Introduction

“Lead lives imbibing spirituality, only then will it become meaningful, full of joy and beauty.” - Amma

  • About "Practice of Awareness" Retreat

    Amma emphasizes the significance of awareness in all our daily activities. Through awareness, we gain insight into our thoughts, emotions and actions, fostering personal growth and inner peace, leading to spiritual awakening.

    The retreat focuses on the role of awareness in three main categories of spiritual practices. The first involves using awareness in our daily activities to handle mental impressions, emotions and addictions. The second aspect is about using awareness in meditation to reach the deeper realms of our mind. The third aspect focuses on using awareness as a tool for Self-Inquiry and to realize the true nature of our being. The practice of awareness serves as the key to success in all the three types of practices.

    The retreat will feature three Satsangs, each focusing on one of the three categories of spiritual practices. Participants will also engage in journaling and guided meditation, followed by an interactive Q&A session.

    Join Brahmachari Satswarupamrita Chaitanya on this one-day sadhanana retreat to deepen your understanding and advance your practice of awareness.

  • Benefits

    The Walking the Path: Navigating Life’s Journey with a Spiritual Perspective series aims to bring spiritual concepts into our minds and hearts. By gaining a spiritual perspective on the various aspects of life we are able to face the everyday challenges that life presents with a sense of calm and composure, knowing that the divine is with us and guiding our development every step of the way.

    Each retreat in this series will focus on a particular theme aiming to bring in spiritual understanding at a practical level that we can easily employ and integrate into our lives. We can gain more peace and progress on the spiritual path even while living in the world, provided we put our spiritual understanding to use.

  • Course Details

    Enrollment is open! Enroll now and start streaming this self-paced online retreat.

    This retreat from the Walking the Path series is part of the AVA Membership.

    Please see the "Suggested Retreat Schedule" below for more details on content and timings.

Suggested Retreat Schedule

* Please watch the Retreat Orientation in advance.
Morning Sessions Time
Introduction 10:00 - 10:10 AM
Satsang 1 - Culturing the Emotions Using Awareness 10:10 - 10:40 AM
Journaling Exercise 1
 10:40 - 11:00 AM
Short Break 11:00 - 11:10 AM
Satsang 2 - Practice of Awareness to Still the Mind 11:10 - 11:40 AM
Short Break 11:40 - 11:45 PM
Exploring Meditation Techniques followed by MA OM Guided Meditation 11:45 - 12:30 PM
Lunch Break and Self-Reflection 12:30 - 3:00 PM
Afternoon Sessions Time
Satsang 3: Using Awareness for Self-Inquiry
 3:00 - 3:30 PM
Journaling Exercise 2
 3:30 - 3:40 PM
Summarizing: An Integrated Approach for Spiritual Growth 3:40 - 3:50 PM
Short Break 3:50 - 4:00 PM
Q & A Session
 4:00 - 4:45 PM
Feedback & Conclusion
 4:45 - 5:00 PM

Get the Most Out of the Retreat

Here are a few considerations for the best retreat experience:

  • A quiet space where you can immerse yourself in the satsangs and practices.

  • An asana (meditation mat): You may wish sit on an asana. You may also sit on a chair.

  • A notebook and pen.

Brahmachari Satswarupamrita Chaitanya

About the Instructor

Brahmachari Satswarupamrita Chaitanya’s spiritual journey began at a very young age, motivating him to explore different forms of yoga and meditation. His quest for a Guru culminated in 1988 when he first met Amma. Subsequent meetings with Amma during the US world tours inspired him to join the MA Center ashram in San Ramon, California, in 1993. Later, in 1995, he made the transition to the Amritapuri ashram, dedicating himself as a full-time Brahmachari.

Given his technical expertise, Amma assigned him to AIMS Hospital in Kochi to develop their IT infrastructure. For sixteen years, he served as the Chief Technology Officer at AIMS, developing the IT infrastructure and implementing the Hospital Information Systems.

Currently, he serves as the Associate Director in the Directorate of Admissions at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. In addition to these roles, Br. Satswarupamrita Chaitanya is also a certified Yoga Instructor and has extensively traveled throughout India to delve into diverse spiritual practices.

Our Enrollment Process

  • Create an Account

    • Sign in or create an account with Amrita Virtual Academy. It is free to do so. Afterwards, you can enroll in any of our AVA Membership or à la carte programs using your AVA log-in ID.

    • Enroll using our secure, encrypted payment system. We support most international credit cards through Stripe. Prices are in USD.

    • Check your email for a welcome letter and sign in to your Amrita Virtual Academy account.

  • Visit Your Student Dashboard

    • All learning materials and resources are hosted on the Amrita Virtual Academy e-learning platform. Simply visit your Student Dashboard.

    • Videos of all retreat sessions are posted to your Student Dashboard to view at your convenience.

  • Enjoy Your Program!

    • If your schedule permits, follow the suggested retreat schedule. Otherwise, you can watch at your convenience.

    • Stream anytime from computer, mobile or tablet without limit. The timing is flexible and self-paced.