Integral Yoga San Francisco

Open House #2 for 200-Hour BIPOC Yoga Teacher Training 2025
2025-03-25 17:30 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Online | Free
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Join our live-online Open House to learn more about our third bi-annual scholarship-based 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). In an effort toward dismantling imbalance, IYISF is offering this Yoga Teacher Training in a two-module format: Module 1 with 100% BIPOC teacher trainers and participants and Module 2, for anyone who has taken Module 1 within the past 2 years or yoga teachers who want to certify as an Integral Yoga teacher.
The program’s lead trainers are Mia Velez and Rukmini Ando. The guest trainers in Module 1 are Marc Morozumi and Kamala Damaris Berrio, and in Module 2 Swami Ramananda and Arturo Peal.
Visit our website for more information about the 200-hour BIPOC Yoga Teacher Training.
Our curriculum is based on 40 years of Integral Yoga teacher training tradition coupled with harm-reductive and anti-racist practices. Students will learn skills to become knowledgeable yoga teachers for in-person and online classes.
At the 2 open houses:
⋅ Meet the members of this all-BIPOC teaching staff
⋅ Explore the importance of a program specifically designed to address systemic racism and lack of equity in the yoga community
⋅ Have all of your questions about the training answered
This high-quality training meets the Yoga Alliance standards.
Our 1st open house is being held on Tuesday,February 11, from 5:30–6:30 pm PT.
Book now/Open House #1
About our 2-part training:
Module 1, Yoga Immersion Program, provides a strong foundation for personal and spiritual development. Whether you want to teach others or take your own practice to a deeper level, this module will offer an authentic experience of living Yoga which includes well-rounded, in-depth yoga studies. Click to learn more
Module 2, Yoga Teaching Essentials, provides further understanding of Hatha Yoga and a thorough training in developing the skills necessary to become a confident, knowledgeable Integral Yoga instructor. This module has a newly expanded curriculum in anatomy, teaching methodology and professional development. Already certified teachers are welcome to join to refresh or deepen their teaching skills. Click to learn more.
Testimonials:
“This has been an amazing journey for me. It has helped me to be more accountable to myself and help me to hone my reflective skills even better.” – Jennifer
“Being in a space with everyone and getting to know everyone on a connected, deeper level, going through an intensive yoga training, and knowing that everyone is connected to you on some level is the most exciting part of the training.” – Rachel
“Feeling the benefits in my life, I’ve noticed my interpersonal relationships have been changing and even my relationship with myself. Those are influences in my life that I owe to this training.” – A.G.

Mia Velez, E-RYT 500, entered the Integral Yoga Sangha in 2016 through the kitchen by helping to cook Thursday community lunches and silent retreat meals. In 2018 she was certified as an Integral Yoga teacher to learn more of the IYI approach and be part of the lineage. Mia is a disciple of the Moy Yat Ving Tsun Kung Fu lineage and is highly influenced by her martial arts training. After completing her first 200-hour teacher training in 2008, she began to see undeniable parallels in Yoga and Kung Fu. When she began teaching Kung Fu in 2014, she incorporated Yoga insight and principles in her classes. Her goal in teaching is to connect with the students and to facilitate a safe space for exploration and self-inquiry. Yoga and Kung Fu are integrated into her daily life as a mother, a preschool teacher, and an advocate for gender, race, and class equality through multiple non-profit groups.
Nathalie Rukmini Ando is a Yoga teacher, trainer, and graphic designer, Brazilian of Japanese descent. She lived in Yogaville, VA, where she served as a Yoga teacher, program development director, leadership team member, online courses administrator, DE&I (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) Committee member, and Anti-Racism Task Force member. She has been practicing Yoga since 2004, teaching since 2010, and has been a Yoga teacher trainer since 2022. She is certified in Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Integral Yoga, Raja Yoga, Adaptive, Stress Management, Yoga of Recovery, Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Basics of Ayurveda, and Neuroscience & Yoga. As a teacher, she’s known for her clear instruction and her classes include fun, level-appropriate challenges. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering and is a fine artist specializing in oil-on-canvas. You can see her artwork at natiando.art.

New Beginnings Writing Group
2025-03-28 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Meets twice a month on 2nd and 4th Friday, next session is Friday, February 28, 2025.
In these times of great change we will explore a path toward meeting ourselves where we are to give voice to all that matters! As we live with interruptions and chaos, we can deepen into the roots of our creativity, encouraging the river of expression to flow. Beginners and seasoned writers are welcome, as we explore various forms of writing: poetry, prose, short stories, memoir, among others. Through writing exercises using everyday life, place, family, images, poetry of others, while using pranayama, meditation and the guidance of the Sutras we will build a body of work. Participants are encouraged to go at their own pace.
• Tools we will Practice
• The Art of Paying Attention
• Acceptance
• Play
• Writing from the Heart
Together we will combine self-care with our writing and discover what a writing practice means to us and how it may take shape.

Susan Ford, C-IAYT, RYT-500, began teaching in 2011 and has been an assistant trainer for the Basic Yoga Teacher Training at Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco (IYISF) since 2012. She specializes in gentle yoga and yoga therapy working with people with disabilities, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, aging, bone health, anxiety, depression and asthma. Her focus is to help students to meet their bodies where they are by introducing and incorporating Therapeutic Yoga, Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga, pranayama and meditation. Susan has been a writer of poetry, short stories and plays most of her adult life and has been repeatedly featured in storytelling events in Northern California. She has led writer groups, tutored many in writing, and regularly hosts poetry reading Satsangs at IYISF.

Yoga for the Soul, Body, and Mind, 8-week course
2025-03-28 18:30 - 20:00
In-person
8 consecutive Fridays, 6:30-8:00 pm | Offered individually or as 8-session course
$20 each class (memberships and class passes ok)
$125 for all 8 as a course
Book all 8 sessionsPlease register in advance.
Book individual sessions (Fridays 6:30-8:00 pm):

MAR 28, Swami Ramananda Book this session
APR 4 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz Book this session
APR 11 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
APR 18 Diana Meltsner Book this session
APR 25 Diana Meltsner Book this session
MAY 2 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz Book this session
MAY 9 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
MAY 16 Swami Ramananda Book this session

Yoga for the soul is a practice that in 90 minute format evenly combines physical poses at a mixed level with extended guided meditation and spiritual awareness explorations through a group discussion on yogic topics. These practices promote physical wellness, elevate the mind, foster connection with the soul and inspire life.
Join senior IYI teachers Diana Meltsner, Swami Ramananda, Saraswati Melanie Takahashi, K. Muktidevi Demafeliz and Barbara Dickey for individual dates / classes by signing up the same way as for any other hatha yoga class using your memberships or with a $20 class payment or sign up for the whole 8-class course for $125.00.
Book all 8 sessions

Kirtan with Astrud and Friends
2025-03-28 19:00 - 20:30
In-person | $20 In advance, use promo code MANTRA | $25 Day of
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Join Astrud and her dear friends for an evening of Kirtan or mantra meditation.
We use mantra, sound and vibration to polish the mirror of the heart and dismantle the illusion of separation. Man means mind and tra means instrument. Mantras are instruments or tools used to redirect our mind to the Source, Peace and ultimately to the heart.
The collective consciousness is healing and fun. We use this time to celebrate being alive, send prayers to those in need and be in community.
We sing in the key of “WE”, join us!
No experience is necessary.

Astrud is a celebrated kirtan wallah and yoga teacher currently living in Los Angeles. She has been sharing the art and practice of kirtan for over two decades and has toured throughout the U.S. and Europe sharing her passion for Mantra Meditation and Bhakti Yoga. Astrud teaches teachers in training the essence of Bhakti and basic harmonium skills. She has been teaching asana infused with Bhakti since 2000. “Astrud’s kirtans immerse the mind in a sea of sacred sound and melt open the heart” -Swami Ramananda. You can find her album Hari Om and other singles on Spotify, and all other music platforms.

Breath: Mysterious and Therapeutic
2025-03-30 10:00 - 12:00
Online & In-person | $32 Early bird, use promo code BREATH, exp. 3/23 | $39 Regular
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
The Breath can be used in multiple therapeutic applications to promote healing on a physical, emotional and mental level. It is something our body does continuously on its own. It can be challenging to really take a good look at one’s own breathing.
Breath has a potential to open doors to a greater awareness, a path to our spiritual awakening. Many traditions use the breath as a vehicle for transformation, healing, and looking beyond ordinary perception of day-to-day life.
In this workshop we will explore the breath gently and from different perspectives. You will learn:
• Getting to know your breath with mindfulness practices
• The basics of physiological and energetic aspects of the breath
• An introduction to pranayama, yogic breath control, its benefits and techniques
• Assessing your nervous system (NS) with breath awareness, activating vagus nerve
• Discovering patterns of holding
• Basics of self-healing with the breath
• Scriptural references as well as western medical research
We will explore the breath in asana, yoga nidra, pranayama and meditation practices. Lecture and discussion will be included. We will tailor our explorations to your interests.
This workshop will be recorded and shared with participants for later viewing.
CEUs 2 hours for Yoga Alliance offered to attending teachers upon request.

Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, ERYT-500, YACEP, has been teaching a variety of classes and workshops since 2001 and since 2017 offers yoga therapy sessions privately and at Integral Yoga Therapy Clinic in San Francisco. She has been working in the clinical setting for Kaiser Permanente since 2005 as a yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and health educator and is teaching mindfulness and meditation to the medical staff. Her focus is on the healing aspects of yoga on the mind as well as the body by applying the teachings of Yoga, practices of breath-control, mindfulness and meditation. Diana helps her clients to find healing and the ability to move through life with increased ease, stress resilience, and intuition. Diana Meltsner works as a programs manager at Integral Yoga Institute, an urban ashram in San Francisco. She is a yoga teacher trainer for the 200-hour and Meditation Teacher trainings. www.dianameltsner.com

Yoga for the Soul, Body, and Mind
2025-04-04 18:30 - 20:00
In-person
$20 each class | memberships and class passes OK
Consecutive Fridays, 6:30-8:00 pm | Offered individually
Book/In-Person/APR 4Please register in advance.
Book individual sessions (Fridays 6:30-8:00 pm):

MAR 28, Swami Ramananda Book this session this session has passed
APR 4 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz Book this session
APR 11 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
APR 18 Diana Meltsner Book this session
APR 25 Diana Meltsner Book this session
MAY 2 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz Book this session
MAY 9 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
MAY 16 Swami Ramananda Book this session

Yoga for the soul is a practice that in 90 minute format evenly combines physical poses at a mixed level with extended guided meditation and spiritual awareness explorations through a group discussion on yogic topics. These practices promote physical wellness, elevate the mind, foster connection with the soul and inspire life.
Join senior IYI teachers Diana Meltsner, Swami Ramananda, Saraswati Melanie Takahashi, K. Muktidevi Demafeliz and Barbara Dickey for individual dates / classes by signing up the same way as for any other hatha yoga class using your memberships or with a $20 class payment.

Satsang: Authenticity, a Path to Self-Realization
2025-04-05 17:30 - 18:30
Online & In-person | $5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
In our culture authenticity is a quality more often marketed than manifested. Digital temptations and consumerism undermine our agency and “response-ability” and it becomes increasingly more difficult to be in touch with ourselves and with what truly matters to us.
Authenticity arises when we stop betraying ourselves, when we show ourselves open and honest in a wholesome way. Living authentically gives us meaning and purpose, increases our self-esteem, supports our personal and communal health but also takes a whole lot of courage and determination.
The teachings of yoga offer us a very sophisticated map on how to return to authenticity. Come and join yoga therapist Claudia Bartsch to explore how.
This is an introduction to her upcoming in-depth ‘Authenticity, Path to Self-Realization’ 3-part course. Save the date: 3 Saturday mornings 4/19, 4/26 & 5/3, 11:15-12:45pm.
Satsang is a special time for us to come together as a community. In Sanskrit, Sat means truth and Sangha means community. Satsang offers an opportunity to come together to share spiritual teachings. The philosophy of Integral Yoga is explored often through an informal discussion. Although our spiritual paths may diverge, the act of sharing spiritual teachings with others is inspiring and creates a solid foundation for continued practice.

Claudia Bartsch, PRYT
Originally from Germany, Claudia studied and taught yoga for over 25 years. With more than 2000 hours of formal training in yoga she has a strong foundation in the classical approach to yoga and in innovative therapeutic methods. She is deeply dedicated to facilitating holistic healing and certified as a yoga therapist in 2016. In this role, she specializes in supporting individuals navigating mental or physical challenges by tailoring yoga practices to their unique conditions and needs. Additionally she was certified as a Stress Management Educator to empower individuals to cultivate resilience and inner peace through mindful practices. She is a Shiatsu and Reiki Practitioner, modalities that complement the holistic approach to well-being fostered through yoga. In 2022 she was certified as a Brain Longevity Specialist by the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation to deepen her understanding of cognitive and mental health Please visit her website for more information: claudiabartsch.com

Spring Into Action: A BIPOC scholarship fundraiser
2025-04-06 12:00 - 19:00
This half-day BIPOC wellness retreat is a fundraiser for IYISF BIPOC Yoga Teacher Training Scholarship Fund, providing affordable Yoga training for BIPOC folx.
In-person – $80-120 sliding scale | We appreciate advance registration.
Presented by
in collaboration with Management Leadership for Tomorrow
Book now/In-Person
As the natural world awakens for Spring, we are reminded of the vitality that comes after a period of dormancy. If you are experiencing distress from current times, join us and realize your potential. Connect to the power of rest, vision, and movement in community with Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color (BIPOC) folx.
Why BIPOC only? Creating BIPOC spaces isn’t an attempt to exclude our White brothers and sisters. Space is limited (30), so we want to ensure space for those who have been historically / systemically left out. BIPOC folx, this event is for you! Come, and let the healing vibes ripple out to your surroundings – creating a ripple of change.
What’s included:
• Yoga
• Vision session with group reflections
• Sound baths
• Drum circle
• Snacks, dinner, tea & mock-tails
IYI San Francisco recognizes the structural and institutional racism in Yoga and wellness communities, and acknowledges the lack of diverse representation in our Yoga classes. We believe that by encouraging a diverse range of teaching voices, safe spaces can be created where all students can feel represented and welcomed. Please join these ongoing efforts by your attendance or by donation.

Mia Velez, E-RYT 500, entered the Integral Yoga Sangha in 2016 through the kitchen by helping to cook Thursday community lunches and silent retreat meals. In 2018 she was certified as an Integral Yoga teacher to learn more of the IYI approach and be part of the lineage. Mia is a disciple of the Moy Yat Ving Tsun Kung Fu lineage and is highly influenced by her martial arts training. After completing her first 200-hour teacher training in 2008, she began to see undeniable parallels in Yoga and Kung Fu. When she began teaching Kung Fu in 2014, she incorporated Yoga insight and principles in her classes. Her goal in teaching is to connect with the students and to facilitate a safe space for exploration and self-inquiry. Yoga and Kung Fu are integrated into her daily life as a mother, a preschool teacher, and an advocate for gender, race, and class equality through multiple non-profit groups.
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 co-founded 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.
Celeste Fa’ai’uaso has over a decade of professional experience, including leadership coaching, strategy consulting, social impact, and big tech. She earned her MBA at UC Berkeley and her BS from MIT. Celeste has designed and facilitated leadership and DEI programs at UC Berkeley, Google, and Waymo.

Dominique dela Cola (Bio coming soon)

April Leung is an herbalist and wellness enthusiast with over a decade in the health space. Born and raised in San Francisco, she earned her degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from San Francisco State University. With a passion for empowering everyday people to live healthier, more vibrant lives, April blends herbal wisdom with practical nutrition to make wellness accessible and fun. She’s committed to helping others feel their best—naturally—and has no plans of stopping anytime soon.

Scripture Study: Raja Yoga - Keys to Sustainable Growth, 3 of 3-part
2025-04-07 18:00 - 19:00
Online | $5-15 sliding scale | 3-part series, each session offered individually
Free for active IYISF teachers
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
3 Mondays, from 6:00 – 7:00pm:
Part 1 – March 24
Part 2 – March 31
Part 3 – April 7
It can be fascinating to research and grasp the meaning of the Yoga Sutras, but unless we find ways to embody these principles in daily life, we only scratch the surface of the benefits held within the words. In this series, we will explore 4 specific methods to deepen our personal experience of selected sutras and take concrete steps toward sustainable personal growth. We will use a system of reminders, guided reflection, and group support to bring these principles into a lived experience.
The Yoga Scripture Study series is an offering in which participants learn and discuss how the teachings of Yoga apply to our daily lives. We read passages, take time to reflect upon them, and share with each other how these words and practices support us on the spiritual path.
All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.

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 co-founded 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.

New Beginnings Writing Group
2025-04-11 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Meets twice a month on 2nd and 4th Friday, next session is Friday, 4/25
In these times of great change we will explore a path toward meeting ourselves where we are to give voice to all that matters! As we live with interruptions and chaos, we can deepen into the roots of our creativity, encouraging the river of expression to flow. Beginners and seasoned writers are welcome, as we explore various forms of writing: poetry, prose, short stories, memoir, among others. Through writing exercises using everyday life, place, family, images, poetry of others, while using pranayama, meditation and the guidance of the Sutras we will build a body of work. Participants are encouraged to go at their own pace.
Tools we will Practice:
• The Art of Paying Attention
• Acceptance
• Play
• Writing from the Heart
Together we will combine self-care with our writing and discover what a writing practice means to us and how it may take shape.

Susan Ford, C-IAYT, RYT-500, began teaching in 2011 and has been an assistant trainer for the Basic Yoga Teacher Training at Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco (IYISF) since 2012. She specializes in gentle yoga and yoga therapy working with people with disabilities, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, aging, bone health, anxiety, depression and asthma. Her focus is to help students to meet their bodies where they are by introducing and incorporating Therapeutic Yoga, Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga, pranayama and meditation. Susan has been a writer of poetry, short stories and plays most of her adult life and has been repeatedly featured in storytelling events in Northern California. She has led writer groups, tutored many in writing, and regularly hosts poetry reading Satsangs at IYISF.

Yoga for the Soul, Body, and Mind
2025-04-11 18:30 - 20:00
In-person
$20 each class | Memberships and class passes OK
Consecutive Fridays, 6:30-8:00 pm | Offered individually
Book/In-Person/APR 11Please register in advance.
Book individual sessions (Fridays 6:30-8:00 pm):

MAR 28, Swami Ramananda Book this session this session has passed
APR 4 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz
APR 11 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
APR 18 Diana Meltsner Book this session
APR 25 Diana Meltsner Book this session
MAY 2 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz Book this session
MAY 9 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
MAY 16 Swami Ramananda Book this session

Yoga for the soul is a practice that in 90 minute format evenly combines physical poses at a mixed level with extended guided meditation and spiritual awareness explorations through a group discussion on yogic topics. These practices promote physical wellness, elevate the mind, foster connection with the soul and inspire life.
Join senior IYI teachers Diana Meltsner, Swami Ramananda, Saraswati Melanie Takahashi, K. Muktidevi Demafeliz and Barbara Dickey for individual dates / classes by signing up the same way as for any other hatha yoga class using your memberships or with a $20 class payment.

Kirtan with Joanna Manqueros John Kadyk and Ramana Erickson
2025-04-12 19:00 - 20:30
In-person | $20 In advance, use promo code NADA | $25 Day of
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Joanna Manqueros on vocals and harmonium. Joanna facilitates kirtan as a medicinal experience, invoking uplifting concepts, reaching to a higher power and the beauty of being surrounded by voices. Joanna also hosts Music of the World on KPFA. John Kadyk brings bass clarinet; plays with a sublime addition to the trio. Ramana Erickson learned tabla playing in ashrams as a teen. He brings extensive experience, and has played for Krishna Das, and Nina Rao. Bring your voice and join in the fun.

Joanna Manqueros plays harmonium and sings with the kirtan ensemble Rasa Lila. Joanna hosts Music of the World on KPFA. She has studied with Rita Sahai, Jaipur Uttal and currently with Sukhawat Ali Khan. Joanna teaches Yoga for Trauma recovery and feels Kirtan is a powerful way to heal, connecting the voice with others.

Toward a Healthier Spine
2025-04-13 11:15 - 13:15
Online & in-person | $35 | $27 Early bird, use promo code SPINE, exp. 4/6
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
In ‘Toward a Healthier Spine’ workshop, we will combine teachings from Integral Hatha Yoga, Pilates, strength training, and Somatic Experiencing® mindfulness practices.
We will first do a brief exploration into anatomy of the spine and core, followed by practicing movements that add strength and stability to these areas. We aim to find the support for various movements that we do in everyday life with our spine. After creating a support system for the spine we will proceed to explore Asanas, physical Yoga postures, including back bends, forward bends and twists. There will be plenty of opportunities during the workshop for questions. This workshop provides simple tools to help attendees safely support the healthy function of the spine in their movement practices and daily life.
No previous experience in these practices needed.

Raisa Divyajyothi Punkki, RYT-500, was introduced to Yoga while studying at the University of Arts, Finland in 1988. Studying with various schools of yoga and after years of practicing and wandering on the quest of deeper knowledge, she found her spiritual home at Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco in 2019. Raisa has been certified to teach Hatha Yoga from the Beginning to Advanced levels, Raja Yoga and Stress Management. She is teaching in person and online Hatha classes at the IYI San Francisco. Raisa has over 30 years of experience in teaching movement. She holds an MA in Dance and is a Certified Pilates Teacher with two decades of teaching experience with various age groups and populations. Raisa is also a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, SEP®. She guides the private movement and Somatic Experiencing® sessions in her studio located by the Union Square in downtown San Francisco. She wishes to share the beauty of Integral Hatha Yoga’s healing, centering and strengthening power with others in their journey. This sharing of wisdom of Yoga happens with kindness, compassion and passion.

Yoga for the Soul, Body and Mind
2025-04-18 18:30 - 20:00
In-person
$20 each class | memberships and class passes OK
Consecutive Fridays, 6:30-8:00 pm | Offered individually
Book/In-Person/APR 18Please register in advance.
Book individual sessions (Fridays 6:30-8:00 pm):

MAR 28, Swami Ramananda Book this session this session has passed
APR 4 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz
APR 11 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi
APR 18 Diana Meltsner Book this session
APR 25 Diana Meltsner Book this session
MAY 2 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz Book this session
MAY 9 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
MAY 16 Swami Ramananda Book this session

Yoga for the soul is a practice that in 90 minute format evenly combines physical poses at a mixed level with extended guided meditation and spiritual awareness explorations through a group discussion on yogic topics. These practices promote physical wellness, elevate the mind, foster connection with the soul and inspire life.
Join senior IYI teachers Diana Meltsner, Swami Ramananda, Saraswati Melanie Takahashi, K. Muktidevi Demafeliz and Barbara Dickey for individual dates / classes by signing up the same way as for any other hatha yoga class using your memberships or with a $20 class payment.

Scripture Study: Nirodha: The Journey and the Destination, 1 of 3-part
2025-04-21 18:00 - 19:00
Online | $5-15 sliding scale | Free for active IYISF teachers
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Each session offered individually. Mondays 6:00 – 7:00 pm:

April 21
April 28
May 5

In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, nirodha appears right at the beginning, defining yoga as the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind-stuff (Sutra 1.2). This state of nirodha is a profound stillness, a remembering of our true essence as part of a greater energy. While it’s the goal of yoga, nirodha is also the pathway to achieve this stillness. Throughout the Yoga Sutras, each section (Pada) explores how nirodha serves as the means to attain this state of mental calmness.
Join Kalyani for a discussion on this foundational practice. Nirodha is more than just a concept; it’s a way of life. It’s about freeing the mind from ingrained habits and patterns, some of which may be unhelpful or even unconscious. This process of “going down” within ourselves—like a seed burrowing into the earth—allows us to “sprout up” with renewed awareness. By understanding our own minds, nirodha tunes us into our true inner nature.
The Yoga Scripture Study series is an offering in which participants learn and discuss how the teachings of Yoga apply to our daily lives. We read passages, take time to reflect upon them, and share with each other how these words and practices support us on the spiritual path. All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.

Kalyani Carlee Cohen Barr first found herself at the Integral Yoga Institute (IYI) in 2001 and began teaching Hatha Yoga, Pranayama and meditation in 2005 after receiving her certification with Swami Ramananda at IYI Bacalar, Mexico. The name Kalyani is a spiritual name given to Carlee by Swami Ramananda which signifies a state of auspiciousness, recognizing blessings, and bliss. Kalyani has attended numerous workshops and trainings over the years, including Pranayama, meditation, Mantra, Mudras, Dharma, nutrition, Yoga Therapy for Cancer and Chronic Illness (YCAT), Yoga for the Special Child (IYINY), and Anusara Yoga. She is now certified in Raja Yoga (IYISF), weaving the yoga sutras into her teachings. Kalyani has led classes and small group sessions for musicians of all ages at Interplay Jazz Camp in Vermont, has co-lead a retreat in Northern India, has led “Yoga Day” classes for 150 students, and has appeared on Canadian public television. She co-founded Simply Yoga in South Florida. “Yoga has many facets that contribute to a peaceful, happy, healthy life. Yoga has transformed my life on many levels, and my favorite thing is sharing this gift with others.” Join Kalyani to find your breath and balance, and enjoy the benefits of increased energy, health, and overall well-being.

New Beginnings Writing Group
2025-04-25 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Meets twice a month on 2nd and 4th Friday.
In these times of great change we will explore a path toward meeting ourselves where we are to give voice to all that matters! As we live with interruptions and chaos, we can deepen into the roots of our creativity, encouraging the river of expression to flow. Beginners and seasoned writers are welcome, as we explore various forms of writing: poetry, prose, short stories, memoir, among others. Through writing exercises using everyday life, place, family, images, poetry of others, while using pranayama, meditation and the guidance of the Sutras we will build a body of work. Participants are encouraged to go at their own pace.

• Tools we will Practice
• The Art of Paying Attention
• Acceptance
• Play
• Writing from the Heart
Together we will combine self-care with our writing and discover what a writing practice means to us and how it may take shape.

Susan Ford, C-IAYT, RYT-500, began teaching in 2011 and has been an assistant trainer for the Basic Yoga Teacher Training at Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco (IYISF) since 2012. She specializes in gentle yoga and yoga therapy working with people with disabilities, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, aging, bone health, anxiety, depression and asthma. Her focus is to help students to meet their bodies where they are by introducing and incorporating Therapeutic Yoga, Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga, pranayama and meditation. Susan has been a writer of poetry, short stories and plays most of her adult life and has been repeatedly featured in storytelling events in Northern California. She has led writer groups, tutored many in writing, and regularly hosts poetry reading Satsangs at IYISF.

Yoga for the Soul, Body, and Mind
2025-04-25 18:30 - 20:00
In-person
$20 each class | memberships and class passes OK
Consecutive Fridays, 6:30-8:00 pm | Offered individually
Book/In-Person/APR 25Please register in advance.
Book individual sessions (Fridays 6:30-8:00 pm):

MAR 28, Swami Ramananda Book this session this session has passed
APR 4 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz this session has passed
APR 11 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
APR 18 Diana Meltsner Book this session
APR 25 Diana Meltsner Book this session
MAY 2 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz Book this session
MAY 9 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
MAY 16 Swami Ramananda Book this session

Yoga for the soul is a practice that in 90 minute format evenly combines physical poses at a mixed level with extended guided meditation and spiritual awareness explorations through a group discussion on yogic topics. These practices promote physical wellness, elevate the mind, foster connection with the soul and inspire life.
Join senior IYI teachers Diana Meltsner, Swami Ramananda, Saraswati Melanie Takahashi, K. Muktidevi Demafeliz and Barbara Dickey for individual dates / classes by signing up the same way as for any other hatha yoga class using your memberships or with a $20 class payment.

Scripture Study: Nirodha: The Journey and the Destination, 2 of 3-part
2025-04-28 18:00 - 19:00

Spanish-language Yoga Info Session/Open House
2025-04-30 11:00 - 12:00
Location: Community Well
78 Ocean Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112
No registration required
This is an open invitation to the Spanish-language community to learn about yoga practice and its benefits and upcoming classes: Regular yoga, Chair Yoga and Prenatal Yoga. This event is being sponsored by Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco in collaboration with Community Well.
The event will include a short demonstration class. Everyone is welcome to participate!
The event will be hosted in Spanish-language only.

Lugar: Community Well
78 Ocean Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112
Miércoles, Abril 30, 2025 • 11am-12pm
No es necesario registrarse
El Yoga’– sesión de información en Español/Charla
Esta es una invitación abierta a la comunidad de habla hispana para aprender sobre la práctica del yoga y sus beneficios y las próximas clases: Yoga regular, Yoga en silla y Yoga prenatal. Este evento está patrocinado por el Instituto de Integral Yoga de San Francisco en colaboración con Community Well.
El evento incluirá una breve clase de demostración.
¡Todos son bienvenid@s a participar! El evento se realizará únicamente en español.

English – Dannhae Maya Herrera is a mother, doula, and bilingual prenatal yoga instructor originally from Nicaragua. Known to most as Maya, she was first introduced to yoga as a teenager during a belly dance class in San Francisco in the late 1990s. In 2021, she completed the 200-hour Beginner’s Level 1 training through Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco as part of their first BIPOC Yoga Teacher Training.
She has also received training in postpartum yoga, trauma-informed yoga practice, as well as children’s yoga and mindfulness. Maya is an active full-spectrum doula serving families in San Francisco.
Spanish –Dannhae Maya Herrera: Madre, Doula e Instructora de Yoga Prenatal bilingüe originaria de Nicaragua. Maya conoció el yoga por primera vez cuando era adolescente, en una clase de danza del vientre en San Francisco, a finales de los años 90. En 2021 completó Yoga Integral 200 hr. Nivel principiante 1 como parte de la primera formación de profesores de yoga BIPOC de Integral Yoga. Su vocación es compartir los beneficios para la salud mental, física y espiritual del yoga prenatal con las futuras madres de habla hispana en San Francisco. También ha recibido formación en Yoga Postparto, Práctica de Yoga Informada sobre Trauma y Yoga y Mindfulness para Niños. Maya es una doula activa de espectro completo, especialista en sobadas para madres embarazadas y después del parto.
English – Lina Gutierrez-Monclova is a certified yoga instructor with over 25 years of experience. She has taught yoga in Spanish at the Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco for over three years, guiding community-centered practices that support physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. She is also a certified birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, and lactation consultant, deeply committed to supporting families with compassion and presence.
Spanish – Lina Gutierrez-Monclova es instructora certificada de yoga con más de 25 años de experiencia. Hace más de tres años forma parte del programa de yoga en español del Integral Yoga Institute de San Francisco, donde guía prácticas centradas en el bienestar físico, emocional y espiritual de la comunidad. También es doula de parto y postparto, educadora perinatal y consultora de lactancia, comprometida con el acompañamiento respetuoso a las familias.

Responding Together to a World in Chaos - Part 2
2025-05-01 18:00 - 19:30 | Mukunda Studio, 1250 Folsom St 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94103, United States
$5.00-$30 sliding scale | Mukunda Studio is located at 1250 Folsom St., 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-Person @ Mukunda Studio
Join Swami Ramananda and Marc Morozumi at Mukunda Studio for Part 2 of their satsang, originally held at the SF Integral Yoga Institute in March 2025. They will explore practical ways to focus our energy in a chaotic world, drawing on the Bhagavad Gita and other spiritual teachings.
The previous satsang focused on the importance of acting from a place of transformation and skillfulness, rather than from raw, unexamined emotion triggered by external forces. This session will shift focus to collective energy and liberation. As we witness growing division and impunity in our own country and around the world, it’s crucial to recognize our shared humanity. What is happening to our fellow beings on this planet cannot be ignored once we dispel the illusion of separateness. By uniting, we can create positive change, face challenges together, and grow stronger through collective action.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly”
– Martin Luther King, Jr., in his 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail“

Marc Morozumi, E-RYT 500, CMT, Lead Yoga Teacher Trainer with Integral Yoga Institute, began practicing Ashtanga yoga in 2001 while a full-time modern dancer with Joe Goode Performance Group in SF, CA. Due to injury, Mukunda retired from his 12 year dance career in 2004 and entered the events industry from 2004-2016. A 2-month personal trip to India in 2007 paved the way for landing in Yogaville in 2009 for his first teacher training with Swami Divyananda and staff. One month after returning from graduation, Mukunda began teaching a Saturday morning class at the SF IYI which he maintained for over 10 years. Mukunda has co-led Integral Yoga retreats since 2011 and has staffed or co-led Basic Teacher Trainings since 2013. He has opened and managed small group yoga studios in SF since 2017 and in early 2020, he opened and then reformed a yoga center post COVID-19: Mukunda Yoga – Activation and Well-being Center in SOMA, SF, CA.
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 co-founded 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.

Yoga for the Soul, Body, and Mind
2025-05-02 18:00 - 20:30
In-person | Consecutive Fridays, 6:30-8:00 pm | Offered individually
$20 each session | memberships & class passes OK
Book/In-Person/MAY 2Please register in advance.
Book individual sessions (Fridays 6:30-8:00 pm):

MAR 28, Swami Ramananda Book this session this session has passed
APR 4 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz this session has passed
APR 11 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
APR 18 Diana Meltsner Book this session
APR 25 Diana Meltsner Book this session
MAY 2 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz Book this session
MAY 9 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
MAY 16 Swami Ramananda Book this session

Yoga for the soul is a practice that in 90 minute format evenly combines physical poses at a mixed level with extended guided meditation and spiritual awareness explorations through a group discussion on yogic topics. These practices promote physical wellness, elevate the mind, foster connection with the soul and inspire life.
Join senior IYI teachers Diana Meltsner, Swami Ramananda, Saraswati Melanie Takahashi, K. Muktidevi Demafeliz and Barbara Dickey for individual dates / classes by signing up the same way as for any other hatha yoga class using your memberships or with a $20 class payment.

Satsang: An Anchor in the Storms of Life
2025-05-03 17:30 - 18:30
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Life inevitably presents us with a series of challenges, and the current events unfolding in our country and around the world serve as a powerful reminder of this truth. In times of hardship, it is often the storms of life that push us to dig deeper within ourselves, revealing strengths we may not have known we possessed. In other words, you GOT this! We GOT this. Let’s acknowledge, and even celebrate, that we have been building a strong yogic foundation to weather these kinds of storms.
Join Saeeda and Ramananda for an insightful discussion on how our Yoga practice can help us tap into the vast potential already within us, empowering us to rise above adversity and create meaningful change. You may have more influence and impact than you realize and discovering this can be inspiring and exciting.
Satsang, a special time for us to come together as a community. In Sanskrit, Sat means truth and Sangha means community. Satsang offers an opportunity to come together to share spiritual teachings. The philosophy of Integral Yoga is explored, often through an informal discussion. Although spiritual paths may diverge, the act of sharing spiritual teachings with others is inspiring and creates a solid foundation for continued practice.
People of all faiths are welcome.

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 co-founded 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.
Saeeda Hafiz is a yoga teacher and wellness expert with certifications from the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers and the Natural Gourmet Institute. As a holistic health educator with the San Francisco Unified School District, she focuses on sharing her 30+ years of knowledge in physical and mental wellness with diverse groups. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. saeedahafiz.com

Bhakti Circle - Devotional Path
2025-05-04 16:00 - 19:00
In-person | $80 Early bird, use promo code BHAKTI, exp. 4/21 | $108 Regular
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.

Jai Uttal invites you to sit together, sing together and explore together the world of Bhakti Yoga, the Yoga of the Heart.
In this intimate and spacious afternoon, we will connect to our devotional hearts, and reflect on how this connection ripples outward to all of our relationships and the flow of life.
The simple practices of Bhakti Yoga enliven the well of emotions within us and awaken the long forgotten memories of Divine Love that live in the DNA of every being.
Through the practice of Kirtan we explore, express, and share the deepest caverns of our souls and, ultimately, find the eternal spring of love.
This is what this experience will weave: Chanting, Talking, Story Telling, Japa, Community and Lullaby.
Jai creates a safe environment for people to open their hearts and voices.
No previous experience is needed.

Jai Uttal, Grammy nominee, kirtan artist, and world music pioneer has been a leading influence in the Bhakti tradition for the past 50 years. Jai considers devotion to be the core of his musical and spiritual life, and he whole-heartedly shares his passionate heart through his voice and songs.
http://www.jaiuttal.com
Youtube

Cultivating 4 Keys to Peace, 7-day Meditation
2025-05-05 07:15 - 08:00
Online | $47 Early bird, use promo code KEY, exp. 4/21 | $54 Regular
7 consecutive mornings: May 5 – 11 , 7:15 – 8:00 am PT
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Join Diana Meltsner a meditation teacher and teacher trainer online for 7 morning meditations and brief talks. They will focus on 4 keys from Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Book 1 Sutra 33; friendliness, compassion, delight and tranquility. These keys cultivated with meditation in the mind lead to developing attitudes towards oneself, others and our daily life experience. We develop skill to regulate our emotional state. We can acquire the ability to stay present regardless of what is happening within us and around us. When cultivated, this helpful and practical mindfulness skill allows the mind to remain undisturbed and become a useful tool and a friend to us.
With these practices Yoga and Buddhism meet. In Buddhism they are known as the Brahma Viharas, The Four Immeasurables, the practices of the heart. One learns to dwell (vihara) in these four forms of love as said by God Brahma. In the Buddhist texts and in Upanishads, these mental attitudes are considered to create protection and are associated with strength.
Meditation, talk, discussion and sharing will be included. Keeping a daily journal is recommended but not required.
All sessions will be recorded and shared with participants for later viewing.
CEUs 5 hours for Yoga Alliance offered to teachers upon request.

Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, ERYT-500, YACEP, has been teaching a variety of classes and workshops since 2001 and since 2017 offers yoga therapy sessions privately and at Integral Yoga Therapy Clinic in San Francisco. She has been working in the clinical setting for Kaiser Permanente since 2005 as a yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and health educator and is teaching mindfulness and meditation to the medical staff. Her focus is on the healing aspects of yoga on the mind as well as the body by applying the teachings of Yoga, practices of breath-control, mindfulness and meditation. Diana helps her clients to find healing and the ability to move through life with increased ease, stress resilience, and intuition. Diana Meltsner works as a programs manager at Integral Yoga Institute, an urban ashram in San Francisco. She is a yoga teacher trainer for the 200-hour and Meditation Teacher trainings. www.dianameltsner.com

Scripture Study: Nirodha: The Journey and the Destination, 3 of 3-part
2025-05-05 18:00 - 19:00

Strategies for Managing and Regulating Anxiety in Today's Climate of Uncertainty
2025-05-07 17:30 - 20:00
This 4 Week virtual course meets weekly on Wednesdays, May 7, 14, 21 & 28, 2025 – 5:30 pm PST to 8:00 pm PST
US$280.00
Book directly with AntoinoYou will receive a confirmation email with a URL.
Today’s world is heightened by the uncertainty surrounding both our personal lives and the global landscape. Whether it’s the unpredictable effects of climate change, the ever-shifting political climate, or the reorganization of the global order, the future feels more uncertain than ever.
It’s important to recognize when anxiety is hindering well-being. It can be incredibly challenging to navigate, but with the right tools and support, individuals can manage anxiety effectively and reclaim control over their thoughts and responses.
Can you relate to the following?

Feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope with an upcoming situation or event.
Struggling with concentration, racing or intrusive thoughts that won’t go away.
Finding it difficult to focus or think clearly, fixating on worries in the moment.
Experiencing heightened nervousness, restlessness, or tension.
Sensing an impending sense of danger, panic, or impending doom.
Noticeably increased heart rate or palpitations.
Rapid, shallow breathing (hyperventilation).
Excessive sweating without clear physical cause.
Uncontrollable trembling or shaking.
Feeling physically weak, fatigued, or drained.

You are not alone…
Anxiety is a complex and often misunderstood emotion. When mild, it can serve as a helpful motivator, keeping us alert and ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. It enhances our ability to anticipate problems and take preventative measures, improving both personal and collective safety.
However, when anxiety becomes excessive, it can overwhelm our ability to cope, leading to distressing physical and mental symptoms, and hindering our daily lives. Increased symptoms such as—lack of concentration, racing thoughts, and physical signs like palpitations and sweating—are all signs that anxiety has crossed a threshold into something more disruptive.
Our emotions shape how we experience life, how we connect with others, and ultimately, who we are. They guide our decision-making, influencing how we behave and navigate the many roles we play. But what happens when an emotion shifts from being a guide to becoming a controlling force? We become trapped in dysfunction, like a hamster endlessly running on a wheel.
In times such as the current ones when making important decisions is crucial, it’s essential to cultivate the resources that help us trust in our resilience.
Are you ready to manage and regulate your anxiety and better deal with the challenges life is presenting?
In the group series, you will receive…

Insight into anxiety and four proven steps for effectively processing it.
Practical tools to apply on your own, along with expert guidance on how to use them.
Personalized feedback to support your individual progress.
Helpful tips for continuing to apply these tools, along with strategies for overcoming common challenges.

Each session includes…

Check-in to assess progress.
Tool analysis and practice.
Self-reflection guidance.
Q&A.
Closure to reinforce key takeaways.

This 4-Week Online Group Series is for Those Looking to Manage Anxiety and Overcome Current World Challenges to Live a Fuller, More Resilient Life
Your commitment involves…

Completing an intake form prior to the start.
Attending all four sessions.
Navigating the session platform (Zoom).
Being open to vulnerability and embracing change!

Antonio Sausys, MA, IGT, CMT, C-IAYT is a somatic psychologist and yoga therapist specializing in grief counseling. He integrates modern body-oriented psychotherapy with ancient yogic teachings, helping individuals tap into the self-knowledge grief offers, reconnect with their true essence, and achieve alignment with the essential truths of the universe.
Antonio created Yoga for Grief Relief, a somatic psychotherapy protocol, and the Yoga for Cancer program, based on the belief that “Spirit can’t have Cancer.” He trained in Somatic Psychology with Hugo Bilsky and studied yoga with prominent teachers from the Satyananda, Sivananda, and Satchidananda traditions. He also holds certifications in Integrative Grief Therapy, Foot Reflexology, Swedish Massage, and Reiki.
Antonio is the author of Yoga for Grief Relief and contributes to various publications. He leads international workshops and is the founder of the Yoga for Health International Yoga Therapy Conference. antoniosausys.com

New Beginnings Writing Group
2025-05-09 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Meets twice a month on 2nd and 4th Friday
Next session is on Friday, 5/23
In these times of great change we will explore a path toward meeting ourselves where we are to give voice to all that matters! As we live with interruptions and chaos, we can deepen into the roots of our creativity, encouraging the river of expression to flow. Beginners and seasoned writers are welcome, as we explore various forms of writing: poetry, prose, short stories, memoir, among others. Through writing exercises using everyday life, place, family, images, poetry of others, while using pranayama, meditation and the guidance of the Sutras we will build a body of work. Participants are encouraged to go at their own pace.
Tools we will Practice:
• The Art of Paying Attention
• Acceptance
• Play
• Writing from the Heart
Together we will combine self-care with our writing and discover what a writing practice means to us and how it may take shape.

Susan Ford, C-IAYT, RYT-500, began teaching in 2011 and has been an assistant trainer for the Basic Yoga Teacher Training at Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco (IYISF) since 2012. She specializes in gentle yoga and yoga therapy working with people with disabilities, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, aging, bone health, anxiety, depression and asthma. Her focus is to help students to meet their bodies where they are by introducing and incorporating Therapeutic Yoga, Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga, pranayama and meditation. Susan has been a writer of poetry, short stories and plays most of her adult life and has been repeatedly featured in storytelling events in Northern California. She has led writer groups, tutored many in writing, and regularly hosts poetry reading Satsangs at IYISF.

Yoga for the Soul, Body, and Mind
2025-05-09 18:30 - 20:00
In-person | Consecutive Fridays, 6:30-8:00 pm | Offered individually
$20 each session | memberships & class passes OK
Book/In-Person/MAY 9Please register in advance.
Book individual sessions (Fridays 6:30-8:00 pm):

MAR 28, Swami Ramananda Book this session this session has passed
APR 4 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz this session has passed
APR 11 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
APR 18 Diana Meltsner Book this session
APR 25 Diana Meltsner Book this session
MAY 2 Diana Meltsner & K. Muktidevi Demafeliz Book this session
MAY 9 Barbara Dickey & Saraswati Melanie Takahashi Book this session
MAY 16 Swami Ramananda Book this session

Yoga for the soul is a practice that in 90 minute format evenly combines physical poses at a mixed level with extended guided meditation and spiritual awareness explorations through a group discussion on yogic topics. These practices promote physical wellness, elevate the mind, foster connection with the soul and inspire life.
Join senior IYI teachers Diana Meltsner, Swami Ramananda, Saraswati Melanie Takahashi, K. Muktidevi Demafeliz and Barbara Dickey for individual dates / classes by signing up the same way as for any other hatha yoga class using your memberships or with a $20 class payment.

Yoga Therapy Tools for Processing Sadness and Anger
2025-05-10 13:00 - 16:00
Online & In-person
$49 Early bird, use promo code TOOLS, exp. 5/3
$58 Regular
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Our feelings inform us of how we experience our lives, how we relate to others and ultimately, who we are. In turn, they influence our decision-making process determining how we behave. But what happens when a feeling ceases to be an informant and becomes a slave driver leading the way? Then we are ushered into dysfunction, trapped in an emotional hamster’s wheel.
Participants will learn:
• General Information about Sadness and Anger
• 4 Simple Steps for processing feelings
• Simple yoga exercises that address symptoms and help processing sadness and anger for personal growth
• Helpful techniques, thoughtful insights, and useful tips for staying functional in life!

Antonio Sausys MA, IGT, CMT, C-IAYT, is a somatic psychologist and yoga therapist specializing in grief counseling and therapy.He studied with Hugo Bilsky and Yoga masters and teachers such as Indra Devi, Ram Dass, Swami Shankaradevananda, Swami Ekananda, Babashi Singh and Swami Mairtreyananda. He has continued his professional development with training in Integrative Grief Therapy with Lyn Prashant, Foot Reflexology, Swedish Therapeutic Massage and Reiki. Antonio presents his work both nationally and internationally at Schools and Universities and leads retreats at Ashrams, Retreat Centers and Yoga Studios., is a member of the World Yoga Council, the International Association of Yoga Therapists, a TV Host for YogiViews and the founder and Executive Director of ‘Yoga for Health’ the International Yoga Therapy Conference. He is the author of Yoga for Grief Relief: Simple Practices for Transforming Your Grieving Mind and Bod’ (New Harbinger) and a contributor for Yoga and Science in Pain Care – Treating the Person in Pain (Edited by Shelly Prosko and Neil Person – Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2019) and New Techniques of Grief Therapy: Bereavement and Beyond by Robert Niemeyer (Routledge 2019).

Spiritual Study: Recognizing & Overcoming Obstacles, 1 of 3 parts
2025-05-12 18:00 - 19:00
Online | $5-15 sliding scale | Free for active IYISF teachers
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Each session offered individually. 3 Mondays 6:00 – 7:00 pm:

May/12 Part 1 of 3
May/19 Part 2 of 3
May/26 Part 3 of 3

Have current events contributed to disharmonious thoughts or feelings of anxiety? The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali provide ancient wisdom for current concerns.
Join Prajna in a review of the Yoga Sutras, identifying the obstacles that contribute to feelings of disharmony, anxiety or fear and focusing on practices that help identify and resolve concerns restoring the inner calm that is our true nature.
We will review Sutra 1.30 & 2.3 and will add others as we progress in the 3 sessions on May 12, 19 and 26th.
The Yoga Spiritual Study series is an offering in which participants learn and discuss how the teachings of Yoga apply to our daily lives. We read passages, take time to reflect upon them, and share with each other how these words and practices support us on the spiritual path.
All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.

Prajna Tricia is a San Francisco native who joined Navy Military Medicine in 1980, served on active duty for 20 years and as a Civil Servant for an additional 15 years. A search for natural complementary and alternative medicine treatments for a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis in 2015, led to the practice of yoga. The practice was so transformative, (both physically and mentally) she felt compelled to bring the practice to others. Tricia completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with Zenya Yoga in 2023 and teaches at the Beazley Senior Center, the YMCA and local Yoga Studios in Portsmouth, Virginia. A retreat to Yogaville in Buckingham, Virginia in 2023 opened her heart to the Integral Yoga Institute (IYI) community. Tricia completed IYISF Raja Yoga Teacher Training in October of 2024 with Swami Ramananda & Swami DIvyananda and received her spiritual name Prajna, defined as wisdom & knowledge gained through intuitive insight. She completed IYISF Meditation Teacher Training with Swami Ramananda and Diana Meltsner in February 2025.
