A retreat from hard work

Ashram is a Sanskrit word meaning “retreat from hard work.” Dr. E. Stanley Jones, a missionary to India, founded the first Christian Ashram in 1930 after seeing firsthand the value of spending time away from one’s work and participating in spiritual rest and renewal. Stanley took the form of the ancient Ashram and gave it Christian content, putting Christ at the core of the Ashram. The Christian Ashram follows a format that allows individuals to step out of the “day to day” and into purposeful spiritual practice. The day begins with devotions in the morning and ends with grand silence at night, a time of rest and reflection. In between there are times for prayer, bible study, games, hiking, evangelistic teaching, and meals shared with friends and family.