“The only journey is the journey within.”– Rainer Maria Rilke
What is a Micro College?
Our Micro College experience offers a focused, deep immersion into higher consciousness.
Ananda College recognizes that consciousness is the root of all being, and we use the tools of introspection, meditation, and yogic philosophy to help students discover who they are, their life dharma and direction. In our endeavor to meet the needs of developing body, mind and spirit, we draw on the celebrated and timeless teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda (author of Autobiography of a Yogi), who was the first Indian yoga master to live and teach in the west.
Yogananda’s teachings revolve around the goal of self-realization. He emphasizes the significance of knowing oneself on a deep level and uncovering the divine inside, which is the ultimate aim in life. Yogananda also discusses the necessity of living in tune with nature.
Our small, student-focused curriculum offers a blend of experiential learning and philosophy, with a focus on yogic spirituality and consciousness.
We offer:
- A small, intimate student body
- Daily yoga and meditation experiences
- Inclusion of student labor & service experiences
- Face-to-face interactions
- Travel adventures combining academics & spirituality
- Experiential, discussion-based academics
- Community living in a 50-year-old cooperative spiritual community
- A place to “find out who you are” through yogic philosophy and self-inquiry
Class topics or experiences may include:
- Study and understanding of the Vedic “Yuga Cycles of Time”
- Yogic Philosophy
- Association with CPAK (Conference on Precession and Ancient Knowledge)
- Travel study sessions in World Cultures & Consciousness
- Ecology & bioregional inquiry
- Daily yoga and meditation training that offers stress reduction, focus, and tools to develop more individual happiness and success in life.
- The inner path of Kriya Yoga Meditation
- Experience of a vegetarian or vegan diet to promote greater awareness
- Cooperative spiritual living
- Material success through yogic principles
- Holistic health and healing tools
- Sharing Nature Foundation and Education for Life principles
- Yogic Energization exercises
- Art, music, dance, and writing for higher consciousness
- Inclusion of nature, farming/gardening, & caring for the land
- “Living with Spirit” program for young adults 18-35
- Vedic Philosophy
- Sharing Nature Games
- World Cultures & Consciousness
- The Art of Supportive Leadership
- Chakras, Hatha Yoga
- Raja Yoga, Superconscious Living
- Lessons in Meditation
- Harmonious Relationships
- Holistic Health & Healing
- Yoga Psychology
- Consciousness and the Arts (Art, Music, Dance or Creative Writing)Money Magnetism
- Material Success Through Yogic Principles
- Music for Emotional Healing
Additional in-depth training available for:
- Yoga Teacher Training
- Meditation Teacher Training
- Karma Yoga & Seva Yoga
- Raja Yoga
- Education for Life Teacher Training
- Sharing Nature Facilitator Training
- Kriya Yoga Meditation Initiation
If it takes eight years to establish a permanent meditation habit, then if you meditate and practice Kriya deeply for eight years, you will see you are on the way to self-mastery. Through regular practice of Yogananda’s Kriya meditation techniques, subtle transformations take place in one’s body, mind, and inner most consciousness.
Campus:
Our in-person experiences can take place at the Ananda Meditation Retreat, Ananda Village or the Expanding Light Retreat, all within 5 miles of each other and located in the scenic Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California, 15 miles outside of Nevada City, California.
Ananda Village has been in existence for over 50 years and is a spiritual cooperative community based on yoga and meditation and the universal teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the spiritual classic, “Autobiography of a Yogi”. The village includes gardens, retreats, schools, a market/deli, a cooperative goat dairy, homes and small businesses.
Visit Us in April Each Year:
The village also includes the Crystal Hermitage Gardens, host to the Annual “Springtime at Ananda” festival. During the month of April, over 20,000 guests from throughout the west tour the Crystal Hermitage Tulip Gardens. Each year, the gardens feature 19,000 tulips in 124 varieties, along with cherry blossoms, pansies, wisteria, rhododendrons, azaleas and peonies.
Every April during the Tulip Festival, Ananda College co-sponsors the Lotus Gallery Art Exhibit in downtown Ananda Village. For more information contact admissions@anandacollege.org
Each year, the college also offers adventure travel and world cultures & consciousness travel that combine education and spirituality.
Sample Experience
Arrival
Day of Arrival:
Arrive between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m.
Free time to relax and explore the Meditation Retreat Grounds
Yoga & Meditation: 5:00-6:30 p.m., Temple of Silence
Dinner in Retreat Dining Room: 6:30-7:15 p.m.
Orientation: 7:30 pm. Temple of Silence
Daily Schedule
Sample Daily Schedule:
Morning Yoga & Meditation: 6:30-8:00 a.m.
Breakfast in Silence: 8:30-9:15 a.m.
Karma Yoga: 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Class (see topics below): 10:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
Meditation: 12:00-12:30 p.m.
Lunch: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Karma Yoga: 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Class, discussion, hiking or free time TBD: 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Yoga Postures & Meditation: 4:30-6:00 p.m.
Dinner: 6:30-7:00 p.m.
Karma Yoga, Class, or Evening Event: 7:30 p.m.
Additional Events
Your stay may include:
- Working and serving in Ananda Village farms and gardens
- Karma Yoga Service
- Music & Chanting Events
- River Trips to the Yuba River
- Hiking, nature games, tours of Ananda Village, gardens, farms & businesses
- Meals with residents of the 50-year-old Ananda Spiritual Cooperative Community
Travel Details
Nearest airports: Sacramento Intl Airport: 2 hours; Reno Intl Airport: 2 hours. Airport pickup and delivery to Ananda Meditation Retreat can be expensive, so please call the Retreat Office at least two weeks in advance for shuttle information, which is an extra charge not included in your stay.
Please inform us beforehand of your arrival time. The Ananda Meditation Retreat is located in a remote, forested area, down a 2 ½ mile dirt road.
Location: Ananda Meditation Retreat
Accommodations: Meditation Retreat Lodging, double occupancy in canvas bungalows
(*note: single room occupancy is $500 extra)
Meals: The retreat serves 3 buffet-style meals per day at specific times. Meals are healthy, vegetarian. Please inform the retreat in advance if you require vegan or gluten free options.
- Flashlight – important!
- Water bottle
- Your own yoga mat, if you have one (we also have yoga mats, pillows and meditation benches for you to use)
- Journal and pen
- Uplifting reading material (we also have a small lending library that is open to all guests)
- Sturdy shoes and sandals (best to bring shoes, boots and sandals that are easily removable since there are no shoes worn in the cabins and temples)
- Comfortable, casual, modest clothing — dress in layers, as evenings are usually cool even in summertime
- Mosquito repellent
- Optional: Sun hat, sun glasses, sunscreen
Your Hosts
Organizers
Nayaswami Nischala & Nakula Cryer, co-founders of Ananda College of Living Wisdom.
Instructors
Ananda College of Living Wisdom Staff
Meet Our Team
About Us
Ananda Meditation Retreat is where Ananda began in 1968, over 50 years ago. Today, Ananda has 7 spiritual cooperative communities throughout the west, one in Assisi, Italy, and in many teaching centers and ashrams throughout India. Many of these communities include farms, gardens, schools and places for individuals to live together in a spirit of peace and harmony. Ananda exists as a model for the entire world to live together in small spiritual communities, demonstrating that plain living and high thinking lead to the greatest happiness.
World Peace Award: In 2017, Ananda received the Global Ambassador Peace Award from the United Nations Institute of International Social Development (IISD), an international non-governmental organization. Ananda Worldwide Spiritual Directors, Jyotish and Devi Novak, were invited to the United Nations in New York City to receive the award on November 17, 2017, four years after the death of Ananda’s founder, Swami Kriyananda. The Global Ambassador Peace Award recognizes spiritual leaders and UN leadership who can transform the world. Jyotish and Devi are emissaries of Paramhansa Yogananda, who taught meditation and Kriya Yoga. They trained with Ananda’s founder, Swami Kriyananda, for nearly 50 years. Today, Jyotish and Devi make their home at Ananda Village, and spend several months each year at Ananda Communities in the US, in Assisi, Italy and throughout India.
Payment
Once your application is approved, please make your complete payment as soon as possible to reserve your space. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Payment may be made through our payment portal using a credit card. To pay by personal check, please allow 2 weeks minimum to process. Make checks payable to Ananda College, mail to:
Ananda College
14618 Tyler Foote Rd., #177
Nevada City, California, 95959 USA
Ananda College is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to be their authentic selves and contribute their best and highest perspectives and talents.