Retreat at New Vrindaban, WV
Saturday-Monday; October 21-23, 2023
"One of the 30 most beautiful places to visit in the USA."
(Business Insider)
Join us for a weekend immersion in New Vrindaban, an ISKCON (Hare Krishna) intentional community located on 2200 acres in Marshall County, West Virginia.
New Vrindaban was founded in 1968 in pursuance of Srila Prabhupada’s mission to give Westerners an alternative to the materialistic way of life and to teach a lifestyle based on the principle of “simple living and high thinking.” The project is named after the holy land of Vrindavan, India, the place of Krishna’s birth.
In the pioneering years, from 1968-1978, life was austere, but enthusiasm was high, and much was achieved. Devotees built two temples, established a cow protection program, cultivated the land for food, started a school, built the first guesthouse, and began construction on Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold.
Over the next decade, New Vrindaban continued to expand as many dedicated followers joined the community. By 1988, the property spanned over 2,500 acres with 600 resident devotees.
Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold was completed, and additional developments including the Varnashram College, Palace Gift Shop, Govinda’s Restaurant, and Govardhan Dairy arose as emblems of New Vrindaban’s monumental success.
By the early 80s, the State of West Virginia had recognized New Vrindaban as an unincorporated town, and the Department of Highways had added it to the official state map.
Towards the end of the decade, however, immature and inexperienced leaders began to introduce deviant ideas and practices that quickly caused trouble in paradise. New Vrindaban was expelled from ISKCON. Hundreds of devotees left the community. Criminal charges were made against some of the leaders.
To help New Vrindaban get back on its feet, devotees from other ISKCON communities stepped in with programs like Rupanuga Vedic College, ISKCON Society for Cow Protection, Gurukuli reunions, and ECO-Vrindaban. Gradually, morale was boosted, wounds were healed, standards were raised, and finally, in the year 2000, New Vrindaban was fully accepted back into ISKCON. The era of restoration had begun.
The next ten years saw the renovation of Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold, the construction of the Radha-Gopinath temple (the first of the seven temples project), and the inauguration of the Yogashala, the Festival of Colors, the Pushpa Abhishek Festival, and Wheeling Ratha Yatra.
In 2018, New Vrindaban celebrated its Golden Jubilee in a style reminiscent of its glory days of the 1980s, giving everyone hope that although the past had its dark moments, the future of New Vrindaban is bright.
Now, New Vrindaban is supported by a large and growing congregation. Grand festivals, conferences, courses, and retreats are held regularly, and many thousands of pilgrims and devotees visit each year to learn about, glorify, and worship Krishna in His holy abode.
Listed on the National Register of Historical Places, the public are invited to visit, tour and learn more about this incredible nonprofit that welcomed more than 50,000 visitors last year-- the second most visited attraction in the state of West Virginia!
Here is what we will experience:
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Two daily yoga classes
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Guided tour of the Palace of Gold
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Participation in aarti ceremonies, lessons and services at the Krishna Temple
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America's oldest Cow Sanctuary
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Peacock Walk
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Scenic Hikes in the rolling Appalachian hills
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Award-winning Rose Garden and Lotus Pond
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Exotic gift boutiques
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Complimentary breakfast and lunch prasadam
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Dinners at Govinda's Restaurant and Govinda Express
“The thing that kills prejudice more than anything is travel.” (Mark Twain)
“Most people can’t travel to India, so it’s a way for them to experience the culture, the food, the faith of India right here in West Virginia. Culturally, it’s a mind broadening experience for people.”
“This is a spiritual Disneyland of sorts for some (seriously religious), and immigrants from India visit, too. We get a broad range of people here that want to nourish their faith.” (Thomas Haribol, ISKCON News Managing Editor)
To register click button, scroll to Oct. 21 on the schedule, and click retreat link.
*The views, opinions, and beliefs expressed in the programming and temple services at New Vrindaban are those of the ISKCON community members and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Oxford Community Yoga, Jessica Lohrey, or the Tree of India School of Yoga.
About the Retreat
This retreat is an opportunity to experience an active, intentional spiritual community and enjoy the devotion and love that abounds here. We will explore the many sacred spaces on site at New Vrindaban and likely find some of our own in this strikingly beautiful Appalachian haven! We'll be visiting in the fall when the autumn colors are at their peak.
This is a small group retreat. We will have two cabins for our group of 6.
Cost per participant: $475
What's included:
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Two nights lodging in a private room with a double or queen bed in a 3 BR cabin
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1 shared bathroom per cabin (3 people per cabin)
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Transportation to and from the retreat in a 7 passenger Minivan (Chrysler Pacifica or similar) Retreat location is approx. 4.5 hours from Oxford by car.
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Complimentary breakfast after temple service on Sunday and Monday
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Complimentary lunch after temple service on Saturday and Sunday
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Two daily yoga classes led by Jessica
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Optional participation in all Temple activities
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Free time each day to explore the grounds, hike the trails, shop, or rest!
What's not included:
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$12 donation for Guided Tour at Palace of Gold
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Dinners at Govinda's Restaurant
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Items purchased in the gift boutiques
We will leave from Oxford Community Yoga at 7:00 AM on Saturday, October 21, and return at approximately 5:00 PM, Monday, October 23, 2023.
QUESTIONS? Email Jessica at oxcomyoga@gmail.com.
To register click button, scroll to Oct. 21 on the schedule, and click retreat link.