Yellowstone Pilgrimage Trek: The Science and Religion of a Supervolcano
“From the depths of silence the geyser of God’s bliss shoots up unfailingly and flows over man’s being.”
“Yellowstone Park is perhaps the only region where one can see innumerable geysers shooting high into the air, performing year after year with clockwork regularity. Its opal and sapphire pools and hot sulphurous springs, its bears and wild creatures, remind one that here Nature left a specimen of her earliest creation” —Paramahansa Yogananda
During an early fall camping road trip in the 1920s, the great Yogic Master, Paramhansa Yogananda, found himself enchanted by the opal springs and otherworldly geysers of Yellowstone National Park. He slept out under the blanket of big sky stars, hiked alongside remote geothermal features, and meditated in the heart of this quiet super-volcano. Experiences that would continue to inspire his poetry, teachings, and followers.
Join us as we embark on our own spiritual journey through this holy land, guided by the words and energy of Yogananda as well as the many saints and sages who came before him. Ananda College students will engage in daily sadhana practices (energizing exercises, yogic postures, and mediation) in this supercharged land with seemingly endless vistas. They will live and learn in a small group of fellow truth seekers and ponder the vastness of the cosmos under dark skies and among erupting geysers. Accompanied by expert naturalists and college professors, students will visit and learn about the iconic features such as Old Faith, Grand Prismatic HotSpring, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and Paint’s Mud Pots. After an initial introduction to the park, participants will head off the beaten path and away from the crowds for a 4-night backpacking trip to a remote geyser basin. During this expedition, participants will learn the basics of backpacking, enjoy a meditation seclusion along the shores of geothermal lake, and witness rarely seen active geysers. Upon completion of the backpack, the trip will culminate with a guided safari adventure to look for bison, wolves, bears, pronghorn and more in the Lamar Valley and upper alpine regions of the Northern Yellowstone. This ending will provide an ideal opportunity to reflect on what students have learned during their time in Yellowstone and how they will apply these new revelations to their future life endeavors.
Proposed Itinerary
Each Day
Each day will include 2 meditations & yogic exercises. There will be daily walking/hiking an average of 2 to 7 miles.
September 3
9/3- pickup in Bozeman, Montana at 1 p.m. and then drive to Yellowstone National Park, camp at Canyon Campground
September 4
9/4 – explore the legendary sites of Yellowstone and pack for the backpack trip, camp at Canyon Campground
September 5
9/5 – early morning visit to iconic geothermal sites and half day backpack, camp at a backcountry site
September 6
9/6 – backpack along the shores of a pristine Yellowstone lake to a remote geothermal basin, camp at a backcountry site
September 7
9/7 – layover day to explore remote geysers and experience a mini solo, camp at a backcountry site
September 8
9/8 – final backpack day through a dynamic geothermal area with lunch at Old Faithful, camp at park campground
September 9
9/9 – sunrise animal safari through the Hayden and Lamar Valleys, camp at a park campground
September 10
9/10 – drive out of the park via the north entrance with a stop at Mammoth Hot Springs. Arrive in Bozeman by 12:30 p.m.
Participants should arrive in Bozeman the night before the trip and plan to leave no earlier than 12:30 p.m. on 9/10.
Ananda College Staff will do an airport pickup and drop off at the start and end of the trip and may be able to do hotel pick-ups and drop offs (please coordinate with staff)
Bozeman, MT is a college city is well equipped to meet the needs of young travelers (many hotels have airport shuttles, Uber and Lyft rides are reliable, there are a few outdoor gear stores, there is a least one hostel near the University)
Bozeman airport is designed for both summer and winter tourists and have reliable and affordable flights that connect to larger airports such as Denver, Salt Lake, and Chicago
Participants are responsible for obtaining personal camping gear (please see attached list), please follow the list closely, there will not be much gear selection upon arrival to Bozeman
Participants should be in ‘good’ physical shape (hike up to 9 miles with an elevation gain of 1,500 feet in day, carry a pack of 45 lbs). Anyone who regularly exercises should be able to successfully complete the course. During the backpack sessions there will be no showers available, although we will camp near a lake or river. Three of the seven nights, we will be in a campground with showers, hot water and laundry. There are primitive toilets at all campsites.
Early September is a fantastic time to enjoy the park, crowds are thinning, wildlife is more active, and fall colors are peaking …. Participants should expect a variety of temperatures and weather conditions. Temperatures can swing between 80F – 20F in a day. There may be sunshine, rain, and/or frost. Participants should come prepared to enjoy this dynamic time of year.
All meals will be vegetarian and can easily be adapted for most food allergies and intolerances. Meals are well balanced and follow yogic principles of healthy eating. Participants will be involved in preparation and cooking of meals on camping stoves.
Participants will live, play, and work together in a small group. Everyone is expected to help with group tasks and work harmoniously with others.
Yellowstone National Park is conveniently located adjacent to other wonderful destinations such as Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole Wyoming, Targhee National Forest. You may choose to add visits to these sites before or after your trip. Rental cars are available in Bozeman and may sometimes be returned to the Jackson Hole Airport.
Participants traveling by personal vehicles will need to make arrangements to leave these in Bozeman prior to the trip. Due to park restrictions and maintaining group cohesion, participants are not permitted to bring personal vehicles on the course. There are local RV storage facilities who may be able to accommodate your vehicle.
Due to the spiritual emphasis of this experience, all participants are required to refrain from alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, misuse of prescription or over the counter drugs, and entering into romantic relationships.
Cell phone service is unreliable and non-existent in most parts of the park. To maintain focus and presence, Ananda College asks that participants minimize the use of electronic devices while on the trip. The instructor will carry a satellite communications device for emergency contacts only.
Readings from Lessons in Meditation and readings from Raja Yoga book. (Yoga philosophy, Energizing exercises, hatha yoga, Veg Diet). Include Yoganada’s Journey through Yellowstone, readings from his travels and Whispers from Eternity.
Outdoor Education and Group Living:
Hiking, Backpacking, and Camping in the Rockies (pack packing, camp set-up, cooking, animal safety, map reading, route finding, minimal impact camping, self-care)
Small Group Dynamics (decision making styles, harmonious group living, application of Yogic
Principles for times of challenges, leadership development, effective communication)
Natural and Cultural History:
Geology of Yellowstone (volcanism, geothermal features, orogeny/mountain building, glaciology, fluvial and hydrological processes)
Flora (vegetative communities, tree and identification, weather systems)
Fauna (mammals, birds, conservation efforts for wolves/bears/swans, animal identification)
Human history of Yellowstone (Indigenous, settlement, creation of the world’s first national park)
Activities:
Daily Meditation and Yogic Exercises
Group Chanting, Satsang, and Community Events
Academic readings and group discussions
Visits to geothermal features (Old Faithful Geyser, Grand Prismatic Spring, Fairy Falls, West Thumb Basin, Old Faithful Basin, Painter’s Pots, Mud Volcano, Lone Star Geyser, Mammoth Springs)
4-Night Backpack to backcountry geysers
Wildlife Safaris (to Lamar and Hayden Valleys- looking for bison, pronghorn, bears, wolves, etc.)
Reflect journaling and art projects
Leading group activities
Cooking camping meals
Spiritual and life mentoring from teachers
“Yellowstone National Park deserves a special prize for its uniqueness. It’s a specimen of nature’s earliest creation, with its geysers, pools, springs, bears and wild creatures.” –Paramhansa Yogananda, in Autobiography of a Yogi
“It is the greatest Nature-made, man-protected Park in the world…All scenic marvels are here…Lakes, rivers, mountains and the hot springs, heaving, smoking, hissing, boiling everywhere. The Turquoise Springs, as blue as their name, and the Old Faithful Geyser, shooting its hot waters several feet into the air at regular intervals, have deeply enthralled me with their beauty…” –Paramhansa Yogananda, after his visit to Yellowstone National Park, noted in Autobiography of a Yogi.
Costs
Location: Yellowstone National Park, USA Minimum Age: 18 Group Size: 12-14 Cost: $1,281*
* College Credit: Instructors work individually with students to create a learning portfolio that may be used to apply for college credit at their current or future home college. Students interested in this option should confirm with their institutions that learning portfolios are accepted. If so, there is a minimum $350 additional charge paid to the instructor for help with portfolio creation.
Your Hosts
Organizers Nayaswami Nischala & Nakula Cryer, co-founders of Ananda College of Living Wisdom.
Nayaswami’s Nischala and Nakula Cryer have been leading tours for Ananda College of Living Wisdom for nearly 20 years. They have led tours to Northern India, Southern India, Egypt, Greece, Peru, Italy, France, and England. They are the co-founders of the Ananda College of Living Wisdom. For 18 years they lived at the Ananda Meditation Retreat in Northern California where they managed the retreat and the college, and where they raised their son. Nakula is a builder of sacred temples, creating the Temple of Light and Moksha Mandir at Ananda Village, as well as other sacred buildings. Nischala is also an author of two books, Reflections on Living 30 Years in a Spiritual Community, and the Amazon best-selling, The Four Stages of Yoga.
Instructor & Guide Laura Beebe has been a college professor, outdoor educator, and park ranger.
Laura has been a college professor, outdoor educator, and park ranger. For the last 17 years, she has worked as a college professor and undergraduate instructor for Sterling College, Prescott College, and the University of Alaska. Laura’s educational philosophy is steeped in experiential and self-directed learning. To this end, Laura has designed and led wilderness and international college courses that integrate the disciplines of cultural studies, ecology, spirituality, and education. Additionally, Laura has 25 years leading multi week expeditions in the outdoor pursuits of mountaineering, sea kayaking, white-water canoeing, and technical backpacking through NOLS, the University of Colorado, and Manito-wish. Laura has led outdoor and cultural courses on four different continents and is particularly drawn to the high mountains of the world, especially the Rockies, Sierra Nevada, and Himalayas. She has also worked as a park ranger and naturalist guide throughout the Alaskan and western Park Systems. Laura’s ultimate passion is helping college aged students discover their unique path and purpose for life.
Laura is a certified Wilderness First Responder, Leave No Trace Master Educator, Avalanche Rescuer, and Naturalist Interpreter. She has a M.A. in Geography and a B.A. with double majors in Environmental Studies and Adventure Education from Prescott College.
Laura has been following the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda for close to twenty years and is a practitioner of Kriya yoga. She has studied both the traditions of Christian mysticism and Vedic philosophy.
What’s Included
Dinner on 9/3, 3 meals a day from 9/4-9/9, Breakfast and Lunch on 9/10
Snacks for 8 days
Transportation once picked up in Bozeman
Lodging from 9/3-9/9
Group camping gear (tents, stoves, kitchen supplies, bear spray, etc)
