Free weeklong World Convocation features group meditations, kirtan, and inspirational talks, hosted in person and online by Self-Realization Fellowship
Thousands of people from around the world are expected to gather in Los Angeles and online this August for the 2026 Self-Realization Fellowship World Convocation, a free weeklong immersion in the Kriya Yoga teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda — a form of Raja Yoga encompassing meditation techniques and principles for balanced spiritual living.
The gathering — featuring guided meditations, kirtan (devotional chanting), satsangas (informal question-and-answer sessions), and inspirational talks — will take place August 2–8, 2026, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles and livestreamed worldwide. The event offers opportunities for community and connection among participants from dozens of countries, both in person and online.
“People everywhere are searching for lasting happiness, deeper purpose, and a sense of peace that isn’t dependent on outward circumstances,” says Brother Saralananda, a monk of Self-Realization Fellowship who will give the opening-night talk, “The Art of Joyful Living: Yoga’s Path to Happiness.”
“Paramahansa Yogananda taught that what we are seeking already exists within our soul. Through meditation and spiritual practice, we can learn to access that inner reservoir of soul joy, wisdom, and strength directly. Convocation offers people an opportunity to experience that for themselves.”
When Yogananda first arrived in Los Angeles more than 100 years ago, he called it the “Banaras of America,” a reference to one of India’s holiest pilgrimage cities. Today, Los Angeles continues to hold special meaning for the millions of people inspired by Yogananda’s life story, Autobiography of a Yogi, and by the temples and meditation gardens he founded throughout Southern California. During Convocation, participants will have the opportunity to visit pilgrimage sites associated with Yogananda’s life and work — in person or through virtual pilgrimages.
Established by Yogananda in 1950, the annual Self-Realization Fellowship Convocation is for anyone drawn to meditation, inner growth, and a deeper understanding of life’s purpose — regardless of religious background or previous meditation experience.
The program features practical “How-to-Live” teachings on happiness, resilience, concentration, and meaningful relationships, along with daily opportunities to experience meditation in a supportive group setting.
Some of this year’s featured talks include:
- The Art of Joyful Living: Yoga’s Path to Happiness
- Eternal Youth: What Does It Mean and How Can We Have It?
- Becoming an Instrument of Divine Love
- Inner Security Through Divine Connection
Simultaneous translation is available in German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. Self-Realization Fellowship monks and nuns will also visit centers and meditation groups throughout Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America to celebrate Convocation with members and friends around the world.
Event Details:
- What: 2026 Self-Realization Fellowship World Convocation
- When: August 2–8, 2026
- Where: Westin Bonaventure Hotel, 404 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071, and online worldwide
- Presented by: Monks and nuns of Yogananda’s Self-Realization Fellowship
- Cost: Free and open to all; registration required
- More information and registration: convocation.yogananda.org
About Paramahansa Yogananda and Self-Realization Fellowship
Paramahansa Yogananda (1893–1952) arrived in America in 1920 from India, an invited delegate to an International Congress of Religious Liberals convening in Boston. There he delivered a speech, “The Science of Religion,” marking a pivotal point for yoga in the West. That same year, Yogananda founded Self-Realization Fellowship to disseminate his Kriya Yoga teachings, which have inspired many through the years to live with greater peace, joy, and purpose. Yogananda’s spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi, continues to be recognized as one of the world’s most influential books.
Self-Realization Fellowship is the international nonprofit spiritual organization founded in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda to introduce to people of all races, cultures, and creeds the ancient science and philosophy of yoga and its time-honored tradition of meditation. Through its spiritual and humanitarian service, the society seeks to foster greater harmony and goodwill among the diverse peoples and nations of the world, as well as a deeper understanding of the underlying unity of all religions. Self-Realization Fellowship has more than 600 temples, centers, retreats, and ashrams around the world. In India and neighboring countries, Paramahansa Yogananda’s work is known as Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS), which has more than 200 locations.
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Contact:
Blythe Fraser
Self-Realization Fellowship
[email protected]
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RNS or Religion News Foundation.
