OIDA-veda tour manual
OIDA veda tour is a marriage of the two projects of Srila Gurudeva, Inbound tours and OIDA therapy. The OIDA project helps the inbound tour to become less touristic and more an educational pilgrimage in India as well as in the world of faith. The universal vocabulary of OIDA allows us to present the Vedic culture in an non sectarian way and the travelling pilgrimage itself makes people more open minded for new impressions.
The difference from the general inbound tours is that there is less travelling to get more time for seminar education. We try to fit in approximately a seminar a day. One has also to adjust the tour program according to group, depending on their level of broadmindedness
Advertising OIDA veda tour should be something like a spiritual educational journey, learning about the philosophy and faith of the most ancient culture on earth. Try to prepare the people in such a way that their mind is turned on learning by saying to bring pen and notebook, mp3 recorder for the seminars etc.
The best is also to include the OIDA book in the package price for the trip so you can use it and refer to it throughout the journey
Here follows a report from the first OIDA tour we had in Vrindavan and Rishikesh autumn 2009.
(for organizing taxis, traintickets, hotels, restaurants etc please see the inbound tour manual)
Day 1
We had a very nice but small group of 5 persons and 4 of them vegetarians. When we came from Bulgaria and arrived to Delhi airport we took taxi to Vrindavan and arrived early morning. First day is often a time for the initial “India shock” so we took it calmly until after lunch. After seeing the Vrindakunja Garden we took them in to see the Deities, sat down in
Presentation of Vrindakunja and Vrindavan, the land of faith.
-Vrindavan, the birthplace of Krishna, the supreme that came 5000 years ago.
-Rajas attraction to the holy dham and their construction of thousands of temples in the area and how they escaped the royal life to come here in vrindavan to live the simple life of saints.
-Land of faith and a presentation about OIDA concept
-Temple constructions not slavery but labour of love.
After the presentation we went for shopping in loybazar and on our way back we came just in time for Brahma Kunda arati at 19.00
Day 2
Morning lecture with Muni Maharaj. After breakfast we went to Keshi Ghat by foot and took a boat downstreams the Yamuna along the Ghat where they burn the bodies of the dead. Then we went back upstreams all the way to Imlitala, short visit there and then we went to Yamuna Kunja for our seminar
Reincarnation and Karma seminar: (Chart diagram 26, 27, 28, 29)
-OIDA charts from the OIDA book of Gurudeva
-eternal soul and temporary body
-convey how the understanding of karma and reincarnation is permeating the vedic culture
- gather some quotes from Bhagavad Gita
After seminar we went back to Vrindakunja for prashadam and 17.00 we went to Sadhu Maharaj. He gave us a heartfelt welcome with pakoras, icecream, sweet words of wisdom and some in the group asked questions. (it’s nice to prepare the people that they can bring some questions)
Day 3
After early breakfast we went with taxi to meet up with Lalita Madhava in Radha kunda. HE had arranged wonderful new program. First we went to a huge old Banyan tree which have expanded like a small forrest and from there we went on a small walk to a Babaji in a forest grove. Immediately when we entered he received us with great humility and arranged for sitting, gave water and sugar candy. Amazing devotee and you could see footprints of all the animals of the forest were living with him there.
Then he took us to meet with an Indian farmer family in a village. They cooked chapatti for us with wheat they had organically grown themselves. , from there was close to an ancient temple of nandimuki and after we went for lunch that Lalita Madhavas wife had cooked.
He also took us to see Govardhan, Kusumsarovar and his newly opened Goshala. Here they can give a donation to the cows if they like.
Day 4
This day after breakfast we invited Gopi Priya dd to give a seminar about devotional dancing. This was a very nice presentation
Devotional dancing seminar
(If she is not there to give the seminar you can get inspiration from Gurudevas vedic wisdom about devotional dancing)
-prayer dance
-natural expression of joy
-dance as offering for the lord
-movements expresses the internal emotion of the soul
-no ego dance but offerings from the heart
-feelings of ecstasy
-instrument of divine love
-Offering thanks to Sri Krishna
-exists in all traditions in the world
After the seminar we went for a dance presentation at the odissi school of dancing. Gopi priyas teacher is there and presents it very nicely with dancing and showing different movements.
Later we went to the Sandipani muni school which is a wonderful project for educating and sheltering street children of Vrindavan area. This visit brings tears to many as we see the amazing work of the disciple of Srila Prabhupada Rupa Raghunath Prabhu. Over thousand children comes here for education and eating and they are very very happy kids.
It is amazing to eat lunch with all of the children. It is very simple Kitchery and yoghurt but very genuine experience.
Day 5
Early morning we went to Liladhar Gupta. An Ayurvedic doctor who have a garden with homegrowing herbs on the way to taj mahal. He gave a short presentation about ayurveda and his garden and all the group made personal consultation.
Taj Mahal early morning.
I don’t use guide here but explain two stories myself. One is the official story and one is the TRUE strory. Taj Mahaj is actually an ancient Shiva temple which was occupied and redecorated with muslim dekor.
Read more about the details here: www.stephen-knapp.com
-All the architecture of Taj Mahal is obviously Vedic
-The marble of the new Koran scripts are slightly more light than the other more ancient yellowish marble.
-it is constructed according to Vastu Shastra
-The so called mosque on the compound is not turned to mecca
Day 6
This day we had together with Gurudeva. We listened to a wonderful morning lecture of Gurudeva about OIDA therapy and after the class he met them all personally and gave jappas and kanthi malas to them. Not like an initiation but like a blessing and gift from the Guru.
Later we had time for the last shopping before the evening boat tour with Gurudeva on the Yamuna river.
Day 7
Early morning we went with Taxi from Vrindavan to Rishikesh. We arrived late eveing because of traffic but you could go to the Arati ceremony 18.00 when passing thrue Haridvar.
We checked in at the Tapovan hotel. I sleep at a cheaper guesthouse just beside. “Krishna playing guest house”
Day 8
We had Breakfast at the german bakery with beautiful view of the Ganga and after we went to visit some close by temples and had a walk through the nature to the ganga beach. There we took bath and some went for shopping. After lunch we assembled at the beach for a Mantra Yoga seminar
Mantra Yoga seminar:
-Aum as seed mantra
-repetition helps contemplating eternity, nitya
-Divinity of the Sanskrit language
-Symantec visualization of mantras creates perfect geomentric structures
-The Japanese Emoto’s discovery of the influence of sounds on water
-the mantra as a prayer to God to become an instrument of His love
-Aum as the seed and the Maha Mantra as the fruit
Then we chanted together one round on the jappas we received from Gurudeva.
In the evening we went too see the evening arati to Ganga at Paramarth niketan Ashram close to the Ram jhula bridge
Day 9
Very early around 05.00 we took taxi 1 hour drive to the high mountain peek temple Kunja Puri dedicated to Durga devi. From here you can see the Himalayan snow peeks. We where unlucky though because the fog was clouding our view. The more early you go the more chance you have to see them.
When we came back from the mountains we had lunch and after some shopping. In the evening we gathered on the beach and lit a fire. We sat in a ring around the fire and we had the Yoga Maya Maha Maya seminar
Yoga Maya Maha Maya seminar: (chart diagram 4, 21, 22, 23)
-Centrifugal and centripetal forces as metaphor
-coming closer to God we come closer also to eachother and when we distance ourself from god we also distance ourselves from eachother.
-Meaning of yoga to connect to God.
-description of Mahamayas power and influence in the world and the solutions whith spiritual knowledge
and passed a tibetan bell around the ring. The one who received the bell rang softly before speaking something what was on her/his mind. If they did not know what to say they just passed on the bell to the next. This makes a very nice atmosphere and sharings. And when you receive the bell you can preach.
Day 10
Early morning after breakfast we went to the Vashishta Muni cave 1 hour drive from the hotel. The cave almost on the beach of the ganges and inside we chanted AUM together which creates an amazing sound. When we came out we had the Guru seminar
Guru seminar:
-teachers we need for everything
-ego protesting to bow down
-externaly it seems the disciple is serving the Guru but internally the Guru is serving the disciple
-Guru don’t have ambition to be Guru but continues the heritage of his spiritual master as a service
-parampara system
-Guru is one, God, but he speaks thrue many of his pure devotees. Transparent mediums of the word and will of God.
After the seminar we all took bath in the Ganga and saw how people were burning some relative on fire.
Then the taxi driver invited us to his house in the mountains. We had to walk for 30 min because up there was no roads. He had organic gardening there and he was singing for us on harmonium very beautifully.
Day 11
Free last day. We went back to delhi by train 00.30 to catch the flight back
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