Integral Yoga San Francisco

Satsang: Sri Swami Satchidananda's Mahasamadhi
2023-08-19 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Online | By donation $0, $5, $10, $15
Enroll/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
The Mahasamadhi program is to commemorate the date on which Swami Satchidananda left his body 21 years ago. On this date we gather annually to reflect on his life, his teachings, and his service; and to celebrate all the transformations we experienced as we walk the path of Integral Yoga.
The program will start with a puja, to invoke Swamiji’s presence and honor his life.
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 Divyananda Ma, E-RYT 500, has had a wealth of experience teaching Integral Yoga around the world since 1973. She has taught at corporations, universities, the Commonwealth Cancer Center, and for the Dr. Dean Ornish Reversing Heart Disease programs. She has also served as one of Integral Yoga’s Basic Hatha teacher trainers.
Swami Divyananda Ma took monastic vows in 1975 from the great saint and yogi, Sri Swami Satchidananda. Over the years she has served as the director of the Integral Yoga Institutes in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and as Ashram Manager at Yogaville. She also served for ten years as the director of the Integral Yoga Institute in Coimbatore, India; this immersion into the South Indian culture has given depth to her understanding and practice of Yoga.
Now an itinerant monk, Swami Divyananda is constantly “on the road.” She leads the annual Sacred India Tours to sacred sites in India in addition to international Yoga retreats and trainings. Learn more at sacredindiatours.org.

TRE® (Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises) Intro workshop
2023-08-20 10:00 - 12:00
Online | $55 or $50 early bird, exp. 8/13
Enroll/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
TRE is a simple, gentle and profound technique that facilitates the lengthening and relaxation of the psoas muscle and the release of physical and emotional tension and stress. The TRE® exercises mildly tire the legs, triggering an involuntary shaking and trembling response, which begins in the legs and often spreads throughout the body. This natural response is the nervous system’s way of discharging long-held tension and unconscious body contraction, caused by everyday stress and traumatic life experiences, in order to restore the body to wholeness.
TRE® was developed by Dr. David Berceli, a bio-energetic therapist and social worker, who used it successfully worldwide working with soldiers, firefighters, police officers and survivors of war, natural disasters and other traumatic circumstances to help alleviate the many symptoms of post-traumatic stress. TRE® is taught in over 100 countries worldwide.
Reported benefits include:

Decreased anxiety
Release chronic tension
Discharged emotional and physical trauma
Increased energy and flexibility
Bettersleep and mood
Decreased aches, pains and symptoms of fibromyalgia and sciatica

This workshop is suitable for all ages and fitness levels as the exercises can be modified to accommodate any body’s need. Maria offers a FREE weekly online refresher class that workshop participants can attend.
CEU certificate available upon request from the teacher for psychotherapists and massage therapists.
Please read a downloadable pdf with important preparation instructions about your Online TRE® session. It will be sent to you with an enrollment confirmation email. This document contains information about how to set up your camera and mat and checklist of needed items.
For more information about TRE® please visit www.TREcalifornia.com
Maria Alfaro is a native Italian living in Santa Cruz, California. She has over 30 years of yoga experience and a background in Chinese martial arts and massage. As a senior TRE® Certification Trainer, she has taught thousands of people in the US, Canada, Europe, Asia and the Middle East since 2004. She assisted Dr. Berceli, TRE’s founder, in numerous trainings in the US, South Africa, Brazil and Japan and led hundreds of public workshops and over hundred certification trainings worldwide.
Maria is also the co-creator of Neurogenic Yoga™, the sister method of TRE.
Maria facilitates workshops and trainings globally. She creates a supportive environment that makes people feel safe as she leads her classes with compassion and a sense of humor.

Kirtan with Govind Das
2023-08-20 17:30 - 19:30
In-person | $27
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Join Govind Das for the uplifting and heart opening practice of Kirtan. Kirtan is an ancient Bhakti Yoga practice using mantra and music as an expression of devotion and prayer. Govind Das is a Bhakti Yogi following the path of Neem Karoli Baba, Ram Dass, and Hanuman Bhakti. The literal translation of kirtan is “to praise.” Kirtan is described as a “jewel of a spiritual practice” because of its joyful, open-hearted, meditative, and communal feeling. Come sing, dance, and enjoy spiritual community. For the new people to kirtan/chanting, just bring yourself, no special clothes or yoga mat needed. “Chant and Be Happy!”
Govind Das is a California-based kirtan singer, yoga teacher and his/their spiritual names suggest -“servant of the divine”. He is the co-director/owners of Bhakti Yoga Shala in Santa Monica CA. Govind Das’s commitment to Bhakti yoga and the ideals of love, service, and devotion is the essence which is reflected and transmitted through his music and teachings. His intention is to share Kirtan in the spirit of celebrating life and developing a personal and intimate connection with Source. He leads evenings of kirtan, bhakti yoga workshops, presents at festivals and leads transformative retreats throughout the world. Govind Das and his wife Jacqueline live in the hills of Pacific Palisades, CA overlooking the Great Pacific Ocean with their son Malakai and daughter Ruby Jaya.

Incorporating the Chakras in Hatha Yoga
2023-08-26 11:00 - 13:00
Online & In-Person | $25
Enroll/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Learn the key aspects of the seven chakra system. In this interactive course we investigate how energy centers affect our bodies and breath in a Hatha class. We make space for discussions and journaling so we can inquire together how imbalances may manifest in our thoughts and actions.
Mia Velez, E-RYT 500, entered Integral Yoga Institute in 2016 through the kitchen as a volunteer cook at their silent retreats, teacher trainings, and weekly community lunches. In 2018, she was certified as an Integral Yoga teacher to learn more about 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 saw undeniable parallels in Yoga and Kung Fu. She started teaching Kung Fu in 2014, incorporating Yoga insight and principles in her classes. Her goal in teaching is to facilitate a safer space for self-inquiry that hopefully leads to liberation. She shares her joy and knowledge of yoga as a co-trainer for the Basic Teacher Trainings at IYI, including the BIPOC Yoga Teacher Training; she teaches the healing properties of yoga to incarcerated men and provides stress management techniques to new parents. 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.

Awakening your Inner Rhythms – A Sound Healing Journey
2023-08-26 19:00 - 20:30
This event has been cancelled.
Please join Bettina for her next Sound Healing Journey – Saturday, December 16, 7:00 – 8:30 pm.
In-person | $30
Connect with your inner rhythm through a healing journey. Be guided by sounds to release old energies that no longer serve you. You will create space to embrace the new, ignite your creativity and clarity, and nourish your body, mind, and spirit.
Bettina Neumann will guide you through this journey with sound healing instruments and her voice. She invites you to access your inner wisdom and encourages your embodiment through movement, image-making, and creative writing. Explore your desires and wishes, and find medicine to lead you to your dreams.
What to bring:

Comfortable clothing. Dress in layers
Anything else that would comfort you
A journal

Please arrive early to settle in before we start. The door opens 15 minutes before
the start time. We will begin promptly.
Learn more about the power of sound and the nature of Bettina’s work in her recent blog article Sound Healing.
Bettina Neumann is a licensed Physical Therapist, a certified Integral Sound Healer, a practitioner of Health Rhythms, and a student in the Life/Art Process. She founded Aurras Transformation and Rising Sun Physical Therapy. Her life experience as a mother and cancer survivor lead her to her passion for expressive dance, movement, art, and ritual, which she calls her medicine. However, her healing journey and nature’s elements are her most consequential teacher. Thirty-five years as a physical therapist made her firmly believe the body can heal itself. Holistic, intuitive, evidence-based medicine and methods helped thousands of patients recover from cancer, lymphedema, chronic pain, and pelvic floor dysfunctions. She combines her experience, tools, and intuition to guide people through transformative journeys and open up the opportunity to lead a joy-filled life.

Full Moon Chanting
2023-08-30 20:00 - 20:30
Free | Online & In-Person
Enroll/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
We gather once a month to chant the Gayatri Mantra, the great mantra of Light and Liberation, to maximize the spiritual benefits of the full moon.
“oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tat savitur vareṇyaṃ
bhargo devasya dhīmahi
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt”
– Rigveda 3.62.1011
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.

Satsang: Swami Sivananda, His Life and Teachings
2023-09-02 17:30 - 18:30
Online & In-Person | By donation $0, $5, $10, $15
Enroll/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
“Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realise; Be good, Do good, Be kind, Be compassionate.” Sri Swami Sivananda. At this Satsang, we will share some of Swami Sivananda’s practical teachings that have uplifted thousands for nearly 100 years. To further honor Swami Sivananda’s legacy, Snehan will lead us through chanting of mantras. Sankirtan was Master Sivananda’s favorite practice and Maha Mantra is still chanted continuously at the Ashram he founded in India.
Swami Sivananda Saraswati (1887 – 1963) was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. Sivananda was born in Pattamadai, Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in British Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism.
He was the founder of the Divine Life Society (1936), Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy (1948) and author of over 200 books on yoga, Vedanta, and a variety of subjects. He established Sivananda Ashram, on the bank of the Ganges at Sivanandanagar, near Rishikesh. He was Swami Satchidanada’s beloved teacher’s Gurudev and you will find his photograph on many altars in Integral Yoga centers around the world.
“Do not love leisure. Waste not a minute. Be bold. Realize the Truth, here and now!”
A simple vegetarian meal will be offered after this in-person Satsang with a suggested donation of $5-10.
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.
Snehan Born, E-RYT 500, has four decades of experience with yoga and has been teaching since 2000. Snehan resides and teaches at Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco and teaches at Mission Blue Center in Brisbane. He has also led teacher trainings at Satchidananda Ashram, Yogaville, Virginia and The Integral Yoga Institute, NYC. 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 and “Life of a Yogi” from Sri Dharma Mittra. He has also studied with Sharon Gannon and David Life of Jivamukti Yoga in NYC. In 1997, and again in 2001, Snehan studied with Deepak Chopra in India and taught an Integral Yoga class to about 250 participants in Agra. Also in 2001 he received “Conscious Eating”, a live foods certification from Dr. Gabriel Cousens at the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona.
Snehan has lived and traveled extensively within India over 9 trips and practiced with many teachers there. He has taught yoga all over the US as well as in India, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan and Europe.
Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, YACEP, has been teaching 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 worked 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 and serves on the board of directors at Integral Yoga Institute, an urban ashram in San Francisco. She is a yoga teacher trainer for the 200-hour and Meditation Teacher trainings. dianameltsner.com

Integrative Yoga Therapy and Support Group for Trauma, 8 sessions
2023-09-06 18:00 - 19:30
In-person | $425 or $385 early bird, exp. August 30
Meets weekly – 8 Wednesdays: SEP 6 – Oct 25
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.

Different emotional states affect the physical body and its systems differently. Trauma is not about the size or severity of what happens to you. Trauma is what occurs when you don’t feel safe, or feel too overwhelmed to feel emotional sensations due to an event that occurred. Through an Integrative Yoga Therapy program one learns how to slowly and safely feel these states and allow the trapped emotional memory (i.e. energy) to move its way through and out somatically, thus finding balance and equanimity again.
In this Integrative Yoga Therapy and Support Group for Trauma, you will learn an in-depth understanding of the effects of trauma on the brain, nervous system, and the body on all levels (physical, energetic, mental, and spiritual). You will be guided through holistic practices to help navigate what’s been trapped and stuck within your body and find freedom and release through yoga, somatic practices, breathwork, sound healing, and meditation and deep relaxation techniques to integrate and balance your mind, body, and spirit, leaving the group with the tools to feel empowered, strong, and capable in your life.
*space is limited to 10 participants.
*This is a confidential yoga therapy group. No prior yoga experience is needed.

Rachel is an IAYT Certified Yoga Therapist, Educator and Doctor of Psychology. Specializing in trauma work and embodied practices for nervous system integration, Rachel helps clients increase their capacity for joy and love in life through somatic movement, breath work, sound healing, self-reflection, and cultivating healthy life choices. Rachel brings years of mental health experience working with at-risk and underserved populations, integrating Eastern and Western practices to help clients move past symptom relief into true healing. She has brought holistic yoga programs and professional trainings on yoga for mental health into community mental health centers, hospitals and schools. Rachel’s aim is to guide individuals into states of peace and trust in their life’s story through the mind and body, create community, and bring the teachings and practices of yoga into various settings around the world. Rachel’s classes meet each student where they are at while still challenging them to reach new heights of self-realization, acceptance, and strength and flexibility, both on and off of the mat. She will push you to challenge yourself while also guiding you to listen to your body and intuition, teaching from a place of authenticity, passion and playfulness. To learn more about Rachel and her work visit racheljenninewellnessandyoga.com

New Beginnings Writing Group
2023-09-08 16:00 - 18:00
Online | By donation $0, $5, $10, $15
Monthly on the second Friday |Free follow-up on second Friday, September 22, 4:00 – 6:00 pm
Enroll/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
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 at IYI 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 the storytelling events in Northern California. She has led writer groups, tutored many in writing, and regularly hosts poetry reading Satsangs at the IYI.

Yoga Nidra–Sound Bath for Maui Strong
2023-09-08 17:00 - 18:15
100% of all donations collected upon registration will be directed to Maui Strong Fund.
IN-PERSON | By sliding scale donation: $27, $54, $108 Enroll/In-person

Let your act of self-healing support those in need; September 8th marks one month since the start of the fires on Maui. It has been a colossal tragedy on every level. The traumatic experiences for the residents is far from over. Spread Aloha and let your participation in this event of self-healing practices send our support across the ocean.

Space is limited, please sign up in advance.
To give more please donate directly to Maui Strong Fund and pass it on.
If you cannot attend or the event sells out please consider giving anyway. Thank you.

In this workshop you receive a brief introduction to the origin and practice of Yoga Nidra. You will be guided through centering, pranayama and gentle movement. Finally we will relax into a guided Yoga Nidra practice accompanied by healing sound vibrations.
Yoga Nidra is a deeply relaxed state of awareness. The profound practice of Yoga Nidra accompanied by the healing sounds of various instruments provides an incredible opportunity to deeply rest, recalibrate the nervous system and supports our entire being: Yoga Nidra literally means “Yogic Sleep” and is a state of consciousness where the body appears to be asleep while the mind remains awake and aware. In this conscious state of deeply relaxed awareness the “witness” emerges and we experience the true Self. This state allows us to access our own self-healing process and connect with our higher truth, also known in ancient texts as Sankalpa. Yoga Nidra supports the body in doing what it is wired to do: rejuvenate, repair, and restore at a cellular and energetic level.
Sound vibrations are both heard and felt and have physiological effects on our being. Since our bodies are densely packed fields of energy, sound vibration can support us in recalibrating our own vibrational frequency. Stress hormones can depress every aspect of the immune system and sound bathing can break stress cycles in a safe, relaxing and noninvasive way. Sound bathing is a means to support overall health and wellbeing. With regular sound experiences one can lower heart rate and blood pressure, relax brain wave patterns, reduce respiratory rates and boost natural opiates in the physical body.
Please wear comfortable, loose fitting clothes. We will be lying down on our backs for approximately 40 minutes. If coming to the floor is not available to you props and folding chairs are available. No experience is necessary.

If you would like to support an individual who has been impacted by the fire through loss of home & livelihood by donating to a legitimate, personal Venmo account please contact: sevika@integralyogasf.org.

Heather Sevika Ford, C-IAYT, MFA Design, became a certified Yoga teacher in 2008 and a certified Yoga Therapist in 2017. Her classical yoga training and approach to teaching guides individuals towards experiencing the essence of Yoga; a contemplative, mindful practice intended to remove obstacles and restore peace. Accessibly and collaboratively she supports her clients towards optimal health and wellness through mindful movement and postures, subtle practices such as Yoga Nidra, Pranayama and meditation, as well as Reiki, sound vibration and aromatherapy. These practices are intended to strengthen the body, increase flexibility, optimize and soothe the immune and nervous systems. Her training and experience enables her to work safely and mindfully with a range of clients with a variety of conditions including addiction recovery, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, stroke, pre and post-op, arthritis, cancer, post-polio syndrome, PTS, asthma, emphysema, nerve damage, joint replacements, and those experiencing limited physical mobility. She offers individual Yoga Therapy and teaches classes and workshops for Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco, Stanford University and Alta Mira Recovery Center. Learn more at sevikayoga.com

Satsang: Awakening Our Hidden Strengths
2023-09-09 11:00 - 12:30
Online & In-Person | By donation $0, $5, $10, $15
Enroll/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
The teachings of Yoga help us understand that sometimes we must face great challenges in order to awaken to our full potential. Periods of suffering and struggle compel us to look deep within, let go of unhealthy attachments, and call forth our hidden strengths. Join Swamis Asokananda and Ramananda as they explore these spiritual truths and guide us in awakening the source of profound wisdom and joy that lies within us.
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 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.
Swami Asokananda, E-RYT 500, a monk since 1973, is one of Integral Yoga’s foremost teachers—known for his warmth, intelligence, and good humor. His teaching comes out of his own practice and experience, having absorbed the wisdom of his Guru, Sri Swami Satchidananda.
While he enjoys sharing the practical wisdom of yogic philosophy (especially the great Indian scripture, the Bhagavad Gita), he also loves his practice of Hatha Yoga. He is one of Yogaville’s primary instructors for intermediate and advanced Hatha Yoga teacher trainings.
He presently serves as president at the Integral Yoga Institute in New York City. Before this position, he served as the President of Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville and Integral Yoga International.

A Study of Yoga & Eckart Tolle
2023-09-11 18:00 - 19:00
Online & In-Person | $5, $10, $15 sliding scale | Sessions offered individually
Enroll/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
In this three-part scripture study series (sessions offered individually), Ramananda will discuss the common themes and universal truths found in the teachings of Yoga and the writings of Eckhart Tolle, primarily his book, A New Earth. By contrast and comparison, we will clarify the meaning and implications of these profound teachings and how to integrate them into our lives. Optional: Bring a copy of the Yoga, Sutras of Patanjali, the Bhagavad Gita, and or A New Earth by Eckart Tolle.
Each session offered individually:

Monday, September 11, 6:00 – 7:00 pm Sign up
Monday, September 18, 6:00 – 7:00 pm Sign-up
Monday, September 25, 2023, 6:00 – 7:00 pm Sign-up

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.

Tuesday Tea Time Series with Swami Ramananda
2023-09-12 11:15 - 11:45
Online & In-person | By donation $0, $5, $20, $54, $108
Please donate to the “Swami Ramananda’s Yogic Wisdom” GoFundMe page. Donations will help Swami Ramananda shift his focus from administrative tasks to writing and publishing his book Work, Love, Lunch & Laundry: Integrating Yoga Into Daily Life.
Enroll/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Come and share a Cup of Tea (online or in-person) with Swami Ramananda, one of our most beloved IYI teachers!
This 30-minute tea time with Swamiji is an great opportunity take a break, join the discussion and explore how to integrate Yoga and meditation into your daily lives. Delve into how Yoga can be integrated into every action, every day to benefit our lives and the world. Discover how the timeless teachings of Yoga and meditation can help us transform the painful aspects of human experience into steps towards realizing our full potential.
Tuesdays, once a month. Save the dates:
September 12: Build a Foundation of Health, Resilience and Inner Steadiness
October 10: Healing the Disease of Busyness
November 14: How to Make Lasting Changes With Less Difficulty
December 12: The Saving Grace of Spiritual Community
January 16: Living with Your True Purpose at Heart
February 13: The Power of Love for Healing and Transformation
March 5: Resolving Inner Conflict and Painful Emotions
April 9: How Yoga Helps When the Going Gets Tough
May 7: The Secret to Authentic Joy
June 11: Surrender, Prayer and Grace
July 9: Can We Know God? How Yoga Enlightens
Join Us Live Streaming Online:
Each tea time session will be streamed live via Facebook and Zoom.
If you are unable to attend live, the video will live on our FB page for you to watch at your convenience.
Live Tuesday Tea Time Series with Swami Ramananda:
11:15 am PDT, 12:15 pm MDT, 1:15 pm CDT, 2:15 pm EDT
7:15 pm GMT, 8:15 pm CET, 11:45 pm IST
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.

4-Day Yoga Retreat: Uncovering Our Natural Wisdom and Joy
2023-09-14 17:00 - 2023-09-17 12:30
In-person
$675 Single room
$575 Shared room (per person)
$575 Active IYI Teacher single room
$475 Active IYI Teacher shared room (per person)
Enroll
This in-person 4-day retreat will include various Yoga classes for all levels of practice, workshops, meditations, inspirational evening programs, healthy vegetarian meals and free time for walks, resting or reading. In this spacious silence, we can free ourselves from all the tension and turmoil in the mind and uncover the source of wisdom and joy that is our essential nature.
We are blessed once again to use the Commonweal Retreat Center in Bolinas, known for the natural beauty of the ocean side location which is located on sacred Native American grounds. The practices of Yoga in this beautiful natural setting offer an opportunity to cleanse body and mind and find rejuvenation.
Check-in is on Thursday at 5 pm, with dinner at 6 pm.
Check-out and departure is on Sunday at 12:30 pm after a meal.
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.
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.
Mirabai Warkulwiz planted her yoga and meditation roots in San Francisco at the Sivananda Center in 1998. Amazed at her healing of a back injury and many other positive life changes, she became yoga certified through 200-hour teacher training programs both at the Integral Yoga Institute in 2004, and at the Greenpath Ashtanga Studio in 2005. In July 2008 she completed another 170 hour Intermediate Teacher Training program in Asana and Pranayama through the Integral Yoga Institute in Virginia. She is attuned to Reiki Level 1, studies Aurvveda, is a dancer, and enjoys being in communion with nature. She invites all of her yoga students to transcend physical, emotional, and mental blocks to experience more spaciousness, comfort, happiness, clarity, and inner peace. As a Kirtan musician (Mirabai and Friends Kirtan Band) Mirabai leads Kirtan around the Bay Area, and enjoys implementing chanting, sound, and music into class.

Ananda Rasa Kirtan
2023-09-23 19:00 - 21:00
In-person | $20, or $25 day of
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines. https://integralyogasf.org/attending-in-person
Ananda Rasa Kirtan, led by vocalist and musician David Estes, is rooted in traditional Sanskrit chants and mantras sung to original Indian raga melodies and explores the ecstatic and mystical moods of Bhakti in call and response chanting with the audience.

Therapeutic Yoga and Sound Healing
2023-09-24 15:30 - 17:30
In-person| $45 or $40 Early bird, exp. 9/17
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Therapeutic Yoga and Sound Healing are remedies for the challenges of our stressful times, and blends restorative yoga with guided breath-work and sound healing. Accompanied by the healing sounds of various instruments, you will be gently guided to relax into postures that allow for deep relaxation and restoration of the entire body including tight muscles, restricted fascia, overstimulated nervous systems, and an overactive or out of balanced mind, resetting and restoring a natural rhythm to your whole being. The practice creates a calm, supportive and nurturing environment in which you can relax and let go, allowing the innate wisdom of your body to naturally restore balance and well-being. Whether you just need to decompress from stress, recover from injury or if you’re dealing with chronic illness, this workshop will help your body, mind and spirit to relax, rejuvenate, and heal.
No prior yoga experience is necessary.
Please register in advance, space is limited. Thank you!
Rachel Jennine Goudey, Psy.D., C-IAYT, is a Certified Yoga Therapist, Educator and Doctor of Psychology. Specializing in trauma work and embodied practices for nervous system integration, Rachel helps clients increase their capacity for joy and love in life through somatic movement, breath work, sound healing, self-reflection, and cultivating healthy life choices. Rachel brings years of mental health experience working with at-risk and underserved populations, integrating Eastern and Western practices to help clients move past symptom relief into true healing. She has brought holistic yoga programs and professional trainings on yoga for mental health into community mental health centers, hospitals and schools. Rachel’s aim is to guide individuals into states of peace and trust in their life’s story through the mind and body, create community, and bring the teachings and practices of yoga into various settings around the world. Rachel’s classes meet each student where they are at while still challenging them to reach new heights of self-realization, acceptance, and strength and flexibility, both on and off of the mat. She will push you to challenge yourself while also guiding you to listen to your body and intuition, teaching from a place of authenticity, passion and playfulness. To learn more about Rachel and her work visit racheljenninewellnessandyoga.com
Heather Sevika Ford, C-IAYT, MFA Design, became a certified Yoga teacher in 2008 and a certified Yoga Therapist in 2017.
Her classical yoga training and approach to teaching guides individuals towards experiencing the essence of Yoga; a contemplative, mindful practice intended to remove obstacles and restore peace. Accessibly and collaboratively she supports her clients towards optimal health and wellness through mindful movement and postures, subtle practices such as Yoga Nidra, Pranayama and meditation, as well as Reiki, sound vibration and aromatherapy. These practices are intended to strengthen the body, increase flexibility, optimize and soothe the immune and nervous systems. Her training and experience enables her to work safely and mindfully with a range of clients with a variety of conditions including addiction recovery, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, stroke, pre and post-op, arthritis, cancer, peripheral neuropathy, post-polio syndrome, PTS, asthma, emphysema, nerve damage, obesity, joint replacements, and those experiencing limited physical mobility. sevikayoga.com

Scripture Study
2023-09-25 18:00 - 19:00
Online & In-Person | $5, $10, $15 sliding scale | Sessions offered individually
Enroll/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
A Study of Yoga and Eckhart Toll
In this three-part scripture study series, Ramananda will discuss the common themes and universal truths found in the teachings of Yoga and the writings of Eckhart Tolle, primarily his book, A New Earth. By contrast and comparison, we will clarify the meaning and implications of these profound teachings, and how to integrate them into our lives. Optional: bring a copy of the Yoga, Sutras of Patanjali, the Bhagavad-Gita, and or A New Earth by Eckart Tolle.
Each session offered individually:

Monday, September 11, 6:00 – 7:00 pm Sign-up
Monday, September 18, 6:00 – 7:00 pm Sign-up
Monday, September 25, 2023, 6:00 – 7:00 pm

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.

Full Moon Chanting
2023-09-29 20:00 - 20:30
Online & In-Person| Free
Enroll/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
We gather once a month to chant the Gayatri Mantra, the great mantra of Light and Liberation, to maximize the spiritual benefits of the full moon.
“oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tat savitur vareṇyaṃ
bhargo devasya dhīmahi
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt”
– Rigveda 3.62.1011
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.

Karma Yoga Day
2023-09-30 14:30 - 18:00
In-Person | Free
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
“Work done in the right attitude becomes consecrated; becomes a sacred act. A life consecrated in doing selfless acts will become a divine life.” – Swami Sivananda
We will meet for a brief talk and share about how to practice Karma Yoga led by Swami Ramananda at 2:30pm, followed by engaging in a joyful service including classrooms and house cleaning, gardening and more. We will end the afternoon at 5 pm with a practice of guided deep relaxation and a communal meal.

Scripture Study: The Upanishads
2023-10-02 18:00 - 19:00
Online & In-person | $5, $10, $15 sliding scale
Monday, October 2, 9 & 16 • 6:00 – 7:00 pm | Offered individually
Book now/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via confirmation email.
Book now/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Isha, Katha, Chandogya, Kena Upanishads
An examination of some of the oldest and most meaningful Upanishads which contain wonderful inspiring stories and very deep but accessible spiritual teachings and practices. These are the basis of Vedanta and Raja Yoga. Just reading even one of these Upanishads over and over will begin to strengthen one’s intellect and bring a deeper understanding and experience of true spirituality. We will aim to cover all the four Upanishads mentioned.
October 9th Sign-up
October 16th Sign-up
Swami Chidananda is a monastic and a longtime disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda and has managed the finances for Integral Yoga’s ashrams, institutes, and teaching centers for decades. He teaches Hatha Yoga and leads study groups on Yoga and Buddhist teachings and philosophy. Swami Chidananda also conducts spiritual pilgrimages to India and Nepal.

Satsang: Pratipaksha Bhavana—The Light and the Shadow
2023-10-07 17:30 - 18:30
Online & In-person | By donation $0, $5, $10, $15
Book now/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via confirmation email.
Book now/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
The Yoga Sutras outline a clear path for one’s spiritual growth. Often misunderstood as spiritual bypassing, Pratipaksha Bhavana is often interpreted as replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. However, when properly applied, it’s a beautiful practice that helps us discover our true, peaceful selves. If it’s misunderstood, Pratipaksha Bhavana can lead to suppression and denial.
Join us in a rich exploration and discussion of this vital practice. We will examine how it can accelerate our growth in a very clear and simple way.
A simple vegetarian meal will be offered after this in-person Satsang with a suggested donation of $5-10.
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.
People of all faiths are welcome.
Swami Chidananda is a monastic and a longtime disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda and has managed the finances for Integral Yoga’s ashrams, institutes, and teaching centers for decades. He teaches Hatha Yoga and leads study groups on Yoga and Buddhist teachings and philosophy. Swami Chidananda also conducts spiritual pilgrimages to India and Nepal.
Mia Velez, E-RYT 500, entered Integral Yoga Institute in 2016 through the kitchen as a volunteer cook at their silent retreats, teacher trainings, and weekly community lunches. In 2018, she was certified as an Integral Yoga teacher to learn more about 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 saw undeniable parallels in Yoga and Kung Fu. She started teaching Kung Fu in 2014, incorporating Yoga insight and principles in her classes. Her goal in teaching is to facilitate a safer space for self-inquiry that hopefully leads to liberation. She shares her joy and knowledge of yoga as a co-trainer for the Basic Teacher Trainings at IYI, including the BIPOC Yoga Teacher Training; she teaches the healing properties of yoga to incarcerated men and provides stress management techniques to new parents. 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.

Scripture Study: Upanishads
2023-10-09 18:00 - 19:00
Online & In-person | $5, $10, $15 sliding scale
3 Mondays: October 2, 9 & 16 • 6:00 – 7:00 pm | Offered Individually
Book now/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via confirmation email.
Book now/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Isha, Katha, Chandogya, Kena Upanishads
An examination of some of the oldest and most meaningful Upanishads which contain wonderful inspiring stories and very deep but accessible spiritual teachings and practices. These are the basis of Vedanta and Raja Yoga. Just reading even one of these Upanishads over and over will begin to strengthen one’s intellect and bring a deeper understanding and experience of true spirituality. We will aim to cover all the four Upanishads mentioned.
October 2nd Sign-up
October 16th Sign-up
Swami Chidananda is a monastic and a longtime disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda and has managed the finances for Integral Yoga’s ashrams, institutes, and teaching centers for decades. He teaches Hatha Yoga and leads study groups on Yoga and Buddhist teachings and philosophy. Swami Chidananda also conducts spiritual pilgrimages to India and Nepal.

Tuesday Tea Time Series
2023-10-10 11:15 - 11:45
Online & In-person | $1-108, sliding scale
Please donate to the “Swami Ramananda’s Yogic Wisdom” GoFundMe page. Donations will help Swami Ramananda shift his focus from administrative tasks to writing and publishing his book Work, Love, Lunch & Laundry: Integrating Yoga Into Daily Life.
Book now/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via confirmation email.
Book now/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.

Come and share a Cup of Tea (online or in-person) with Swami Ramananda, one of our most beloved IYI teachers!
This 30-minute tea time with Swamiji is an great opportunity take a break, join the discussion and explore how to integrate Yoga and meditation into your daily lives. Delve into how Yoga can be integrated into every action, every day to benefit our lives and the world. Discover how the timeless teachings of Yoga and meditation can help us transform the painful aspects of human experience into steps towards realizing our full potential.
Tuesdays, once a month. Save the dates:
November 14: How to Make Lasting Changes With Less Difficulty
December 12: The Saving Grace of Spiritual Community
January 16: Living with Your True Purpose at Heart
February 13: The Power of Love for Healing and Transformation
March 5: Resolving Inner Conflict and Painful Emotions
April 9: How Yoga Helps When the Going Gets Tough
May 7: The Secret to Authentic Joy
June 11: Surrender, Prayer and Grace
July 9: Can We Know God? How Yoga Enlightens
Join Us Live Streaming Online:
Each tea time session will be streamed live via Facebook and Zoom.
If you are unable to attend live, the video will live on our FB page for you to watch at your convenience.
Live Tuesday Tea Time Series with Swami Ramananda:
11:15 am PDT, 12:15 pm MDT, 1:15 pm CDT, 2:15 pm EDT
7:15 pm GMT, 8:15 pm CET, 11:45 pm IST
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.

New Beginnings Writing Group
2023-10-13 16:00 - 18:00
Online | $1-$15 Sliding scale
Monthly on the second Friday | Free follow-up on second Friday, October 27, 4:00 – 6:00 pm
Book now/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
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 at IYI 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 the storytelling events in Northern California. She has led writer groups, tutored many in writing, and regularly hosts poetry reading Satsangs at Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco.

Kirtan to the Divine Mother
2023-10-14 19:00 - 20:30
In-person | $20 in advance, use promo code DIVINE
$25 day of
Book now/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Join Mirabai for an in-person Kirtan offering, a call-and-response style of chanting, and feel the joy as we sing the Names of Divine Mother.
Kirtan is part of the path of Bhakti Yoga — the path of opening the heart through devotion and surrender. It is the music of the heart, and is sung freely from the heart. Using these practices, breathing and chanting helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Kirtan is a spiritual gathering treasure that nourishes our soul, heart and spirit.
No experience is necessary to participate.
Mirabai Warkulwiz planted her yoga and meditation roots in San Francisco at the Sivananda Center in 1998. Amazed at her healing of a back injury and many other positive life changes, she became yoga certified through 200-hour teacher training programs both at the Integral Yoga Institute in 2004, and at the Greenpath Ashtanga Studio in 2005. In July 2008 she completed another 170 hour Intermediate Teacher Training program in Asana and Pranayama through the Integral Yoga Institute in Virginia. She is attuned to Reiki Level 1, studies Aryuveda, is a dancer, and enjoys being in communion with nature. She invites all of her yoga students to transcend physical, emotional, and mental blocks to experience more spaciousness, comfort, happiness, clarity, and inner peace. As a Kirtan musician (Mirabai and Friends Kirtan Band) Mirabai leads Kirtan around the Bay Area, and enjoys implementing chanting, sound, and music into class.

Navaratri - Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother - Durga Puja
2023-10-15 12:00 - 13:00
Online & In-person | By donation $0, $5, $10, $15
Book now/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
Book now/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Navaratri is the celebration of the Divine Mother in the form of the three Hindu Goddesses: Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati.
We’ll celebrate each of the three Goddesses over the 9 days of Navaratri. The celebration culminates with a special service called Vijayadasami. This is a special opportunity to bless your house and all the tools you use in your work. Please join us for this special celebration.
9-Day Navaratri Schedule / PT:

Durga Puja – Sunday, OCT 15 • 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Lakshmi Puja – Wednesday,OCT 18 • 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Saraswati Puja – Saturday, OCT 21 • 5:30 – 6:30 pm
Vijaya Dasami: Tuesday, OCT 24 •12:00 – 1:00 pm | Final celebration

Swami Chidananda is a monastic and a longtime disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda and has managed the finances for Integral Yoga’s ashrams, institutes, and teaching centers for decades. He teaches Hatha Yoga and leads study groups on Yoga and Buddhist teachings and philosophy. Swami Chidananda also conducts spiritual pilgrimages to India and Nepal.

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.

Scripture Study: Upanishads
2023-10-16 18:00 - 19:00
Online & In-person | $5, $10, $15 sliding scale
Mondays: October 2, 9 & 16 • 6:00 – 7:00 pm | Offered individually
Book now/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.
Book now/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines. https://integralyogasf.org/attending-in-person
Isha, Katha, Chandogya, Kena Upanishads
An examination of some of the oldest and most meaningful Upanishads which contain wonderful inspiring stories and very deep but accessible spiritual teachings and practices. These are the basis of Vedanta and Raja Yoga. Just reading even one of these Upanishads over and over will begin to strengthen one’s intellect and bring a deeper understanding and experience of true spirituality. (We may not be able to cover all the four Upanishads mentioned)
October 2nd Sign-up
October 9th Sign-up
Swami Chidananda is a monastic and a longtime disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda and has managed the finances for Integral Yoga’s ashrams, institutes, and teaching centers for decades. He teaches Hatha Yoga and leads study groups on Yoga and Buddhist teachings and philosophy. Swami Chidananda also conducts spiritual pilgrimages to India and Nepal.

Navaratri: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother - Lakshmi Puja
2023-10-18 12:00 - 13:00
Online & In-person | By donation $0, $5, $10, $15
Book now/Online Please register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via confirmation email.
Book now/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Navaratri is the celebration of the Divine Mother in the form of the three Hindu Goddesses: Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati.
We’ll celebrate each of the three Goddesses over the 9 days, Navaratri. The celebration culminates with a special service called Vijayadasami. This is a special opportunity to bless your house and all the tools you use in your work. Please join us for this special celebration.
9-Day Navaratri Schedule / PT:

Durga Puja – Sunday, OCT 15 • 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Lakshmi Puja – Wednesday,OCT 18 • 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Saraswati Puja – Saturday, OCT 21 • 5:30 – 6:30 pm
Vijaya Dasami: Tuesday, OCT 24 •12:00 – 1:00 pm | Final celebration

Swami Chidananda is a monastic and a longtime disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda and has managed the finances for Integral Yoga’s ashrams, institutes, and teaching centers for decades. He teaches Hatha Yoga and leads study groups on Yoga and Buddhist teachings and philosophy. Swami Chidananda also conducts spiritual pilgrimages to India and Nepal.

Swami Divyananda Ma, E-RYT 500, has had a wealth of experience teaching Integral Yoga around the world since 1973. She has taught at corporations, universities, the Commonwealth Cancer Center, and for the Dr. Dean Ornish Reversing Heart Disease programs. She has also served as one of Integral Yoga’s Basic Hatha teacher trainers.
Swami Divyananda Ma took monastic vows in 1975 from the great saint and yogi, Sri Swami Satchidananda. Over the years she has served as the director of the Integral Yoga Institutes in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and as Ashram Manager at Yogaville. She also served for ten years as the director of the Integral Yoga Institute in Coimbatore, India; this immersion into the South Indian culture has given depth to her understanding and practice of Yoga.
Now an itinerant monk, Swami Divyananda is constantly “on the road.” She leads the annual Sacred India Tours to sacred sites in India in addition to international Yoga retreats and trainings. Learn more at sacredindiatours.org.

Ripples for Change, 1-day Retreat
2023-10-21 09:30 - 18:00
In-person | $200 or $185 Early bird, extended to Oct 11! Use promo code RIPPLES.
Your participation is a direct contribution to a scholarship fund that makes yoga training accessible to Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) teachers.
All BIPOC and allies welcome!
Book now/In-person
Your participation directly contributes to making yoga trainings accessible to Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). Come together for day of rejuvenation and community action on a beautiful private estate among the redwoods in Woodside, CA. Lunch and snacks will be provided. Activities include:

Hatha Yoga
Drumming and Dance
Yoga Nidra and sound bath
Community empowerment
Henna
Intuitive reading
Poolside & more!

Can’t make the Retreat? You can support diverse representation of Yoga Teachers in Yoga and wellness communities by donating to the BIPOC 200-Hour Teacher Training BIPOC Yoga Teacher Training Scholarship Fund. Thank you!
Ripples for Change reminds us that everything is connected and has long lasting effects. The lotus symbolizes resilience, emerging through the mud out of the water. The frog symbolizes a complete lifecycle and transformation, which reflects our ongoing journey. The lily pad is deeply rooted and grounding the frog, giving it space to heal and reflect. The ripples in the water represent action/change, whether big or small it affects the self, the community, and our surroundings. We look forward to sharing a day of relaxation and activation with you all.
Hosted by
Andreína Maldonado (She/her) is a Venezuelan artist, consultant, and registered Integral Yoga practitioner. She’s the driving force behind BienStar Consulting, a hub that’s been fusing Performing Arts, Wellness, and Language Justice for over 6 years in the Bay Area and beyond. With a knack for bridging cultures and weaving connections, Andreína’s all about blending art, wellness practices such as yoga, and social justice into powerful actions. Currently, she’s sharing the joys of beginner-level Hatha yoga in Spanish, where mindfulness and self-care take center stage. Join her every Friday at Integral Yoga San Francisco for a revitalizing class that’s equal parts fun and intentional – you’ll leave not only refreshed but also more connected to yourself and those around you.
Mia Velez, (she/her), E-RYT 500, entered Integral Yoga Institute (IYI) in 2016 through the kitchen as a volunteer cook. She completed her first 200-hour teacher training in 2008 and certified with IYI in 2018. Mia is a disciple of Sifu Pete Pajil of the Moy Yat Ving Tsun Kung Fu lineage and is highly influenced by her martial arts training. To teach is a privilege and believes that learning is a reciprocal process between student and teacher. Her hope is to liberate herself and others from oppressive social conditioning. She teaches Ving Tsun Kung Fu, offers yoga to incarcerated men, and stress management techniques to new parents. She is a trainer for the Basic Teacher Trainings at IYI, including the BIPOC Yoga Teacher Training, and mentors new teachers. Yoga and Kung Fu are integrated into her daily life as a wife and mother, a preschool teacher, and an advocate for gender, race and class equity through multiple organizations.
K. Muktidevi Demafeliz is a born and raised San Franciscan and has been a yoga practitioner for 15 years. Her yoga practice began with her mentor Anthony “Tony” Garcia who guided her in the study of yoga in 2012. He encouraged her to pursue yoga teacher training, which she did, in the Integral Yoga tradition. She is certified in Basic Hatha I and Intermediate Hatha II, Accessible Yoga (Gentle) and her most recent certification, Mindful Resilience Training through the Veterans Yoga Project to teach trauma-informed yoga. She wishes to pursue future trainings in Prenatal Yoga and Yoga for First Responders as she is the Well-Being Champion for the San Francisco Police Department. YOGA IS HER PASSION, as she expresses her enthusiasm and love for the practice with those she comes in contact with, on and off the mat. Yoga has impacted and changed her life in such a positive and healthy way that she truly believes it is the saving grace for all. She is a Yogini who also lives with the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for 25 years and uses the tools from yoga to help her maneuver through life’s challenges by continuing to live one breath, step, and day at a time – she would always say that she is still “learning and growing” every day, living her best life.
Rasmi Lorrett, a San Francisco native, whose love for yoga began more than twenty years ago. Through consistent dedication to daily practice, she always found a sense of balance and harmony. In 2019, she completed her teacher training at IYI. It was during this transformative experience that she delved even deeper in her Hatha yoga practice and unlocked new levels of self awareness. Committed to lifelong learning, her purpose is to share the invaluable benefits of yoga with others, guided by the wisdom of Patanjali, ” If you can control the rising of the mind into ripples, you will experience Yoga”. She hopes to inspire and guide others in their own journey towards physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Amanda Vigil, is a San Francisco-born and raised filmmaker, educator, & performance artist. Her work has been seen locally and internationally; Amanda believes in the power of the audience, through her work as a facilitator, director, and curator. Amanda is a recent graduate of IYTT 200 BIPOC teacher training program.She proudly focus her talents on making art/film, intergenerational impact and healing in the city of San Francisco.

Vijaya Dasami: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother
2023-10-24 12:00 - 13:00
Online & In-person | By donation $0, $5, $10, $15
Book now/Online
Please register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via confirmation email.
Book now/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Please join us for the ﬁnal celebration of Vijaya Dasami. After 9 days of Navaratri, celebrating the Divine Feminine in the forms of the three goddesses: Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati, we honor the Divine Mother and her victory over evil. We will discuss and celebrate our own victories and challenges we have overcome on our spiritual path.
This is a very auspicious occasion where we bless all the tools we use during the year as well as our surroundings. After discussion, we’ll celebrate with chanting, an Indian worship service (puja) and home blessing.
To bless your home, you can prepare one or more of the following: a candle, incense or sage, small bowl of clean water, flowers, or a bell. Have your house clean and ready to receive a blessing as well as the objects you would like to bless. We will offer guidance in how to do the personal space blessing and practice it together.
Everyone is welcomed. No experience necessary.
9-Day Navaratri Schedule / PT:

Durga Puja – Sunday, OCT 15 • 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Lakshmi Puja – Wednesday,OCT 18 • 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Saraswati Puja – Saturday, OCT 21 • 5:30 – 6:30 pm
Vijaya Dasami: Tuesday, OCT 24 •12:00 – 1:00 pm | Final celebration

Swami Divyananda Ma, E-RYT 500, has had a wealth of experience teaching Integral Yoga around the world since 1973. She has taught at corporations, universities, the Commonwealth Cancer Center, and for the Dr. Dean Ornish Reversing Heart Disease programs. She has also served as one of Integral Yoga’s Basic Hatha teacher trainers.
Swami Divyananda Ma took monastic vows in 1975 from the great saint and yogi, Sri Swami Satchidananda. Over the years she has served as the director of the Integral Yoga Institutes in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and as Ashram Manager at Yogaville. She also served for ten years as the director of the Integral Yoga Institute in Coimbatore, India; this immersion into the South Indian culture has given depth to her understanding and practice of Yoga.
Now an itinerant monk, Swami Divyananda is constantly “on the road.” She leads the annual Sacred India Tours to sacred sites in India in addition to international Yoga retreats and trainings. Learn more at sacredindiatours.org.
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.
