UK: Yoga and Vedánta Retreat With James Swartz And Fiona Agombar in Wickham, Hampshire
Park Place, Wickham, Hampshire | Fri, 25 Mar – Fri, 1 April, 2011
James Swartz, an exceptional Vedánta Teacher, author of “How to Attain Enlightenment” and Fiona Agombar, an experienced Yoga Teacher, author of “Beat Fatigue with Yoga”, a definitive book on Yoga, Fatigue and ME, will guide a Yoga and Vedánta Retreat on Park Place, a beautiful old Georgian house close to the Hampshire village of Wickham, UK. The retreat can be taken as a full week or a weekend.
James Swartz will give two talks per day on Vedánta or Jnana Yoga, often described as revealed knowledge, or the search for truth and the foundation for spiritual inquiry. In addition to the Vedánta talks, Fiona Agombar, will offer a morning Yoga Class, teaching in the style and practice developed by Krishnamacharya and Desikachar.
About Vedánta or Jnana Yoga
Vedánta or jnana yoga, is often described as revealed knowledge, or the search for truth and is the foundation for spiritual inquiry. If you are interested in taking your existential questions further and are curious to know why are we really here, who we are and what truly makes us happy (and the ultimate question: what is reality?) this retreat will be of great interest to you. It tailored for both those who are unfamiliar with Vedanta and those who have already been exposed to the teachings. The retreat will include the study of a source text and is suitable for those who have studied with James Swartz before. Vedánta, also known as Self Inquiry, is a dynamic traditional teaching that engages the participants in such a way that it produces insight into the nature of reality and self-realization.
The ancient spiritual teachings of Self-Inquiry show us how to remove suffering caused by misunderstanding our true nature. Self-Inquiry is the royal road to happiness and inner peace. It equates happiness with freedom from dependence on anything other than one’s own self. During the retreat James Swartz, a disciple of Swami Chinmayananda, and a renowned Vedánta teacher, shows how to be attain peace and happiness through Action Yoga, Love Yoga, the Yoga of the Three Energies and Meditation. As these Yogas are revealed, the obstacles standing in the way of self realization… insecurity, fear, desire, inadequacy, isolation, and attachment… dissolve.
Each session begins with a guided meditation, is followed by a thorough teaching on a particular topic and concludes with a question and answer session that handles specific questions raised by the teachings. Since the topic is one’s self and the self is the source of great love, this is a thoroughly enjoyable retreat that participants will find life-changing in a positive way.
About Park Place
Set on eighteen beautiful acres, Park Place is a fine old Georgian house close to the Hampshire village of Wickham. This idyllic rural setting is home to a small community of Indian Roman Catholic nuns who run a thriving pastoral centre for people of all ages, backgrounds and beliefs who are interested in spiritual matters. It is a beautiful and peaceful place, ideal for this seminar. All rooms are single and en-suite (unless you prefer to share).
Programme
A morning Yoga Session is followed by mid-morning talk and a discussion designed to address questions raised by the talk. Then, there will be lunch and free time. After dinner there will be a second talk and an informal satsang with James. He will also be available for private consultations.
Because Vedánta is an interactive communication between the teacher and the students, the structure of the course is flexible. The following topics will be unfolded patiently according to the dynamics of the group using verses from Vedánta’s source texts including the Bhagavad Gítá, the Upanishads and works by Shankarcharaya.
Motivations. Why do I seek ? The limitations of worldly pursuits and the basic desire for inner freedom or enlightenment. The Means of Self Knowledge. The limitations of perception in the quest for self- realization. This talk explains how spiritual knowledge works and how Vedanta evolved to fill the gap between how we perceive the world and true happiness, or self -realization. Who am I? The nature of the true self and the nature of the small self or ego. Knowledge and Experience. Explains the two basic theories of enlightenment and debunks enlightenment myths. Qualifications. How Vedanta works to bring about self-realization. Discusses the qualifications of the seeker, the qualifications of the teacher and Grace. Obstructions. How experience produces tendencies contrary to self-realization. Karma Yoga. This powerful teaching unfolds the most important spiritual practice. It reveals how to approach daily life in such a way that negative conditioning is neutralized and the mind is prepared for Self Inquiry. Knowledge Yoga/Self Inquiry. The techniques necessary to develop the discrimination that culminates in enlightenment, the realization of the true nature of freedom and happiness. The discrimination between one’s self and the world, the analysis of the waking, dream and sleep states of consciousness, the location of objects and other sophisticated tools for self-realization. Meditation. An excellent, effective, ancient yogic meditation practice. The Yoga of the Three Gunas. This talk explains the science of energy work, how to shape the quality and texture of the mind to achieve a perfect vehicle for self inquiry. This talk teaches the importance of a pure mind for the assimilation of experience and addresses lifestyle issues: food, money, associations, and sex. Love. The importance of devotion in the quest for freedom. Passionate love, spiritual relationships, marriage and devotional Yoga.
About James Swartz
There are not many true Vedanta teachers in the world today and James Swartz is exceptional, so this is a great opportunity to study with him in a beautiful location. James is the author of “How to Attain Enlightenment”. You can see information about James on www.shiningworld.com or you may watch an interview with him on www.conscious.tv (click under programme directory then Traditions/Advaita.) As a Vedánta teacher, James subsists on donations.
About Fiona Agombar
Fiona Agombar is an experienced Yoga Teacher who had chronic fatigue for 15 years but made a full recovery thanks to following a Yoga Lifestyle. In 1997 Fiona wrote the definitive book on Yoga, Fatigue and ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Encephalopathy): “Beat Fatigue with Yoga” (Cherry Red Books). Fiona originally studied with the Yoga for Health Foundation from 1993 and she now spends much time in India studying Yoga in depth. She is a regular contributor to Yoga and Health magazine. She is currently studying yoga in the Krishnamacharya Tradition (KHYF) under Sarah Ryan and Liz Mutha. Her mentor is Gill Lloyd, a student of Desikachar. She also studies Vedanta with James Swartz. More on Fiona can be found on www.fionaagombar.co.uk.
Donations: according to means for the Vedanta teachings, donations are appreciated at the end of the course as James, as a traditional teacher, lives on donations.
Date: 25th March – 1st April, 2011
Hours: Friday, March 25 at 12 pm – Friday, April 1 at 3 pm
Location: Park Place Centre, Wickham Fareham Hampshire PO17 5HA, UK
Value: Full week : £510 / Weekend: £170
More information:
Email: info@freespirituk.com (To book contact Free Spirit) – info@parkplacecentre.org.uk – T: 01273 564230 (Free Spirit) – +44 (0)1329 833043 (Park Place Centre) – Web: www.freespirituk.com – www.fionaagombar.co.uk – www.shiningworld.com
See also other events by: Fiona Agombar
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