Himalayan Ashram Home

Shanti Mission is affiliated with Swamaji's Ashram, the Mahaavatar Babaji Meditation Centre in Palampur, Himichal Pradesh in Northern India. It is located on the edge of the vast Himalayan mountains which are snow covered in winter and which provide a magnificent backdrop for the beauty, serenity and Divine blessings that pervade the space.

Mahaavatar Babaji Meditation Centre was founded by, and is presided over by Yogiraj Amar Jyoti (known to us as either Swamiji, ‘respected teacher’ or Babaji ‘respected father’). Swamiji is a living saint of rare spiritual calibre. He is a direct disciple of the deathless saint Mahaavatar Babaji. His consciousness is full of limitless light and bliss and his capacity for unconditional love is fathomless. The opportunity of sitting with Swamiji is that his blissful presence and teachings remind us of that same capacity for bliss, love, joy and oneness that already lives within us.

Mahaavatar Babaji Meditation Centre Retreats

Shakti Durga and Gayatri offer retreats in India in this beautiful mountain sanctuary. On these retreats, participants stay in the comfortable accommodation block called Darpan. Darpan means ‘mirror’. The concept of this name is that in most cases, we use a mirror to check our physical appearance, but in Darpan, when we wake up and prepare for the day, we use the ‘mirror’ to check that our heart is pure and ready to love.

From Darpan, we walk across a bridge over a beautiful flowing stream, and up the hill to ‘Arpan’ the Yagyashala, or fire temple. Arpan means offering. Here, in this place of dawn and dusk fire ceremonies, we have the opportunity to offer to the divine both the good and the bad, to purify ourselves and prepare for blessings and oneness. Some days Yogiraj Amar Jyoti gives discourses after the ceremony, and sometimes we go outside and sit in the rising sun to enjoy the natural vista and the flow of blessings that occur naturally in his presence. After we have offered our love and prayers in Arpan, we move to Samarpan, the silent meditation hall. Samarpan means ‘surrender’. Here, one easily drifts into deep states of connectedness in a space that is maintained in pristine stillness and silence. Meditation in Samarpan is particularly useful for cultivating clarity, confidence, bliss and inner strength.

Whilst we are in residence, Shanti Mission offers various classes woven around both the Ashram daily program, and the annual program of cultural festivities (including Holi, Guru Purnima and Diwali). The impact of the multidimensional teachings, healing and transformation of Shanti Mission classes is augmented even further by the presence of Swamiji. His love and blazing light, scintillating intelligence and soulful voice transport us into the very bliss in which he is already established. The grace pulls us along our journey of evolution and illumination.