Place of Hope – Asha Centre

Asha is a Sanskrit word and means “hope”. This is the deep meaning and the philosophy behind the bright and gorgeous place that host us during our weekly training in the UK. The Asha Centre is an educational centre and its aim is to promote individual and social change for young adults, offering training and other similar experiences, based on holistic education.

The venue is in a magnificent park in the middle of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. Dining room, kitchen, offices and library are located in an old renovated Georgian house and few other cottages are used for the accommodation of the guests. Everywhere around the big garden there are other, beautiful and cozy constructions and places: the “Peace Pavilion”, used for the training session, an ecolodge, an hobbit house, a pond and streams, a labyrinth, the biodynamic vegetable garden, from where comes most of the vegetables we had in our meals, and the peace grove, where representants of the world’s faiths planted trees as a sign of peace. Walking along the park is such a peaceful and relaxing experience: we did blindfold for one of our activities, just hearing the sound of the water, touching the grass, the flowers and many different statues and symbols of religions and philosophies that you can chance upon along your path.  

Everything is in harmony with the ideal and nature there: the people working or volunteering, the accommodation and the food, the sustainable choices they made for the plumbing system and the material of the buildings. It seemed that also us, coming from outside for just a few days, we could experience the change and the peace in ourselves. 

And it was exactly what happened, we felt inundated of that glow, as Deborah, one of the Finnish delegators, felt in her soul. 

Here you can read her experience from her own words.

Lisa - Work-try out

Safe Haven

I’m searching for my own safe haven, I’ve been searching for so long, for a place to feel like I'm at home a real home, a place to be myself, a place where I belong and feel safe, I searched everywhere and I ended up just where I began and then I realized my safe haven doesn’t have to be a place, no your safe haven doesn’t need to be a place, it can be anything or anyone.

I met a girl and asked her what’s your safe haven? And she said when she’s in the arms of her mother when she is embraced by the sweet smell of a home cooked meal when she is surrounded by her mom’s inexpensive perfume she feels safe.

And I realized all that time I was searching for a safe place when all I needed was the feeling of being safe, the people who made me safe and once you find that you’ll find your safe haven.

The Asha Centre

O, my god I never imagined that a place like the Asha Centre exists In this universe, the first word that I uttered was PARADISE my safe haven. It is truly a place where you could experience truly being yourself and connecting to your inner voice and experience the beauty by appreciating nature with the wonderful beings at the ASHA CENTRE. .

It's a wonderful lifetime experience that helped me to rebuild my personality traits, growth and intellectual development. The people\team and environment make it a real world of beauty and love. It promotes love and togetherness through their caring and sharing programs.

Last but not least, I am grateful to the Asha centre for the rest of my life that provided me with the opportunity to find my  Safe Haven that was once lost. My attitude of gratitude for all the members at the Asha Centre is highly commendable and life everlasting.

Hope the people who are in search of real peace and love could experience this wonderful place at least once in their lifetime for the rest of their life.

For me its everything it's a healing place, its a home\shelter its a worshipping place its a recreational place its a world of true joy and happiness.

I would love to spend the rest of my life at the Asha Centre and contribute my life to this Haven.

Love, 

Debra - StepEurope volunteer