Here at Anahata it’s not just people who evolve and grow! While Swami Satsangi has had to postpone her visit, preparations have been underway for months and this has been the catalyst for Anahata to improve and expand in order to host larger events. We’ve been expanding our accommodations, creating new garden spaces, and giving our hilltop sanctuary a general refresh.

Gardens
Last year Anahata created five new growing beds and a pumpkin patch. This spring we put the beds into full swing and we’ve just harvested our first sweet corn! Every day brings a new basketful of garden harvest delights: green beans, snow peas, cabbage, carrots, turnips, beetroot and more. Our creative kitchen staff have found 108 different ways to cook courgette! For a taste of ashram cooking, check out Akasha’s Luscious Lentils in the Yogic Diet section of the newsletter.

Our fruit trees are bursting with their first ever mature crop! After a good prune and mulch last season they have sprung back, blossoming with pears, apples, figs, and kiwi fruit.

As in all gardens, we have our fair share of little critters. We are blessed to have an abundant crop of tulsi basil but it has been recently inundated with aphids. After a few experiments, we had a tip to introduce pyrethrum spray (an all natural insect repellent) and the conversation turned to where pyrethrum originated. Sure enough after a quick hunt through the library, a phone call to mum and a scout of the property our Aphid repellent was found …feverfew! We’ve transplanted some into pots and so far results are looking positive.

Grounds
Not only have we been seeing growth and abundance in the garden, the grounds are also undergoing transformation.

It all began early last year with a bull dozer! After levelling out key event and tent sites and re-creating our car park, we were all feeling the inspiration of change – and the blisters of shovel handles. Using the dirt removed from the car park, we built a retaining wall to expand the outdoor space around our yoga and meditation building Atma Mandir. With the help of many karma yogis we shovelled, stamped, and watered our way to a level havan (fire ceremony) patch with views of the ocean below. We sealed the deal with a good old-fashioned mud fight as we laid the final pieces of turf.

The top embankment in front of the main house has also received a serious facelift. After the inauguration of the Om garden during Guru Poornima last year, it has continued to evolve with the installation of a Ganesha statue and a water feature which will be maintained and filtered by water lilies, natural plant filters, and a solar-powered water circulation system. The seat of enlightenment is now a perfect place to enjoy a cup of tea as the sun rises over the ocean.

Around the property, new garden plots are being created on an almost weekly basis, and approximately 200 native and firewood trees have been planted over the last six months.

Buildings and Construction
As we anticipate hosting larger events at Anahata, builders and karma yogis alike have been working hard.

We have increased our accommodations with two new huts which can sleep up to four people each. The older buildings are also being refreshed, with our yoga and meditation space Atma Mandir and our main house Surya getting pressure-washed and painted, and a re-decoration of the office space.

As each task is ticked of the list we look forward to being able to welcome more of the yoga communities of New Zealand and our wider Satyananda family.

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