A place of peace and serenity
The physical and psychological benefits of meditation have been well documented. A practice that has been used for thousands of years, meditation reduces stress while enhancing selfawareness and focusing the mind on the present.
For years, people have been dropping into the meditation hall at the Nova Scotia Arunachala Ashrama in Clarence, just outside of Bridgetown, to find peace and serenity.
The meditation hall dates back to 1879, when it was built as a one-room schoolhouse. At some point, it had been relocated, and when Nova Scotia Arunachala Ashrama purchased the property in 1972, they purchased the building and returned it to its original location.
“Farmers in the area, with their tractors and skids, moved this 40-ton building back to its original spot,” recalls Darlene Karamanos, who oversees day-to-day operations at the facility. “Some of the neighbours who had attended the school when they were young were happy to see their schoolhouse go back to where it belonged.”
Prayers, meditation, readings and chantings of the Vedas, an ancient Sanskrit text, are held throughout the day, and the meditation hall is open to visitors. The readings are from works by or about Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, an Indian Hindu sage and jivanmukta, or liberated being. Arunachala Ashrama is a non-profit organization, and the retreat is open to all regardless of religious belief or creed — including those of no particular faith — who seek peace.
“There are certain places, like an old growth forest, that you can feel peace, and the thoughts that torture our brains just become quiet,” Karamanos says. “This is one of those places.”
The Ashrama also maintains a temple and retreat facilities with guest rooms for individuals and families who wish to deepen their spiritual experience and stabilize themselves in the practice of self-awareness and surrender.
There are two libraries, along with sitting rooms, and people are welcome to come and read. Books on many different religions, philosophies and spiritual practices are available both to borrow and to purchase.
“We have some really old texts on everything from Christian mystics to Hindu saints to Eckhart Tolle,” Karamanos says. “People are often quite amazed at the books they find here.”
Those wishing to stay overnight are required to make arrangements ahead of time. Visitors are responsible for cooking their own vegetarian food during their stay and ensuring their rooms have been cleaned before departing. Facilities are normally available from May through October, and visitors can occasionally be accommodated during winter months.
A native of Chicago, Karamanos moved to Nova Scotia in 1973 and began teaching at Bridgetown Elementary School, where she worked for 32 years.
“Even before coming here, I was interested in meditation,” she says. She met her neighbours at Ashrama and was invited to come to the centre to meditate.
“I had never heard of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi before, but eventually I started reading some of what he had to say, and it was a perfect fit for me,” Karamanos recalls. “The core teaching of all great religion and philosophy is to know yourself.”