10/05/2021
The Casa Om Story:
Casa Om was purchased in 2011 but the story of Casa Om can’t be understood without going back to the moments that built the vision.
Hargobind writes, “In the 80’s, my father would take me to sadhana as a baby and I would listen to kirtan as the community gathered before the rise of the sun. Connecting with community in this way was something I wanted to recreate and Casa Om was the perfect venue.
In the 90’s, I studied in India and we would go many mornings to wash the floors of the Harimandir Sahib also known as the Golden Temple. The concept of service, maintenance, and building a sacred space, left a permanent impression on me with the love in which spaces should be cared for.
In 2007, I rented a series of venues for yoga retreats and music festivals. We meditated on the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh, we traveled to the mountains in Costa Rica, we sang in the desert in California, we converted bars to yoga rooms in Mexico, we turned a kids camp into a temple in West Virginia, and we did a makeshift kitchen on the beach in Tulum. Each event was beautiful in its own way.
We learned that our friends had excellent teachings to share but many of the venues were not created with the same consciousness.
As I continued to work on events, I realized there are 4 components to an event: teachings, venue, food and fun. I knew my teachers were fantastic and I was confident Casa Om was the right venue. It was easily accessible. It was close to the beach. It was walking distance to restaurants and stores. It was ideal for people that wanted to get away but not that far. It was a place to come year after year.
The food would be prepared with the highest intentions. It is my belief that a vegetarian diet is best for the environment. In many situations it leads to increased health. It is compassionate to animals. It supports a yogic lifestyle. But I realize it is not for everyone at every stage of their life. For that reason, we would craft a menu that was delicious, fresh, healthy and in support of yoga practice. When we met our cooking team... (continued in comments)
