The Boston and Connecticut Margiis organized the annual Spring Retreat from April 30 to May 3, 2026, at a rented retreat center in the Catskills region of Upstate New York. The retreat was attended by approximately 35 Margiis and 10 Wholetimers and provided a warm devotional atmosphere filled with collective meditation, Kiirtana, spiritual reflection, service, and joyful fellowship.
Participants began arriving on Thursday, April 30, and the main day of the retreat was the Ánanda Púrńima celebration on Friday, May 1. The celebration began with early morning meditation at 6:07 a.m., the time of Baba’s birth. The morning program included readings from Ánanda Vanii in several languages, Baba Video, Akhańd́a Kiirtana, and Narayan Seva. As part of the Narayan Seva program, the Margiis donated food to a local food pantry located at a nearby library.
In the afternoon, Ac. Vimalananda Avt. gave a class entitled “Pathways to Human Progress: Devotional Sentiment and Neo-Humanism.” He spoke about the contributions of Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti to humanity and explained how human progress had reached a point of stagnation before Baba introduced a new spiritual and social renaissance through His teachings. The class explored the role of devotional sentiment, Neo-Humanism, and spirituality in revitalizing all aspects of human development.
In the evening, the Margiis and Ácáryas gathered for Katha Kiirtana and shared stories from Baba’s life together with their own spiritual experiences and realizations. Some of the Margiis shared dreams and inner experiences connected with Baba, while senior Margiis and Ácáryas shared direct memories and personal experiences from Baba’s time. One especially touching aspect of the evening was hearing some of the Margii children describe how they felt Baba’s presence in their own lives and how those experiences had helped them overcome fear and other negative emotions and situations.
On Saturday, Ac. Dhruva gave a deeply moving class on the history of Ánanda Marga in North America. He described how many Ácáryas had contributed, struggled, and sacrificed for the growth of the organization and the spread of Baba’s teachings. He also spoke about several workers who gave their lives during difficult periods of the movement’s history, including the self-immolations of Brc. Uma and Brc. Lokesh, who had been posted in Canada, as well as another young Ácárya in Texas. Throughout the class, Ac. Dhruva sang Bhajans connected with that historical period, weaving together history, devotional feeling, memories, and music into a powerful and unique presentation on the early development of Ánanda Marga in North America.
Following the class by Ac. Dhruva, Avtk. Ánanda Hitaprabha Ác. conducted an interactive workshop on Yama and Niyama. After briefly explaining the principles, the participants divided into five groups consisting of Margiis, children, and Ácáryas. Each group enacted two principles using only silent gestures and expressions in the style of Charlie Chaplin films, without spoken words. Both the adults and children greatly enjoyed preparing and watching the creative presentations.
Brother Sukhadeva coordinated the children’s program during the retreat. The children were divided into two age groups: ages 3–8 and ages 9–14. They had access to a separate playroom in the basement with various toys, as well as a large outdoor field where they could play soccer and other games.
The retreat schedule also allowed time for participants to enjoy the surrounding natural environment. Some participants went for walks in the peaceful natural setting around the retreat center, which added to the calm and reflective atmosphere of the program.
On Saturday evening, following Dharma Cakra, Ac. Abhiramananda Avt. (SS Dada) played a recent video compilation entitled “The Journey of Ánanda Marga,” followed by a Baba Video. After dinner, a successful RAWA evening was organized in which both children and adults performed music, songs, poetry, and drama. The evening created a joyful and family-like atmosphere and highlighted the creative talents within the Margii community.
Sunday, May 3, was the final day of the retreat. The day began with Akhańd́a Kiirtana at 4:00 a.m., followed by Dharma Cakra, breakfast, and collective sharing among the participants. The Margiis departed around noon after a joyful Baba Birthday celebration and a successful and spiritually uplifting Spring Retreat.
The accommodation for the retreat was spread across two buildings. The main building contained 12 rooms, each with an attached bathroom, while the second building contained an additional five rooms. The retreat center provided ample accommodation and sufficient space for all retreat activities and participants left happy after a successful retreat and Ananda Purnima celebration.
