Anokhaa Safar

On 16 th March 2022, I went on a journey, unexpected of what I'll get out of it. Little did I had a clue of what that magical experience, was going to be... It impacted me in all ways. I don't believe in enchantment but this place (or I should say a WORLD) completely changed my viewpoint. I know you all must be curious to know more about it. Let me present it with a little tranquility... 

I had visited Kanha Shanti Vanam, Headquarters of Heartfulness Meditation Institute ( Shri Ram Chandra Mission or Sahaj Meditation) for a 5 day retreat program arranged and specially crafted for youth. 103 young souls from cities like Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Yevatmal, Wardha and Nagpur (Maharashtra) lived experiences of their lifetime in Kanha Shanti Vanam, Hyderabad.

I have been practicing meditation - The Heartfulness Way since the past two years. The positive changes in myself that I hear from people who are close to me glows my heart.

In our 5 day long stay we did it all. Kanha is spread over a land of 1600 acres. A huge huge campus filled with lush green trees, vegetations, flora and fauna of special endangered species and a lot of magic and positive energy.

On the very first day we reached Kanha, we had some rest and an induction or kind of orientation session. We were introduced with the activities which would be conducted in the following four days. 

Next morning I was up at 4:45 am. Fresh. Not irritated like usual. Happy. Full of Energy. We were staying at dorms. Yes! (Isn't that exciting enough for a girl who has never been out of her hometown for college or schooling) Ready by 6 and we went for our very first visit to the Heartyculture Nursery. You have to visit this nursery at least once in your lifetime if you're a plant person which I think you are. Magestic magestic place. No words can describe its beauty but I'll try to do justice with my words. Never in my life I've seen a variety of flora, plants, and succulents ever. Period.

 

Followed by breakfast we went for a field trip to the Kitchen at KANHA. 

[Funfact: it's got its own episode in National Geographic's channel- Natgeo show MEGA KITCHEN]. Followed by that we had a mediation session which I can't write much about because it's something that can only be experienced. One of those things - The taste of Hapus Aam (Alphonso) or the feeling of entering an air conditioned room in a summer afternoon or rays of sunlight you feel in a winter morning. Bas kuch aisa hi. 

The next 3 days we had field visits, volunteering works and interactive sessions on life skills, on our holistic development and on how to tame in different situations we might get bombarded on this unpredicted being. 

On the morning of 20th March we got the opportunity to meditate together with Heartfulness Global Spiritual leader Kamlesh D. Patel ~ affectionately known as Daaji. Daaji also addressed us students on the morning of 21st, when he answered some of the questions we had.

My fingers are shaking, my voice is trembling and my heart beat, is rising when I'm thinking about the time we had to bid adieu to this beauty. It was heart breaking. It really was. KANHA is home. Go there once and it will make it yours. That's what Kanha is. My very big thank you and warm regards to all the organizers of this program. It's all yours. I owe this experience to you. 

Heartfulness taught me that it takes nothing in this world, but to be kind with yourself and everyone. Kindness is something that our world needs the most right now. Empathy can only be developed in a heart that is pure from all voids, from all impressions, from all predicaments. 

A piece of my heart is in KANHA, and a piece of Kanha would always be with me wherever I go.