The Ashram
What Is An Ashram?
What is the purpose of the ashram? What happens in an ashram?
Ashram means a place of spiritual effort. It means that the ashram has a spiritual reference (guiding principles) and a spiritual practice (a lifestyle that may include yoga, meditation, diet, and more).
To live in the ashram implies that you come to participate in and experience the practice, and to respect — if not learn from — the teachings that guide the community.
You may experience the ashram as a pressure cooker, a washing machine, an amplifier, a mirror, a training ground, and more.
Some people come for a short time, dipping their feet in the water — a retreat from busy, stressful city life. Others come to go through a personal process. Some come to deeply experience the teachings and community living, and a few may feel at home and settle for life.
You may encounter the following sequence: poke, provoke, confront, elevate.
You are invited to meet it and follow the responding sequence: obey, serve, love, excel.
Ask members of the community to share their understanding of these sequences.
Spiritual Effort Includes:
Detox: Clearing out old patterns—physical, emotional, and mental. Karma yoga: work is worship; work it out.
Responsibility: Taking responsibility for your own experience, rather than blaming your past or others. Learn to take hold of your emotional energy and redirect it into sadhana, seva, and simran.
Mindfulness: Practicing consciousness in action. Paying attention to the little details and caring for your immediate environment. Being aware and intentional in your communication and relationships with others.
Verticality: Keeping your feet on the earth—connecting with nature—while also relating to higher principles beyond the mind (the teachings).
Discipline: Recognizing that action counts. Developing good habits of personal care, communication, and thought.
These principles together guide you toward balance, clarity, and a deeper connection with yourself.
Donate to elevate!
If you would like to contribute and support the ashram’s daily activities and mission, please click the button for more information.
How to participate
Regular Activities at the Ashram
Association Ram Dass Guru promotes and supports trainings, classes, and events focused on self-development and well-being, continuing its mission of serving the community and contributing to a conscious path.
Aquarian Sadhana
Sadhana (spiritual practice) is held every morning at the Ashram Ram Dass Guru:
• Recitation of Japji Sahib (Song of the Soul)
• Kundalini Yoga
• Chanting of the Aquarian
• Sadhana Mantras
• Gurdwara Services
Every day 5:30–8:00 am
Donations are welcome – no registration needed
Kirtan
Devotional chanting in a meditative state
Every week, we chant a different shabad or mantra, celebrating life and allowing the internalization of the teachings.
Every day 6:30–7:00 pm
Donations are welcome – no registration needed
Gurdwara
Gurdwara means “Door to the Guru – a gate from darkness (Gu) to light (Ru).”
It is a sacred place of worship, welcoming individuals of all faiths, backgrounds, and traditions.
Every Saturday evening – 6:00 pm
Followed by Guru ka Langar (Guru’s free kitchen) at 7:00 pm.
Trainings & Workshops
As an ashram for Kundalini Yoga and Karam Kriya, we host several trainings and workshops throughout the year, led by different teachers and schools, mainly in partnership with Quinta do Rajo.
Red Tent
Exclusive meeting for girls and women where they can support each other, rest, and enjoy sisterhood.
Full Moon Evenings
7:30–9:30 pm
Donations welcome – no registration needed
Blue Hut
An exclusive gathering for men to share, support each other, and cultivate brotherhood.
First Monday of every month
8:00–10:00 pm
Donations welcome – no registration needed
Soltice & Equinox Celebrations
Join us for an afternoon of community, gratitude, and celebration
Enjoy ceremony, music, games, dance, and kirtan.
Schedules and prices will be announced on our social media platforms prior to the event.
Kundalini Yoga Classes
A dynamic blend of postures, pranayama, mantra, music, and meditation, these classes teach the art of relaxation, self-healing, and elevation. Balancing body and mind enables you to experience the clarity and beauty of your soul.
Monday – 7:30 pm with Hari Rai Singh
€11 per class (90 min.) | €33 per month
The Ashram Garden
The Rajo Forest is a living space where human presence and wild nature come together in quiet harmony. Far from the noise of civilisation, it shelters a rich and layered biodiversity, blending native vegetation with plants lovingly cultivated over many years. Its fauna includes mammals such as martens and squirrels, birds like robins and buzzards, reptiles and amphibians such as lizards and frogs, countless pollinating insects, and the unforgettable fireflies that light up spring and summer nights—among many more beings that are welcomed and honoured.
All of this life coexists with a toxin-free vegetable garden and a generous diversity of fruit trees, including plums, peaches, oranges, figs, and apples, alongside many more. The land also offers a wealth of aromatic and medicinal plants—rosemary, lavender, thyme, mint, and chamomile, among many others—that grow naturally within this cared-for ecosystem.
This ever-shifting paradise, moving between microcosm and macrocosm, is a place of great importance in today’s world. Nurturing spaces like this strengthens resilience in the face of future environmental challenges. Floresta do Rajo reconnects us with Pachamama, Mother Earth, with our roots and our true place in the dance of life, reminding us that we are both part of the whole and infinitely connected.
Around the Ashram
Location and Nearby Amenities
The ashram is located in the village of Santa Susana, with various amenities:
Bus stops to Sintra and Ericeira
Two small supermarkets offering an amazing selection of fresh and healthy products, plus an organic farmer with direct sales once per week
There are many magical places to visit just a short drive away, including Ericeira, Sintra, and Mafra. Since the ashram is also close to the coast, you can enjoy stunning beaches such as São Julião, Foz do Lizandro, and Praia do Sul.
Nature Walks
Besides the walks in the Ashram garden, several walking tours starting directly from the Ashram are available:
To the valley (downwards): various options between 30 minutes and 2.5 hours
To one of the most beautiful beaches in the area: one-way approximately 1–1.5 hours
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