ABSTRACT

As is traditional at Integral Yoga retreats, on the last day, after the final talk, the retreatants themselves get the opportunity to come up and express their thoughts and feelings. It is shortly before noon as Hari invites every retredtant who wishes to do so to come up one at a time. He invites them to share their experiences on the retreat, or to sing a song, or to read a poem, or even to offer criticisms and suggestions as to how the retreat could have been run better – this is described as offering a few pickles, the idea being that the sweet always tastes a little sweeter if it is interspersed with something a little sour. Or, if they wish, retreatants may simply express their thanks, and in fact this is what many of the retreatants who speak choose to do.