One Year of Raga Svara

A year of Raga Svara. It has now been 1 year since we opened for guests.
When we started building this place, many summers ago, the thought of operational functioning was far away, nearly impossible and, honestly, a bit repulsive. One cannot see a thing of beauty suddenly have practical import. But that's what we all were working for. Living at the fulcrum of opposing forces is my life's work.

The transformation of Raga in to a haven for people has been magical. I never could have imagined what it would mean to us and to the hundreds of guests who have now become Raagis. We have been a place to renew health and peace for so many. We have had guests from all over India and from about 10 countries around the world.

We have built this place in Rajkot, the unlikeliest of places to build a world-class retreat. It is a testament to our foolhardiness, if nothing else.
It has been a daunting, frustrating, exhausting, eye-opening, but ultimately exhilarating journey for me and the Raga team.

Yoga citta vritti nirodha (Yoga is the suppression of the oscillations of the mental substance, Yoga Sutras 1.2)

For the tightrope walker, the juggler, and the magician, their skill and ability are, fundamentally, analogous to the miracle of St. Dionysius; because with them as with St. Dionysius, it is a matter of transposing the centre of directing consciousness from the head to the chest—from the cerebral system to the rhythmic system

I wonder if my centre will ever move slightly lower toward the chest and the fibrillations of the mind will ever subside.
I have written, less frequently than I would have liked, on Raga over the years.
1. Thoughts on Hospitality
2. Sanctuary at Raga
3. My House will have a Roof
4. Porosity of Boundaries
5. A Thought on Raga Svara
6. Pause and Connect with Nature
7. Pause and Escape Chaos
8. Pause and Find Peace