By Sid Jordan
The Prama Insititute (PI) and Wellness Center celebrated its 10th anniversary this year with over 100 friends and former attendees. A day of workshops, meditations, massage therapists, guided hikes and yoga classes that typified the PI’s programing over the past decade were offered free of charge to participants. The PI continues to offer rentals and its own programs to many who return repeatedly for what they regard as life-changing and rejuvenating experiences. Here are three testimonials first from a director of a yoga center, an attendee of a silent meditation retreat given by the Prama staff and a NC poet laureate.
Local Yoga Teacher and Writer
“I have been leading retreats at the Prama Institute for years and come back every year. Having taken and led retreats in many venues here and abroad, I can say with confidence that the Prama Institute has mastered the art of creating the space, the energy, and the logistics of yoga retreats. My students feel welcomed, the staff goes out of the way to meet a myriad of needs, and the practice space is pristine.”
“I have thoroughly enjoyed every last aspect of this retreat – the best yoga classes I have ever attended, healthy meals full of life and energy, the wonderful, energizing walks, the time for reflection that I seldom get. The spiritual instruction has been absolutely life-changing.”
Massage Therapist
“Wow! I am leaving here so rested, so relaxed, so energized, so nourished – physically, spiritually, intellectually. The food was some of the most delicious and healthy I have ever had. The building and surroundings are lovely — freeing for the spirit.” (Former Poet Laureate of NC who gave “The Healing Power of Poetry” workshop at Prama.)
The Prama Institute scheduled its annual Kiirtan on November 17 – 19, 2017. The weekend consisted of lots of kiirtan, satsung and vegetarian meals. This year they were joined again by Sukhadev and Sojha. For more information please visit https://prama.org/kiirtan-retreat-2017/
Neohumanist College of Asheville
The PI and Ananda Marga Gurukula, who conceptualized the PI as a Center of Neohumanist Studies (CNS) ten years ago, are now collaborating with the development of a 33 acre Neohumanist College of Asheville (NCA) that borders the Ananda Girisuta master unit. The NCA, with its own board, has started construction on two sites, one to serve as a reception area and the other as an administrative building to support the development of the campus. The vision for NCA involves developing a department of education to train Neohumanist educators worldwide with distance learning and on-campus matriculation that would involve practicums in our local schools including the Mountain Breeze pre-school. There are longer term plans to develop a broader campus with classrooms, offices and dorms that support departments of intuitive sciences/tantra, economics/Prout, medicine/yoga psychology, and art/music.