RESIDENTIAL COURSE: Creative Visioning: What Are the Joyful Arts?
Discover the place of art in Ananda and the true role of art as a vehicle for the ray of light our Masters brought to infuse and uplift world consciousness. Explore how uplifting art can nourish and cultivate a Dwapara Yuga society.
This week of creativity is offered exclusively for Disciples, Kriyabans, and members of Ananda Sangha worldwide.
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"Men are led more surely through the arts than through philosophy.
Philosophy touches only their minds, but the arts involve also their feelings.
The arts affect people’s lives as outward expressions of their ideas.
Indeed, if the arts are broad enough in their vision, they can touch also the soul.”
—Swami Kriyananda
Calling Ananda Creatives & Visionaries! Enter a Dwapara laboratory to learn, share, and co-create. Prepare to roll up your sleeves and explore Swami Kriyananda's Revolutionary Understanding of Art and Creativity and its role in this pivotal moment of history!
This unique 5 day course will include dialogues with Asha, Dana, Anand & Kirtani, Uma and others + Hands-on Studio exploration, experiential creative process and a visionary charette.
Join us for this milestone gathering to explore and express Swamiji's vision of the JOYFUL ARTS.
Highlights:
- Learn what the role of art is in Ananda and how to use art as a way to gain deeper attunement with the Ananda ray of grace
- Explore how the arts can uplift our environment and help us to adopt new ways of thinking and feeling
- What is the role of art in shaping the future of society? What is the role of Art and creativity as an expression of discipleship?
- Discover how the creative process can ignite your spiritual practice.
- Explore and experience with fellow devotees the Deeper Meaning of the Arts (Fine Arts, Music, Dance, Theater, Writing, Film & Architecture)
- Be a part of launching the JOYFUL ARTS INITIATIVE!
- Take home tangible ways to uplift your meditation groups & communities.
"The only influence greater than the arts in its potential for
inspiring people is direct, inner religious experience."
—Swami Kriyananda
Your teachers:
Asha Nayaswami studied for over forty years with Swami Kriyananda, a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda. She has dedicated her life to bringing spiritual understanding to others through teaching, counseling, and writing. To that end, her lectures in the United States and around the world, letters to spiritual seekers, and her other writings are available on his website: ashajoy.com.
Her name, in Sanskrit, means "hope." She has been one of the spiritual directors of the Ananda community in Polo Alto for more than thirty years and is the author of several books: Stories of Miracles (Loved And Protected), Swami Kriyananda as We Have Known Him, Ask Asha, and Lightbearer. 
Nayaswami Anand Mark Stickney lived many years at Ananda Village, after having become a disciple of Yogananda and a devotee on the path of Self-realization in 1973. His experience, born from deep meditation, is much appreciated by Raja Yoga students.
In 2005 Swami Kriyananda authorized him to give initiation into Kriya Yoga. Anand and his wife Kirtani are spiritual directors of the Ananda community in Assisi, Italy. He also travels throughout Europe, giving lectures and seminars on Self-realization and Kriya Yoga.
Nayaswami Kirtani Shirley Stickney has been a disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda and on the path of Self-realization since 1974. She came to Ananda Village in 1975, where she later served as co-director. In 1980 she was appointed an Ananda Minister by Swami Kriyananda and co-directed the first Ananda teaching center in Italy in Rome. Since 1985 she has been serving Ananda in Europe, where she became the first Kriyacharya in Europe in 1993, and in the same year became Spiritual Director of Ananda Europa, Yogananda's work through Ananda in Europe. 
Dana Lynne Andersen is a multi-modality artist with a Master’s Degree in Consciousness Studies (JFKU). A pioneer in the field of Art & Consciousness, she is the founding Director of Awakening Arts Academy (USA) and Arte Spirito; the Academy of Art, Creativity & Consciousness (Italy). She is also the creator of the Transformative ArtsMethod and Certification Program that uses creative process as a vehicle for personal healing and spiritual awakening. Dana has taught and exhibited on three continents.
For more information, you can write Dana Anderson by email: info@awakeningartsacademy.com
or see her website: https://awakeningartsacademy.com/
The total price of your all-inclusive stay, which includes course, board and lodging, is:
828 euros (166 euros per day)* in a single room,
678 euros (136 euros per day)* in a double room,
628 euros (126 euros per day)* in a 3- to 5-bed dormitory.
* Price of membership card not included €. 18,00
Credit immagine corso: https://www.create-learn.us
Sunday
17:30-19:30 Spiritual Practices
19:30 Dinner
20:30 Orientation
Monday-Thursday
7:00-8:45 Morning Spiritual Practices
8:45 Breakfast in silence
11:00-13:30 Morning lesson
13:30 Lunch
15:30-17:00 Lesson (Some days)
17:45-19:30 Energization and meditation or lesson in the techniques
19:30 Dinner in silence
20:30-22:00 Evening activities
Friday
7:00-8:45 Morning Spiritual Practices
8:45 Breakfast in silence
11:00-13:30 Morning lesson
13:30 Lunch
*Every Thursday from 6:30-8:30 we have a long meditation, with a break to enter at 7:30 and the Purification Ceremony at 8:30.
Services
The total price of your all-inclusive stay, which includes course, board and lodging, is:
828 euros (166 euros per day)* in a single room,
678 euros (136 euros per day)* in a double room,
628 euros (126 euros per day)* in a 3- to 5-bed dormitory.
* Price of membership card not included €.18,00
We will offer you:
- full board from the evening of arrival to lunch on the day of departure
- all meditations and guided sadhana
- Ananda Yoga classes
- the course and materials
- the essentials for your practice: meditation cushions, yoga mats, Aum-board
- kirtan and other evening programs
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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Weekend
5 Days
Discover the place of art in Ananda and the true role of art as a vehicle for the ray of light our Masters brought to infuse and uplift world consciousness. Explore how uplifting art can nourish and cultivate a Dwapara Yuga society.
This week of creativity is offered exclusively for Disciples, Kriyabans, and members of Ananda Sangha worldwide.
5 Days