Karmayog - Joy In Action
Location: Navi Mumbai
Duration: 5 days (online), followed by 1-day (in-person retreat at Navi Mumbai)
In-Person Date: Feb 15 (9:00AM) - Feb 15 (5:30PM)
"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well." -- Martin Luther King, Jr
WHY?
From our very first breath, we are continuously engaged in action. Each has two fields of consequences: external and internal. We often measure ourselves by external outcomes, but it is the subtler inner ripple effect that ends up shaping who we are -- our identity, beliefs, relationships, work and also our contribution to the world. 
Sages repeatedly warn us that our external impact is only effective if we first tune into its intrinsic potential; that, without an inner orientation, we will simply burn-out by cutting off our supply to the inexhaustible joy of service.
The Bhagvad Gita defines this approach to action as "Karma Yog". In simple terms, it is the art of action. When we dive into that zen of action, with a mind immersed in the joy of the moment and void of any competing desires or expectations for the future, we unlock certain new capacities. Almost like zooming out from our myopic view, we can now see, hear and feel more. Like a hollow flute, the larger rhythms of the universe play its song through us. It changes us, and changes the world.
Einstein once noted, "No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it." As we expand our understanding of inner transformation, how might our actions support that field of higher consciousness? How do we optimize our actions – not merely for the immediate impact of “what we do”, but also for the slow and long journey of “who we are becoming” in the process?
HOW?
Together, we'll engage in a highly recommended 6-day online immersion (Feb 9th - 13th) with inspiring readings, hands-on practices, and the sharing of our reflections on a private feed limited to the retreat participants and volunteers. Followed by a day-long in-person retreat on Feb 15th.
If these questions interest you, join us for this experiential 1-day retreat with change-makers, leaders and everyday heroes from diverse walks of life. We will learn from each other, practice through our actions, engage in juicy dialogues, listen to guest speakers and much more!
To join the retreat, please click on the 'Apply For Retreat' button below and complete the application below (you can also choose to type in your responses in Hindi script), and we'll get back to you.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
In an increasingly volatile world, life feels like an unending emergency mode. Before we complete responding to one situation, an even more pressing need pops-up. The cascading catastrophes leave us exhausted. As the problems continue to mount, even our hope for a better future starts to dim. In such a context, how do we find a regenerative impulse for action, that is not rooted in outcomes but in the sheer joy of doing?
Simply put, we are a group of ordinary individuals, who come alive in doing small acts of kindness. Volunteers behind this particular retreat have hosted thousands of circles and hundreds of Moved by Love retreats; moreover, they have supported many ServiceSpace projects from Karuna News to Karma Kitchen.
- Inspiring participants. Lots of great hearts are coming together!
- Uncommon questions. For quick-fix, binary, either-or answers, we already have Google; we aim to hold questions to lean into its nuances first.
- Noble Friendships. Our hope is to nurture a rich matrix of friendships among unlikely friends.
- Volunteer Run. It's run entirely by volunteers, so there's no solicitation, pitches, agendas. Just practice of love.
The venue for the retreat is 'Narmada Niketan' an elderly home in CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai. Abutting the forested Parsik hill, it feels away from the hustle of the metropolis, despite being within the reach of public transportation means. Set up in 1984, it houses almost 190 elders, including those immobilised by age, and is one of the largest such elderly homes in the Mumbai metropolitan region. The spirit of trusteeship, non-discrimination and non-profit motive are ensconced in this space.
All Moved By Love retreats are offered as a no-strings-attached gift, made possible by gratitude offerings from past alumni. At the end of all retreats, everyone has an opportunity to keep the chain alive and pay it forward with money, time or other expressions of wealth -- for future guests.
The retreat formally begins on 9:00 AM (IST) on Feb 15th (Sunday), 2026. Please ensure you reach the retreat venue before that.
Optionally, you can choose to start the day with an hour of collective silence. If you wish to do so, then join us at 07:30 AM (IST) at the retreat venue. Retreat ends on Sunday, Feb 15th @ 05:30 PM (IST).
Through our time together, we will sit in circles to learn from each other’s experiments and challenges; engage in many group practices that nurture our collective inner transformation. Plenty of opportunities to engage the head, hands, and, of course, the heart. Plus a few surprises!
Over last twelve years, thousands have joined from a wide-ranging backgrounds. Perhaps what brought them together was a simple organizing principle: We are not merely what we do, but who we become by what we do. If you resonate with the notion that inner change and outer change are intrixicably intertwined, and if you are moved to cultivate deep connections with kindred spirits, this retreat will likely speak to you! Beyond that, we'd recommend leaning in your heart's intuition -- more often than not, 'heart knows today what the mind will know tomorrow.' :)
To facilitate deeper connections, we limit the group size of our gatherings -- and give priority to project initiators who are anchoring local projects in their contexts.
If you have any questions, please contact us anytime. To co-create our sacred field of emergence, we welcome you join us!
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