Open Sky Newsletter
August 2022
New!
Two Cosy Mongolian Yurts
Tropical Garden meets Mongolian Nest!
In our beautiful garden of Open Sky Villa in Denia in Southern Spain we have set up two Mongolian Yurts. For thousands of years, Yurts have been used by the nomads of Central Asia.
Yurt means “home” in the Mongolian language and so one of our Yurts is a cosy guest room (above, underneath the palm tree), while the other provides space for bodywork and other sessions (to the right with a lush green outdoor shower). Both yurts are handcrafted, with a lot of love for tradition and authenticity.
The Open Sky Big Boys have been working hard!
While the night offers a stunning glance at Denia’s golden glow, and the starlit, shimmering blue sky.
Spontaneous Decision?
Summer Holiday Retreat
with John David
2 – 18 September in Denia, Spain
Aham Sphurana – A Glimpse of Self Realisation
– Available in English now and from the 1st of October in German –
We are so thrilled to announce our latest Publication: Aham Sphurana – A Glimpse of Self Realisation. Over the past 10 months, a team of 10 people edited and formatted A Selection of Teachings from the original manuscript. It became a True Treasure trove and we are excited to share it with you! Parallel to the production of the English book we have been translating the book into German, and Spanish and Tamil translations are in progress. We just sent the German Book to our printer and it will be released at the end of September! The English edition is available now worldwide through our Online Shop and on Amazon and Apple Books.
English Edition available now!
“Since I came in contact with this manuscript in October 2021, I have been filled with a deep empathy with Bhagavan himself and an unstoppable energy to edit this jewel into a readable book. Gajapathi writes beautifully with profound insight and particular sensitivity. His connection with Bhagavan was deeply felt and personal.”
– John David, Director, Open Sky Press, June 2022
“In my opinion, Aham Sphurana, a Glimpse of Self Realisation, will become a Treasure Trove of Wisdom to the Seekers of Truth in general, and particularly to the devotees of Bhagavan.”
– Swami Hamsananda – Athithi Ashram, Tiruvannamalai, India
This book is an edited version of “Aham Sphurana” which only takes the relevant text from Aham Sphurana and leaves out the portion of no interest. What remains is a great text in the style of “The Talks” but immensely better than the more popular Talks.
Reading the comments by Sri Ramana from this book I get the impression that the Talks must have been edited heavily since this book gives more elaborate details of various topics of Sri Ramana’s teachings like Self-Inquiry, surrender and much more. The Talks seems to leave out certain details since there is also content in the Talks from July 1936 which is different than this account.
The author, a lawyer visiting the ashram from July-December 1936, gives an incredible record not only of the teachings but also of Sri Ramana’s reactions to day-to-day life including never before published tales from Major Chadwick and S. Cohen which were present at the ashram at the same time.
This book, or the original Aham Sphurana, is a must for any sincere devotee of Bhagavan!
Q: Is surrender a means to overcome and vanquish the vasanas, thus resulting in Realisation?
B: Yes, provided it is unconditional, surrender is a fool proof way to Realise the Self.
Q: What is the guarantee that I shall Realise the Self if I surrender?
B: You are missing the point of surrender.
Q: How so?
B: To surrender is to let go of everything without anticipating or expecting anything in return. Letting go of everything also encompasses abandoning the aspiration to Realise the Self. Suppose you are holding a red-hot iron ball. Your hand is quivering in unbearable pain. Somebody suggests to you that you let go.
If your response is ‘What benefit will I obtain if I let go?’ will not the other person wonder ‘Poor fellow! The pain of holding that dreadful thing in his hand – has it confused his brains?’
That is how it is to me having now listened to your question. Samsara is intolerably painful. Why look for reasons to let go of it? If samsara still appears as being acceptable to one – no matter however remotely or infinitesimally so – can he Realise the Self? One who does not see samsara as actually being the horribly excruciating misery that it indeed really is – will he Realise the Self?
Q: Suppose I surrender yet fail to Realise the Self – what then?
B: Yes, that possibility is always there from the ego’s point of view.
Q: But just now you said: “Surrender is a fool proof way to Realise the Self.”
B: What did the preceding words say? Surrender works only if it is unconditional. That means your mind must be genuinely reconciled to the possibility that anything can happen or nothappen, including one’s failure to Realise the Self.
Q: So, success in Realising the Self is made possible only if I wholeheartedly accept the possibility that I may fail to Realise the Self?
B: Such acceptance must be natural or genuine. For instance, it must not be self-imposed so that realisation to be made possible, the mind ought to stand reconciled to the possibility that anything can happen or not happen, including one’s failure to realise the Self.
Q: The idea sounds complicated.
B: On the other hand, it is so utterly simple that trying to communicate it emphatically leads us into a hopeless swamp of complicated-sounding ideas. TOTALLY LET GO and the Self stands Realised: that is all there is to Realisation.
German Edition in print!
Release date: 1st Oct
Until the 1st of October at the preferential price of 15€ (instead of 19,80€)
Arunachala Pilgrimage Retreat
with John David
8 – 29 Jan 2023 in Tiruvannamalai, India
India – the Land of Ancient Spirituality whispers in your soul’s ear and entices into its almost tangible divine presence. Coming to Arunachala Mountain is as if meeting the inner secret, meeting the divine principle which is woven into the fabric of the universe.
We will spend 3 weeks in an Ashram at the foot of the holy mountain exploring who we really are. Daily Satsang with John David, meeting Spiritual Masters, visiting Ramana Ashram and bathing in the energy of Arunachala Mountain.
The Art of Honey – An Insight into Bees
How Bees Communicate: Through dances, they inform each other about the proximity and direction of flowers nearby.
The area around the hive is patrolled by scout bees around the clock. When they find a good source of nectar or pollen, they tell the other bees of their discovery by doing a special dance on the honeycomb. This round dance tells the forager bees that there are flowers nearby.
If the plants are near the hive, they dance in a circle. If it’s further away, they must tell the other bees how far to fly and in what direction. They do this by performing a ‘waggle dance‘ that follows a figure-of-eight shape.
The wiggle dance tells the forager bees how far away the flowers are, and in what direction to fly.
If the bees must fly in the direction of the sun they must fly in the opposite direction. If it goes right, that means the flowers are to the right of the sun, and if it goes left, they are to the left.
The Wiggle Dance
The longer the wiggle dance goes on, the longer the distance to the flowers.
In simplifies terms, one second of waggeling represents 100 meters of flight. As it is dark in the hive, the other bees can´t see the scout dance. They can only sense its movements and listen to its hum, but this is enough for them to get the information they need.
Retreat Cellar
Our Retreat Cellar – A great chance to dive deeply into your True Nature and Ripen Spiritually.
“You can call it Stillness, Emptiness, the Self, you can even call it God, and when we come to it just by being quiet.
In that place there is overwhelming Love flowing like a spring from the mountain side.”
– John David
Be with yourself, withdrawn in a cellar vault without telephone, talking or going outwards. In being alone it is possible to open up to everything that wants to show itself inside. Free from outside distractions, and visual stimulation, it will lead you deep inside and gives you the possibility to reconnect deeply with your essence – Meditation and Self-enquiry happens very easily in this silent space.
A darkness retreat and/or fasting program are also possibilities.
Upcoming Events
Free Volunteer Week
at Open Sky House Hitdorf
9 – 15 October
27 Nov – 3 Dec
Get a Taste of Living in Spiritual Community
Join the flow of the community and take the chance and discover how spirituality can be lived in everyday life. Come one week for free as a volunteer, meet like-hearted people and take part in the daily activities and mediations of the community and the evening programs.
Exhibition Opening
at Open Sky House Hitdorf
23 October
Art from inner Stillness
In the Flow Fine Art Exhibition Opening in October, new painters and sculptures are introduced and their works are displayed in the picturesque ambience of Open Sky House. A great chance to meet inspiring artists and get immersed in touching Art. The Vernissage is opened at 11am and at 12am the artists will introduce their works.
Vipassana Island
at Open Sky House Hitdorf
7 – 9 October
at Open Sky Villa Denia, Spain
11 – 13 November
Silence is the Language of the Heart
A shortened and intensified way of a classic Vipassana Course. Spend a whole weekend with yourself, sitting in silence in the supportive energy of a meditating group, the Open Sky House Community and John David who has been guiding people into their hearts and essence for 25 years.
Meditation Weekend
at Open Sky House Hitdorf
25 – 27 November
To understand the Miracle of Life, the mind must be very quiet.
In this weekend members of the Community will introduce you to a variety of still and active meditation practices. In Satsang with John David you can ask questions and share your experiences. This gives you the opportunity to find the right practices for you which you can bring into your every day life.
Free Volunteer Week
at Open Sky House Hitdorf
10 – 16 October
28 Nov – 4 Dec
Get a Taste of Living in Spiritual Community
Join the flow of the community and take the chance and discover how spirituality can be lived in everyday life. Come one week for free as a volunteer, meet like-hearted people and John David, the spiritual teacher of the Open Sky House Community. Take part in the daily activities and meditations and the evening program.
Exhibition Opening
at Open Sky House Hitdorf
23 October
Art from inner Stillness
In the Flow Fine Art Exhibition Opening in October, new painters and sculptures are introduced and their works are displayed in the picturesque ambience of Open Sky House. A great chance to meet inspiring artists and get immersed in touching Art. The Vernissage is opened at 11am and at 12am the artists will introduce their works.
Vipassana Island
at Open Sky House Hitdorf
7 – 9 October
at Open Sky Villa Denia, Spain
11 – 13 November
Silence is the Language of the Heart
A shortened and intensified way of a classic Vipassana Course. Spend a whole weekend with yourself, sitting in silence in the supportive energy of a meditating group, the Open Sky House Community and John David who has been guiding people into their hearts and essence for 25 years.
Meditation Weekend
at Open Sky House Hitdorf
25 – 27 November
To understand the Miracle of Life, the mind must be very quiet.
In this weekend members of the Community will introduce you to a variety of still and active meditation practices. In Satsang with John David you can ask questions and share your experiences. This gives you the opportunity to find the right practices for you which you can bring into your every day life.