5-Day Meditation Retreat At Ananda Girisuta, NC – 7, 2025
5-Day Meditation Retreat At Ananda Girisuta, NC – 7, 2025
Ananda Girisuta Master Unit, Ananda Girisuta Drive, Marshall, North Carolina, USA
Up to 20 in group
September 3 - 7, 2025
Retreat Highlights
- Lots of Kiirtana (mantra chanting)
- Three sattvic vegetarian meals per day
- Silence (Maonavrata) except during classes, sharing, and Kiirtana
- Yoga classes in the morning and evening
- Collective meditation five times a day
- Inspirational talks on meditation, yoga, philosophy, food, nutrition, and healthy living.
- Fun games and workshops
- Outdoor walks and activities
- Relax your body and calm your mind in a tranquil, beautiful environment
About this Retreat
The meditation practices gradually became a profound source of happiness until, at age twenty-three, he decided to dedicate his life to teaching meditation and living as a monk.
Dada is a musician who loves classical music and sings mantra music and the Prabhata Samgiita devotional songs.
He has been teaching people meditation and yoga since 2005 in Taiwan, Russia, Canada, and the US.
Didi Ananda Acira learned meditation in Indonesia in the year 2000.
She became a nun in the year 2006 and was working mainly in South East Asia.
She moved to the United States in 2014 and is teaching meditation, yoga, and yoga detox at Ananda Dhiira Meditation Center in Penn Valley, California.
She receives small groups at Ananda Dhiira for meditation and detox retreats and teaches at Meditation Steps retreats in the USA.
Special Interests:
Meditation, yoga, yogic lifestyle, and philosophy
Health, wellness, and natural detox
Organic farming and living a natural lifestyle
Details of this retreat
We welcome you to a meditation retreat at Ananda Girisuta Master Unit (Prama Institute), close to the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina, from September 3 – 7, 2025. This retreat will include a full-day schedule with yoga, meditation, classes, walks in nature, and various other activities. You can expect the mind to undergo a profound positive mental and spiritual transformation during those four days. We will keep the daily routine harmonious with a balanced combination of getting up early, resting early, enjoying good food and classes, getting plenty of fresh air, and enjoying meditation and social interactions. Apart from the classes and activities, we will have breakfast, lunch, and dinner according to our schedule, prepared by our volunteers, Dada and Didi.
Schedule
Arrival is on Wednesday before 4 p.m., and departure is on Sunday morning. The summer retreat schedule will follow a similar structure, with the addition of a nature walk and a visit to Hot Springs, NC, on the third day.
The daily schedule includes early morning chanting at 5 a.m., followed by meditation (with the option to rest a bit longer if needed), and a full day of inspiring classes, activities, and collective practice.
Wednesday
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Arrival, accommodation, and registration, free time
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Introduction to Kiirtana and Meditation
4:45 - 5:30 p.m. Yoga Class
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Dinner (Didi)
6:30 – 7:00 p.m. Free Time
7:00 – 7:30 p.m. Opening/orientation/sharing
7:30 – 8:00 p.m. Kiirtan and meditation
8:00 p.m. Take a rest
8:30 p.m. Blissful Silence (Maonavrata) until 6:30 a.m. Please minimize using mobile phones or other electronic devices at night to allow for good rest.
Thursday
05:00 – 5:35 a.m. Morning Meditation (Paincajanya - Optional program)
05:35 – 6:30 a.m. Free time, half-bath/bath
06:30 – 7:30 a.m. Yoga Class
07:30 – 8:15 a.m. Kiirtan and Meditation
08:15 – 9:15 a.m. Breakfast
9:15 - 9:45 a.m. Free time
9:45 – 11:00 a.m. Class - Mantra and Meditation
11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Walk in nature (on gravel roads)
12:00 - 12:15 p.m. Half-bath (freshen up)
12:15 - 1:00 p.m. Kiirtan and Meditation
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Lunch
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Free time - Silence
3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Class - Yama and Niyama
3:45 - 4:00 p.m. Free time
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Kiirtan and meditation
4:45 - 5:45 p.m. Yoga Class
5:45 - 7:00 p.m. Dinner and cleaning
7:00 – 7:30 p.m. Evening Program or Evening Walk
7:30 – 8:00 p.m. Kiirtan and meditation
8:00 - 8:30 p.m. Free time
8:30 p.m. Take a rest
8:30 p.m. - 6:30 a.m. Maonavrata - Blissful Silence
Friday
05:00 – 5:35 a.m. Morning Meditation (Paincajanya - Optional program)
05:35 – 6:30 a.m. Free time, half-bath/bath
06:30 – 7:30 a.m. Yoga Class
07:30 – 8:15 a.m. Kiirtan and Meditation
08:15 – 9:15 a.m. Breakfast
9:15 - 9:45 a.m. Free time
9:45 – 11:00 a.m. Class
11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Walk in nature (on gravel roads)
12:00 - 12:15 p.m. Half-bath (freshen up)
12:15 - 1:00 p.m. Kiirtan and Meditation
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Lunch
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Free time - Silence
3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Class
3:45 - 4:00 p.m. Free time
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Kiirtan and meditation
4:45 - 5:45 p.m. Yoga Class
5:45 - 7:00 p.m. Dinner and cleaning
7:00 – 7:30 p.m. Evening Program or Evening Walk
7:30 – 8:00 p.m. Kiirtan and meditation
8:00 - 8:30 p.m. Free time
8:30 p.m. Take a rest
8:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m. Maonavrata - Blissful Silence
Saturday
05:00 – 5:35 a.m. Morning Meditation (Paincajanya - Optional program)
05:35 – 6:30 a.m. Free time, half-bath/bath
06:30 – 7:30 a.m. Yoga Class
07:30 – 8:15 a.m. Kiirtan and Meditation
08:15 – 9:15 a.m. Breakfast
9:15 - 9:45 a.m. Free time
9:45 - 10:30 a.m. Introduction to Individual Meditation
10:30 - 12:45 p.m. Individual Meditation Instruction
We request that after you receive the individual meditation instruction, please sit for silent meditation for at least half an hour to experience the lesson that you have learned.
12:45 - 1:30 p.m. Kiirtana and Meditation
1:30 p.m. Lunch
2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Free time - Silence
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Class - Karma and Samskara
4:30 – 5:15 p.m. Kiirtan and meditation
5:15 – 6:00 p.m. Yoga Class
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Dinner
7:00 - 7:15 p.m. Break
7:15 - 7:40 p.m. Evening program - Devotional Songs
7:40 - 8:00 p.m. Evening Meditation
8:00 p.m. Take Rest
Sunday
Silence until 9:30 a.m.
08:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 - 9:30 a.m. Packing, free time
9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Closing - sharing
The daily schedule includes early morning chanting at 5 a.m., followed by meditation (with the option to rest a bit longer if needed), and a full day of inspiring classes, activities, and collective practice.
Wednesday
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Arrival, accommodation, and registration, free time
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Introduction to Kiirtana and Meditation
4:45 - 5:30 p.m. Yoga Class
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Dinner (Didi)
6:30 – 7:00 p.m. Free Time
7:00 – 7:30 p.m. Opening/orientation/sharing
7:30 – 8:00 p.m. Kiirtan and meditation
8:00 p.m. Take a rest
8:30 p.m. Blissful Silence (Maonavrata) until 6:30 a.m. Please minimize using mobile phones or other electronic devices at night to allow for good rest.
Thursday
05:00 – 5:35 a.m. Morning Meditation (Paincajanya - Optional program)
05:35 – 6:30 a.m. Free time, half-bath/bath
06:30 – 7:30 a.m. Yoga Class
07:30 – 8:15 a.m. Kiirtan and Meditation
08:15 – 9:15 a.m. Breakfast
9:15 - 9:45 a.m. Free time
9:45 – 11:00 a.m. Class - Mantra and Meditation
11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Walk in nature (on gravel roads)
12:00 - 12:15 p.m. Half-bath (freshen up)
12:15 - 1:00 p.m. Kiirtan and Meditation
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Lunch
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Free time - Silence
3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Class - Yama and Niyama
3:45 - 4:00 p.m. Free time
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Kiirtan and meditation
4:45 - 5:45 p.m. Yoga Class
5:45 - 7:00 p.m. Dinner and cleaning
7:00 – 7:30 p.m. Evening Program or Evening Walk
7:30 – 8:00 p.m. Kiirtan and meditation
8:00 - 8:30 p.m. Free time
8:30 p.m. Take a rest
8:30 p.m. - 6:30 a.m. Maonavrata - Blissful Silence
Friday
05:00 – 5:35 a.m. Morning Meditation (Paincajanya - Optional program)
05:35 – 6:30 a.m. Free time, half-bath/bath
06:30 – 7:30 a.m. Yoga Class
07:30 – 8:15 a.m. Kiirtan and Meditation
08:15 – 9:15 a.m. Breakfast
9:15 - 9:45 a.m. Free time
9:45 – 11:00 a.m. Class
11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Walk in nature (on gravel roads)
12:00 - 12:15 p.m. Half-bath (freshen up)
12:15 - 1:00 p.m. Kiirtan and Meditation
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Lunch
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Free time - Silence
3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Class
3:45 - 4:00 p.m. Free time
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Kiirtan and meditation
4:45 - 5:45 p.m. Yoga Class
5:45 - 7:00 p.m. Dinner and cleaning
7:00 – 7:30 p.m. Evening Program or Evening Walk
7:30 – 8:00 p.m. Kiirtan and meditation
8:00 - 8:30 p.m. Free time
8:30 p.m. Take a rest
8:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m. Maonavrata - Blissful Silence
Saturday
05:00 – 5:35 a.m. Morning Meditation (Paincajanya - Optional program)
05:35 – 6:30 a.m. Free time, half-bath/bath
06:30 – 7:30 a.m. Yoga Class
07:30 – 8:15 a.m. Kiirtan and Meditation
08:15 – 9:15 a.m. Breakfast
9:15 - 9:45 a.m. Free time
9:45 - 10:30 a.m. Introduction to Individual Meditation
10:30 - 12:45 p.m. Individual Meditation Instruction
We request that after you receive the individual meditation instruction, please sit for silent meditation for at least half an hour to experience the lesson that you have learned.
12:45 - 1:30 p.m. Kiirtana and Meditation
1:30 p.m. Lunch
2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Free time - Silence
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Class - Karma and Samskara
4:30 – 5:15 p.m. Kiirtan and meditation
5:15 – 6:00 p.m. Yoga Class
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Dinner
7:00 - 7:15 p.m. Break
7:15 - 7:40 p.m. Evening program - Devotional Songs
7:40 - 8:00 p.m. Evening Meditation
8:00 p.m. Take Rest
Sunday
Silence until 9:30 a.m.
08:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 - 9:30 a.m. Packing, free time
9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Closing - sharing
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change
Getting Here
Meditation Steps, Ananda Girisuta Master Unit, Ananda Girisuta Drive, Marshall, North Carolina, USA
Directions
Please follow the directions to Prama Institute (not Prama Wellness). https://prama.org/directions/
Ananda Girisuta (Prama Institute)
182 Ananda Girisuta Dr.
Marshall NC 28753
United States
The nearest airport is Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), and the center is about a 45-minute drive from the airport. There is also a Greyhound station in Asheville.
Uber is available from the airport or Greyhound station and costs about $49 – $100, depending on the time of day. Getting an Uber from the retreat center to the airport is difficult, so please contact the organizers for transportation arrangements. We also have contact information for an Uber driver who used to drive to Ananda Girisuta, but we need to contact him well in advance to see his availability.
We can arrange pick-up or ride-sharing from the airport (as long as your flight arrives at a reasonable time, not too late at night or early in the morning.) Please contact the organizers to arrange that. There is a $60 pick-up fee, preferably paid directly to the driver in cash, but you can also pay the organizers upon arrival through PayPal, Venmo, debit, or credit card. If we have many pick-ups, you may have to wait for the next passenger so that we can combine two pick-ups in one ride. We cannot pick up late at night or early in the morning. Please select a flight arriving during the daytime or early evening.
Ananda Girisuta (Prama Institute)
182 Ananda Girisuta Dr.
Marshall NC 28753
United States
The nearest airport is Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), and the center is about a 45-minute drive from the airport. There is also a Greyhound station in Asheville.
Uber is available from the airport or Greyhound station and costs about $49 – $100, depending on the time of day. Getting an Uber from the retreat center to the airport is difficult, so please contact the organizers for transportation arrangements. We also have contact information for an Uber driver who used to drive to Ananda Girisuta, but we need to contact him well in advance to see his availability.
We can arrange pick-up or ride-sharing from the airport (as long as your flight arrives at a reasonable time, not too late at night or early in the morning.) Please contact the organizers to arrange that. There is a $60 pick-up fee, preferably paid directly to the driver in cash, but you can also pay the organizers upon arrival through PayPal, Venmo, debit, or credit card. If we have many pick-ups, you may have to wait for the next passenger so that we can combine two pick-ups in one ride. We cannot pick up late at night or early in the morning. Please select a flight arriving during the daytime or early evening.
Accommodation
Dorms have bunk beds with shared bathrooms. Families room together; singles are placed in same-gender dorms. Private rooms are available for those who prefer more privacy. If space allows, couples or families may be upgraded to a private room at no extra cost at the start of the retreat.
Shared Dorm - Adults
Shared Couples Dorm
Private Room (Family, couples, individuals)
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Ananda Girisuta (Prama Institute) is a peaceful retreat center in Marshall, NC, nestled among forested hills and grasslands near the Appalachian Mountains—just 25 minutes from Asheville. It features a beautiful dome meditation hall, cozy lodging, a dining area, and serene nature trails. Wi-Fi is available, though we ask that phones stay on airplane mode during classes. Verizon and US Cellular offer the best cell service in the area.
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
Enjoy delicious sattvic vegetarian meals made with love by our volunteers and teachers. Expect flavors from Bali and beyond, with vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options always available.
What's Included
- 4 nights accommodation
- 3 daily delicious and nutritious meals per day
- Water, tea, coffee served throughout the day
- Daily yoga classes
- Daily meditation classes
- Online free meditation course
- Group excursions/activities
- Pre and post retreat support from our team
- WiFi connection
What's Not Included
- flights cost
- travel insurance
- visa fee
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