The Dharma group is a microcosm of a traditional monastic community (matha, ashram), adapted for laypeople (grihastha) practicing in the conditions of modern society while maintaining the fundamental principles of the parampara.
Foundation and Development
The Dharma group in Belarus was founded in 2019 after the Guru's visit to Minsk, the capital of the Republic of Belarus. This event marked the establishment of a direct link between the classical Indian tradition and spiritual seekers in Belarus.
In January 2024, the Guru officially bestowed upon the group the spiritual name "Anugraha" (Divine Grace), which in the tradition signifies recognition of the community's maturity and its readiness for deeper spiritual work. Naming (nāmakaraṇa) is an important sanskara (spiritual sacrament), marking the transition from an informal gathering to an established spiritual structure with a specific mission.
Regular sangha meetings take place in the center of Minsk, at the Wake up yoga club, providing accessibility to practices for residents of the Belarusian capital and surrounding regions.
Regular Practices
The sangha holds systematic meetings for collective sadhana (spiritual practice), including:
1. Satsang (Skt. sat-saṅga — "association with truth") — listening to and discussing the Guru's teachings, and studying the sacred texts of the tradition.
2. Vedic Holidays (utsava) — observing traditional Sanatana Dharma holidays in accordance with the lunar calendar (pañcāṅga), including Mahashivaratri, Guru Purnima, and other sacred days.
3. Collective Practices — joint meditation, japa (mantra repetition), and kirtan (devotional singing).
The Guru points to the fundamental importance of collective practice in a group, emphasizing the principle of saṅgha-śakti — the power of the spiritual community.
Individual practice (sva-sādhana) and collective practice (saṅgha-sādhana) form complementary aspects of the spiritual path, where personal deepening is reinforced by the energy of the group, and the strength of the group increases proportionally to the development of each member.
Ceremonial Practices
During visits to the Dharma group by monastics of the tradition, classical rituals are performed:
Homa/Havan (fire ceremony, agni-kārya) — a Vedic ritual of making offerings to the sacred fire, tracing back to the practices of the Yajur Veda. The fire ceremony is an external expression of the internal sacrifice (yajña) of the ego and its limitations.
Puja (Skt. pūjā) — ritual worship of divine forms according to the prescriptions of Tantric texts and Agamas, including the sixteen upacharas (forms of service to the deity).
Arati (Skt. āratī) — a ceremony of lights, symbolizing the dispersal of the darkness of ignorance by the light of knowledge.
Ayurvedic Transmission — initiation into the practice of longevity (āyurveda-dīkṣā), including instructions on traditional methods for maintaining health and vital force.
Visits from Monastics
The Dharma group has been visited by Swamini Satya Tejasi Giri — a sannyasi of the tradition, who conducted the aforementioned ceremonies and bestowed instructions on practice. Visits from monastics (sādhaka-darśana) are a vital element in maintaining a living connection with the parampara and transmitting spiritual shakti.
Seva — Service as Spiritual Practice
The Guru places special emphasis on the significance of seva (Skt. sevā — "service," "selfless service") as an integral part of sadhana. The term originates from the root sev (to serve, to honor) and in the tradition denotes activities performed without attachment to personal gain, as an offering to the divine.
Members of the "Anugraha" Dharma group practice various forms of seva:
- Transcription of teachings — converting audio recordings of the Guru's lectures into text format to increase the accessibility of the teachings.
- Digital Preaching (dharma-pracāra) — spreading the principles of Dharma through social networks and digital platforms.
- Organizational service — coordinating meetings, preparing premises, and providing logistics for practices.
- Creative service — creating visual and media content for the sangha.
Contact Information and Resources
Meeting Location: Wake up Yoga Club, Center of Minsk, Republic of Belarus
Official Instagram page
Dharma Group Leader:
Karma-sannyasi Ananta Telegram
Phone: +375-29-614-53-71
Telegram Channel — a private group for practitioners deeply studying the tradition and the Guru's teachings (access is provided by the group leader).
