Ramanasramam - shakti experience in Old Hall

The highlight for me, not unexpectedly, of the trip, was the visit to Ramana Maharshi's ashram in Tiruvannamalai, Sri Ramanasramam, located at the foot of the mountain sacred to the Hindus, Arunachala, which is treated as a direct manifestation of Siva. We stayed at a nice hotel a short distance from Ramanasramam with a great view of Arunachala, as you can see above. This segment of the trip was the culmination of the 10 day "extension" which focused on meditation.

Ramanasramam was built/arose, organically, when Ramana's mother died and following her burial at the base of Arunachala, the ashram, then located at Skandashram cave, moved down the hill about a mile to the area around her samadhi, or burial site.

The ashram is flourishing and is a "must" stop for most "yogis" and pilgrims in south India. The saying is that "everyone will pass through Ramanasramam". The crowd there is very eclectic, and arguably the most "Western" of any "spiritual" place in the interior of India that i have visited; many Europeans, Australians, Americans, non-Indian Asians, etc. along with many Indians.The entrance to the ashram leads to a large bodhi tree, an important marker and focal point. Here are pics of the sadhus who are fed lunch there every day and of Russill Paul (my chanting teacher and the tour leader) and i.

When we arrived at Ramanasramam for an evening visit, the group dispersed to any of several "important" places. The Old Hall, which is where Ramana lived, sat in silence, answered questions, and slept for most of 30 years, is a big favorite and one of the most spiritually charged of the sites for most folk. i went there first and sat in front of Ramana's couch on which is placed a large picture of Ramana reclining. The room has been maintained much as it was 80 years ago, with the same ticking clock, the same interior, the same furniture, etc. Seating is on the stone floor - there are some cushions along the wall. It is usually fairly crowded in the evenings and this was no exception.

As i sat there, the beautiful Vedic chanting began with an exceptionally talented single male voice in the adjacent Samadhi hall, where Ramana is buried. The chanting was strongly present in the Old Hall through the open window into the Samadhi hall. The main building housing the Samadhi hall is shown in the background of the picture of Jim Owen (my traveling friend from the Hamptons) and i. The Old Hall is immediately behind it.

As the minutes passed into an hour, there was little change, just the deep, ever present stillness. The Old Hall was crowded, with much coming and going and bowing of pilgrims, meditators, tourists, etc. - still just stillness, deep stillness.

Then, suddenly an enormously powerful energy arose in consciousness. In the past, i had felt nothing different from my typical deep presence and stillness, but this was much different. It was emanating from the direction of the couch where Ramana reclined and sat for all of those years. Deep, powerful, the energy came with the strong feeling of "yes, yes..." with the sense of deep love and acceptance. It lasted for some time, i have no idea how long; then all fell back into the great silence.

Later, one of our group, who had sat down next to me, remarked that she had no sense of anyone being there in the space i occupied - just emptiness.  her subsequent FaceBook entry was "Gary Weber, I will never forget meditating sitting next to you in this meditation hall when 'you' exited your body and parts of mine ceased to exist!"