SRF Encinitas Women’s Retreat Review

My Weekend With God by China Brooks (SRF Encinitas Meditation Grounds) photo by Lydia Sea

Robert Arnett (author of India Unveiled) said that of all the holy sites he has visited, none had the high vibration of the Encinitas Hermitage and Retreat. I have experienced three places that have a high vibration of God:

1. Tibet (especially at the Dali Lama’s Summer Palace)
   

   China Brooks at the Dali Lama's Summer Palace in Tibet

    

2. Maina, Cook Islands (on a day when I was the only one on the entire island)
   

   China Brooks on Maina, Cook Islands (photo by ChinaMae)

    

3. Self Realization Fellowship Encinitas Retreat

The Rooms

I am amazed at how thoughtful the SRF Encinitas Retreat is. There is nothing they haven’t thought of, no comfort left unprepared. It is said that in India (where the SRF gurus came from) that the guest is God. People will even give up their only bed and sleep on the floor so a guest can be comfortable. Guests are not allowed to do dishes or lift a finger to help with anything. While visiting Indian homes, one must be careful not to verbally admire furniture and trinkets. Indian homeowners will often give the object of desire to the guest as a gift. This is commonplace, regardless of how much money and material wealth a household does or does not have. This sense of hospitality, “the guest is God,” is obvious at the Encinitas retreat.

Each person has his or her own room with a separate key. Bathrooms are shared between 2 people (2 rooms share 1 bathroom). But even that feels quite private. In the bathroom there are plenty of towels and mini soap, like a hotel. In the room, everything has been thought of. Each room has a heater. There’s a closet with hangers and lots of shelves. There is a fan (for summertime) and a nice shawl that can be used for meditations (or whenever). There are plenty of blankets. There are more comfortable blankets in the SRF retreat room closet than I have in my apartment at home.

Each room has a collection of SRF books and writings to read. There is a CD player with headphones. There is a library on the grounds full of inspirational talks/lessons on CD as well as a lot of books. At night I wanted another pillow so I could sit up and read. Of course, I immediately found an extra pillow in the closet. There is a desk in the room, complete with an informational binder and a generous amount of paper (with pen).

I wanted for absolutely nothing there. That place is as comfortable, if not more so (because of the calm, peaceful, God vibration), than my own home. Friday night (the first night of the retreat) was the most tranquil sleep I’ve had in a while. I needed less sleep than in my home in LA. I was refreshed by about 4:30am. The morning gong rang at 6:30am, giving us an hour before energization exercises at 7:30am. In that hour I meditated, showered, and did my 5 Tibetans. I was pleased to see how productive an hour can be when God is leading the way. Oh what I could do with my life if every hour was utilized in that way. In God, all things are possible.

The Food

The food was fantastic. It felt to me that the opening and closing meals were prepared just for me, by God herself. The opening meal was salad, vegetable quiche, and a wonderful, light, butternut squash soup, served with mint tea. I had a good internal laugh because I love mint tea, lettuce, quiche, and a hearty soup! Seriously, those are some of my favorite things to eat. The closing retreat meal was just as satisfying. We had potato curry with rice, salad (with beet and spinach), and a delicious desert called paesh. Yum! I heart potato curry so much and beet and spinach are among my favorites as well!

Breakfast was equally delicious; fruit, crushed almonds, and this creamy, fluffy ricotta cheese topping that acted like whipped cream, only healthier. That was served with alfalfa-mint tea and homemade bran muffins. I think those bran muffins (which I am not usually a fan of) were the best I have ever tasted in my 35 years of life as China Brooks. Everything is home made in the kitchen, vegetarian, and healthy. I found myself eating much less than I had been at home. At home I had begun to overeat for emotional reasons. But at the retreat, there was no need for that. The vibration is so high and I had everything I need in God. Plus, I knew that the next meal would be healthy and yummy so there was no need to gorge myself. I felt light and wonderful. I want to feel like that every day of my life. SRF has yet to put together a cookbook, but they did address that question in the informational binder.

It was a relief to sit in silence and just eat. At home multitasking while eating had unfortunately become normal. During the retreat meals I was able to stop and take in the fact that God always puts the best food in front of me. Whether I’m eating “healthy” or “not” I have always eaten well. It was a relief to soak up the gratitude for that one thing. Everything I needed in that moment was provided for (above and beyond).

Appreciating Contentment

It was a relief to be appreciative and content instead of wanting. Back at home in LA I had become one giant ball of want. If I had booked 1 commercial, I wanted 2. If I had booked 5, I wanted 6. I want a bike and a video camera and a trip to India and, and, and, blah, blah, blah…  It never ends.

My wants are for good causes and good intentions. I want a bike so I can drive less and respect the planet that has given me so much. I want the HD video camera so I can capture acts of God on film. I want to visit the ashrams of my gurus in India (and take my camera along, of course). The wanting is all fine and well, but I was using it as a distraction from appreciating and being present in the current moment.

I had been out of the entertainment industry for a year and on my first audition back I booked a national commercial. But did I stop to really appreciate that and take time to soak it in? No. I was immediately off wanting the next thing. How can God give me any more if I don’t truly appreciate what I have now?

There is a quote that talks about surrendering to God without wanting or asking for anything in return. That quote hit me hard. I partly wanted to surrender to God so that I could be given all the material treasures that I thought came with being a good little spiritual girl. [Read more...]