Audarya: Day One

Fred and I have traveled to North Western California to spend ten days at Audarya Hindu monastery. Our time here will comprise of service, worship, prayer, reflection, and writing.

Audarya is the monastic community where Fred spent a year-and-a-half in direct service and learning with his guru, Swami B.V. Tripurari.

This is Fred’s first trip back to the monastery since leaving in 2006. He writes about his life as a monk what it’s like to return here.

Audarya is a working monastery; those who serve here run a dairy and large garden. Fred and I will keep their schedule, which includes early morning and evening worship. Time in between worship and meals is spent caring for cows, gardening, cooking, and cleaning.

Audarya Monastery Schedule

Worship at 5:00 a.m.

Breakfast at 8:15 a.m.

Lunch at 12:25 p.m.

Dinner at 5:35 p.m.

Worship and Class at 6:30 p.m.

Our friend, Nitai, a monk who has served here five years, tells us there “may be a movie night.”

I wonder what movies monks watch?

Like our Indian honeymoon, I anticipate that Audarya will be a unique interfaith experience. These ten days a part from the world will be time for me to recenter myself spiritually and dig in to Saffron Cross writing.