First Summer Solstice? Come on up!

[Guest guest]

Are you considering coming to Summer Solstice Sadhana at Ram Das Puri

for the very first time?

Consider no longer.

Jump in,

do it,

experience it,

you won't regret it (Well maybe a bit while you are there, on the

White Tantric lines, pushing hard through the 27th minute of a 62

minute kriya) but absolutely NOT after it's done!

Your first summer solstice! What a treat and what a challenge. This

will be a most interesting time for you.

If you are looking for a vacation, then find a nice comfy resort,

RamDas Puri is not it.

It is dusty, hot and at a high altitude.

However when you leave there you will know yourself intimately as a

great and graceful person. It will not all be fun. But it will be

powerful. If you love KY you'll do fine. It will be work, work on

yourself to get up in the morning for a 4 am sadhana (after a cool

refreshing breath grabbing shower - sorry, there's no hot water tap!)

It will be work, karma yoga serving food to your fellow campers or

chopping veggies for that food, or cleaning up ... good work,

righteous work, pure work. Work about which you can have some

negativity but also a deep sense of satisfaction of visible results

and well earned sleep. (Sleep, by the way, will never be so easy to

fall into!)

Make you plans, get there, be ready for " dem changes. " And enjoy.

In fact, your first few days will probably add up to the question,

" What did I get myself into? " With all the people in white, in a

blinding sun, against a clear blue or cloud puffy sky, in a desert dry

high mountain area you WILL go through changes.

Just adjusting to the altitude will literally mean a one or two day

headache. Drink water for that, there's plenty available and its quite

pure and healing. There's also plenty of electrolyte (natural Gatorade

without the sugar)and fruit available and Yogi Tea too!

Follow the camp diet as much as possible, bring as little in the way

of snack food as you think you can manage--there is a camp store for

healthy self indulgence!

As for a camping place, you have lots of options. Up by the Tantric

area is convenient for morning sadhana but its also a busy (read:

noisy) place at night though there is a general lights out at 10 PM.

Down the hill (behind Tantric area) is also quite nice but it means

walking up and down a pretty steep hill and camping with lots of

folks. Up by the swimming pool is also nice but it can be windy and

also crowded.

You should be able to get help with your tent, ask the luggage crew or

at registration. Be sure they know you're a newbie (we try to be

merciful!).

Nights tend to be cold so a warm sleeping bag is a must and a good one

a delight! Bring a pad to put under it, as thick as you can mange

since the rocks tend to be quite hard. A warm sweater or jacket is

also a must, maybe even a pair of light gloves. Check the Solstice

literature for a complete list of things.

Don't forget a flashlight and an extra set or two of batteries. A

water bottle of some kind, mess kit, poncho for possible rain. Oh, yes

and also bring an open mind, you'll need it. Most of all be prepared

for a unique, challenging and sometimes very powerful experience. If

you have any questions do not hesitate to ask on this forum or write

to me directly!

Summer Solstice, your first Summer Solstice, can only be experienced

once. It will literally be a near life occasion. You will feel more

fully alive than you may have ever felt before. It will be difficult

but I cannot think of anyone who has ever regretted it even if they

never ever came again.

Good luck and God bless you!