January 2024 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
OM !
As the year 2023 has just come to an end and winter gently sets in, we hope you’re all filled with peace and joy wherever you may be!
The autumn period was exceptionally rich at the Ashram. In particular, the Interreligious Retreat-Seminar took place from 23 to 26 November on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Mahasamadhi of Swami Abhishiktananda (1973-2023), also known as Henri Le Saux, master of Swami Ajatananda and pioneer of interreligious encounter through inner spiritual experience.
It was an inspiring and unprecedented heart-to-heart dialogue between two ancient traditions—Theravada Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta—and we were honoured and very touched to welcome the Venerable Ajahn Pasanno, abbot emeritus of the Abhayagiri Buddhist monastery in the United States, as our guest of honour and chief speaker. To this day, all the participants retain a deep sense of gratitude for this meeting and the memory of a genuine spiritual communion between brothers and sisters from different traditions.
The interreligious concert on 25 November was certainly one of the highlights of the event, where Hindus, Theravadins, Tibetans, Sikhs and Sufis came together to celebrate, through their sacred chants, the Unity that lies at the very heart of all traditions!
Looking back on the 5th of the same month, we celebrated the inauguration of the last building of the Ajatananda Ashram—named Abhishiktananda Sadan—in homage to Swami Abhishiktananda, who was one of the main inspirations for the creation of the Ashram. We had the immense privilege of receiving two guests of honour who blessed the building, Sri Swami Yogaswarupananda Saraswati, the president of the Shivananda Ashram, and Sri Swami Ramanacharana Tirtha (formerly known as Sri Nochur Venkataraman).
After this magnificent season in India, part of the French-speaking community gathered once again in Lyon on 10 December for one of the two annual Sangha Days. It was a very powerful moment of reconnection and sharing for all the participants!
Finally, only a few weeks ago, 80 of us shared another great moment of spiritual communion in the holy city of Assisi at our annual International Retreat, which took place in a marvellous atmosphere of Joy and Peace.
The year 2024 also promises to be deeply inspiring. Some of us will be meeting again very soon in the South of India in Tiruvannamalai at the foot of the sacred Arunachala Mountain, from 26 January to 4 February. We will then be happy to welcome you from 24 February to 20 March at the Ajatananda Ashram (Rishikesh) for the Satsang season, which will end as usual with the Non-Residential Retreat (17-20 March).
In addition, all the events of the European season have already been scheduled. We invite you to discover for yourself the detailed programme from April to June!
We look forward to seeing you and welcoming you at these events very soon!
Contents
Satsangs in South India
| 26 Jan – 4 Feb |
Open Satsangs | Tiruvannamalai (Tamil Nadu) |
Satsangs and Retreat in North India
| 24 Feb – 20 Mar |
Open Satsangs | Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) |
| 17 – 20 Mar |
Satsang Retreat | Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) |
Satsangs and Retreats in Europe
| 13 April | Satsang Intensive | Brussels (Belgium) |
| 16 April |
Open Satsang | Brussels (Belgium) |
| 19 – 21 April | Talk and Seminar | Paris (France) |
| 25 – 27 April | Satsangs and Satsang Intensive | London (UK) |
| 3 – 5 May | Open Satsang and Satsang Intensive | Budapest (Hungary) |
| 11 – 12 May |
Satsang and Satsang Intensive | La Ciotat (France) |
| 17 – 20 May | Satsang Retreat | Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye (France) |
| 23 May | Sangha Day | Francheville (France) |
| 15 – 16 June | Open Satsangs | Órgiva (Spain) |
| 28 – 30 June | Open Satsang and Satsang Retreat | Barcelona (Spain) |
Satsangs and Retreats
All event times are given in local time.
PLEASE NOTE: The opening of the registration for each event will be announced here and by e-mail to our Newsletter subscribers.
