Living Discipleship

Living Discipleship is a 25-day full-immersion program (27 days for those engaging through Ananda Village*). The program is offered exclusively to Ananda Kriyabans who are established in the core teachings, and have made their sadhana and service to Ananda a central part of their daily lives. This immersion offers 25 days of living at Ananda’s original site, the Ananda Meditation Retreat. The Living Discipleship Program includes daily meditation, service opportunities and satsangs focusing on living a dynamic life of discipleship.

This program is an invitation to deepen your discipleship to Paramhansa Yogananda, and to expand yourself as an Ananda Global Citizen. Through this program you are offered the opportunity to step away from day-to-day responsibilities and worldly influences to embark on an inner pilgrimage to God communion. In addition to time in group meditation, study and service, you will also enjoy time for reflection, introspection and time in nature. You will have satsang with founding members of Ananda as well as Next Wave Leaders. Experience the joy of sharing this program with fellow gurubhais from various communities and from around the world.

* For an understanding of the 27-day program (additional two days with satsangs held at Ananda Village) please contact the program coordinator, Niranjana.

Upcoming Programs
Dates for Non-Village Participants:
  • Sept. 30 – Oct. 24, 2019
  • Mar. 2 – 26, 2020
  • July 7 – July 31, 2020
  • Sept. 28 – Oct. 22, 2020
  • Feb. 22 – Mar. 18, 2021

Dates for Village Participants:

  • Sept. 30 – Oct. 26, 2019
  • Mar. 2 – 28, 2020
  • July 7 – Aug. 2, 2020
  • Sept. 28 – Oct. 24, 2020
  • Feb. 22 – Mar. 20, 2021
Niranjana Kushler
Program Coordinator
530-478-7577
Niranjana@ananda.org

Anastasia Kirsch
Program Administrative Assistant
530-478-7631
Ana@ananda.org

Nayaswami Susan McGinnis
Meditation Retreat – Housing & Fees
530-478-7557
MeditationRetreat@ananda.org

View Application ProcessDonate to Living Discipleship

What are participants saying?

This program helped me to understand what it means to be living a life of discipleship and to be a member of spiritual community. How the inner and outer forms of self offering and service are linked and how to live and be a channel of Master’s Ray. This program provided the space to deepen both of these aspects.

It was inspiring to feel the magnetism formed by our group of peers who are dedicating their lives to this path of discipleship. The inspiration, joy, and nourishment of this group will be carried always in my heart to come back to when ever I need to reawaken the inspiration of my soul.

– Allie, Ananda LA

The Living Discipleship program was a transformative experience. It reawakened the roots of my inspiration and devotion to my quest of self realization. I haven’t felt this inspired and assured that emancipation is real and possible in this life since I first came to the path and felt God unfolding with in me as my heart and mind expanded.

All of the teachers and activities brought me deeper in my understanding as our group grew closer and more bonded. I’m eternally grateful for this timely experience. I feel more prepared than ever to pursue my own sadhana with zeal and also to share this holy vibration with all.

– Jacob, Ananda Camano Island

The Living Discipleship Program was the most spiritually nourishing time of my life. It allowed me the space to go deep into the teachings, participate in satsangs with founding members of Ananda, to have joyful uplifting time with the gurubhais and an opportunity to make spiritual friendships for a lifetime on the path. I’m carrying back a lot of gratitude for this time and a whole new perspective towards life and the spiritual path.

– Bramachari Vineet, Ananda India

Living discipleship has been a month of the most heart opening, soul-expanding, deepening, and nurturing experiences. It has brought a wellspring of renewal in body, mind and spirit. We have been carried on a journey too profound and beautiful to express. I had no idea what to expect from this program. What I found was an immersion into the depth and breath of masters teachings guided by souls who live and breathe the path they walk. My side in the practice has never been stronger. Practices of affirmation and embodiment of the teachings have come to life. My cellular make up has been rearranged and newly aligned to this ray of the divine. Held so completely, we were able to move unreservedly, to meet our edges, collapse, regroup, reflect, laugh, set new directions, gain new insights, rise higher and soar again.

– Kshama, Ananda Palo Alto

Imagine the most holiest place you can think of where you can stay for 25 days. Each day you are basked in the wonderful holy vibration again and again. Each day you transform, and now imagine saints coming to you and sharing their experience and vibration of God they have manifested in their life. Ah! What a wonderful thing happens to you and you keep transforming to a higher self of yourself.

Now Imagine a group of friends who are with you who want the same things like you. Who want God in their life. Now you are together, friends of past lives and current, who together are transforming and building a deep bonding of friendship in God. This is Living Discipleship in God, Guru and Divine Friends.

– Harish, Ananda India

A pilgrimage to the heart of
Joy
A Typical Day
5:30 or 6 am Morning Sadhana
8:30 am Breakfast
9 am Seva Opportunity
10:30 am Morning Satsang
12 pm Meditation
12:30 pm Lunch
2:30 pm Afternoon Satsang or Activity
4:30 pm Afternoon Sadhana with Asanas
6:30 pm Dinner
7:30 pm Evening Inspiration or Free Time
What to Expect
You will be guided through an experience of opening more fully to the presence of God, Guru, and being a part of the wider Ananda family. Below are just some of the offerings and ways you will be supported.

  • Personal spiritual support offered throughout the duration of the program
  • Sadhana two times per day: Energization Exercises, postures (afternoon), chanting, meditation
  • Satsangs in Master’s core techniques to deepen and refine: Energization Exercises, Hong Sau, AUM Technique, and Kriya
  • Satsangs with many of Ananda’s founding members as well as talented “Next Wave” leaders. Satsangs will include topics such as:
      • Ego Renunciation
      • The Last Will and Testement of Swami Kriyananda
      • Discipleship and Attunement
      • The Gift of Tests
      • Deeper into Feeling
      • Acceptance and Zero Resistance
  • Opportunities to dive deeply into selfless service
  • Kriya Initiation Ceremony for the group
  • One-on-one Satsang with an Ananda minister who will also check your Kriyas
  • Four full days of seclusion with longer deeper meditations
  • Special outings, meals and teas with gurubhais
  • Private group events at Crystal Hermitage and opportunities to meditate in Swami Kriyananda’s apartment & the Moksha Mandir
  • Nature experiences and playful activities
  • Team building project
Recommendations for Participation
Living Discipleship is a program designed for Ananda Kriyabans who would like to deepen their attunement to Master, as well as the techniques, attitudes and teachings of the path of Kriya. As a Kriyaban you will benefit most by being already established in the regular practice of the core Kriya techniques of Energization, Hong Sau, AUM, and Kriya proper, as well as service to the guru’s work. In this program we will review these core practices in-depth. For some of you, this may include helping you to achieve a comfortable practice of 108 Kriyas.

The recommendations for participation, identified below, are to help assure that you get the most from the program. If you would like to recieve support in any of these areas, please talk to your local minister (listed above) or Niranjana Kushler, the coordinator for Living Discipleship. All Kriyaban’s spend a period of time preparing for this program. Talking to someone directly can help you better understand your readiness and any steps you might wish to take to prepare. These priming efforts, more often than not, allow a person to feel more relaxed and spiritually ready for the deep immersion of Living Discipleship. As is always the case, Ananda works with people where they are at, in consideration of their life circumstance and personal needs. Prerequisites are set as suggested benchmarks for success, not as dogmatic rules.

The following are the suggested conditions for participation by the time you begin the program:

☐ I am a Kriyaban

☐ I have made Energization Exercises a regular part of my sadhana practice

☐ I meditate twice daily

Having a solid meditation habit prior to arrival will greatly serve you and benefit your fellow participants/gurubhais

☐ I meditate 1 ½ hours or more a day

☐ If not practicing 108 kriyas daily, I am comfortable doing 108 during longer meditations

☐ I regularly, if not daily, offer myself in service to Master through Ananda

It is also recommended that you have studied or read the following books (required for Living Discipleship). If you have not read any of these books at the time of your application, please enjoy reading and studying them prior to the start of your program.

☐ Autobiography of a Yogi

☐ The New Path (The Path)

☐ Art & Science of Raja Yoga (included in the Ananda Course of Self-realization)

☐ Essence of Self-realization

☐ The Need for Spiritual Communities, How to Start Them and Why

☐ Guidelines for Conduct of Members of the Sevaka Order

Where do I begin?

The process of applying to the Living Discipleship Program begins by speaking directly to Ananda Leadership about your participation in this program. Request some time with your local minister or leadership to sit with you and review the suggested conditions for participation. They will be the ones to recommend you for participation in the program.

Ananda Community Resident/Sangha Member
  • Ananda LA: Nayaswamis Dharmadevi or Narayan
  • Ananda Palo Alto: Nayaswami Asha, Shanti, or David
  • Ananda Portland: Surendra
  • Ananda Sacramento: Nayaswamis Dharmadas or Nirmala
  • Ananda Seattle: Nayaswamis Hriman or Padma
  • Ananda Village: A member of the Membership Committee (Nayaswamis Anandi, Lalita, Maria, Sahaja, Trimurti, Pranaba, or Atman, Catherine, Tim, Sabari, Niranjana)
  • Ananda Gurgaon: Nayaswami Dhyana
  • Ananda Delhi: Keshava or Daya
  • Ananda Pune: Nayaswami Jaya or Nayaswami Devarshi
  • Ananda Bangalore: Nayaswamis Haridas or Roma
  • Ananda Chennai: Nayaswamis Dharmarajan or Dharmini
  • Ananda Noida: Nayaswamis Dhyana or Jaya
Seek support in this process from your local minister, any of the above ministers, Nayaswami Pranaba (Pranaba@Ananda.org), Lisa Powers (lisaPowers@Ananda.org) or contact the program coordinator, Niranjana Kushler (Niranajana@Ananda.org)

Are you ready for a spiritual adventure?






View Application Process & Apply