Mohanji Peace Center: Vegan Yoga & Meditation Retreat near Belgrade

The day starts early at the temple, which opens at 6 AM. Mornings usually begin with meditation or a yoga session, followed by breakfast. The food is vegan and cooked on site, often with vegetables grown in the centre's own gardens when they're in season. Volunteers and guests eat together, and everyone helps with clearing up.

Mid-morning there's often seva — selfless service — which at this centre means things like tending the land, planting trees, helping with building work, or preparing for whichever programme is running. You don't have to join in, but most people do because it's how the place keeps going. After lunch, which is often the Sai Prasad free meal open to the local community, there's free time. People read, walk the grounds, or book a Mai-Tri healing session.

Evenings are quieter. There might be a satsang, a talk on Mohanji's teachings, kirtan, or a group meditation. The temple stays open until 9 PM. On some weeks the centre hosts larger retreats or festivals, and the schedule shifts to accommodate them.

What makes this different from a conventional yoga retreat is that it's a living community, not a packaged holiday. You're staying in a working spiritual centre where volunteers run the place, infrastructure is still developing, and the focus is on practice and service rather than luxury. If you want a silent, polished retreat with a set itinerary and a spa, this isn't it. If you want somewhere affordable near Belgrade where you can practise, help out, and meet people from the international Mohanji community, it fits well.

The centre is part of a network of Mohanji centres in Denmark, Sri Lanka, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Australia, India, Scotland, Slovenia, South Africa and the USA, and it runs on the teachings of Mohanji. Regular activities include meditations, yoga, satsangs, retreats, festivals and community gatherings, plus the Sai Prasad free lunch and Mai-Tri healing sessions. The grounds are 2.7 hectares, with gardens and trees, and volunteers are continually improving the facilities.

What's included

- Daily vegan meals - Morning yoga and meditation sessions - Evening satsang, kirtan or group meditation - Participation in seva (selfless service) - Access to the temple (6 AM–9 PM daily) - Optional Mai-Tri healing sessions - Sai Prasad free community lunch

What's not included

- Travel to and from the centre - Airport transfers - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Private accommodation upgrades