as a separate action but as part of a greater whole. Both of us have been dipping in and out of service work for the last five years. We have found during the time in Anandwan that service combined with meditation and sangha support is a profound and rich experience and as heart opening and liberating as a silent meditation retreat.

For more information about Anandwan see their website:
mss.niya.com or www.fearlessminds.com
you can also download Ridest's Digest Baba Amte's interview
In the dharma, Lizzie and Zohar