New Spiritual Retreat Center Has a Different Take on Mayan Prophecy

Robin Clare believes that Dec. 21, 2012, is an important day. She doesn't, however, believe that the significance of that date on Mayan calendar is a doomsday prophecy.

Clare, the co-founder with Fal Patel of West Hartford's ATMA Center, believes that the Mayans, who based their calendar on galactic alignments, indeed envisioned an astronomical alignment on Dec. 21, 2012. But Clare is one of many who sees that as a positive rather than a world-ending phenomenon.

"That alignment, to me, has always symbolized our alignment on the earth's plane," Clare said. She and Patel both believe that the date will signify a time when the world's focus changes in a positive way.

Clare's belief in the positive symbolism of Dec. 21, 2012, is so strong that she has organized a cruise to visit the Mayan ruins for 2012. She was one of 222 (ironically, a sacred number) spiritual/wellness-minded individuals looking for the opportunity of sacred travel.

Fay deHass of West Hartford was the cruise planner, and Lois Grasso of East Hartford is cruise director. In addition to visiting the ruins, the trip includes two days of workshops with holistic speakers.

"There isn't anything else like this for like-minded people," Clare said.

Back in West Hartford, Clare devotes much of her time to her new business – the ATMA Center – which held an open house in December and officially opened its doors at 199 Oakwood Ave. last week.

According to Clare, the word ATMA means "higher self," and the ATMA Center is a combination of a sacred space where yoga and meditation can be practiced and a business center where organizations seeking to bring a spiritual (not religious) element to their professional development can hold meetings.

There is also a wellness center where in-house and visiting practitioners can visit with clients interested in bringing a holistic approach to various aspects of their lives. "One-ness is our biggest philosophy here. Our clients are anybody who recognizes that we are energetic beings having a physical body experience, who recognize that a disruption in the energy field creates dis-ease which leads to disease," Clare said.

Throughout the ATMA Center, the walls are painted in soothing colors, and artwork on consignment from local artists is arranged in tasteful galleries. The "Heartship Room" is a modern space with wall-sized white boards on either end, while at the same time catering to organizations looking to fully engage their employees through instilling a spirit of trust, integrity, honesty, fairness, and respect for work/life balance.

"Everything we do is based on those values," Clare said. "All of our work in the field is based on the belief that we're comprised on mind, body, AND spirit," she said.

They are goals and values to which the co-founders have already made a serious commitment. Clare's prior experience includes running "Enlightened Professionals" for 10 years. Patel, co-founder of the ATMA Center, and co-owner of the building with her brother Jatin DeSai since 1987, has been "on a spiritual journey my entire lifetime."

"We're trying to awaken people's spirit and help them to live from the heart, not the head, to find out who they really are," Clare said.

Further information can be found on the ATMA Center's website, or by contacting Robin Clare at robin@theATMAcenter.com. Several events are already scheduled for January, and yoga and meditation classes are held on a regular basis.