For Ananda Sangha Kriyabans and new Kriya Yoga initiates

Date: Thursday 23  May – Sunday 26 May 2024

Venue: Clearways, 54 Clearways Rise, off Airport Road, Hamilton

Band together in spiritual communities. Pursue lives of service to God and of Divine meditation. That is the way to inner peace and harmony.

Paramhansa Yogananda

Be part of Paramhansa Yogananda’s vision of spiritual communities for a few days. Together we’ll energise, chant, meditate, enjoy Satsangs and Songs, offer our Seva (service), enjoy beautiful meals and the company of other devotees in the lovely ambience of rural Waikato.

With the guidance of Nayaswami Pranaba, we’ll explore the depth and practice of the technique of Kriya Yoga, how to deepen our life as a Kriya Yogi and to make our practice more effective.

Kriya Yoga is a vast and deep subject. The Kriya Yoga path and techniques are the most precious part of the Kriyaban’s life.

Full Immersion Into Practices for the Body Mind and Soul
Kriya Preparation, Initiation & Review | Kriya Sadhana | Chanting and Music | Like-minded Company

Summary of Events

  • Thursday Evening – Shared meal and orientation
  • Friday – Morning Sadhana, Breakfast, Kriya Preparation, Kriya Initiation
  • Saturday – Morning Sadhana, Kriya Review, Lunch, Seva, Satsang, Music
  • Sunday – Morning Sadhana, Sunday Service and Lunch

Retreat Schedule

Thursday 23 May 2024
Retreat begins with a shared meal at 6.00pm (you can begin arriving from 2.00pm and get settled).

  • 6.00pm SHARED MEAL
  • 7.00 – 8.30pm Opening Satsang – WELCOME and overview of the retreat. Introductions; Inspirational talk; Chanting

Friday 24 May
Morning Programme

  • 6.30am – 8.30am Morning Sadhana (Energization Exercises, Chanting, Meditation)
  • 8.30am BREAKFAST
  • 9.30am – 11.00am Preparation for Kriya Yoga
  • 11 – 12pm Seva / Free time
  • 12.00 – 1.00pm LUNCH

Afternoon Programme

  • 1.00 – 4.00pm Seclusion for new initiates, Seva / seclusion for Kriyabans
  • 4.00 – 4.30pm Meditation
  • 4.30 – 6.30pm Kriya Ceremony
  • 7.00pm SUPPER

Saturday 25 May
Morning Programme

  • 6.30am – 8.30am Morning Sadhana (Energization Exercises, Chanting, Meditation)
  • 8.30am BREAKFAST
  • 9.30am – 11.00am Kriya Review
  • 12.00 – 1.00pm LUNCH

Afternoon Programme

Explore the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda – mini retreat open to all sincere seekers

Sunday 26 May
Morning Programme

  • 6.30am – 8.30am Morning Sadhana (Energization Exercises, Chanting, Meditation)
  • 8.30am BREAKFAST
  • 9.30am – 11.30am Sunday Service, closing and farewell
  • 12.00pm LUNCH, pack up and depart

Drop me a line if you’ll be joining this retreat, either as an Ananda Kriyaban or a new initiate. I’ll send you the required information.

Practicalities:

Meals

We’ll be serving delicious vegetarian meals throughout the retreat. If you have specific dietary requirements, we recommend bringing your own food to supplement the meals provided.

There’s also a fully equipped self-catering kitchen available for your use if you have specific dietary needs.

Accommodation

You will enjoy the comfort of your own private room, with a double bed, a modern shower, and a toilet. Plus, a handy kitchenette with a fridge and microwave that allows you to prepare light meals or snacks at your leisure.

Your contribution

We suggest a contribution of $600 to go towards accommodation for three nights, vegetarian meals and the retreat programme.

Meet the Teachers

Nayaswami Pranaba is a highly experienced Ananda minister with 50+ years of meditation practice and 44+ years teaching meditation and yoga. He's established Ananda Centres internationally and held leadership roles within Ananda, including directing their Yoga Teacher Training, managing The Expanding Light Retreat, and overseeing the Living Discipleship Course. He now focuses on Ananda's outreach ministry.

Nurtured by her grandfather's spiritual example, Kavita's lifelong interest in spirituality deepened after encountering Paramhansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi in her youth. She embraced the path of Kriya Yoga, an ancient meditation technique that uses breath control (pranayama) and energy control to awaken the body's subtle energies and cultivate spiritual growth. For 30 years, she has been a dedicated meditator. Inspired to share these transformative teachings, she left a career as a chartered accountant to found Ananda in New Zealand. Through Kriya Yoga, Kavita offers an inspiring example of spiritual practice integrated with a loving family life with two grown children.

Nayaswami Sagar resides in the Ananda Monastery at Ananda Village, California. Sagar served Ananda’s work in India for seven years and currently teaches online and in-person classes on a variety of topics including meditation, karma and reincarnation, the yogic teachings of Jesus, and more.

Born into a family of Kriya Yogis, Sagar read the Autobiography of a Yogi at the young age of seven and has ever since been an avid student of Paramhansa Yogananda’s teachings.

Swami Kriyananda wrote that Satsang (good company) is almost as important on the path as meditation itself. He said “mix more with spiritually minded people. Tune in consciously to their vibrations.”

This retreat is marketed by the Narrows Retreat for Ananda New Zealand