Public Talk and Weekend Program — March 28 – 30

The Kriya Yoga Teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda

“How Meditation Can Transform Your Life” — Free Lecture With Guided Meditation

Friday, March 28, 7:30 p.m.

The Westin O’Hare
6100 North River Road, Rosemont, Illinois 60018  

Did you know that you can have a personal experience of inner peace and joy through meditation? Join us for an evening with Self-Realization Fellowship monk Brother Saralananda that explores how meditation can lead to the natural development of deep calmness and the awakening of spiritual consciousness that can transform all aspects of life.

This talk will include a guided meditation suitable for both newcomers and veteran meditators. “In our world, where happiness is often fleeting,” Brother Saralananda says, “the practice of meditation introduces us to a deeper level of our being through which we can experience a more lasting inner peace and joy, even while going through the inevitable outer tests of life.”

Paramahansa Yogananda (author of the spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi) founded Self-Realization Fellowship in 1920, at the behest of his line of renowned gurus, to teach worldwide the science of Kriya Yoga meditation — which enables a seeker to experience the underlying oneness that unites all people, all religions, and all life. Yogananda taught that a foundation for truly balanced and successful living comes from realization of the Divine within oneself through meditation.
 

Your Speaker for This Event

Brother Saralananda — whose name means “seeking the bliss of God through a life of simplicity” — has been a monk in the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) monastic community for more than 30 years. A member of the SRF Board of Directors, he also serves as a temple minister, and is responsible for several administrative areas of the organization. Brother Saralananda has traveled frequently throughout Europe, Canada, the United States and the Asia-Pacific region, lecturing on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda and conducting SRF retreats.

The Weekend Program

In addition to the public lecture, SRF monastics will be conducting a class and guided meditation in which they will review the SRF techniques of meditation. This class and guided meditation, held on Saturday, is open to students of the Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons, Paramahansa Yogananda’s home-study course on meditation and balanced living. If you are not a student of the SRF Lessons but wish to attend these classes, you may do so by enrolling in the Lessons before or during the weekend program.  

Everyone is welcome to participate in the meditations and inspirational talks on Friday and Sunday led by the monastics. Learn more about the full weekend program.
 

Parking and Venue Information 

Parking
Self-parking is available in the Westin O’Hare parking lot adjacent to the hotel. For those not staying overnight, the fee is $10 per day with a validated ticket. Self-parking for overnight guests, with in and out privileges, is available for $23.00 per day. 

Public Transportation
The Westin O’Hare Hotel is in Rosemont, one block north from the Blue Line train that transports passengers to and from downtown Chicago. 

For more information about the venue, please see The Westin O’Hare website. 

Weekend Program Overview 

All are welcome to join us for the group meditations, inspirational talks, and reception events scheduled with the visiting Self-Realization Fellowship monks during this weekend program. The monks will give talks on Paramahansa Yogananda’s Kriya Yoga teachings, sharing their helpful counsel on how to navigate life’s challenges as well as their own anecdotes about journeying on the spiritual path.

The classes on the SRF meditation techniques are available only to those who are current or past students of the Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons. If you are not a current or past SRF student, we invite you to enroll in the SRF Lessons so that you may attend the classes on these powerful techniques, which are integral to the science of Kriya Yoga taught by Paramahansa Yogananda.
 

Schedule

Friday, March 28

• 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. — Public Lecture with Guided Meditation
• 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. — Reception

Saturday, March 29

• 10:00 – 12:30 p.m. — Meditation Technique Review Class with Guided Meditation*
• 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. — Kriya Yoga Initiation Ceremony **

Sunday, March 30

• 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. — Kriya Yoga Review Class **
• 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. — Guided Meditation
• 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. — Inspirational Service and “Lake Shrine Dedication” video

* Open to students of the Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons
** Open to Kriyabans only

Kriya Yoga Initiation Ceremony

Kriya Yoga initiation is a sacred step on one’s spiritual journey that involves a deeper commitment to the Self-Realization Fellowship spiritual path and the establishment of the guru-disciple relationship with Paramahansa Yogananda and his lineage of enlightened masters. Learn more about the Kriya Yoga path of meditation.
 

Apply to Attend by March 7 (for Eligible Students) 

SRF Lessons students who are eligible for Kriya Yoga initiation may log in or create an account to apply for Kriya Yoga by March 7 in order to attend the initiation ceremony to be conducted on March 29.
 

Register to Attend by February 23 (for Kriyabans)

All current SRF Kriyabans are also welcome to attend the Kriya Yoga initiation ceremony. Please let us know by February 23 if you will be attending by emailing: KriyaRegistrar@yogananda-srf.org.

If you are an SRF Kriyaban, but have not yet attended a Kriya Yoga initiation ceremony, please register for the ceremony by sending an email to Membership Services Kriya Yoga Registrar through KriyaRegistrar@yogananda-srf.org, or call +1 (818) 549-5151 no later than February 23.  

Location 

All events will be held at the Westin O’Hare Hotel:

The Westin O’Hare
6100 North River Road
Rosemont, Illinois 60018

If you plan to stay at the hotel, room reservations are to be made directly with the Westin O’Hare Hotel.
 

Hotel Reservations and Rate 

The Westin O’Hare is offering a special group rate for our event.

Single or double occupancy: $163.00 per night.

The last day to book with this group rate is on Friday, March 28, 2025.

To ensure availability and the group rate, we suggest you make your reservations online, through the website that has been designated for the Chicago Meditation Center of Self-Realization Fellowship. You can also call the hotel reservations office at 888-236-2427. 

Airport shuttle 

The Westin O’Hare Hotel offers an airport shuttle. For questions, please call: (847) 698-6000.
 

Meals

Meals are not provided; however, the hotel restaurant is adding vegetarian specials to its menu. There are also restaurants within several blocks of the hotel.
 

For Further Information: 

• Chicago Center website 
• Email: Chicago.SRF@gmail.com 
• Telephone: +1 (847) 312 - 4464 

The events are geared toward adults, but children twelve years and olderwho are Self-Realization Fellowship students may attend if they wish. We are not able to accommodate younger children at the meetings. 

We ask that no audio or video recordings (cell phone cameras included) be made during the events, and that still photography be limited to outdoor areas. Thank you for your cooperation.