Reflecting on an Honour That Needed Time to Settle

Tarun Hari Das Wins the London Community Excellence Award for Health & Wellbeing.

Charles Gordon Trust | October 11th, 2025

A month has passed since the awards ceremony, and only now, after completing three powerful retreats back-to-back and allowing myself a much-needed period of rest, am I finally able to stand still long enough to reflect.

This year has moved at a relentless pace, stretching me, shaping me, and calling me into deeper versions of myself. And in that momentum, I didn’t want to rush this message. I wanted to honour it. Because what unfolded a month ago was not just a personal achievement, it was a milestone in the story of Transcending Matters, a testament to our collective journey, and a symbol of the work we are all doing to elevate consciousness and community.

And so, with a grounded mind and a renewed heart, I can finally speak on it: the recognition, the honour, and the deeper calling that came with receiving the London Community Excellence Award for Health & Wellbeing from the Charles Gordon Trust.

Receiving the Award

Standing on that stage on October 11th, 2025, accepting the London Community Excellence Award for Health & Wellbeing, was a moment that carried far more weight than the trophy itself.

It wasn’t just about recognition. It wasn’t about applause. It was about validation, not of me as an individual, but of the mission, the work, the sacrifice, and the community that stands behind Transcending Matters.

What many people didn’t know that night was that I had just flown in from Portugal, directly from our Transcending Matters CBD & All Things Natural Retreat. I left the team on the ground packing up, resetting, and holding things together while I rushed to London, still carrying the energy, the breakthroughs, and the emotional weight of everything we had just facilitated.

Walking into the ceremony felt like stepping from one world into another - from deep healing work into a space of public recognition.

Two very different energies, yet both rooted in service.

And when my name was called, I felt the presence of everyone who has walked this journey with me: every student, every retreat participant, every supporter, every elder, every teacher, every friend, every soul that has believed in the work of healing and elevation.

This award belongs to all of us.

A Message of Gratitude

To everyone who voted for me, publicly or silently…Thank you.

You turned this honour into fuel. You reminded me why I give so much of myself to this mission. Your support is a signal that the work we are doing matters far beyond any one retreat, one workshop, or one event.

To the Charles Gordon Trust - thank you for recognising the importance of community-centred wellbeing and for choosing to uplift the voices and the organisations doing this work on the ground. This award has strengthened my resolve to keep pushing, keep growing, keep innovating, and keep serving.

A Year of Expansion and Evolution

2025 has not been an easy year. It has been a year of growth, stretching, elevating, and expansion both personally and for Transcending Matters.

From multiple retreats across the year…To major upgrades in how we operate…To the launch of our brand new website a digital gateway into everything Transcending Matters is becoming: new retreats, deeper programs, a growing academy, and the foundations of a global movement.

I have been extremely busy, yes, but busy with purpose. Busy with intention. Busy with the work of building something that will outlive all of us.

Every step, every late night, every early morning, every moment spent pouring into the community has been worth it.

The Journey Ahead

Receiving this award didn’t mark the end of anything. It marked the beginning of a greater responsibility.

My vision moving forward is clear:

✨ To expand the Transcending Matters Academy into a world-class centre of transformation

✨ To develop more international retreats that offer deep spiritual, mental, and physical reset

✨ To build bridges between ancient practices and modern wellbeing

✨ To uplift and empower underserved communities

✨ To keep growing, keep learning, and keep evolving as a leader and as a human being

This journey is far from over. In fact, it is only just beginning. The Ultimate dream looks like this: