Integral Yoga San Francisco

New Beginnings Writing Group
2023-11-17 16:00 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Online | $1-$15 Sliding scale | Monthly – every second Friday (no follow up session in November due to holidays)
Book now/Online
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 with Astrud Castillo
2023-11-18 19:00 - 20:30
In-person
$20 In advance use promo code Mantras, exp. 11/17
$25 Day of
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines. https://integralyogasf.org/attending-in-person
Please join us for call and response chanting and meditation.
No music experience is necessary.
As a group we are inspired by the sacred sounds and love to sing in the key of “WE”. We share what is known as KIRTAN, a call and response of sacred sounds and mantras. It is the relationship to these mantras that illuminates our heart and awakens our consciousness. It is not important that you can sing or that you understand the words. KIRTAN is an experience. It is a practice to release you out of the thinking mind and drop you gently into the heart. MAN means ‘mind ‘and TRA means ‘instrument’. So it is through these sacred sounds we are able to conduct the instrument of the mind.
Together we create this sacred union with healing intentions for the whole of the world.
Astrud Castillo has been teaching yoga since 2001 and sharing Kirtan internationally for the last 10 years.She trained in NYC at Laughing Lotus, currently known as Body and soul Yoga collective and is a senior teacher and teacher trainer. She has studied the basics of yoga therapeutics and Vedic chanting with T.K.V. Desikachar in India. Her teaching has been inspired by her mentor and friend Mark Whitwell over the last 20 years. Astrud’s classes are warm, welcoming and all inclusive. Her love and relationship to Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion, is always illuminated in her teaching. There is always chanting in Astrud’s classes, awareness around the breath and mindful movement. Astrud leads annual pilgrimages to India, teaches Bhakti yoga with teachers in training and currently lives at the IYI in SF. Her slow flow class weaves together poses in a creative and mindful way using the breath as the bridge to deepen and explore the balance between effort and surrender and focus the mind.

Scripture study: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Part 3 of 3
2023-11-20 18:00 - 19:00
Online | $5 – $15 sliding scale
Book nowPlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via confirmation email.
Are you seeking a deeper understanding of the Yoga Sutras and how they can enrich your life? Join Kealoha, a holistic health practitioner on this transformative journey into the heart of yogic wisdom.
The Yoga Sutras are a collection of 196 sutras, or aphorisms, that were written by the sage Patanjali in the 2nd century BCE. They offer a timeless and practical guide to living a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
In today’s world, where stress and anxiety seem to be ever-present, the Yoga Sutras offer a valuable path to peace and well-being. They can teach us how to calm the mind, focus attention, and cultivate a more positive outlook on life.
This three-part scripture study series will explore the Yoga Sutras’ relevance to modern life, offering insights and practical guidance for applying their wisdom to our daily challenges and spiritual practice.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, this study series can help you discover the transformative power of the Yoga Sutras.
All are welcome. No prior knowledge of the Yoga Sutras required.
Each session offered individually:

Monday, NOV 6, 6:00-7:00 pm
Monday, NOV 13, 6:00-7:00 pm
Monday, NOV 20, 6:00-7:00 pm

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

Benefit Thanksgiving Yoga Class
2023-11-23 09:30 - 11:00
ONLINE & IN-PERSON
$15-$108 (class card use available)
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via confirmation email.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Join us for a morning yoga class on Thanksgiving. As we move through a yoga practice, we will focus on gratitude and on the profound effects that the cultivation of gratitude has in our lives.
All the proceeds from this Yoga class will support the Institute’s outreach program “Serving our Community through the Practice of Yoga” to fund free in-person yoga offerings in the Mission’s Spanish-speaking yoga classes at Women’s Building and prenatal/postnatal yoga class at Casa Doula. We are motivated by love, respect, and a desire to serve our Latino people in this San Francisco neighborhood through sharing the classical teachings of yoga and helping members of our community to find peace within themselves, and bring that peace into their lives.
Mia Velez 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.
Your support allows for low cost access to living and sharing the classical teachings of Yoga; Cultivating peace within ourselves, our communities and around the world.Thank you for your support.Donate

And join us after the Thanksgiving Yoga Class for Thanksgiving Puja, Sharing & Potluck with Swami Ramananda, Thu. NOV 23 @ 11:15 am – 12:15 pm PST
Online​ & In-person | Free
Whether join at the Institute or online gather together for a sacred ceremony to invoke the Spiritual Light and guide us in a reflection on the profound spiritual practice of gratitude. We will have time for personal sharing on the many blessings we have received. It’s our ability to be grateful for whatever we have that allows us to connect with the Joy and Divinity already within us.
We will share a potluck meal afterward and enjoy each other’s company. Please bring a vegetarian dish to share (no meat, fish or eggs).

Thanksgiving Puja, Sharing & Potluck
2023-11-23 11:15 - 12:15
Online​ & In-person | $5-108 sliding scale
To enroll for free use discount code FREE
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via confirmation email.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Join Swami Ramananda at the Institute or online as he performs a sacred ceremony to invoke the Spiritual Light and guide us in a reflection on the profound spiritual practice of gratitude. We will have time for personal sharing on the many blessings we have received. It’s our ability to be grateful for whatever we have that allows us to connect with the Joy and Divinity already within us.
We will share a potluck meal afterward and enjoy each other’s company. Please bring a vegetarian dish to share (no meat, fish or eggs).

Your support allows for low cost access to living and sharing the classical teachings of Yoga; Cultivating peace within ourselves, our communities and around the world.  Thank you for your support.Donate
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.

Mother Goddess Yoga Workshop
2023-12-02 13:00 - 16:00
Online and In-person
$60 Early bird use promo code GODDESS, exp. 11/25/23
$70 Regular
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via confirmation email.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
A journey of honoring and redefining the feminine in yoga.
The presence of the Sacred Feminine has been a leading force in all of the old traditions. Her symbols, artifacts, marks, contributions and work have been found in every single ancient culture.
In this workshop Nubia, will teach you a yoga sadhana that is filled with our Mother Goddess imagery, sacred symbology, and potency.
The curated practices for this afternoon are a combination of asana, pranayama, visualization, incantation, mantra, mudra and more…..weaved together in a macramé of potent traditional practices with artistic and innovative techniques based on Nubia’s decades of study and practice of Yoga and Odissi, a classical India dance.
What you will learn & receive:

Roots – Namo Matri Gurubye
The Philosophical foundations taught here are based on honoring the Divine Mother as the guru and as the main Source of Life: Bhakti to the Divine Mother and Shaktism.
The Hatha Yoga poses and technologies taught in this module are an invitation to awaken the qualities of grounding, rooting, and empowerment.

All are welcome.
Nubia Teixeira, E-RYT 500, YACEP, a Brazilian-born yogini, has devoted herself to teaching many different aspects of yoga and dance for the past 32 years. Perceiving yoga as a healing art, Nubia’s refinement and devotion to this ancient practice is reflected in her unique teaching, centered around heartfelt compassion and inspiration. Drawing from the universe of symbols, myths, deities, mudras, and sacred geometry she teaches embodied Bhakti (devotional yoga).
Known for her fierce heart, uplifting humor, and keen intuition, her classes are rooted in her extensive knowledge gained from years of devotional study and practice in yoga and dance. She helps students connect with their deeper selves, fully inhabit their bodies, and live with deep awareness.
Also a Reiki instructor and practitioner, Nubia leads workshops, retreats, and teacher
trainings locally, nationally, and across the world. nubiateixeira.com

New Beginnings Writing Group
2023-12-08 16:00 - 18:00
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Meets 2nd & 4th Friday of each month.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via 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.

Kirtan with Ekachakra Prana & The Bhakti Band
2023-12-09 19:00 - 20:30
IN-PERSON | $15 advanced use promo code BHAKTIBAND expires 12/8/23
$20 day of
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Come immerse yourself in the transcendental vibrations of the maha-mantra! Drawing from the rich tradition of Gaudiya Vaishnavism (The Hare Krishnas!), a rockstar-turned-monk will take you on a spiritual journey through song. From meditative to ecstatic, both emotional and highly musical, your heart, voice and ears are in for a treat. According to the Vedic wisdom literature, singing holy names of God together is the topmost process of self-realization in this age. So let’s get down to it!
Ekachakra Prana was a touring musician and yoga teacher searching for God when he met Indradyumna Swami, who invited him to travel the world in his Kirtan band. Over the next several years he wrote books about his experiences living in bhakti yoga ashrams and traveling to Kirtan festivals around the world. He recently settled in Silicon Valley at the request of his spiritual teacher, Vaisesika Dasa.

Satsang: Recovering Our Natural Wisdom & Joy
2023-12-10 10:00 - 11:30
Online | Sliding scale $5-15. To enroll for free use discount code FREE.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via email.
We’ve all had moments in which we experienced great joy and the wisdom that comes from a clear and insightful mind. But so often our vision is clouded by the prevailing messages of our culture that condition us to look outward for happiness and for solutions to our struggles. Join us for this Satsang in which Nalanie and Ramananda will share how the practices and teachings of Yoga can quiet the worldly voices in the mind, revealing the natural source of wisdom and joy that is our true nature.
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.
Nalanie Chellaram, C-IAYT, BSYth, has been surrounded by spirituality for her whole life. She was raised by Hindu parents, educated at a Catholic school and studied philosophy in college. Nalanie began practicing the teaching of her Guru, Sri Swami Satchidananda in 1986 and continued to study the science of Yoga. She has been accredited by the Council of Teachers of the Satchidananda Ashram in Virginia, USA to teach Asanas, Pranayama and Meditation. She is also an accredited Teacher Trainer for Integral Yoga and a therapist under the British School of Yoga. She is the Chairwoman of the Integral Yoga Center in Gibraltar where she runs regular weekly satsangs, teacher training and counseling sessions. This Center is a registered Charity serving the community. Nalanie, who now lives in Spain, frequently lectures on the Science of Yoga, in Portugal, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, the USA and the Far East. She is the first of a new generation of spiritual teachers. Her particular upbringing and education has given her a special insight into both Hinduism and Christianity, inspired by her Beloved Guru.
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
2023-12-12 11:15 - 11:45
The Saving Grace of Spiritual Community
Online & In-person | By donation $1 – $108
And please consider donating to the “Swami Ramananda’s Yogic Wisdom” GoFundMe page in support of Swami Ramananda shift from administrative tasks to writing and publishing his book “Work, Love, Lunch & Laundry: Integrating Yoga Into Daily Life.”
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via email.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines. https://integralyogasf.org/attending-in-person

Come and share a cup of tea with Swami Ramananda, one of our most beloved IYI teachers. Swami-ji will be hosting a monthly 30-minute tea break and discussion on Tuesdays, exploring how to integrate Yoga and meditation in our daily lives. In-person students can join us right after the 9:30 am Yoga class. Save the dates and plan to join us in community, as we explore 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 | Monthly | Save the dates:
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
Live Streamed via Facebook and available to watch later, at your convenience.
Global times: 11:15 – 11:45 am PT, 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.

Scripture Study: The Second Coming of Christ, 2-part
2023-12-18 18:00 - 19:00
2 Mondays, December 11th & 18th – offered individually
Online | $5-$15 sliding scale
Book Dec 11/OnlineBook Dec 18/Online
Please register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via email 1 hour prior to the session. You can also join zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
In this 2 part series we will read from “The Second Coming of Christ” by Paramahansa Yogananda and delve into the depth of Biblical passages and to discuss the Yogic perspective on the teachings of Christ. Prior knowledge or having Paramahansa Yogananda’s books or the Bible and aren’t required to attend.
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.
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.

Swami Satchidananda's Jayanthi
2023-12-22 12:00 - 13:00
Free | Online or in-person
fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”]Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via email.
Join us for this special event honoring the birthday of our spiritual teacher, Sri Swami Satchidananda, led by our 3 beloved Swamis, who studied under his guidance for many years. There will be a short talk on his life and teachings, and an opportunity to share how his teachings have touched our lives. We will also offer a Puja (spiritual service) with chanting and meditation in gratitude for the blessings of his teachings and guidance.
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.

Christmas Eve Satsang
2023-12-24 16:00 - 17:30
Online or in-person | $5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via email.
Join us for a special service to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and his embodied teachings with a discussion of the deep meaning he shared through his words and example. Our program will include a worship service and Christmas music with Mirabai.
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.
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.
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.

Full Moon Chanting
2023-12-26 20:00 - 20:30
Free
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via email.
Book now/In-PersonPlease 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.

Your support allows for low cost access to living and sharing the classical teachings of Yoga; Cultivating peace within ourselves, our communities and around the world.Thank you for your support.

Energetic Refreshment for the Turning of the Year
2023-12-30 12:00 - 13:30
Online | $20-35, sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via email.

The cusp of the new year can be a portal for setting seeds and for blossom, for intention and for connection with sacred experience. This guided meditation will invite clarification, renewal, and healing. We will turn inward, attending to our own wellbeing, and we will turn outward, offering our loving support to all of life. A loving container with time for discussion if wished.
Kristie Dahlia Home has been devoted to the sharing of spiritual arts since 1995. With training in Instinctive Meditation, Yoga, Thai Massage, Reiki, Intuitive Healing, and Chi Nei Tsang. Dahlia has served as a Yoga Therapist at the UCSF School of Nursing, Dr. Dean Ornish’s Preventive Medicine Research Institute, and at UCSF’s Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, where her work included both public classes and medical research. She has taught Reiki for CPMC’s Institute for Health and Healing and Thai Massage at Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Her students say that they appreciate her warmth, precision, contagious love of life, and keen attention to the unique needs of each individual. She has recently returned to life on land after five years at sea and looks forward to sharing practice with the IYI sangha once again. For more information, visit beloved.org

New Year's Eve Program
2023-12-31 20:00 - 22:00
Online or in-person | $5-108 sliding scale | To enroll for free use discount code FREE
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via email.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines. https://integralyogasf.org/attending-in-person
The beginning of a New Year is a potent time to pause from our daily pursuits, reflect on our personal goals and send out heartfelt prayers for the spiritual upliftment of all beings.
8:00 – 9:00 pm Meditation and Prayers for World Peace; Swami Vimalananda will offer a message of inspiration and lead us in chanting mantras dedicated to world peace followed by meditation. The stillness of meditation allows us to enter the New Year charged with a natural sense of Oneness
9:00pm – 10:00pm​ ​Guided Reflection and Intention Setting; The Swamis will also offer a guided reflection with intention setting to keep our spiritual journey inspired and authentic and share their favorite stories and poems to nourish the soul.
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 Vimalananda Ma, RYT500, is an Integral Yoga sannyasi – monk. She has been involved with Integral Yoga since 1971 and Director of the San Francisco Integral Yoga Institute from 1992-2011. She specializes in teaching yoga philosophy and spiritual counseling.

21-Day Meditation Challenge
2024-01-08 07:15 - 08:00
Online | $74 Early bird use promo code CHALLENGE, exp. 1/2/24
$108 Regular
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via email.
Develop, deepen or jumpstart your meditation practice.
We will meet daily starting January 8th – 28th. Swami Ramananda, Claire Schneeberger, Eric Gustafson and Diana Meltsner will guide the practice of Integral Yoga-style pranayama and meditation. There will be guidance in the beginning and we will progressively reduce the instructions and increase time for silent practice during the 21-days of meditation challenge.
Meditation cultivates positive states of mind which lead to compassionate actions in our daily lives. Meditation reduces stress, brings Self-knowledge and more. It becomes a mini retreat where we connect with the inner calm, feeling whole and contentment of simply being.
Each session will include a topic relating to meditation, such as Why People Meditate, The Technique and Objects for Meditation, What to do with distracting thoughts, Affirmations, Chants & Prayers, Breathing Practices, Obstacles, Insights & Wisdom, Traditional Texts That Speak on Meditation. There will be time for Questions. We will create a space for sharing at the end of each week.
We will keep a sadhana chart to track the practice. A special reward will be offered to all with good attendance.
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.
Eric Gustafson embarked on a yoga journey more than 25 years ago. It became a foundation from which his life thrives and he serves. Many years of solid practice on and off the mat allows him to draw from experience and share yoga teachings with others as a teacher and a mentor to new teachers. Spiritual study, meditation and loving kindness are at the core of his daily practice. It is the source of inspiration for him and others and a bit of silliness is never far behind.

Claire Schneeberger: I am an educator leading workshops, classes, and healing circles related to meditation, mindfulness, compassion, and well-being. I facilitate a regular mindfulness meditation circle for WomenCARE, a center serving women with cancer in Central California, and have teaching certifications in meditation from the San Francisco Integral Yoga Institute and in applied compassion from Stanford’s Center for Compassion and Altruism (CCARE). I am passionate about building communities and connections focused on compassion, empowerment, and well-being.
Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, ERYT-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

New Beginnings Writing Group
2024-01-12 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Meets second & fourth Friday of each month. Next sessions:

January 26
February 9
February 23

Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via 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.

Kirtan with Michael Hathaway
2024-01-13 19:00 - 20:30
In-person
$25 Day of | $20 In advance, use promo code CHANTING, exp. 1/12
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Michael will lead us in chanting traditional Sanskrit mantras set to his original music, weaving an enchanting soundscape of hypnotic harmonics, joyful celebration, and fierce intensity. His unique melodies (often channeled in dreams) reveal a blend of musical influences, including jazz, soul, folk, psychedelic rock, church hymns, Western classical, and Indian classical – creating an innovative fusion that honors the tradition while expressing a deeply personal offering. He sings with sweet, celestial, heart-felt yearning and shares his practice as medicine with others by creating an uplifting communal experience of ecstatic group prayer.
Michael Hathaway discovered his musicality and voice through the practice of devotional chanting. He was introduced to daily chanting at the Sivananda Ashram in the Bahamas in the late 90s. He quickly became immersed in the Bhakti scene – taking every opportunity to sit with his teachers Jai Uttal, Krishna Das, Bhagavan Das, Shyamdas, and others.
Michael can be found leading kirtan at yoga studios, festivals & conscious gatherings, and singing with his harmonium for yoga classes in the Los Angeles area.
His two albums, remixes, and music videos are available on streaming platforms.
He’s also a Jivamukti yoga teacher, Reiki practitioner, 3rd-degree black belt in Seido Karate, and a regular practitioner of 5 Rhythms/ecstatic dance.
He humbly bows at the feet of Maharaj-ji Neem Karoli Baba, Ram Dass, and all of his Teachers, and wishes to honor them by singing the holy names.
michaelhathawaykirtan.com

Heal the Fractures That Block Peace and Harmony
2024-01-14 10:30 - 12:00
Online | $20-30 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session. You can also join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
To realize yoga’s full potential to bring wholeness and harmony, we need to take the voyage beyond the surface of yoga’s principles and practices. It is a journey to a new vision of life, a reality that can heal inner wounds and the chronic difficulties that plague our world. Yoga provides the means to help to bring peace to our lives and to manifest understanding, reconciliation, and harmony.
We will explore six common – but false – divisions that fracture life, the divisions between:

Ourselves and others
Ourselves and nature
Body, mind, and spirit
The self we present to the world and the self we hide from others and ourselves
Life and death – bridging the gap to the invisible universe
The self as body/mind and the True Self

Heal the fractures that block peace and harmony and discover the benevolent universe.
Reverend Jaganath Carrera has been teaching all facets of Yoga theory and practice at universities, prisons, Yoga centers, and interfaith programs since 1974. He established the Integral Yoga and Yoga Life Ministries, and co-developed the highly regarded Integral Yoga Meditation and Raja Yoga Teacher Training Certification programs. He is the founder and spiritual head of the Yoga Life Society and has authored highly regarded books: Inside the Yoga Sutras: A Sourcebook for the Study and Practice of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and Awaken: Inside Yoga Meditation.

Tuesday Tea Time Series
2024-01-16 11:15 - 11:45
Living with Your True Purpose at Heart
Online & In-person | $1-108 sliding scale
Please consider donating to the “Swami Ramananda Yogic Wisdom” GoFundMe page in support of Swami Ramananda’s shift from administrative tasks to writing and publishing a book describing how to integrate the teachings of Yoga into everyday life.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via email 1 hour prior to the session. You can also join zoom diectly from your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.

Share a cup of tea with Swami Ramananda, one of our most beloved IYI teachers. Swami-ji will be hosting monthly 30-minute “tea break” discussions exploring how to integrate Yoga and meditation in our daily lives. In-person students can join us right after the 9:30 am Yoga class!
Join in community and explore 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 • Monthly • Save the dates:
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
Live Streamed via Facebook and available to watch at your convenience.
Global times: 11:15 – 11:45 am PT, 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.

Satsang: Finding Equanimity in a World Out of Balance
2024-01-20 17:30 - 18:30
Online or in-person
$5-15 sliding scale | To enroll for free use discount code FREE
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session. You can also join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Many of us are deeply concerned about events on the lands we call home and on our planet, and are searching for ways to nurture peace in our hearts and stand up for our values. As we hear about the tragic suffering from the current wars, numerous natural disasters linked to the climate, and examples of tremendous greed and injustice, we may react with anger, anxiety or feel hopeless. How can we respond meaningfully, instead of tuning it all out or being passively complicit? What does ‘living a spiritual life’ mean in times like ours?
Join Swami Ramananda, Kamala Itzel Hayward and Kristie Dahlia Home for a meaningful conversation as we gather as Sangha, a community of people devoted to spiritual life.
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 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.
Kamala Itzel Hayward was a lawyer for over a decade before becoming a Yoga teacher and Yoga therapist specializing in trauma, addiction, and wellness. She is passionate about bringing Yoga and other healing modalities to adults facing chronic stress caused by living under oppression, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, classism, ableism, and more. She is founder of the Integral Yoga Institute’s Scholarship-Based Yoga Teacher Training for Black, Indigenous, People of Color. For the last 12 years, she has been sharing Yoga with individuals facing housing insecurity and related challenges, including systemic barriers; structural oppression; social dislocation; physical, emotional, and mental health challenges; substance abuse; and addiction. She sits on the Advisory Board for the Trauma Prevention and Recovery Certificate Program at the City College of San Francisco.
Kristie Dahlia Home has been devoted to the sharing of spiritual arts since 1995. With training in Instinctive Meditation, Yoga, Thai Massage, Reiki, Intuitive Healing, and Chi Nei Tsang. Dahlia has served as a Yoga Therapist at the UCSF School of Nursing, Dr. Dean Ornish’s Preventive Medicine Research Institute, and at UCSF’s Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, where her work included both public classes and medical research. She has taught Reiki for CPMC’s Institute for Health and Healing and Thai Massage at Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Her students say that they appreciate her warmth, precision, contagious love of life, and keen attention to the unique needs of each individual. She has recently returned to life on land after five years at sea and looks forward to sharing practice with the IYI sangha once again. For more information, visit beloved.or

Scripture Study: Yoga Sutras for Modern Times, 3-part series
2024-01-22 18:00 - 19:00
Online | $5-15 sliding scale per session
3 Mondays, January 22, 29, & February 5 | 6:00 – 7:00pm
Each session offered individually | Please register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session. You can also join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book JAN 22/Online
Book JAN 29/Online
Book FEB 5/Online
How do we cultivate peace and harmony when everything else around us seems to be in turmoil? How can our spiritual practice really affect change? Sometimes discipline isn’t accessible (for various reasons), and sometimes protecting our peace at all cost seems too selfish. Although written thousands of years ago, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali provide clues on how to conduct a life that leads to harmony and peace.
Join Mia Velez in this 3-part series to delve into the Yoga Sutras and get fresh perspectives on the age-old scriptures.
All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.
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.

Full Moon Chanting
2024-01-25 20:00 - 20:30
$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. You can also join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonPlease 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 3.62.10[11]
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.

New Beginnings Writing Group
2024-01-26 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Meets second & fourth Friday of each month. Next sessions:

February 9
February 23

Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance, a Zoom link will be provided via 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.

Sufi Devotional Music from North India and Pakistan
2024-01-27 18:30 - 20:00
In-person | $20 In advance use promo code SUFI, exp. 1/12/24
$25 Day of
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Join us for exploration of traditional devotional music from the motherland of Yoga. This gathering will explore Sufi devotional music from North India and Pakistan lead by Sukhawat Ali Khan, an Eleventh Generation Singer of the Sham Chaurasi Gharana of hindustani music in Pakistan.
In the first part we will focus on listening and experiencing the effect of raaglead by Sukhawat ji. We will also discuss sufi lyrics/ poetry. Sukhawat ji will demonstrate the basic characteristics and phrasing of simple raags commonly used in hindustani sufi music participants can learn and sing along.
In the second half of the program, we will sing popular qawwali songs together in call and response format. The lyrics sheets with English translations will be provided.
Sukhawat Ali Khan ji’s sufi music samples:

Ghulam Ali
Raste Juda Juda

Sukhawat Ali Khan will be accompanied by his student Jun Ishimuro on keyboard and flute. Jun is a music producer under Qb Moda Jazz Soundcloud, former member of Astrud Castillo Cosmic Caravan. Acoustic Guitar accompaniment by Daljeet Singh. drums by Ryan Melnick and Saima Jamshed.

Sukhawat Ali Khan, (born 1950), son of Indian-Pakistani vocalist Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and nephew of Nazkat Ali Khan is a classical singer of Sham Chaurasia gharana tradition founded in 16th century as well as a performer of North Indian and Pakistani classical music and related folk music. He began singing and playing at age seven and has performed around the world.

Scripture Study: Yoga Sutras for Modern Times, 3-part series
2024-01-29 18:00 - 19:00
Online | $5-15 sliding scale per session
3 Mondays, January 22, 29, & February 5 | 6:00 – 7:00pm
Each session offered individually
Please register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book JAN 22/Online
Book JAN 29/Online
Book FEB 5/Online
How do we cultivate peace and harmony when everything else around us seems to be in turmoil? How can our spiritual practice really affect change? Sometimes discipline isn’t accessible (for various reasons), and sometimes protecting our peace at all cost seems too selfish. Although written thousands of years ago, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali provide clues on how to conduct a life that leads to harmony and peace.
Join Mia Velez in this 3-part series to delve into the Yoga Sutras and get fresh perspectives on the age-old scriptures.
All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.
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.

Integrative Yoga Therapy and Support Group for Trauma, 8 sessions
2024-01-29 18:00 - 19:30
8 Mondays – In-person | $385 Early bird use promo code TRAUMA, exp. 1/15/24
$425 Regular
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Trauma is what occurs when you don’t feel safe, or feel too overwhelmed, to feel emotions in the body. Emotions are energy in the form of sensation. Different emotional states affect the physical body and its systems differently. Through an Integrative Yoga Therapy program one learns how to slowly and safely feel these states/emotions and allow the trapped emotional memory (i.e. trauma) to move its way through and out, experiencing a sense of freedom and ease in the body and thus in the mind as well.
In this upcoming Integrative Yoga Therapy and Support Group for Trauma, you will be guided through holistic practices to help navigate what’s been stuck within your body and find freedom and release through the practices of Qigong, Yin and Restorative Yoga, Somatic Meditation, Sound Healing, Chanting, Breathwork, Guided Self-massage and Acupressure.
In this series you will learn:

The somatics of emotion – how emotions show up in the body and how to work with them.
Somatic meditation – how to mindfully and compassionately name and be with the sensations in your body as they arise.
How trauma affects your brain, body, and nervous system and how to find balance across these systems.

Space is limited to 10 participants.
This is a confidential yoga therapy group. No prior yoga experience is needed.

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

Satsang: Mystical Poetry Night
2024-02-03 17:30 - 18:30
Online | $5-$20 – Enroll for free, use promo code FREE
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance. Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Join Diana Meltsner and Susan Ford for an evening of shared poetry that reﬂects the voice of our souls. We will read and discuss that which awakens inspiration, delight and peace in the heart. All are welcome to bring a poem or two to share or simply listen and enjoy.
Mystical Poetry and Sacred Songs are powerful expressions of the human experience, a dynamic meeting of the mind with the Grace of the Divine that crosses the lines of time and specific religious views.
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.
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 (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 storytelling events in Northern California. She has led writer groups, tutored many in writing, and regularly hosts poetry reading Satsangs at the IYI.
Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, ERYT-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. www.dianameltsner.com

Sound Bath–Yoga Nidra
2024-02-04 16:00 - 17:30
In-person | $35 Day of, $25 in advance – use promo code ENERGY, exp. 2/3.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Treat yourself to these complementary healing practices. In this workshop you will receive a brief introduction to the origin and practice of Yoga Nidra and be guided through centering, pranayama and gentle movement. We will spend 40-50 minutes deeply relaxing into a guided Yoga Nidra practice accompanied by live, healing instrumental sounds creating ideal conditions to recalibrate the nervous system, support self-healing and connect us with personal intention or Sankalpa (in Sanskrit).
Our bodies are densely packed fields of energy. The day-to-day challenges of life, no matter how large or small, create stress hormones in the body that can depress the immune system. Bathing in sound can break the stress-cycle in a safe, relaxing and non-invasive way, while recalibrating our own vibrational frequency. The practice of Yoga Nidra supports the body in doing what it is wired to do)rejuvenate, repair, and restore our bodies on both cellular and energetic levels. Some of the benefits of Yoga Nidra and sound bath include lowered heart rate and blood pressure, relaxed brain wave patterns, reduced respiratory rates, a boost of natural opiates in the physical body and improved sleep. Experience these profound practices for rebooting your nervous system, realizing optimal health and expanded consciousness.
Please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes. We will be lying down on our backs for approximately 40-50 minutes. If coming to the floor is not available to you, props and folding chairs will be available.
No experience is necessary.

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 the immune and soothe the 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.
