Ananda Meditation Retreat Center

The Ananda Meditation Retreat was founded in 1968 by Swami Kriyananda, based on the teachings of his guru, Paramhansa Yogananda. People from all faiths and backgrounds are welcome here.When Swami Kriyananda first walked this land, he said he deeply felt the blessings of his guru and knew this was where he felt God could start what would become the Ananda Community.Many of the original residents of the Meditation Retreat now live at the nearby Ananda Village, and the Meditation Retreat is kept as a quiet place for meditation and seclusion.The Meditation Retreat began as a small retreat center, the first actual focus of what has now blossomed into a global movement to help spiritual seekers realize God in their daily lives as a tangible, loving reality.

The magnetic energy of the Retreat has intensified and expanded over the past several decades. Individuals meditating and living here have greatly added to the profound sense of peace and stillness that pervades the land. The beauty and presence of the Divine is tangibly felt by all who come here.

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” —Mahatma Gandhi.The Seva Yoga Ashram Program is a low-cost program which allows you to stay at the Ananda Meditation Retreat while serving 30 hours per week and join in daily meditations, yoga classes, and meals in joyful fellowship with other truth-seekers.

Duties range from serving in the kitchen, gardens, and housekeeping. Cost is is $500 a month, with a minimum stay of one week and a maximum of three months.Exquisite natural surroundings of the 72 acre Meditation Retreat and the peaceful atmosphere of over 40 years of deep meditation are just the beginning of what you will find here. There are miles of wooded trails for hiking and biking.Learn from those that have been living this way of life for many years and gain the support to meditate and to practice the art of joyful service in all your activities!