FAQs

You might have noticed pictures of Amma around the ashrams or our centres or heard Amma’s name being mentioned in classes or Satsangs. Amma is an Avatar (Divine incarnation) from India and also the Guru of Shanti Mission’s founder, Shakti Durga. If you’re curious about Amma, we run regular retreats to the ashram in Southern India. Those who go on the retreats come back filled with bliss, excitement and appreciation for this amazing and humble Divine being.

Sometimes during meditations or seminars we refer to spiritual terms and names from a wide variety of the religions and spiritual traditions. We try to explain and translate these names wherever possible to assist with understanding. If you’re curious, be assured that we believe in only one God, Creator, Divine … to us the name we give the creative force that gives us life doesn’t matter. However, each of the names we use represents a different aspect of the divine.

Shanti Mission is unusual in that we offer all of our courses and seminars by donation. The main motivation for our teachers isn’t to make money from their work, but rather help to make the world more peaceful. We also have a very clear code of conduct that all teachers and leaders must follow, and a complaint resolution process. Finally, at Shanti Mission we are happy regardless of whether you want to study with us for a lifetime or even just once! We are a large spiritual community and many people come and go from Shanti Mission and we always welcome them back with open arms when they come to visit. We know everyone has a unique spiritual path and whether that’s studying with Shanti Mission or another school, we’re happy when people find more satisfaction and peace in their lives!

Shanti Mission is a multi-faith spiritual organisation that studies and learns from all faiths, religions and spirituality. For example, much of our music is derived from Hindu, Christian, Buddhist and even Sufi schools. Having said this, Hinduism is very accepting of all faiths and spiritual paths and so Hindu practices and approaches, such as the devotional rituals, work very well with our own particular spiritual philosophy. At Shanti Mission we are very grateful and devotional to the Divine for all that we have been given, which is why devotion is the first pillar of our school’s eight pillars. We also get a great deal of inspiration from the oldest spiritual texts in existence, called the Vedas. These are the basis of Hinduism and were written as early as 1500 BC. We also derive teachings from the Western streams of wisdom and we teach the Egyptian system of Alchemy as well as Kabbalah.

At Shanti Mission we believe there is only one God, but that God is so complex we need to look at many different aspects of the Divine to truly understand its nature. This is why there are so many deities in Hinduism and so many versions of The Buddha. We find that by studying each of these deities at Shanti Mission, which really are just different facets of the same thing, we can better understand or approach our creator. It also helps us to understand the path we need to take toward self-realisation. Each deity, whether it’s Durga or Shiva or Manjushri is part of the same, singular ‘God’ but represent different aspects such the protective mother, or consciousness, or wisdom.

Photographs of Shanti Mission events are often taken by our resident photographers to archive and document Shanti Mission and to capture special moments. Some photos may be used for promotional purposes. Photographs usually focus on the facilitator of the event and not the participants.

We record events and meditations with Shakti Durga and other senior teachers to archive and document Shanti Mission and to capture the valuable teachings. Some meditations and other audio recordings are selected for release to the public. Audio recordings are available on Shakti Durga’s website: www.shaktidurga.com/store/

Some videos of Shakti Durga may also be used for promotional purposes. Video recordings usually focus on the facilitator of the event and not the participants.

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“Shanti” means peace and so our Mission is to create a more peaceful, loving world. We do this by helping each person create a more peaceful life so they can, in turn, assist in creating a more peaceful world.

Most of our other seminars and meditation classes are offered by heartfelt contribution/donation. We aim to make our programs and services accessible to all people regardless of their financial situation. We are very grateful for your generous contributions and ask that you give from your heart, keeping in mind the cost of a similar course or service offered elsewhere and what you can afford. For more information about donating for an event, please visit our Donation Guidelines page.

If you are experiencing financial hardship and are unable to donate money for a seminar or meditation, you are encouraged to donate some time volunteering at one of our centres. Please contact seva@shantimission.org for more information on volunteering at Shanti Mission.

We have locations and offer our services in various places in Australia, Canada and the USA. Our headquarters is The Abode of Peace Harmony Centre & Ashram, which is one hour north from Hornsby, 90 minutes from Sydney (allow longer if peak hour traffic) and 45 minutes south of Newcastle in NSW Australia. The Ashram is at the foot of the Watagan mountains and surrounded by forest.

We have affordable accommodation at our Abode of Peace Harmony Centre & Ashram, and the Retreat Centre in Cooranbong, as well as our Southern Highlands Harmony Centre. Please contact these centres directly for more information.

To find out more about our accommodation in Cooranbong, please visit our Accommodation page.

There are many excellent healers and practitioners that operate at our various locations. To book an appointment with a healer you can contact any of our locations, or visit the Ignite Your Spirit Therapist Directory.

There are many opportunities to become involved at Shanti Mission. Everyone is welcome to support Shanti Mission in whatever way makes your heart sing. It could be by helping sell the fabulous products in the shops; or assisting with preparing the temples for satsang; or preparing food for the tuck shop; training to be a barista at the Abode of Peace or helping in the gardens in Canyonleigh.

This is an excellent way to get to know people and become part of our community.

We call volunteering ‘Seva’ which is a Sanskrit term that properly reflects the spiritual growth and transformation that comes from helping a spiritual community to grow. We help our sevites (volunteers) to embody compassion and loving-kindness as well as completing the many tasks that are required to be done to keep Shanti Mission moving forward.

Just complete this form and send it to Matrika at seva@shantimission.org.

Friends of Shanti Mission are people who have found that the healing and education they have received at Shanti Mission through meditations, healing clinics or seminars to be so valuable that they want to make this opportunity available to others. Friends donate regularly (tithe) to support the work of Shanti Mission and to support the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual healing of others.

It is recommended that you complete the Path of Ease and Grace series in sequential order to obtain maximum benefit. Ignite Your Spirit 1 and Empowering Relationships 1 are the only entry level courses that have no prerequisites, so you are welcome to register for these courses at any time. Please ensure that you meet the prerequisites of each seminar when booking in for courses.

The Path of Ease and Grace

Foundation 1
Ignite Your Spirit 1 (no prerequisite)
Ignite Your Spirit 2
Empowering Relationships 1 (no prerequisite)
Empowering Relationships 2

Foundation 2
Yoga of the Mind
Dimensions of Wealth

Foundation 3
Spiritual Mastery 1
Spiritual Mastery 2
Anchoring Heaven on Earth

After completion of the Path of Ease and Grace and Make a Difference, a whole world of intensive and enlightening spiritual training opens to you. Details are available from our registrar.

The Mystery School (formerly Higher Guidance) training series of seminar are for those who love to delve into the esoteric roots of the major wisdom traditions of the world, we explore such things as Egyptian alchemy, kabbalah, esoteric Buddhism and Christianity and reveal ancient mysteries in a practical modern context and we relate them to the philosophical Path of Ease & Grace, Tantra and goddess traditions, Hinduism.

If you are passionate about teaching and mentoring others, you may want to consider our “Self Realisation Training” once you have completed the Path of Ease and Grace and either Ignite Your Spirit Therapist Training or the Make a Difference Program. Being accepted to the ‘Self Realisation Training’ does not automatically entitle you to become a teacher. Only those selected, based on demonstrated teaching talent, will be invited to take teacher training.