advaitaCongress – Update
The advaitaCongress was organised by the OM Foundation for Inner Science for the first time in 2019.
The advaitaCongress is very close to our hearts and we have invested joy and time into the planning. First, the congress planned for 2021 could not take place because of the corona pandemic and currently the planning is impeded by the ongoing war events in Ukraine. At the moment it does not seem to be the right time for a gathering of teachers and students in this form.
Advaita teachers OM and Igor Kufayev have agreed in a conversation that an online format for the advaitaCongress is fundamentally inappropriate.
There will certainly be another advaitaCongress and as soon as we have news we will inform you.
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advaita Congress 2019 – Review
It was a moving four days in which the different flavours of the One that came through the teachers and masters came together and enabled the approximately 140 participants to dive deep into themselves in the encounter with Being in Darshan, Satsang, meditations, Chi practice and lecture and a rich supporting programme. It was also touching and opening to share in the increasing depth, joy, heartfelt encounter and stillness created by the field of consciousness of the six masters and teachers of advaita.
Masters and Teachers of advaita from East and West
Swami Vishnudevananda, a spiritual teacher from Russia, and his Laya Order organised the advaitaCongress in Moscow for several years. Vishnudevananda teaches in the tradition of Advaita Vedanta and Yoga, gave satsang and initiations into holy scriptures and came accompanied by some of his monks and nuns.
OM C. Parkin, spiritual master from Germany, gave a lecture on the first evening, introducing the advaita teachings and the Perennial Philosophy and teaching the basic pillars of the highest teaching of Truth and Love. The Darshan, which was filled to the last seat the next day, was one of the highlights of the congress. And – for the first time publicly – people could experience Sacred Movements (very slow archetypal sacred movements and attitudes) with him.
Igor Kufayev, Ukrainian Advaita Tantra teacher and Shaktipat master, born in Uzbekistan, shared his touching “Breathing through the Heart” meditation in addition to Darshan. The participants were able to come into a deep contact with their innermost self and being in this moment through the refined awareness of the breath flow.
Swami Dharma Sumiran is a master of the Advaita Vedanta tradition who has learned from Kamal and Indian masters. In Satsang, deep wisdom and insights came through him, and a joyful, lively togetherness. People were also impressed by zazen and qi gong with him.
Unmani, as a female form of the teacher, brought very touching moments to the advaitaCongress. She calls her gatherings ‘Meeting in Truth’, and has been holding Satsang for 13 years. A free movement meditation with music brought people into the physical expression of life energy.
With his unique approach of Embodying Consciousness, Florian Schlosser, spiritual teacher from Germany, invited the participants to unfold all expressions of human life and to be a mature embodiment of consciousness that is in full, integrated contact with life.
At the end of the four days of the congress, the intensity increased when OM, Igor, Unmani and Sumiran came together on the podium and answered questions about the inner path, love and truth, and the teacher-student relationship. With each answer, it became tangible that the ONE enters the room through all of them and connects them.
Participant’s Voices
‘It touched my heart, again and again. From different sides of my heart and yet always directly from within it. Thank you! ‘
‘Meeting the different aspects of the teacher suddenly brings spirituality very close, very practical, almost tangible. The days left a deep impression, deep traces in me and laid a trail out of the jungle of the ego. What was also shown to me: no teacher in the world can end my suffering if I am not ready for it.’
‘You have brought the advaita teachings into my heart with a lot of care, love and intuition. Thank you.’
‘Wonderful setting, wonderful teachers, wonderful place, wonderful organisation, wonderful music! A diamond congress that brought many facets of the One Light to light – thank you very much!’
Musical Highlight
Manish Vyas, the internationally renowned Indian musician, who has already given concerts at the Silent Love Retreat with OM at Gut Saunstorf Monastery, Germany, or in India, was the musical highlight. In the last advaitaCongress evening, people danced, clapped, sang and listened quietly to the sounds – it was a fascinating musical journey.
Venue
‘Schloss Thalheim‘ gave us a warm welcome. It is a soothing and nurturing place with a monastic past, the substance of which has been restored. The place offered us an ideal setting and gave us space to walk in the gardens, meditate in the beautiful, ancient grotto or sit in front of the fireplace in the tea house – places for encounters and silence in equal measure.
We returned to Gut Saunstorf energised, nourished and blessed from the first advaitaCongress hosted by the OM Foundation Inner Science. We, that is Sabine, Lars, Jan Kristof and Birte. We were responsible for the technical and organisational aspects. Many thanks to all those who made this congress possible – spiritual masters and teachers, Bernhard and Elena Köll, who supported us in the organisation, many helping hands and committed supporters, the staff of ‘Schloss Thalheim’ and all those who took part.
From the bottom of our hearts,
Birte Kling
