Satsang
What is Satsang?
“Satsang is the company of the highest knowledge and Truth; contact with a person or an assembly of persons who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the Truth. This highest company also takes the form of hearing or reading the words of highest awareness, reflecting on, discussing and assimilating their meaning, meditating on the source of these words, and bringing this awareness into one’s daily life.”
Closed Satsang Group
Katyayani initially started facilitating satsang groups for the Academy of Natural Health from February 2006. It was conceived in answer to the wishes of former students who desired to continue and deepen their connection within the Academy family community and, at the same time, wished to explore certain Indian-based spiritual practices in a held and intensive fashion. In the past, the satsang group was also used as a vehicle to raise funds for a scholarship, set up by Katyayani, to support future students to train in holistic massage or in reiki with the Academy who would not otherwise be in the financial position to be able to do so. This scholarship became known as the Open Circle Fund – and three such scholarships were provided for in this manner: two for holistic massage in 2007 and 2008, and one for reiki in 2009.
For the first stage of the satsang (also known as satsang 1), a company of nine meets once a month, in the spirit of growth and love, for a total of six months. The aim is for each participant to use this structured time to work on their personal spiritual unfoldment, and to look at how to integrate that into their daily lives. Using traditional Indian spiritual practices - including written exercises, chanting, meditation, reading texts and seva or selfless service, it offers a framework of support and encouragement for each person to grow and learn. Satsang is a revealing, sometimes joyful, sometimes arduous, but ultimately nourishing experience; one that allows you to learn how to live with spirit for yourselves, enriched by sharing with and supporting each other.
Open Satsang Circle
From time to time, Katyayani also hosts open satsang events to which everyone is welcome. These have included spiritual discourse sessions, spiritual cinema evenings, excursions and also a lecture on the Ramayana held to coincide with the recent exhibition at the British Library.
For future events, please watch this space…