by Kristie Dahlia Home

Swami Ramananda has asked me several times to join him in holding space for satsang in moments of cultural turbulence and pain. In those moments there are two things that bring me the greatest comfort: one is taking action outwardly and the other is turning inward. In our satsangs I have spoken mostly of the former. I’d like to try to share the latter: how the inward space of energetically-oriented meditation brings me comfort and keeps my hearthfire lit.

The experience of the energy body, the pranamaya kosha, came to me like a bolt of lightning. I’d been studying yoga for a few years when I went to Burning Man for the first time in 1997. A friend was feeling sad as we waited for the burn. I wrapped my arms around him and  imagined a green light flowing between our hearts. He turned around and said, “How are you doing that?”

“Doing what?” I asked.

“Making that green light in the middle of my chest.” he said.

You could have knocked me over with a feather!

The visualization I was doing was improvisational. The rational and mystical aspects of me had not yet made the friendship that they have now. My inner mystic was overjoyed that he could feel this; my rational parts were shaken! This was a pivotal moment in my life. That man has been by my side ever since, and the hunger within me for understanding of this experience was lit.

When I came home I asked my mentors at the IYI for more information about how energy moves between bodies. They heard me kindly but said this wasn’t part of our teachings, so I studied in other places. I have become a reiki master and studied intuitive healing, Thai Yoga Massage, and Chi Nei Tsang. Each has offered more experience and understanding, layers which enrich the yogic home base of my heart.

As a nondualist, I understand the koshas as different lenses through which we can view the experience of ourselves as the cosmos in human form. Through the meditation and healing techniques of energy work we can engage all of the koshas. Symbolic visualization helps access the manomaya and pranaymaya koshas, our mental-emotional and life force aspects. Changes on those levels affect the annamaya kosha, the physical aspect of our being. Contemplation and insight connects to the vijnanamajakosha, the higher mental realms or wisdom body. Often this kind of experience offers invites us to experience the anandamayakosha, the bliss body – and the wider body of the cosmos. In the state of energy we may experience ourselves as the life of the universe, dancing. As the Upanishads teach us: Tat Twam Asi. Thou Art That. We are the life of the cosmos.

Having access to the experience of self-as-life through meditation can be a profound comfort. It gives us deep roots from which to view the tumult of human existence, with all of its beauty and all of its suffering. It can provide ready access to awe, gratitude, and compassion. This can help us weather storms with more grace.

As yoga’s benefits for physical health and mental wellbeing have been popularized, its spiritual dimension is often moved away from its rightful place at center. The spiritual aspect of yoga may even be deliberately obscured in hopes of making practice more accessible. In difficult times, though, spiritual comfort is that which we need most. Yoga and meditation offer us intimate access to the experience of ourselves as the life of the universe. What a gift this is as we live our human lives.

Join Dahlia this Saturday for Energetic Refreshment for Summer, Saturday, May 4 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Kristie Dahlia Home has been devoted to the sharing of spiritual arts since 1995. With training in Instinctive Meditation, Yoga, Thai Massage, Reiki, Intuitive Healing, and Chi Nei Tsang. Dahlia has served as a Yoga Therapist at the UCSF School of Nursing, Dr. Dean Ornish’s Preventive Medicine Research Institute, and at UCSF’s Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, where her work included both public classes and medical research. She has taught Reiki for CPMC’s Institute for Health and Healing and Thai Massage at Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Her students say that they appreciate her warmth, precision, contagious love of life, and keen attention to the unique needs of each individual. She has recently returned to life on land after five years at sea and looks forward to sharing practice with the IYI sangha once again. For more information, visit beloved.org

by Swami Ramananda

Real generosity springs from the heart not from the pocket.  Real generosity arises easily from the sense of deep connection that we experience when we practice Yoga and free ourselves from the limiting thoughts that divide us.  It can take many forms:  a warm smile, taking time to appreciate someone or a silent prayer offered with sincerity to uplift a friend.  Simply listening to someone with full attention can be a powerful way to offer support and care.

Sharing the gifts and blessings we have received with others is a natural impulse when we acknowledge our abundance and escape the self-centered messages of our culture.  Sharing generously opens our hearts to the love and compassion that is our true nature and is ultimately more fulfilling than keeping things for ourselves.

In her book, The Secret Power of Yoga, Nischala Devi comments on the teaching of Astheya:  “In our lives we have many occasions to give.  In the simplest way, Astheya tells us not to steal.  As it expands your heart, it says, give.  For maximum benefit, do not even wait for someone to ask, be alert, and never miss an opportunity to give, give, give.  Sri Swami Sivanandaji’s students, who hoped to emulate his most generous nature, gave him the nickname of Swami Give-ananda (the bliss of giving).”

Join Swami Ramananda for his 3 part Scripture Studies: The path to freedom, 3 consecutiuve Mondays: June 3,10 & 17,  6:00-7:00 pm (offered individually). Or deeply explore Raja Yoga in Raja Yoga Teacher Training Online starting June 20th.

Swami Ramananda C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition, who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life, and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.

He leads all levels of Yoga teacher trainings and programs around the globe. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program and has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings. He a founding board member of Yoga Alliance and is a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.

by Kealoha DeLuz PhD

For over three decades, I’ve been on a path of self-discovery through alternative healthcare. It all began in the challenging 1980s, when I lost many loved ones. This period of hardship sent me searching for meaning, and that’s how I found the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

The word “sutra” means “thread,” and these ancient teachings weave together the fabric of our lives. More than just a philosophy, the Yoga Sutras are like an operating system for the soul. They’re a treasure map guiding us towards inner peace and a sense of belonging, especially during difficult times.

Here are some questions to consider on our journey together:

• How can we study the Yoga Sutras? The Sutras themselves are like a book with four chapters, each one requiring focus to truly understand. Each chapter unveils a layer of wisdom, like interconnected threads, leading us toward self-realization.
• What are the benefits of the Yoga Sutras beyond inner peace? In addition to inner peace, the Yoga Sutras offer a profound exploration of consciousness, self-awareness, and the path to liberation.
• How are the Yoga Sutras different from religious teachings? Unlike religions with strict doctrines and rituals, the Yoga Sutras go beyond those boundaries. They touch the core of who we are, emphasizing a spiritual journey over rigid rules.

Kealoha Deluz has been a holistic health practitioner for 30 years, holds a Master of Divinity, Ph.D. in Holistic Studies, and is currently working towards a degree in transpersonal counseling. He has been an Integral Yoga Teacher since 2006 and is a Raja Yoga trainer, advanced level Hatha Yoga, meditation and stress management instructor. Kealoha is a licensed massage therapist, skin care practitioner, and holistic life coach. Kealoha Born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii, and currently lives and works in San Francisco, California.

by Swami Ramandanda

The residents of the Institute chose Appreciation as a spiritual practice for the month of April.  We didn’t want to define it narrowly so that it can be understood and practiced in multiple ways.

We did discuss how appreciation begins with awareness of the numerous things we have to be grateful for.  In a world where many people struggle for food and shelter, we take these basics for granted and become preoccupied with comforts and possessions others may never experience.

Most of us have basically healthy bodies, and both the time for spiritual practice and access to a tremendous wealth of spiritual teachings.  Appreciation implies at minimum that we acknowledge this abundance, which may free us from the scarcity mentality that we often see in our culture.

A more active form of appreciation is making the effort to convey it, especially when we recognize that we have benefited from someone’s efforts.  Expressing our gratitude naturally flows out of the fullness we feel, is healing for our hearts and uplifting for those we appreciate.

Sometimes we may not be able offer thanks directly, like when we receive anonymously or benefit from the synchronicity of events.  But we can still give back by allowing the abundance we feel take shape as service to someone in need.

Imagine what it would feel like to take nothing for granted–to really experience how much more than enough most of us have.  Let us each see how that reflection can shift our perspective and influence our lives.

“The store was closed, so I went home and hugged what I own,” says Brooks Palmer.

Join Swami Ramananda for his upcoming 2-part workshop, Prana Yoga, Thursdays, April 11 & 18 @ 6:30 – 8:00 pm PDT, Online & in-person.  He will also be hosting Sunday Spiritual Talk: Inspiration for the Spiritual Journey with Swami Asokananda on Sunday, April 21 @ 11:00 am – 12:30 pm PDT.

Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, C-IAYT, and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition, who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life, and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco, and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He is a co-founder of the Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.