FAQ
PRACTICAL INFORMATION & BOOKING
When will I receive a confirmation and reply from you?
We respond to all emails the same day or on the next working day. Occasionally emails may end up in spam filters, so please check your spam folder and add us as a contact: boka@baravara.se. If you have not heard from us, please contact us.
What is the accommodation like at Baravara?
Accommodation at Baravara is in shared twin rooms.
I have an electric car – can I charge it at Baravara?
Yes, we have a charging station in collaboration with Mer. More information can be found on their website.
Can a course be cancelled?
Yes, occasionally we may need to cancel a course. If this happens, it will always be done no later than 14 days before the course starts. A full refund of the course fee will be issued as soon as we receive your bank details. We recommend booking refundable train and flight tickets.
COURSE STRUCTURE & PARTICIPATION
What does a typical course day look like? Is there a more detailed description of the course structure? Is silence required during the course?
The course structure is designed to give you the opportunity to pause, turn inward, reflect, feel, and express your thoughts and emotions. Silence is observed during breaks, allowing space to listen inwardly.
Is it inappropriate to attend with someone I already know?
It is perfectly fine to attend with someone you know, as long as you are able to remain focused on your own process and do not feel limited by the other person’s presence.
Do you encourage participants to attend multiple courses, or is it okay to attend just one?
You are very welcome to attend just one course. For many, a single course is enough to create a meaningful pause and opening in life.
WHO IS BARAVARA FOR?
Is everyone welcome at Baravara?
Everyone is welcome at Baravara, but Baravara may not be suitable for everyone. We are careful to understand whether there is ongoing or recently active psychological instability in a person’s life situation. If someone is experiencing severe, diagnosed psychological symptoms in an active phase, we do not recommend participation.
This does not mean that you need to feel well in order to come. Many participants arrive feeling low, exhausted, or burned out, and in such situations Baravara can be a supportive environment. During the booking process, everyone is asked to complete a questionnaire so that we can together assess whether participation is appropriate.
Baravara’s processes are deep individual journeys held within a group context. Participation requires a capacity for emotional self-responsibility, a certain degree of nervous system regulation, and respectful presence within the group.
We have learned that:
- people who are in acute or unintegrated trauma
- individuals with serious mental health conditions
- people with certain forms of neurodivergence that affect group dynamics or sensory processing
We therefore encourage these individuals to first seek individual support in a one-to-one conversational or therapeutic context before entering group work of this kind. If you feel any hesitation regarding your ability to participate, you are warmly welcome to contact us for guidance.
I am pregnant and would like to attend a course – is that possible?
We do not recommend participating in a course at Baravara during pregnancy. We do not believe it is beneficial for the fetus to be exposed to the emotional and physical exercises that form a significant part of the course content, and participation would likely mean missing an essential aspect of what we offer.
MENTAL HEALTH, RESPONSIBILITY & SAFETY
How does Baravara take responsibility for participants’ experiences and the time afterward?
Those who come to Baravara are adults and responsible for their own lives. We naturally offer support throughout the course for the emotional experiences that may arise. Our courses are structured to allow time for integration before returning home. Still, for many, returning to everyday life can feel intense. We therefore recommend establishing a meditation routine to support the transition after a course.
How is confidentiality handled?
Everything that takes place at Baravara is confidential, including who participates in the courses. You come to focus on yourself, and what is shared and experienced during the course should remain with you. You are of course free to speak about your own feelings and experiences, but not about those of others.
I have heard that many people separate after attending a course at Baravara – is that true?
This does happen, but it is just as common that participants return home with renewed energy and clarity in their relationships. In some cases, a relationship may already have been struggling prior to the course, and the insights gained can support a person in making decisions they have been contemplating for some time.
We do not encourage anyone to leave their partner. Rather, we usually advise against making major life changes immediately after a course, allowing the process to settle into everyday life. Sometimes feelings of attraction may arise between participants. We often point out that when one opens to their own emotions and begins to reconnect with self-love, this can sometimes be mistaken for romantic feelings toward another. One of our guiding principles is therefore: if attraction arises, refrain.
THERAPY, INSPIRATION & IDEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS
Baravara is independent and not affiliated with any movement. Our work is inspired by, among others, Osho’s approach to meditation and therapeutic work, as well as Carl Rogers, Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Dr. Peter Levine, Caroline Myss, Gabor Maté, Brené Brown, and others.
We draw inspiration from people who point toward similar fundamental insights—something we repeatedly experience in the work at Baravara: how much pain our thoughts and judgments about ourselves and others can create, how difficult it can be to accept life as it is, and how essential it is to pause, breathe, and be present.
The practitioners working at Baravara share the view that therapeutic work alone does not always lead to lasting change, and that meditation and presence are also needed to nourish inner connection. Osho was early in articulating this perspective by bringing together humanistic psychology and meditation—an approach that today is widely established.
Can cancer be cured by attending a course at Baravara?
Some people wonder whether cancer can be cured by attending a course at Baravara. It cannot.
Vedam and Gayan, founders of Baravara, have both had cancer. Vedam has undergone chemotherapy, and both Vedam and Gayan have undergone surgery. They would not be alive today without the care provided by conventional medical treatment. We always recommend seeking and accepting the medical care that is available.
What we offer is support in meeting and processing the emotions that can arise in connection with life crises, illness, separation, divorce, stress, and life in general—but never as a cure.
COMMON RUMORS & MISUNDERSTANDINGS
It is rumored that Baravara is a sect – is that true?
Baravara is not a sect. Baravara is an independent retreat center offering courses in meditation and self-awareness. We are not affiliated with any religion, belief system, doctrine, or movement.
Baravara has no organizational or ideological connection to the Bhagwan movement or any other movement. Our work is inspired by various traditions within meditation and personal development. Inspiration does not imply affiliation or loyalty to any ideology or belief system.
Participants are encouraged to think independently, take personal responsibility, and relate to their own experiences with curiosity and discernment.