The sacred Grove 1

The Sacred
Grove

Centre for Exploring Consciousness

Chowdepalle, Andhara Pradesh, India

The Sacred Groves
are relatively recent initiatives,
envisioned by Sri M, as spaces for

• Retreats
• Satsangs
• Research
• Yoga
• Ayurveda
• Kaya-Kalpa

All these components will be integrated at
this Centre, for supporting a Sadhak’s
journey of exploring consciousness.

Infrastructure to facilitate the journey:

• Library cum conference room: will house literature
from all traditions and their creative
interpretations. The library will welcome breeze
from all religions, traditions, ideologies and
practices that can coexist to celebrate the Sacred.

• Sadhak Niwas: A cluster of cottages for self-
retreat have been designed with each cottage
comprising of two independent, self-sufficient
units.

• Wellness Centre: Ayurveda and kaya-kalpa
therapies will be provided here at regular
intervals. It will comprise of two separate
treatment rooms for men and women, along
with cottages with double occupancies,
reception area, and living quarters for the
therapists.

• Yoga and Meditation Hall: The
Participants residing at The Sacred
Grove, for retreats as well as for
Ayurveda and Kaya-Kalpa therapies
are going to benefit from this facility.

• Amphitheatre: It has been designed to
accommodate around thousand Satsangis,
so that The Sacred grove may host festive
occasions like Shivratri, Gurupurnima and
Retreats.

• Dining Hall and Kitchen: It is being designed
to offer meals to around hundred participants
from the Sadhak Niwas and Wellness centre,
in addition to the volunteers and employees.
For special events with larger numbers, meals
will be organized closer to the amphitheatre.

• Farms and Orchards: A simple agrarian life- style can be
spiritually oriented as well as be financially sustainable. A
large portion of the seventeen acres of land has been
earmarked for organic farming of vegetables and fruits, to
supply to the kitchen and to share with other centres of
the Foundation. This may not only nurture the body but
the mind and soul too, by providing opportunities of
Karma-Yoga.

• Gaoshala: Plans to house 10-15 indigenous
cows is part of the Sacred Grove in
making. A spacious home along with large
open space for their free movement, and for
growing fodder have been suitably designed.

An Appeal

A Yogi is giving us yet another opportunity to make sacred
offerings and join him in realizing the vision of fulfilling
human lives with Karma-yoga, Dhyan-yoga, Jnana-yoga
and Satsang-yoga. We invite you to partake of this
opportunity.

A project of this magnitude requires generous
contributions from as many and as much as possible; no
amount is too big or too small. It will be received as your
precious offering in this Yajna-karma – the act of offering
from the core of one’s Being.

At present we require financial support to build the
infrastructure, as the project progresses, we will invite you
to volunteer for different activities.

Present Status of the Project

Soon after acquiring the land on 8th November 2017, Sri M formed a Committee comprising of the office bearers
of the Foundation, Architects, Engineers and other Satsangi members. The land was fenced, the open well and
the borewell on the land were made functional, and pipelines were laid for irrigation of plantation on the land.

Just around the onset of monsoon, on 4th June 2018, Sri M planted the first three trees. Subsequently, almost
500 flowering and fruit tree have been planted. The plans for more plantation had to be postponed due to
deficient rainfall in the area this monsoon. However, a ‘Panchvati’ of five sacred trees – Peepal, Rudraksh, Bilva,
Amala, Sita Aashoka, was created on 15th August, 2019. Other trees planned for The Sacred Grove will be planted
once the open well has got filled up.

After mapping of the land, coordinates of all the structures and other salient features of the project have been
marked on the site.

An existing building is being converted into a spacious Library with Verandas. The Director’s cottage and a model
cottage with twin self-sufficient units is also under construction. A drip irrigation system is being planned for
watering of trees.

The architectural and structural plans for the Wellness Centre, Meditation Hall, Dining Hall & Kitchen,
Amphitheatre, Goshala are under preparation. Ideas are being sought to incorporate the following into the
Development - Solar Power Harnessing, Rainwater Harvesting, Waste Management etc.

Invitation for sponsoring cottages at the Sacred Grove:
Centre for Exploring Consciousness

The Satsang Foundation is pleased to invite sponsoring of cottages for
Sadhana – Self-retreat, on the campus of “The Sacred Grove; Centre for
Exploring Consciousness”, at Chowdepalle, Andhra Pradesh, India.

The cottages will be built on the Foundation’s land and thus will be the
property of The Satsang Foundation.
• The one who sponsors a unit, will have the privilege to pursue his/her

study and ‘Sadhana’ in the serene surroundings of a sacred grove, at
the same time, share this facility with other seekers of the path.
• A well-equipped library, and occasional Satsang with the Master, on
the campus, are likely to facilitate one’s spiritual journey.
• The farms, orchards and goshala, promise a simple and organic way of
living.

The Privileges and Obligations of the Sponsor

• The Sadhak Niwas complex constitutes of ten cottages with twin self-sufficient units.
Each unit with a plinth area of 375 square feet will have space for two beds, two closets,
a study corner, a covered veranda/porch and an attached bath and toilet.

• The Units will be furnished with basic amenities i.e. lights, fan, two cots with mattresses
and linen, two bedside tables, two easy chairs, a study table with a chair. Maintenance of
these units will be the responsibility of the Centre.

• The sponsorship will give access to common facilities like dining hall/kitchen, library,
parking, water and electricity supply, security on the campus and maintenance of all the
facilities.

• A Sponsor will be expected to contribute Rupees Six Lakhs per unit, to be paid in two
instalments, one at the time of confirmation of sponsorship and second after a gap of six
months.

• The one sponsoring a unit will have the privilege to stay in a cottage at the Centre, for his
/her Sadhana for total of fifty days, spread over a year, for periods mutually convenient.
The sponsor will otherwise be able to use the facility for a period of fifteen years from the
first date of allotment.

• During events such as Gurupurnima, Shivrathri, Retreats or other events, the booking for a
sponsor will be made depending on availability of accommodation. The unutilized days
cannot be carried forward to subsequent years. A sponsor cannot bring another person to
the campus except by prior approval of the management. This point needs to be made
clear. The one booking a unit will be entitled to full unit i.e. with two occupancies?

• The Administration block, volunteer rooms, a model cottage and the Director’s Cottage,
and Library with an attached office are likely to be ready by end of 2019. It is our sincere
hope that the entire campus with all the intended facilities will be operational within three
years.

Commitments Essential for Sharing the Sacred Grove

• The sponsors will be expected to be sensitive to the Spirit of the Centre. To be more specific –

• To follow the rules and regulations that may be necessary for running the Centre, which may change or evolve with
nature of activities approved by the management.

• Consumption of Alcohol and Tobacco in any form, and Substance abuse, will be strictly prohibited on the campus.

• The kitchen will provide vegetarian meals and the residents will be expected not to bring non-vegetarian food items
to the campus.

• The residents will not conduct any social gatherings and get-togethers on the campus.

• The residents will be expected to be sensitive to the environment related concerns and eco-friendly aspirations of
The Sacred Grove.

• It will be great if the Sadhaks could volunteer services towards different activities of the Centre, in the spirit of
Karma-Yoga. These will be worked out keeping in view the interests, skills and requirements of the Centre.

• The sponsors and residents of The Sacred Grove should appreciate that Sri M has envisioned this Centre for Exploring
Consciouness, primarily for self-retreat. He may visit the campus from time to time but there is no guarantee that
there will be Stasangs or meeting with Him.