Life At An Ashram In India by Joy Nandy is a Journey To Discover The Self

“This experience and knowledge that I have received, is very inspiring. If only everyone can experience this, it shall be his or her privilege. On the other hand, it may not.

So many of us would rather chase the cash. Pursue the dream. Alas! We desire to desire. We want and we will continue wanting. My learning outcome of the Upanishads (Ancient Hindu Spiritual Philosophies) and the Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Holy Book), in the end, tell me just one thing – to be desireless, as the only way towards everlasting peace, joy, and harmony.

It was explained to me that we were born with a centrifugal outlook to life. We were born looking outwards and elsewhere – we have gone off the centre of ourselves. We believe that our joy and happiness lie in the hands of others. We are seeking happiness away from ourselves. No one told us otherwise. Man is called “a deluded and ignorant race” because of this. When true joy, the real ‘truth’, lies only within us.

Our God, our Soul, our Joy, is nowhere else, but in us. Resting silently in the core of our beings, at the cradle of our hearts, guiding our consciousness.”

– Joy Nandy

Contents

1. LIFE AT AN ASHRAM IN INDIA

2. IN SEARCH OF A BOOK NOT WRITTEN BY A MORTAL

3. WHAT LED ME TO AN ASHRAM

4. AT THE FOUR-DAY DISCOURSE

5. THE APPLICATION PROCESS

6. APPLICATION QUESTIONNAIRE

7. THE SELECTION PROCESS

8. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE INTERVIEW

9. PREPARING FOR ASHRAM LIFE

10. ATTIRE, FOOTWARE, BOOKS & INTERNET ACCESS

11. NO NEED TO SHAVE YOUR HEAD AND GIVE UP EVERYTHING YOU OWN

12. HOW TO CHOOSE AN ASHRAM

13. THE WESTERN IDEA OF AN ASHRAM

14. CHOOSING OUR PATH OF YOGA

15. HOW MUCH?

16. OCTOBER CAME NO SOONER

17. PICTURESQUE INDIA

18. ARRIVAL AT THE ASHRAM

19. OUR DAILY SCHEDULE

20. THE SYLLABUS

21. PEACE INVOCATION CHANT BEFORE EACH CLASS

22. TEACHING OBJECTIVE ‘IMBIBE THE KNOWLEDGE’

23. WHAT WE STUDIED

24. ANALYSIS OF THE BOOKS STUDIED

25. DOING THINGS WITH JOY IN YOUR HEART FOR ENLIGHTENED LIVING

26. BE THE SUBTLE SELF

27. A BETTER LIFE THROUGH ‘DISCRIMINATION’ (PREYAS AND SHREYAS)

28. DESIRE AND ATTACHMENT, THE CAUSES OF MAN’S SORROWS

29. LIVING WITH JOY IN OUR HEARTS

30. LIKE WHAT YOU DISLIKE, DISLIKE WHAT YOU LIKE

31. PRACTICE THE KNOWLEDGE

32. A STORY ON RENUNCIATION

33. HOW WAS THE ACCOMMODATION?

34. WHAT ABOUT THE FOOD?

35. MAY I HAVE ANOTHER BISCUIT PLEASE?

36. THANK YOU FOR THIS MEAL

37. MEALS OFFERED TO GURUS FIRST

38. HOW TO WASH PLATES AND CUPS

39. SERVING THE SERVANTS

40. EXERCISES

41. MILK & TURMERIC

42. CONFESSION TIME

43. HINDU HIERARCHY OF DEVOTION

44. PROSTRATING AT THE GURU’S FEET

45. GURU’S FEET FLOWER BATH

46. SUNDAY OUTINGS

47. THUGS AT THE DAM

48. A DRUNK AT THE GATES

49. DIVALI AT THE ASHRAM

50. SOULFUL FAREWELLS

51. DIVINE FOOD FOR OUR JOURNEY

52. TRAIN JOURNEY TO DELHI

53. DELHI STATION

54. THE UNCONVENTIONAL HUG

55. A CHAT WITH THE MAHAGURU

56. DELHI TENURE

57. HOW I LEARNED TRUE DEVOTION

58. AKSHARDAM DELHI

59. IN THE KALIYUG FAMILIES WILL KILL EACH OTHER FOR MONEY

60. A TALKING FISH

61. SUDDENLY, A DEATH

62. NO NEED TO CRY AT DEATH, WE ARE NOT THE ‘BODY’

63. A HUGE YAGNA PLANNED IN KERALA

64. GURU GETS VIP TREATMENT AT THE AIRPORT

65. KERALA AIRPORT

66. DON’T LIVE WITH BROKEN THINGS

67. CHANTING THE LORD’S NAMES IN KERALA CITY

68. ANCIENT SHIVA TEMPLE

69. A COZY TEMPLE ON THE HILL

70. WONDERFUL SOULS TO MEET

71. ASHRAM PROVIDES FREE LESSONS TO VILLAGE KIDS

72. DONATE BY ALL MEANS

73. THE DECISION TO REMAIN A VEGETARIAN AFTER ASHRAM

74. ASHRAM JOURNALS:

75. A SUNNY WINTER’S DAY IN DELHI

76. SHE DOES NOT SPEAK ANY ENGLISH

77. BLACK MAGIC

78. WHY IS THE HINDU THE LOSER IN SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE [ARTICLE]

79. T’HIS WAY TO JOY [SELECTED ARTICLE BY ASHRAM)

80. ARE YOU A CANDIDATE FOR SPIRITUAL STUDY?

– TAKE A TEST

INTROSPECTION VERSES

About the author

Joy Nandy spent several months in India visiting Jnana Ashrams (Knowledge Ashrams) in pursuit of the knowledge found in the great and ancient Hindu Scriptures, such as, the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads. The Knowledge for man to live a happy and abundant life, or the “Compass For Life”. 

His journey to the ashrams commenced when he started to question if there is, in fact, “another” world. A world different from the one we know, and a world free from greed and violence. He also started to search for a book, or any literature, that did not originate from the mind of a human being, or “not written by a mortal” (so to speak), and found them both in one beautiful life-changing event at the ashrams.

This great knowledge for mankind can only be found at Knowledge Ashrams, or Jnana Ashrams, but only a few access it. Hence, Joy Nandy has made his mission to reveal the Gems From The Ashrams through his publications for EVERYONE to relish and gain.

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* Also available in Paperback