I moved to Scotland after I got married, back home “India” was very different with regards to the culture. Initially, I found it bit hard to adjust however I started loving Scotland as it is naturally very beautiful. How can anyone not fall in love with this place? Then I came to know about ISKCON Scotland through a mutual friend and when I visited the place it was literally “heaven on earth”. I found out more about the place and wanted to share my experience with the world so that people could benefit out of it. Recently it was among the top 25 best mindfulness retreats in the world by vacationidea.com.
HISTORY
Karuna Bhavan (Sanctuary of Peace) is run by the Hare Krishna community and was formed in Scotland in 1987. It follows the concept of “simple living, high thinking”. People from different walks of life practice a more peaceful, loving and compassionate way of life. They also run the Krishna eco-farm which was opened in 2012. The farm is situated on 8-acre of land. They use the renewable source of energy for heating and usage of wind turbines and thereby helping to save the planet.
MISSION
In today’s stressful world ISKCON Scotland aims to promote a healthy and a balanced way of life. There are various events that are organised like yoga, meditation, chanting, retreat, talks, festivals (like Festival of Colours or Holi) where people feel relaxed and can channel their energy in a positive direction. People who are interested can also volunteer to work at the farm and thereby meet people and can experience a spiritual way of life.
More info available here: www.facebook.com/krishnaecofarm/events
ALPACAS
Since 2017 they have been taking care of Alpacas. Alpacas are very social and friendly. They are taken care of nicely and made to feel at home.
More info: www.iskconscotland.org/alpacas
FOOD FOR SCOTLAND
Since 2018, they have been running “Food for Scotland” which distributes free food in Scotland. There are plans to open new kitchen and serve more people in the future.
More info: www.facebook.com/food4Scotland
ACCOMMODATION
ISKCON Scotland provides accommodation to stay in. The rooms are clean, cosy and very peaceful. Vegetarian breakfast is also provided on request. They also have facilities which can be used for retreats, meeting and conferences. The proceeds are used for various charitable initiatives.
Contact details: guestmaster@iskconscotland.org
I asked two people about their experiences at ISKCON Scotland:
“Karuna Bhavan is a beautiful, peaceful place. Whenever I visit I am always greeted with a warm and heartfelt welcome. The people is one of a kind and the food is delightful. Their eco-friendly mission is highly inspiring to me and the knowledge I have gained by visiting there has significantly changed my life in a massively positive way” – Sati Khan
“I go to the ISKCON temple in Lesmahagow anytime they have a celebration and I even take my kids along. My girl is 5 and my other one is 10. They both enjoy themselves anytime they go. There’s a playroom available at all times if you’re a parent with small kids” – Lisa B
Feature Image Credit- Shubhashree Raman
