5 Day Yoga, Meditation, and Forest Bathing Retreat in Missouri, USA
Yoga and Meditation Retreat in the USA
During this meditation retreat, you can deepen your meditation, enjoy sattvic vegetarian food, make good friends, relax in a natural environment, and attend classes, workshops, and other programs. You can also learn individual meditation and receive recommendations on yoga, diet, and other lifestyle habits.
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Highlights
- Collective meditation four times a day
- Yoga classes in the morning and evening
- Inspirational talks on meditation, yoga, philosophy, food, nutrition, and healthy living
- Outdoor walks and activities with an outing to the nearby river
- Individual meditation lessons with Meditation Steps' teachers (optional)
- Relax your body and calm your mind in a tranquil, beautiful environment
- 4 nights accommodation
- 3 sattvic vegetarian meals per day, prepared by spiritual teachers
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
Accommodation
Facilities
- Dining area
- Kitchen
The comfortable accommodation will be in the Family Dorm, which has eight bedrooms with two beds and two rooms with bunk beds. The bathrooms are dormitory style, with sisters and brothers separated.
Ananda Kanan has a beautiful dome-shaped meditation hall encircled by flowering trees and bushes, a separate kitchen, and a dining hall with a patio so that you can choose to have your meal indoors or outdoors.
Program
Meditation Steps USA welcomes you to our five-day meditation retreat at Ananda Kanan, Missouri, where you will have the opportunity to release deep bodily stress, take time off to relax in nature, gently clear your mind so that you can move forward in your spiritual path through meditation and yoga. On this retreat, get ready for a lifestyle change that could include improving your daily habits, nourishing your body on a fuller level, spending time in nature technologically free, and having the time off to allow your body and mind to rest, with designated time for silence during the night and early morning.
Dada Diiptimanananda and Didi Ananda Acira will lead this retreat. They are experienced yoga and meditation teachers who can help you advance spiritually and connect to your inner self.
Join them for a transformative five-day meditation retreat at Ananda Kanan, nestled in the serene beauty of Missouri. This retreat offers the perfect blend of spiritual deepening, relaxation, and connection with nature.
Enjoy three sattvic vegetarian meals daily, yoga sessions, and four collective meditations, along with enriching outdoor activities and walks.
Meditation and Manta Singing (Kiirtana)
The practices that will be presented in this retreat will encompass various techniques for physical, mental, and spiritual development. The central practice is meditation. Meditation means looking within your mind to feel the bliss that is the essence of your existence. That bliss is within you, just as it is within everybody and everything.
The meditation and chanting that will be done in this retreat
Meditation is a powerful tool for self-transformation and spiritual awakening. At the retreat, we will practice Baba Nam Kevalam meditation, introduced through mantra chanting and a simple, uplifting dance (Laliita Marmika.) Each collective meditation begins with a short explanation, followed by 10–20 minutes of Kiirtana (chanting with movement) and then silent meditation. Meditation sessions will range from 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the time of day and the comfort level of participants.
On the first two days, Dada and Didi will guide the meditations to help everyone ease into the practice. From the third day onward, the sessions will be fully silent, with the option of personal instruction for those new to meditation. For returning participants, there will be opportunities to receive more advanced, one-on-one lessons with Dada and Didi to deepen your practice.
If you enjoy longer meditation sessions, the early morning hours are ideal. Participants are encouraged to join the extended meditation from 5:00 to 6:30 a.m., or to use free time during the day for personal practice. On the day dedicated to one-on-one instruction, we especially recommend that others take advantage of the quieter atmosphere to do longer individual meditations.
If you have a preferred cushion or meditation seat, feel free to bring it. Yoga mats will be available, but other props are limited.
Yoga Classes
The yoga classes during the retreat are based on Ananda Marga Yoga and offer a holistic approach to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Rooted in the ancient science of Tantra Yoga, each class includes a combination of gentle warm-up stretches, yoga ásanas, deep breathing, self-massage, and guided relaxation. These postures are designed to enhance flexibility, increase vitality, and bring inner balance, while also stimulating the glands and internal organs to support overall health. No prior experience is needed, and each class is adaptable to the participants’ needs and abilities.
The spiritual Master, Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, the founder of the Ananda Marga tradition (Path of Bliss), has adjusted the practice of Rajadhiraja yoga to suit the modern environment.
Kiirtana (Mantra Singing)
Kiirtan is singing a mantra aloud while ideating on the Supreme Being. It inculcates a feeling of bliss and prepares the mind for meditation because all the motor and sensory organs are engaged and directed toward the Supreme. It can be done anywhere, but it is essential before meditation.
The mantra used for Kiirtana is Bábá Nám Kevalam. The easiest way to conceive of the Infinite Consciousness is to think of infinite love. This mantra is, therefore, often translated as, “Love is all there is.”
A more detailed meaning of the mantra is 'Bábá' means infinite love / infinite consciousness / supreme consciousness, or “my most beloved one;” 'Nám' means “name of” or “to identify with;” and Kevalam means “only.” So, the meaning of the mantra is “My most beloved is the only one.”
The inner idea used when meditating (ideation) is, “Everywhere I look, in everything I hear, feel, see, taste, and smell, I perceive that one supreme consciousness which pervades all things.”
Kiirtana has many benefits. It purifies the mind and prepares it for meditation, accelerating the speed of movement toward the supreme. Because of the mental clarity achieved, one can easily find solutions to problems while performing a task and get relief from physical and psychic ailments.
Lalita Marmika dance
Many people experience sore knees when sitting regularly for meditation during a meditation retreat. The Lalita Marmika dance helps limber the knees, relax the brain and body, and develop surrender and a feeling of devotion to the supreme. It helps to prepare the mind and body for meditation and is used before sitting down for meditation. This dance arouses the deepest feelings of love and devotion, dissolves egotism, and prepares the mind for meditation.
Given all the benefits, we will introduce the Laliita Marmika dance early in the retreat.
Schedule
Arrival will be on Wednesday at 15:00. According to your travel plan, you can also arrive earlier or later on this day. It will be better if you can arrive on time or earlier, as the group will start the program at 16:00 with a meditation class. Departure will be on Sunday after breakfast and the final sharing.
The daily schedule will include early morning chanting at 05:00, followed by meditation (with an option to sleep a bit later if needed), and then a full day of activities.
Every day will include:
- 05:00 - 05:30 Early morning mantra chanting (kirtan) and meditation
- 06:30 - 07:30 Morning yoga class
- 07:30 - 08:30 Morning collective meditation
- 08:30 Breakfast
- 10:00 Morning class
- 11:00 Free time to walk outdoors
- 12:00 Collective meditation
- 13:00 Lunch
- Rest after lunch and free time
- 15:00 Workshop, outdoor activities, or other afternoon programs
- 16:30 Evening meditation
- 17:15 Evening yoga class
- 18:00 Dinner
- Short evening program
- Around 20:00 Take early rest
If you are looking to rejuvenate your spirit, learn new practices, or simply relax in a supportive community, then book this retreat so that you can step into spiritual transformation and leave feeling like your true self. We currently have eight private rooms left for this retreat, book now!
Included excursions
In addition to the programs at the retreat center at Ananda Kanan, participants will also go on an outing to a nearby river, where they can enjoy mud packs, a cold plunge, or swimming in the river, sing kirtan, meditate, and have lunch in the beautiful natural environment. The group will share rides with those who came driving to the retreat. Swimming will be optional, but it will be very enjoyable.
Instructors
Dada Diiptimanananda
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 also a musician who loves classical music and he sings mantra music as well as the Prabhata Samgiita devotional songs. Since 2005, he has been teaching meditation and yoga in Taiwan, Russia, Canada, and the US.
Didi Ananda Acira
Didi Ananda Acira learned meditation in Indonesia in the year 2000. She became a nun in 2006 and worked mainly in South East Asia. She moved to the United States in 2014 and now teaches meditation, yoga, and yoga detox at Ananda Dhiira meditation center in Penn Valley, California. She also receives small groups for meditation and detox retreats, as well as teaches at Meditation Steps retreats in the USA. Her special Interests include meditation, yoga, yogic lifestyle, and philosophy; health, wellness, and natural detox; and 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.
Food
The facilitators will prepare three soul-nourishing meals per day for you, ensuring you are well-nourished and mentally clear during our time together. The food will be sattvic vegetarian, i.e., vegetarian food without onions, garlic, and mushrooms.
Meditation Steps will select organic as much as possible, and gluten and dairy-free options will be available. If you have any allergies or specific food preferences, please send them an inquiry beforehand so that they can adjust or make those items available.
It is strictly prohibited to bring or consume any meat, fish, eggs, onions, garlic, mushrooms, alcohol, tobacco, or narcotic drugs at the retreat premises. Any items containing those listed above are also prohibited.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten Free
- Organic
- Yogic
- Other dietary requirements on request
What's included
- Collective meditation four times a day
- Yoga classes in the morning and evening
- Inspirational talks (classes) on meditation, yoga, philosophy, food, nutrition, and healthy living
- Outdoor walks and activities
- Outing to the nearby river
- Individual meditation lessons with Meditation Steps' teachers (optional)
- Mud packs (optional and depending on weather)
- Relax your body and calm your mind in a tranquil, beautiful environment
- 4 nights accommodation
- 3 sattvic vegetarian meals per day, prepared by Meditation Steps' spiritual teachers
What's not included
- Airport transfer (possibly available for an extra fee of 75 USD)
- Contact Meditation Steps to verify if it is available at the time that you will be arriving and departing)
- Visa to the USA (Meditation Steps does not provide any visa assistance)
- Travel and health insurance
- Massage
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Lambert–St. Louis International Airport
242 km
Transfer not provided
Springfield–Branson National Airport
136 km
Transfer not provided
Arrival by plane
Please book your flight to arrive at Lambert–St. Louis International Airport (STL) or Springfield–Branson National Airport (SGF). Transfers from and to these airports are not included in the price.
The Springfield–Branson National Airport (SGF) is approximately two hours from Ananda Kanan. They may be able to arrange pick-up either from the SGF airport or the Greyhound bus station in Springfield, MO.
A pick-up fee of 75 USD per person applies, or 35 USD per person if multiple individuals will be picked up at the same time. Payment can be made in cash to the driver or through electronic means to the organizers.
Please note that pick-up service is not guaranteed. Be sure to contact the organizer in advance to check availability. Alternatively, rental cars are available at the airport for those who prefer to drive.
Arrival by car
If you will fly into St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL), you can rent a car at the airport and drive to Ananda Kanan. The drive takes approximately three and a half hours.
From Highway 63, take the UU road until Country Road 1670 (second crossing). Turn left and go straight for around one mile until you come to the gate on the left.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.