ITHACA FORESTS
Retreat Center, Mussoorie, India
ARANYAKA UPANISHAD AND ITS VISION
‘Aranyaka Upanishad’ is a forest retreat center set in the himalayan foothills outside of Mussoorie in Uttarkhand, India. The defining vision of this unique wilderness is of an ‘Ithaca’ or a place where one could have the possibility of coming home – home to soul, to the beauty of purest nature, and to body, spirit, and mind.
As ‘Odysseus’ of Homeric myth could return back home to ‘Ithaca after a lifetime of wandering the seas, so we believe a person returns home to the natural world which is our source and soul . By venturing into a pristine forest setting such as ‘Aranyaka Upanishad’, therefore, a traveller can feel deeply restored, relaxed, replenished, and emerge centered in a ‘self’ that is part of a greater web of life.
YOGA AND FORESTS
Like the traditional goals of ‘yoga’ and meditation, we believe at Ithaca that a personal reconnection – however brief and intermittent- with nature and wilderness forests, offers a chance to reunite with ones’ own deeper being without much deliberation or effort. It is a reconnection that can often occur spontaneously, silently, and unexpectedly, just from being in a forest setting.
This can bring a quiet kind of healing and relaxation to body, mind, and soul on both conscious and subconscious levels. Such openings and expansions – when they occur – can also affect the deeper nervous and subtle systems and restore our natural capacity for deep living and joyfulness. It seems that the ‘rishis’ of the Vedas were well aware of such effects on the human psyche.
DECOLONIZATION FROM CITIES
For most of us, growing up in densely populated and crowded cities around the world, access to pristine forests and wide-open mountain spaces may seem more of a dream or fantasy than a present reality. Pressed by the demands and urgencies of modern life, we have gradually, without even knowing, become alienated from our own deeper roots in the beauty of nature and the magnificent web of life that truly sustains us at the core.
Painful as such fragmentation may be – with all its familiar symptoms of depression, anxiety, disease, aimlessness, ennui, and sadness – it cannot, however, be absolute for one could no more separate from the profoundly woven web of life and nature than from ones’ own essential being. It is a question of recognizing inner longings and genuine needs and of responding to them . Healing then can occur naturally and easily- like water finding its own level.
It is such a reconnection and recognition of the deeper significance of forests and wilderness for our urban post-modern world and now corona-virus ridden world that has inspired ‘Aranyaka Upanishad’ as a forest retreat center. We have created this special place in the lower Himalayas as a way of inviting guests to visit here and enjoy the open space, privacy, peace and beauty of untouched forests. The forest center – also a place of ‘deep ecology’- is set in fifty acres of prime forest outside of Mussoorie in Uttarkhand.
ITHACA FORESTS AS HOME
I have made these forests my home and i am opening to the wider world. After some repairs and renovations, there is now a retreat center for friends. It is set in a gentle valley surrounded by dense forests on all sides. This encirclement, a deep emerald-green waterfall of trees, as it were, creates a distinct atmosphere so the visitor is always and everywhere looking directly at the dramatic presence of the forest in the hills. Watching the sunlight reflecting on this forest-wall while relaxing in an armchair on a wide-angle balcony can be a profound experience in itself. For many of our friends and visitors, meditation happens spontaneously and by itself.
The facilities at Ithaca Forests reflect our philosophy for personal and optimal connection to the forests. There are 10 cottages built here and each is set as a private domain for quiet and reflection. It is open to the forest and yet comfortable in every way. Cottages are self-sufficient and ‘warm zones’ for cozy occupation. There is a flow between inside and outside without artificial settings.
TRAILS:
Surrounding the valley and guest-houses, are a network of mountain trails that lead up and into the forests. One can climb to the top of the hills – an average hike is about an hour and a half each way- and look upon the stunning mountain ranges from the ‘Pari Tibba’ peaks. Camping facilities are available for those who might wish to camp overnight or for longer intervals. Guides are also available for trekking purposes. One takes time to feel the presence of the forest and to observe the flora and fauna all around – the forest-floor, for example, or the bark of an older tree… The forest speaks in many ways and one has but to listen and be aware – to relax the senses and mind so nature can enter in.
In the evenings, we offer the warmth of a wood-burning stove and a gathering place for visitors who may wish to meet and to exchange their experiences. There are often some rather interesting stories to share and questions to ask. There is a library filled with books on the himalayan forests, ecology, spirituality, and local folklore. Our local staff can also offer a wealth of views on related subjects.
Exact Location and Details:
‘Aranyaka Upanishad’ is set seven kilometers outside of the main town of Mussoorie in Uttarkhand. It adjoins the well-known ‘Woodstock School’ and access is from Woodstock parking lot. The closest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradun, the capital of Uttarkhand, and the drive up to Mussoorie is about 60 kilometers. We offer a taxi-service with a chauffeur who can pick up and drop off guests with ease.Staff members also provide Ayurvedic massages with oils and potions from local herbs and flowers in the gardens of ‘Aranyaka Upanishad’. There is a temple for meditation and prayers and a swimming pool with stunning panoramic views to the forest.
YOGA AND MEDITATION FACILITIES
Ithaca forests retreat cottages are built around a spiritual nerve center – a yoga hall – that overlooks the green valley of forests on all sides. It is where we hold classes and offer ‘meditation’ practices.
