Awakin
Yesterday I participated in the second Awakin circle that we held in our coliving in Cantabria, and the truth is that the experience was wonderful, a dream come true to organize this event at home.
After meeting Nipun Mehta a few years ago and collaborating with our The Social MBA program, we wanted to reciprocate by offering her a scholarship, and that’s how I met Joserra, a collaborator who lived in Burgos and received this unexpected gift. Over the years we have had the opportunity to meet in person, both with Nipun by inviting him to the Regenera Local event at the Palacio de la Magdalena, and with Joserra, inviting him to the UIMP Summer Course on Impact Economy.
After Regenera Local, Lulu ended up traveling to India in January. There she participated as a volunteer in the Gandhi 3.0 retreat that Service Space organized at the Gandhi Ashram, and she returned transformed. It was very special to share unforgettable moments with Joserra a few weeks ago at our community’s annual Summit in Villegar. Then, Lulu traveled again. This time closer, she visited Burgos to participate in an Awakin circle organized by the Ubuntu space that Joserra started in Spain. The experience was very enriching, she came back very happy and eager to replicate the space in Cantabria.
I remembered that in 2021 I had the honor of being invited to participate in an Awakin Call, a format to inspire through deep conversation. Little by little over the years our relationship of trust has been consolidated, and this has allowed us to strengthen our collaboration, and I hope that we can continue to do many more things together.
Awakin is a silent meditation space, lasting one hour, which concludes with a reading, a reflection and a dinner together. The meeting takes place on Wednesday nights. The meditation is not guided, the participants sit in a circle and a floral decoration and some candles are placed in the center. Incense is also used to make it easier to be present in the moment with your eyes closed. The reading is deep, and invites participants to reflect by exposing some personal stories or sharing impressions about this interpellation of the text, opening their hearts to the rest. The food is vegetarian and it is a time for sharing in community, something we love.
This is how Service Space describes it on its page: Awakin is a repository of secular wisdom that offers people the opportunity to explore their own lives and experiences more deeply through insightful readings and community. Through this service, a carefully selected short passage is emailed to inboxes around the world each week. It is an invitation to shake off habitual worries and access a more reflective inner space.
This project took root in the fall of 1998, when three friends spontaneously committed to sitting together in silence every Wednesday evening. Each week, after meditation, they shared a home-cooked meal and discussed passages related to wisdom and compassion. Over the years, meetings inspired by Wednesdays have emerged all over the world. Now, these weekly meditation meetings also take place in Villegar de Toranzo, in Cantabria.
Within our social and cultural agenda, we seek to open the PAS Rural Coliving space to the community. We think that this activity can be a good opportunity to start with a recurring event every week. This experience is totally aligned with the life laboratory that we are creating, where we try to practice by example, inspiring another possible lifestyle, more connected with oneself, with the community and with nature.
And you… Do you dare to visit us?