Kailash Ashram

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Kailash Ashram

Kailash Ashram is a traditional meditation🙏 & yoga retreat centre in the Grampians, Western Victoria

15/09/2025

What has arisen from my practice is the capacity to let go of not just painful sensations in the body...

But the pain of negative thoughts in the mind!

These used to spiral me into a week-long funk.

Or would have me gripped by anxiety.

What is the value of this freedom from my mind?

Well, I wouldn’t be here without it…

so for me, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀.

Equanimity (balance/peace) is a gentle phenomena.

No confetti or balloons get released when you attain a state of inner peace.

You just simply start rolling with life (instead of fighting against it)

There is no clear finish line.

It is a gradual dissolving of ‘the race.’

𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀…

“𝘌𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘨𝘰’𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.”

Welcome to Kailash!

- David Wegman

11/09/2025

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸?

It’s a mystery… But one thing I know, it works it A$$ off!

Time and time again a simple (and often brutal) sit for meditation leaves me better than when I went in.

𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 / 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘏𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘯 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘰-𝘵𝘰; 𝘪𝘵’𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝟧 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 😉

Meditation has taught me to sit through the craziness of my mind (instead of trying to ignore or run away from thoughts or feelings.)

And surprisingly, as I pay attention to what is going on, things get better.

𝗕𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗠; 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱.

Go on, try this one on for size.

Sit still in an uncomfortable position for 5 minutes.

Something will probably start to hurt.

Watch.

Listen.

See your response to the discomfort.

What makes it worse… 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳?

For me, when I pay attention, the pain is diminished. When I try to ignore it, it gets worse.

I see it. And then I see through it.

I hear it, then I hear something beyond it.

This is difficult to put into words… it is an inner feeling!

- David Wegman

08/09/2025

Are you ready to explore
the spiritual side of Yoga 🧘‍♂
(but maybe you’re a little unsure 🤔
of what that even means?)
News flash! ⚡
Yoga is way more than stretching –
it takes you beyond the body,
beyond the mind… to your Soul ✨
But… without a good guide,
authentic teachings 📚, and a plan 📝
your effort won’t amount to much.
Go it alone and you’ll
be lost in new-age hocus pocus 🌀
Read on and learn from
my mistakes 🌿…
I’m David Wegman, founder of Kailash Ashram 🏞,
a traditional yoga and meditation retreat.
I served 13 years in Special Forces 🎖,
and was left with burnout, PTSD, and depression 💔
Meditation and yoga literally saved my life 🕉
But early on I lacked clarity,
direction, and a solid plan.
Then… when the student is ready,
the teacher will come 🙏
The Four Yogas entered my life.
Suddenly, everything clicked 🌞
The Four Yogas are the main branches
of a traditional yoga practice,
and when you learn their simple secrets,
the spiritual side of life makes sense.
You breathe a sigh of relief.
Your mind sits quietly focused.
Answers to life’s questions come 💡
You feel inner peace and
a deep desire to help others ❤
And the best way to learn
the Four Yogas?
On a retreat, with me (obviously! 😜)
Join our 5-day, 4-night retreat 🌸
in a multi-faith, small group,
nourished in our Grampians sanctuary.
You’ll leave with a rock-solid plan 🕊
to bring peace home with you.
Our Pay It Forward system 🤝
makes this retreat unique.
Your spot is gifted by
a generous Soul 🌟
Pay a small registration fee,
then contribute only if it benefits you.
Ready to go deeper into yoga 🪷
and give structure to your spiritual life?
Spots are limited, this retreat is near!
(1st to 5th October)
Click below for full details:
🔗 https://4yogas.kailash.co
Note: Kailash Ashram is a registered charity.
All facilitation is volunteer-led; proceeds
help share meditation and yoga with
those in need.

04/09/2025

𝗙𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗜 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲.

Persistence with that practice has helped me form a sacred worldview.

Yep, I said it….Sacred… not 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱.

Holy.

Divine.

For some of us though, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘆 (𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲!)

I say ‘Sacred’ because Himalayan Meditation has forced me to make my peace with God (often by witnessing my resentment or judgement towards Him/Her.)

For those that are less ‘theistic’ (ie you don’t believe in God) and dig ‘the universe’ vibes… Himalayan Meditation will help you to feel that you are a part of ‘the universe.’

If you are into ‘nature,’ Himalayan Meditation will force you to feel a profound connection to the here and now of life on planet Earth.

- David Wegman

01/09/2025

Himalayan Meditation boils down to one word…‘Samarpan’ (Surrender.)

Surrender means letting go of expectations… which includes that pesky expectation for a balanced mind.

Ultimately, Surrender means giving zero F’s… about any thought or sensation; be they traumatic or sublime.

𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵, 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽.

It means showing up… and loosening the grip.

And from that looser place within, clarity emerges and you can do what is right as guided by your Soul.

28/08/2025

𝗣𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻!

It’s a funny phrase, isn’t it?

Most of us know that we could be more attentive to the task at hand.

Our average attention span has come down from 40 minutes to goldfish levels of around 7 seconds.

Gulp!

What is it for you?

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁… 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙛?

The obvious culprit is our modern life with associated technological trappings.

It has become normal to walk around with a relatively cheap gadget in our pocket that has more processing power than a 1980s super-computer.

Powerful times.

Scary times.

It is hard it is to stay focused… ‘Pay attention’ seems an apt term.

It certainly feels like you have to fork over a large investment to keep the mind on task.

25/08/2025

This week I invite you to take stock and reflect on your current situation.

Are you at war? Are you at peace?

What would need to change in ‘you’ to be the sort of person that could handle living a peaceful life?

Are there vices may need to be let go of?

What virtues could you work on strengthening?

Finally, if you are bold, write these out and make an offering to whatever you take to be beyond and higher than yourself.

Surrender it all.

Then… sit back and watch…

Notice how you feel.

Notice the stream of thoughts.

Notice the quality of your meditation… and more importantly, your life.

My guess is that free from the burden of ‘doing,’ you’ll be closer to peace than war 😉

- David Wegman

21/08/2025

The most truthfully humbling thing I have found, is to reveal the limits to my knowledge; i.e. to accept my ignorance.

This counters the trap of pride… and is true, after all, what can we really say for certain?

𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲…

Right now, what are the immutable, eternal truths that you know?

𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘹𝘦𝘴!

When I boil off the ego and drama and the story of my life… all I really know for sure is that I am here.

But where is here?

I can’t say for sure I know that.

Beyond the Grampians, beyond Victoria, beyond Australia and beyond planet Earth, beyond the Solar System, beyond the Galaxy, beyond the Universe… where are we right both, right now?

We are meeting in a place of connection, you and me.

This is not a physical encounter, but one inside of consciousness.

In Yoga, we call this universal consciousness Paramatma, literally Para means supreme and atman means self/soul.

Our experience is that it is from here, that collective peace emerges.

As a soldier, this was a confronting message because it meant that I had to let go of everything I thought I knew.

𝘈𝘭𝘴𝘰, 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘮𝘺 ‘𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳’ 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥.

If I were to boil this essay down into one word, it is Surrender.

To have that message come from me, a former soldier, is surely proof that God has a sense of humour!

-David Wegman

18/08/2025

When we see our ‘crap’, the initial response can be to run away, but spiritual wisdom emerges as you cultivate the courage to stay and watch and sort the good from the bad.

You begin to notice… Who are you spending time with and why?

How does this affect your inner state?

From moment to moment, what are your thoughts, where are you?

Are you ‘here and now’ or daydreaming of being somewhere else?

My experience has been that introspection takes life from good to better to best… but there is a price we must pay…

Eternal vigilance.

I must show up, open to learn.

This means we must become a student of our Soul.

Swami Shivkrupanand taught me *‘My Soul is my Guru.’*

Sounds easy… in reality…. not so easy.

One must tread a delicate middle path.

Neither harsh, nor lazy.

Being a teacher requires patience. Tolerance. Directness.

This cannot be taught in a 200 hour ‘teacher’ course in Bali, but only through the trials and tribulations of life.

No-one else is better equipped to teach you, than You.

This is why, as an Ashram, we will always direct the responsibility for your success upon the path, to you.

We are just humbled to be continuing a tradition bigger than us.

One life-hack I’d love to share with you is that to be a good guide, you must be a good student.

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗶𝘁, 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀!

It requires humility.

And the most truthfully humbling thing I have found, is to reveal the limits to my knowledge; i.e. to accept my ignorance!

-David Wegman

14/08/2025

Is Yoga simply a matter of expressing the desire for liberation?

I wish…

It’s a great start, but my experience has been a little more brutal than instantaneous peace.

First, I expressed the desire for freedom.

Then I sat back and watched (this is where meditation helps.)

Daily watching.

What I saw was all of the deeply held desires that caused me to suffer.

I saw (and continue to see) with clarity, where I unconsciously sabotage myself.

It’s rough, but oh so worth it.

Saints of all traditions are depicted with the sun behind their head; the Halo.

This is your Soul.

𝗜𝗻 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗰.

If you are anything like me, the time to start tidying up was yesterday!

- David Wegman

11/08/2025

Samarpan Dhyan (Himalayan Meditation) is a process of surrender.

So, as instructed by my Guru, I let go of my self loathing and all of the other vices that had a grip on me.

My daily practice taught me that you can’t let go of what you are unwilling to see.

And what I saw… was a lot of blame.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗺 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁.

I had it big time; I blamed the army for maiming me physically and mentally, I blamed society for judging me, I blamed my ex-partners for not understanding me.

I even blamed a God whom I didn’t really believe in.

How do you think this victimhood worked out for me?

Not great. I suffered.

Everywhere I looked, was the enemy. This what it is like to be at war.

In order to move beyond, I needed a larger context.

I needed to zoom out from the brick, to see that the brick it is part of a wall… and to zoom out from the wall…. to see that in the wall there was a window… and a door.

Sure, I could keep trying to climb the wall using my fingernails on sharp brick edges (not much fun) or, I could find a path with more ease and just use the bloody door!

𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿.

It’s not the only way. But it is a reliable way.

It has been used for thousands of years by God knows how many people. It has been called many things… and taken many shapes.

The path of Yoga, (of which meditation or dhyan is the crowning practice,) gave me guidance, not in dogma… but through wisdom earned in practice.

Start with practice. All will be revealed!

-David Wegman

07/08/2025

These days, if I find myself ‘at war’ in my outer circumstance… I instinctively ask 𝘢𝘮 𝘐 𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯?

You can try this out; it literally costs you nothing (except maybe some pride.)

Why so?

Asking why you are (or aren’t) at peace means that you are also admitting that inner peace is your business, not a gift the world will bestow upon you, but something you must fashion yourself.

Gulp. Responsibility for your peace, sounds scary, right?

It is.

Daily meditation practice hasn’t let me off the hook; not one single time.

In it, I have nowhere to hide.

Some years later, beyond the outer and inner war, I find myself happy, content, and living where I want to be.

Meditating on that, is joy.

Meditating on being stuck in a job I loathe, living in a place I resented… that was rough. But it taught me alot.

But what did it actually cost me to arrive here, at peace within?

𝗔𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝘆𝘀𝘀.

-David Wegman

Address

31 Wartook Rise
Wartook, VIC
3401

Telephone

+61415703324

Website

https://www.kailash.co/

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In Service and in Thanks

We love life. This is our offering in thanks to the Mystery beyond words, our humble attempt to give form to the formless. When two souls stand at the cliffs edge and decide to jump, and on doing so turn back to realise the solid ground they were standing on was indeed itself a rock, long since hurling through space, what else is there left to do other than;

Celebrate what we are,

Use our power to create meaning,