Yana Circles are free online mindfulness gatherings for anyone ~18-35 featuring intergenerational educators and guest speakers.

Register for Free for our September 12th Yana Circle

The next Yana Circle event is on September 12th at 11am and the theme is 'Listening with Nature'.

Nature is the great regulator, grounder and generator of creativity. We’re going to be exploring how listening with nature can benefit the wellbeing of our own inner landscape, and support our mindfulness practices.

We will discuss and practice:

  • Grounding with Nature as a mindfulness tool
  • How can Nature remind us of our interdependence while also inspiring us on our individual life path?
  • How does Nature give to me and how do I give back to Nature?
  • Where do I see parts of my life journey mirrored in the natural world?


Join members of the faculty from Sarana Institute for a discussion and teaching around Compassionate Listening. The intention for this circle will be to deepen our self-awareness so that we can feel more aligned and present with the thoughts we choose to welcome into our minds and lives.

Upcoming Dates and Themes


All gatherings are currently being hosted on Zoom.

Sunday September 12th, 2021 @ 11am-12:30pm
Listening with Nature

Participants of past Yana Retreats at Sarana Springs near Chatsworth, Ontario.

About Yana and Yana Circles


Yana stands for Young Adult Nature Awareness, and was created as a program for anyone transitioning to, arriving at, or navigating adulthood.

Our world is unbalanced, chaotic, unstable, and at times deeply overwhelming and anxious. Our parents, with the unavoidable limitations they had, didn’t fully prepare us. Our intention is to provide a 'vehicle' to support you in realizing and manifesting your potential.

The vision of Yana is to bring together an intergenerational community of people that support each other, allow them to share their wisdom and gifts, and explore compassionate actions for giving back to our world.

Yana Circles are a chance to gather, reflect, question and explore what’s alive in us and what’s happening in the world around us. We’ll practice mindfulness and dialogue on a variety of themes.

Each Yana Circle will revolve around a central theme and include educational conversation with guided practices by some of Sarana Institute’s faculty and other guest speakers, Q+A, and a chance for group sharing (Council is always completely optional).

On a regular basis, we also share free resources, meditations, and more to further your own mindfulness educational journey.

A quick word on Relational Mindfulness...

One of the essential practice skills we share in all our programs at Sarana Institute we call Relational Mindfulness or 'Mindful Listening'. Our lives are built upon myriad layers of relationships at inner and outer levels: self, family, partners, coworkers, groups, social, political, environment, and spiritual. How we meet our own inner states, how we meet where others are at, how we remain open and curious, and how we remain grounded and present -- these are the threads we weave together through the skill of relational mindfulness. While mindfulness practice forms the foundation for our ability to stay open, to react less, and to expand our awareness, Relational Mindfulness asks us to bring compassion into the conversation, to be willing to change unhealthy patterns, and to embody our fullest expressions of ourselves with and for the world.

Food and nature awareness are central pillars of Yana Circles. Here are some Yana participants at Sarana Springs in Chatsworth, Ontario.

Need a little more of an introduction to us?

Check out our YouTube meditations with (Rev) Andrew Blake, one of our faculty members and co-founder of Sarana Institute. The ones listed below were specifically designed with young adults in mind.

FAQ

What is Yana?

Yana is Sarana Institute's young adult-focused program serving those aged ~18-35. For us, it stands for 'Young Adult Nature Awareness', and yāna is also a Buddhist term meaning 'vehicle'. Our intention is to provide a “vehicle” to support you in realizing and manifesting your potential.

What can I expect at a Yana Circle?

Yana Circles are monthly drop-in mindfulness classes that include guided meditation and other mindfulness discussions and activities.

Why are Yana Circles free?

Yana Circles are free because of the generous support of The Lang Family Foundation. We also encourage and invite you to donate to the Sarana Institute’s Yana fund to help us build this program and support the community as we grow.

When is the next Yana Circle?

The next Yana Circle is on July 25th from 11am-12:30pm. Register now and you will be sent reminders in advance of our next Circle.

How should I prepare for a Yana Circle?

All you need is a device to join us with, internet access, and Zoom - we'll send you the details by email leading up to the next Yana Circle.

What is Sarana Institute? Is it a secular organization?

Yana Circles are hosted by Sarana Institute which is a secular mindfulness-based registered Canadian charity focusing on offering mindfulness training that awakens compassion in caring for ourselves, others and the earth. Yana Circles are part of our Yana program, and we also host a yearly mindfulness retreat for young adults called Yana Retreat (formerly the Mindfulness in Nature Retreat).

Cooking with vegetables from the Mandala Garden at a Yana Retreat.