Author: thakur

Volunteering at Ridgely/ Message From Gitaprana

Volunteering at Ridgely

Ridgely has a small but dedicated group of karma yogis who work with our staff, helping with events as well as helping with the huge amount of maintenance this beautiful property requires. Volunteering is a wonderful way to meet and make some spiritually oriented friends. Our wonderful karma yogis help us when we have organized retreats, cleaning, setting up, cooking etc. They also help us with our biggest tasks-maintaining the 3 houses and property. More than anything we need people who are willing to assist us with these outside tasks.

Often our visitors see us working on the property and cannot imagine themselves painting or weeding, let alone cutting back bushes on the shrine trail. It’s not so hard! The Ridgely staff and close friends will always take the difficult jobs themselves. All it requires is the right clothing, bug spray, and a willingness to try something new.

(Please be advised-we already have enough people helping us with online tasks and such. We also do not generally need cooks unless we are preparing for a retreat or puja.)

We try to schedule group karma yoga on Saturday mornings. The weather gods like to play and often Saturdays are the days they choose to rain on us. If you wish to be a part of any Saturday work crew, please let us know and we will add you to the Karma Yoga mailing list. Then you will know if we have to cancel for any reason.

From Gitaprana

Ridgely is, first and foremost, a retreat center. It is a place where seekers can leave behind ordinary daily life and deepen their inner connection with the Divine. It is very quiet and peaceful here. We keep activities to a minimum so each person can arrange their own way of being on retreat. Some people who stay here prefer to remain totally silent while others like to make new spiritual friends by getting to know the staff and other local devotees. If you know us, you know we are pretty relaxed about the kind of discussions that take place. We’re not against what might be considered chatting because this is how people get to know one another. We are equally happy to spend a group meal talking about recipes or more traditionally spiritual subjects……

BUT……….

To maintain this atmosphere of peace, we do have one rule: no discussion about the politics of any country. I have asked our caretakers and friends to nicely stop any such discussion. I have been politely challenged many times about this policy. People say, “Gitaprana, this is our life right now! We want to be able to discuss these issues with other like-minded people! This is also part of spiritual life!”

I agree 100%. Understanding and acting upon moral/dharmic issues is indeed part of our spiritual life. We are not yogis in the Himalayas; we do have a responsibility to act in this world. It is very possible to discuss the moral issues facing us without bringing up specifics. Our Sunday Gita class is a good forum for this.( We are planning on streaming that class very soon. Details to be announced when we finally begin!)

I am also thinking about scheduling a zoom session for people who wish to discuss our svadharma/our responsibility in a world that is currently teetering on the brink. If you would be interested in attending such a zoom session, please let me know. If I get enough people who want to sign up, I will then try to find the best time and date.

Jai Ma,

Gitaprana

April 2026 Vivekananda Retreat is Open

PLEASE READ BEFORE VISITING: 

We are very happy to have you visit. We love to see our old friends and to make new ones. We are still working on our schedule of events for 2026. If you wish to be notified about our retreats and other news, you can add yourself to our mailing list on our website. If that doesn’t work, you can email us and we will add you.

 We do not have a staff member whose only job is to give tours. The Ridgely staff all have many other responsibilities here at the retreat. We live in the Manor House, the focus of any tour. For that reason it is not possible to give yourself a tour. All tours need to be scheduled at least 2 days in advance by calling (845) 687-4574. We will find a mutually convenient time. Once a time is set, please arrive promptly.

If you do not wish to take a tour, the shrine and grounds are open from 6am-7pm almost every day. The one exception is Sunday, when we close at 5pm.

If you wish to book an overnight stay, you must schedule at least 5 days in advance by phone or email. Please be aware that we don’t allow children under the age of 17 to stay overnight at the retreat.

Upcoming Events at Ridgely: Fall, 2025

 

Retreat w/Swami Sarvadevananda November 7-8

Topic: The Way To Freedom

Here is the schedule:

Friday, Nov. 7:

Session 1 2:30pm-4:30pm

Session 2  7:30-9pm

Saturday, Nov. 8

Session 3 10:30-12:30pm

Lunch

If you wish to stay overnight please note that we only have 2-3 spaces in the women’s retreat house left. All spaces in the men’s house are filled.

Day visitors: please register so we know how many people will be attending.

 

Retreat w/ Swami Medhananda November 17-18

Karma and Rebirth-A Deep Dive

Many of you may know Swami Medhananda from his previous visit here or another center. He is a monk of the Ramakrishna Order currently assigned to the Vedanta Society of Southern California, Hollywood. He has just authored a new book, KARMA AND REBIRTH IN HINDUISM.

This book will serve as the text for the retreat. We will have a limited number of copies for sale here at the retreat.

Here is the schedule:

Monday, Nov. 17

12:30 Lunch

Session 1 2:00-4:30

Tuesday, Nov. 18

Session 2 10:30-12:30

Lunch 12:30

Session 3 2:00-4:30

If you wish to stay overnight for this retreat please note that we only have 2-3 spaces in the women’s house left. All spaces in the men’s house are filled.

Day Visitors, please register so we know how many people will be attending.

Durga Puja Sept. 28 Kali Puja Oct. 20

Upcoming Pujas-The Mother Season

Durga Puja Sunday, Sept. 28 11am-4pm

Here at Ridgely we celebrate Navaratri-the Nine Nights of the Goddess- With a puja/ritual worship  to the Devi in Her form as Durga. It is a very abbreviated version of the traditional multi-day worship performed in various places in India. Since it is a ‘short-form puja’ we often try to find ways for everyone to join in on some top the meditations and visualizations within the ritual. The format is first, the worship itself, followed by a flower offering, homa fire and prasad lunch.( Prasad means the food that is first offered to the Devi and then shared as a special blessing when the ceremony is complete.) As part of the  ritual there is often a recitation of the Devi Mahatmyam aka the Chandi which is the main text in which the stories of the Devi Durga appear.

All are welcome to attend all or part of the puja. If you wish to bring offerings please remember that the Devi should be the first receiver of anything you offer. Food must not be tasted, flowers remain unsniffed etc. If you would like to offer a song/bhajan, we welcome that too.

Kali Puja  Monday, Oct. 20 6pm-1am

Kali Puja is our complete, ‘long-form’ ritual worship of the Devi in Her form as Dakshina Kali. During this ritual the Devi DakshinaKali is invoked/invited to be present in a special way that cannot be explained in ordinary language.  We invoke Her presence in a particular way in the physical image/murti in a part of the ceremony called prana pratishtha You could think of it as bringing life to the image. We ritually open the eyes and infuse the limbs with the presence of both Kali and Shiva. Our image here is small but powerful! At the end of the ceremony the Mother is invited to return to the ocean of the Formless, Her true abode. As we do in all our pujas, there is first the ritual, followed by a flower offering, homa fire and prasad.

You are welcome to bring offerings-flowers, food, or anything else one would offer to a female deity-clothing, jewelry, make up, perfume, song. We have offered many different kinds of items in the past, the special offerings that people wish to give the Devi. If you are offering food, please be aware that we won’t allow you to prepare it here.

If you wish to spend the night here, you must register at least 5 days in advance. We do not ask for a donation for overnight stays on Kali Puja night.

All are welcome to attend all or part of this ceremony.

Retreat w/Swami Yogatmananda. August 30-31 2025. Yoga of the Katha Upanishad

We are happy announce that Swami Yogatmananda, the Head Minister of the Vedanta Society of Providence, will be giving a retreat on the weekend of Labor Day on The Yoga of the Katha Upanishad. If you are a friend of Ridgely you know that we always reserve this time for him. He has been coming for many years . Our friends always look forward to his retreats.

Here is the schedule for the retreat:

Saturday, August 30: 10:30-5 (2 sessions and lunch)

Sunday August 31: 10:30-2  (one session and lunch)

You are welcome to join us for all or part of this retreat.

If you wish to stay overnight, please contact us soon. The overnight spaces will fill up quickly.

If you will be coming as a day visitor please RSVP as well. This is so we can get an accurate account of how many people will be joining us for the lunches.

Hope to see you then!

Retreat W/ Swami Sarvadevananda and Swami Atmajnanananda June 10-12. on Ashtavakra Samhita

We are finally able to announce an upcoming retreat with Swami Sarvadevananda and Swami Atmajnanananda after a potential scheduling conflict disappeared. That is why we have not been able to give a lot of advance notice.

Swami Sarvadevananda is the Head Minister of the Vedanta Society of So. California as well as Vivekananda Retreat. Swami Atmajnanananda is the Head Minister of the Vedanta Center of Greater Washington DC. Both have been associated with the Ridgely for a very long time so you probably have already met them during the many retreats they have given here.

The text we will be exploring is the Ashtavakra Samhita-a small but dense text that is based upon pure non-dual Vedanta/ Advaita Vedanta.

Here is the schedule:

June 10 7:30pm. Session 1

June 11 10:30am Session 2

              12:30pm Lunch for all

               2pm Session 3 

               7:30pm satsang 

June 12  10:30am  Session 4

If you wish to stay overnight at the retreat please register asap. Day visitors need not register. There is no charge for this program other than the usual overnight suggested donations. We look forward to seeing you after a long winter.

 

Visiting Ridgel

Ridgely is no longer restricting tours to Saturday afternoons BUT you must call us at least 2 days in advance to schedule a tour. We live in the spaces you will tour so it is not possible to see the place on your own. We don’t have a person whose full time job is to give tours. Our staff members juggle many responsibilities. We will confer with you to find a convenient time for a tour.

As always, our shrine room is open every day from 6am to 7pm. Group meditation/prayers are held at 7am and 6pm. If you have never visited Ridgely before and only wish to meditate in our shrine please call us to schedule a short orientation. After that you Arte welcome to come and go any time during open hours. Our roads and shrine trial are open for walking during daylight hours.

 

Vivekananda Retreat Is Open (April 2025)

Visitor Information

During April and May we will only be giving tours on Saturdays at 2pm. During this time we won’t have the staff to arrange tours on other days. You must call us at least 3 days in advance to register for a Saturday tour.

Our staff members have many responsibilities here at the retreat. We don’t have someone whose only job is to give tours. Staff members have to rearrange their busy schedules in order to give tours. We do not give impromptu tours to visitors w/o prior notice.

THE RETREAT WILL BE CLOSED TO ALL VISITORS APRIL 16-19. That includes people who just wish to visit the shrine. The Vedanta Society of New York is holding an intensive retreat here during this time.  This retreat is full and closed to all  people except those who have already registered.

OVERNIGHT STAYS: We are taking reservations for overnight stays. You must book a retreat at least 5 days in advance. Please note that we do not allow children under the age of 17 to stay overnight here.

You are welcome to use the shrine and walk on the grounds w/o making a reservation. The shrine is open from 6am to 7pm daily. The grounds are open for walking during daylight hours only. If it will be your first time using the shrine room, please call us in advance so we can give you a very short orientation. After that you are free to use the shrine during open hours.

ORGANIZED PROGRAMS/RETREATS

We are working on finalizing the 2025 schedule. We will announce those programs as soon as the schedule is finished

Ridgely News

This winter has been a challenge for us here at the retreat. As usual, the weather has been the main problem. It turned very cold earlier than usual, forcing us to close the retreat early. The weather has remained cold, which means we have spent more of our budget keeping the houses heated. In February our area experienced an ice storm that covered everything w/ a very slick sheet of ice for more than a week until it finally melted. Walking outside was downright dangerous. Even being extraordinarily careful, we slipped and slid but, fortunately, no-one was hurt.

 We also had 3 incidents where large trees/tree limbs crashed down on our power lines. In two of the incidents, the huge crashes also broke our power poles. In our area the utility company does not deal with ‘customer-owned power poles’. We had to have a company replace the poles and hang the lines back up. Fortunately for us, the company we use is very quick to come and finish the work so we did not have to go for days w/o power in the middle of the winter.  Unfortunately for us, replacing the poles etc. was expensive. Replacing all the other lines-internet etc., took many days.

We have been short-staffed most of the winter due to vacations and the flu that caught all 3 of our caretakers. We will continue to be short-staffed until the middle of May.

The good news is that it is now spring here. Hallelujah! The leaves are just beginning to appear, the daffodils are starting their bloom and the grass is turning green. Spring is gorgeous here. It also is our most labor intensive time as we clean up the property, take down the deer fences and all the other jobs that we must do to get ready for our ‘on’ season. We have a work/ seva crew that meets every Saturday morning. The crew usually works outside, weather permitting, focusing on the shrine trail maintenance and our vegetable garden. If you would like to join us, we will welcome you! As you know, the maintenance here at the retreat is huge and we frankly need all the help we can get!

 

Kali Puja Thursday October 31 6pm-1am

Kali Puja very appropriately falls on Halloween this year.  Kali, as the feminine manifestation of time, is often associated with death and destruction but, actually, she is Life itself in all its infinite forms. Life is powerful and dynamic energy bursting into infinite ways of being. We worship the form of the Devi known as Dakshina Kali, the more ‘gentle’ form of the fierce and dynamic goddess.She is the explosion of the cosmos coming into being and the force of a tiny mushroom bursting its way through pavement to reach towards the sun. She is Love in all its iterations.

Kali is a transformational Devi. For Her devotees, She is said to quickly lead one to realization. 

Her form can be interpreted in many ways. For Her devotees, She is showing the mudra of fearlessness and the mudra of Grace in Her two right hands. In Her left hands She holds the sword of wisdom and the head of a demon, symbolizing the removal of ego-based destructive thoughts and actions that mask our true, divine nature. She is standing on Shiva,Brahman-the formless who is white, w/o color. She Herself is black, all colors, in constant motion for She is the shakti-the dynamic power of the One.

We perform the full, elaborate Kali Puja. During the ceremony the presence of the goddess is invoked from the formless into form. First, She is invoked in the ghat/water pot, a part of the ritual that must be very ancient. Next, She is invoked in the pujari/the one performing the ritual and there worshipped in Her subtle/pranic form. Finally, She is invoked in the murti/the physical image. That presence of the Mother is very tangible and remains throughout the rest of the ritual and homa fire until, at the very end, She is asked to return to Her true abode-Brahman.

All are welcome to attend all or part of this puja. If you wish to bring an offering, there are many possibilities since we will be performing a full, 16-item worship. You can bring flowers, desserts, jewelry, make-up (especially sindhur and kajjal), clothing I.e.saris or shawls), perfume, incense, bath oil or any other offering appropriate for a devi. Please do not bring food that needs to be cooked or heated up in any way.

If you wish to stay overnight please let us know.  For Kali Puja, please let us know at least 5 days in advance.