The Alchemy of Discipleship
KRIYA YOGA RETREAT FOR DISCIPLES
with Yogacharya O'Brian & CSE Ministers

October 15-17, 2026
(Thursday Evening - Saturday Afternoon)                             

Without knowing Him
I was base metal;
On realizing Him
Kabir became gold,
Precious and pure.

—Kabir, trans. V. K. Sethi

The guru-disciple relationship is a vital, spiritually infused vehicle that transforms the heart and mind, allowing the divine Self to guide our life. Freed from the dross of an ego-driven life, one can soar in the soul’s wisdom and joy—living skillfully in the present, unburdened by the past, and confident in the future.

This soul-guided life is a fire of divine love that requires tending. The five-fold means to support and intensify spiritual practice are listed in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.20: sraddha (faith), virya (energy), smrti (memory), samadhi (superconscious absorption), and prajna (awakened wisdom). As Paramahansa Yogananda advised, “Let your devotion to God be like a wood fire that burns steady and long; not like a straw fire that flares brightly and then quickly goes out.”

Retreat Topics Include

• The dharma of a disciple
  
• The essence of Kriya Yoga sadhana and how to intensify your practice
  
• Insights from wisdom texts in the Kriya Yoga tradition, including Lahiri Mahasaya’s commentary on the mystical poems of Kabir about the guru and disciple
  
• Kriya Yoga meditation in AUM as a doorway to higher states of consciousness

Retreat Goals

• Discover new insights and inspiration for your Kriya Yoga practice
  
• Experience the benefits of superconscious meditation techniques in our tradition
  
• Renew your commitment to living the soul-guided life of discipleship
  

RETREAT REQUIREMENTS
This retreat is for Kriya Yoga initiates who have formally entered into discipleship on this path and for those who are sincerely discerning that step and feel called to prepare for it.

If you have not yet formally requested a discipleship meeting and feel drawn to this retreat, we invite you to contact us. There may be time to take the next step before the retreat, if discipleship in this tradition is right for you.

Those who are new to Kriya Yoga or are not yet ready for discipleship are warmly invited to attend the next Kriya Yoga Meditation and Initiation Retreat in January 2027.

PARTICIPATION OPTIONS
Attendance at all sessions is required. There are three ways to participate:

Residential Participation

• Stay overnight at CSE with all meals provided. Attend all retreat sessions in person, including morning meditation, Friday yoga, and the Friday evening session.
• Overnight lodging is limited and requires a separate application (APPLY HERE). Retreat registration is required before applying for overnight lodging.

Commuter Participation

• Attend a portion of the retreat in person, including the opening session, Friday and Saturday morning sessions, afternoon sessions, and lunches.
• Morning meditation, Friday yoga, and Friday evening session are attended online by commuter participants.

Online Participation

• Online participants attend all retreat sessions online. The full retreat will be livestreamed for online participation. Recordings of the sessions are posted in the retreat portal for those in different time zones to watch when convenient.

REGISTRATION FEE
$80 In-person (Residential or Commuter)
$60 Online Only

Click calendar icon below to register (scroll right then down if on a mobile device).

Retreat Program Offered on a Donation Basis

Registration fees cover basic administrative costs. The retreat itself is offered on a donation basis to support the CSE ministry and to continue offering programs like this one.

You may offer a donation during the registration process, and there will also be an opportunity to contribute during the retreat.

SAMPLE RETREAT SCHEDULE  (U.S. Pacific Time)   
Schedule subject to change. Attendance at all sessions is required to participate.
Recordings will be available to support participants in different time zones. 

Thursday, October 15

  6:30 PM     Opening Session (IN-PERSON & ONLINE)                   

Friday, October 16

  6:30 AM     Meditation (ONLINE)
10:00 AM     Morning Session (IN-PERSON & ONLINE)
  1:00 PM     Afternoon Session (IN-PERSON & ONLINE)
  4:00 PM     Meditation & Hatha Yoga (ONLINE)
  6:30 PM     Evening Session (ONLINE)

Saturday, October 17

  6:30 AM     Meditation (ONLINE)
10:00 AM     Morning Session (IN-PERSON & ONLINE)
  1:00 PM     Closing Session (IN-PERSON & ONLINE)