Report of Shanti Ashrama pilgrimage
On Saturday, April 27, 2024, the Vedanta Society of Northern California conducted its annual pilgrimage to its historic Shanti Ashrama which is located amid groves of oak and pine in a remote valley of the coastal hill ranges east of the San Francisco Bay Area.
An advance party of devotees had set up a large tent and other facilities for the day’s program which began with a ceremonial worship conducted by Swami Tattwamayananda, the Swami-in-charge of the Vedanta Society of Northern California. This worship took place in the historic meditation cabin, the first building erected when the Ashrama was founded at Swami Vivekananda’s request by Swami Turiyananda in 1900.
Swamis and devotees from the Vedanta Societies of Sacramento, Berkeley and Portland attended the programme, besides the monastic monks and nuns of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco.
The day’s program also featured meditation, devotional music, flower offerings and talks by Swamis Prapannananda, Prasannatmananda, Swami Devishananda, Vedananda and Swami Tattwamayananda, followed by discussions involving devotees and monks. The topic was’ The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: A Pilgrimage’. About 150 devotees participated in the event.
This was followed by a tour of the Ashrama grounds and hills with descriptions of the lives and activities of the early visitors, the hardy pioneers who set up a classical spiritual ashrama for the teaching of meditation and other disciplines to eager spiritual aspirants who came to them for guidance.
Swami Trigunatitananda, also a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, brought groups of devotees to the Ashrama for several weeks’ stay each year.
Though this Ashrama, being remote and difficult of access, is no longer actively used, this yearly festival brings a welcome reminder of the great individuals who founded it and the lofty spiritual ideals that they taught and handed down to us.
