23 Dec - 25 Dec 2006, Nagaram near Bhadrachalam. Report submitted by Sri. K.C.Srihari

Abhyasi Name: Sri. K.C.Srihari
Abhyasi ID : 47
Practicing Since: 1987

Thursday - 22nd December, 2006

In preparation for the program, I had stopped taking solid food after a light breakfast in the morning. Most of the day I was keeping silent to myself. There was some frivolous conversation made by a few abhyasis before starting that I did not necessarily appreciate. We started at around 3:30 in the afternoon and were delayed a little due to a rally of a regional party. Most of the trip was done maintaining silence with only couple of brothers indulging in mundane conversations. We reached the destination for Manasarovar at around 10:00 in the night. After having dinner at Bro. Rama Rao garu's house, I went to sleep after doing the bedtime prayer.

I got woken up by some tape being played near our living quarters. Open air meditation at around 6:00 in the morning. I tried to remain unmindful of thoughts coming. Other than the initial birds and crickets there was no other disturbing sound. I consciously tried to treat thoughts as uninvited guest. I was better able to appreciate silence, I should rather say 'Silencer'. I will try to be in the thought of the Master all day as far as possible

I slept for a while and got woken up by a dream of bestial nature.

After a small walk, I sat down again. Thoughts related to Truth – that it is like a slap on the face. I think we avoid telling it to others in some cases to not cause injury. But upon contemplating, I feel it is necessary in their own interest to tell the Truth

There were a few buffaloes that came near us for grazing on the nearby grass. There was one particular buffalo that kept staring for a very long time and caught my attention. I thought for a moment that I was being looked at by the Lord of Death. Then thought moved to the thought that “we must be living dead” came and I tried to remain in that thought for a while

Feeling that thought flow is moving steady towards knot 2. When I tried to see whether I am having any thoughts of interdependency, I was observing all the insects, bird and trees working happily. No one living organism is a waste in Nature.

Evening cleaning was mostly calm with few thoughts. It got disturbed from time to time by some christian missionary songs blaring from the speakers for a while

Morning meditation has very few stray thoughts with some of them from old college days. Thoughts related to friendship. Master is the only friend and everything is His. This friendship involves a great amount of sacrifice. Sacrificing attachments, money, fame, etc. Only such a friendship is rewarded. 'Ushas' the word came during meditation. The word Usher might be a derivative of this word

Continuing from the thoughts after morning meditation. The usherer of the new era is SriRamchandraji Maharaj. We need to yield nay accept this totally and maybe there might be a use to our life.

I slept afterwards till 10:30. It seems like I have not slept for ages. Any time I close my eyes, I seem to go off into sleep

Relationships are another bind that keeps us away from Silence. Thoughts of various relationships clutter preventing us from feeling Silence

I took a walk in the afternoon to the Kinnerasani tributary that is just abetting the prayer grounds. Seeing the rocks on the river bed smoothened by the water, I felt that is how our sadhana is. We are smoothened by the Master so that we become Real men

Evening cleaning was centered with thoughts of the Master and the only instances that I remember seeing Him

Morning meditation was on the river bank before sunrise. Very absorbed with no thoughts bothering. Open air meditation under the sky is better than meditation under a tree

After morning meditation, I got an opportunity to see the sunrise over the river. Very picturesque. I had a splitting headache from the time I got up that worsened and I slept on the river bed. The sleep was very deep and I was not aware of anything. This is one thing I am noticing. The moment I think of Master and sleep, I am not in this realm. A feeling of happiness and contentment. That this is the real nature of Nature. The question is how do we maintain this feeling when I get back home?

During afternoon meditation felt the flow more to the right. The middle point where the diversion of flow happens was distinctly felt and an orangish red colour was observed

As the thought of going back was coming, associated thoughts related to school etc were coming also. I was trying to remain in the present and not get carried away by these thoughts.

Evening cleaning was filled with mostly thoughts related to people talking during the program. Imperience needs to look into this matter practically and seriously

There was some suggested material by Dr. K. Madhava for reading before going to the mansarovar program. The notification came on Thursday afternoon and I did not have time to read all the articles. Maybe this kind of information can be given much in advance to the participants

Food needs to be sattvic. That means no oily food with onion or garlic. Also grapes in fruits is not conducive for meditation. I mentioned it to fellow brothers at the program and we decided against taking it.

Petromax lights can be provided in the night for people who wish to go in the night to meditate in the open air

Instead of cots, only mats can be provided for sleeping. This will also keep the body from becoming lazy.

Prayer room can be provided in the living quarters

In conclusion, I would say that this has been a very fruitful experience for me. I would want to come back once a year at least for this kind of a program.

I thank the staff of Imperience for the facilities and travel arrangements provided and Bro. Rama Rao for being a very gracious host