February 23, 2015: 
You will find literally hundreds of reasons not to come. I can only give you one reason to come. Where you spend so much on all a variety of luxuries including holidays, the one thing we always neglect is our health - until it is too late. Do yourself a favour. Come before it goes wrong.
Why is it different from other such retreats? Because it is at an authentic Ayurvedic Medical / Massage Convalescence Home in Kerala and we shall have dawn and dusk basic nitnem and naam simran satsang too.
It’s a first of its kind! Expert, experienced ayurvedic medical staff and masseurs; half hour of dawn and dusk simran, mildly spiced prescribed vegetarian South Indian food as part of your detox programme, and great service! All for the price of a motel room in the west. (About Aus $ 90 per night!)
I will be there for three weeks.
This is for everyone, not necessarily just for those who have any ailments, or just slowing down, like me, due to age and wear and tear. Look upon this outing as an 'oil change and overhaul.'
If you do have an ailment or three, or there is a possibility of an ailment manifesting (which you never know of until it is to late), then all the more reason.
I wrote about this place on these very pages a few weeks ago, and since then 12 friends and like-minded acquaintances from around the world have signed up to come, some for two weeks, some for one, for probably the first of its kind Sikh Holistic Mind, Body & Spirit Camp in Cochin, Kerala.
Giani Sukdaiv Singh, who has been running a Sikh orphanage, Gurpuri, in Malaysia for 14 years, is coming, accompanied by better half. They both need rejuvenation, tender loving care, therapeutic massage, detoxification, rest, diet change and medication for various ailments. He will also accompany us with the nitnem and naam simran.
I urge others to consider this and take this life-changing experience to not only prolong life but, more importantly, optimise it towards your ongoing naam simran and seva.
“Bahut janam bichhrrey thhey maadho / eh janam tumhaare lekhe“. This is the basic Sikh idea of elevation and emancipation and elevation.
If you have immediate queries about some bodily ailment, write directly to them (details below) and they, Nagarjuna Ayurveda, shall respond. The important thing is that in contrast to where we normally spend our holidays -- in exotic places, five-star settings, cruises, etc. -- I guarantee that this will be the more rejuvenating, life-enhancing, stress relieving experience you will have.
Where holidays normally mean abuse of the body by overeating, late nights and rush-rush-rush, this will send you back home with a spring in your step and clarity of mind, ready to take on the world again, feeling at least ten years younger! It will also send you back understanding your 'tunn' (body) and 'munn' (mind) a little better.
Nowadays, we pay little attention to the 'tunn', the body, except for the usual vacuous arguments over vegetarianism. Without a healthy body, you are not able to operate at your fullest potential, be it in the pursuit of simran and seva, or even maya and your material pursuits.
At this retreat, your tunn shall be pampered to the max, and your munn shall experience timelessness and spacelessness. It is the complete, holistic body, mind and spirit Sikh retreat.
* * * * *
Last year, while on a kirtan tour in South India, I had the chance to spend two weeks at this retreat to undergo a treatment called 'Panchakarma' which means 'five-fold detoxification and purification'.
My good friend Vikram Singh Khalsa (formerly Vic Briggs of the 60's pop group 'The Animals') first suggested it to me when we walked 300 km together from Singapore to Malacca in Malaysia as a fundraiser. Some good friends in Cochin, Kerala, (namely Kapil Nagpal and Jasbir Narula from Madras) insisted that I should go through with it - mainly to rejuvenate the body, slow down the ageing process, seek out and tackle those medical issues which might threaten to arise in time, and reverse those ailments already prevalent or at least slow them down.
In two weeks I lost 6 kgs in weight and went through a 'detox' programme, with nutritious South Indian vegetarian, mildly spiced meals, herbal medication and daily oil massages. A painful shoulder and a mysterious stomach ailment called 'dharan' which has plagued me since my young days also disappeared!
Of particular note were two full body oil massages almost daily, by trained masseurs, and steam baths. There was also a one hour light yoga session per day. Besides all of the above, there were daily cookery, medication and health ideology classes.
I am planning to go again this year - in May - probably from May 3, 2015. This time for three weeks. I am convinced that after all these years of half-hearted attempts to eat healthy and exercise to lose weight, this is the best kick-start that I can hope for. Last year was a wake-up call. This year my intentions are to lose up to 15 kgs to bring my weight down to what I believe is my healthy weight and the main factor in good health and optimisation of the limited life as a human that I have been blessed with.
This time, besides my wife Jessiee who came with me last year, my daughter Jamel and her husband Andrew are also joining us for two weeks. The spiritual component, I believe, will make the stay complete for me and for all who wish to join us. I want like-minded friends to join us to add to the experience.
I want your sangat. Simran, etc. will be optional, of course.
For travel costs, talk to your travel agent for flights to Cochin. For medical / stay costs at the retreat and information on the treatment, etc. please contact Manoj at Nagarjuna at [email protected] or phone him at 0091 9747553254. Transportation from and to the airport will also be organised by Nagarjuna.
Do mention that you will be joining me. That will get you a 'group discount'.
There are specialist treatments for most ailments like arthritis, blood pressure, diabetes, chronic gastritis. chronic migraines, CFS, muscle conditions, back ailments, persistent aches and pains, and so on. All treatment is through specialist herbal oil massages and herbal medication and a healthy food regimen.
Or, write back to me for further information or any personal reservations you might have. And yes, professionally trained male medical staff massage the men and female medical staff treat the womenfolk!
To do all the things that we want to do and also to live life to the fullest, we need to invest in our health.
Why am I doing this? A gentleman, who is a specialist in health, who I met about twelve years ago, and who has since become a mentor and sponsor, made me conscious of my health and the need for proper food, supplemented by vitamins and nutrients, to be able to continue with the work that I do in 'gursangeet' and with youth. This occasional retreat is a great way to detox the body and also spend time in solitude, simran and vichar.
Come and join me ...
