Preparing Thankgiving dinner

Thy right is to work only, but never to its fruits; let not the fruits of actions be thy motive, nor let thy attachment be to inaction.
Bhagavad Gita, 2:47

More than a dozen guests joined the Ashram community to harvest fruit and vegetables, as well as celebrate the Gita, on Thanksgiving weekend. Gratitude and abundance were present in all the karma yoga, as everyone contributed to picking apples in the orchard, harvesting squash, and continuing work on the Goloka project.

Charles gives tour of Goloka - transforming the old barn into new accommodation space.

“I feel so aware of the generosity of nature,” said Bente Larsen, who came from Calgary for the celebration. “It’s nice to work in the sun and fresh air. This is the fourth year I’ve come to the Ashram for Harvest Weekend and it’s always great to be here.”

The weekend was also a time for completion and preparation. Seeds were sown in the lower pasture, which had been dug up for the installation of the geothermal system in Goloka. Charles Green lead guests on a tour of Goloka, which will soon have windows installed so that the interior work can carry on throughout the winter. After walking us all through the layout of the building, Charles said “There are many ways to contribute to this project. People with carpentry experience would be helpful but you can also help with a donation. The quality we are putting into this project has a cost. But we’ll all benefit.”

For information on ways to donate, click and download the pledge form or contact Swami Sivananda at swamisiva@netidea.com

Expressing gratitude in the garden with the Divine Light Invocation

On Sunday afternoon, the whole community gathered in the garden for the Divine Light Invocation to say thank you to the garden for producing food for us all to enjoy. Celebrations concluded with a turkey dinner and satsang with Swami Radhananda on Sunday evening where everybody expressed something they are grateful for.


“I feel physically and emotionally nourished,” said Nancy Derhak, who did the 2005 YDC and returned for the weekend to connect with the teachings and the community. “Coming back to the Ashram feels like coming home.”

by Roseanne Harvey