We welcome you to a five-day meditation retreat at Ananda Kanan, Missouri.
During this meditation retreat, you can go deep into your meditation, enjoy sattvic vegetarian food, make good friends, relax in a natural environment, and enjoy classes, workshops, and other programs. You can also learn individual meditation and have recommendations on yoga, diet, and other lifestyle habits.
In addition to the programs at Ananda Kanan, we will also go for an outing by the nearby river and enjoy swimming, singing Kiirtana, meditation, and having lunch in the beautiful natural environment.
Dada Diiptimanananda and Didi Ananda Acira will lead this retreat. They are Sannyasins (yoga monks and nuns) and have been teaching yoga and meditation for over a decade and can help you advance spiritually and connect to your inner self.
What to Expect:
- Three sattvic vegetarian meals per day, prepared by our spiritual teachers
- Yoga classes in the morning and evening
- Collective meditation four times a day
- Inspirational talks on meditation, yoga, philosophy, food, nutrition, and healthy living.
- Fun games and workshops
- Outdoor walks and activities
- Individual meditation lessons with our teachers (optional)
- Mud Packs (optional and depending on weather)
- Outing to the nearby river
- Relax your body and calm your mind in a tranquil, beautiful environment.
Program
Arrival is on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at 3 p.m.
According to your travel plan, you can also arrive earlier or later on that day.
It is better if you can arrive on time or early as we will start our programs at 4:30 with a yoga class.
Departure is on Sunday, August 20, after breakfast and the closing ceremony.
The daily schedule includes early morning chanting at 5 a.m., followed by meditation (with an option to sleep a bit later if needed), and then a full day of activities.
Every day will include
- Early morning mantra chanting (Kiirtana) and meditation (5 – 5:30 a.m.)
- Morning Yoga Class (6 – 7 a.m.)
- Morning collective meditation (7 – 8 a.m.)
- Breakfast (8 a.m.)
- Free time to walk outdoors
- Morning Class
- Noon collective meditation (12 p.m.)
- Lunch (1 p.m.)
- Rest after lunch and free time
- Workshop, outdoor activities, or other afternoon programs (3 p.m.)
- Evening meditation (5 p.m.)
- Evening yoga class (6 p.m.)
- Dinner (7 p.m.)
- Short evening program
- Take early rest (around 9 – 9:30 p.m.)
Food
We will have breakfast, lunch, and dinner together, all included in the retreat package.
The meals are prepared by the teachers. The participants are welcome to help or observe if they want to learn how to cook. The food is Sattvik vegetarian, i.e., vegetarian food without onions, garlic, and mushrooms.
We will select organic as much as possible and prefer gluten and dairy-free. If you have any allergies or specific food preferences, please contact us beforehand so that we can adjust or make those items available.
It is strictly prohibited to bring or consume any meat, fish, eggs, onions, garlic, mushrooms, alcohol, tobacco, and narcotic drugs at the retreat premises. Any items containing those items above are also prohibited.
Teachers
Dada Diiptimanananda started practicing meditation as a teenager. The meditation practices gradually became a profound source of happiness until, at age twenty-three, he decided to dedicate his life to teaching meditation and living as a monk.
Dada is a musician and loves classical music and sings mantra music and the Prabhata Samgiita devotional songs.
He has been teaching people meditation and yoga since 2005 in Taiwan, Russia, Canada, and the US.
Didi Ananda Acira learned meditation in Indonesia in the year 2000.
She became a nun in the year 2006 and was working mainly in South East Asia.
She moved to the United States in 2014 and is teaching meditation, yoga, and yoga detox at Ananda Dhiira meditation center in Penn Valley, California. She receives small groups at Ananda Dhiira for meditation and detox retreats and teaches at Meditation Steps retreats in the USA.
Special Interests:
- Meditation, yoga, yogic lifestyle, and philosophy.
- Health, wellness, and natural detox.
- Organic farming and living a natural lifestyle.
Location
The retreat venue, Ananda Kanan, is on 28 acres of land and has trails, sports grounds, a lake, rich wildlife, and a variety of bird species.
Ananda Kanan has a beautiful dome-shaped meditation hall encircled by flowering trees and bushes, a separate kitchen and dining hall with a patio so you can choose to have your meal indoors or outdoors, comfortable accommodation at the family dorm that has ten double occupancy rooms and two dormitory rooms with bunk beds.
How To Get There (Flights, Airport Transfers, Buses, Trains)
The Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) is about ninety minute’s drive from Ananda Kanan. We can pick you up at the airport or the Springfield, MO, Greyhound bus station.
Flights to Saint Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) are usually cheaper, but it is three and a half-hour drive to Ananda Kanan. You can rent a car from the airport or contact us for the possibility of a ride-share with other participants.
Transportation to the retreat is not included in the retreat fee. Pickup is most of the time available from Rolla, MO, and Springfield, MO, for an extra $60 per ride (if two people share is cheaper per person.)
Arrival By Car
From Highway 63, take the UU road until Country Road 1670 (second crossing). Turn left and go straight around 1 mile until you come to the gate on the left.
Address:
Ananda Kanan
3157 County Road 1670
Willow Springs, MO 65793
United States
What To Bring
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Please bring your own toiletry, clothes, personal items, bug spray (for chiggers and tics,) shoes for walking outdoors, and slippers. All beds have a mattress cover, pillow, and pillowcase.
Prohibited Items:
It is not allowed to bring any tamasik items, such as tobacco, alcohol, drugs, intoxicants, meat, fish, eggs, onion, garlic, mushrooms, or any food containing those items. If you have any questions, please contact us for more information.
The food during the retreat is plentiful and delicious, so you don’t need to worry about going hungry!
Out of respect to our guests with scent sensitivities, we ask that no strong perfumes or lotions be used.
Pets are not allowed at Ananda Kanan.
Is the Retreat Child Friendly?
- Yes, we welcome our participants to bring their children. The environment is beautiful, and we have a play area at Ananda Kanan on the second floor of the dining hall. However, we are not able to provide child care, so parents need to attend to their children and ensure their safety. The children are welcome to join the classes, meditation, and yoga classes if they can play quietly on the side or participate. Some children are eager to participate in yoga, meditation, and mantra chanting (Kiirtana.) For Ananda Kanan, the most suitable accommodation for parents with children is the cabins. The fee for the cabin includes the participation fee for the entire family.
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