Mantra: The Science of Inner Transformation at Yogaville

Anandamayi Ma, the "Bliss Permeated Mother of Bengal," is the great woman saint Paramahansa Yogananda describes in Autobiography of a Yogi. This weekend of kirtan and mantra at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville in Buckingham, Virginia, is devoted to her life and her practical spiritual teachings. It is led by Mangalananda Acharya, a direct disciple and Lineage Teacher of her tradition. It suits anyone drawn to mantra practice, devotional chanting, or the story of one of India's best-loved saints.

What to Expect

The weekend is an immersion in Anandamayi Ma, built around both study and practice. Participants spend time with her simple and direct teachings on spiritual life, on practice, and on how to see the world. Kirtan and mantra are the practical heart of the program. Rather than treating mantra as an idea to read about, the weekend invites you to work with it directly, so that the teachings are something you do as well as something you hear.

Because the teaching comes from a direct disciple, the life of Ma is presented as it is held within her own tradition, not only as it appears in books.

About Mangalananda Acharya

Mangalananda Acharya is a direct disciple of Anandamayi Ma and a Lineage Teacher of her tradition. He leads this weekend of kirtan, mantra, and teaching on her life, drawing on that firsthand connection to the path she taught.

The Setting

The program takes place at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville in Buckingham, Virginia, a residential yoga and meditation community that hosts weekend programs, trainings, and retreats through the year. A weekend here is a chance to step out of ordinary routine and spend a few days given over to chanting, study, and quiet.

Before You Go

The program is open to those interested in Anandamayi Ma, kirtan, and mantra, and nothing in the description asks for prior experience with her teachings. If you have read about her in Autobiography of a Yogi, you will find the weekend a natural way to go further. If you have not, the simple and direct character of her teaching is a fitting place to begin.