Vrads Sande Ashram was inaugurated in August 1992 and has been visited over the years by many abhyasis for seminars and personal retreats.
A new era has started for Vrads Sande and the abhyasis of Europe, with Master’s decision in December 2010 to establish the first European Sahaj Marg Retreat Centre within the ashram premises from 2011 onwards. The idea has been welcomed wholeheartedly by all as a golden opportunity to make more complete use of this beautiful ashram. Its divine atmosphere and unique location in nature offer ideal conditions for abhyasis who want to dive deeper into spiritual introspection. This is an expression of Master's wish to provide places throughout the world where abhyasis can remove themselves from their routine worldly lives and, for a brief period, immerse themselves in concentrated spiritual reflection in a spiritually charged atmosphere.
Vrads Sande is located twenty kilometres southwest of Silkeborg, in the heart of Jutland, the “continental” part of Denmark. The property spreads over thirty acres, including a big meditation hall, a main house with a library, common kitchen, dining rooms and other facilities. In a separate complex are thirty guest apartments, of which eight in the quietest corner have been dedicated to the purpose of the retreat center. Thus, though being in the ashram, the retreat center has its own separate space and function.
The realisation of Vrads Sande Ashram was strongly encouraged by our Rev.ered Master, Shri Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari. All the worries about the place being too expensive and the task too big for the then relatively small Mission branch in Denmark, he overruled, saying, “Don’t look for what you can afford look for what is needed, then the means to buy and run the place would come".
So it has been. Master set the process of building up the World Headquarters of SRCM in Chennai in India at a standstill, to give all attention to the new ashram for Northern Europe. For six weeks during the summer of 1992 he stayed at Vrads Sande, attracting thousands of abhyasis. By the support and voluntary donations from many countries, the whole project was realised and financed within the short period of only six months. It is a fine example of what can be achieved when all work together towards one goal. The ashram was inaugurated by our master on the 21st of August 1992.
Since then until the year 2000, Revered Master has visited Vrads Sande Ashram almost every year, sometimes even twice or thrice a year. His most recent visits took place from 2005 to 2008, when he spent several weeks each year at Vrads Sande Ashram.
