Integral Yoga San Francisco

Crystal Bowl Sound Bath & Vedic Mantras
2024-09-07 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
$40 | $35 early bird, use promo code BATH exp. 8/31/24
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Using crystal bowls, drum, and voice, Shalom gets the whole room vibrating and harmonizing. The sound waves travel deep into your body delivering an impressive and fascinating range of benefits including powerful physical healing, creative mental stimulation, and profound waves of emotional release. The experience as a whole is relaxing, stimulating, experimental, and explorative.
Traditional Vedic chants combined with the sound of instruments are so supportive and therapeutic to the modern yogi. We will be sitting down as we chant and laying down during the sound bath. Wearing comfortable clothing is recommended.
If you haven’t tried sound healing before, you’ll have to do so firsthand to see what it’s all about. If you have, you’ll be impressed with the depth and care of Shalom’s offering. At the end of the sound bath, we’ll take a minute to come together and reflect as a group.

Dedicated to holistic well-being and spiritual exploration, Shalom Mayberg is a yoga instructor, energy healer, and sound healing practitioner. Through the practice of yoga, he guides individuals on a mindful journey through movement, breath, and self-awareness harmonizing the body, mind, and soul. Shalom has also been working in the healing arts for over 13 years and uses modalities such as Reiki, Energy Medicine, and Intuition to facilitate holistic healing. In addition, the medicine of sound is prominent in his practice and is used to create transformative experiences for people of all backgrounds. Shalom recently graduated from the Academy of Intuition Medicine and offers 1:1 work, training in Reiki and sound healing, and group events. To learn more, visit www.shalom360.com.

Forgiveness: Freeing the Heart from the Past
2024-09-09 18:00 - 19:30
In-person or Online | $15-30 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Deeply painful experiences can create resentment and anger, which are then held like protective armor around the heart, constricting our capacity to love and experience joy. In this workshop, we’ll explore the obstacles to forgiveness and the way forgiveness can act as a healing process that frees the heart from self-judgment and the judgment of others. We’ll examine how unresolved anger and deeply-held resentments act as a prison for the heart, and how we can skillfully work to resolve them. Forgiveness can transform difficult relationships into steps for spiritual growth, allowing us to be true to ourselves and have compassion for others.
Mark your calendar for Cultivating Compassion and Forgiveness, 7-day Meditation and Raja Yoga course with Diana Meltsner, Swami Ramananda and Eric Gustafson
7 mornings: Monday-Sunday, OCT 14-20 ⋅ 7:15–8:00am PT
All sessions will be recorded and shared with participants for later viewing. CEUs for Yoga Alliance offered to teachers upon request.

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

New Beginnings Writing Group
2024-09-13 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Next session is Friday, 9/27 Book now
In these times of great change we will explore a path toward meeting ourselves where we are to give voice to all that matters! As we live with interruptions and chaos, we can deepen into the roots of our creativity, encouraging the river of expression to flow. Beginners and seasoned writers are welcome, as we explore various forms of writing: poetry, prose, short stories, memoir, among others. Through writing exercises using everyday life, place, family, images, poetry of others, while using pranayama, meditation and the guidance of the Sutras we will build a body of work. Participants are encouraged to go at their own pace.
Tools we will Practice:

The Art of Paying Attention
Acceptance
Play
Writing from the Heart

Together we will combine self-care with our writing and discover what a writing practice means to us and how it may take shape.

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

Reiki I & II for Yogis - Reiki Training for Self and Others
2024-09-14 09:00 - 17:00
In-person | Saturday & Sunday SEP 14 & 15 • 9 am – 12:30 pm & 1:30 – 5 pm
$365 Early bird, use promo code REIKI, exp. 9/7
$425 regular
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Reiki is a form of energy healing that originated in Japan, based on revitalizing the “life force energy” that flows through us and causes us to be alive; if one’s “life force energy” is low or obstructed, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high and flows freely, we are more capable of being happy and healthy. Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security and wellbeing, as well as grounding, balance and confidence. Though Reiki is spiritual in nature, it is not a religion and has no dogma, and can serve as a complement to yoga or other spiritual or wellness practices.
This 2-day intensive training includes the full curriculum for Reiki 1 & 2 as taught by the International Center for Reiki Training (ICRT), as well as supplemental information for yoga practitioners and teachers, and exercises to connect with your own unique gifts and inspiration as a healer. This includes learning to give reiki to yourself and others, and information on how to set up a reiki practice or integrate reiki into other offerings such as yoga classes. The training includes lecture, discussion and practice and is limited to only 8 participants to assure personalized instruction. We sincerely apologize this is not a wheelchair accessible building – accessing classrooms requires climbing several flights stairs.
Upon completion, participants will receive a Reiki I & II certificate under the International Center for Reiki Training, and be qualified to enroll in Reiki Master training with the ICRT (after 6 months of reiki II practice.)
The ICRT Reiki I & II curriculum includes:

Discussion on history of reiki, its evolution and variations including traditional Usui reiki, Takata methods, and the new “Holy Fire” reiki
Empowerment to receive and transmit reiki energy
Training on how to give a complete Reiki session for self and others, which includes training on clearing one’s energy field and the standard Reiki session hand positions
Other specialized techniques, including Japanese techniques for using intuition to detect where reiki is needed, how to use Reiki I & II symbols, and how to send distant healing
Information and discussion on practicalities of how to start a reiki practice, including setting up a space, equipment, insurance, and marketing
190-page class manual
Certificate
Qualification to enroll in Reiki Master training with any authorized ICRT teacher (after six months of Reiki II practice)

Supplemental curriculum includes:

Discussion on how Reiki can relate to the yogic system, and how reiki might be integrated into or alongside yoga practice, yoga teaching or yoga therapy.
Practice giving reiki to clients in varied settings, including using a massage table, a chair, and a yoga mat.
Exercises to identify your intuitive style, and how to develop it for healing.
Practice on how to connect with your client, at an interpersonal as well as intuitive level.
Guided meditation and journaling to connect with your personal inspiration and journey as a healer.
Discussion on caring for yourself and how to give Reiki in a healthy, sustainable, and ethical way.
Based on time and interest: Short overview of other energy healing modalities and traditions; resources on scientific research on Reiki and other energy healing; guided meditation to meet your higher self and/or your Reiki or healing “guides”.

Reiki is a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing that everyone can use. While there are no guarantees for a specific result, there are many reports of Reiki helping a wide variety of illnesses and maladies. Reiki can also work in conjunction with other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.

It is highly recommended to experience a Reiki treatment prior to this workshop: Aryahi offers private sessions through the Integral Yoga Therapy Clinic. Workshop participants receive a 20% discount on treatments with her. For a greater discount, contact her directly at aryahi@integralyogasf.org.
For more information on Reiki visit the International Center for Reiki Training.
We offer tuition discounts for BIPOC upon request: email manager@integralyogasf.org.

Aryahi is an intuitive energy healer specializing in Reiki, Inner Alignment, and other healing modalities. She was certified by the International Center for Reiki Training as a reiki master in Japanese (Usui) reiki in 2013, and in the new “Holy Fire” reiki in 2018. Aryahi completed the 200-hour yoga teacher training at Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco in 2019 and has served as a member of the staff. Aryahi also has training in other energy healing modalities including Inner Alignment, sound healing, and intuitive healing. Aryahi offers private healing sessions through the Yoga Therapy Clinic at Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, the Subud Center in Palo Alto, and at her Noe Valley studio, and teaches reiki, yoga and other workshops. As a healer, Aryahi intuitively sees the resplendent beauty in each soul, and supports each person to clear trauma, burdens and limitations to realign with her/his/their radiant self. As a teacher, she creates a nurturing environment where students can explore and grow, not just by learning technique, but also by connecting to their own unique gifts and joy. For more information on Aryahi see ashreyavi.com

Scripture Study: Intro to Bhagavad Gita, 1 of 3-part
2024-09-16 18:00 - 19:00
Online| 3 Mondays – offered individually | $5-15 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Part 1: 9/16
Book Part 2 on 9/23
Book Part 3 on 9/30
The Bhagavad Gita scripture is a treasure of wisdom from ancient India that is still applicable to our modern times problems.The Gita provides us with the tools to see clearly and live in harmony. Join us for an introductory 3-session study led by former Institute Director Swami Vimalananda, known for her ability to apply yoga philosophy to our everyday lives.
The Yoga Scripture Study series is an offering in which participants learn and discuss how the teachings of Yoga apply to our daily lives. We read passages, take time to reflect upon them, and share with each other how these words and practices support us on the spiritual path.
All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.

Swami 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.

Full Moon Chanting
2024-09-17 20:00 - 20:30
Online & In-person | $5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-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.

Sunday Spiritual Talk: Fall Equinox, The Wisdom of Darkness
2024-09-22 11:00 - 12:00
Online | $5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Join us for a session where we honor the Fall equinox and the coming of darkness in the Northern Hemisphere. Together, we will explore what is lost in the relentless pursuit of the light and in the fear and misunderstanding of the dark. Drawing on ancestral wisdom and Yogic principles, this talk will contemplate the transformative power of darkness. Participants will engage in dialogue and reflection, culminating in a guided meditation to integrate any wisdom gained or insights revealed.
People of all faiths are welcome.

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.

Bhakti Circle - Devotional Path
2024-09-22 16:00 - 19:00
In-person | $80 early bird exp. 9/8 | $108 regular
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Jai Uttal invites you to sit together, sing together and explore together the world of Bhakti Yoga, the Yoga of the Heart.
In this intimate and spacious afternoon, we will connect to our devotional hearts, and reflect on how this connection ripples outward to all of our relationships and the flow of life.
The simple practices of Bhakti Yoga enliven the well of emotions within us and awaken the long forgotten memories of Divine Love that live in the DNA of every being.
Through the practice of Kirtan we explore, express, and share the deepest caverns of our souls and, ultimately, find the eternal spring of love.
Jai creates a safe environment for people to open their hearts and voices.
No previous experience is needed. This is an exploration and expression of the heart and the spirit.
YouTube

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

Scripture Study: Intro to Bhagavad Gita, 2 of 3-part
2024-09-23 18:00 - 19:00
Online| 3 Mondays – offered individually | $5-15 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book Part 1 on 9/16
Part 2 – 9/23
Book Part 3 on 9/30
The Bhagavad Gita scripture is a treasure of wisdom from ancient India that is still applicable to our modern times problems.The Gita provides us with the tools to see clearly and live in harmony. Join us for an introductory 3-session study led by former Institute Director Swami Vimalananda, known for her ability to apply yoga philosophy to our everyday lives.
The Yoga Scripture Study series is an offering in which participants learn and discuss how the teachings of Yoga apply to our daily lives. We read passages, take time to reflect upon them, and share with each other how these words and practices support us on the spiritual path.
All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.

Swami 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.

New Beginnings Writing Group
2024-09-27 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
In these times of great change we will explore a path toward meeting ourselves where we are to give voice to all that matters! As we live with interruptions and chaos, we can deepen into the roots of our creativity, encouraging the river of expression to flow. Beginners and seasoned writers are welcome, as we explore various forms of writing: poetry, prose, short stories, memoir, among others. Through writing exercises using everyday life, place, family, images, poetry of others, while using pranayama, meditation and the guidance of the Sutras we will build a body of work. Participants are encouraged to go at their own pace.
Tools we will Practice:

The Art of Paying Attention
Acceptance
Play
Writing from the Heart

Together we will combine self-care with our writing and discover what a writing practice means to us and how it may take shape.

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

The Shoulders Workshop
2024-09-28 11:30 - 13:30
Online & in-person | $27 Early bird, use promo code SHOULDERS, exp. 9/21 | $35 regular
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Have you ever felt like you were carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders? Are the neck and shoulders the area where you feel tension due to stress? Do you have recurring or chronic pain?
We will explore how to release the tension and also how to support the area with mindful movement and strengthening.
In this workshop you we will learn:
• how to build a supportive muscle strength
• anatomy of the shoulders
• common causes that trigger shoulder pain
• preventive measures that can minimize the recurring pain
• stretches and strengthening practices to incorporate into your personal Hatha practice
• ways to release strain in neck and shoulders with mindfulness practice
There will be time for questions. This workshop is open to students of all levels. There will be some seated (chair or floor) and some laying down practices.
This workshop will be recorded and shared with participants for later viewing. CEUs for teachers available upon request.

Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, ERYT-500, YACEP, has been teaching a variety of classes and workshops since 2001 and since 2017 offers yoga therapy sessions privately and at Integral Yoga Therapy Clinic in San Francisco. She has 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

Ananda Rasa Kirtan
2024-09-28 19:00 - 21:00
In-person | $20 In advance, use promo code KIRTAN, exp. 9/27 | $25 Day of
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
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.

David Estes is a lead vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and Ananda Rasa band leader, grew up in India and spent several years immersed in the spiritual practices of kirtan, Sanskrit text chanting, meditation and seva as a full time Ashram resident. He also runs his harmonium brand and business Ragamala and has offered drum support for Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, Nina Rao and many more.

Scripture Study: Intro to Bhagavad Gita, 3 of 3-part
2024-09-30 18:00 - 19:00
Online| 3 Mondays – offered individually | $5-15 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book Part 1 on 9/16
Book Part 2 on 9/23
Part 3 – 9/30
The Bhagavad Gita scripture is a treasure of wisdom from ancient India that is still applicable to our modern times problems.The Gita provides us with the tools to see clearly and live in harmony. Join us for an introductory 3-session study led by former Institute Director Swami Vimalananda, known for her ability to apply yoga philosophy to our everyday lives.
The Yoga Scripture Study series is an offering in which participants learn and discuss how the teachings of Yoga apply to our daily lives. We read passages, take time to reflect upon them, and share with each other how these words and practices support us on the spiritual path.
All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.
Swami 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.
The Bhagavad Gita scripture is a treasure of wisdom from ancient India that is still applicable to our modern times problems. The Yoga Scripture Study series is an offering in which participants learn and discuss how the teachings of Yoga apply to our daily lives.

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.

New Moon Hanuman Chalisa
2024-10-02 20:00 - 20:45
In-person | $5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Join Snehan for in-person chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa with harmonium.
The Hanuman Chalisa is an ancient 40-line poem by Tulsidas extolling the many attributes and supernatural abilities of the Monkey God, Hanuman.
Sri Hanuman represents the ultimate devotee by his 100% commitment to his Dharmic path of serving Sri Ram, the Lord Itself.
Chanting the Hanuman Chalisa promises the removal of all pain and suffering. And Sri Hanuman is the Wish-fulfilling Deity…..ask for what you really want!
We will chant for 30 minutes or so and then sit in meditation for about 10 minutes more.

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.

Navaratri - Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother - Durga Puja
2024-10-03 12:00 - 13:00
Online or in-person
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonPlease 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 the three Goddesses over the 9 days, Navaratri culminating with a special service called Vijayadaśamī. 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.
All Navaratri & Vijay Dasami celebrations:
Navaratri – Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother – Durga Puja with Swami Ramananda
Thursday, October 3 | 12:00 – 1:00pm
Navaratri Kirtan with Michael Hathaway and Friends
Sat. October 5 | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm PDT
Navaratri: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother – Lakshmi Puja with Swami Ramananda
Monday, October 7 | 12:00 – 1:00pm
Navaratri: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother – Kirtan and Saraswati Puja with Swami Ramananda and Snehan Born
Thursday, October 10 | 12:00 – 1:00pm
Satsang – Vijayadaśamī: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother with Swami Ramananda
Saturday, October 12 | 5:30 – 6:30pm

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

Navaratri Kirtan with Michael Hathaway and Friends
2024-10-05 19:00 - 21:00
IN PERSON
$20 In advance, use promo code CHANTING, exp.8/2 | $25 Day of
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Join Michael Hathaway and friends for a special night dedicated to the Divine Mother!
Michael Hathaway: vocals and harmonium
Brianna Prajna Vieira: vocals and harmonium
David Estes: vocals and guitar
Ramana: tablas
Ben Leinbach: bass
Together we will create a soundscape of sacred Sanskrit mantras to facilitate transformation and healing – raising our vibration as we raise our voices in devotion and ecstatic celebration!
Michael sings with sweet, celestial, heart-felt yearning. His songs are 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.
Come sing in community, or just bathe in the sound healing!
No experience necessary, and all are welcome regardless of finances.
Come and go as you are able, no one is turned away.
Navaratri is the celebration of the Divine Mother in the form of the three Hindu Goddesses: Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati.
We’ll celebrate the three Goddesses over the 9 days, Navaratri culminating with a special service called Vijayadaśamī. 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.
All Navaratri & Vijay Dasami celebrations:
Navaratri – Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother – Durga Puja with Swami Ramananda
Thursday, October 3 | 12:00 – 1:00pm
Navaratri Kirtan with Michael Hathaway and Friends
Sat. October 5 | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm PDT
Navaratri: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother – Lakshmi Puja with Swami Ramananda
Monday, October 7 | 12:00 – 1:00pm
Navaratri: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother – Kirtan and Saraswati Puja with Swami Ramananda and Snehan Born
Thursday, October 10 | 12:00 – 1:00pm
Satsang – Vijayadaśamī: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother with Swami Ramananda
Saturday, October 12 | 5:30 – 6:30pm

Navaratri: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother - Lakshmi Puja
2024-10-07 12:00 - 13:00

Navaratri: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother - Kirtan and Saraswati Puja
2024-10-10 12:00 - 13:00
Online or in-person
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonPlease 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 the three Goddesses over the 9 days, Navaratri culminating with a special service called Vijayadaśamī. 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.
All Navaratri & Vijay Dasami celebrations:
Navaratri – Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother – Durga Puja with Swami Ramananda
Thursday, October 3 | 12:00 – 1:00pm
Navaratri Kirtan with Michael Hathaway and Friends
Sat. October 5 | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm PDT
Navaratri: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother – Lakshmi Puja with Swami Ramananda
Monday, October 7 | 12:00 – 1:00pm
Navaratri: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother – Kirtan and Saraswati Puja with Swami Ramananda and Snehan Born
Thursday, October 10 | 12:00 – 1:00pm
Satsang – Vijayadaśamī: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother with Swami Ramananda
Saturday, October 12 | 5:30 – 6:30pm

Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, C-IAYT, and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He co-founded The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI), which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.
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
2024-10-11 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Next session is Friday, 10/25 Book now
In these times of great change we will explore a path toward meeting ourselves where we are to give voice to all that matters! As we live with interruptions and chaos, we can deepen into the roots of our creativity, encouraging the river of expression to flow. Beginners and seasoned writers are welcome, as we explore various forms of writing: poetry, prose, short stories, memoir, among others. Through writing exercises using everyday life, place, family, images, poetry of others, while using pranayama, meditation and the guidance of the Sutras we will build a body of work. Participants are encouraged to go at their own pace.
Tools we will Practice:

The Art of Paying Attention
Acceptance
Play
Writing from the Heart

Together we will combine self-care with our writing and discover what a writing practice means to us and how it may take shape.

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

Satsang - Vijayadaśamī: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother
2024-10-12 17:30 - 18:30
Online or in-person
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/In-PersonPlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonPlease 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 the three Goddesses over the 9 days, Navaratri culminating with a special service called Vijayadaśamī. 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.
All Navaratri & Vijay Dasami celebrations:
Navaratri – Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother – Durga Puja with Swami Ramananda
Thursday, October 3 | 12:00 – 1:00pm
Navaratri Kirtan with Michael Hathaway and Friends
Sat. October 5 | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm PDT
Navaratri: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother – Lakshmi Puja with Swami Ramananda
Monday, October 7 | 12:00 – 1:00pm
Navaratri: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother – Kirtan and Saraswati Puja with Swami Ramananda and Snehan Born
Thursday, October 10 | 12:00 – 1:00pm
Satsang – Vijayadaśamī: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother with Swami Ramananda
Saturday, October 12 | 5:30 – 6:30pm

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

Yoga Nidra – Sound Bath Fundraiser
2024-10-13 15:00 - 16:30
$35-150 sliding scale donation
100% of the proceeds will be sent directly to American Red Cross to help those affected by Hurricane Helene.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
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. The practice of Yoga Nidra supports the body in doing what it is wired to do; rejuvenate, repair, and restore the body on both a cellular and energetic level. Yoga Nidra is also a practice of exploring, setting and activating your own, personal, Sankulpa or intention. The practice of bathing in sound can break the stress-cycle in a safe, relaxing and non-invasive way.
This workshop will guide you through the practice of centering, pranayama/breathing practice, and gentle movement before coming to a comfortable supported position and experiencing a guided 40-50 minutes, Yoga Nidra and sound bath. Live, sound-healing instruments in combination with Yoga Nidra creates the ideal conditions to recalibrate your own vibrational frequency, reboot the nervous system, and support you to tap into the self-healing capacity.
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.
When we take care of ourselves, we foster the capacity to take care of others. By supporting yourself you are supporting those in desperate need of our help. Thank you! Om Shanti.
Please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes. We will be lying down on our backs for approximately 40-50 minutes. Props provided. If coming to the floor is not available to you a folding chair will be provided.
NOTE: We are aware that this event is starting around the same time that the Blue Angels fly over the City of San Francisco. This year the flight paths and altitude is not as low and invasive as past years. It does not last long and should not impact our ability to practice. It will surly add to our practice of cultivating the “witness”. We hope to see you there. Thank you.
No experience is necessary.

Heather Sevika Ford
Becoming a certified Yoga teacher in 2008 and subsequently obtaining certification as a Yoga Therapist in 2017, my journey has been deeply rooted in classical yoga teachings. My approach to teaching is accessible and personal, designed to guide individuals toward experiencing the essence of Yoga–a contemplative, mindful practice intended to eliminate obstacles and foster inner peace. I work collaboratively with my clients to support and empowering them to explore and embrace the transformative power of Yoga. Sessions include mindful movement and postures to build strength and increase flexibility, subtle practices such as Yoga Nidra, Pranayama, and meditation and often integrate complementary techniques such as Reiki, sound healing, and aromatherapy. These practices support optimal health, resilience and “reset” the nervous system. I currently teach and lead workshops at IYISF, Stanford University and Alta Mira Recovery Center. Learn more at sevikayoga.com

Cultivating Compassion and Forgiveness, 7-day Meditation & Raja Yoga
2024-10-14 07:15 - 08:00
7 mornings, Monday – Sunday, October 14 – 20, 7:15 – 8:00am
$55 | $45 Early bird, use promo code MEDITATE, exp. 10/7/24
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Join meditation teachers Diana Meltsner, Swami Ramananda and Eric Gustafson online for 7 morning meditations and brief talks focused on Karuna, compassion.
Compassion, mercy and forgiveness, when cultivated with meditation, support us in developing a positive attitude towards ourselves, others and our daily life experience. When cultivated with practical mindfulness skills, the mind remains undisturbed and clear when facing challenges of sorrow and suffering which allows us to be of service during difficult situations.
This is a path of connection to the heart, where Yoga and Buddhism meet, aligning our personal will with concern for the well-being of other people. Karuna is known in Buddhism as one of the Brahma Viharas, The Four Immeasurables, and is mentioned in Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as one of the keys to maintain mental tranquility.
Meditation, talk, discussion and sharing will be included. Keeping a daily journal is recommended but not required.
All sessions will be recorded and shared with participants for later viewing.
CEUs 4 hours for Yoga Alliance offered to teachers upon request.

Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, ERYT-500, YACEP, has been teaching a variety of classes and workshops since 2001 and since 2017 offers yoga therapy sessions privately and at Integral Yoga Therapy Clinic in San Francisco. She has 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
Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, C-IAYT, and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He co-founded The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI), which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.
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.

Satsang: Songs, Stories and Poetry
2024-10-15 18:30 - 19:30
IN-PERSON | $5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Join us for a fun and uplifting evening of original song, stories and poetry with Integral Yoga sangha member, Siva Fiske. Siva is a musician, author, artist, filmmaker, and Interfaith Minister that has performed and lectured widely across the US and abroad. stephenfiskemusic.com

Stephen is a musician, author, poet, artist, filmmaker, and Interfaith Minister. He has performed and lectured widely across the US and abroad. A long-time peace and environmental activist, Stephen is the author of “The Art of Peace” (New Paradigm Books) and is finishing his second book, “The Call to Social Integrity and Wholeness” subtitled “to Interfaith, Earth Stewardship, and Democracy.” An award-winning songwriter, Stephen has produced twelve albums of his original music and has had songs of his covered by such well-known artists as Luther Vandross and Jose Feliciano. Stephen is also founder and Executive Producer of the Jerusalem Prayer Project (JPP), a non-profit multi-media production company based in Los Angeles, currently producing a feature documentary filmed primarily in Israel/Palestine, “Warriors of the Heart”, due for release next year, after six years in production. Stephen is a husband, father of three, and grandfather of four, living with his wife, Nikki, in Yogaville, Buckingham, Virginia.

YCat Yoga: Supporting People with Cancer
2024-10-18 19:00 - 21:00
In-person & online | $18-45 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Yoga practices that are accessible and safe are much-needed for people with cancer whether it be in a Yoga studio or medical setting. This evening workshop offers both education and practices that are based on the teachings of YCat: Yoga Therapy in Cancer and Chronic Illness. The approach is based on meeting people where they are, adapting concepts rather than scripting asanas for a particular diagnosis and creating an accessible Yoga practice for use across the cancer continuum. This workshop is appropriate for people with cancer and/or chronic illness, healthcare professionals, Yoga teachers and Yoga Therapists. YCat Director Sandra Susheela Gilbert and other YCat teachers will be leading this workshop.

Sandra Susheela Gilbert, BA, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500 is the director and senior mentor for YCat: Yoga Therapy in Cancer and Chronic Illness. She is a highly recognized Integral Yoga teacher holding advanced training certificates in Stress Management, Integrative and Mind/body therapies and Patient Navigation. For the last 20 years, Sandra has taught Yoga and Yoga therapy in medical settings and at retreats and trainings including the Omega Institute, the Center for Mind Body Medicine and Chai Lifeline. In addition, she was one of the first trained Urban Zen integrative therapists in practice in NYC for their 2008 initiative and research. Sandra currently works at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in Nashville, TN. Her work at Vanderbilt has been in creating and teaching Yoga protocols for people with breast cancer, children with cancer and their caregivers and as a Research Coordinator in various research projects. In 2022, Sandra collaborated and presented with Yoga_Y_Cancer and Yoga Sin Fronteras in Barcelona, Spain. Sandra is appreciated for her patience, presence and dedication to the whole person, who is going through the experience of cancer and cancer treatment. She says, “Wherever you are, Yoga is there for you.”

Music and Poetry of South Asian Mystics: an Exploration of Sufi Songs
2024-10-19 19:00 - 20:30
In-person
$20 In advance, use promo code SUFI, exp. 6/21 | $25 Day of
Enroll/In-person Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Anhad Naad Collective presents:
Music and Poetry of South Asian Mystics: an exploration of Sufi songs.
We are sharing our own experience with Sufism through singing, music and poetry. Audience is encouraged to sing along with us,we will provide lyrics sheets with English translations.
Historically, in South Asia, Sufism played a huge role in inter-faith syncretism and Sufi shrines (dargahs) have been pivotal to communal harmony.
Abdullah Saeed -poetry reading • Amod Dandawate-Tabla • Ashutosh Vyas-poetry reading and vocal • Divya Vyas- vocal • Irum M-vocal • Jun Qb Moda Jazz-keyboard • Vivek Anand-vocal.

Scripture Study: Abiding by the True Self, part 1 of 3
2024-10-21 18:00 - 19:00
Online | $5-15 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
How does the Yoga Sutras guide us to discover our true selves? In a society bound by overarching institutions of bondage and destruction, the Yoga Sutras provide a map to the real purpose for this life. By honestly dissecting our reliance on oppressive systems, we can discover how we perpetuate them. Join Mia Velez in this 3-part series to delve into the Yoga Sutras and discover our path to liberation.
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.
Each session offered individually:

Monday, October 21
Monday, October 28
Monday, November 4

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.

Meditation: Study and sharing of this timeless practice
2024-10-24 17:30 - 18:30
ONLINE | Free
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Join Swami Ramananda and Diana Meltsner for an hour of exploration of meditation. This is an opportunity to ask these two teacher trainers questions about meditation practices. A brief practice and a talk will be shared. Some meditation experience is welcome.
All attending will receive a discount promo code for an upcoming Meditation Teacher Training
Tue, Thu & Sat, November 14 – DEC 19, 2024 & JAN 7 – FEB 4, 2025

Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, ERYT-500, YACEP, has been teaching a variety of classes and workshops since 2001 and since 2017 offers yoga therapy sessions privately and at Integral Yoga Therapy Clinic in San Francisco. She has 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
Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, C-IAYT, and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He co-founded The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI), which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.

New Beginnings Writing Group
2024-10-25 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
In these times of great change we will explore a path toward meeting ourselves where we are to give voice to all that matters! As we live with interruptions and chaos, we can deepen into the roots of our creativity, encouraging the river of expression to flow. Beginners and seasoned writers are welcome, as we explore various forms of writing: poetry, prose, short stories, memoir, among others. Through writing exercises using everyday life, place, family, images, poetry of others, while using pranayama, meditation and the guidance of the Sutras we will build a body of work. Participants are encouraged to go at their own pace.
Tools we will Practice:

The Art of Paying Attention
Acceptance
Play
Writing from the Heart

Together we will combine self-care with our writing and discover what a writing practice means to us and how it may take shape.

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

Preventing Cognitive Decline through Small Lifestyle Changes
2024-10-26 11:00 - 13:00
Online or In-person | $27 Early bird LIFE exp. 10/12 | $35 regular
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Cognitive decline and the development of diseases like Alzheimer’s is often accepted as a natural progress of aging. Many of us fear that it might affect us or our loved ones. Currently there are no effective drugs that can stop or prevent cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease, yet most mainstream research and medical treatments are currently drug based.
In this workshop you will learn about research and science-backed lifestyle approaches that have been proven to prevent cognitive decline. It is now clear that we have the power through skillful choices to maintain our cognitive health into old age. You will learn how to modify your lifestyle in easy and practical ways to immensely reduce your risk of cognitive decline. The workshop will offer you lots of information but also teach you a meditation technique that has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to maintain brain health into old age.
This workshop will be recorded and shared with participants for later viewing.

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

Sunday Spiritual Talk: Responding to a World in Crisis
2024-10-27 11:00 - 12:30
ONLINE | $5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Many of us are deeply concerned about events in our countries and on our planet and are searching for ways to maintain peace in our hearts and stand up for our values. As we hear about ongoing natural disasters and the climate crisis, senseless violence, rampant injustice and the refugee crisis, 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? Together we will reflect on how to empower ourselves, both as individuals and communities. We will review how a spiritual practice attunes our hearts and minds to the spiritual consciousness we share, and how we are called to manifest that consciousness in response to the world around us.
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 Asokananda, 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, since he has absorbed the wisdom of his guru, Sri Swami Satchidananda, since the age of 19. While he enjoys sharing the practical wisdom of the Yogic philosophy (especially that of the great Indian scripture the Bhagavad Gita), he also loves his practice of Hatha Yoga and is one of our primary instructors for Intermediate and Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training. In the past, he has served as the president of Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville® and Integral Yoga® International; he is currently the President of the New York Integral Yoga Institute.
Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, C-IAYT, and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He co-founded The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI), which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.
