Worldwide Meditation for the Holy Days
with Yogacharya O'Brian & Kriya Yoga Ministers from Around the World
Thursday, December 23, 2021
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM (PT)

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"Celebrate Christmas upon the altar of the vast inner silence and in the sanctuary of every desire, with every living thing in the world and the Cosmos. Then will you know the Cosmic Christ as ruling in the heart of all finite Creation." — Paramahansa Yogananda

In 1931, Paramahansa Yogananda established the tradition of an all-day meditation at Christmas time for devotees to spend an extended time focused on divine communion through meditation.

On December 23, 1949, Roy Eugene Davis arrived at Self Realization Fellowship International Headquarters in Los Angeles, California and met Paramahansa Yogananda. The following day Mr. Davis participated in his first all-day meditation session with him.

CSE’s Worldwide Meditation for the Holy Days is held annually on December 23rd to commemorate that auspicious occasion. It will be led by CSE Founder and Spiritual Director, Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian, along with Kriya Yoga ministers, including some of Mr. Davis’s disciples from Europe and the East Coast, in addition to CSE minsters.

This day-long program will include silent meditation sessions along with alternating periods of chanting and inspirational readings. You are welcome to join us for any or all sessions.

MEDITATION SCHEDULE

  9:00 AM     Yogacharya O'Brian (Santa Cruz, CA)
  9:50 AM     Barbara Zanella and Claudio Massettini (Savona, Italy)
10:25 AM     Harald and Marlies Reiske (Passau, Germany)
11:00 AM     Mukundadasa Giovanni Formisano (Milan, Italy)
11:35 AM     Swami Nirvanananda (Bolzano, Italy)
12:10 PM     Ryan Kurczak (Fairmont, WV)
12:45 PM     Rev. Julie Darshini Hitchcock (Los Osos, CA)
  1:20 PM     Isha Das (Rochester, NY)
  1:55 PM     Rev. Ann Sarasvati Hayes (Santa Rosa, CA)
  2:30 PM     Rev. Priya Friday-Pabros (Delmar, DE)
  3:05 PM     Rev. Paula Vandana Whang-Ramos (Gilroy, CA)
  3:40 PM     Marty Prakash Wuttke (Santa Barbara, CA)
  4:15 PM     Rev. Sundari Jensen (Boulder Creek, CA)
  4:50 PM     Yogacharya O'Brian (Santa Cruz, CA)   

	Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian (Santa Cruz, CA) is the Founder & Spiritual Director of Center for Spiritual Enlightenment in San Jose, California. Yogacharya O’Brian was ordained to teach in 1982 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda. She is the author of several books on meditation and spiritual practice and is a frequent speaker at conferences and retreats both nationally and internationally on the value of meditation and the importance of ethical and spiritual awakening to contribute to world peace. www.csecenter.org
	Barbara Zanella and Claudio Massettini (Savon, Italy) are the spiritual directors of Centro Kriya Yoga Stella in Italy and were disciples of Roy Eugene Davis. They are currently building a yoga retreat in Stella, Italy to support and serve others in spiritual growth. www.kriyayogastella.org
	Harald and Marlies Reiske (Passau, Germany) are the directors of Kriya Yoga Center, Germany. Ordained by Roy Eugene Davis and authorized to teach Kriya Yoga in 1989, they have been his representatives in Germany since that time. They have presented many seminars with Roy Eugene Davis in Germany and Lakemont, GA, where they were his interpreters. They translated several books of his books into German to serve German devotees with seminars and a quarterly Transcendence newsletter. www.kriya-yoga.de
	Mukundadasa, Giovanni Formisano (Milan, Italy) is the founder and director of Kriya Yoga Ashram, Milan. After studying and practicing yoga from the age of 12, and following the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda for many years, in 2003, he met his teacher Roy Eugene Davis, who later ordained him and authorized him to teach Kriya Yoga. Mukundadasa regularly offers classes on Hatha Yoga, meditation, and Yoga philosophy. www.kriyayogaashram.com
	Swami Nirvanananda (Bolzano, Italy) travels extensively throughout Europe, the United States, and India, inspiring audiences with devotional music and raising funds for Shantipuri Friends Foundation, a non-profit charity to support his work serving the poor in and around the holy city of Puri, Odisha, India. Merging the teachings of Kriya Yoga with the devotional aspect of Bhakti Yoga and the charitable path of Karma Yoga, Swami Nirvanananda expresses unity in the diversity of many paths and religions, all leading to the same goal: Universal Love and Oneness with Spirit. www.nirvanananda.org
	Isha Das (Rochester, NY) is an accomplished teacher, writer, lecturer, practicing psychotherapist, and spiritual director of The Assisi Institute in Rochester, New York. His education includes extensive study in psychology, spirituality, mysticism, world religions, and yoga. Isha Das was made a minister and official Kriya Yoga teacher by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda. www.assisi-institute.org
	Rev. Julie Hitchcock (Los Osos, CA) was ordained to teach by Yogacharya O'Brian in 2019. Rev. Julie currently serves at Awakening, a CSE affiliate center in Los Osos, CA, leading classes, retreats, and meditation. www.awakeninginterfaith.org
	Ryan Kurczak (Fairmont, WV) is a meditation teacher, writer, and director of the Two-Year Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program offered through www.KriyaYogaOnline.com. Ryan was ordained by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda, and authorized to teach Kriya Yoga in 2005. He is the host of The Kriya Yoga Podcast and the KriyaYogaOnline YouTube channel. For many years, he served as a Vedic astrologer and teacher of astrology. Ryan Kurczak is the author of several books on spiritual practice and Vedic astrology. www.kriyayogaonline.com
	Rev. Ann Sarasvati Hayes, M.Div., (Santa Rosa, CA) was ordained as a minister in the Kriya Yoga tradition by her teacher, Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian, in 2007. She has been teaching and leading spiritual practice classes and programs for over 14 years. She and her husband, Jeff Collins, currently teach and lead meditation groups in Sonoma County, California. www.santarosameditation.org
	Rev. Priya Friday-Pabros (Delmar, DE) was initiated into Kriya Yoga by Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian in 2002 and ordained to teach in 2005. She is a Senior Kriya Yoga Teacher and Associate Minister at Center for Spiritual Enlightenment. She is the Spiritual Director of Meditate & Thrive Kriya Yoga Community serving the Delmarva region of the Eastern US, where she shares the teachings of Kriya Yoga with all sincere seekers. www.meditateandthrive.com
	Rev. Paula Vandana Whang-Ramos, M.Div., (Gilroy, CA) is an Associate Minister and Senior Kriya Yoga Teacher at Center for Spiritual Enlightenment. She also serves as the Spiritual Director of Blue Lotus Kriya Yoga Meditation Center, where she offers Kriya Yoga teachings and Vedic Counseling to sincere seekers in the rural communities of Silicon Valley, CA. Rev. Vandana was initiated into Kriya Yoga by Mr. Roy Eugene Davis in 2006 and was ordained to teach by her Spiritual Teacher, Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, in 2012. www.bluelotuscenter.org
	Marty Prakash Wuttke (Santa Barbara, CA) is the Founder & CEO of Wuttke Institute of Neurotherapy and is board certified in Neurofeedback, BCIA. Marty has been a meditation teacher since 1984 and is a Minister at Center for Spiritual Awareness. www.wuttkeinstitute.com
	Rev. Sundari Jensen (Boulder Creek, CA) met her spiritual teacher, Yogacharya O’Brian, in March of 1992. She is a Senior Kriya Yoga Teacher and serves as CSE’s Executive Minister and Board President. As Provost of Meru Institute, Rev. Sundari oversees the training of CSE teachers and leaders. Rev. Sundari is also a certified Hatha Yoga teacher, Meditation teacher, Vedic Counselor, and IAYT certified Yoga Therapist. www.csecenter.org