Monthly Journal, November edition 2024
Gradually the signs of nightly visitors from El Tribu de Jabalí are fading from the garden. More recent attempts of entering ´their garden of delicacies´ are visible on the other side of the newly installed fence but by the look of it the boars have finally given up. Good news for Andree who has with renewed verve started to plant fresh crops. Everywhere future moments of delightful cuisine are emerging which gives a spring feeling to the garden. Citrus fruits are abundantly growing and ready to be enjoyed, the figs are on their return but the pomegranates still bring their fresh and rich taste to our daily diet. And the sweet smell of blossoms with the cosy humming of wild bees announce a new supply of medlars (nísperos).
Gentle Rainfall
Abundant rainfall spread itself out over the last few weeks. Fresh and revitalised growth is showing all around, now that the soil has been nurtured thoroughly. The weather has changed completely, almost overnight, during the first part of the month and autumn is now, indeed, in full reign. Although the rainfall can be harsh here, like in the beginning of the month, we received a lot of water falling from the sky and gently spread over several days. We hear that in other places in Andalusia and Catalonia it is shown once again that when nature roars human life can be very fragile. We have received many concerned messages asking us how we are doing and we are grateful to say that no calamities happened here. On the contrary, the Garden of Nâm flourished in many ways.
Nâm Silence Retreat for men
With four retreats in October we had a full house during most part of the month. Firstly: the tradition of a yearly Nâm Retreat of Silence for Men has revived and for the first time all monastic Attunements were held in our meditation room in stead of the adjacent Hermitage. Some men applied active meditation during the week by working silently on the pathways in the garden. It not only intensified the deep silence in the garden but also enriched its atmosphere. Although not participating in the retreat meditations, the supporting staff was drawn in a parallel retreat experience. Next years men’s retreat is already in the agenda. Note the date: 19th - 25th of October 2025.
Yoga and a shamanic retreat
After a very nice Patanjali Yoga event we were able to host a Shamanic Retreat with Anna Montis, native Shaman from Sardinia. Anna inherited the Shamanic gift from her grandfather. “Shamanism”, she says, “is a primordial psychology that is capable of reaching the deepest state of our soul. It is intended to manage the irrational part in ourselves.” In fact shamanism is a non-term. She prefers to call it causal investigation: a way to explore and manage soul communication; communication through feeling.” Through shamanic travelling, storytelling and other techniques Anna enables exploration of the way the transcendental and daily living are intertwined. For all participants the shamanic retreat was truly a healing event. Next spring Anna will return for another basic (18th - 22nd of May) and an advanced event (22nd - 26th of May). More information will be coming soon, please check: www.shamannam.com.
And another retreat for men
After a week of Silent Attunement, a weekend of Yoga practise and 5 days of shamanic healing and travelling we concluded the month with another Men’s Retreat. In this case, however, is was certainly not a silent one. Under the guidance of Alexander Gustav - who is also known as the Peacesinger - the men started every day with Energetic Body Alignment exercises, followed by Asha meditation instructions. The men liked to work in the Garden and their experience was complemented with trips to Cabo de Gata and - last but not least - highlighted with a few beautiful chant sessions. After a week the men went home again, content, empowered and recharged. Next chance to to join a week like this with Alexander; 17th - the 23rd of March. For more info and subscription, please check: www.thepeacesinger.com.
Celebration of diversity
With all these different ways of relating and listening to life one can easily sense the different intensities and benefits and nuances of each tradition. We see a growing number of Spanish guests coming and although “nosotros todavía estamos aprendiendo español” the contact is warm and the communication more than good enough to support their stay and the events. It shows once again that not only Mind, but also Body, Soul and Spirit are involved. Carried by the environment and the service of the staff each guest experiences his or her own authentic journey. We are fortunate to meet so many open and kind people and to witness the increase of well-being that accompanies their stay. We also learn a lot what is not a strange thing in a place that embraces people from all walks of life and all different backgrounds and cultures. Anna, for instance, showed us how to eat cactus fruit and she made smudge sticks from the abundant herbs that grow in the garden. “Not just smudge” as Anna sees it but “magic fragrance from the Garden of Nâm, the new Garden of Eden”. And indeed, the cleansing sticks smell heavenly and they work very well!
Ways to improve the path
Active meditation is an essential part of living in the Garden of Nâm. This bears fruit for the guests as well as the garden. This mid autumn the paths in the middle and lower part of the garden have been improved a lot. Like in the upper part, the paths have been strengthened and elevated so that when rain falls and during irrigation the paths don’t turn into small streams but stay free from the water, while the land gets nurtured. Furthermore, due to a donation by Yoginâm the Pavilion has been surrounded with slate paving, which has a magnificent effect on the shapes and forms of that part of the garden.
In the same flow also the Triad has been completed. Yoginâm designed a path that leads up to the Triad in an appropriate manner. It gives a very beautiful dimension to the position of the Triad in the garden. Pictures can hardly grasp it. We invite you to come and see!
Olive harvest
In between all these lively developments we had to pick our olives earlier then expected. They grew heavy and started falling of the trees. The harvest this year was just about enough to have yet again our own virgen extra pressing of our own. Once every few years some trees collectively take a rest and apparently this was the year. No wonder after the abundant last years harvest! It was really pleasant to pick the olives together and feel the energy of the trees. It seemed like they were relieved being freed of their heavy load. We are happy to taste the golden nectar of the garden once again. The taste this year is less spicy but smoother and richer in aroma. We also prepared olives for consumption but we will have to wait a bit more before we can taste them.
A long stay resident in the garden of Nâm
Yes, we have a new long stay resident living in Room 9. Luísa, who we already know for a long time, arrived the 30th of November with a beautiful small white chihuahua. They are now immersed in a silence retreat organised by Carin, a regular guest; the last Nâm Silence Retreat this year. What a start! Luísa, welcome! More regular guests that are exploring a way to plunge into living Nâm in Níjar and to contribute to this place. One of them, also an old friend, is now buying an adjacent ruin with the plan to renovate it poco a poco and step by step. Another dedicated path-builder is searching for ways to make a living so that his jump will be supported by the safe guard of practical wisdom. We will tell you more about these developments in one of the coming journals!
Visitors, daily life and transcendence
Many friends and family members have come last month to see how we are doing. Some of them joined the life in the Garden for a while, others came and made a day trip to taste the atmosphere and to spend some time with their loved ones. It was and still is very nice to see them and when they return home, a warm memory of their stay lingers on.
It is an amazing sight to see all the different movements, people, intentions, activities and experiences amalgamate into the flow that we call living. A living that shares in transcendence and at the same time takes place nowhere else than in the practise of daily life; where everything is continuously happening in the duration of now. In order to manage this living optimally, we draw inspiration from the life and works of Yoginâm who is supporting the creation of a place where the natural state of being gets a chance of being restored. The healing resonance of the Garden of Nâm emerges in silence. One of our guests formulated it quite well: “The most important things are communicated and received in Silence”. For optimal living all that is needed, Yoginâm writes, is an open attitude infused with Awe, Wonder and Gratefulness.
