The Art and Science of Freedom Retreat

Dunnville, Ontario Canada/August 31-September 4 2017

Freedom is the capacity to be at home with yourself and not be the victim.

Early in September on the north shores of Lake Erie, the nights were crisp and the winds blowing. The divine mother was gently coaxing the summer heat and humid afternoons to let go of their burning grasp. Autumn will prevail with dancing, colorful leaves and an endless carpet of fields draped in brown, orange, and gold.

Anand Mehrotra chose this simple, humble farmstead that shared the hopes, dreams of an Irish immigrant family in the 1800’s to draw together the souls and unified consciousness of yoga enthusiasts from the United States and Canada. The retreat center was named Bliss Haven by a lovely Pakistani/Indian couple who felt called to be there.

Anand was recognized as a spiritual teacher at a young age. He built an ashram on the Ganges River at the meeting point of mountain and plane and has dedicated his life to helping others integrate unity consciousness with daily life through yoga. He recognizes that yoga and life are not separate realities, but expressions of one unified consciousness — and shows us the way to light up our entire life as an expression of yoga. He is deeply rooted in the ancient knowledge of yoga but quite non-traditional with his approach, which is simple and accessible yet profoundly transformative.

I was honored to attend this five-day, life-changing retreat. The words from our daily wisdom circle fill my head, my heart, and my deepest emotions. The breath work freed me, the kriyas strengthened me, and the words help to heal me.

An inner voice is urging me to share the insights from Dunnville, a small, unassuming town. Please enjoy these learnings from Anand Mehrotra, a necessary teacher of inner peace, self-transformation, and freedom. The intention has been sent to the Universe—may we all find peace, transformation, and freedom.

Please enjoy these wonderful learnings from the retreat. My hope is that you too can experience a bit of this journey towards freedom.

• Life does not happen to us; we are life.


• Be alert to withdrawing, and you will be able to find joy and peace in yourself.


• When there is freedom from all that is seen, the self is no longer world dominated.


• Learn to rest in yourself during the gaps.


• Bliss consciousness is resting in yourself and finding peace.


• The driving force of bad behavior is believing, “I’m not good enough”.


• Your mind is programmed to look for bliss.


• There is no experience outside of you; it is all in your consciousness.


• A person is only agitated because they are not at peace.


• Come home to yourself and find peace.


• Pay attention from where the world is arising in you.


• There is fear because there is a confusion of who you think you are.


• When the mind goes looking for the future, there is no information, so it is afraid.


• Find your own truth. Everyone listens from his or her own state of consciousness.


• The only way out is in.


• If you are living in the swamps, there will be crocodiles.


• Find the flow state where you are happy doing what you are doing.


• You have to win your own respect.


• The Universe gives everyone permission to suffer—but life goes on and life is taking you with her.


• Life will replace you. There is no question about it.


• If we know that it exists, we don’t need to believe in it.


• Pain is an experience of being human.


• When you explore pain, it will open you up and you will find compassion.


• Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.


• Pain has to make you a better person. Suffering is looking for someone to blame.


• Pity and sympathy are ignorant and codependent movement.


• Life is not against celebration; life is a pro joy.


• Self-trust is self-knowledge.


• Most people have a chronic state of dissatisfaction; something is always wrong.


• Adaptability: We are invincible; we adapt to life.


• Figuring out if you can trust someone is a waste of your time.


• We cannot find clarity by thinking about it. Otherwise, it’s like trying to lose weight by eating cake.


• True knowledge includes the state of unknowing.


• The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.


• Lean into the unknown.


• Be in the moment. What happens to you is in this moment.


• Silence finds nature’s purpose through you.


• Directionality calms us down.


• Accept—Adapt—Accommodate


• People who are stressed make a big noise.


• Ungratefulness is a desire for something else. Gratefulness is a state of abundance in you.


• Life is not the problem; it is the way.


• You will have toxic ideas until you realize that this is life, just life.


• Awe is the Divine Mother organizing everything.


• If something happens outside of your expectation, you will learn from the illusion.


• We are socially programmed to judge.


• We are to BE successful, not BECOME successful.


• 99% of the time what we need to let go of is toxic.


• Clarity is not judgment.


• Honor people where they are at.


• Always come to compassion; move away from pity and sympathy.


• Loving-kindness can only be practiced when you are out of your head.


• Staying in your intellect will not make you grow.


• Comfort is your history; expand your living zone.


• Enlighten yourself and don’t project unlived desires on your children.


• In order to keep energy for becoming aggression, children need to experience positive risk taking.


• Every relationship needs space or it becomes toxic.


• Every soul has its own karmic cycle (journey).


• Give kids permission to have their own karmic experiences.


• There is nothing personal about life; each soul is living its journey.


• Give yourself permission to do something stupid every day.

Shanti Shanti Shanti Hare Om Tat Sat

Namaste, Ruth Rorig

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