Events

Events at the Ashram include workshops, guest speakers, presentations, celebrations, outings and group projects. They may be under the auspices of the School of Life, The Essene Church of Peace, Global Coalition for Peace, or occasionally another individual or organization. Most are free of charge. See below for descriptions.

SEE the calendar for current events.

To inquire about events or to RSVP contact Durga or call 301-654-4899.

To receive announcements for all events and new classes, send a message to durga and please put “Send Announcements” as the subject. If you already receive some messages from us but not event announcements, please state that in the message.

For directions and parking, see Contact US.

School of Life Annual May 24th Celebration
Each year the Ashram celebrates its anniversary by honoring its Patroness, Mary Help of Christians, with a Mass performed by Abbot James Wiseman of St. Anselm’s monastery in Washington DC, and a meal shared with friends followed by a spiritual film. All welcome.

AWAKE, The Life of Yogananda
Paramahansa Yogananda's arrived in the USA in 1920 to spread the knowledge of yoga in the west. In 2014, the movie about his life AWAKE was released, and more and more people are learning about his wonderful contributions to human kind.  Shanti Yoga Ashram feels the duty of contributing to extend the knowledge about his extraordinary work. For that reason we have acquired the license to show the movie at our Ashram and we are starting the weekly reading of his books "The Second Coming of Christ" and "The Bhagavad Gita" with insights not revealed in other books to date.  Readings will be every Friday and Saturday at 5:00 pm within the Sabbath and Satsang programs. 

Crystal Bath and Solstice/Equinox Celebration Days
At the equinox and solstices, 4 times a year, the crystal bath healing lights from La Casa de Dom Inacio of Abadiana Brazil are offered at the ashram. Appointments are necessary for the crystal baths, but all are welcome to come and spend part or all of the day enjoying the peace of the ashram, partaking of blessed soup, reading Spiritist literature provided specially for the day, and watching films about the spiritual world.

Native American Healing Ceremony
Roy and Jean Reddemann are Lakota Healers who grace us with their presence twice yearly at the Fall and Spring equinox with a powerful medicine ceremony that invokes their ancestors and spirit allies.

Community Garden Demonstrations
A large terraced garden space at the ashram offers new and seasoned gardeners an opportunity for learning and growing through the gardening program of Global Coalition for Peace, by the Director of the WSRP Rose (Mirabai) Lord.

Darshan
A tradition in India, revered spiritual masters give talks and blessings to all who visit and abide in their presence. Outings are organized to take groups to see these “living saints” when they visit the Washington DC area.

Lectio Divina
Spanish Book Club and monastic practice inspired based on Spiritual readings

Vedic Meditation Training Weekends
Dr. Mahapatra Gyanendra offers weekend meditation trainings on a donations-only basis. Formerly a medical doctor, Mahaji worked intensively with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for many years, serving as the Vice Chancellor of Maharishi Vedic University from 1986 to 1993. Of Vedic Meditation he says: “It’s a simple, natural, innocent technique. Very easily, one can learn it. Within a few days of training, you become an expert in accessing your own storehouse of joy, happiness, bliss.”

Satya Sai Baba Organization Meetings
The Washington DC Chapter of the Satya Sai Baba Organization holds their satsang and educational events at the Ashram. They meet on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month from 10 am – 12 noon, open to the public and free of charge.

Vedic Astrology Presentations and Consultations
Acharya Dinesh Mishra has a post graduate degree in physics. He worked with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s movement for 17 years from 1976 as a meditation and siddhi teacher and for 6 years was president of the department of yagyas and jyotish presiding over approximately 4,000 pandits and hundreds of jyotishis. In 1993, Dinesh formed the organization DIVINE KINGDOM CHARITABLE TRUST to propagate the knowledge of yoga, yagya (sacrifices), jyotish astrology, vastu (the basis for feng shui) and Vedic science throughout the world. He has visited about 35 countries and shared his knowledge with thousands of spiritual seekers. In 2002 he established an ashram in Rishikesh, in the Himalaya mountains of India, where residential courses on yoga, jyotish, and Vedic science are conducted.

Other Events Include:

• Presentations by honored guests from various spiritual traditions.
• Discussion panels about timely world events or specific themes.