Devotee Training Retreat (JIVA) in Pandavas Paradise 2011

For the fourth year running, we held our one week intensive bhakta training retreat at Pandavas Paradise. We call the retreat “JIVA” (Jornada Intensiva de Vaishnavismo).

This retreat is probably one of the most rewarding for us. Seeing enthusiastic devotees take to Krishna consciousness with determination, getting a deeper grasp of the philosophy and practices, gives great pleasure to any follower of Srila Prabhupada.

This year we had a slightly more advanced group than the previous year, including an already initiated devotee lady. This meant the participants got more hands-on training, including leading the kirtans and helping with the aratiks.

We strive to instill in the participants the importance of having a solid sadhana as well as a desire to serve the mission, be it in direct preaching engagements, or be it in the form of helping out their local administration.

All the classes were taught by me or my wife, with the exception of a Vaishnava songs class taught by our visiting guest teacher, Sadhu Sanga Prabhu.

We emphasize the importance of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, especially the Srimad Bhagavatam. Every year just about all the participants walk out of the JIVA retreat owning a Srimad Bhagavatam. This year we sold three full 12 Canto collections, as well as large Gitas and other books. Alas, these are the last Portuguese Srimad Bhagavatam collections in Brazil! The Brazilian BBT has run out of them and it may take a while before they manage to print another full set.

JIVA isn’t just about studying and austerities though. We also make sure everyone has a really good time. The rooms are very comfortable, the prasadam quite opulent (but still healthy!) and we take them on walks and for swims in the waterfalls and natural pools.

Here are some comments we received from this year’s group:

“This experience was an important milestone in my spiritual life. I feel I have made great progress and many concepts which before were vague and unclear to me I now understand well.” – Alessandra, Brasília – DF

“I had rich unforgettable moments in this retreat, full of intense devotion. I left there with more love, wisdom, understanding and friendship.” – Rasa-lila Devi Dasi (CMS), Brasília – DF

“By Krishna’s mercy my family and I spent a week in a true paradise with sublime people. We had eight very important days for our spiritual lives. We returned home renewed.” – Gustavo, Márcia and Hillary, Belém – AM

“Many of the questions I had about Srila Prabhupada’s mission were answered and  I had the chance to learn various key practices for my spiritual progress… Beyond that, I was able to understand more clearly the importance of passing this transcendental knowledge to others who are in need of true peace and happiness… Pandavas Paradise is a holy place that is completely favourable to our search for a spiritual life.”  – Raphael, Brasília – DF

You can see more picture of the retreat here!

Devotee Training Retreat (JIVA) in Pandavas Paradise

For the third year in a row, we organized a bhakta training program in Pandavas Paradise, called JIVA (Jornada Intensiva de Vaishnavismo). It’s probably our favorite retreat, because it’s such a pleasure helping sincere devotees in their Krishna Consciousness. It’s also our longest retreat, a full seven nights.

We had participants from far away places, such as Aracajú, in the far northeast and Erechim, a city in the far south (the young man endured a 36 hour bus ride, a sleep over in a roadside motel and a further 3 hour bus ride to get to us!). We also had two college professors, a physiotherapist, a lawyer, a fligh attendant and an office worker (and a six-year old little devotee girl).

We teach them about our Vaisnava philosophy, literature, sadhana, etiquette, cleanliness, our principal songs, basic sanskrit pronunciation, even how to apply tilak.

We also teach them everything about prasadam (what it is, how to prepare it, how to offer it, how to serve it) and the basics of home Deity worship (a major topic of interest). And finally, we teach them about Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON, BBT and the importance of preaching.

One of the major threads that run through the retreat’s classes is the importance of japa and studying Prabhupada’s books. We especially emphasize the Srimad Bhagavatam and every year we sell many sets. This year we sold 5 full Bhagavatam sets (the sixth participant already had her set).

The participants feel deeply moved and inspired by the retreat. Here are some things they wrote to us later:

“JIVA was decisive for the progress of my spiritual life”

“Spending a week at the farm (Pandavas Paradise) was an intense watering of our plant of devotional service…”

“I can’t find words to properly express my gratitude for all the wonderful moments I experienced in JIVA 2010”

We are now thinking of organizing an additional week-long bhakti retreat, focusing on the four bhakti-shatri scriptures.

Click here to see more pictures of the JIVA retreat.