Self-Realization Fellowship Blog

“So Uplifting!” — SRF Online Meditation Center Updates

April 04, 2023

SRF Online Meditation Center Updates

The SRF Online Meditation Center and YSS Online Dhyana Kendra offer opportunities for SRF/YSS members and friends around the globe to come together through an online platform — at almost any time of night or day — in group meditation.

The Online Meditation Center was launched by SRF in October 2019 and the Online Dhyana Kendra by YSS in January 2021, and since that time the combined attendance has grown to over 80,000 visits per month. While many events are conducted by SRF or YSS monastics, dozens of programs are conducted weekly by SRF and YSS lay members.

Due to the temporary pause in services at SRF and YSS locations around the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic, these online programs became even more vital to those wanting to participate in group meditation with other SRF/YSS members and friends. Even after the easing of public health restrictions, participation in these programs has been consistently steady.

Longer Meditations

An added feature to the calendar of offerings is the opportunity to come together for two-, three-, and six-hour periods of group meditation held throughout the month. Just as when longer meditations are held in-person at SRF/YSS locations around the world, incorporated into these sessions are the practice of the SRF/YSS Energization Exercises and periods of chanting.

Spiritual Study Groups

Online study groups provide an opportunity to deeply absorb together the wisdom of Paramahansa Yogananda. In addition to regularly occurring study groups for The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You and God Talks With Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita, the Online Meditation Center now offers a weekly study group for Autobiography of a Yogi. SRF/YSS Lessons students also have the chance to join together for online group study of the Lessons.

Online Retreats

The Online Meditation Center offers one-day spiritual retreats, which include meditation, chanting, group practice of the Energization Exercises, and recorded archival talks by Paramahansa Yogananda as well as talks from SRF and YSS monastics. For the first couple of years online retreats were conducted solely by the monastics, but in 2022, under the direction of the Mother Center SRF/YSS lay disciple members began leading retreats, on such topics as “Living Courageously,” “Deepening Our Practice of Meditation,” and “Humility.” Over a thousand SRF/YSS members and friends from over 40 countries attended each of these retreats.

One retreat participant from the U.K. said: “Please pass on my heartfelt gratitude to all those involved in the online devotee-led retreat. It was so thoughtfully prepared and delivered with an inspiring mix of media from audio excerpts, chants, talks, and meditations. So uplifting!”

Another retreat participant said: “It was a turning point for me. I feel that somehow my consciousness changed. Congratulations on the beautiful service to Master and his devotees. Thank you very much!”

Additional Languages

Weekly meditations and half-day retreats in multiple languages were also added in 2022. There will be upcoming retreats in Italian and Spanish, and a retreat in Portuguese was led by an SRF monastic on April 1. SRF monastics currently lead monthly meditations in Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, and Japanese. In addition, weekly meditation services in these languages are led by SRF lay members. YSS monastics and lay members also lead meditations in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil (in addition to English) on the Online Dhyana Kendra.

For Those Who Wish to Attend — and Also Volunteer!

The Online Meditation Center is transformative for those attending the programs as well as those volunteering.

We invite you to participate to experience the blessings of group meditation and study with Paramahansa Yogananda’s global spiritual family.

And if you are a student of the SRF Lessons, you are welcome to volunteer to serve through the Online Meditation Center. Volunteers from around the world make it possible for daily group meditations, online retreats, and spiritual study to be available in many languages and for all who wish to attend, regardless of their location.

Some Messages From Those Benefitting…

Deep thanks for all you do to make it possible for us to meditate together via online meditations and special services. This has helped immeasurably in creating a special retreat space this year where we are. It also enlivens the sense we are substantially strengthening a worldwide community. — E. B., Vermont, USA

Many thanks for the meditations online. I really enjoy them. I am no longer meditating alone in my room, and it has a great effect on my mind during the day. God bless you. — M. V., France

Attending online meditation has been a blessing in these challenging times. It has brought so much peace, love, and joy to my meditations and in my day-to-day life. — M. K., Chandigarh, India

The SRF Online Meditation Center has been an absolute game-changer for me! The opportunity to connect with other devotees regularly from my home, day or night, has deepened my spiritual life to an incredible degree. Doing the Energization Exercises followed by chanting and meditation is so profound. Blessings to all those who have created and sustain this fabulous service!

I'm a singer and love the chanting. Thanks for the correspondence and for ALL you do — this world is DESPERATE for this beautiful online meditation center. — D. F., New York

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Leave a comment
Honor Schneider

The VLD classes with a Brother monk from SRF and a Swami from YSS are Incredible.
Two different perspectives both east and west blended together with the uplifting, deep answers (that seem just for me). I know that Guru is blessing and helping many devotees in this way. Jai Guru and thanks to all involved!!

Antje weniger, germany

Please also receive all my gratitude for this wonderful srf app with which to so easily access not only the wonderful online meditation centre, but also so many more inspiring and uplifting resources. This is also quite a 'game changer' for me, and makes it so much easier to literally fill the minutes of my life whereever may be with the thoughts of God and guru. What an incredible joy and blessing. Thanks to god and guru, and all their servants involved. All my love to you all. Jai guru.

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