20 Dec 25, Madurai, One Day Residential Retreat
💖 One Day, One Shift: Your Starter Kit for Lasting Happiness
🔥 Tired of the Struggle? Find Your Quick Pause!
🛑 You Don’t Need Weeks to Start Feeling Better!
Are you feeling the stress, but can’t commit to a long retreat? Do you want to try meditation but worry about long, complex instructions?
Listen: A radical shift doesn’t always require a radical time commitment. Your journey to happiness can start right now with just one day!
⏸️ Initiate Your Inner Revolution in a Single Day
The Solution is Simple: Your 1-Day Metta Vipassanā Retreat
- No Staying Overnight: Come for the day, and go home refreshed!
- No Long Commitments: Get the core wisdom without sacrificing your schedule.
- Perfect for Beginners: This day is designed to easily get you started with Metta (Loving-kindness) as your main meditation object.
This is your short, crucial time to hit the PAUSE button, silence the noise, and learn a practical path to a happier life.
🌟 The Challenge: Ehipassiko (“Come and See”)
The Key to Happiness is Direct Experience
The Buddha’s timeless invitation—Ehipassiko (“Come and See” for yourself)—is yours for a day!
In just one day, you will learn to:
- Use Metta (Loving-kindness) as your Meditation Object to generate consistent happiness and warmth.
- Master the Core Steps of the TWIM Method: Learn the easy-to-use 6Rs technique (which includes actions like Realize, Release, and Resmile) to effortlessly handle distractions.
- Find Inner Peace: Understand how Metta Vipassanā is an implementation of the Buddha’s main teachings of Brahmavihara (Divine Abodes)—a joyful, gentle path.
💖 Get Started: The One-Day TWIM Difference
The Metta Vipassanā Way is not strict; it is a dynamic journey of feeling good and joyous meditation.
This one day will give you the complete starter kit to:
- Replace cycles of anger and worry with consistent well-being.
- Walk away with a technique you can use immediately to be happy in daily life.
📅 Accelerate Your Peace: Join Our 1-Day Retreat
Seize this opportunity! Discover your ability to generate peace and happiness in just one powerful day.
Act Fast: Seats are limited! Reserve your spot immediately and start your journey to tranquil wisdom and immediate joy!
Organiser
“Raj, bhakti’ school is not for you. You must explore the Indian schools called Darshana. I’m sure you’ll agree with at least one—maybe even four. Just read the source, not the interpretations.”
These were the words of an old German man during my first Vipassana course under Shri S.N. Goenka, nearly two decades ago (2011). Like many, I began my spiritual journey through religion. But as the wise say, “Spirituality begins where religion ends.” I’m a rationalist by nature—I question everything. Religion didn’t satisfy my queries. Bhakti didn’t convince me, but I found deep insights in Sankhya, Raja Yoga, Vedanta, and Buddhism. Today, I stand shaped by Vedanta through Sri Ramakrishna (Vivekananda, Adi Shankara). Which Vedanta? You know it… Advaita. And Dhamma through the Buddha. I know it’s a weird mix, but I love how these two sync. Puritans of both may not agree with someone like me—but that’s okay. Appa Deepo Bhava. My teacher encourages: Be your own light.
Hello and welcome! I’m Rajmahendra—born and raised in Chennai, with native roots in Udupi. I come from a semi-orthodox religious family, but I’ve always been a rationalist at heart. Professionally, I’m a software engineer-Java developer and then Agile Coach. I started as a developer and eventually moved into coaching product and teams on how to be agile. While coaching companies and teams, people began turning to me as a life coach too! Want to know more? Just poke me with questions—I might have an answer.
Before TWIM (Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation)
During the COVID lockdown—I’m not sure how it changed others, but for me, it made me question my beliefs to the core. That period gave me time to reflect deeply and explore various spiritual paths.
Later, my quest returned to the Darshanas. In my personal library, I have at least one book from each Darshana. I studied Raja Yoga and completed 700 hours of training from three different schools. In my send-off talk, my teacher said, This guy came for Raja Yoga but left with a yoga certificate and allied extra knowledge of Vedanta.
Who said knowledge has boundaries? Hmm.
TWIM Introduction
My introduction to TWIM came through Dhamma Sukha USA. While browsing YouTube to learn more about Buddhism, I discovered Bhante Vimalaramsi’s talks. One story touched me deeply—about an elderly woman afraid of death. Bhante advised her to help animals: buy a bird, take it far from the city, and release it with loving-kindness. After doing this regularly, she returned saying, “Now I’m happy and no longer afraid of death.” That story stayed with me, though I didn’t know there was an Indian branch of Dhamma Sukha at the time.
Present Day TWIM
Two years ago, I stumbled upon Dhamma Sukha India and saw Bhante’s photo there too. I don’t believe in fate, but somehow life brought me back. In early 2025, I joined two online retreats, which convinced me to take up TWIM as my personal practice. After attending residential retreats, I now feel TWIM is my path.
The Buddha’s teachings answer most of my questions. I say “most,” not “all”—because as the Buddha said, “Appa Deepo Bhava” (Be a light unto yourself). I still have questions, but I’m deeply convinced of the Dhamma.
Why Teaching?
“Bahujana-hitāya bahujana-sukhāya” – For the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many. – Buddha
“Atmano Mokshartham Jagat Hitaya Cha” – For one’s own salvation and for the welfare of the world. – Swami Vivekananda
Reading books gives theoretical knowledge. Sadhana gives personal experience. When both come together and are shared, society benefits. And when someone questions your beliefs, it’s a chance to sharpen your understanding.
I love to bring all three—study, practice, and sharing—into action. The only way to do that is to teach others. I enjoy meeting new people, hearing their views, and learning through their life challenges.
So I’m not here just to teach—I’m here to learn and grow together. Feel free to connect with me. Let’s have meaningful conversations about Dhamma and practice.
Ven Bhikkhu Dhammagavesi Thero is an Indian Buddhist monk and teacher devoted to the practice and transmission of Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation (TWIM) as rediscovered and taught by Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi.
Early Years and Search for the True Dhamma
Born in India, Bhikkhu Dhammagavesi began exploring spirituality and meditation early in his adult life. His search for truth led him through a series of traditional Vipassana courses (ten in total) conducted in Mumbai, India, where he cultivated strong discipline and mindfulness. However, despite dedicated effort and years of sincere practice, he began to sense that something essential was missing — a natural ease, joy, and clarity that the Buddha described as integral to the path of awakening.
In 2013, this search brought him to Wat Pah Nanachat, a renowned international forest monastery in Thailand established under the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah. Immersed in monastic discipline and daily meditation, he gained a solid foundation in the Vinaya (monastic rules), chanting, and Dhamma study. For over one and a half years, he lived and practiced in this rigorous environment, but even there he noticed that meditation seemed effortful and progress plateaued. The practice felt incomplete, leaving him yearning for a direct and joyful connection to the Buddha’s original teachings.
Discovery of TWIM and Ordination under Bhante Vimalaramsi
In 2016, Bhikkhu Dhammagavesi encountered the teachings of Bhante Vimalaramsi, who had rediscovered the Buddha’s original meditation method through a careful study of the Pāli Canon. Bhante Vimalaramsi emphasized relaxation, smiling, and loving-kindness (mettā) as the key elements in the meditative process — a refreshing and deeply transformative approach compared to the more striving styles he had known before.
Inspired, Dhammagavesi Thero left Thailand to attend a Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation (TWIM) retreat in Bali, Indonesia, led by Bhante Vimalaramsi himself. During this retreat, he experienced a profound shift in his understanding: meditation could be gentle, joyful, and yet lead to deep states of stillness and insight. The Six Rs — Recognize, Release, Relax, Re-smile, Return, and Repeat — opened the way to effortless progress and the direct experience of the Seven Factors of Awakening.
Following the retreat, he decided to dedicate his life to this path and ordained as a novice monk under Bhante Vimalaramsi. Soon after, Bhante encouraged him to continue training under Venerable Khanti Khema in Sri Lanka, where he refined both his meditation and understanding of the Dhamma. In 2017, he received higher ordination (Upasampadā) in Penang, Malaysia, during Bhante Vimalaramsi’s Dhamma tour in Asia.
Spreading the Light of TWIM in Asia
After ordination, Venerable Dhammagavesi began supporting the mission of Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center (DSMC) in Asia. As Co-Director of Dhamma Sukha India’s Asian Projects, he helped to establish the Samatha-Vipassana Trust in Mumbai, a registered organization dedicated to organizing retreats, teacher trainings, and Dhamma tours for Bhante Vimalaramsi and Ven. Sister Khema throughout India and neighboring countries.
His work included coordinating TWIM retreats in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal, and India, and introducing hundreds of new practitioners to the gentle and effective method of the Buddha’s original meditation. Venerable Dhammagavesi also began teaching online, offering one-on-one guidance and coaching to students around the world, always emphasizing kindness, ease, and the joyful unfolding of wisdom.
Teaching and Vision
By 2022, Bhikkhu Dhammagavesi began leading his own retreats and sharing the Dhamma independently. His teaching style reflects the same balance of wisdom and compassion that characterizes the TWIM lineage: gentle encouragement, humor, clarity, and a deep respect for the suttas as the Buddha’s living word.
His long-term aspiration is to establish a permanent TWIM monastery and meditation center in India, serving as a base for training future monastics, teachers, and lay practitioners. His vision is to restore the Buddha’s original teachings in their complete form — combining calm, insight, and loving-kindness — and to ensure that they continue to flourish across Asia for generations to come.
Venue
CESCI, Madurai, Tamilnadu
The Center for Experiencing Socio-Cultural Interaction (CESCI) is a non-profit organization located near Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It provides training for social activists and offers an environment for reflection and recharge from the demands of grassroots work.
CESCI embodies direct solidarity with social organizations and activists advocating for the rights of the landless, women, and marginalized communities. Its success is largely due to the efforts of individuals following Gandhian philosophy who strive for social change. For over three decades, thousands of activists have worked on awareness-building, social rights, and self-help groups, often coming from the same communities that they serve, allowing them to understand and address local issues effectively.
Detailed Way to Reach Madurai
Madurai is a major transport junction well-connected across India and internationally.
A. By Flight (Madurai Airport – IXM)
| Origin | Mode | Details |
|---|---|---|
| From Delhi (DEL) | Domestic Flight | Direct flights are available, with a travel time of around 3.5 hours. Connecting flights are also common via major hubs like Chennai or Bengaluru. |
| From Tamil Nadu Cities (Chennai, Coimbatore) | Domestic Flight | Frequent direct flights are available from Chennai (MAA) (approx. 1 hour). Other cities often connect via Chennai or Bengaluru. |
| From Abroad | International Flight | Direct international routes are available from destinations like Dubai, Singapore, and Colombo. Travelers from Europe, the USA, and other regions should fly to a major Indian international airport (like Delhi, Mumbai, or Chennai) and then take a connecting domestic flight to Madurai. |
B. By Train (Madurai Junction – MDU)
| Origin | Mode | Details |
|---|---|---|
| From Delhi (NDLS) | Express Trains | Direct trains like the Tamil Nadu Sampark Kranti Express or Thirukkural Express run from New Delhi to Madurai. The journey is long, typically taking between 42 to 48 hours. |
| From Tamil Nadu Cities (Chennai, etc.) | Express Trains | Excellent daily connectivity. Trains like the Vaigai Express and Pandyan Express run frequently from Chennai Egmore (MS), with a journey time of roughly 7–8 hours. Madurai is well-connected to all major southern districts. |
C. By Bus
| Origin | Mode | Details |
|---|---|---|
| From Tamil Nadu/South Indian Cities (Chennai, Bengaluru) | State/Private Bus | The main terminal is the M.G.R. Integrated Bus Terminus (MIBT) at Mattuthavani. Frequent state-run (TNSTC) and private AC/non-AC sleeper/seater buses connect Madurai with Chennai (approx. 8–9 hours), Bengaluru, and major cities in the neighboring states of Kerala and Karnataka. |
| From Delhi | Not Feasible | A bus journey from Delhi (over 2,500 km) is impractical. Flight or train is the only recommended mode. |
How to Reach CESCI from Madurai City
CESCI is located outside the main city near the Natham Road, about 20-25 km from the Madurai Junction Railway Station or Mattuthavani Bus Stand.
| Mode of Transport | Recommended for | Instructions |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi/Cab | Convenience and speed. | Book a taxi from the Airport, Railway Station, or Bus Stands. This is the easiest and fastest option, taking about 30-45 minutes to reach CESCI directly. |
| Auto-Rickshaw | Direct, low-cost option. | Available from the city center. Ensure you negotiate the fare beforehand, as the destination is outside the standard city limits. |
| Local Bus | Budget travel. | Take a local bus from the Mattuthavani Bus Stand that is bound for Natham. Alight at the nearest stop to the CESCI address (Kadavur/Chathirapatti area). You will need to take a short auto-rickshaw ride for the final few kilometers from the highway drop-off point. |
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