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HRIDAYA RETREAT TESTIMONIALS
The following are comments by Hridaya Retreat attendees:
May, 2011
“[This retreat] got me in closer contact to the sacred gateway of the heart and opened new universes inside of me. It really helped me disidentify with pesky limiting beliefs and thoughts. Gave me ever-growing glimpses into the Now. Opened me in love and tore my identity apart. What a relief. … I have so much gratitude for the opportunity to sit with all the beauty surrounding – with all the insightful teachings, with the wonderful teacher, with the theme of the heart. A life-changing and enhancing experience. Thank you to all that help make it happen. Bless!” – Luca B., USA
“[The strongest experience of this retreat was] my meditation on day 7 which started at 11:30 and ended at 14:00… It was so quiet, so little thoughts, and so inspiring again. I was excited the whole day and night, then on day 8 it went so good again. Then day 9 and 10 better and better! I have better results in 10 days than in 10 years of Vipassana, Theravadan monastery stays, etc. Claudiu, you got it right!!!.” – Francois Bellot, France
“Thank you so much for sharing / teaching this life-inspiring knowledge with us!” – Esther B., Switzerland
“I feel like a happy little scientist who just got provided with a professional laboratory full of new tools to help with whatever kind of problem may come on the surface. … [An experience I recall vividly is:] There was a light warm wind, the smell of the flowers and I looked at the leaves of grass and I felt really truly at home. I felt like the child in my parents’ garden felt. It was like I had that child’s nose, eyes, skin, and heart. It was so different from before and the heart made all the difference. And I’m so happy to first of all know that that child is never lost, was never lost, and to secondly know what it was and how to get there that it did not just happen by accident. I consciously did something and the child appeared – best thing ever! … I always did my best to be good, but now I really will do everything to be good. I understood that my mind is a dictator, a king, and my body the soldier and servant and they kept me so busy that I completely overlooked God sitting and smiling in my heart, always ready to take over the whole business as soon as I would ask and long for it. Now that I know, I will persist on it and always return to my heart, where my real home is. There I’m at peace, there I’m free!” – Katrin Grossman, Germany
“Hridaya has changed my life. It’s that simple. So much gratitude. I pray that all beings be blessed with this blossoming of the heart and revelation of the all-pervading oneness.” – Tiffany Nicholson-Smith, Canada
“[This retreat] has left me thoroughly confused about most things in life. So I suppose that’s a step in the right direction. I now realize I am very closed and have a lot of work to do in opening my heart and feeling emotions apart from: normal and angry.” – Weston W., Canada
“Sahaja’s presence, the warmth and love emanating through the hall, and throughout my heart [are what touched me most in this retreat]. … This retreat has allowed me to discover a new depth of ‘who’ I really am, not just from a technical, theatrical perspective, but finally, finally, from personal experiences with meditation. This was a tremendous experience, a consolidation, a solidification of the love and joy in my heart, and my communication with God.” – Blaire H., Canada
“I realized not to be overwhelmed and even scared of my emotions. How they arise in my awareness and can be used as a tool for stillness. And how the grief I feel inside is just a part of me and through love and acceptance, how it is transformed into pure being, how sacred it is.” Radasi, UK
“Each retreat brings with it a new depth, a new flavor, and more and more aspiration. And always progress and so many lessons… hmmm… So much gratitude. I feel so much Grace and felt a lot during this retreat. It is a joy, an ecstasy to share this path with so many and to be inspired so much by Sahajananda.” – Nick Currie, Canada
“Thank you to all assisting and organizing everything. Thank you, precious Sahajananda! Best wishes to all from the ever-growing heart.” – Irina D., Canada
June, 2010
“I understand what it means, that ‘meditation gets effortless.’ Everything is so easy!!! Why is it so hard to repeat these experiences? … I feel encouraged and inspired to really take my time for daily meditation and hope that I can inspire more people to do Yoga and meditation. We need more awareness and love on this planet!” – Jana Schuldt, Germany
“[This retreat] is grounded in research and taught by a dedicated practitioner. Love it! … All lectures were inspiring, I like how Claudiu built on the lectures and the techniques day by day.” – Naomi Gibb, New Zealand
“I feel that this retreat has given me clear and practical meditation techniques that will be easy to remember and apply in my own practice and can take me deeper than the techniques I learned before. … [I most vividly recall] the feeling of deep gratitude after a meditation that gave me new eyes to look at the world and the wonderful stillness that it left me with. Walking on a rocky path barefoot afterwards, I felt so light, I felt my feet were gently caressed by velvety softness, almost otherworldly. … During these 10 days I found out that I do have spiritual aspiration and I realized that I have always had trust in this universe, only I had misinterpreted it as something entirely different and attributed it to wrong causes. I experienced a strong sense, a very intimate feeling of something greater than me that ‘oversees’ everything in this world. I feel such relief and deep trust now.” – Anna Hirvilammi, Finland
“The meditation techniques helped me Very Much! By creating such a beautiful awareness of the ever present stillness. So that even when my mind was chatting in meditation I was able to be aware of the background of stillness. … I have a much greater understanding that what my mind says or what my emotions feel does not equal truth. For me this has been a huge freedom! As well as an understanding of this ever present stillness and love. Which brings for me a wholeness and a greater capacity to love without restrictions or fear.” – Rosie Matheson, Australia
“[I most vividly recall] having what felt like a full body orgasm during this morning's meditation! … Just overall, I feel like I'm in a new place in understanding, and inspired to go deeper and deeper.” – Kris Vickery, USA
“[I most vividly recall] all the times that I felt deep resonance in my heart with something Claudiu said, or with poems. And especially on Day 2 or 3, when I felt my heart radiating like a brilliant star after meditation, deep overwhelming joy and lightness together with total, sparkling, physical well-being. … [This retreat] has brought me home in many ways. It has made me understand some 'awakening experiences' I had years ago and that always had been very mysterious for me (for some part, they still are...). It has confirmed my intuitive desire to unify with God through the heart and opened new horizons of ways how to do that. It has made me look even deeper into my heart and has brought back the appreciation of stillness into my life (this had been lost a bit in the busyness of a Yoga aspirant life...) It has made me understand better the difference between thinking of stillness, remembering stillness, desiring stillness, and actually BEING in stillness.... [I have] gratitude beyond words...I will always remember this retreat as one of my life's most beautiful experiences.” – Killian Huebinger, Germany
“I had a clear mind and everything in that moment was just so beautiful and everything became one and infinity... [It] almost made me want to stay in that moment as long as I could.... The poems and lectures have inspired me. I love to hear them again and again and all the amazing stories have changed my mind forever. The way that Claudiu spoke really touched my heart.” – Penpak Pakkumlao, Thailand
June, 2009
"The retreat inspired me to keep remembering/falling/letting go into stillness…. Established again and again the supremacy of this deep heart – no gift could be greater." – Eliza Kenyon, UK
"I recommend this experience for everybody." – Atmadhyanam, Finland
"This retreat has helped me to bring more spirituality into my spiritual practices and into my life in general. It has changed the way I practice meditation and, through some of the techniques offered, my perspective on life. Sitting these 10 days, being in Claudiu's presence, I've built so much aspiration. I can't wait to see where it takes me!" – Adam Caplan, USA
"I want to share the teachings with my loved ones – most of all, I want to keep going deeper in meditation! … I feel such a deep devotion and Love for God, deeper than before." – Mira Celeste, USA
"This retreat has reminded me yet again that to live in and from the heart is enlightenment, that action of the heart is vital, fundamental to the alleviation of suffering, … that when I move from my heart, I fear nothing and embrace everything, that the vibration of the heart truly guides my soul, and I now follow it always. That I live for love." – Ella White, UK
"The meditations helped me calm the mind and access deeper states of consciousness. I feel I improved my capacity of interiorization. Also, I think I grasped, experientially, how sublimation works and what a profound therapeutic effect it can have." – Anonymous, Romania
"Claudiu's retreat gives me more clarity in what real spiritual practice has as its goal. It is giving me renewed aspiration and helping me see more clearly that I am more than body/thoughts. It is also with the spiritual heart giving me a clearer base and a wonderful Western model. The directedness of his mind and heart and their manifestation in non-dogmatic ways are gifts." – Geoff Torkington, USA
"This retreat inspires me to bring more awareness into my daily life, the Nowness – the present moment which is all that exists – much deeper than I understood before. I was transformed by the intimacy with the Self which I started to feel so sacredly, to be back home and meet the Beloved! I'm out of words to express how grateful I am." – Eliza Shablovskaya, Ukraine
May, 2009
"By truly surrendering to the stillness and guiding the opening of the Spiritual Heart with these techniques, I feel a state of deepened connection and unity with the Divine Oneness… a real comprehension at the core of my being, which I have been longing for, and I am now overtaken with joy and gratitude to have gained a glimpse of. Thank you to Claudiu, thank you to God!" – Tiffany Nicholson-Smith, Canada
"This retreat has opened my Heart to greater depths of Bhakti and Jnana, and has provided the tools for living from the Heart with knowledge and practical experience to mature and induce states in the future." – André Lépine, Canada
"Over the last two years that I have been attending this retreat, I have seen tremendous changes, more surrender, more openness, more pure love, peace and joy. Thank God for this retreat! May Claudiu never stop his amazing work." – Stefani Chan, Canada
"This retreat has given me a new dimension in which to practice the art of loving and understanding. I very much appreciate this time of silence and awakening. I feel I have been given tools to use in my own daily practice to help deepen my understanding of the ‘I' in ‘I am' and its deep mystery." – Joseph Biaccio, USA
"Please continue this retreat as long and as often as possible…. And I hope that everybody is once able to come and be blessed by it. I am very thankful." – Melanie Kreuzer, Switzerland
"The retreat is the fruit of the long and, I think, honest work of Claudiu on himself. I respect a lot and appreciate this attitude to go beyond the limits. I express all my gratitude for him and, of course, for all the retreat participants who have shared and supported the same frequency." – Terenzio Amelino, Italy
"Now I know that everything is inside me, I don't need to look outside. I feel the divine within." – Ana Martin, Spain
"The retreat has given me aspiration and a good look at the content and quality of my mind. … It has progressed and refined my meditation practice." – Anonymous
"I'm glad I've found a teacher who teaches Ramana's ideas!! This is better for me than all the books." – Lies Counotte, Belgium
"This retreat has restored meaning and purpose to my life, by returning the sacred to my life, joy…. Claudiu teaches from the depths of his heart and his words ring true. I felt that arrows were being shot straight into my heart." – Tia Sinha, India
"This retreat has enabled me to progress in meditation and to achieve realizations. Claudiu's perpetual enthusiasm from retreat to retreat is truly inspirational." – Anonymous
Assorted Hridaya Retreat Comments from 2007-2009
"I've done Vipassana retreats over the last 10 years and I never made such profound and encouraging progress in any of them. This retreat has finally opened up meditation for me. Thank you so much!" - Arjuna H., Germany
"The retreat gave a big booster to my meditation practice, and also lots of motivation to continue this practice more seriously than before. I especially appreciate the practical tips Claudiu gave us in order to have better meditation - in my case, how to confront the tendency to fall asleep - and also how to apply all this knowledge in our daily life." - Vered S., Israel
"My mind now calms down easier and faster. The gaps between thoughts become longer. I feel much more comfortable in meditating, less agitated. My breath-awareness increased and meditation became more intimate." - Maureen G., Switzerland
"My meditation practice has deepened immeasurably. Before this retreat I would experience states of dhyana sporadically and for short periods. I now feel that I have found (been shown) the key to bringing me there, and staying focused is more attainable. I really cannot believe how long states of dhyana have stayed (and still do!). I feel very blessed. … I've never experienced a more profoundly moving, rewarding workshop. Thank you to Claudiu - my sincerest, deepest, heartfelt gratitude. I am indeed blessed to call you my teacher." - Karen S., Canada
"Thank you! I am deeply grateful for this experience and will do it again next time I am here." - Michael S., USA
"From not doing any [meditation] to silence in the mind… (and even more than that). Not bad!" - Lies C., Belgium
"Thank you for this great opportunity in my spiritual evolution. I feel very lucky to have access to knowledge and practice of this amazing quality. Thank you so much." - Myriam R., Canada
"I had a very profound experience of unity lasting for half of a day. Also I had an experience of witness consciousness a few times during the retreat. My meditation certainly deepened." - Victor S., Russia
"I don't know what to say other than how completely inspired I was by the whole course. I loved all the quotes and poems, and Claudiu's dedication and devotion is completely contagious and beautiful." - Michael B., USA
"If I have to synthesize the result of the retreat in a few words I would use: love, surrender, aspiration, union! This intimate perception of the Self feels like the most intense of all freedoms - it is the vastness of the spirit. There is a feeling of lightness…. This was the safest place in which I have ever been. It was the most natural state in which a human being should be. I stayed in that secret place for long. When I went out of that state some conclusions arrived to me, like some forms of superior understanding: LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, so much LOVE. Undifferentiated, for everybody. The strong desire to offer and to share this love…. Thanks so much for everything and I think that the best way to express to you my gratitude is to meditate more and to go deeper into this wonderful, intimate mystery that is the Divine Self." - Debora R., Italy
"The main and most profound experiences were in a complete surrender to God culminating in peace, bliss, and stillness. During this retreat I had a major release that came from the heart and allowed me to surrender deeply." - Lily G., Canada
"Thank you for making all this possible. I came here with no expectations and I am going on with deep-rooted joy and peace that will be with me all my life!" - Patrizia C., Italy
"This meditation affects me quite differently than other techniques I use; stillness is maintained longer and I feel bliss and a deep authentic joy! There are not really words at times for these experiences… only gratitude!" - Anonymous
"Although I had a difficult retreat, I appreciated it very much. Behind the superficial frustration of not getting into it completely, there is a deep joy and happiness about having found this beautiful path which I know will help me to realise truth and my true self completely, sooner or later. From the depth of my heart: thank you!" - Stephan O., Germany
"A joy to be there, many thanks to all. Claudiu is a wonderful addition to Agama! Welcome and we love you." - Trudie H., Canada
"In the first [Hridaya Retreat that I attended] a year ago, I had difficulty believing that God was within me. To my surprise, in the next retreat I had integrated this concept subconsciously and seamlessly…. I have found Divine Love and peace and surrender, a place of pure being and stillness, and I know I can come back to it again and again and hopefully one day maintain it. It's amazing to see the change in such a little time. I felt more clear, more lucid, very tranquil, and a deep, deep state of love and gratitude for all that I have in my life. And so much inspiration! Thank you so, so, so (x infinity) much! I can't wait to do another [retreat] next year… and another… and another…." - Stefani C., Canada