About
Welcome to MAN-tra
The scene was late summer 2017, on a road in the sunny semi-desert of the Oakland California area. Anuttama dasa had joined Bhaktimarga Swami on four days of his walk across the USA. While discussing the needs of Vaishnava men in today’s complex world and what support could be offered, the idea of a men’s retreat emerged.
Ongoing Zoom calls in 2018 stirred the concept. A group of planners, organizers and promoters was formed which culminated in the first annual MAN-tra Retreat in New Vrindaban.
The event was a huge success! Sanga was meaningful, friends were made, athletic competitions were fearsome, entertainment was 5-star, and all were sumptuously fed. Everyone left with a taste for more! Ditto for year two!
COVID lockdowns forced the 2020 retreat online which facilitated a wider range of presentations and a larger diverse international audience, who encouraged continuing online retreats. Fulfilling that wish, we are now back to ‘in person’ retreat in spectacular New Vrindavban, West Virginia. Please join us.
The Origin of MAN-tra
By His Holiness Bhaktimarga Swami
It was somewhere near Oakland in California
Where people drive everything from Harleys to a Porsche-a
Anuttama and I were ambling on our humble feet
As traffic whizzed by like a roaring missile fleet
We got to talking about an absolute need
An idea sprung up like a tiny budding seed
A retreat for conscious men who do open up
Get drunk on nectar brimming to the edge of the cup
The bonding, we thought, would be most valuable
The feeling that would rub most palpable
There was a very good reason to have such a meeting
We delighted in thoughts of talks, sports, and eating
So, we assembled together, our first, in 2018
The venue was in the hills of the Appalachian green
It was exciting, it was fresh, it was new
We felt the presence of the Supreme Male who’s blue
The entire retreat became highly stimulating
A time when we took a break from maya’s sting
We get to grow, glow, and learn to be better men
Sensitive, protective, like a rooster to the hen
A Krishna conscious MAN can feel a true sense of worth
He can make a positive change to impact the Earth
The incentive – to please His Divine Grace Prabhupada
The people, the planet, and most of all, God
Our Team
