RESIDENTIAL COURSE: The Joy of Inner Communion - including the 8-Hour Christmas Meditation
With the long Christmas meditation, a tradition begun by Yogananda.
In this weekend we will seek to attune ourselves to Christ, both as the little child who opens our hearts and awakens our devotion and as the formless Christ Consciousness dwelling ever within us. The traditional 8-hour Christmas meditation will be a beautiful and inspiring way to prepare ourselves to fully receive the blessings of the Nativity.
Editions
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forgiveness, nobility, service, kindness, spiritual understanding, and devotion,
. . .Give unto Christ all your gifts of love and devotion. Let Him, on the Christmas morn of your spiritual awakening,
unwrap the gorgeous present of your heart offerings that have been sealed with the tears of your golden joy
and bound with the cord of your eternal fidelity to Him.”
We encourage you to arrive on Friday afternoon, giving you time to relax and decompress on Saturday, changing the focus of your awareness from your busy worldly activities to the quiet peace of your inner world.
On Saturday morning there will be a class on awakening the Christ Consciousness, which will include suggestions on how to participate fully in the Christmas meditation the following day.
Sunday begins with the Energisation Exercises and a long Ananda Yoga session to prepare the body and to awaken the flow of prana. At 9:00 am the meditation begins, and continues until 17:00. Periods of meditation are interspersed with chanting and readings. The hours fly by, with everyone focused on seeing the light of Christ Consciousness. As He promised: 'Where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.'
Dedicating this time to deepening your spiritual life and contacting the infinite Source of joy within you is the best Christmas gift you can give yourself.
Dear friends, we will do our best, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to provide a translation for everything in your program. We apologise for any inconvenience!
If you want to participate in the Christmas long meditation, we are happy to offer you to stay with us until the 18th morning after breakfast (ask in reception for cost and details).
Your teacher:
Nayaswami Uma Macfarlane is a Kriyacharya, Counselor and Raja Yoga Teacher. An astute counselor and teacher, Uma offers a number of classes on Raja Yoga at the Ananda Assisi center.A student and teacher of yogic philosophy and spiritual science for 40 years, Uma lived for many years at Ananda Village in California, where served for a time as secretary for Swami Kriyananda.
She has taught at Ananda communities in the United States, as well in India and many parts of Europe. A native of the England, she brings wonderful wit and charming warmth to her classes as well as obvious depth of experience. She is currently serving in our Assisi, Italy retreat.
The total price of your all-inclusive stay, which includes course, board and lodging, is:
240 euros (120 euros per day)* in a single room,
180 euros (90 euros per day)* in a double room,
160 euros (80 euros per day)* in a 3- to 5-bed dormitory.
* Price of membership card not included (18€)
Credits immagine corso: Ruby Stoppe
17:30 – 19:30 Spiritual Practices
19:30 Dinner
20:30 Orientation
Saturday
7:00-8:45 Morning spiritual practices
8:45 Breakfast in silence
11:00-13:30 Morning lesson
13:30 Lunch
16:15 - 17:30 Ananda Yoga
17:45-19:30 Energization and meditation or lesson in the spiritual practices
19:30 Dinner in silence
20:30-22:00 Evening program
Sunday7:15-8:30 Ananda Yoga
9:00-17:00 8-hour Christmas meditation
17:00 Dinner in silence
If you wish, you can add an extra night and leave on Monday after breakfast (ask at reception for costs and details).
Monday (optional)
7:00-8:45 Spiritual practices
8:45am Breakfast in silence
Departure after breakfast
Le rivelazioni di Cristo di Swami Kriyananda
Services
240 euros (120 euros per day)* in a single room,
180 euros (90 euros per day)* in a double room,
160 euros (80 euros per day)* in a 3- to 5-bed dormitory.
We will offer you:
- full board from Thursday evening to Sunday lunch
- all meditations and guided sadhana
- Ananda Yoga classes
- the course and materials (if any)
- the essentials for your practice: meditation cushions, yoga mats, Aum-board
- kirtan and other evening programs
* Membership card not included
Accommodation: information and prices
Cost table
Attention: During the Covid-19 period the prices below are no longer applicable. The correct all-inclusive price for each course can be found on its individual page.
| Single room with bathroom | € 72.00 |
| Single without bathroom | € 61.00 |
| Double room with bathroom | € 56.00 |
| Double without bathroom | € 48.00 |
| Triple room with bathroom | € 48.00 |
| Triple without bathroom | € 41.00 |
| Dormitory (4-5 beds) | € 36.00 |
Note: To the price of lodging and food, you have to add the price of the seminar, that includes all activities: Energization Exercises Lessons, yoga and meditation and evening activities (on most evenings).
Payments can be made in cash, by Eurocheck, credit card (MasterCard and Visa), Bancomat. We can’t accept cash over 1000.00 euros.
Opportunity
Next time you come to Ananda, sign up for the program Yoga in Action to get a taste of community service and receive a discount on the cost of the course. You can choose the option Yoga in Action for any course where this program is available and you can continue with this option as long as you wish. Your service project might change each day.
When we learn to serve with the right attitude, this is a spiritual practice and is called Karma Yoga. The daily practice of Karma Yoga is a joyful and practical spiritual discipline that will benefit every aspect of your life.
At Ananda, there are two levels of the Yoga in Action option:
Yoga in Action Level 1
75€/course of 5 days
With Level 1, you will serve for a period of one and a half hours. This experience gives you a chance to contribute to the beautiful atmosphere of Ananda.
Yoga in Action Level 2
35€/course of 5 days
Yoga in Action Level 2 is only available if you have had prior experience of the Yoga in Action Level 1 option, or any of the Community Living Programs. With Level 2, you will serve for a period of three hours, split into two periods of daily service.
How to Register for This Program
In the page of the course you want to participate to, you will find, if available, the special price of the course with Yoga in action level 1 and 2. When you sign-up on the website or call or write us to book the course, just indicate that you wish to participate to the Yoga in Action Level 1 or 2 program. It’s that easy. Once you arrive at Ananda you will need also to complete a Yoga in Action Form and return it to our reception office.
How to book
You may make your reservation directly here on the website or by phone (+39 0742 813620) or email (info@ananda.it). Your booking needs to be confirmed by our reception office. For courses held online, there is no need to indicate the details of your stay (date of arrival, departure…).
For courses held at our center in Assisi, please indicate your arrival and departure dates and times, the program you wish to attend, your preferred accommodation, your address, phone and email. If you need to modify your reservation, please inform us at least one week in advance.
Our reception office is open from:
Monday to Saturday 9:30-1:30pm, 2:30-5:30pm
Sunday 9:30-11:30am, 2:30-5:30pm
For on-site courses, the programmes start on the evening of the day indicated.
If you cannot arrive during office hours, please let us know in advance.
Please contact us to check what translations are available. Courses, both on-site and online, may be cancelled if there are fewer than five participants.
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