Santosa Summer Camp: Living in the Land of Yoga

Morning meetings were well attended

Simplicity, purity, sharing and devotion: Santosa Yoga Camp unfolded as a sattvic finale to the festival year. Living in the land of yoga in the beautiful vale of Avalon as summer concluded.

I had selected low key events this season; basing my choices on gate protocols.

No more wristbands, walkie-talkies or security guards. I needed to be greeted with a hug, by gentle people who knew my name. Hedgerows not fences: I needed to feel LOVE.

I had been offered a teaching ticket and decided to share an Inner Yoga; an introspective journey using mantra, mudra, pranayama and restorative poses enabling practitioners to experience and work with the subtle energy body.

Juice o'clock!

As the event approached, the weather was mixed, but I would be safe and dry in my caravan or a short sprint from home if things got heavy.

I had just landed back in town from New Holistic Camp and was keen to stay in the flow of camp life, living outside, simply, creating community in nature.

Most days I awoke at first light and was vivified by sunrise and birdsong. An obligingly unused yurt was an ideal space for asana self-practice.


Then I would bathe under a cool, clear spring in the adjacent field and join fellow devotees to sing bhajans - all before breakfast.

Being late August there was plenty of foraging to be done in the local lanes. I located elderberry, blackberry and some stunning wild mint.

I made a couple of visits to the nearby lido at Shepton Mallet, courtesy of a bicycle loan from a generous crew member (Fluorescent green pedals! Thanks George!). The simple sauna, constructed in a bender with a woodburning stove inside was a daily requirement. I really felt that I was purifying and cleansing on all levels of being.

Tanya and John were sorted for sprout

The law of attraction meant that I was serendipidously sited next to a trusted festival friend Annette. I made some great new connnections too.

The raw of attraction was in operation: my other neighbours were Ian and Aradhana of Positive Living Bath, we share mutual friends and a passion for living foods and juicing. They are both yoga practioners and really easy to be around.

Aradhana was holding raw treat workshops and was carrying some impressive technology, including a Swiss hand blender.  I persuaded them by demonstration to upgrade their Easy Health manual juicer to the mighty Z Star which I use in my caravan.

Across the field, were another raw couple who were living foods enthusiasts, so much so that their caravan annex was a de facto growing room with stacking shelves and a mini shop.

Tanya started chatting when she noticed my trays of sprouts (barley grass, baby sunflower greens and snow pea shoots). She explained that her partner John had converted to the living foods lifestyle in response to a serious health condition and had visited the Hippocrates Institute in Florida to educate himself and ultimately others.

They were friendly, passionate and committed and it was great to discuss the finer details of juicing and sprouting and we will stay in touch. John is growing some enticing sounding fruit at their home in Gloucestershire, such as goji berries and honey berries. With three acres of land they are living the dream!

Detail from the Bhakti space

I was thrilled to meet Lucy Crisfield and Alex Honeymann, both musicians, a divine couple whom I knew of by reputation. They travel widely and present their very different material together, it really works.

Alexander is a singer songwriter who presented personalised versions of classic bhajans as well as his own material, which really speaks of the healing and ascension of humanity at this time.

Lucy offers the classic form; she has studied Vedic chanting in India and texts from other spiritual traditions. She gave a truly commanding rendition of Sri Rudraprasana, invoking Lord Shiva by reciting his many names.

Bhajelo ji hanumann!

Bharati and Dinesh are another divine couple, experienced, mature and compassionate musicians who for me epitomise the spirit bhakti, the yoga of devotion.

They were tireless! Evening kirtan followed on from afternoon devotional chanting and they showed up for morning bhajans too.

I would gladly attend any future event they are part of as I truly respect their work and am inspired by their attitude and pure presence.

In an auspicious moment, Bharati and Dinesh  initiated me in chanting the Hanuman Chalisa: a beautiful prayer to the monkey faced deity. Accompanied by the vibrating tones of the harmonium, we read from tiny books from Indian written in Sanskrit and transliterated into English.

Joined by yoga empress and all round goddess Uma Dinsmore-Tully who birthed the Santosa Camps, I knew myself to be profoundly blessed and was grateful to be receiving in this way.

Boys will be boys

Other magic moments included sharing lentil soup in the pouring rain around a camp fire, courtesy of the beautiful, vibrant Sultan.

Witnessing a spear chucking contest, a small tribe of boys armed, rewilded and empowered thanks to Ben, who was putting an end to his children being teased for attending yoga camp This year they're going home with weapons, he declared firmly. 




Join us in 2012! www.sitaram.org/sitaram/santosa-yoga-camp

Aradhana, Ian and friends www.positivelivingbath.co.uk

Bhakti bliss assured www.bharatidinesh.co.uk

Great inspiration www.lucycrisfield.com