A Weekend in Divine Friendship
May 17 - 19, 2024
Retreat Highlights
- Daily Yoga Sessions
- Daily Meditation Sessions
- Organic Vegetarian Meals
- Visit Ananda Village Temples
- Ananda Village Tour
- Visit the Crystal Hermitage Gardens
About this Retreat
Your Guides
Details of this retreat
Energize Your Life with Friendship & Inspiration. Experience the unique energy of Ananda, blending spirit and friendship in joyful ways.
Welcome friends, old and new! This special retreat will be interactive with Ananda Village members, giving guests and community residents alike an opportunity to spend time with each other.
Tour the behind-the-scenes life of spiritual community. Meet longtime residents, hear stories of how they came to live here and what it's like to live in a spiritual community. Learn about divine friendship and how to open your heart with dynamic energy and magnetism.
Friendship and joy are the hallmarks of Ananda. Experience it in action during this weekend in honor of spiritual friendship.
When perfect friendship exists either between two hearts or within a group of hearts in a Spiritual Organization, such friendship perfects each individual.
—Paramhansa Yogananda
Enjoy a very rich weekend in community and spiritual satsang.
You’ll Experience:
An enriching satsang with Ananda Spiritual Directors Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi.
An experiential tour around 'downtown' Ananda Village, meeting long-time members, hearing stories of how they came to live here and what it's like to live in a spiritual community.
Time to meditate in one or more of the sacred shrines around the Village
A special evening concert in honor of Swami Kriyananda
A gift to you of the book "In Divine Friendship, Letters of Counsel and Reflection" by Swami Kriyananda
Sunday Service in the Temple of Light
And of course, a lovely stay at The Expanding Light Retreat
We look forward to spending this special weekend with you!
Welcome friends, old and new! This special retreat will be interactive with Ananda Village members, giving guests and community residents alike an opportunity to spend time with each other.
Tour the behind-the-scenes life of spiritual community. Meet longtime residents, hear stories of how they came to live here and what it's like to live in a spiritual community. Learn about divine friendship and how to open your heart with dynamic energy and magnetism.
Friendship and joy are the hallmarks of Ananda. Experience it in action during this weekend in honor of spiritual friendship.
When perfect friendship exists either between two hearts or within a group of hearts in a Spiritual Organization, such friendship perfects each individual.
—Paramhansa Yogananda
Enjoy a very rich weekend in community and spiritual satsang.
You’ll Experience:
An enriching satsang with Ananda Spiritual Directors Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi.
An experiential tour around 'downtown' Ananda Village, meeting long-time members, hearing stories of how they came to live here and what it's like to live in a spiritual community.
Time to meditate in one or more of the sacred shrines around the Village
A special evening concert in honor of Swami Kriyananda
A gift to you of the book "In Divine Friendship, Letters of Counsel and Reflection" by Swami Kriyananda
Sunday Service in the Temple of Light
And of course, a lovely stay at The Expanding Light Retreat
We look forward to spending this special weekend with you!
Schedule
Morning
6:30 – 8:00 am Community Meditation (Join us for all or part of this silent meditation)
6:30 – 8:15 am Sadhana (spiritual practices) which consists of: Energization Exercises (20 – 25 min), Ananda Yoga Postures * (45 – 50 min), Chanting (5 min), Meditation (15 min – 30 min)
8:15 – 9:00 am Breakfast (in silence Monday-Saturday)
9:00 – 9:30 am Host check-in
10:00 – 11:30 am Scheduled program, class, group activity, or free time
Afternoon
Noon – 12:30 pm Meditation (5 min chanting, 25 min meditation)
12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
2:00 – 4:00 pm Scheduled program, class, group activity, or free time
4:45 – 6:30 pm Sadhana (spiritual practices)
Evening
6:30 – 7:30 pm Dinner
7:30 – 9:00 pm Scheduled program, class, group activity, or free time
6:30 – 8:00 am Community Meditation (Join us for all or part of this silent meditation)
6:30 – 8:15 am Sadhana (spiritual practices) which consists of: Energization Exercises (20 – 25 min), Ananda Yoga Postures * (45 – 50 min), Chanting (5 min), Meditation (15 min – 30 min)
8:15 – 9:00 am Breakfast (in silence Monday-Saturday)
9:00 – 9:30 am Host check-in
10:00 – 11:30 am Scheduled program, class, group activity, or free time
Afternoon
Noon – 12:30 pm Meditation (5 min chanting, 25 min meditation)
12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
2:00 – 4:00 pm Scheduled program, class, group activity, or free time
4:45 – 6:30 pm Sadhana (spiritual practices)
Evening
6:30 – 7:30 pm Dinner
7:30 – 9:00 pm Scheduled program, class, group activity, or free time
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change
Getting Here
Directions
https://www.ananda.org/expanding-light/getting-here/
Accommodation
PRIVATE ENSUITE - King
Equally appropriate for a single person or for a couple, a king private room can provide the peace and solitude you crave. This airy room has a king-sized bed with a private, ensuite bathroom. An inviting outdoor space awaits you outside your front door, surrounded by a serene, forest setting.
PRIVATE ENSUITE - Twin
Equally appropriate for a single person or for a couple, an ensuite private room can provide the peace and solitude you crave. These charming rooms have two twin beds with a private, ensuite bathroom. An inviting outdoor space awaits you outside your front door, surrounded by a serene, forest setting.
PRIVATE STANDARD - Queen
Equally appropriate for a single person or for a couple, enjoy your own peaceful room with a queen bed and a shared bathroom down the hall. Your room is simply and tastefully decorated, with windows opening toward the surrounding forest. A bright and airy communal lounge and kitchenette is available 24 hours a day, perfect for relaxing with a book or sharing a cup of tea with friends.
PRIVATE STANDARD - Twin
Equally appropriate for a single person or for a couple, enjoy your own peaceful room with two twin beds and a shared bathroom down the hall. Each room is simply and tastefully decorated, with windows opening toward the surrounding forest. A bright and airy communal lounge and kitchenette is available 24 hours a day, perfect for relaxing with a book or sharing a cup of tea with friends.
PRIVATE CABIN - Twin
Equally appropriate for a single person or for a couple, your private cabin is tucked into a gentle hillside, bright and airy inside, with expansive windows that connect your room to the surrounding forest. Each cabin has two twin beds, with a communal shower house that is centrally located and shared by other cabin guests, campers, and our karma yogis.
SHARED ENSUITE - Twin
Share this charming room with someone else. Each room has two twin beds with a private, ensuite bathroom. An inviting outdoor space awaits you outside your front door, surrounded by a serene, forest setting.
SHARED STANDARD - Twin
Share this charming room with someone else. Each room has two twin beds and a shared bathroom down the hall, and is simply and tastefully decorated, with windows opening toward the surrounding forest. A bright and airy communal lounge and kitchenette is available 24 hours a day, perfect for relaxing with a book or sharing a cup of tea with friends.
SHARED CABIN - Twin
Share this charming cabin with someone else. The cabins are tucked into a gentle hillside, bright and airy inside, with expansive windows that connect your room to the surrounding forest. Each cabin has two twin beds, with a communal shower house that is centrally located and shared by other cabin guests, campers, and our karma yogis.
CAMPING
Fourteen campsites scatter across a gentle, forested hillside, with level areas for pitching your tent. A centrally located shower house is close by, shared by other campers, cabin guests, and our karma yogis. Please bring your own camping gear and towels. We do live amidst bears and other wildlife, so avoid storing any food or scented toiletries in your tent.
RV
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Meals
Menu Types
What's Included
- 3 Organic Vegetarian Meals per day
- 2 Yoga and Meditation sessions per day