Kriya Yoga International · Greater Portland Center
Activities at the Greater Portland Center
What happens here
The Greater Portland Center of Kriya Yoga International holds weekend group meditation for initiates, Kriya Yoga initiation programs once or twice a year, retreats, scripture study, listening sessions of the masters' talks, and community gatherings. Public lectures are open to everyone.
Weekend group meditation
Weekend Group Meditation
For initiates- What it is
Practitioners sit together for Kriya meditation, guided through the steps by a recording of Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, so the group follows the practice in his own voice. Kriya Yoga International encourages initiates to join the group meditations at their nearest center: collective practice supports your own daily sadhana, and does not replace it.
- How often
Weekly, generally on weekends.
- Who may attend
For initiates of this lineage — whether you were initiated many years ago or at the most recent program.
The scheduled date, time and venue of each group meditation session are shared with Portland Center initiates by email and in the center’s WhatsApp group.
If you have recently moved to the area and would like to attend the group meditation sessions, please contact us.
New to Kriya Yoga? Start with an introductory talk — they are open to everyone. See upcoming talks
Open to everyone
Public Introductory Talks
Open to everyone- What it is
A visiting authorized yogacharya gives a public talk on Kriya Yoga — what the practice is, where it comes from, and what daily practice asks of you. Come to listen and ask questions; nothing is expected of you afterwards.
- How often
Alongside each initiation program, once or twice a year, in person and sometimes online.
- Who may attend
Open to everyone — no prior experience or initiation needed, and no age restriction.
- How to join
Come to the next talk — dates and joining details are on the events page.
Spiritual Scripture Reading
Open to everyone- What it is
The group reads scripture together and discusses it in the light of daily practice, including the commentaries written by the masters of this lineage.
- Who may attend
Open to everyone — no prior experience or initiation needed, and no age restriction. Contact the center before your first visit.
- How to join
Email portland-or@kriya.org to ask when the group next meets.
Listening to the Masters’ Talks
Open to everyone- What it is
The group listens together to recorded discourses of Paramahamsa Hariharananda and Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, and talks afterwards about what was said.
- Who may attend
Open to everyone — no prior experience or initiation needed, and no age restriction. Contact the center before your first visit.
- How to join
Email portland-or@kriya.org to ask when the group next meets.
Meetings & Community Gatherings
Open to everyone- What it is
The center’s community life — the annual Holi picnic in spring, shared vegetarian meals, seva, and general meetings. This is the easiest place to start if you are not ready to commit to a formal practice.
- Who may attend
Open to everyone — no prior experience or initiation needed, and no age restriction. Families are welcome.
- How to join
Email portland-or@kriya.org and we will let you know when the next gathering is.
For initiates
Kriya Yoga Initiation & Follow-up Sessions
For those receiving initiation, and for initiates- What it is
An authorized yogacharya confers initiation into the Kriya Yoga technique, teaches it step by step, and leads the follow-up guided meditations. This is the center’s principal program of the year.
- How often
Once or twice a year, over a weekend.
- Who may attend
For those receiving Kriya Yoga initiation at the program, and for those already initiated in the lineage of Paramahamsa Hariharananda and Paramahamsa Prajnanananda. The minimum age for initiation is 13.
- How to join
Register for the next program — the introductory talk the evening before is open to everyone.
See the next initiation program · About Kriya Yoga Initiation at Kriya Yoga International
Retreats
- What it is
Extended periods of intensive practice away from the daily routine — longer sittings, silence, study, and seva.
- Who may attend
Format, dates and who may attend vary by retreat. Email portland-or@kriya.org to ask about the next one.
- How to join
Email portland-or@kriya.org to be told when the next retreat is announced.
Dates for scripture reading, the masters’ talks sessions, retreats and gatherings are announced by email — write to portland-or@kriya.org and we will include you.
The lineage this practice comes from
Common questions
No. Group meditation sessions are for those who have received Kriya Yoga initiation in this lineage, whether many years ago or at the most recent program. If you have not been initiated, the introductory talks are the place to start: they are open to everyone, of any age, with no prior experience needed.
Group meditation meets at venues around the Greater Portland area. Neither the venue nor the day is fixed: both can change from one session to the next, and the schedule is not published on this site — the center sends each session’s date, time and venue to Portland Center initiates by email and in its WhatsApp group. If you have moved to the area and would like to attend, please contact us. Initiation programs are held at their own venue, with the full address, the room and a directions link on the events page.
Contact us about attending · Where the next initiation program meets
Not in the way a yoga studio means it. The practice does include some postures, but they serve meditation rather than exercise — they settle the body so attention can rest on the breath. Kriya Yoga is centred on breath and inner awareness, so you do not need flexibility, athletic ability, or prior yoga-studio experience. You sit comfortably and work with the breath under the guidance of an authorized teacher.
We are happy to help
Questions about a program, joining online, or the venue? Email us, or call — someone at the center will get back to you.
Sadhna 360-261-4777
Kailash 971-238-6269