Extended Retreat Program

Duration
- Can be from 3 days to 30 days
- Participants coming for 3 days, except for meal preparation and final clean-up, will do no tasks at the Ranch.

Participation
- Open to all abhyasis
- Sisters and brothers will retreat in alternating months.

Possible daily schedule (retreatants are free to structure their own schedule)
05:30 AM: Lights On
06:00 AM: Morning Meditation
07:00 AM: Physical exercise
08:00 AM: Breakfast followed by Cleanup
09:00 AM: Meditating, Walking, Diary writing/Contemplation
              (For those staying for more than 3 days: ranch work [1 hour])
11:30 AM: Lunch, including preparation and cleanup
01:00 PM: Brief rest
01:30 PM: Meditating, Walking, Diary writing/Contemplation
03:30 PM: Individual sitting (likely only once per week and if needed)
04:00 PM: Tea (if wanted) with oneself
06:00 PM: Dinner, including preparation and cleanup
07:30 PM: Dinner, cleanup
08:30 PM: Cleaning
09:00 PM: Universal Prayer
10:30 PM: Lights-out

Description

- Participants coming for the three-day program will do no tasks at the ranch other than meal preparation and final clean-up of their quarters. They are there to live in a "cave," trying to look inward and develop their abhyas. As this is truly a time for them to introspect and dive within, Master has asked that there be no reading, including reading of Mission literature. Also, there should be no watching of videos or movies in this brief period. Retreatants have the option to participate in Sunday satsangh if they choose to do so.

- There will be no training activities in any of the retreat programs.

- Individual sittings will be given by the resident prefect when requested by the retreater.

- The atmosphere must be one of contemplation and reflection with a lot of quiet time.

- Sisters and brothers will retreat on alternating months. Individuals will request to retreat for a period of three or more, but no more than thirty days within the appropriate month. While individual schedules may differ, there may be overlapping of retreatants‘ schedules during a given month.

- Participants are those who want to come to develop their abhyas. In this light, it is hoped that each will gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of "purity of the practice."

- Abhyasis will in general have practiced Sahaj Marg for at least two years and will support their applications with recommendations from their prefect and, if possible, from their Zonal-in-Charge.

- Applicants to the program will consider carefully the aspects of their abhyas they wish to focus on, providing this information in a brief paragraph included in his/her application.

- It is possible that an abhyasi may wish to choose a different aspect of abhyas to focus on after arriving at the retreat center. If so wished, support will be available in making this change.

- Library services will be available for those staying longer than three days.

- Come to retreat to leave the world behind—cell phones, internet, etc. should not be a part of your life while at the retreat center. The phone number for SPURS is 512-301-2104. The center‘s caretakers will be available to take phone calls and provide prompt alert in case of an emergency.

- Satsanghs are offered only on Sunday mornings. Retreatants may if they wish continue their private retreat during this time instead of participating in satsangh.

- Participants will be expected to remain at the retreat center for the duration of their scheduled visit.

- All at the retreat center, should try their best to project Master in all that they do—be it in interactions with brothers and sisters, in preparing a meal, etc.

- A part of your daily schedule will be food preparation, clean-up of kitchen and maintenance of your lodging. Participants who are here longer than three days are also encouraged to assist with the workings of the ranch. This is not for abhyasis staying at the ranch only for three days

- While there is no set schedule for the day, Master encourages that each participant include a period of physical exercise. Some may find that several brief periods of exercise, such as walking, are helpful in allowing one to sit more frequently in meditation.

- Diary writing is as we know an essential part of our abhyas. No less important is it during one‘s retreat. It is strongly suggested that each abhyasi maintain a personal and confidential record of her/his respective spiritual development, being especially alert to changes of state as they occur during the day and noting them in one‘s journal

- Voluntary participant donations are welcome.