Recharge! Renew! Re-Energize your Meditation Practice!
Offered monthly April – August, 2021
Spending time and sharing with other committed meditators will help your meditation practice and inspire you to go ever deeper.
These retreats have been designed specifically for those who have taken one or more of the Learn to Meditate classes (or Fullness Series classes.) However, they are open to anyone with meditation experience.
Dates: Saturdays April 17, May 15, June 12, July 10, August TBD 2021
Time: 10:30a-12:30p
Location: Zoom until restrictions allow a hybrid of Zoom and in-person at the Ananda Blue Lotus Temple in Bothell and at Ananda Farm Camano Island in August
Cost: $25/class
Each class will include:
- Two guided meditations
- Review of basic meditation techniques
- Practices such as chanting, affirmations, and visualization
- Time for questions and answers
- Guidance for recharging your at-home practice
- Sharing of on-going support offered through Ananda
Classes are led by various Ananda Meditation Teachers, including Christina Riegel, Sita Tocco, Jacob MacLeod, and Nayaswami Hriman McGilloway
All teachers have had a daily meditation practice for many years and are graduates of Ananda’s Meditation Teacher Training Program.
April 17: Concentration and Mindfulness
“Within my every breath is infinite power.”
Studies repeatedly have shown that meditation can improve concentration, mindfulness, memory, and clarity.
We will review:
*Sitting with a straight spine
*Relaxing the body
* The importance of uplifting the gaze
*The bio-feedback cycle established whereby the calm breath focuses the mind and the focused mind calms the breath
*Simple breath techniques – double breath, diaphragmatic breath
* Observing the breath with the ancient Hong Sau Technique
May 15: Energy, Vitality, and Good Health
“The greater the will, the greater the flow of energy!”
What is true health? Is it merely the absence of disease or is it when one’s whole being is filled with a sense of energy and vitality?
We will review:
*How to tune into and work with the flow of energy in the body to bring about a sense of vitality and well-being.
*Tension and relaxation techniques (Energization Exercises)
*20-part body recharging
*The importance of willpower
*The connection between the proper breathing, posture, and vitality
*Affirmations for good health and energy
June 12: Calming the Heart
“Calmness radiates from every fiber of my being.”
The secret of calmness lies not in the mind, but in the heart. Meditating can help transform reactive emotions into calm, intuitive feeling.
We will review:
*How relaxing the body can help to relax the heart
*Inviting in a sense of calmness and ease when practicing meditation techniques
*Viewing the breath as a friend, a comforter, a guide
*Heart-opening techniques such as guided imagery, affirmation, and simple chanting
July 10: Expanding into Superconsciousness
“The soul loves to meditate, for in contact with Spirit lies its greatest joy.” Paramhansa Yogananda
Meditation has been described as an “upward relaxation into Superconsciousness!” We can think of Superconsciousness as the realm of intuition from which come answers, guidance, inspiration and the elemental soul qualities of joy, love, vitality, peach, calmness and the inner experiences of astral light and sound.
We will review:
*Infusing meditation techniques with a sense of stillness
*The importance of going beyond the techniques
*The eight basic aspects of Superconsciousness
*What is Raja Yoga and Kriya Yoga?
August date TBD: Continuing and Deepening your Practice
“Group meditation is a castle that protects the new spiritual aspirants as well as the veteran meditators. Meditating together increases the degree of Self-realization of each member of the group by the law of invisible vibratory exchange of group magnetism.” Paramhansa Yogananda
We plan to meet outside, in-person at Ananda Farm on Camano Island, a homestead, community farm, and yoga ashram.
Here we will gather to meditate together, have time to discuss questions and answers, and enjoy inspired and inspiring guidance on refining and deepening your practice through Raja and Kriya Yoga… plus more!