By Hayagriva Das
On the 10th of June around 70 devotees coming from Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto assembled in the Buddhist Retreat Center Pho Da Son in Val-des-Monts, Canada - a perfect setting to go into seclusion for three days and dive deeply into another reality: Harinama eva kevalam - the holy name alone is everything. The participants were keen to embark on this transcendental journey under the expert guidance of Devaki Mataji, and their hearts and minds were open in order to capture insights into the secrets of chanting - in japa as well as in kirtan. Our seminar room had the perfect size so everyone could fit in comfortably, which creates a personal and confidential atmopshere. The devotees had arranged for a nice altar and Vyasasana for Srila Prabhupada, and vases with wild flowers and blossoming twigs created a devotional atmosphere. It was a perfect bhajan kutir for the following three days, to enter a transcendental journey of introspection and reflection.