“Residence cum Retreat at Essence of Nature Resort, Village Macchod, Almora, Uttarakhand”

28^TH to 31^ST March, 2O24

Organised by: Maharishi School of Science of Consciousness in collaboration with IQAC

Objective of the Visit: To provide individuals with a dedicated space and time to focus on their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Through mediation sessions and yoga practices, participants can cultivate coherence, reduce stress, and improve their overall health. These retreats often offer a tranquil environment away from the distractions of daily life, allowing attendees to deepen their practice and connect with their inner selves. By immersing themselves in these practices, individuals can experience profound relaxation, inner peace, and a heightened sense of self-awareness.

A meditation retreat that involved the group practice of Transcendental Meditation, Maharishi Yogasanas, Maharishi Vedic knowledge lectures, and concept building games was organized for 47 faculty members and working staff of the Maharishi University of Information Technology, Noida Campus from the 28^th to the 31^st of March, 2024 at the Essence of Nature Resort situated in Almora District, Uttarakhand. Some of the participant faculty and staff also had family members in attendance.

It was organized by the School Science of Consciousness (SOC) in collaboration with IQAC, with the support of the Human Resource (HR) departments of the MUIT Noida campus, including HR Head Mr. Sunil Kumar Mishra, HR Manager Ms. Pancham Prajapati, Dean SOC and certified TM Teacher Dr. Mudita Agarwal and Deputy Dean, SOC and certified TM Teacher Mr. Gaurav Thakur.

The course was led by Dr. Mudita Agarwal and Mr. Gaurav Thakur from the front, informing the group about the schedule, addressing concerns, and talking in length about Maharishi ji’s concept of Ram Raaj and the Dharma of Karma.

The organizers were ably assisted by certified TM teacher MS. Jyotsna Bhardwaj, who taught all the children younger than ten years the children’s TM technique; SOC Yoga Faculty Mr. Vivek Rathore, who took the Yogasana sessions and a lecture on Trividha Dukha (three sources of sorrow) and Mr. Mandeep Singh Awana, who chipped in by talking in beautiful detail about how to resolve Trividha Dukha through Yoga.

It was a perfect opportunity to dive deep into the self, rejuvenate and learn in more detail about how life can be made stress-free, problems solved at the root level and the quality of life can be enhanced through Yoga and understanding of Vedic principles. The enthusiastic participation of every member had a synergistic effect on the entire group!

Every day, the group would begin early in the morning, sitting on mats in the invigorating Kumaon breeze flowing gently in the open, doing two rounds of Maharishi Yogasanas, Pranayama and TM, all together.

It was followed by breakfast, a walk and talk with buddies within the group, lecture presentations, exciting team games that served to demonstrate life concepts, lunch, more lectures, two more rounds of Yogasanas and TM, impromptu soft treks, dinner and a musical bonfire with merriment and laughter.

The Essence of Nature provided the perfect backdrop for the retreat, its calm, peaceful, montane environs serving to enhance in turn the stillness within.

 A sumptuous buffet with a dizzying variety of menu items, nightly bonfire meetings and casual buddy interactions meant that the participants were not just enjoying the meditation sessions, but the whole experience of staying in a sattvic environment, with every aspect serving to deepen bliss.

To add to everything, clickable, Instagram worthy vistas all around the location were the only time the participants used their mobile phones, which were otherwise not allowed. It was meant to be a complete digital detox as well.

The highlight of the retreat was an unplanned soft trek to some nearby locales, including a selfie point, a Buransh (Himalayan Rhododendron, the state flower of Uttarakhand) forest and a quaint, peaceful temple of Ma Durga, with a sunset point adjacent that provided breathtaking views of the Panchachuli mountain range!

What made the retreat even more joyous was the energizing presence of our Honourable Chancellor Shri Ajay Prakash Shrivastava. He graced the retreat with his kind presence and even addressed the group, giving interesting anecdotes from His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s life that served to inspire every one to meditate for the welfare of self and society.

It was a memorable way for every participant to bond with the others, a precious opportunity that is usually missed in the humdrum of daily university schedule. Memories were made and relationships forged that are sure to last a lifetime. All the participants eagerly look forward to the next retreat!