Weekend Meditation & Yoga Retreat
Upcoming Event
Join us in November 7 – 9, 2025 at the Mt. Madonna Retreat Center, Santa Cruz Mountains, CA, U.S.A. (Link to Google Maps)
Step away. Reset. Return renewed.
This retreat is your chance to disconnect from the constant noise of our busy lives and recharge in the serene redwoods of the Mt. Madonna Retreat Center.
WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE
- Daily meditation & yoga – practices to reduce stress, bring clarity and connect with the source of love within.
- Kiirtan & energizing mantra chanting and a unique group experience that leaves many participants feeling profoundly connected.
- Forest Bathing – a guided immersion in nature, known to calm the nervous system and enhance creativity.
- Cultural evening of music & storytelling – featuring harpist Karun and original songs & stories by Dada Nabhaniilananda. We invite all to participate - bring your own inspiration to share, be it music, poetry, storytelling, juggling…
- Discussions on meditation in modern life – practical tools for integrating meditation into busy careers and everyday living.
- One-on-one consultations – be sure to book a time for personal guidance with one of our teachers to deepen your practice.
THE HEART CIRCLE
This unique chanting and meditation group exercise is always a highlight of our retreats. Hear what others have to say about being a part of this.
“I had a magical experience in the Heart Circle meditation. It was such a beautiful and freeing moment in time that I will carry with me always and go back to that experience at times of stress. The circle with chanting and changing positions when the music stops takes the focus off YOU and just allowed me to have a deep and powerful spiritual interaction.”- Robyn Halpern
“Incredible, incredible…” Claude husband of Claudia.
“I thought that in order to be happy, I had to be with someone. But now I realized that I’m someone!” - Sarah - San Jose Heart Circle
About This Event ↴
ACCOMMODATION
Mt. Madonna offers a range of lodging options — from simple, budget-friendly rooms to more comfortable, private accommodations. Whatever your style, you’ll find a space that supports rest and rejuvenation.
Give yourself the gift of feeling centered. Step away from the busyness of life, immerse in yoga and meditation, and return renewed — with practices you can use every day to make this a part of your life!
FOOD
All food will be sattvic vegetarian (no onions, no garlic, no mushrooms). If you have any special dietary needs such as vegan or gluten free, please specify on the registration page.
RETREAT DAILY AGENDA
FRIDAY - Welcome
We’ll settle in, explore the space, and begin to feel at home. We’ll share a cozy meal together, then gather to meet and get to know one another.
SATURDAY - Deepening Practice
This day is about connecting to our inner selves. Mantra chanting is a beautiful practice that helps to deepen meditation and make it more enjoyable.
We will include a special group exercise called The Heart Circle. You are really going to like this!
SUNDAY - Integration
This last day is about clarity, connecting with the natural world around us, and taking time to share thoughts and ask questions so that we all come away with a clearer understanding of how these practices can be part of our lives.
Every day we'll enjoy delicious vegetarian meals, have time to reflect in nature, book a one-on-one session
with one of our teachers, or simply relax in the hot tub.
INSTRUCTORS
Dada Nabhaniilananda
Meditation teacher, author, and musician known for blending ancient wisdom with humor, stories, and music.
Acharya Dhyanesh
With experience in multiple meditation traditions, has taught yoga asanas classes at the University of Texas, Austin for more than 35 years.
Didi Ananda Lalita
A Yogic nun and international teacher of meditation loves to lead nature awareness exercises in a natural environment.
KIND WORDS FROM PREVIOUS PARTICIPANTS
"I attended my first meditation retreat in December 2025 that completely changed my life. Before going, I honestly did not even want to be there, I felt depressed, unmotivated, and disconnected from everything. My friends encouraged me to join, and Dada kindly offered to drive me to the retreat.
During the retreat, I took part in kirtan, meditation, and various uplifting programs. By the end of retreat, something shifted deep inside me. All of a sudden, life felt full of light, positivity, and hope. I could not have been happier.
For the first time, I truly understood what it means when people say that real happiness comes from within. That insight has stayed with me, and I will forever be grateful for the experience.
– Jennifer Lei
I wanted to thank you for an incredible weekend! I had fun and I met some amazing people. What will stick with me forever is the meditation experience I had on Saturday morning that brought me to tears. The emotions I felt were so strong that I had to back off from them; too powerful! I am convinced that there is a place in my heart that I want to tap into, and I will need to get a whole lot better at meditating to do it... In the meanwhile, I have been waking up in the morning with Baba Nam Kevalam running through my head. Thank you so much. I hope to see you at a retreat again in the near future! With gratitude,
- Karen Montero
“I wanted to thank you so much for a wonderful weekend, it was really what I needed lately. I was meditating this morning on the balcony of my house and the sun was rising just as I was finishing up, shining onto my face. It was so warm and I felt very connected to the energy of everything around me in that moment. I am grateful for moments like this.”
- Audrey
Do you have any questions ?
We will be happy to hear from you!
Please send your questions to our email :
jennifer@themonkdude.com