What is an Ashram?
An ashram is a place of spiritual retreat. Usually there are permanent residents as well as visitors who come for retreats. The word Ashram is originally Indian (and Hindu), but is used for more general spiritual retreat centers as well these days.
Wikipedia defines an ashram as follows: "An ashram in ancient India was a Hindu hermitage where sages lived in tranquility amidst nature. Today, the term ashram is sometimes used to refer to an intentional community formed primarily for spiritual upliftment of its members, often headed by a religious leader or mystic."
What is the Sedona Ashram?
The Sedona Ashram is a spiritual sanctuary in nature. It has been created to offer a spiritual alternative to short-term, and on occasion, long-term visitors to Sedona. It enhances your spiritual experience of Sedona, and connects you to local energy healers and other spiritual seekers in Spiritual Community. The ashram is dedicated to the Divine Feminine Goddess Energy, and all deities are present: the Virgin Mary, ISIS, Sehkmet, the White Tara, Radha, Lakshmi, Durga, Kali, Ammachi, Kuan-Yin and also Shiva, Krishna, Buddha, Shirdi, Swami Kaleshwar, Don Miguel Ruiz, as it is dedicated to affording all who stay, exposure to whatever path calls to them, and allows each individual the time and space to go within in silence, meditation, tranquility, or in shared conversation, events & sacred wisdom.
What are the Four Stages of Ashram Life?
(See next page for detailed info on each Stage)
The human life span is divided into four ashrams. These are Brahmacharya, Grahasta, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa. The Vedas define a specific purpose for each ashram.
Who can Stay at the Ashram?
Those interested in experiencing a “Brahmacharya” or “Sanyasa” spiritual path, and are seeking a sacred space in which they can learn, share and grow spiritually are invited to understand the value of this type of disciplined lifestyle in our Sedona Ashram. Individuals are invited to stay in the main ashram and temple, if their path includes vegetarianism, celibacy, silence, meditation and respect for others’ space, in a totally shared environment. Meals are on your own, and each person has a designated place to sleep, store their food (refrigerator & freezer), and spend quiet time to go within without being disturbed. Each moment is precious to experience.
Those that are on a path of “Grahasta” or “Vanaprastha” are invited to stay in the Sedona Vortex Healing Center. The Healing Center is the perfect place for couples, or those traveling to Sedona on a less inquisitive or restrictive spiritual path. It is a place for the curious, and may be a first step on your journey to explore the spiritual paths of devout discipline: “Brahmacharya” or “Sanyasa”.
What are the Accommodations at the Sedona Ashram?
The main Temple consists of four bedrooms and three bathrooms. There is a dedicated women’s ashram and a men’s ashram. Each holds three comfortably. There are also two additional rooms that host one to two people each, depending on the level of privacy required by the individual.
The Healing Center has three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Each room is available for an individual, a couple or for two people to share. All common areas are shared, and the main meditation room is kept available for special events, meditation, or for everyday social activities.
What are the Four Stages of Ashram Life?
According to Vedic philosophy the human life span is divided into four stages known as ‘ashrams’. The word ashram means shelter implying that the person takes shelter successively in each of the four stages during his life’s journey. These ashrams are Brahmacharya, Grahasta, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa. The Vedas define a specific purpose for each ashram and offer specific instructions to be followed in each ashram. The overall movement from ashram to ashram facilitates the merging of the jivatma (individual soul) with the paramatma (universal soul or God), which is the purpose of life.
The first ashram, Brahmacharya, is the student phase of life when the person is supposed to immerse himself or herself in learning the craft or trade in preparation for later life. During this period the person is supposed to live a celibate life (Brahmacharya means celibacy) because sexual activities were thought to have an adverse effect on the learning process. Till a few decades back, celibacy till marriage was the norm in India. In rural India it still is. However in urban areas the incidence of premarital sex is increasing, largely under the influence of the west.
Grahasta (meaning householder) ashram is the stage of family life. It begins with marriage and proceeds to raising a family. It involves earning a living through the skills acquired during Brahmacharya ashram. It encourages the enjoyment of a material life, including sexual pleasures with one’s spouse. The householders have the responsibility of bringing up their children in the same way that their parents brought them up. The householder needs to perform his religious duties as well.
Vanaprastha indicates the departure from material possessions. The person lives with the family, in society, but in a withdrawn manner. The man no longer takes part in the commercial activities and the woman leaves the running of the household to her daughter-in-law. People in this ashram play the role of mentors. The social activities become religious in nature. Celibacy is again advocated. The person is in this world but not of this world. The process of detachment from possessions, desires and relations begins in this stage. When Mr. Narayan Murthy, the founding father of Infosys, relinquished executive responsibility on turning sixty he was acting according to this philosophy.
The final stage is Sanyasa or renunciation. The person leaves society to spend the remaining part of his or her life in meditation and the contemplation of God in solitude. This is a very severe step and once upon a time was the norm. Hinduism propounds that religious and ethical values decline from age to age and hence it is not surprising that today this stage of life finds few takers.
In Hindu philosophy there exists a universal soul known as 'paramatma', which is another way of describing God. Each living being also has a soul known as 'jivatma'. The objective of existence is to try to merge the jivatma with the paramatma. This is known as moksha or salvation. The four ashrams prepare a person to undertake the process in a controlled but directed manner.
What is the Cost of Staying at the Sedona Ashram?
The cost for staying at the Sedona Ashram is based upon the total money required to pay the expenses, and varies depending on the Season. Sedona is a special place for faith & trust.
Current pricing and pictures are listed on our website:
http://www.Spa-Retreats.net
How do I Reserve and Pay for my Stay at the Sedona Ashram?
All accommodations are on a “first come, first serve basis. Please make your reservations by email: SedonaAshram@yahoo.com or call 1-800-473-204-2982. Methods of payment are cash and paypal.
