It is not necessary to be a student of Self-Realization Fellowship to participate in our retreat program. It is important that guests be familiar with meditation and be comfortable spending their time at the retreat in silence. For those unfamiliar with Self-Realization Fellowship, we suggest visiting an SRF Temple, Center, or the SRF website at yogananda.org. Additionally, it may be helpful to read some writings of Paramahansa Yogananda before scheduling a retreat.

The Retreat program is open to adults 18 years and older. The retreat activities are not designed for children who are unaccustomed to keeping silence for extended periods of time, or participating in longer periods of meditation.

Children are welcome to visit the Lake Shrine Meditation Gardens and the Lake Shrine Temple offers Sunday School programs.

The Lake Shrine Retreat offers year-round Personal Retreat and Conducted Retreat programs that are designed around the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda and the spiritual work of Self-Realization Fellowship. For this reason, the Retreat facilities are not available for rental.

Our suggested donation for personal retreats is $150 per night and $200 a night for conducted retreats (not currently offered). This donation is used to offset the cost of operating and maintaining the Retreat. We strive to keep the donation as low as possible so that the greatest number of souls might be able to benefit from a spiritual retreat. Even though the suggested amount does not fully cover our expenses, the generosity expressed through donations that have been given above the suggested donation, has helped substantially to keep this sanctuary available to all.

Donations for retreat accommodations may be made at the Retreat office upon check-in. Lake Shrine Retreat accepts American Express, Visa, Master Card, Discover, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, or cash, checks, traveler’s checks, or money order.

The Lake Shrine Retreat offers a protected spiritual environment that encourages you to leave behind the pressures of everyday life. We kindly ask that you book a reservation only when you are able to disengage from other activities and responsibilities for the duration of your retreat stay.

In keeping with the ideals of a spiritual community, we ask that retreatants dress comfortably, but modestly and that they not wear shorts or similar attire inside the Retreat. Some type of footwear should be worn in public spaces, preferably soft-soled to help preserve the quiet atmosphere.