Ashram Residency
There are currently three long term residents at the Ashram; Ramloti, Premand, and Jonathan. To read each of their experiences about coming to the Ashram or meeting Shri Babaji, click on their names; Ramloti, Premanand, and Jonathan. Those that have visited the Ashram would remember them since they have been here for many years. Why do they live and serve here? Shri Babaji's strongly urged us to practice karma yoga which is selfless service offered to the Divine. To practice this at Shri Babaji's and the Divine Mother's home here in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado is extremely meaningful. Each one of them plays a part in creating and maintaining this special place that has served thousands of people who are seeking spiritual growth and refuge. What good fortune to be able to live and serve this way.
Would You Like to Serve?
With the Ashram continuing to grow, it seems to be time to have one or two more full-time residents living here. Jonathan, Premanand, and Ramloti wear several hats here and they are all willing to share some with the right person or persons. Some of these hats would be maintenance person, pujari, shop manager, administrative assistant, and web master. Before giving the job description of each of the positions, let us first consider the basic qualifications for a long-term resident at the Ashram.
First of all the person needs to have established a relationship with the Ashram. This can be accomplished by a few visits of a week or so. This gives everyone time to consider how living together would be. The qualities that make a good fit is a sincere desire to serve, a generosity of spirit, a sense of humor, a willingness to take on any task at any time that is needed, a willingness to share your feelings and take advise, and a deep faith and commitment to Shri Babaji and His teachings of truth, simplicity, love, and service to all of humankind. Excellent health and a strong body are also important here since we live in a rugged climate, work hard and the Ashram is located at an altitude of 8,500 feet. The nearest hospital is an hour away in Alamosa, as are most medical doctors.
Financial arrangements are as follows: One should expect to make the suggested donation of $324 for the first month at the Ashram. If all goes well, board and room are provided with no donation expected for the next two months. After three months, the new resident is eligible to receive a small monthly stipend along with board and room. The food served at the Ashram is all organic, vegetarian, and a raw diet is also possible if one desires. The accommodations vary with the time of the year from a private room in the beautiful straw-bale adobe dorm to shared space with other residents, perhaps even on the floor in the yurt. A married couple could also be considered.
Everyone at the Ashram does just about everything from cooking, cleaning, weeding, tending the Shop, sweeping and shoveling snow, taking care of visitors, and helping in the temple, however there is also some specialization. Job descriptions are as follows:
Maintenance Person - Handy at repairs of all kind, a general knowledge of solar, plumbing, electricity, and construction.
Pujari - A willingness to rise early and learn to awaken, bathe, dress, and decorate the Divine Mother and other murtis in the temple. Must be very sincere, devoted, and focused on the duty and have a good eye for color and balance.
Shop Manager - Some experience in running a retail store. Duties would include ordering products, pricing, display, organization, and keeping the on-line shop up to date. Basic computer knowledge (preferably Macintosh) would be helpful.
Administrative Assistant - Help with the management of the Ashram. Skills needed would be good telephone presence, organizational and management skills, typing and computer knowledge.
Web Master - Maintain and enhance the Ashram website. Must have solid computer skills (preferably Macintosh), must be careful and methodical and a good speller.
Living at the Ashram is both a great blessing with many joys and also a challenging life of service. As most of you know, the Ashram is located in one of the most beautiful places in the world on 101 acres of pristine land with a creek running through it providing our delicious water supply. If you feel you can be of service to the Ashram, please call or email us for more information at 719-256-4108 orinfo@BabajiAshram.org. The following are some excerpts from people who have stayed at the Ashram for periods of time or who visit frequently.
My Ashram Experience by Dayna Larson |
| Posted by Ramloti (ramloti) on Feb 22 2010 |
Before arriving at the Ashram in Crestone, I had plenty of time to wonder what my stay would be like. I saw myself hungry, tired, and anxious to be back in Boulder. I had no idea what sleeping accommodations would be. I wondered if there would be beds, cots, or just bare floors. And did we need to bring our own food, or was it all provided? What if they only served one thing and it was the one thing I didn’t like to eat? Other students had told me about their retreats: constant meditating, little eating, and little sleeping. One fellow student tried to ease my mind about it by saying; “They’ll probably give you a juice box or something so you don’t get too cranky.” All the stories were about how hard it was, but not how rewarding. So these thoughts occupied my mind on the five-hour drive to Crestone.
We finally arrived. A little nervous but surprisingly excited. The mountains at Crestone, speckled with retreat cabins and incredible views, didn’t seem like the worst place to spend two weeks. Then we got to meet the staff and check out our accommodations. After settling into the routine of aarati, breakfast, karma yoga, lunch, break, karma yoga, aarati, and dinner/quiet time, I realized I was less on retreat and more returning home. Ramloti, with all of her love, compassion, strength, and probably a lot of patience, opened what is her life and home to three giggly Naropa Grad students, who were a little unsure of what was expected of them. I don’t know if I can properly or articulately convey what my full experience has been here. As previously mentioned, it just felt like coming home. While that is a great feeling to have, the question for me that will remain unanswered until I return to Boulder is: Did the home I found exist only in Crestone or in myself?
Last changed: Feb 22 2010 at 11:57 PM
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