On many weekends throughout the year, Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS) monastics lead specially prepared How-to-Live Retreat programmes, tailored for those who are studying and practising the teachings of Gurudeva Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda through the YSS Lessons.

At YSS Noida Ashram, a special four-day 'Extended Retreat' was conducted for devotees from September 27 to 30, 2018. This extended retreat drew participants from all across India and a few devotees from outside the country as well.

The retreat included four days of sadhana, silence, review of  YSS techniques of meditation, counselling, reading of YSS literature and a few special programmes like the two-part Gita discourses by Swami Smarananandaji on September 29 and 30, 2018, as well as the commemoration programme of the Avirbhav Divas of Sri Sri Lahiri Mahasaya on September 30. YSS sannyasis gave satsangas on relevant topics for the benefit of devotees on the spiritual path. Devotees could also seek counselling from the monastics during this period.

On September 27, Swami Lalitanandaji conducted the opening satsanga, in which he shared with the attendees, ways in which they could make a proper effort in personal sadhana. Posture comes first, he pointed out. Swamiji quoted from Chapter 6:13 of the Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna instructs the devotee to keep the spine straight and the eyes fixed at the Kutastha Chaitanya. Swamiji also mentioned that Chapter 15:1 compares the human nervous system to an inverted Ashwatha tree, drawing its parallel with the human nervous system.

Talking further on this, he elaborated the elements of relaxation, devotion, and practice of the Guru-given techniques, explaining how each one of these has a rightful place in personal sadhana.

Swamiji explained how Yoga is a way of life and how one must try to align each activity to the Supreme Goal. He reminded devotees of the necessity to cultivate a personal relationship with God by removing all the barriers that separate us from Him. He stressed that complete honesty before God and Guru, with full faith that their love is unconditional, is the surest way to get rid of all blocks that keep us away from going towards the Divine.

On the second day of the retreat, Swami Lalitanandaji spoke on “How to Make One’s Retreat Most Productive”. He started by welcoming all retreatants and read out the welcoming talk of Rajarsi Janakanandaji on the occasion of the Convocation of the year 1954. He mentioned how Guruji is with us all the time, urging us to reach the depth in our meditations to the point that makes it possible for him to lift us up to God. Every devotee must think of how Guruji is eagerly waiting behind the darkness of our closed eyes for these moments so that he can offer a bouquet of souls to God in the temple of Omnipresence.

Swamiji pointed out the value of disconnecting from the outside world as much as possible during these days. He emphasized the importance of maintaining silence as much as possible. He urged the devotees to practice the presence of God during these days and to remain focused on the present so that maximum rewards could be reaped from the extended retreat.