Integral Yoga San Francisco

Scripture Study: Next Steps on the Spiritual Path, 3-part
2024-02-26 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
“How to take action and make choices with courage, confidence and a guilt free heart.”
Online or in-person | $5-15 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.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Swami Ramananda will focus on select verses from the Bhagavad-Gita to show how these profound teachings can propel us forward on the spiritual path, awakening the natural source of wisdom and contentment that lies at the heart of our being.
3-Mondays 6:00 – 7:00 pm:

February 19 – How to correctly understand spiritual surrender, grace, and receiving guidance from the Divine force within.
February 26 – How to take action and make choices with courage, confidence and a guilt free heart.
March 4 – The power of spiritual discrimination and how to develop it.

No prior knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita required. All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.

Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, C-IAYT, and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition, who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life, and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco, and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He 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.

Ananda Rasa Kirtan
2024-02-24 19:00 - 21:00
$20 In advance, use promo code KIRTAN, exp. 2/23
$25 Day of
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Ananda Rasa Kirtan led by David Estes is rooted in traditional Sanskrit chants sung to original raga melody compositions and explores the mystical and ecstatic 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.

Full Moon Chanting
2024-02-23 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. 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
2024-02-23 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 Sliding scale
Meets second & fourth Friday of each month.
Book now/Online FEB 23Please register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session. You can also 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 (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.

Scripture Study: Next Steps on the Spiritual Path, 3-part
2024-02-19 18:00 - 19:00
“How to correctly understand spiritual surrender, grace, and receiving guidance from the Divine force within.”
Online or in-person | $5-15 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.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Swami Ramananda will focus on select verses from the Bhagavad-Gita to show how these profound teachings can propel us forward on the spiritual path, awakening the natural source of wisdom and contentment that lies at the heart of our being.
3-Mondays 6:00 – 7:00 pm

February 19 – How to correctly understand spiritual surrender, grace, and receiving guidance from the Divine force within.
February 26 – How to take action and make choices with courage, confidence and a guilt free heart.
March 4 – The power of spiritual discrimination and how to develop it.

No prior knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita required. All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.
Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, C-IAYT, and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition, who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life, and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco, and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He 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 Genuine Joy
2024-02-17 17:30 - 18:30
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE
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 directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
We live in a culture that emphasizes gritting our teeth and pushing ourselves to the limit as a normal approach to life; then waiting for time off to relax and enjoy ourselves. Join Ramananda as he explores how the teachings of Yoga offer the secrets to enjoying our lives now, having fun in the midst of our service, and connecting with a natural sense of contentment that is not dependent on events outside ourselves.
A simple vegetarian meal will be offered after this in-person Satsang with a suggested in-person 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.

Alchemy of Sound & Silence with Manose
2024-02-16 19:00 - 20:30
In-person | $25 In advance, use promo code ALCHEMY, exp. 2/15 | $30 Day of
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
Join Manose, a world renowned musician for a night of chanting and flute music, an enchanting sound bath which creates a bridge between the East and the West. This form of devotional music is uplifting and helps connect man’s mind, body and spirit. It takes the spirit to higher realms of consciousness.
Video links:

Deva Premal , Miten, Manose and Friends “Twameva”
Joy Within by Manose

Manose, Nepal’s first Grammy nominated multi instrumentalist & composer, has been touring for more than two decades. Spreading the power of healing music, he has won millions of hearts all over the world.
His interest in flute was ignited at the age of 8 when he heard the mesmerizing flute tune coming through his window. Soon, his music lessons started after being initiated by a shenai player Madan Dev Bhatta, a disciple of Ustad Bismillah Khan. He learned classical raga music that still influences his work with devotional touches from both Hinduism and Buddhism.
His offering of 111 days of free daily meditations on his social media became a lifeline for many during the COVID pandemic.

Tuesday Tea Time Series
2024-02-13 11:15 - 11:45
The Power of Love for Healing and Transformation
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 directly 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:
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.

Revitalize the Spirit: BIPOC mini-retreat
2024-02-10 11:30 - 19:30
$75-108 Sliding scale
Book now/In-PersonPlease review our In-person Safety Guidelines.
The New Moon ushers in a fresh start and personal growth, inviting us to plant the seeds for a blossoming Year of the Dragon. Join us in this cosmic reset, with practices that will help us shape our path. We invite BIPOC folx to harness the power of the moon to revitalize the spirit with the guidance of our dedicated teachers, Andreina Maldonado, Gautam Mulchandani, Mia Velez, Muktidevi Demafeliz, Raśmi Lor Angue, Zipporah Vidya Roxas and special guest Dominique Dela Cruz. Handcrafted mocktails, snacks, and vegetarian dinner will be served (dietary needs will be accommodated). Engage in practices to renew yourselves to carry you throughout the year:

Revitalize your energy with Hatha yoga
Craft your intentions through creating your vision board.
Soothe your system with restorative yoga, sound bath and Reiki in one session.
Nourish yourself with plant based cuisine and mocktails
Enter a raffle to win a swag bag

Read the recent blog post, Why BIPOC Only by Mia Velez to learn more about this BIPOC events.
Space is limited, so don’t miss your chance to connect with a supportive BIPOC community. Begin the Lunar New Year with renewed intentions and vibrant energy.
Andreína Maldonado (She/her) is a Venezuelan artist, consultant, and registered Integral Yoga practitioner. She’s the driving force behind BienStar Consulting, a hub that’s been fusing Performing Arts, Wellness, and Language Justice for over 6 years in the Bay Area and beyond. With a knack for bridging cultures and weaving connections, Andreína’s all about blending art, wellness practices such as yoga, and social justice into powerful actions. Currently, she’s sharing the joys of beginner-level Hatha yoga in Spanish, where mindfulness and self-care take center stage. Join her every Friday at Integral Yoga San Francisco for a revitalizing class that’s equal parts fun and intentional – you’ll leave not only refreshed but also more connected to yourself and those around you.
Gautam Mulchandani, is a certified 200 hr yoga teacher, reiki ll master and has completed level 1 & 2 Intuitive guidance through the Academy of Intuition Medicine. He has self-studied and taken an array of courses, certificate programs in Crystal Therapy, Astrology, Ayurveda, Vedanta and NLP. He has a deep understanding of energy systems and the inter-relationship between man and the Cosmos. Moreover, he continually harnesses the gifts of his INFJ – MBTI Personality, (the “perceiver / advocate”) and gleans insights from his innate ability to read energy from the collective, within a room or during a reading. His unique gift is his sense of knowing or “claircognizance”, along with “clairsentience”, the felt experience. His warm aura, depth of wisdom and perception allow him to guide and provide clarity on a variety of personal and professional areas. He serves clients the world over and is top rated on Google and Yelp. To learn more visit: gemsofclarity.com
Mia Velez, (she/her), E-RYT 500, entered Integral Yoga Institute (IYI) in 2016 through the kitchen as a volunteer cook. She completed her first 200-hour teacher training in 2008 and certified with IYI in 2018. Mia is a disciple of Sifu Pete Pajil of the Moy Yat Ving Tsun Kung Fu lineage and is highly influenced by her martial arts training. To teach is a privilege and believes that learning is a reciprocal process between student and teacher. Her hope is to liberate herself and others from oppressive social conditioning. She teaches Ving Tsun Kung Fu, offers yoga to incarcerated men, and stress management techniques to new parents. She is a trainer for the Basic Teacher Trainings at IYI, including the BIPOC Yoga Teacher Training, and mentors new teachers. Yoga and Kung Fu are integrated into her daily life as a wife and mother, a preschool teacher, and an advocate for gender, race and class equity through multiple organizations.
K. Muktidevi Demafeliz is a born and raised San Franciscan and has been a yoga practitioner for 16 years. Her yoga practice began with her mentor Tony Garcia who guided her in the study of yoga back in 2012 through the SFO Airport’s Wellness Program. He encouraged her to pursue yoga teacher training, which she did, in the Integral Yoga tradition. She is certified in Basic Hatha I, Intermediate Hatha II, Accessible Yoga (Gentle), and certified in Mindful Resilience Training through the Veterans Yoga Project to teach trauma-informed yoga. She wishes to pursue future trainings such as Meditation Teacher Training in addition to Yoga for First Responders as she is the Well-Being Champion for the San Francisco Police Department. YOGA IS HER PASSION, and she expresses her love and enthusiasm for the practice with those she comes into contact with, on and off the mat. Muktidevi mentors and supports teacher trainees as well as newly certified teachers to help them continue to develop and grow while on their yogic path. She also supports the BIPOC Sangha which was born at the Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco (IYISF) and continues to serve these communities to help create ripples for change to establish a space of healing and empowerment. With that, yoga has impacted and transformed her life in such a positive and healthy way that she truly believes it is the saving grace for all. For 26 years, Muktidevi has been living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and continues to carry out the practices of yoga to help her maneuver through life’s challenges when facing adversity. She is a lifelong learner and strives to become the best version of herself to live her best life, regardless of what life may bring.
Rasmi Lorrett, a San Francisco native, whose love for yoga began more than twenty years ago. Through consistent dedication to daily practice, she always found a sense of balance and harmony. In 2019, she completed her teacher training at IYI. It was during this transformative experience that she delved even deeper in her Hatha yoga practice and unlocked new levels of self awareness. Committed to lifelong learning, her purpose is to share the invaluable benefits of yoga with others, guided by the wisdom of Patanjali, ” If you can control the rising of the mind into ripples, you will experience Yoga”. She hopes to inspire and guide others in their own journey towards physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Zipporah Vidya Roxas (she/her) took her first Integral Yoga class in 2018 and completed her 200-hour Teacher Training at IYI SF in 2023. Through a regular meditation and yoga practice she cultivated a connection to the body, a deeper understanding of the self, and a sense of inner peace that is often muted by the modern world. An immigrant from the Philippines, Zipporah advocates for improved BIPOC representation across media, technology, and yogic spaces.
Special Guest:
Dominique Dela Cruz (she/her) is a Bay Area sound practitioner, multi-instrumentalist, registered nurse, and meditation teacher. Her journey into the world of wellness started in her teenage years when she entered her first yoga class and experienced the transformative power of the mind-body-and spirit connection. This led her down a path of deep reflection and liberation, which began with studying yoga and meditation in Rishikesh in 2016. Since then, Dominique has expanded her own studies and teachings to include modern meditation, leadership coaching, and the ancient practices of sound healing. With over 25 years as a musician, she uses melodies, harmonies, and textures to create sonic soundscapes that transport listeners into a state of restoration and peace while cultivating a practice of mindfulness and active listening. Currently, you can find Dominique leading virtual sound meditations through the Modern Meditation Club and in-person sound experiences that resonate with the soul.

New Moon Hanuman Chalisa
2024-02-09 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.

New Beginnings Writing Group
2024-02-09 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 Sliding scale | Meets second & fourth Friday of each month.Book now Please register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Next session is February 23 and is open for enrollment.
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 (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.

Scripture Study: Yoga Sutras for Modern Times, 3-part series
2024-02-05 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.
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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Creating a Spiritual Vision; Community Meeting, Fundraiser & Potluck
2024-01-06 11:00 - 13:00
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo 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.
By coming together, we can inspire one another in renewing our spiritual vision for this new year. Swami Ramananda will also share the Institute’s plans for the coming year and invite your feedback on how we can best serve you. Then, we’ll have some fun playing Yoga Jeopardy together! After the meeting we will share a potluck meal. Please bring a vegetarian dish to share (no meat, fish or eggs). There will be tea and cookies for everyone to enjoy.
Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, C-IAYT, and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition, who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life, and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco, and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He is a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.

New 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.

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

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.

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