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13-14 July 2019

with Acharya Dharana and Yogini Parizad Mazda

“The trivial preoccupations of daily life are not enough for man; wisdom too is a native hunger.”
— Paramhansa Yogananda

If you’re not satisfied with the “trivial preoccupations” in your daily life, or are hungering for wisdom, a sense of meaning or deeper purpose in life, or just a short break, we invite you to come for a short but relaxing weekend away from the noise and stress of city life.

This 28 hour program, from Saturday morning through Sunday lunch, will include:

  • Relaxation in a serene, beautiful and natural environment.

  • Guided yoga and meditation sessions to help you recharge your mind, body and spirit.

  • Weather permitting, a visit to one or more of the nearby scenic attractions, which include an adjoining mountain and many nearby waterfalls and streams.

All mankind has an inner yearning for meaning, fulfillment, and above all happiness, yet many of us are unable to find these qualities in our daily lives. The various scriptures of the world tell us that true and lasting happiness can only be found in the Divine, yet many of us are so busy honouring our commitments that we have no time left to take steps in this direction. And when we finally manage make time to pursue these things, we find that we are not sure how to proceed, or we are not advanced enough to deeply connect with the Divine.

This short weekend is designed to help and guide you in taking these steps, with time for both, inward and outward explorations. The inward steps are based on the guidance and techniques of the great Master of Yoga, Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the renowned book Autobiography of a Yogi. These teachings will help you connect to the Divine joy and peace within you. The outward steps will help you to deepen your awareness and enhance your enjoyment of the natural world, all around us.

In addition to the above aspects to help you relax and connect with the Divine, this weekend will also focus on one aspect of the Wisdom teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda: an introduction to the Yugas. The Yugas are an ancient traditional system of long-term cycles of time, which give us a more complete long-term context for better understanding what’s happening in the world today.

During this session we’ll discuss:

  • What yuga, or ‘age’, are we now living in, really?
  • What does that mean for us?
  • New perspectives on history, including both ancient and recent events.
  • Practical insights for better living in the present “energy age.”

This retreat is open and welcoming to all regardless of age, beliefs or religious background.

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About the Instructors

Acharya Dharana served in Ananda Palo Alto (USA), Ananda Assisi (Italy) and Ananda India, before becoming the primary Acharya (teacher) at the Ananda Meditation Retreat in 2015. He first began teaching in Italy, where Swami Kriyananda made him a minister. Dharana views and presents the eternal truths from a scientific perspective, due to his background as a silicon valley engineer. He’s loved hiking and nature since his childhood, and he’s been interested in the Yugas since he first heard of them in the 1990‘s.

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Parizad is a certified and experienced Ananda Yoga and Meditation Teacher. She is a Kriyaban, a long time spiritual seeker and meditator. She specialises in Holistic and Integrative Medicine and acts as a Psychologist, Spiritual Counsellor and Guide to those in need of healing and guidance, based on universal principles. She is also a practising Evolutionary Astrologer which charts the map of every soul’s evolutionary path and life intentions.  She is also a devout nature and animal lover and enjoys hiking and nature photography.

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Accommodations & Rates:

Room Type

Rate  (Sat breakfast-Sun lunch)

Fully furnished shared room, all meals included

Rs 2,200 / person

Fully furnished private room, all meals included

Rs 3,000 / person

For more information on Accommodation and reservations contact:

9011069792 or 8007108691; or email: retreat@anandaindia.org.

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Saturday, 13 July

9:00 am – 9:45 am

Arrivals and optional breakfast

10:00 am – 11:00 am

 Introductions, Origins of these teachings
Discussions on any of the following:
What is Spirituality?
How can we fit spirituality into our modern lifestyle?
Where do meditation, yoga, gurus fit in this picture?

11:00 am – 11:15 am

Short break

11:15 am – 12:00 pm

Experiential Relaxation & Energizing practices

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

A guided walk to nearby attractions (weather permitting)

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Lunch hour

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Free Time

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

The Wisdom Teachings of Yogananda:
An Introduction to the Yugas

5:00 pm – 5:45 pm

Tea and discussion

5:45 pm – 7:15 pm

Ananda Yoga and Meditation

7.15 pm – 8:00 pm

Dinner

8:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Spiritual Movie or free time (as preferred)

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Sunday, 7 April

7.00 am – 8.30 am

A guided walk to nearby attractions (weather permitting),
preferably ending with a brief meditation

8.45 am – 11.00 am

Breakfast and Free time

11.00 am – 12.30 pm

Ananda Yoga and Meditation

1.00 pm – 2.00 pm

Lunch

2.00 pm onwards

Free time and Departure

Additional things to keep in mind:

The above schedule is not written in stone. Our goal is to honor the needs and interests of our guests, and if it becomes clear that we can serve you better by making adjustment(s) to the above schedule, we’re very willing to do so. 

Out of respect for all other retreat participants, we humbly request that you plan on arriving here no later than 9:30 am on Saturday morning (July 13th), and earlier if you want to have breakfast, so that we’ll be able to get started with the classes promptly at 10 am.

We also request that you let us know by Friday evening about your plans for the Saturday morning’s breakfast, so that we’ll be able to insure there’s enough food / tea ready for you!

We’re now in monsoon season in an area where it rains very heavily at times, so we recommend you bring an umbrella, a rain jacket, and footwear that will dry quickly if it gets wet. We also recommend you bring a flashlight in case of power outages at night.

If you’d like to join us for the nature walks, we further recommend footwear that will be comfortable for that. Note that heavy rainfall at the wrong time could cause the walks in nature to be postponed, or even cancelled.