"Come into the silence of solitude, and the vibration there will talk to you through the voice of God"

-- Paramahansa Yogananda

 About the Retreat
In the calm, unhurried atmosphere of the Lake Shrine Retreat, where all activity is related to the spiritual quest, many have found deep peace and inspiration.  Retreatants maintain silence while participating in daily group meditations and practice of the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) Energization Exercises taught by Paramahansa Yogananda, and during services at the nearby SRF Temple.

Retreat Program
Retreats are held on a regular basis throughout the year. Two types of How-to-Live Retreat programs are offered:

— General retreats, loosely structured, with classes and inspirational programs, and opportunities for spiritual counseling. Participants come together with one of the SRF monastics for the practice of the SRF Energization Exercises and for the morning meditation. Also available to retreatants is the Thursday evening lecture service at the Lake Shrine Temple, as well as the Friday evening meditation and Sunday morning lecture service.  A specific schedule of monastic-led events may vary from week to week, and will be communicated at registration. There is also ample free time to relax and enjoy God’s presence in the beautiful retreat settings. Self-Realization Fellowship books and  recordings  are available for private listening and study, and the Retreat chapel is always open for prayer and meditation. Monastic counselors are available to speak with retreatants who would like personal guidance in their practice of meditation as taught by Paramahansa Yogananda, or in their application of the teachings.

Depending on availability, retreatants may visit the Houseboat where Paramahansa Yogananda sometimes resided while planning the future of Lake Shrine.

  — Conducted weekend retreats, in addition to the above, offer a concentrated program of classes, led by monks and nuns of the SRF monastic order, on the SRF teachings and meditation techniques. Conducted retreats are scheduled at SRF Retreat facilities on many weekends throughout the year — and at various other locations around the world.

Lake Shrine Conducted Weekend Retreat Schedule for 2013

MEN & WOMEN

January 18-20
 
February 1-3

 
March 1-3

22-24
 
April 5-7

19-21
 
May 3-5

May 31-June 2
 
June 21-23
 
July None
 
August None
 
September 27-29
 
October 11-13
 
November None
 
December None

To maximize the effects of the retreat experience, guests are expected to participate in the full retreat program and not to engage in other activities during the time of their stay.

Silence
Guests at all retreats maintain silence throughout their stay to deepen their retreat experience. As Paramahansa Yogananda said: "The value of silence cannot be understood except through experience....What joy awaits discovery in the silence behind the portals of your mind no human tongue can tell.”
 
Retreat participants are provided with comfortable furnished single rooms and an adjoining bath that is shared either by two retreatants of the same sex or by a married couple. Some rooms with a private bath are available.  Each room has its own balcony.

Lodging, Meals and Dress

Retreatants come together for wholesome vegetarian meals, served in the dining room.  As we do not provide a choice of menu, if you have dietary restrictions, please discuss this with the Retreat registrar when making your reservations.

Dress in informal, comfortable, and modest, in keeping with the ideals of a spiritual community.

Donations
To help cover the cost of maintaining this beautiful Retreat for all who seek spiritual renewal, we appeal to you for your generous support.  We are often asked to indicate an amount that one can use as a guide.  The donation to help cover the cost of meals, lodging, and daily upkeep of the Retreat is $85 a day per person for a general retreat.  The donation for a Conducted Weekend Retreat is $100 a day per person.  The kind support of those who can offer more helps us to meet the larger expenses of maintaining the Retreat facility, so that all may continue to benefit from the spiritual service it provides.

Reservations
As meditation is the foundation of the Retreat program, we suggest that one be somewhat familiar with meditation and the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) teachings before requesting a reservation.  A list of books by Paramahansa Yogananda and information about SRF temples, lecture tours, and the written SRF lessons are available on request from the SRF headquarters (telephone: 323-225-2471).

Reservations may be made for two to five days, depending on the space available.  For those new to the SRF teachings or to meditation, a stay of two or three days is usually suggested.

Check-in time is between 2:00 and 5:00 pm, Tuesday through Thursday.  On Friday, retreatants check in between 2:00 and 4:30 pm in order to allow time for a light meal and to attend the evening meditation at the Lake Shrine Temple, which begins at 7:10 pm with the SRF Energization Exercises.

Reservations for the week before and after the annual SRF Convocation held each summer in Los Angeles are usually limited to just a few days and are reserved for those coming long distances.  The Retreat is closed the week of the Convocation and also Christmas week.

Contact Information
To make a reservation or request information, refer to the Lake Shrine Retreat contact information below:
Telephone: 310-459-4740
Fax: 310-459-8716 
e-mail:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it