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kami
USA
921 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 20 2013 : 11:52:10 AM
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Hi all,
We have finalized the dates for this retreat - the weekend of May 24th - 26th. We will follow the regular AYP weekend retreat schedule, meeting late morning on Friday and ending after lunch on Sunday.
Here are more details:
Where: Clarkston, Michigan at the Colombiere Retreat Center - www.colombiere.com
When: May 24-26, 2013
Price: $250 for single or shared (double) rooms, all meals included
Leaders: Shanti, Kirtanman and Kami
Last year, this retreat was a huge success and wonderful experience: http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....PIC_ID=11045
Please respond here if you'd like to attend.
Looking forward!!
Love,
kami
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robfrommi
USA
34 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2013 : 10:30:42 AM
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| Wow this is at my back door. I am very interested. |
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kami
USA
921 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2013 : 3:56:06 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by robfrommi
Wow this is at my back door. I am very interested.
Great! Let me know if it is a yes  |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2013 : 6:21:05 PM
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Count me in! 
Kami vs. Bodhi Tree...Self-inquiry vs. Ecstasy...toe-to-toe, head-to-head...a battle for the ages! Let the bliss and divine love commence!  |
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kami
USA
921 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2013 : 09:14:58 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bodhi Tree
Count me in!
Kami vs. Bodhi Tree...Self-inquiry vs. Ecstasy...toe-to-toe, head-to-head...a battle for the ages! Let the bliss and divine love commence!
No battle, my divine brother. Only love.
Can't wait to see you and share this with you.
Much love. |
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kami
USA
921 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2013 : 09:17:13 AM
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Want to let everyone know - there is a very good *possibility* of financial assistance for retreat fees. Please email me if this is something you'd wish to discuss/partake of.
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AumNaturel
Canada
687 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2013 : 10:30:24 AM
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| I would like to attend. Count me in. |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2013 : 10:36:27 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by AumNaturel
I would like to attend. Count me in.
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kami
USA
921 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2013 : 11:32:12 AM
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Aum,
That is FANTASTIC!! Please let me know about your travel plans.
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AumNaturel
Canada
687 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2013 : 4:05:44 PM
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For those south of Toronto, there are about 3 spots open depending on locations for sharing travel expenses. |
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Pheel
China
318 Posts |
Posted - May 26 2013 : 12:46:45 AM
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I wish I could make it....but enjoyig the retreat in spirit in Shanghai is as great.... Have a perfect last day of the retreat! |
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AumNaturel
Canada
687 Posts |
Posted - May 26 2013 : 7:31:44 PM
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Only the grounding of inner silence could help samyam-ize the outpouring of the heart - ready to overflow into endless tears from the slightest glance of the light of another's inner guru and being - shining.
Love and Namaste. |
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whippoorwill
USA
450 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2013 : 10:14:32 AM
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I'm letting all the joy soak into my cells. What a wonderful experience! I learned so very much.
Thank you! Thank you! |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2013 : 7:44:58 PM
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...I AM BORN AGAIN... 
Awesome, stupendous people, unified for a common purpose, sharing powerful techniques to achieve that purpose, allowing unexpected and spontaneous expressions to unfold...simple, silly, deep, profound and everything in between...
So glad I got to hop on this train and ride through the vast country of inner silence with fellow travellers. Many thanks to the leadership, hospitality and guidance of Kami and Shanti.
I love indulging in words and poetry, but words do not do justice to the connection, vibration, and stillness in action that occurred at this retreat.
This train is bound for glory. |
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kami
USA
921 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2013 : 8:17:49 PM
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The retreat went well..
There were 25 of us in total, several of the AYP family included. The practice sessions were deep, and the shared silence, peace and love were palpable. The retreat center itself is very conducive to such depth IMO, being used for years for this purpose by various groups (including ours, two years in a row). This year, we had two Insight Dialogue sessions, which opened us up individually and as a group to deeper inquiry, and introducing the premise of bringing the meditative space of practice sessions to interpersonal interactions. We also had several Q & A type sessions touching on various aspects of the spiritual path and..life. The kirtan sessions were lovely and well accepted by the whole group, including those that were brand new to it. The asana sessions were a big hit with everyone as well!
Very deeply grateful to everyone who traveled to MI. Thank you:
Shanti, for your magnificent presence and yet another well-led, silence- and love-infused retreat.
Kirtanman, for the wisdom, humor and joy you bring to these events, and of course, the fantastic kirtans.
Bewell, for your magnificent introduction and leadership of Insight Dialogue.
Rohini, for your radiance, joy and second-to-none asana sessions.
Chas and whippoorwill, for your joyful presence, wise insights, and leading practice sessions.
Bodhi Tree and AumNaturel, for the wisdom and light you brought to the whole group with your words and mere presence.
Bellamente (and mom), for your laughter and sweetness.
Parallax, for suffusing us all with your unique brand of unconditional love, radiance, humor and simplicity.
Jeff, for sharing your wisdom and light with us before the retreat, setting us off to a great start.
And of course..
Yogani, for being with us in spirit, guiding us with your love and wisdom - my sense was that everything we all talked about regarding practices, techniques, or anything else was deeply inspired by you, arising from the silent space where each of us connects with you through lessons as well as your guidance. Such overwhelming gratitude to you for this gift. Thank you.
None of this would have been possible without all of you. I feel specially blessed to have spent this time and experience with the most wonderful people I know. Thank you all.
Will upload pictures when I find some time.
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kami
USA
921 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2013 : 8:24:40 PM
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| Bodhi, thank you for hypnotizing us all with your incredible talent for music. Still ringing in these ears. |
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Kirtanman
USA
1651 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2013 : 06:52:37 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by kami
Bodhi, thank you for hypnotizing us all with your incredible talent for music. Still ringing in these ears.
I couldn't agree more .... but, to be fair .... Bodhi wasn't the only one who engaged in a bit of transcendent-love-and-smile-inducing music  .
Recalling the traditional Indian devotional songs with which you graced us, dear Kami, brings a smile to my face, very-happy tears to my eyes *and* goose-bumps to my skin (yes - right now. ).
Love it when that happens!
And the trio performance of Devi-ic ("like Angelic, only Indian" ) ... though "Angelic" more-than-works too ... voices (Shanti, Kami, Rohini) singing the Shiva Atmastakam .... WOW (in the grateful-far-beyond-words sense of that term ...  ).
And so, Maha-thanks to you, Kami.
In so many ways, we have you to thank for the entire retreat ... and so, Thank You, so very much!!
The practices were powerful, the love, as always, was palpable and joyously expressed, and AYP Family and Friends, both old and new, experienced the joy of sharing a weekend with like-hearted souls, and we all, once again, got to share the on-the-ground reality that "all this yoga stuff" can, indeed, create the peace, love, happiness, health and enjoyment of life that so many are seeking, but don't know where to find.
On the one hand the retreat was nice and relaxing and practice-enhancing ... and on the other-hand, it was potentially life-changing ... as AYP Retreats always are ... which is what makes them so wonderfully-awesome, all around.
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Kirtanman
USA
1651 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2013 : 07:08:39 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bodhi Tree
...I AM BORN AGAIN...
Awesome, stupendous people, unified for a common purpose, sharing powerful techniques to achieve that purpose, allowing unexpected and spontaneous expressions to unfold...simple, silly, deep, profound and everything in between...
So glad I got to hop on this train and ride through the vast country of inner silence with fellow travellers. Many thanks to the leadership, hospitality and guidance of Kami and Shanti.
I love indulging in words and poetry, but words do not do justice to the connection, vibration, and stillness in action that occurred at this retreat.
This train is bound for glory.
Enthusiastically agree.
That one guy was having such a good time, he kept cracking up laughing at the strangest moments .....
And ... Dude ... you quite literally rock.
Thank you so much for sharing your awesome heart and awesome songs with us ... you're not only really, truly good as a singer-songwriter, but your heart and consciousness shine through your songs in beautiful and fun ways (I literally woke up this morning with "Buddha Face" ... not sure if that's the exact title ... running through my head ).
And I'm not sure of the name of that spontaneously-started Hindi-singing game where one team (Kami, Shanti, Rohini) finishes a song-segment, and the other team (Bodhi Tree, Kirtanman) has to start singing a song-segment with a line that begins with that letter ... but whatever it's called, as everyone noticed, even though our team got to sing English songs, you and I kind of, well, got well and truly crushed (in the open-hearted, all in good fun, much-laughter-inducing sense of that term, of course ..... ).
And so ... at the Next Retreat We're All Attending:
Rematch!!
(I don't think I've ever lost any game so utterly while having so much fun doing it ... ).
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Kirtanman
USA
1651 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2013 : 07:24:40 AM
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I just realized ... in thanking all our singers, I forgot to include, well ... everyone.
This Song briefly started as a duet by Bodhi Tree and Kirtanman ... but it quickly became a truly-bhakti-filled sing-along created by, well, all of us, with everyone participating.
And so, once again: thanks to all for all ... and, specifically, for YATAAYPR ... which is neither a super-secret mantra, nor an expression of gastric relief ... but an acronym for something that is oh-so-beautifully happening with ever-increasing regularity:
Yet Another Awesome AYP Retreat!!
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bewell
1275 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2013 : 08:41:26 AM
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There is so much to be grateful for in the whole retreat gestalt, but what strikes me now is the role kami played. In the structure/arrangement of the gathering, she was there the whole time, with her calming, clear guidance. In the insight dialogue part of the retreat, she provided the topics for contemplation, the structure of the pairing, including sometimes matchmaking with uncanny wisdom, and discussion facilitation which called forth comments from everyone on their experience.
Kami was not only there in public but also behind the scenes in so many ways known only to individuals and people spontaneous subgroups. There is one incident I would like to share. Kami and three of us were looking at an icon of Jesus during one of the sessions for walking and grounding and Kami asked me to reflect on the saying of Jesus, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." At first I thought of my earthy Amish roots. Time passed before I it came to me that when I am meek, gentle, nonresistant, then I am also grounded.
Here is a woman who sings songs in an Indian language, and provides inspirational translations, who quotes Bhagavad Gita, and who also knows just the Bible verse with to help me find rest, "inheriting the earth."
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2013 : 09:33:59 AM
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There are no words to describe how beautiful this retreat was... still enjoying the beauty and love and stillness. Kami's hospitality and leadership made this an amazing experience for all of us.
It was wonderful seeing all the old AYPers and the new ones, by the end of it, it felt like we all knew each other forever.
Kami has covered the rest of the retreat really well, and I will agree with all she said and add none of this would be possible without her hard work and love and leadership. Thank you Kami! |
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yogani
USA
5241 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2013 : 10:52:21 AM
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Hi All:
Thanks so much for your sharing on the retreat. Lovely energy and divine flow in stillness. It is pure joy.
The guru is in you.
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Parallax
USA
348 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2013 : 4:44:06 PM
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Hey everyone
I was only able to stay through the first part of the retreat but the experience was absolutely amazing. It was wonderful to see so many of my AYP family (Shanti, K-man, Rohini, Bewell, Chas, Jeff), and great to meet the latest additions to my family (Bodhi, Aum, Whipporwill). So much love, Silence, and deep, heart-felt sharing in the short time I was there. I came back *literally* transformed.
The most amazing part for me was getting to see Kami host the group and lead the retreat. She did *so much*...organizing the event, cooking the most delicious meals, graciously welcoming us into her house, the singing and in the midst of the multiple things she was juggling, making the entire thing appear effortless and graceful For me, it was an experience of watching Stillness in Action. Kami, there are no words that could possible suffice and no way to repay the gift you have given me, except to offer a deep and humble THANK YOU for your Presence and for making this come together. You are such a natural leader and it was clear from seeing all the people at the retreat how many lives you have touched.
Can't wait 'til the next one
Love to All
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2013 : 8:56:15 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Kirtanman
And I'm not sure of the name of that spontaneously-started Hindi-singing game where one team (Kami, Shanti, Rohini) finishes a song-segment, and the other team (Bodhi Tree, Kirtanman) has to start singing a song-segment with a line that begins with that letter ... but whatever it's called, as everyone noticed, even though our team got to sing English songs, you and I kind of, well, got well and truly crushed (in the open-hearted, all in good fun, much-laughter-inducing sense of that term, of course ..... ).
LMAO!! That's alright, Kirtanman. You and I share the affinity for being crushed by women. It's a joyous pain we engage in for the benefit of all sentient beings. Being crushed by female divas is a super-advanced practice, and I do not recommend it to anyone unless you are willing to subject yourself to spontaneous bouts of uncontrollable, gut-busting laughter--as well as incomprehensible demoralization.  But in all seriousness, the female trio sung with voices that carried my soul to new heights. Transcendent, indeed.
Kirtanman, you're a true spiritual warrior and ecstatic musician. Thank you for letting me harmonize and rejoice in our liberation and voluntary martyrdom. This is only the beginning...
Also, the Insight Dialogue led by bewell was one of the most unexpected surprises. What penetrating self-inquiry! When I was silently absorbing the monologues of Rohini and Whipporwhill, my heart began to beam and the room began to glow with a golden aura. Delicious radiance! Thanks, bewell, for setting the stage for that magical exchange. |
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kami
USA
921 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2013 : 9:37:32 PM
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Thank you all for your kind words and big hearts.
K'man: Better start preparing now for antakshari, that game you guys will get *crushed* in.. Again.
Much love to all of you. |
Edited by - kami on May 28 2013 10:06:56 PM |
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cygnet
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2013 : 11:55:34 PM
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Much heart-felt gratitude to all who attended the retreat last weekend. It was a transformative and joyous time.
Special thanks to Rohini, who, while leading us in asanas at the retreat last year, had us open a place in our hearts. Mine is now full of joy!
And to Kami, for taking a chance and teaching me DM.
Namaste |
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Michigan Retreat, May 24-26, 2013
