The Invitation
THE CALL OF ARUNACHALA
A pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain in South India
A pilgrimage to the Heart of the world
Ocean of nectar, full of Grace,
Engulfing the universe in Thy Splendour!
O Arunachala, the Supreme Itself! Be Thou the Sun
And open the lotus of my heart in bliss!
~ Sri Ramana Maharshi
This is a heart-to-heart invitation for those who long to come and be in the presence of our own Heart, Arunachala, the Holy mountain where Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, one of the greatest spiritual Masters of India, spent almost his whole life.
Sri Ramana Maharshi, out of deep love for Arunachala, was called to live at the feet of the Sacred Mountain, which he considers to be the Guru. An Ashram was built around him and is nowadays open to all of us to sit in His Presence.
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We welcome you to a safe and conducive nest where we can be embedded in the Grace of Arunachala, offering a supportive and caring environment to rest and absorb what it truly means to be at the feet of Arunachala in its fullness.
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The program is designed to take you to the core of what is being shared here, welcoming you to simply and naturally rest in the beauty and Stillness of our own Being.
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We will infuse ourselves with numerous blessings: sitting with living masters, visiting temples and caves, Girivalam (pilgrimage around the mountain) and, of course, spending time in Sri Ramana Maharshi’s Ashram.
We’ll also support this journey by reading and immersing ourselves in the life and teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi in depth, initiating our journey with a 5-day silent retreat. We will incorporate sacred chantings and the practice of Kirtan (call-response practice of mantras) as an essential thread for our time together, singing daily to Arunachala, spending days in noble silence, sitting in meditation, practicing Hatha Yoga, receiving Ayurvedic massage, and much more.
All are very welcome.
In deep love,
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Daniela Cruz and Ricardo Marticorena
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Namaste.
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Website for Registration: https://www.caveoftheheartretreats.com/event-details/the-call-of-arunachala
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Pictures thanks to Lotus: @Lotus_1929
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To go directly to PRACTICAL DETAILS, click here.
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To know more about Dani and Ricky, the section, WHO IS INVITING, click here.
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PROFUND POWER AND TRUTH OF ARUNACHALA
Significance of Om, unrivalled, unsurpassed!
Who can comprehend Thee, Oh Arunachala?
~ Sri Ramana Maharshi
It is not possible to fully convey with words the power and profundity of Arunachala, it has to be experienced.
And that is why we are called to invite you all to be in the presence of such a rare and precious Sacred Place.
This invitation aims to meet and recognize a deep call that is already in the heart of all human beings: the call to be happy, the call to be in peace. There is a time in life when this feels like an urgency or as a sweet longing, no matter what form it takes. When the call is felt, it’s time.
“Peace is your nature. Forgetfulness never overtakes the Self.
The Self is now being confused for the non-Self, and that makes you speak of forgetfulness of the Self and absence of peace. Forgetfulness of your real nature is the real death; remembrance of it is the true birth. Eternal life is then yours. How does the desire for the eternal life arise? Because the present state is unbearable. Why? Because it is not your true nature. Truly, you are Spirit. It is the rise of the ego that is the cause of the trouble. But trace the ego to its origin, and you will reach that undifferentiated happy Source.
The Self is ever there; wisdom only appeared to down,
though it is natural”.
~Sri Ramana Maharshi
Arunachala Mountain is a clear physical manifestation of our Heart, the essence of our Being. Since ancient times, its physical presence is considered to facilitate the process of transcending what is untrue, the so-called “ego”, realizing our true and natural Being, what is known as liberation.
In the Indian scriptures, Arunachala is the physical manifestation of Shiva, pure Consciousness. In the Arunachala Purana, Shiva speaks about Himself as Arunachala.
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“My manifestation as this majestic hill is an act of divine benevolence, upholding the very fabric of the world. (...) Know this truth: The worldly actions naturally entangle one in their web, but liberation from these attachments and the illusory maya of the world can be attained by surrendering wholeheartedly to the sacred presence of Arunachala.”
“Indeed, that which seems unattainable despite great efforts can be easily achieved by anyone who gazes upon this blessed hill from afar or even contemplates it in their heart. I, the Lord, decree that those who dwell within a twenty-four-mile radius (three yojanas) of Arunachala shall experience a divine union with the Supreme, breaking free from all bondage, even without the need for formal initiation.”
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Innumerable sages have visited this sacred Hill and have recognized It as the bestower of spiritual knowledge, Jnana. Sri Ramana Maharshi, the most renowned saint from our time, lived at the feet of the Mountain his whole life since the age of 16, and even though he never moved from this holy place, his message and Love spread all over the Globe, magnetizing beings to come and infuse themselves in Its indescribable silent Grace.
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Ah! What a wonder! It stands as an insentient Hill, made of rocks and stones.
But its actions filled with Grace are mysterious, that no one can understand, past human understanding.
From the age of innocence, it had shone within my mind that Arunachala was something of unsurpassing grandeur, (…) When it drew me up to it, stilling my mind, and I came close,
I saw this Arunachala standing unmoving, in the form of a hill.
~ Sri Ramana Maharshi
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WHERE IS LOCATED​
Tiruvannamalai, a quaint town nestled in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, houses the world’s most significant spiritual gem and the key to the question “who am I?” The revered site is none other than the sacred Arunachala Mountain, also known as Arunachala Hill, representing the essence of knowledge and fire or light, a sanctuary for meditation and self-discovery.
Arunachala’s profound influence can be experienced by anyone willing to relinquish their attachment to the idea of a separate “I”, source of all suffering. Many saints and enlightened beings venerate Arunachala as the supreme jnana-Guru, the one capable of bestowing the merging of thoughts into the heart and the recognition of who we really are. This fact finds its most compelling endorsement from the revered Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi.
“That moment You summoned me to the heart and gave me Your life to live, that moment I lost my old life.
The moment I thought of Your name, You caught me and drew me to Yourself.
Who can know the greatness of Your grace, O Arunachala?”
~ Sri Ramana Maharshi
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In the state of Tamil Nadu, there are 5 lingams, each one as an embodiment of one of the 5 elements of manifestation and Arunachala embodies the lingam of fire element. Each year, during the Tamil month of Karthigai (typically falling in November or December), a grand fire, known as Deepam, is ceremoniously lit at the top of Arunachala mountain. This event, attended by millions of pilgrims from around the globe, celebrates the fire element and its significance - the white fire that burns all ignorance and confusion to enlighten and make evident the light of consciousness and Being we are: eternal fountain of happiness, contentment and bliss.
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“Getting rid of the “I am the body” idea and turning the mind inward and merging it in the Heart to realize the real, non dual and effulgent Self, is the real significance of seeing the beacon of light on Arunachala, the center of the universe”
~ Sri Ramana Maharshi
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The history and origin of Mount Arunachala exemplify its immense potency and compassion, dispelling human suffering caused by ego and illusion. There was a time of confusion on earth, where Shiva itself manifested as a ray of light, solace and refuge for the benefit of whole humanity and the awakening to our own reality.
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Brahma and Vishnu were haughty, eager to find its beginning or end. Here Vishnu symbolizes the intellect, Brahma signifies the ego, and Shiva represents the Atma, Consciousness or Beingess itself. In the story both ego and intellect are finally humbled by Shiva greatness, since it transcends the senses and surpasses the boundaries of intellect. They recognized the limitations of comprehending the Atman, that is Arunachala Shiva: the boundless and infinite divinity residing within every living and surrendered completely to the Atman, leading to profound illumination and self-knowledge.
THE PRACTICE
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Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi and Arunachala itself instructs in eloquent silence, guiding us to enquire into the nature of the self, what is well known as the practice of “ Who am I” or self-enquiry.
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“That which arises as “I” in this body is the mind. If one enquiries as to where in this body the “I” thought arises first, one would discover that it rises in the heart. Of all thoughts that rise in the mind, the “I” thought is the first. It is only after the rise of this that the other thoughts arise….The thought “WHO AM I” will destroy all other thoughts and like a stick used for stirring the burning pyre, it will itself in the end get destroyed. Then there will arise Self Realization”.
~ Sri Ramana Maharshi
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There is another path that he gave equal importance to, and that is Surrender or Devotion (Bhakti). Actually he expresses that Bhakti is like a mother that give birth to a child, that the path of devotion gives rise to wisdom (Jnana).
Bhakti or the path of love is what gives us the power and the willingness to dissolve our limited idea of and “I” and dissolve in the Truth of who we are. That is why we will infuse this time together with the practice of singing mantras, brightening the intimacy with our own heart.
In Aksharamanalai, one of the most eloquent songs written by Sri Ramana Maharshi, we can experience and see the profound and moving way in which, once the heart is touched, it has the power to consume what is untrue. Here extract from different verses:
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“Let me, Thy prey, surrender unto Thee and be consumed, and so have peace, O Arunachala!. I came to feed on Thee, but Thou hast fed on me; now there is peace, O Arunachala!”
48. “When I took shelter under Thee as my One God, Thou didst destroy me altogether, O Arunachala!”
66. “With madness for Thee hast Thou freed me from madness (for the world); grant me now the cure of all madness, O Arunachala!”
101. “As snow in water, let me melt as love in Thee, Who art love itself, O Arunachala!”
~ Sri Ramana Maharshi
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There is water everywhere under the ground, but there are some places where it is easier to get the water. In the same way, the Self is everywhere and there is no place that is without it. However it is also true that there are certain places like Arunachala, where the presence of the Self can be felt more easily.
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By being in the proximity of the holy Arunachala hill, the Self within us becomes more potent and self-evident than ever before, elevating the spiritual experience to an extraordinary level.
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Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi firmly asserted that the potency of Arunachala was not merely a matter of faith but an indisputable truth. Just like sitting in the shade of a tree does not require belief to feel the physical fact of it, walking around the hill of Arunachala invokes Grace, even if one doesn’t actively seek it. Ramana Maharshi was resolute that Arunachala served as the spiritual axis of the Earth, solidifying its significance as a unique and transformative spiritual destination in the world.
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In the cave of the heart- lotus of all beings beginning with Hari, Arunachala Ramana, the Supreme Self, blissfully shines as Pure Consciousness. If, with a heart melting with love, you reach this cave wherein dwells the Supreme from whom all good flows, you will open the Eye, verily Pure Consciousness, and know the Truth that is pure formless Presence.
~ Sri Arunachala Pancharatna
Lord! Who art Consciousness Itself, (…) forgive all the grievous faults of this poor self and by Thy merciful glance, benignant as the rain cloud, save me from being lost once more in the dreary waste, or else I cannot cross the terrible ocean of births and deaths. What can match a mother’s care for her child? Deal with me (like a mother)
~ Sri Ramana Maharshi
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Reference.text: http://arunachala.blog/blog/power-and-spiritual-significance-of-arunachala-mountain/
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SUGGESTED TIME FLOW
Although Arunachala invites us to enter a realm beyond time we will have some tentative structure to support our stay at the feet of the holy mountain. The invitation is to rest in this timelessness everytime and open to the sense of flow that the mountain conveys.
6:30 - Agni Hotra
6:30 – 8:00 Morning encounter
8:00 – 8:45 Breakfast
8:45 – 11:30 Satsangs and explorations
11:30 – 13:30 Rest
13:30 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 16:00 Rest
16:00 – 19:30 Satsangs and explorations
19:30 – 20:00 Dinner
20:00 – 21:00 Evening together
During the 5 days of Silent Retreat, the schedule will be different.
RETRIBUTION
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The cost of the Pilgrimage to Arunachala is 1551 euros.
What it includes:
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Accommodation for 17 nights (from October 2nd to October 18th of 2025), in Shivalaya Boutique Stay.
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Single, double or triple rooms, depending on availability.
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Air Conditioner in all rooms, Wifi, bathroom with hot water, Private kitchen to prepare simple snacks and tea, lush gardens, balconies with stunning views of Arunachala.
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Organic Sattvic meals at Shivalaya
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Transportation from Shivalaya and back, for all the activities in the program.
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Pre and post pilgrimage support (also we provide help to organize the journey, informing you the easiest way to arrive, etc.) We will also have a zoom meeting prior to the Pilgrimage and we will have a post meeting by zoom also.
Other services not included in the price:
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Flights.
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Transport from and to Airport (The total cost for taxi varies between 30-55 euros, depending on the airport of arrival, it can be shared so the cost can be split by the occupants).
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Travel insurance.
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Cost for visas.
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Laundry (Shivalaya kindly offers the service for a fee).
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Holistic Ayurvedic Massage in Shivalaya.
LOW INCOME
For those in genuine need for a low income discount, please reach out to us.
REGISTRATION PROCESS
Once you register for the Pilgrimage, you will receive an email with information for the transfer of the 351 euro deposit.
The deposit can be transferred via Wise, Paypal or Bank Transfer.
The rest of the amount is to be paid in cash upon arrival. There are several ATMs around, if you do not want to bring cash with you.
In case you do not personally know us (Daniela or Ricky) we will have a video call with you to get to know each other.
After this, when your attendance is confirmed, you can book your flights and we can support you to arrange the transportation from the airport of arrival towards our accommodation in Arunachala.
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IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART, PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR ATTENDANCE BEFORE JUNE 17TH, SINCE WE NEED TO HAVE A MINIMUM GROUP OF PARTICIPANTS BEFORE THIS DATE SO THAT THE PILGRIMAGE CAN HAPPEN.
THANK YOU :)
ALL INCLUDED ACTIVITIES
During the 5 Day Silent Meditation Retreat:
Meditation sessions.
Readings and talks about Sri Ramana Maharshi and his message.
Hatha Yoga sessions.
Devotional singing.
Questions and answers sessions.
Time to enjoy the beautiful and peaceful grounds of Shivalaya retreat center.
During the 11 days of the Pilgrimage:
Daily meetings for meditation, chanting, readings from Sri Ramana Maharshi and
conversations about his message, sharing heart circles, poems from various mystics, etc.
Daily Homa fire ( traditional sacred ceremony of fire)
Kirtan with local musicians, devotional chanting of Mantras and sacred songs.
Visits to Sr Ramanasramam for silent meditation, poojas (devotional rituals), parayana (devotional chanting).
Walks on Arunachala to several caves, in particular those where Sri Ramana Maharshi lived.
Walking Giri Pradakshina, devotional circumambulation around Arunachala Hill.
Visiting living saints and attending their Satsangs.
Visiting Arunachaleshwara Temple, the main temple in Tiruvannamalai, and other temples and Ashrams.
HOW TO ARRIVE
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The closest international airports are: Chennai, Tiruchirapalli and Bangalore. We can help to organize the journey to Shivalaya by public transportation or taxis.
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FOOD
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There will be organic and vegetarian sattvic food provided by Shivalaya kitchen team.
A few times, whenever the program allows, we will eat outside. There are several simple, hygienic and tasty restaurants available in town.
ACCOMMODATION - OUR HOME IN ARUNACHALA.
We will be spending our days and nights right at the feet of Arunachala, in Shivalaya Boutique Stay. Our blessed nest is a quiet and beautiful retreat center in nature, close to the mountain, with stunning views.
A temple to host us in a simple yet eloquent and magic space full of peace.
The rooms are single, double and triple upon availability. The distribution of the rooms will be decided once the group is defined a few days prior arrival. If there are any special requests, please let us know.
All the rooms have air conditioner, Wifi and bathroom with hot water, we have access to a private kitchen to prepare simple snacks and tea, a nice and comfortable chill out living room, massage room, lush gardens and different balconies with stunning views of Arunachala.
Feel free to check the space:
https://namashivalaya.org/​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
WHAT TO BRING
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Yourself! wiith an open heart to live fully this blessing
It is important to mention that in this part of the world we have quite intense heat, and also we can have strong rains. The weather goes from 23 to 31 celsius. And the rains can be daily, at some point of the day.
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In India, and specially in Tamil Nadu, we are invited to dress modestly. In case of women we need to cover our shoulders, not wear transparent cloth or show the neckline too much. Also we need to wear long pants or skirts, so as not to show too much of the legs. In the case of men, long trousers (not shorts). Bring clothes that are comfortable, hopefully not sinthetics, so to keep yourself fresh in this warm weather (cotton, linen, etc). Light colors are best and it is very common here to wear whites. You can bring a jacket for the cool nights.
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Rain jacket.
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Sunscreen
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Hat
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Water bottle
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For shoes, slippers will suffice. Even if they are simple so they can get wet or to be left outside the temples with no stress.
VISAS
Citizens of most countries can simply apply online for an eVisa following this link:
https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/
ONLINE GROUP MEETINGS BEFORE & AFTER THE JOURNEY
We will get together online some days before arrival to consecrate the pilgrimage to Arunachala and connect with the pure intention (sankalpa). With this we will have a foretaste of Arunachala, opening ourselves to Its Blessings.
We will also use this meeting to connect with each other before arrival, make a brief introduction of the journey and solve any possible doubts.
Some days after our journey we will gather again online to support each other in the integration process.
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Website for Registration: https://www.caveoftheheartretreats.com/event-details/the-call-of-arunachala
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Pictures thanks to Lotus: @Lotus_1929
WHO ARE INVITING?
Daniela Cruz
Chilean by birth, I lived in the south of Chile until the age of 22.
After that, I started a deep journey from Chile to Alaska that took me 7 years. A time to live in full nature, especially living with indigenous tribes along the America’s. A time with no schedules, longing to see and explore other possibilities different from what common society offered.
During that time, Yoga crossed my path, and since then my whole journey became an inward one. I settled on the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico, where Hridaya Yoga is based. I sat in various retreats and there I met Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi and his teachings. This was an unexpected encounter that touched me and changed my life forever.
I finally stayed in Hridaya for almost 10 years, did my teacher training, sat in many silent retreats and the love for silence and meditation grew and deepened within. I started to share silent retreats, hatha yoga classes and modules in Mexico and Chile and served to share these teachings in any possible ways. The practice of singing matras became also an important part of my path.
In 2019 an imperative call to come to Arunachala started to blossom. I didn’t know what I was exactly looking for, but somehow something deep inside was calling me to Mother India, specifically to Arunachala.
Since that time, it became obvious that my spiritual home had shifted: I left Mexico to come and live at the feet of Arunachala.
Currently, Kirtan and the chanting of Mantras has been the way in which I share this Love and devotion. The immediacy in which the message can be expressed, received and experienced by everyone is something that surprises me deeply and makes me use it as a way to continue sharing these teachings. Music has the incredible power to take us beyond the mind and touch the heart directly.
I deeply welcome you all in this journey that is made and programmed with utter love and detailed to accompany this subtle and profound journey to your very own Heart.
In love and devotion,
Daniela Cruz
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Ricky
I was born in Spain.
Since childhood I always felt a strong connection to Nature and could see a revelation of the sacredness while spending time in Nature.
In 2012 I embarked on a wandering journey in South America with the intention to find out “what God was for me”, not what others would say about It. I intuitively knew that Nature can reveal to us a space without concepts and labels in which we can truly and clearly see for ourselves.
During that journey it became clear to me that I was so well taken care of and guided by the Divine. Whatever was needed for the Spiritual journey, simply came: healing ceremonies, teachings on Yoga and Meditation, meaningful connections, time for solitude, etc.
During that time of deep connection, sense of Truth, Stillness and Beauty, and intense longing for Truth was awakened. This intense thirst for Truth took me on a journey of Self-discovery, from remote areas in the Amazon jungle learning the ways of the indigenous people, to working in a Neuroscience research lab in Germany, while attending meditation retreats or sharing some indigenous healing practices.
The quest for Truth was the main guidance and I was open and available to be guided by it in whichever form it tooked.
After connecting with various spiritual traditions, through the journey, I could see the common thread of the Heart underlying the essence of all. And when this understanding came, life put me in contact with the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi and Hridaya Yoga. A path that I feel grateful for and honored to share with others.
Finally, the longed-for wish to visit Arunachala Hill was made possible. I cannot really put into words what Arunachala is. What I know is that, for me, it is not just a simple mountain or a physical place, and that Arunachala has always been with me, in the background of everything.
Currently I spend most of the year between the physical presence of Arunachala and Portugal, where I am mainly involved with managing Cave of the Heart and sharing Hridaya Silent Meditation Retreats.
I feel honored and grateful to welcome you to this pilgrimage at the feet of Arunachala, and venture together in the discovery of our own Heart.
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Ricky
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