Mount Madonna Center For The Creative Arts & Sciences

I had a beautiful five-​night retreat here this past week with my teacher Adyashanti. I stayed in a dorm with eight women and was fed three meals a day along with unlimited fruit and tea. The surroundings are peaceful and beautiful. The staff is warm and welcoming. The food is just great and I haven’t eaten so well in ages, delicious and quite nourishing with a varied vegetarian selection served cafeteria-​style. I hope to return again…

I just finished a wonderful week-​long stay and I was so comfortable, ate so well, and felt very taken-​care-​of! I was needlessly worried about the food before getting there but it was beautifully prepared and delicious. There are platters containing all kinds of seasonings and flavors you may add to anything. I’m going to copy this for myself and my family at home! I’m from the wine country and usual enjoy wine with dinner — I was a little worried about the no-​alcohol aspect of things as well. I didn’t miss the wine at all — the dinner experience feels so warm and nurturing and the entire atmosphere is one of respectful spirituality, so it was actually a wonderful opportunity for me to get myself out of a habit. My room was clean and fresh and I loved the mango lassi at the café and the bread they make for the dining room is delicious. They really should have their own cookbook. I had a relaxing massage and a gentle yoga class, both of which I needed. I’d love to make it out here every year for a week to recharge and take care of myself. This is not a fancy place but it’s well-​taken care of and clean. The people were welcoming and kind, and the food was nourishing and yummy.

Mount Madonna Center is a spectacular gem nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains. For the purpose of classical Ashtanga yoga training, introspection and nurturing one’s spirit, for over 30 years dedicated aspirants have been on the forefront in the art of healing sciences. Many amenities and offerings are there to enjoy be it hiking the many trails, Anjanaya Café for a cappuccino and yummy snack, or experiencing one’s own personal retreat. IMMC’s commitment to nourish and support aspirants has been the aim of this community for the past three decades, and I’m grateful to have this Center for reflection and learning.

This is a beautiful spot. I was here for a workshop and was pleasantly surprised at the good vegetarian food, gracious hosts and helpers, and nice accommodations. And the views are beautiful. It would be a sweet place to come back to for a personal retreat.

I’ve been here twice for personal retreats on weekends. The first, we were most of the way up the mountain when we realized my partner had forgotten his sleeping bag. We got there and asked about borrowing a blanket. Their response was pretty unfriendly– it was suggested we «come back tomorrow» (as if they’re just down the street from us and we don’t work during the week?) I understand offering blankets in center tents is not typical, but I thought with the teachings of compassion, they might be willing to make the exception– at least for a rental fee– instead we had to spend another $ 100 to upgrade to a cabin.
The land is pretty. The temple seems decently cared for, and is definitely well attended!
This time on our way up, we were trying to follow the directions per the email, and somehow seemed to get lost. Office closes at 5, so we tried calling around 4 when we became unsure of the route. Unfortunately, nobody answers the phone.
When we arrived, our instructions were on the bulletin board. They were supposed to include meal strings, but there were none. The server took our word for it that we were checking in. The instructions were. less than helpful. We spoke to someone at dinner who pointed out that his paperwork had written in that they DO have yoga on Sunday mornings. Ours… had information for Wednesday written in (our stay was for Sat-​Sun).
Dinner was not all that special. I tried the gluten free bread but it is possibly the most parching substance you can put in your mouth! I thought maybe it was because it was gluten-​free, so I tried the regular bread. which was also incredibly dry. Except for two spots of mold I found. Yummy.
After dinner we went to our tent. Or at least, we tried to. The check-​in paperwork contains the gate codes, but the codes we were given did not work. We called the security line– voicemail, once again. Left two messages, and within a few minutes, got a call back. Waited a bit more (long enough to get a bug bite on my elbow and all the light to disappear from the sky) and two guys showed up. And confirmed, yes, it was not user-​error, our code did not work. Eventually he called someone else and got us a new code.
Mount Madonna could really benefit from improving some of their signage. Signs parked in the middle of a fork in the road can be a little confusing. Signs saying something like, ‘Welcome X group… community building… proceed to next building’ is confusing. Registration/​check-​in is not clearly labeled. (Our first visit, we tried two buildings before finally finding the one with the office).
In the case of THIS visit… we proceeded through the Oak Campground. There was a sign for outhouse/​shower, but according to the map, it looked like our spot was further down the way. So we took the precarious-​looking road, found the spot, and looked for more parking. Instead we found a sign saying ‘No vehicles’ in one direction and «Lake» in the other.
It wasn’t until morning when we packed up the car that my partner saw a piece of paper on a log across the parking area by the shower, with a rock to hold it in place. The paper had a pen-​written note (not even a marker. just PEN) that read, ‘No cars beyond this point’. TOTALLY not visible in the dark. I didn’t even see it during the day until he pointed it out– it was nowhere near the ‘official’ sign about parking, low to the ground, on the right side. Thankfully, my little car had gotten back up the road the night before– but it had gotten a little scary with the tires slipping in the dust and leaves on a pretty bumpy trail. Very thankful we didn’t have to call security back and rescue my car.
Breakfast was oatmeal, strawberries, yogurt, and cereal. While they are pretty good about labeling the bread and butters, the chai machines are not labeled to know which one is vegan.
I’m still amused that «teriyaki sauce» was listed as the «main course» for lunch. We arrived about halfway through the lunch hour, and they seemed to be running out of the noodles. Shortly after, they replaced it with some sort of cold strata, and then another vegetable dish came out as I was leaving. They require registration of visits 24 hours in advance, so not sure why the food estimation would have been off, but seemed like it was. Also, it seemed like maybe they replaced the old bread.
I wish they would offer more possible activities for personal retreats on the weekend. Honestly, $ 116 feels a little pricey for one night in a tent when it doesn’t include any meditations, yoga classes, etc. The dining hall gets noisy, kids are bouncing on yoga balls, people have their laptops out. It is not walking into an immediately serene environment and nothing provided to assist you into retreat feel. We had to go «looking» for spaces. Will probably be back, but I’m inclined to look for another retreat venue first.

Stayed in a super-​cute and clean cabin in the woods that was a short walk/​hike to the dining hall, etc. The vegan food was delish. The head honcho, Brajesh, is an affable, charming guy and he runs a delightful retreat center w/​a kind and thoughtful staff. Fresh air, deer, wild turkeys and sweet views of Half Moon Bay to boot. Getting there and finding it was a bit challenging, but, great payoff and worth it.

Mount Madonna is beautiful retreat center overlooking Monterey Bay from atop the Santa Cruz mountains. I just spent a few nights at the center and enjoyed walking the nature trails, seeing the wild turkeys and deer, visiting the temple for morning Arati, and going to Saturday morning open meditation class. I’ve stayed in the Conference Center and in the cabins by the Oaks campgrounds — both are great. The cabins are in a wooded area, a small hike away from the main buildings, whereas, the conference center is centrally located. Had a wonderfully enlivening experience with great folks and will certainly return.

Just wonderful, amazing and very enlightening with 0% dogma — really just giving people the opportunity to enjoy nature, yoga, meditation, breathing practice and see that you have what you need to in you to do and enjoy. Really great folks.
We will be back — it was my daughter and me and 5 days wasn’t enough.
I hope that they expand retreats for a family focus.

Fantastic location for a retreat! Highly recommend! Staff is friendly and helpful. Location was serene and it was just what I needed! Room was clean and food was good! The Yoga/​meditation/​breathing class was fantastic! Jodie was a great teacher. Will definitely come back for a longer retreat!

Could not have found a better location for personal retreat. Easy to get to, great views, perfect ambience for a personal retreat.

I have just returned from attending the Mount Madonna Center’s three day Tantra Yoga retreat. Allow me to focus on the highlights.
The integrity of the MMC and the people who led the workshop, as well as the folks who live and serve in furthering the dissemination of classic Yoga traditions is unmatched. They set a very high bar, with the mountain-​top location, the facilities, the program, the meals, the availability of the teachers to facilitate and answer questions about the practices, all contributed to a fun, energetic and spirit-​filled workshop.
The Tantra tradition was presented by Baba Hari Dass over the course of many decades, and the MMC staff hold those teachings dear. It is important to understand that there is no program anywhere that can cover the breadth of Tantra. The presentation of our course was top-​notch, geared towards both advanced practitioners and beginners, like myself.
Presented by senior staff, our course was «just a sliver» of the Tantra philosophy, and it was delivered with love, dedication and focus. They brought an ease and comfortable presentation of difficult material to the group, through lecture, Aarti, mask-​making and burning, and a 2.5 hour group meditation that was the highlight of the course for me.
Maybe the best part of the retreat was the staff, the devotees who live on the property. The conversations were most always interesting, and as a spiritual center, there are many faces from different backgrounds and interests. Also, as a spiritual center, there are many (I assume) Hindi practitioners from the surrounding areas that come on weekends and bring their kids, and that was incredibly refreshing to see that this is a living tradition.
Finally, though I am not a formal devotee of Baba Hari Dass, there is a sacredness that permeates the property and the programs. Following his teachings, his devotees are serious and commited to service of community and spiritual ideals, including healing, mindful work and teaching to improve the world. His presence is felt in every part of the program and the property. Very cool.
«You are in the mountains where there is fresh air and water, where there are trees and plants and streams. Sit with them and enjoy the creation of God. God and creation are not separate. The idea is to attain peace.» –Baba Hari Dass, SilenceSpeaks

In summary: First visit MMC. Beautiful location. Meaningful experience. Will return.
The details:
Just returned from an inspiring, first weekend workshop «Launch Your Yoga Journey» with yogini Cathy Woods. This course, designed to introduce Ashtanga Yoga provided great insights into how to expand my posture-​focused yoga into all aspects of life. Cathy’s approach was authentic and meaningful, and she created a safe space in which to bloom. I went home feeling satisfied, uplifted and inspired to practice these teachings towards deeper understanding of my place in the world.
MMC is set on a mountaintop in a redwood forest that remains pristine and untouched. The facilities I had opportunity to visit are austere, in keeping with a simple yogic lifestyle. No gimmicks here, just yoga in all its forms. The staff I had cause to interact with were helpful & friendly. Most others went about their business in a calm, directed manner. Not a lot of chatter.
Our meeting room was clean and provided everything we needed for the class — mats, refreshments, snacks — along with a lovely view of Monterey Bay beyond well-​tended grounds. Deer & wild turkeys visited throughout the day.
I commuted from Watsonville, and the small savings wasn’t worth the drive down the winding road at the end of a full day; next time I will stay on property.
Vegetarian meals were tasty and limited to a simple daily meal plan, with ample portions on the buffet for seconds and thirds. The chai is delicious, too.
The gift shop offers a host of lovely and useful items related to yogic practice and the teachings of Baba Hari Dass.
I am so happy to have discovered this wonderful place in my own backyard. I can’t wait to visit again.

Love going here. perfect retreat place. There is peace, calmness and serenity in the air. I wish I could come here more often.

Just spent a week in silence here. I totally fell in love with the property and its inhabitants. Such beauty, such sweetness, such life. I even entertained fantasies of moving my family here. Head over heels going on!

I am nearing the end of my Yoga Teacher Training 200 level, and it has been an amazing experience. I knew it would be good, and it has far exceeded my expectations. The quality of the program, the teachers, the venue, the environment is outstanding. Thank you, Mount Madonna, for sharing the gift of Yoga with the world. I have the skills now to teach well, intuitively, safely, passionately, and confidently. And I see now that yoga teaching is a life long practice. There is always something new to learn and a possibility of going deeper and deeper. Namaste. Om.

I really enjoyed my stay. I wasn’t sure what to expect, since this was my first solo personal retreat ever, and despite tons of research online I couldn’t get a strong sense of how nice the facilities would be, or how safe I’d feel on my own. I’d heard good things from friends about MMC programs, but nothing about overnight stays.
I spent four days in a Golinda Oaks cabin, surrounded by nature and mini Goldsworthy-​inspired outdoor art. Each day I took a meditation and yoga class (four different teachers, all great), hiked throughout the property (my favorites were Forest Trail and Low Road), and had lots of time and space to be alone. Finding solitude was easy even though there was a conference going on half the time. I also checked out the bookstore/​gift shop, got a nice Swedana treatment at the wellness center, and watched a few times during arati at the Hindu temple on the grounds.
Everyone was friendly and supportive, but also respectful of my choice not to be social. I had privacy yet felt like I was part of the community. The vegetarian meals were excellent (all included dairy– and gluten-​free options), and tea/​coffee and fruit were always available. The sunrises and sunsets were incomparable. I loved hearing bells ringing out of the blue and snatches of chants and prayers from the temple. I loved seeing deer and wild turkeys roaming around unafraid of people. And I always felt safe.
My only negatives were slight concerns about ticks and mountain lions while hiking (though there was clear info on how to avoid both and what to do in case of contact, and those relate to any hike in CA, not just at MMC), and the mattress was a little too firm for me. Regardless, I’ll be back.

I participated in a weekend Insight Meditation retreat and very much enjoyed my stay at Mount Madonna Center. It is a beautiful, peaceful location and the staff are nice and welcoming.
The Center has four options for accommodations: Standard rooms, cabins, camping or RVs. I choose the camping option and thought the camp sites were nice. There are clean outdoor bathroom and showers nearby and parking is close enough to easily carry in gear. There are also tents setup for people who want to use them. Camping sites and cabins are located up a steep hill, so if you are not up for hiking you should either choose a standard room or plan to drive to and from your camp site. (Very short ride.)
I thought the food was good and healthy — all vegetarian. Their meal schedule is a bit different than I am used to. Saturdays start with brunch at 10:30am, which is a little late for my first meal. But there are options, so I would check with them if you have a particular schedule you need to follow.
Also the conference center where I did my retreat was well appointed. The conference center sits on a hill and it is possible to see Monterey from the deck. They offered a huge variety of teas, some with caffeine for those of us who need it, as well as a large bowl of fruit available for snacks. Also plenty of bathroom space and bathrooms were always clean and tidy.
There is also an herb store onsite with a knowledgeable practitioner onsite. They have some interesting hand blended teas. Would recommend

I have been coming to Mount Madonna since 2008. The reason I keep coming back is simple: the teachings are as profound as they are beautiful. In short, what I learn during retreats helps me to be a better human being.
MMC is wonderful for awareness building and spiritual development. This is not a place for people used to having their egos stroked or who just want to swill cocktails at the end of the day. Instead MMC is a health-​oriented, clean, open, and friendly environment with plenty of good hiking trails, mountaintop views of the ocean, blue skies and nutritious food.
Many different programs utilize this facility. I highly recommend experiencing retreats led by the MMC staff. The Yoga Teacher Training programs are also unparalleled. The programs are rich with philosophy, structured large group and small group activities, They offer several levels of pranayama and asana practice, as well as a bit of free time to allow some exploration (or a massage from Kayakalpa Wellness Center). The teachings are accessible to all levels, which makes for a disarming experience. Traditional Vedic rituals are also offered, (very cool).
Side note: the free yoga/​sadhana classes are taught by certified Yoga teachers. The classes are offered at no charge as a service to others (karma yoga). I like that there is a wide variety of free classes offered, including restorative. Mats and nice, clean props are included. Some of the teachers incorporate mantra recitation, which adds to the experience.
If you want to experience personal growth in a healthy and honest environment, surrounded by others traveling a similar path, give MMC a try.
Om Shanthi Om

I had a relaxing and enlightening stay at Mount Madonna Center for the 4-​day New Years Yoga Retreat 2013. I stayed in a modern, clean and comfy room in the conference center. There are 455 acres of property and plenty of hiking opportunities. I awoke every day to a panoramic view of Monterey Bay and Watsonville.
I really needed my map to keep track of the various locations for asana/​posture classes, to meditation seminars and yoga breathing practices lectures. I was able to connect to my spiritual self during Arati/​morning prayers at the temples to Ganesh and Sankat Mochan Hanuman. I enjoyed the Kirtan singing and Bhakti night was very inspirational. I really started 2014 off right.
I enjoyed two Ayureveda warm oil massages and the sauna at the Kaya Kalpa spa. Being meat-​free and the organic and healthy meals cleared up my skin and intestines. I did cheat one day and bought a bag of Kettle chips in «Spicy Thai» and some carbonated juice at Anjaneya’s World Café.
I also bought some insightful books into yoga and ayurveda medicine at Oceanview Books and Gifts. I really tried to stay technology free but thankfully the have Wireless hotspots and Wi-​Fi throughout the property so I could check my email and Social Media accounts.
I am definitely making plans to return.

looking for a cool yoga retreat with your friends or family? Mt. Madonna is a definate spot to check out for the weekend or a quick day trip.
throw away your emails, phone calls & traffic, and dive into Mt. Madonna Center for a relaxing, yoga get-​away. There are 6AM chantings, 7:30am yoga classes, vegan and gluten free hot meals, hot tubs, tennis courts, countless breath taking views of the city, hiking trails and beautiful statues all over the campus. The dorming and cabin systems were clean with super helpful staff.
beware though, there is a 9pm quiet curfue for a zen experience.
i definately recommend this place for a nice get away. Prices are resonable too!