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Please join us for the celebration of Maha Shivaratri, a major festival in Hinduism. This sacred festival marks the remembrance of “overcoming darkness and ignorance” in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, bathing, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as honesty, non-injury to others, charity, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva. Swami Ramananda, Babaji and Snehan will contemplate Shiva, his attributes and forms as well as the austerities in yoga practice as they relate to the modern time yogis. The program will be concluded with puja and extended chanting.
You are welcome to join the traditional fasting on this day. After finishing morning practices and bathing, take a vow (Sankalp संकल्प) to observe full day fast, pledging for self-determination throughout the fasting period and seeking blessings of Lord Shiva to finish the fast without any interference. Traditionally, before doing Shiva Puja or visiting temple in the evening, the devotees take a second bath on this day to cleanse themselves. Shiva Puja is done during night and the ardent devotees observe this celebration by staying awake all night. The fast is broken the next day after taking a bath.
Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, 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 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.
Baba Ghanshyam Puri is a Bhakta who has practiced yoga for over twenty five years and is certified to teach all levels of Hatha Yoga and Stress Management. He is a former attorney who became an Integral Yoga Teacher in 2010. He has taught in the United States, Mexico, Spain, and India. “Yoga can point the path to the Divine”, he sustains.
His devotion to the Guru, Swami Satchidananda, led him to India to experience the teachings of Gurudev directly. Puri resided temporarily at the Divine Life Society in Rishikesh, India, where he studied at the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy. The following years, Babaji went on extensive pilgrimages throughout all India, Nepal, and other countries. In 2017 he completed the Maha Yatra or great trip to the Twelve Temples of Lord Shiva known as Jyotirlingas. Subsequently, he took Vel Kavadi for purification purposes in 2018. The following year he attended Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj and took Shahi Snan (holy bath for purification) with the order of Naga Babas of Juna Akhara. Puri took Diksha or initiation and became a member of Juna Akhara in February 2019 at Kumbh Mela. Babaji is an Ayurvedic Life-Style Consultant, leads yoga retreats in Mexico, teaches classes online, and since 2011 has been leading community classes in San Francisco.
Snehan Born, E-RYT 500, has over four decades of experience with yoga. He resides at the Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco, where he teaches yoga classes and is a lead teacher trainer. Snehan is certified in all levels of Integral Yoga Hatha and has received additional certifications in Pranayama, Meditation, Raja Yoga and Stress Management from Integral Yoga. Chanting mantras and playing the harmonium are part of his regular practice and classes.
Snehan has lived and traveled extensively within India and practiced with many teachers there. He has taught yoga all over the US as well as in India, Nepal, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan and Europe.