Ashrams east and west

SATSANG – Seeking Together – Helping to Create – A Planetary Vision – A Universal Heart

ASHRAMS—EAST/ WEST—NOW AND TO COME
Eeshpriya Mataji ( Ishpriya)

The title given to this morning’s topic seems an open
invitation to play the prophet or clairvoyant. As I have
none of the qualifications required of a prophet—not even
the desire to be stoned to death for the ‘cause’— nor am I
in any way a Siddha Yogi, it would seem wise to avoid the
maya/mire of projections about Ashrams in the future,
their forms or spheres of influence.

However I have been asked to speak in the light of my
experience; and reflecting on my experience, I find that the light has often
changed. As the continuous nuancing of light on the many ranges of the
mountains before us at different times serves to reveal, hide, or
emphasize the contours and interfolds of what remains the one reality, the
Himalayas, so too the changing lights of intellectual insights and
expanding heart-consciousness, have clarified and enriched my
understanding of the Ashram as a specific social-spiritual phenomenon.

I know what I have seen and what I now see, and this I am happy to
share with you. I know too, that when the light changes yet again, as
change it must, however different the new aspect may appear, the
essence of the Ashram will remain the same—only the optic varies.

It is not possible in the time that we have, nor is it necessary, to attempt
a full historical account of my involvement with the ‘Ashram Movement’ of
Catholic Ashrams in India. (That has, in fact, been given in the report to
the Ashram Aikiya Meeting in November, 1989.)

I will speak only of a few moments or events of the often imperceptible
daily transformation of understanding and acceptance. The experience
referred to covers the twenty years from 1971-1991 and includes constant
involvement with the Ashram Aikiya since its inception in 1978.

I had asked to be one of the founding ashramvasis in re-opening the
Christa Prema Seva Ashram in Pune in 1972, because in the light that I
then had, I saw in the Ashram tradition the promise of a way of
preserving and developing along new lines, the contemplative prayer life
that my Religious Congregation had always prized, but was in critical
danger of losing. The confusion and destruction resulting from, and along
with, the authentic post-Vatican 2 aggiornamento of Religious life, had
shaken us and divided us on issues pertaining to the priorities of
contemplation and social involvement. For me the ashram tradition as I
then understood it, offered a way to develop a contemplative outlook on
the world, in a community context more socially available and
organizationally less restricted than were the current modes of apostolic
Religious life, that is, more suited to the times.



I am well aware that labelling experiences is a dangerous activity. One
runs the risk of ossifying a dynamic event, distorting its true character
and preventing subtler insights from emerging on further reflection.
Natural lighting allows for nuancing, neon lights do not, and labels could
become like these, providing clear but unshaded insights.

Still, symbols and signposts do have a value, and naming an experience
does not necessarily disauthenticate it. I recognize that what I was initially
engaged in was establishing an Adapted Ashram. We had thrown much
energy and zeal into adapting carefully selected aspects of the Indian
Ashram tradition to our needs as a Catholic Religious Community. This
experience was valid and valuable, and Adapted Ashrams are still perhaps
the majority of those we have today.

Within two years, however, the very genuineness and intensity of our
efforts at adaptation and Inculturation had all but extinguished this first
light of mine. Survival for the existing forms of Religious life was clearly
not assured by the Ashram way of life. In fact it could be more of a
danger, facilitating their swifter dissolution.

Within three years I was already living in a Hindu Ashram for half the year
and would continue this experience for several years to come. One of the
earliest of the myriad symbolic events of these times was sitting in the
over-crowded Bhajan hall of the Ashram listening in rapt attention for two
hours each week for three months to Swami Krishnanandaji’S teaching on
the BrihadaranYaka Upanishad—the oldest and probably most complex
Upanishad text.

In those weeks the light changed drastically and simply. What was
revealed to me looked very different to the Adapted Ashram I had known,
and I was no longer looking for ‘survival’

I saw with an unarguable Clarity that the ashram could not be equated
with a life-style or a cultural tradition In essence it is a non-physical space
where the Teaching takes place, a womb where wisdom is transmitted to
the yet unawakened consciousness.

One by one the different, seemingly essential socio-cultural aspects, the
‘externals’, were understood. It became clear that the life-style, the
Sadhana the saffron, the rituals and cultural courtesies could all serve to
bide rather than reveal the ‘true’ Ashram within the material Ashram



In this light I felt the way might be through grafting scions of Sanatana
Dharma into the soundest of the Christian stock. Although I am not a
gardener, yet I know that in order to graft a cultured rose Onto a wild
common rose stock, a deep cut must be made in that stock. The shoot
must be SO implanted into and bound to the receiving stock that it can
draw its new life from the very being of the stock, and yet bloom as itself,
with its own beauty.

Would we? Should we? Could we? set ourselves to such a task of Grafting
Ashrarns7 Deep cuts are painful, but some would bear the pain in order to
bear the fruits.

About the same time, the early 70s, a world- encompassing phenomenon
began to touch the ashrams, Nuclear . physics and high technology were
forming shy but exciting friendships with ancient Eastern spiritualities.
Capra’s Tao of Physic3 was one popular recognition of the importance of
these relationships A most blessed result of these alliances was that each
partner came to yield its tendency to arrogance and recourse to magic.

In 1974 a series of scientific studies of the Psychology of meditation
practices caught public attention as much in Asia as in the West. T. Himi’s
Psychology of Zen, a research classic in its field, formed ~the basis of
Johnson’s Silent Music. This was a forerunner of many such books which
would revitalize ancient teachings through popular spiritual literature
incorporating contemporary scientific explanations

As my own research interest was the study o human consciousness I have
an image of myself at that time which may be symbolic of the experiences
of many. I held, as it were, in one hand the open Upanishads and
Patanjaji, in the other, a hunch of EEG electrodes; and whilst stepping
carefully out of the ruins of my concept of Apostolic Religious life, I came
face to face with two challenges; the Guru-chela tradition; and Sannyasa
and the teaching of Advaita
.
These are neither quickly nor easily faced by the Catholic Ashramvasis.
The implications of encounter are far reaching and for many of us there is
no resolution as yet. While the head (intellect) was at home in the new
sciences and Advaitic teaching, the emotions were still engaged in the
practice of traditional Christian Bhakti. Ashrams of Parallel Traditions
therefore emerged. We all know that the tradition of the Guru-chela
relationship has been and remains a critical issue for the development of
Catholic Ashrams. It is not solved. In fact it becomes more of a crisis of
growth. I offer here only a few reflections in addition to all we have
already discussed:



“Christ is the Guru of the Christian Ashram.”

This statement is frequently made with all the emphasis of an
authoritative legislation. It is the opinion, hope or faith-conviction of
some—even the majority of—Catholic Ashramvasis, but it has to be
understood. It must not be used as a law forbidding a man or woman to
be Guru to his/her disciples in an Ashram.

—The authentic Guru-chela relationship is seen as a pure gift of the Spirit.
The disciple recognizes his/her Guru as made known by the Spirit, and the
guru is called to surrender to the Spirit, so that the Spirit alone acts
through him/her.

—We cannot decide therefore whether this gifted relationship will be
offered to Catholics or not. The Spirit acts freely, but we can refuse the
offer.

—One does not usually hear Sri Rama or Sri Krishna referred to as Guru
but as an Ista Devata. To the majority of Indians, to call Jesus the Christ
our Guru might seem to put Him on a par with, for example, Guru Nanak,
Muktananda Swami, or Sai Baba.

—The term Sadguru is also used by followers of Sri Ramana Maharishi,
Swami Sivanandaji etc., and could be used by any disciples of their
master. It is not a term reserved to Christian usage.

—Jesus the Christ would be the Guru of all Christians—not merely those
living in Ashrams.

“Call no man your master.”

This verse of scripture is often quoted as though it were a specific
command of Christ, forbidding any Christian the gift of a Guru-chela
relationship. The writings of Abhishtiktananda have helped, but great fear
still prevails.

—It seems to threaten the hierarchical system of the official Church as a
‘charisma’ which lies beyond its control. For this reason Ashrams do not
‘fit’ neatly into the system. I

—Refusal to acknowledge that the way of Sannyasa and of the Vowed life
traditional in Christianity are distinct and ultimately not transposable.

—That our fear of becoming Gurus is basically an insecurity, born of the
fact that we have never been true chelas.


It appears that this will remain a disturbing challenge to Catholic Ashrams
for some time to come, and will only be met by a willingness on the part
of those called to enter into the experience fully. It is often stated that
true Gurus are rare in our times because true disciples are even more
rare. Yet, if one surveys the Western scene too superficially, one gains the
impression of a super-abundance of Gurus.

In 1978 I was asked to share outside India something of my experience.
This has continued each year since then, and I have thus been in contact
with the wider Ashram movement, an ebb and flow from the East to
North, South and West.

The Permutations and Mutations of elements of traditions and cultures
which produce contemporary Ashrams is fascinating. The list of examples
would include the Hindu-Indian Guru with Christian-Western devotees, the
Western-Christian Guru with Indian-Christian disciples, the Western-Hindu
Guru with Indian-Hindu disciples, etc. Wonderful variations—East, West,
North, South, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist- combinations with many
possibilities. I do not think that it is possible for Catholic Ashrams in India
to consider themselves aloof from or untouched by this movement. In fact
I am convinced that we need to be much more aware of the role we do, or
could, play in it.

Ishpriya & Fr. Bede Griffiths
A second dimension of the International. Ashram movement is the
‘Foreign-Return’ Ashram. One well-loved symbol of this is sitting here with
us. Fr Bede: English Benedictine monk comes East—absorbs the traditions
of Ashrams and Sannyasa in India—’converts’ to the Camaldolese Order
and leaves in a few days to carry saffron and Shantivanam to the West
Coast of America.

Also Fr Lasalle : European Jesuit (of the strict observance) goes to the Far
East—becomes the disciple of a Roshi—reaches the ‘status’ which allows
him to conduct sessions in Japan—and returns to do the same in a
German Zendo!



But the movement is not all West-
East-West. Many examples can be
quoted in reverse. The T.M. Ashram
of the Maharishi in Rishikesh is a
Western-coloured foreign-returnee,
so also is ISKCON (that is, Ashrams
of both branches of Sri Krishna
Consciousness).

A group of Ashramvasis

Typical of the East-West-East flow is the recently arrived Sivananda Yoga
Vedanta Ashram in Kerala. Its brochure tells us that Swami Vishnu
Devananda was sent by his Guru to San Francisco in 1957. He was part of
the 50s East goes West period. Since then he has established a
corporation of Yoga Vedanta Centres with its headquarters in Canada and
many branches, including New York and the Bahamas. Now the disciple
from Rishikesh is back home with an Ashram in India. Can we expect his
Kerala Ashram to be totally free of Western influence?

In fact it was in Rishikesh 18 months ago that we heard an American Guru
giving a pravachan to his Indian disciples and devotees. The subject was
the relationship of Yashoda with Bal Krishna presented in verse. While
being fanned by a Brahmachari with the traditional peacock-feather fan,
the Guru read his excellent pravachan from the screen of the personal
computer resting on his knees.

During our discussion yesterday someone stated that there were two
movements in the Church in India—the Ashram movement and the
Computer movement. Whether this is true, false or debatable, in the wider
movement these two seem to be merging. If our Aikiya has problems with
acknowledging such a development, I wonder if we are not looking on the
Ashram only as a means of giving a more intelligible witness to the life of
Evangelical Poverty? or rather Economic Poverty? We tend to endow the
word ‘simple’ with many inaccurate meanings.

Whatever the economic standard of the material Ashram, Sadhakas and
Sannyasis are still free to live their own understanding of a ‘simple 1ife-
style’—for richer or poorer.

Among the best that the permutations have to offer in the Ashram way of
life is an alternative to the local church community. Christians both in the
East and the West are increasingly disappointed by the failure of the
structured hierarchical Church system to teach and train for deep spiritual
life. Where they find authentic guidance and help, no mailer from what
tradition it stems, they will stay.



The worst that such Ashrams offer, in my experiences, is their
encouragement of commercial spirituality. The Western world is well nigh
replete with pre-digested Wisdom, fast-effect Self~realiZati0fl skills and
supermarket sadhanas. Once, some years ago, when I asked Fr Tony de
Mello why, with his knowledge and experience of the richness of Eastern
spiritual practice, he chose to rely so heavily on untested Western
psychological techniques, he gave an important answer. He pointed to the
failures of the Church’s pastoral/spiritual care and to the vast numbers
now demanding immediate help. Traditional Eastern sadhanas, though
profound~ often require years of practices an initial, secure religious
foundation and personal guidance. These prerequisites are not readily
available to the majority of seekers. While I conceded Fr Tony this point,
he also agreed with me and was even insistent, that some Ashrams should
keep intact and living the traditional spiritual practice, so that, once the
immediate hunger of the vast crowd has been met., there would be those
who know how to go on nourishing the mystical well-being of the people.

So what remains? Ashrams—Adapted, Grafted, of Parallel traditions,
Permutations and Foreign-returnees—all are now existing and flourishing.
Each has a contribution to make to the whole. Yet I wonder if members of
the Ashram Aikiya do not have somewhere in their subconscious a vague
but dangerous expectation of finding the “authentic” Ashram paradigm?
Something that has already disappeared?. Something that never was?

So-what will remain? God alone knows and chooses to reveal to us only
one event at a time. Only in hindsight will we see how we are being
transformed,

For myself, the light I now have begins to reveal new secrets of another
ancient tradition, that of Sannyasa and the Sadhu Samaj.

Ishpriya Mataji

Address given to a Seminar/Meeting of Christian Ashramvasis in May 1991


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