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Self-Realization Fellowship will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Paramahansa Yogananda’s historic 1926 Cincinnati lecture series with a free talk and guided meditation with devotional chanting.
Paramahansaji arrived in Cincinnati in 1926 during his cross-country campaign to share India’s ancient science of yoga and meditation with the American public. His opening lecture at Music Hall drew 3,600 people, reported at the time as the largest audience ever to attend a lecture there. Paramahansa Yogananda’s Cincinnati lectures continued from October 3 to 18, 1926, followed by classes attended by more than 1,100 students.
Self-Realization Fellowship will offer a free talk on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda on October 2, 2026, at Memorial Hall — the landmark built in 1908 where Paramahansaji held a special meeting with his Cincinnati students, just steps from the Music Hall that hosted his record-drawing lectures. This talk will include a guided meditation suitable for both newcomers and veteran meditators.
A century has passed since Paramahansa Yogananda first came to Cincinnati, yet the timeless wisdom he brought from India continues to speak deeply to our hearts. He taught that within each of us lies a wellspring of peace, love, and joy that no outer circumstance can disturb. In these restless times, the science of yoga offers practical methods for discovering that peace within.
Paramahansa Yogananda (author of the spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi) founded Self-Realization Fellowship in 1920, at the behest of his line of renowned gurus, to teach worldwide the science of Kriya Yoga meditation — which enables a seeker to experience the underlying oneness that unites all people, all religions, and all life. Yogananda taught that a foundation for truly balanced and successful living comes from realization of the Divine within oneself through meditation.
Paramahansa Yogananda (1893 – 1952)
Brother Saralananda — whose name means “seeking the bliss of God through a life of simplicity” — has been a monk in the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) monastic community for more than 30 years. Brother Saralananda, a member of the SRF Board of Directors, travels frequently throughout Europe, Canada, the United States, and the Asia-Pacific region, lecturing on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda and conducting SRF retreats.
Brother Saralananda
Event Location
Memorial Hall
1225 Elm Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Event Parking
Park across from Memorial Hall at:
Park a short walk from Memorial Hall at:
The events are geared toward adults, but children twelve years and older who are Self-Realization Fellowship students may attend if they wish. We are not able to accommodate younger children at the events.
We ask that no audio or video recordings (cell phone cameras included) be made during the events, and that still photography be limited to outdoor areas. Thank you for your cooperation.
