Sunday, March 31, 2024
RE: Rajanaka Summer Camp 2024
Aho’ Rajanaka,
I hope this finds you well. This is the Rajanaka Summer Camp invitation.
A long time ago in a yoga world that seems pretty darn far from where we are now, a few folks invited themselves to our house for a weekend in July. The deal was I'd talk about something interesting and we’d figure out the rest. We moved furniture, squeezed into the living room, made food, and thought about inviting the condo-neighbors who were less than thrilled about the “event.” We thought the better of inviting the neighbors for lectures, but we did ask them to come to Curry Night. Next thing you know, it’s Rajanaka Summer Camp. It’s been more than 20 years since this all began.
Truth is, we’ve never lost the plot: Camp is still a low-key affair and it’s reallyreally fun, I try to (more or less) announce the topic, and somehow everything gets done. This is a family affair. Camp belongs to the community. Newbies are most welcome. I hope the information, dates, registration, tuition, etc. is clear but ask anything.
Here’s how it works. PLEASE READ.
WE provide the venue with bathrooms, water and tea and snacks, lunch every day, Curry Night, things start in the morning and end at about 5pm each day. Lunch is vegetarian but not vegan.
YOU provide your own transportation, accommodations, and any breakfast or dinner plans. We provide lunch on Friday, Sat, Sun, & Mon). We have helpful suggestions about travel and accommodations, but we can’t provide airport pick-ups or to-the-venue rides. (It’s expensive to Uber to Bristol from the airport.)
Camp is in and around our home in Bristol, New York (about an hour from Rochester.) The venue Bristol Valley Vineyards, our venue, is our very good neighbor, the Anselms. Bristol is near the proper town of Bloomfield (6mi north), Naples (6mi south), Victor (10mi north), and Canandaigua (10mi east). Rochester (about 1hour) is the nearest airport about 40miles north of the venue, Syracuse is closer (1.5hrs east) than Buffalo (under 2hrs). There is ample parking at the Vineyard and our gathering place is their lovely “tasting room,” which has AC, wi-fi, and bathrooms. There is shade and blankets , but you can bring a folding chair if that’s your style. No camping on site or at our house, please. There is an excellent campsite nearby (information below) with all the facilities, including cabins.
*DATES: CAMP STARTS Thursday, July 11th at 2pm and concludes Monday, July 15th with lunch served. You can come for the full time of course or for any portion but tuition is the same.
*VENUE: Bristol Valley Vineyards, 7235 Lane Road, BLOOMFIELD, NY 14469. (The vineyard is actually the town of Bristol, New York but do note that this is the correct mailing and maps address.)
*ZOOM AND RECORDING: There will be a live Zoom feed for every session and archived recordings made accessible on the day of. You can attend live or access the recordings, available anytime, foreva’, for all. Tuition for Zoom and/or Recordings only is listed below.
*SCHEDULE: Thursday, July 11th: 2pm gathering, but of course come when you can. We conclude by 5pm. No problem coming late even by a day or two!
Friday and Saturday, morning session begins about 9:30am. Lunch is served on site at the Vineyard. Afternoon session ends about 4:30-5pm. Evenings are yours.
Saturday Night is Curry Night. We gather at the house and have ourselves a party. I do the cooking, you do the partying, we have a grand time.
Sunday Morning is puja. I will preside over a puja about an hour’s worth. Lunch and regular afternoon session till 5pm.
Monday, morning session only followed by lunch and then goodbyes.
TOPIC: Rajanaka teachings are rooted in the mythologies of Nataraja and the Tamil traditions of the goddess Tillai Amman. If you are not familiar with these stories, you’ll receive the introductions you need and go deep. For those with a deep familiarity, there is still so much more. It is time to revisit the Tillai Forest, engage the forest denizens includes the sages, divines and demons, tell more Ayyappa tales, detail the seven aspects of Tillai Kālī, and connect with Nataraja and Vishnu mythologies. This time you will be offered as well the mantra practices of Ayyappa and Tillai Kālī and with a puja you can bring home with you.
FACEBOOK GROUP: Not everyone uses FB but there will be a FB Group called Rajanaka Summer Camp 2024. Lots of folks converse about shared accommodations and rides and other information here. Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/427997692969057
ACCOMMODATIONS: In this era of Air BnB, that is likely your best bet. The Bristol Woodlands is a 90 acre campsite with cabins.
https://www.bristolwoodlands.com/
There are hotels in Canandaigua, Victor, and Naples. Use the Bristol Valley Vineyards to calculate proximity. Prepared foods at Wegmans in Canandaigua are really quite good and there are plenty of places in the town.
TUITION: $645 includes lectures, water, tea & snacks, lunch (FriSSM), Curry Night (Saturday), parking is free but we can’t provide transportation. Tuition also includes all recording archives access.
---Zoom tuition and recordings only is $250.
No discounts, please, but we will accept an agreed upon payment plan.
Tuition is not prorated if you come late.
REGISTRATION. Registration is open now. IF FOLKS DO NOT REGISTER IN A TIMELY MANNER, I WILL CANCEL CAMP. TOO MUCH STRESS. WE NEED AT LEAST 25 FOLKS. PLEASE MAKE PLANS, PLEASE COME!! It’s well worth it.
& To register you need to do two things. First, send me an email (douglas@rajanaka.com) telling us you’re coming and then send a $200 deposit.
--If you choose PayPal: use nallapaampu@gmail.com for PayPal Friends & Family. ONLY this address, please.
--If you use Venmo: douglas-brooks-8 for Venmo (my picture there is a corgi!).
--If you want to pay by check or otherwise, please send me an email douglas@rajanaka.com. Our mailing and home address is 7296 Gregg Road, Bloomfield, New York, 14469.
& Deposit is due before MAY 1s , Tuition balance is due no later than JUNE 1st. You can pay in installments or write to me and we’ll figure it out: douglas@rajanaka.com
& If you register and must cancel, you will be refunded in full before June 1st. If you cancel after June 1st, only the deposit will be refunded.
ALL DEPOSITS ARE DUE BY MAY 1ST. ALL BALANCES ARE DUE BY JUNE 1st.
Please read again the refund policy.
& Late registrations will be considered after June 1st only if there is room but should we not get sufficient registrations by May then I will cancel the whole event, okay? If you want to come to Camp, please make this work for all.
Tuition AFTER JUNE 1st is $665.
I think that’s everything. Write to me about anything, douglas@rajanaka.com.
With affection, see ya’s in July, Douglas
i still have my first notebook from that first weekend...
Sadly, I won't be able to join in person. Have. blast everyone!