A Place of Pilgrimage

At a temple service in Encinitas in 1940, Paramahansa Yogananda spoke of the “great value in visiting places where saints have lived.” He went on to say: “Such places are forever permeated with the vibrations left there by the divine souls who walked those grounds. Their vibrations will remain until this earth is dissolved. Where souls have communed with God, there you will find greater communion and response from God. Often such pilgrimages completely change one’s life for the better.”

A silent retreat for spiritual renewal

“You may be surprised at what seclusion with God will do for your mind, body, and soul… Through the portals of silence the healing sun of wisdom and peace will shine upon you.”

— Paramahansa Yogananda

The Self-Realization Fellowship Encinitas Retreat welcomes all who are seeking spiritual renewal in a personal retreat setting. The retreat is an oasis where individuals can leave behind the pressures of everyday life, explore the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, participate in group meditation, and cultivate a deeper awareness of the Divine.

History

The SRF Encinitas Retreat is now located adjacent to the beautiful site of the SRF Ashram Center in Encinitas. The ashram, established by Paramahansaji in 1937, overlooks the Pacific Ocean. The previous retreat facility, located on the ashram grounds, was originally built as an ashram for the SRF nuns in 1966, but instead was used for decades as a retreat for SRF members and friends from around the world until 2020.

As monks and nuns have continued entering the SRF ashrams over the years, we are now facing a shortage of living and working space for our monastic community. In order to provide room for a larger community of SRF nuns in Encinitas, we began using the previous Encinitas retreat facility as a nuns’ ashram in 2023.

To continue offering a spiritual retreat experience in Encinitas, which so many have treasured over the years, we are happy to offer a new personal retreat program using apartments located adjacent to the SRF Encinitas Ashram.

In keeping with Paramahansaji’s far-seeing vision for the Encinitas Ashram, we are happy to share that we will also be making plans for a beautiful new Encinitas Retreat facility for SRF members and friends at some point in the future. Though this may require some years to develop, we look forward with great anticipation to the ultimate realization of the full, multifaceted potential of this dynamic spiritual center as envisioned by Paramahansaji.

In the meantime, we look forward to welcoming you through the current personal retreat program being offered.