SAMADHI HERMITAGE
Meditation Retreat Center
AND
Meditation Cave
Madrid, New Mexico - USA

Tapasyalaya [Sanskrit] means "place of retreat for yoga and meditation". In its strict sense, the root "tapasya" refers to deep meditation and various austerities used by yogis for self-purification to acheive enlightenment and liberation. A solitary place is usually sought out for such an undisturbed meditation retreat.

The Samadhi Hermitage Retreat Center, and the Samadhi Meditation Cave, are located in mountainous foothills of New Mexico, to provide opportunity for a meditation retreat in the style of tapasya...not austere, but as a place of retreat for superb stillness, solitude, yoga, meditation and refreshment of one's life...with undisturbed continuity ... just like a monk, Sadhu, Himalayan yogi, etc.

The deserts of northern New Mexico are high-elevation, within and surrounded by mountains,
thus providing a superb climate (moderate in all seasons), clean air, stillness, beauty, and
an incredible sense of personal expansion due to the expansive vistas.
One truly expands as far as they can see...literally and figuratively.

When one is in a Meditation Cave they are within the womb of Mother Earth;
when one exits the cave for whatever reason, there can be an wonderful sensation of newness,
of "being a visitor" to the external world, and of temporariness to our precious presence on this planet earth.
Dwelling in our inner self, as one does in the cave, becomes a very viable sensation when we step out of the cave.

A meditative and spiritual retreat in New Mexico can be a life-affecting departure from the norms of one's material and physical world.
The Samadhi Hermitage Retreat Center, is like an oasis amongst the greater oasis of New Mexico;
and certainly a nice taste of India and the spiritual gifts India has provided and dwelled in for centuries.
Photos of various saints are found throughout the Hermitage...gazing in their eyes is a meditation in itself.

Arunachala Cave

In addition to the Samadhi Meditation Cave, we are now building a 2nd Meditation Cave ... Arunachala Cave.
Both are constructed from stones collected on local hillsides, from the canyon behind us,
and from the hole we dug in order to build the caves.
We expect the Arunachala Cave (click to see some stunning photos) to be completed by fall or winter of 2011.

Ananda and the Samadhi Hermitage are now building a small ashram in India, in the village of Ellora, a place of Ancient Spiritual Caves (and World Heritage Monument) carved into a volcanic hillside near to Aurangabad (Maharashtra).

The Ashram has two parts. The Advaita Ananda Samadhi Ashram is the ashram home of the Tambe family, whom we have supported since 2002. The idea is not only a home for them (which we built), but also a place where non-Indian visitors can have an "Indian Family experience". It is only a 5 minute walk from our "Family Ashram" home to the Hermitage; and another 5-10 minute walk to the famous Ellora Caves.  Advaita Ananda means "bliss through oneness".  Sarubai is a single mom with three wonderful children living together quite nicely as a loving team, definitely benefiting from the western visitors experiences.

The Samadhi Hermitage - India is the residence quarters and ashram for Ananda in India. With a small yoga/satsang hall upstairs, three guest rooms downstairs, and some nice garden spaces for bananas, grapes, veges, and a stoneblock meditation cave, the ashram is well-suited for meditation-oriented visitors. We are building internal walls, and the meditation cave in the garden, from local volcanic stones and old carved blocks, to give a real ancient cave/temple-like sensation (that's the cave building crew, and cave wall, in the photo). The ashram overlooks Ellora's very small "Ganga" River, and is in a nice quiet, private part of the Ellora village.

telephone: (505-473-3560)

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