Are you seeking inner peace? Would you like to reduce stress and improve your health and well-being? Or would you like to find deeper purpose and meaning in life or discover the secrets of lasting happiness? This Meetup group does all that--and much more. Perhaps you have had questions about meditation, spirituality, or are seeking a deeper connection with the Divine. Ananda is a worldwide community of friends that has helped thousands of people to achieve these goals. We offer support, friendship, and the opportunity to connect with like-minded people from all over the LA area. Ananda is one of the largest and oldest networks of meditation centers and communities in California. We follow the teachings and techniques of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the best selling spiritual biography of all-time, Autobiography of a Yogi. Ananda was founded by Yogananda's direct student, Swami Kriyananda. No prior meditation experience is required to join or attend. If you do not yet know how to meditate, we will teach you an authentic, scientifically and spiritually proven style of meditation that Yogananda himself recommended and taught; it is an easy-to-learn, yet powerful and profound technique. Skilled instructors with personal life-long practices will help guide you, from sitting comfortably to learning how to calm the mind and the heart. Whether your interest is meditation as a spiritual practice, or for stress reduction and health, you will feel at home in an Ananda meditation and spiritual development gatherings. All are welcome. No prior experience is required. We are ecumenical, non-denominational, non-dogmatic, and all-inclusive for those of every religion, race, creed, color, orientation, or belief. Events are held at locations all around Los Angeles. From Santa Monica to Downtown, from The Valley to the OC, from West Hollywood to Pasadena--and all points in-between. We try to rotate the location of our events as much as possible so that people all over the LA area can easily attend. If you would like us to have an event in your neighborhood, just let us know and we'll try to make it happen!