2013-2014 New Year’s Eve Retreat in Indian Wells, CA

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Louix’s 18^th annual New Year’s Eve Retreat was held in Indian Wells (near Palm Springs) California, at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa, which is nestled in the foothills of the Coachella Valley and surrounded by the Santa Rosa Mountains. People of all ages journeyed from around the world to receive the blessing of being with Louix for an intensive, transformational 6 days, receiving his Darshan and guidance, as well as enjoying the resort’s world-class facilities and gorgeous grounds. 

Highlights of this year’s retreat included:

• The opening evening, where participants reunited or met for the first time and shared a sumptuous vegan meal followed by an evening of ecstatic singing led by Louix, as well as members of Pranam and Namavali (devotional singing groups from Prema Drala Ashram and Sundara Aravinda Ashram, respectively).
• Louix’s traditional altar ceremony, wherein each participant places on a specially prepared altar a sacred personal talisman which becomes imbued with a special prayer or wish, and then receives empowerment and consecration over the course of the 6 days.  
• Three separate outdoor ceremonies, each guided by Louix:  Mayan Sun Salutation, Into the Arms of Mother Earth, and Harnessing Chi from the Earth. These powerful practices, one of which Louix had never before shared at a public event, helped participants connect very deeply with Mother Earth and experience profound healings from Her.
• A beautiful meditation guided by Louix, which invoked the energies of faith, hope, and love (much-needed by many at this transformational time).
• An afternoon of sharing lilas, which transitioned into a discourse by Louix on the relationship between the Guru and disciple.
• A Circle of Compliments, which is a powerful tradition created by Louix and practiced in his ashrams around the world, wherein everyone, in turn, acknowledges some (or many) positive qualities in another. Although Louix has practiced this tradition for many years, Louix did something in this Circle which he had never done before:  After everyone had paid their compliment to someone, Louix spent 45 minutes giving every single participant in the room a personal compliment, which was extremely humbling and heart opening for all involved. 
• Two Darshan events, which saw many people experiencing huge infusions of Light and spontaneous healings.
• A 4-hour healing circle that was created specifically for one of the participants who was diagnosed with cancer prior to the retreat. This experience not only inspired and re-energized this beautiful lady, but also provided everyone in the room invaluable insight into the critical importance of self-nurturing.
• Several opportunities for participants to integrate the energies of the retreat—by enjoying the unseasonably warm weather, as well as the beautiful grounds and facilities at the resort.
• A question and answer session wherein Louix provided personal guidance to several participants on their current life challenges, which invited three profound discourses from Louix on the theme of surrendering control. The three topics were:  A Year of Initiations; Obedience; and Trials of New Motherhood.
• The delivery of Louix’s annual dispensation on New Year’s Eve—pronouncing 2014 as The Year of New Beginnings. Click here to view the video of Louix’s dispensation.
• Performances by a spectacular professional juggler, 9-time world champion Josh Horton from Los Angeles, who gave everyone a juggling lesson after his performance; and by a capella group Arora (also from Los Angeles), who truly captured the hearts of all with their magical harmonies and original compositions.

By the end of these amazing six days, everyone left feeling uplifted and very excited to start the new year. The Year of New Beginnings has begun in earnest!