dutch retreat being together

Blue Star Holland Info year 6 ● June 2010 ● number 1

Looking back at a successful retreat

Being Together

Our first retreat without the physical presence

of our inspirational teacher Sri Vasudeva was

organized at the Sun House from May 27 -30.

Its theme: Being Together/Together in Being.

Our vision for the retreat was to explore

personal qualities of leadership and wisdom as

well as those of the group. Also the promotion

of deep and open sharing and the experience

of ‘Togetherness in Being’ in all our power and

love.

We had between 40 and 60 participants daily who created a sparkling energy of love, interest and connection. This co-creation was a huge success.

Although Vasudeva was not physically present, his whole being participated fully in

the retreat. His energy flowed through the hearts of all participants. His meditation

workshop, given last year in Trinidad, was seen on Dvd. And he was virtually with

us via a Skype connection. We could speak with him, ask a question, share an

experience and see his expressions as he spoke to us via a large screen. We have

been given a fantastic means of bridging the physical distance between us using

these modern techniques.

Vasudeva’s advice to us was to organize this energy exchange every two weeks.

This forms both a challenge and an inspiration for us. What a support, to be able to

re-charge ourselves with this powerful energy on a regular basis. What an

incredible power that could unleash in our lives!

Karin Groet suggested the following: It would be meeting this challenge if we could

organize a chain of small groups of people who were at the retreat, also including

others who want to be involved, to meet in groups every two weeks using the same

framework as in the past retreat. We can pass on the intention like a “relay baton”.

Allow yourself to be inspired and touched and step into the flow of energy that

accompanies this Blue Star Newsletter! Whispered in many ears at the retreat was

the idea that these small meetings may be the initiation of a Dutch ashram. Could

this be an intention that is manifesting from the Source?

The Blue Star Board wishes you much pleasure in reading about our retreat

experiences.

Blue Star. Transform your Self. Transform your World. 1

Index

2Enthusiastic reactions

5A choice of workshops

6Something for everyone

7And the winner is...

Kitchen pearls

Wake up to your Reality

8Blue Star Holland Centra

Blue Star Info Transform Yourself. Transform Your World.

The Blue Star Vision

People learning to live

using inner strength

and working on

a world of

harmony and

happiness.

Home of Blue Star Holland:

The Sun House in Loenen

Enthusiastic reactions

For the first time in

many years, Blue

Star Holland had a

three day retreat

without the physical

presence of

Vasudeva. The

theme was: “Being

Together” (in Dutch,

the two words are

reversed –

“Together Being”

and the expression

can be understood

in two ways, as

“togetherness” and

as “together in

being”). It was

wonderful, a special

experience of

transformation and

unity with moments

of personal growth

and growth for us

as a group, too.

MilestoneI experienced this weekend as a milestone or a

turning point for Blue Star Holland: we have

never stood so close together and experienced

so much unity. The huge openness during the

entire ‘sacred conversation’ in which people felt

free [safe] to share very personal feelings can be

sited as an example of the special energy that

was created.

And everything we did was done with ease and

fun! It was beautiful to see how everyone played

their part in this co-creation, in so many

different ways.

This is the beginning of the co-creation of a new

world full of harmony in every dimension! We

can do it! Let’s go for it together.

Vasudeva, thank you so much for providing us

this opportunity and that you led and supported

us so that we could manifest this retreat in this

way. And to everyone who participated: thanks

for your Being Together/Together in Being!

Gauri

In one word: FANTASTIC... ... In all aspects. We enjoyed, learned,

experienced, shared, hugged (of course!),

expanded energy, felt, gave and received

fantastic and educative workshops, healed and

were healed, ate delicious meals, (wonderful

Nelly and Bram), felt the continuing presence of

Vasudeva and… I’m sure I am forgetting

something… But I also don’t have to do this

alone. Nobody had to do anything alone in these

past few days because everyone was there for

each other, new or old, known or a unknown, a

large and warm spiritual bath.

What am I talking about? Our own Blue Star

Holland Retreat from the 27th to the 30th of

May. With great thanks to the organizing group

and all the other people who played a part in

making this retreat an energetic, loving and

powerful big party. Also thanks to Shankari and

Himani and, of course not to be forgotten, all

the participants. Did it take an effort to enjoy

oneself or to experience? Not at all! What

happened [just] happened. It was accepted and

it was good.

I heard superlatives like: “There is an even

stronger energy than when the Guru is present.”

Also, “What great potential in power, knowledge,

love and wisdom in our own Blue Star House.”

Or, even better, “our Blue Star home.” And: “Why

haven’t we done this before?”


Singing the Shiva Mahimna Stotram with accompaniment by Indu, Saraswati, Hans and Sjoerd

Sacred Conversations with Vasudeva using Skype

In short, it was more than worth it. And there are new

initiatives for future retreats with our own Blue Star family

under way. And we hope that everyone will be able to be

there again. If not in body, then certainly in spirit. It’s all

OK.

With many thanks to our great Teacher,

In love and support, Sharada Devi

Blue Star Holland alive and kickingI felt in this retreat that Blue Star Holland is alive and

kicking even if we are also very busy on our own turf with

many other activities. The Blue Star feeling is simply a part

of us and that is what we understood at Blue Star's

conception. Sri Vasudeva binds us like a Patriarch, so we

really are like a family. I want to keep both feet on the

ground and so perhaps a sober comment from this Dutch

clay is warranted. We admit that we can form a wonderful

team, that there is a lot of talent available and that we can

create fabulously. These are things no one would dispute.

But we also quite easily separate and become busily

involved with our own things, just as it happens in many

families. You see each other, love it and make promises to

call more often but it just doesn’t happen. And still, the

fact of the matter is, the connection is there!

Vasudeva spoke to us a few days ago via Skype: “What are

you going to do in two weeks time? And next month? Don’t

allow this feeling to ebb away. Go for continuity” he said.

The Blue Star shines in me like a warm blue light that I take

with me wherever I go. And that light is shining strong and

bright as a result of this retreat. Thank you, one and all, for

this Being Together in Love! Jayanti

Growth and a warm bathBefore the retreat I realized that I was disappointed that I

could only be there on Sunday. Even though it was only one

day, I held an intention of abundance within. And that is

what I experienced. The other days I wasn’t there

physically, but Thursday I was very conscious of everything

going on and from the evening on, I felt like I was in the

retreat in Loenen too. I really liked what happened in the

preparations for the retreat. As Bhaktan (Eric) said, the

organizing committee were really looking forward to the

retreat. And I was also looking forward to the chakra

singing meditation that I would lead.


Jayanti on the Sacred ConversationsDuring the Sacred Conversations the group shared

experiences and asked questions that seemed to

emanate from the Source. These were very special

sessions. We were a large group (on Sunday 60 people)

and the level of openness and authenticity was

remarkable. We did not discuss or give wise counsel

from some distant place. There was no judgement. We

listened, showed empathy, understanding, authentic

interest and allowed lots of space as we shared deeply.

It was very moving. Afterwards there was the possibility

to ask questions of Vasudeva or to share an experience

with him.

“The interconnectedness in love was vast and clearly tangible.”

As a result of the inviting and positive energy, I dared to

offer to lead a chakra meditation and it was wonderful! The

sounds were so unique and formed a marvellous harmony.

I know that I have grown enormously in the last years. And

without Loenen and Vasudeva, I would not have dared to

take that place. And it felt like it will happen more often.

Before I arrived on Sunday, I already felt the loving, kind

and warm energy flowing to me and the whole day I basked

in a ‘warm bath’. The workshop “Eye Yoga” was interesting

and new for me. I will certainly delve deeper into that.

The mantra Om Shiva Hare Om resounds in my head and

heart still. That was beautiful to take away with me. I hope

to see everyone before Madhavi arrives, but otherwise,

certainly then. Yvonne van Gameren

Being together

The May retreat from 2010 was a resounding success…

WOW… To be honest, I had some reserves as I journeyed to

Loenen. I found myself musing that a retreat without the

physical presence of the Guru could possibly be less

powerful. The opposite was quickly proved because my

doubts totally disappeared with the singing of the Shiva [on

Thursday evening]. It was a fantastic opening of the

weekend.

The interconnectedness in love was vast and clearly

tangible. This gave me the feeling of being a member of a

large Blue Star Family. The visitors who arrived later were

included with the same love and openness and so the

strong energy just increased.

It was so beautiful and inspiring to be able to share and

exchange personal experiences. But just being present, a

part of the group and following the daily program was also

fantastic.

I enjoyed making plans together for the future and

resonating with the enthusiasm of others. For me

personally, it is a stimulus to continue walking this chosen

path.

That we were all able to create something this beautiful

makes me hopeful for everything that lies ahead of us. I am

convinced that Blue Star Holland has undergone a powerful

co-creative impulse. In any case, for me personally, it has

inspired me to take an active role in the future.

“Together being” in this “being together” is an event to be

repeated. I sincerly hope that we will meet each other again

soon.

Namaskar! Jan

Meditation retreat on dvdDuring the retreat we watched the recording of the

meditation retreat that Sri Vasudeva gave at the

ashram in Trinidad in 2009. These recordings are

available on dvd. Interested? Send an email to

[email protected]. The costs are €10 per dvd. Each

dvd is of 1 retreat day in Loenen - a compilation of

the 5 day retreat in Trinidad. There will be an

additional cost for shipping.


The team that organized the retreat: Bhaktan, Marieke, Jody (pink shirt) and Hans

mailto:[email protected]


A choice of workshops

What a lot of talent

we have in Blue

Star and what

involvement. That

made this retreat a

very special

co-creation where

those talents were

shared. As a result

of the Guru’s

absence, we were

able to allow the

Guru in ourselves to

speak. We were

more interested in

each other, it

seemed, and less

directed towards

the Guru.

There were many Blue Star members who offered to

give a workshop as the list below attests. We made

it possible for all who said they would like to give a

workshop to do so. And that was very special - to

experience the many talents and qualities available

to us within our Blue Star family. But a word of

thanks also goes out to all the participants. Without

you there would not have been a retreat at all!

Summary of the workshops

• Energy Training - a training to become

more conscious of the power of the breath,

using movement and voice (Jayanti)

• Self deception – gaining insight in how to be

more loving and honest in life (Sharada Devi)

•Diksha - Oneness University - background

information and Dikshas (Ben and Ria)

• Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) – a

method to alleviate emotional blockages in

the energy system (Walther)

• Ayurvedic head massage – relaxing,

cleansing and balancing for the body and the

mind (Jaya (Yvonne))

• Tools from the 40 Day Retreat 2010 – how

to consciously make use of the tools given in

the talks by Sri Vasudeva (Indu-Odile)

• Eye yoga - techniques and background

information to create a better and more

relaxed use of the eyes (Shirley)

• Fairy tale - the unexpected deeper meaning

of a personal fairy tale (Gina)

• Learning to feel chakras - exercises that

make conscious experiencing of the chakras

possible (Saraswati)

•Health in several dimensions – a workshop

about the possibilities and tools to

optimalise your health (Gauri)

• Residing in the Self - practicing staying

centered in various situations using role play

and drama exercises (Jenny)

Of course, the Guru Gita, Shiva Mahimna

Stotram, yoga/tai chi, meditation and mantra

singing were part of our daily schedule. There

were also opportunities to visit and share with

each other with greater intimacy.

Vasudeva suggests keeping “good company”

and after three days in such good company, we

totally understood why this is so valuable!


Energy Training Tools from the 40 Days 2010 Once upon a time... (fairy tale)

Walther explains the principles of EFT

Wonderful to walk in the beautiful area of

the Sun House. Luckily the weather showed

its sunny side.

Our youngest participant, Michaela

Something for everyone

It was wonderful to have such a wide choice of workshops though making a choice was difficult, as

they all looked equally interesting! In these three sketches you will get an idea of what was offered.

Energy Training Jayanti gave her workshop with her characteristic vibrant

enthusiasm. Her choice was for participants to experience

energy through breath, voice and movement. She began

with breathing exercises that I recognized from Trinidad.

And then we started to move.

We played a game in which one’s partner’s back was a

music instrument to play. The higher and lower tones were

associated with the higher and lower areas of the back. The

different qualities of touch were to instigate different types

of sounds. One person brought the other into motion and

sound. The enthusiastic participation of all created lots of

fun. But it was also a challenge to really ‘listen’ (with the

body) to your partner and to be sensitive to the co-creative

possibilities. We laughed and enjoyed ourselves like kids –

whenever we were able to really let go!

Emotional Freedom TechniqueWalther began by telling us about the technique, how it was

developed and its effectivity using an impressive story about

traumatized Vietnam war veterans. Then we learned the

technique and went to work in pairs. By tapping on meridian

points with the fingers it is possible to influence the flow of

energy through the body. Energy blockages open so that

energy flows (more) freely. We were asked to bring up a fear

and allow ourselves to feel it. We rated it on a scale of 0 and

10 and used the EFT procedure. During the tapping, we

named the fear we were experiencing in order to keep it in

our field and then followed that with an affirmation. For

instance, someone might say, “Even though I am afraid of

water, I accept myself exactly as I am.” After using the

procedure, one checks to see if the fear had been reduced

and it often had. One uses another set of tapping and eye

movements to solidify the results in the energy system so

that the feeling of fear will not return to its old level.

Tools from the 40 Day Retreat 2010

Indu asked the participants to focus on themselves and to think of a

personal issue in which they would like to use the tools. The tools were not

just handed to us. No, we had to get to work to discover them. We all chose

a card with a picture that appealed to us. I chose a picture of a young boy

who looked back at me with penetrating dark brown eyes. Then we split up

into groups of three. We shared briefly, in 10 – 15 minutes, what we wanted

to bring into the light, what the underlying pain points might be and which

tools we could use to aid us: the power of intention, use of the intellect,

positive thinking, a non-judgmental attitude. That gave us many beautiful

conversations and insights. After sharing, we turned the cards over and read

the text on the other side. “What have you overlooked?” was written on my

card. Hmm....

We then returned to the group and Indu asked us to write down two

important insights and to hang these up in the room. After having read all

these, we shared what this process had brought us. To close, we each chose

a positive thought that we can carry with us. Indu gave us a little heart-

shaped stone to symbolize it. This little heart now sits next to my computer

keyboard and is a beautiful reminder of my intention and wish.


In groups of three...

A heart with a memory

Let’s light up our world with the Light from within

And the winner is...At first sight, a lottery is not exactly a spiritual happening.

But those who consciously broaden their view (and don’t we

all do that from time to time?) and look deeper, will see the

wisdom at the core. By selling lots, a cash flow is activated

that benefits a common goal and the energy flows. That, in

turn, stimulates new initiatives.

During the retreat many lots were sold at the reception table

for €2.50 for the first, getting ever less expensive the more

you bought. We generated € 400,- that has been donated to

the Sun House.

Wake up to your Reality

On behalf of the organizing committee, Marieke explained

in inspiring, funny and varied stories daily, something

about the picture, how it was made and the lottery. The

photographer was Wim van den Hoogen. The final product;

an image of the Guru on linen with the text “Wake up to your

Reality”. All honor was also given to Linda who, with

patience and crafts-woman-ship brought text and image

together, creating a powerful picture that calls one into a

very deep awareness.

On Sunday, Vasudeva blessed

Shankari’s hand and she pulled

the winning lot out of the pot.

And just as one would expect

from a spiritual lottery, the

picture went to someone who

really deserved it, even if only

because she said, “I never win

anything.” That comment was

immediately made null and void.

Carolien was the lucky one to

receive the ‘Guru on linen’. Not

only because of her selfless

investment in the Sun House (like

many others) but also because she

seemed to stand as a symbol for

spiritual and personal growth that was evidenced in her

wonderful and open sharing during the retreat.

And because this retreat was all about “Being Together –

Together in Being” Carolien’s growth was everyone’s growth.

And we all were, are and shall ever be, winners!

Kitchen pearlsJust like in the old

days, the kitchen was

Bram en Nelly’s

domain. The inner

person was in good

hands with them.

Every day there was

an extensive meal

cooked for nearly

sixty participants.

And once again, it

was evident that Bram

and Nelly love to

pamper people. They

give the best of

themselves in the

preparation of these

meals. Everything was

a delicious treat and healthy to boot. Bram and Nelly, a

heartfelt thanks for your fantastic work. You are pearls!

‘Wake up to your Reality’ now available in the Blue Star Shop

Many people enjoyed the beautiful Guru on linen with the

title “Wake Up To Your Reality” during the retreat. All three

days the image stood in the Sun Hall and everyone was

hoping for the winning lottery ticket. Only one person could

win it, but that doesn’t mean that you have to let it slip

through your fingers. On the contrary! It is available to order

through the Blue Star Shop.


Bram and Nelly wield the pastry

roller in the kitchen

Carolien is a beaming winner

http://www.bluestarholland.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=131&Itemid=211


Blue Star Holland Centra Also see: www.bluestarholland.nl

AmsterdamMail Jayanti: [email protected] of Sabine: [email protected]

BennekomMail Shelley: [email protected] of bel 0318-463662

BrummenMail Uulaja: [email protected] of bel 0575-565293

BundeMail Hub en Francis: [email protected] of bel 043-3645683

DoetinchemMail Helmie: [email protected] of bel 0314-346338

DoorwerthMail Marijke: [email protected] of bel 026-33 34 369 of mail Dorine: [email protected] of bel 06-55542651

EllecomMail Yoganand of Dorien: [email protected] of bel 0313-414893

HaarlemMail Malou: [email protected] of bel 06-45023980

KoudekerkeMail Henriette of Wim: [email protected] of bel 0118-551495

LoenenMail Shankari: [email protected] of bel 055-5050180

Naaldwijk Mail Martin en Bea: [email protected] of bel 0174 626 728

Nijmegen Mail Odile: [email protected] of bel 024-3734086

Nijmegen/OoijMail Rob: [email protected] of Lily: [email protected] of bel 024-6633149

NoordwijkMail Ellen: [email protected] of bel 071 36194 43

RuurloMail Shirley: [email protected] of bel 0573 461110 of 06 123 04 515

Zwolle/HattermerbroekMail Trudy: [email protected] of bel 038-3764420 of bel Monique 038-4479782

Transform your Self. Transform your World.

Colofon

Blue Star Info is een uitgave van

Blue Star Holland

Beekbergerweg 25 | 7371 EV Loenen

E-mail [email protected]

www.bluestarholland.nl

Editing and design Linda

Copywriters Bob, Gauri, Jayanti, Jan, Jody, Linda, Sharada

Devi, Yvonne, Willem

Translation Jody












































http://www.bluestarholland.nl

http://www.bluestarholland.nl

dutch retreat being together

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