Registration & Fees

How to Register

Please register online or by downloading and faxing, emailing or mailing the registration form below.

We will acknowledge all completed registration forms as we receive them and send a confirmation letter with more information, including guidelines on what to wear and bring to the retreat.

Register online with promo code GP2023 for a limited time and enjoy a 10% discount on your retreat.
Promo code has been extended to June 26 (midnight).

Limited rooms and retreat spaces available, register now!

PLEASE NOTE: Hotel accommodations are not included in retreat fee.
Preferred hotel rates have been negotiated with local hotels. Please click on the Hotel tab below to see the preferred rates and booking information.

Refunds will be issued for any cancellations received up through June 26, 2023 (minus a $15 cancellation fee). We regret that refunds are not possible after this date.

Full 5-Day retreat

* 3 Day Meditation Retreat: $599*

* 2 Day Ayurvedic Retreat: $599*

* The retreat fee includes lunch, dinner and snacks, but not accommodations.

Price includes the Chakra Initiation, Shaktipath, and participation in special Guru Purnima pujas, if any.

SPECIAL OFFER: Sign up for all 5 days, including 3 days of Meditation Retreat and 2 days of Ayurveda Retreat for a special price of $999*

Enjoy a 10% discount on all retreat prices by registering online with the promo code GP2023 (limited time only)

Register for FULL 5-DAY RETREAT

One-Day Sessions

* Friday, June 30 – $199 (Price before 10% discount)

* Saturday, July 1 – $199 (Price before 10% discount/Includes Shaktipath)

* Sunday, July 2 – $199 (Price before 10% discount)

Ayurvedic Retreat is a 2-day program and cannot be split into individual days

Register for 1-Day Retreat Session

* The retreat fee includes lunch, dinner and snacks, but not accommodations

Enjoy a 10% discount on all retreat prices by registering online with the promo code GP2023 (limited time only)

Registration form to Mail or Fax

Guru Purnima Retreat – PDF Form

Please Note:

1. Children under 17 years old need special permission to attend the retreat.

2. Amma does not grant personal interviews during meditation retreats.

3. Space is limited at the retreat, so please register early.

4. Chakra Initiations will only be given on Friday. Shaktipath will only be given on Saturday.

5. No makeup sessions will be given for missed chakra initiations or missed shaktipath.

Tentative Retreat Schedule

Please Note: Chakra Initiations will only be given on Friday. Shaktipath will be given on Saturday. No makeup sessions will be given for missed chakra initiations or missed shaktipath.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SCHEDULE

Travel Guide Information

Travel Guide Information

The Guru Purnima Retreat and Celebration will be held at the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, 450 Persian Dr, Sunnyvale, CA 94089

Airline Tickets

• Closest airports are: San Jose International Airport (SJC), 7.4 miles.

And San Francisco International Airport (SFO), 26.6 miles.

• Availability on most airlines can be found online at kayak.com or travelocity.com. It may be possible to get lower fares by searching for alternative times/dates, and allowing additional stops. Airline miles may be used to book flight tickets.
• Smaller airlines such as Southwest and Frontier offer bookings only through their own websites.
• Ticket prices usually go up closer to the date of travel, so it is advisable to book as early as possible.

San Jose Airport

Have easy access to highway 101. Take the 101 North and exit on Fair Oaks Way.

click here for the google map about 7.4 miles.

Airport has car rentals, taxis, App based ride shares, and a door to door shuttle.

Caltrain services: The bus, VTA 60, connects to the Caltrain from the San Jose Airport.

Getting off Sunnyvale stop, W. Evelyn Ave., Sunnyvale 94086. This will keep you 2.5 miles from the venue. App base ride shares would be recommended from this point.

Click here for the Caltrain schedule.

San Francisco Airport

Have easy access to highway 101. Take 101 South bound to Persian Dr in Sunnyvale. Take exit 4 from CA-237 E, then Take exit 4 toward Fair Oaks Ave. Click here for google map.

Airport has car rentals, taxis, App based ride shares, Caltrain, and door to door shuttle. About 26.6 miles. Caltrain services: From the airport, take the Bart train to the Millbrae station. At Millbrae you can switch to Caltrain. Getting off Sunnyvale stop, W. Evelyn Ave., Sunnyvale 94086. This will keep you 2.5 miles from the venue. App base ride shares would be recommended from this point.

Click here for the Caltrain schedule.

Available Options

There are 4 options:

1. Renting a car at the airport: This option allows maximum flexibility, convenience, cost efficiency if traveling in pairs and independence for traveling to and from airport, as well as locally between hotel and Sunnyvale Hindu temple.
2. Traveling in shuttles: Suttle services should be scheduled independently. List for shuttle services is available here door to door shuttle.

PLEASE NOTE: Make sure to contact your shuttle services in advance of your pickup time to secure you spot.

3. APP Based Rides and Taxis. Uber and Lift
4. Caltrain the Caltrain will take you from any airport listed here to Sunnyvale. at Evelyn Ave., Sunnyvale 94086. This will keep you 2.5 miles from the venue. App base ride shares would be recommended from this point.

• 511 South Bay you can dial 511from your phone to get transport assistance.

Car Rental at San Jose Airport

There are numerous car rental agencies at San Jose International Airport. Complete list and contacts are available at: https://www.flysanjose.com/rental-cars

Car Rental at San Francisco Airport

There are numerous car rental agencies at San Francisco International Airport. Complete list and contacts are available at: https://www.flysfo.com/passengers/ground-transportation/rental-cars

When booking your return shuttle to the airport, please allow plenty of time before check-in. Plan on checking-in at least 2 hours in advance for domestic flights and 3 hours in advance for international flights. Peak hour traffic on the highway may cause a delay in getting to the airport.

Current California Law:

• Children under 2 years of age shall ride in a rear-facing car seat unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds OR is 40 or more inches tall. The child shall be secured in a manner that complies with the height and weight limits specified by the manufacturer of the car seat. (California Vehicle Code Section 27360.)
• ​Children under the age of 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the back seat.
• Children who are 8 years of age OR have reached 4’9” in height may be secured by a booster seat, but at a minimum must be secured by a safety belt. (California Vehicle Code Section 27363.)

Hotel Information

The Guru Purnima Retreat and Celebration will be held at the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple
450 Persian Dr, Sunnyvale, CA 94089

PLEASE NOTE: Shuttle service will be provided to & from the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple once in the morning and once in the evening. Shuttle times will be posted shortly. We appreciate your patience.

Comfort Inn 

Provides discounted rate at $100 for double bed & $90 for single bed for June 30-July 4th + (Night of July 4 as well) – For the night of June 29th their discounted rate is $115 for double bed & $100 for single bed Discount code is ‘Sunnyvale Temple’

+1 (408) 734-3742

940 W Weddell Dr
Sunnyvale, CA  94089
United States

Motel 6

Address: 775 N Mathilda Ave Sunnyvale CA 94086

Provides 15% discount for GP attendees

Devotees need to use the discount code GP2023 while booking.
Discount good for June 29 to July 5

Ph: 408-736-4595

‘Note: The 15% discount code GP2023 is accepted only at the front desk by dailing 0. The code does not work when reservations are made online or when spoken to the reservations line’.

Quality Inn

Single bed for $109 & room
With double bed for $119

Discount code is GP2023

This is about a 15% discount to their regular rates.

Ph: +1 (408) 744-1100
1280 Persian Dr
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
United States

Sri Pada Puja Sponsorship

The origins of Sri Pada Puja are deeply rooted in the history of Vedic tradition. The wondrous gift of entanglement is the sacred secret contained within the ceremony of Pada Pooja. When we melt into a deep mood of gratitude and devotion, we receive the beautiful return flow of divine compassion and the uplifting of our consciousness.

Pada puja is a specific form of gratitude. It is a ritual to express our thanks to a revered spiritual teacher. The word pada means foot or feet in Sanskrit. Pada puja means to give thanks at the feet of the one we are honoring. In Vedic tradition, the spiritual leader was called the guru. He was the counselor, healer, master teacher and mystic of the community. The Bhagavad Gita, the iconic sacred text of Vedic civilization, recounts the words of the incarnated God Krishna, who was both king and spiritual master: “I destroy the darkness of ignorance with the shining lamp of wisdom, through my compassion.”. The Sanskrit word Guru has two syllables: gu refers to darkness and ru to light. The master leads the disciple from darkness into light with compassion. This darkness of ignorance is the identification that one has with one’s self, one’s material attachments and material possessions. This identification surely leads to sorrow since this attachment is for things that are fleeting and not for something long lasting.
The master is the only person who can dispel that darkness. Only the master can light up that wisdom within you in order for you to realize that you are already one with existence and therefore need nothing from this material world.

Offering puja to the feet of the guru expresses our gratitude for his dedication and compassion, given to benefit us. In addition, the shakti — the accumulated power and energy — of the guru is stored in the master’s feet. We offer our thanks to the source of his wisdom and understanding.

The origins of Pada Puja are deeply rooted in the history of Vedic tradition and are mentioned by many venerable sacred texts. Adi Shankaracharaya, one of the greatest sages of Hinduism, says in his Guru Ashtakam (8 Verses in Praise of the Guru: “Surrendering to the feet of the Guru (Master) is the most beautiful and ultimate happening, without which everything else seems futile (“shareeram suroopam tathaa vaa kalatram yashashcharu chitram dhanam meru tulyam”).

Quantum physics has identified an astonishing phenomenon called entanglement. When two quanta experience an energetic encounter, they adjust their frequencies to match each other. Even if they are separated by the full breadth of the universe after their interaction, they maintain the connection forever. The object with higher frequency establishes the level of vibration for the other, for it is the nature of evolution to be continually moving toward higher states of existence. When one sits in pada puja at the feet of an enlightened being whose frequency matches that of the cosmos, their frequency will also rise in the process of entanglement. This is how the cosmic connection is made.

The wondrous gift of entanglement is the sacred secret contained within the ceremony of Pada Puja. When we melt into a deep mood of gratitude and devotion, we receive the beautiful return flow of divine compassion and the uplifting of our consciousness.

You can continue to enjoy the benefits of this entanglement by sponsoring the Sri Pada Puja. The prasadam will be highly energized during the puja and can continue to produce profound changes in your external daily lives throughout the year when installed at home on an altar.

The science of gratitude is based on the principle that we already have much in our lives to be thankful for. Many wishes are miraculously granted in the aftermath of Pada Puja. Sponsor now and feel Amma’s miracle.

If you have faith in the Guru’s feet
If you have deep feeling for the Guru’s feet,
If you imbibe the state of the Guru,
Then you don’t have to look for God
God will come looking for you
Sant Tukaram (17th century poet-saint)

Pada Puja Sponsorship $899

Thank you for your generous support.

Guru Purnima Annadanam and Maha Prasadam Sponsorship

Traditionally meaning “an offering of food”, it is said in the scriptures that to feed another human being is far more meritorious an act than giving them mountains of gold and silver. The Manava Dharma Shastra (ancient code for domestic, social and religious life in Sanatam Dharma) states ‘atithih devo bhava’ (‘regard the guest as a deity’). Based on this principle it is believed by some that spirits or deities may move upon the earth in human guise, and that such beings possess special powers or abilities that may help those who are open-hearted and generous towards unusual strangers.
Annadanams are conducted with this very principle in mind, for among the hungry crowd there may also be the anonymous genuine devotee, saint or even a deva or deity. Indeed, each and every poor person is regarded in this way, as expressed in the Sanskrit saying ‘daridra Nārāyana’ (‘God dwells in the poor person’).

During the Guru Purnima Retreat and Celebration, meals will be served daily to those in attendance, and this your chance to help. Divine Mother is immensely pleased with this service to Her children. Several options exist for supporting the program in this heartfelt way. All of the amounts given are to serve three meals to those in attendance at the Guru Purnima retreat as well as the Maha Prasadam that will be served after the auspicious Sri Pada Puja Celebration on Sunday, July 2.

Annadaanam Sponsorship: $108  $251  $501  $1000

Thank you for your generous support.

Guru Purnima Sri Pada Puja Pushpanjali (Flower Seva) Sponsorship

“What are flowers? Are they not messengers of love, prayers of the vegetable world, the aspiration of nature and the smile of the divine?”
From the book – “Flowers – Their Spiritual Significance”

During the auspicious 2023 Guru Purnima Sri Pada Puja on July 2, beautiful flower malas will be lovingly offered to adorn our beloved Amma Sri Karunamayi. Submission of flowers to the Divine Mother is considered submission of oneself to Her.
When we offer flowers to the Divine Mother, we are transmitting our devotional ‘bhava‘ or emotion and are literally requesting the divine to grant us health, wealth and happiness (both material and spiritual benefits.) It is the bhava of surrender and faith (sharanagati and shradda).
Please show your love, devotion and gratitude to Amma during this special weekend and honor and celebrate your one true teacher by sponsoring the flowers that will be used in the malas to adorn our beloved Mother.

Lotus Flower Sponsorship $501

Garland Sponsorship $108

Special Garlands for Amma on Guru Purnima $251

Thank you for your generous support.

Guru Purnima Vastra Pradhanam for Amma

The offering of vastra (saree and blouse material) to Amma concludes the ritualistic worship of Amma during the Sri Pada Puja. Offering vastra to Divine Mother is akin to praying to Her attributeless form to work for one’s spiritual progress and welfare through the medium of ‘with attribute’ form.

A nine yard saree is offered to Amma which represents the functioning of Divine Mother through Her nine forms, as per the requirement of the devotee. The number ‘nine’ represents the nine main forms or incarnations of Shri Durga. The nine yards (levels) of the saree represent Her nine incarnations carrying out her divine mission. Offering a nine yard saree invokes the unmanifested Divine Energy which encompasses all the manifest forms of Divine Mother, that is Shri Durga, to manifest in all Her nine forms to perform the required mission.

Vasta Pradhanam Sponsorship $1000

Thank you for your generous support

Guru Purnima WhatsApp Group

Please join the WhatsApp group after you have registered for Guru Purnima and/or Ayurvedic Retreat to receive relevant information about the event and to stay in touch with the organizers.

https://chat.whatsapp.com/LQFKsiu7khPEQereftdAaO 

If you have any questions and clarifications, connect with SF Bay area organizing team at gurupurnima2023@gmail.com (669) 257-1089.