Integral Yoga San Francisco

Freeing Your Yoga Practice
2025-06-21 15:45 - 16:45 (America/Los_Angeles)
Online & In-person | $10-30 sliding scale –Class passes & memberships are accepted.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Join Raisa Punkki as she leads you through a mixed-level hatha yoga practice. ‘Stretch your body, stretch your mind’ by incorporating different flow variations and breaking patterns of habitual practice. Explore the possibility of taking your hatha practice to the next level by finding the optimal level of strengthening, stretching and awareness building. The class will include asana, and some deep relaxation, pranayama (breathing practices) and meditation.
Previous experience with yoga is welcome.
Afternoon of Yoga at IYISF in celebration of International Day of Yoga & Summer Solstice.
Pacific times | online & in-person:
2:00-3:30 pm – Enlighten Up: How to Enjoy the Spiritual Path with Swamis Asokananda & Ramananda
3:45-4:45 pm – Freeing Your Yoga Practice – mixed level with Raisa Punkki
3:45-4:45 pm – Gentle Yoga class with Kayko Watanabe
5:00-6:00 pm – Light Immersion with Subtle Practices with Diana Meltsner
All levels of practice are welcome. All programs are available for individual sign up online or in-person at a sliding scale pricing.
All proceeds will help us sustain our mission:
“The Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco, founded by Sri Swami Satchidananda, is a non-profit, interfaith organization dedicated to serving the community through living and sharing the classical teachings of Yoga, making the teachings accessible, and cultivating peace and harmony among all people.”

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

Gentle Yoga
2025-06-21 15:45 - 16:45
Online & In-person | $10-30 sliding scale –Class passes & memberships are accepted.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
This class is suitable for beginners, seniors, and individuals with injuries, disabilities, or illnesses – or anyone seeking a gentler experience. It consists of warm-ups both in a chair and standing, followed by modified traditional vinyasa with the chair for support. The class concludes with relaxation, breathing, and meditation, promoting holistic benefits for overall well-being.
Everyone is welcome to attend, either in-person or online. A sturdy chair and a blanket will be used during the practice.
Afternoon of Yoga at IYISF in celebration of International Day of Yoga & Summer Solstice.
Pacific times | online & in-person:
2:00-3:30 pm – Enlighten Up: How to Enjoy the Spiritual Path with Swamis Asokananda & Ramananda
3:45-4:45 pm – Freeing Your Yoga Practice – mixed level with Raisa Punkki
3:45-4:45 pm – Gentle Yoga class with Kayko Watanabe
5:00-6:00 pm – Light Immersion with Subtle Practices with Diana Meltsner
All levels of practice are welcome. All programs are available for individual sign up online or in-person at a sliding scale pricing.
All proceeds will help us sustain our mission:
“The Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco, founded by Sri Swami Satchidananda, is a non-profit, interfaith organization dedicated to serving the community through living and sharing the classical teachings of Yoga, making the teachings accessible, and cultivating peace and harmony among all people.”

Kayko Watanabe, C-IAYT, has been a part of the Integral Yoga Institute (IYI) community for more than two decades. She completed Basic Teacher Training at IYI and obtained her RYT 200 certification in the spring of 2019, followed by RYT500 in 2021. Kayko is dedicated to giving back to the community of San Francisco and beyond by teaching yoga as a form of Karma yoga practice, which is a selfless service. She strives to create a safe and nurturing environment for her students while also making sure they have fun. She strongly believes in the concept of “yoga for all” and is passionate about providing accessible yoga to people with age-related ailments, limited mobility, and chronic illnesses. She is a certified yoga therapist and has received training in anatomy & physiology, psychology & mental health, as well as Yoga for Arthritis® founded by Dr. Steffany Moonaz, and Yoga Therapy in Cancer & Chronic Illness (YCat) spearheaded by Jnani Chapman of the Commonweal Cancer Help Program. When not teaching at IYI, Kayko leads therapeutic yoga classes for local senior centers and community-based public health services while working privately with small groups and individuals. She also offers Hatha classes in the Japanese language, introducing Integral Yoga to the Japanese community in the Bay Area. You can learn more about Kayko’s offerings at kaykowatanabe.com

Light Immersion with Subtle Practices
2025-06-21 17:00 - 18:00
Online & In-person | $10-30 sliding scale –Class passes & memberships are accepted.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Join us for a special practice of subtle Yoga as we celebrate both the International Day of Yoga and the Summer Solstice. Subtle practices, like the physical practice of Yoga, establish a deep connection with the universe. They offer a unique opportunity to open the doors to higher states of consciousness, inner Light, and pranic healing.
The session will include:
⋅ Yoga Nidra: A deep relaxation practice to awaken the pranic flow within the body
⋅ Breathing exercises: Techniques to enhance vitality and energy
⋅ Guided meditation: Focusing on connecting with the Earth and uncovering our Inner Light
⋅ Light invocation: Inviting positivity and illumination
⋅ Extended Gayatri Mantra chanting: A powerful mantra to harmonize body, mind, and spirit chanted to enlighten the mind
The Summer Solstice serves as a reminder to honor our connection to the natural world and the inevitable cycles of life. It’s a time to celebrate our inner power and brightness.
Afternoon of Yoga at IYISF in celebration of International Day of Yoga & Summer Solstice.
Pacific times | online & in-person:
2:00-3:30 pm – Enlighten Up: How to Enjoy the Spiritual Path with Swamis Asokananda & Ramananda
3:45-4:45 pm – Freeing Your Yoga Practice – mixed level with Raisa Punkki
3:45-4:45 pm – Gentle Yoga class with Kayko Watanabe
5:00-6:00 pm – Light Immersion with Subtle Practices with Diana Meltsner
All levels of practice are welcome. All programs are available for individual sign up online or in-person at a sliding scale pricing.
All proceeds will help us sustain our mission:
“The Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco, founded by Sri Swami Satchidananda, is a non-profit, interfaith organization dedicated to serving the community through living and sharing the classical teachings of Yoga, making the teachings accessible, and cultivating peace and harmony among all people.”

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 over 15 years of experience in leading and co-teaching Yoga and Meditation teacher trainings. She has been working in the clinical setting for Kaiser Permanente since 2005 as a yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and health educator. Diana’s focus is on the healing aspects of Yoga on the mind as well as the body by applying the physical postures, practices of breath-control, mindfulness and meditation. Diana helps her clients to find the ability to move through life with increased ease, stress resilience, and intuition. Diana Meltsner works as a programs manager at Integral Yoga Institute, an urban ashram in San Francisco. www.dianameltsner.com

Death Cafe
2025-06-22 15:00 - 16:30
In-person | $1-$15 Sliding scale or enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Join Leslie for a Death Cafe at Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco. At a Death Cafe people, often strangers, gather to eat cookies, drink tea and discuss death.
What is Death Cafe?
It is a group discussion about death with the topics determined by attendees, with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session. The objective is ‘to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives’.
Death Cafes are always offered:

On a not for profit basis, donation based
In an accessible, respectful and confidential space
With no intention of leading people to any conclusion, product or course of action.

You can learn more about Death Cafe
Leslie has taken a deep dive into death and dying after losing a long time student to uterine cancer. She has had a 30 year obsession with Savasana which is the last pose done in a yoga class and is translated as “corpse” pose. She is very interested in the intersection of how yoga, breathwork and intentional savasana can help people become more comfortable with the inevitable end we all must face. Leslie Howard has taught folks yoga for the last 30 years and has recently completed sixty hours of End Of Life Training and is a hospice volunteer at Kaiser.

Leslie Howard is an Oakland-based yoga teacher, specializing in all things pelvic. She leads workshops and trainings nationally and has written a book about caring for the female pelvis, Pelvic Liberation. In 2022, after losing a long time student, she took a deep dive into the subject of death. She has 60 hours of Death Doula training, runs a regular Death Café (a place to come and talk about death) and is volunteering in hospice for Kaiser Oakland. Her teaching is informed by over 3500 hours of yoga study with senior Iyengar yoga teachers. She considers Ramanand Patel her most important influence and mentor. She has designed two very successful studies for UCSF on how to use yoga to alleviate incontinence and pelvic pain. To learn more about Leslie or for some online education opportunities visit:lesliehowardyoga.com

Spiritual Study: Yoga and Mystical Experiences, 2 of 3 - part
2025-06-23 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.
3 Mondays, June 16, 23, 30 • 6:00 – 7:00pm | Offered individually

6/16 Book now
6/23 Book now
6/30 Book now

Mystics from diverse traditions often describe their experiences in remarkably similar ways. In this series, we will explore the mystical experiences of several great beings, from ancient times to the present. We will examine how these experiences align with the teachings of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and how transcending identification with the body and mind can open the door to realms beyond time and space—realms accessible to all of us.
The Yoga Spiritual Study series is an offering in which participants learn and discuss how the teachings of Yoga apply to our daily lives. We read passages from scriptures of Yoga and other ancient and contemporary spiritual texts, take time to reflect upon them, and share with each other how these words and practices support us on the spiritual path. All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.

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

New Beginnings Writing Group
2025-06-27 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.
Meets twice a month on 2nd and 4th Friday | Ongoing
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.
Upcoming sessions:
Friday, July 11 Book now
Friday, July 25 Book now

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.

Kirtan with Acharya Mangalananda
2025-06-28 19:00 - 20:30
CANCELED
In-person
$20 In advance, use promo code UNION | $25 Day of
Chanting mantras and prayers are elements of the Bhakti Yoga path which leads to union with the Divine Consciousness. Chanting calms the nerves, purifies the emotions, heals the body and opens the heart. It elevates and concentrates the mind, preparing one for silent mantra repetition, meditation and communion with the Divine. Chanting done with a devotional attitude lifts the emotions toward selfless, divine love.

Acharya Mangalananda began his spiritual life in 1972 under the guidance of Swami Satchidananda, a direct disciple of Swami Sivananda. After an inner experience with Anandamayi Ma, the great woman Saint mentioned in Yogananda’s “Autobiography of a Yogi”, with Sw. Satchidananda’s permission, he went to India to find her. He travelled with her in India during 1973 and ’74, receiving mantra Initiation from her. He has been since living within her Lineage with some of her great disciples in ashrams in the US and India. In 2001, he was sent back to India by Ma’s main Swami, Sw. Bhaskarananda to help start a school in one of her ashrams. He lived in Central India for twelve years, teaching in this school and also traveling within India extensively.
From 2007 to 2013, the Ashram sent him yearly to Europe and the US to present kirtan concerts and classes. In 2013, he returned to the US and lives in the San Francisco area, where he presents programs and hosts an online worldwide Matri Satsang group. He is an appointed Acharya (Lineage Teacher) of Ma Sharanam Ashram in India. He is the author of the book A Goddess Among Us which has been translated and published into five different languages. He is on the Board of Directors of the Shri Anandamayi Ma Ashram and Temple in Massachusetts and is a guest speaker and musician at Satchidananda Ashram/Yogaville, as well as at Sivananda Yoga Farm and Sivananda Bahama.

Spiritual Study: Yoga and Mystical Experiences, 3 of 3 - part
2025-06-30 18:00 - 19:00

Raja Yoga II: A Deeper Dive into the Sutras, 5-week course
2025-07-01 17:00 - 19:30
July 1 – August 5, 2025
Tuesdays: 5:00 – 7:30 pm PT – Online
Sundays: 8:30 am – 12 pm PT – Hybrid (Online with In-person option)
Tuition:

$395 Early early bird, exp. 5/1/25
$445 Early bird, exp. 6/1/25
$495 regular

Learn more/Apply Please register in advance via our Thinkific learning platform.
Raja Yoga II: A Deeper Dive into the Sutras, 5-week course aims towards personal transformation and spiritual awakening. This advanced Raja Yoga studies course offers a chance to deepen one’s knowledge of Yoga philosophy and its applications.
Many who have completed Raja Yoga Teacher Training or have studied Raja Yoga extensively have expressed interest in a deeper dive into the study and practice of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. These timeless teachings have transformed the lives of inestimable spiritual seekers. Each time we approach them with open hearts and quiet minds, new levels of meaning are exposed and we awaken more fully to the Spiritual Presence we all share.
Yoga Alliance CE hours: 35 (additional 5 for optional teaching participation)
Prerequisites:

Completion of Raja Yoga Teacher Training or an alternate extensive study course.
Having read through all of the chapters of Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali in one or more translations prior to the course.
Experience with incorporating the Sutras into daily life.

All the materials shared online and the recordings of the lectures will be available throughout the course and for 3 months after completion.

Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, YACEP is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco 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 Hatha Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco as well as Meditation and Raja Yoga teacher trainings. He 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 Divyananda has a wealth of experience teaching Integral Yoga around the world since 1973. She has taught at corporations, universities, the Commonwealth Cancer Center, and for the Dr. Dean Ornish Reversing Heart Disease programs. She has also served as one of Integral Yoga’s Basic Hatha teacher trainers.
Swami Divyananda Ma took monastic vows in 1975 from the great saint and yogi, Sri Swami Satchidananda. Over the years she has served as the director of the Integral Yoga Institutes in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and as Ashram Manager at Yogaville. She also served for ten years as the director of the Integral Yoga Institute in Coimbatore, India; this immersion into the South Indian culture has given depth to her understanding and practice of Yoga.
Now an itinerant monk, Swami Divyananda is constantly “on the road.” She leads the annual Sacred India Tours to sacred sites in India in addition to international Yoga retreats and trainings. See more at sacredindiatours.org
Kealoha DeLuz, M.Div., Ph.D., is a holistic practitioner, coach, and teacher with over 30 years of experience in integrating Eastern and Western modalities and accelerating the mind-body-spirit connection. He believes that mental health is on the rise and that becoming a Raja yoga teacher can help reduce stress levels for the world at large. Kealoha sees this as a duty rather than a passion, and he believes that the yoga sutra is a treasure map to help all awaken.
Kealoha holds a M.Div. in Theological Studies, a Ph.D. in Holistic Life Coaching, and is working on a second degree in Transpersonal Counseling. He is certified as an integral yoga teacher (Levels I, II, III), Raja Yoga, Meditation & Pranayama, Stress Management, a licensed massage therapist, a licensed skin care practitioner, and a holistic life coach & counselor.
Kealoha offers a range of services to his clients, including coaching and spiritual facilitation, he also hosts a weekly Sutras study group, meditation and stress management, massage therapy and skin care, and a holistic business philosophy. He has expertise in developing holistic techniques utilizing yoga psychology, meditation, and action-based practices. He helps clients discover their authentic vitality and most urgent questions, supports them as they make exponentially positive changes in their lives, and achieves and maintains balance through unique processes and journeys.

Kealoha was born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii and now resides in San Francisco, California. He is continuously learning about life and loves all animals, especially cats. His favorite thing to do is to sit in a coffee house and read a good book.
Sue Evans, MBA/MHA, C-IAYT, E-CYT discovered Yoga in 2000 to help manage work-related stress and found the practice to be healing. She is now an Integral Yoga Certified Instructor at the 500 hour level and is certified to teach Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Hatha. Certified in Raja yoga she teaches as an Adjunct Lecturer at Wake Forest University; a for credit class, The Transformative Practice of Yoga, which is a combination of the 8 limbs of yoga, focusing on the Yamas and Niyamas and basic Hatha. She is also certified to teach Yoga for Stress Management and teaches the faculty and staff at local high schools and in a variety of corporate environments. After completing the Yoga for Cancer and Chronic Illness training, Sue began teaching a weekly class at the Cancer Center of Wake Forest University and has been involved with several federally funded research projects at the Medical School. In addition, Sue is a member of the Integral Yoga Therapy Training Program (800hr) and enjoys her role as student mentor.
Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, YACEP has been teaching Yoga in the Bay Area since 2001. Diana has been a lead teacher trainer for 200-hour Integral Yoga Teacher Trainings since 2012 and Meditation Teacher Training since 2020. The classes she teaches include various levels of Hatha Yoga, chair/gentle, prenatal, guided mindfulness meditations, and various Yoga workshops including anatomy and healing with Yoga, pranayama and meditation workshops. She’s been working as a health educator and Yoga instructor for Kaiser Permanente since 2014. Study of the texts on spirituality, Yoga, Vedanta, lives of saints, their application to current times has been her interest since her teens and
Diana is a C-IAYT certified Yoga therapist and served as a mentor for the Integral Yoga Therapy 800-hour certification program. Diana offers individual therapeutic sessions privately and at the SF Integral Yoga Therapy Clinic with focus on physical and mental wellness. Her offerings help people to find a deeper sense of well-being and ability to move through life with increased ease, intuition, and stress resilience as well as finding personal and spiritual awakening. www.dianameltsner.com

Satsang: Guru Purnima
2025-07-05 17:30 - 18:30
Online or in-person | $5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Guru Purnima is an annual celebration that offers us an opportunity to express gratitude to our spiritual teachers and to recommit ourselves to the teachings they have imparted. We will honor the founder of Integral Yoga, Sri Swami Satchidananda, his teacher Sri Swami Sivananda of the Saraswati lineage, as well as teachers who transmit wisdom from all spiritual traditions.
All are invited to join in deepening their connection to the source of grace and guidance, however they experience it.
Everyone is welcome to stay for tea and light snacks afterwards.
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 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.
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.

Guru Purnima Puja
2025-07-10 12:00 - 12:45
Online & In-person | Free
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
This annual devotional service is a time to come together, express gratitude, and receive blessings from our teachers—the founder of Integral Yoga, Sri Swami Satchidananda; his teacher, Sri Swami Sivananda of our Saraswati lineage; as well as teachers who transmit the teachings of all spiritual traditions. A puja (spiritual service) with participatory chanting will be performed. This service will include our noon meditation.

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

New Beginnings Writing Group
2025-07-11 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Meets twice a month on 2nd and 4th Friday | Ongoing
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.
Next session:
Friday, 7/25 Book now

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.

Kirtan with Ekachakra Prana and The Bhakti Band
2025-07-12 19:00 - 20:30
In-person | $15 In advance, use promo code KIRTAN | $20 Day of
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Come immerse yourself in the transcendental vibrations of the maha-mantra! Drawing from the rich tradition of Gaudiya Vaisnavism (The Hare Krishnas!), a rockstar-turned-monk will take you on a spiritual journey through song. From meditative to ecstatic, both emotional and highly musical, your heart, voice and ears are in for a treat. According to the Vedic wisdom literatures, singing holy names of God together is the topmost process of self-realization in this age. So let’s get down to it!

Ekachakra Prana was a touring musician and yoga teacher searching for God when he met Indradyumna Swami, who invited him to travel the world in his Kirtan band. Over the next several years he wrote books about his experiences living in bhakti yoga ashrams and traveling to Kirtan festivals around the world. He recently settled in Silicon Valley at the request of his spiritual teacher, Vaisesika Dasa.

Knees Need Good Yoga
2025-07-13 13:00 - 15:00
Online & In-person
$40 Early bird, use promo code KNEES, exp. 7/6 | $45 Regular
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Most people with knee issues can benefit from a deeper understanding of the underlying causes and learn how to tailor their yoga practice to strengthen the supporting muscles. With the right knowledge and techniques, you can improve stability while maintaining essential mobility.
In this workshop, we’ll explore fundamental stretches and strengthening postures for the knees. Participants will also receive a brief written practice to continue the work at home.
Keep walking—and doing all the things you love—by cultivating happy, healthy knees.
Attendees may request two hours of continuing education (CE) credit, which meet Yoga Alliance or IAYT standards.

Dawn​ ​Summers​,YACEP, ERYT-500​, is a certified Yoga Therapist who has been teaching yoga​ ​since becoming an Integral Yoga teacher in 1985. She has been a senior faculty in Teachers Training and Yoga Therapists Training Programs for the American​ ​Viniyoga Institute. She teaches classes through Ocean Yoga and works privately with individual students.

Sunday Spiritual Talk: Eastern and Western Wisdom's Approaches to Thought Fluctuations
2025-07-20 11:00 - 12:00
$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.
There is a vast body of content across time and cultures on the experience of thinking and how this function of the mind can lead to profound suffering. The Yoga Sutras describe yoga as “the restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff” (योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः॥२॥ – Yogas Citta Vritti Nirodhah), suggesting that mental activity distorts reality, resulting in a sense of disconnection and pain.
Modern teacher Eckhart Tolle speaks of identification with form—particularly attachment to thought forms—as a primary factor in the creation of ego and the illusion of a separate “me.” Similarly, many Western psychotherapeutic approaches focus on our interpretations of events as a core driver of emotional distress, aiming to increase awareness of thought patterns and promote cognitive restructuring as a path to well-being.
Overall, both conscious and unconscious attachment to thought forms is a significant theme closely linked to spiritual and emotional suffering. In this workshop, we will explore how both Eastern and Western teachings approach the nature of thinking, and we will learn techniques to help loosen the grip of thought and free ourselves from its trance.
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.

Dylan Burditt has his RYT-500 from the Integral Yoga Institute, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), and currently resides in and serves the community of Mammoth Lakes, CA through yoga teachings and working professionally as a psychotherapist. In his personal life, he enjoys spending time with his partner and dog, being in nature, buzzing through cities, cooking and eating delicious plant-based food, traveling, experiencing music, being quiet, and connecting to body, mind, soul, and higher power. You can learn more about him and his offerings at dylanburditt.com.

New Beginnings Writing Group
2025-07-25 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Meets twice a month on 2nd and 4th Friday, ongoing.
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.

Sukhawat Ali Khan & Cali Qawwali in a Sufi & Kirtan Concert
2025-07-26 19:00 - 20:30
In-person
$20 In advance, use promo code SOULFUL | $25 Day of
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Sukhawat Ali Khan leads Cali Qawwali, a soulful qawwali ensemble. Performances by Cali Qawwali bring you group singing and an instrumental sound, combining introspective prayer and joyful celebration. This music is performed both in unplugged and in electric abandon. Cali Qawwali’s unique spiritual music calls upon traditional Sufi and classical raag-based songs from Pakistan and India, new compositions, Bollywood, kirtan, ghazal and folk. The music is nourished by Sukhawat Ali’s immersion in the Shaam Chaurasi gharana, his musical family dating from the sixteenth century. Lyrics are in Urdu/Hindi, Punjabi, Arabic and Persian, sometimes combined effortlessly in one song. The audience is often invited to clap, sing and move with the band, creating a Cali Qawwali form of dhamaal, which is a song and dance seen at Sufi shrines. Instagram: @caliqawwali Soundcloud: Cali Qawwali
Sukhawat Ali Khan ji’s Sufi music samples:

Allah Hu: https://soundcloud.com/caliqawwali/allah-hu
Ghulam Ali: https://soundcloud.com/casaganeshrecords/sets/laaj-review
Jogiya: https://soundcloud.com/caliqawwali/jogiya
Raste Juda Juda: https://soundcloud.com/casaganeshrecords/raste-juda-juda-sukhawat-ali
Ghoom Charakhana: https://soundcloud.com/caliqawwali/ghoom-charakhana
Heer: https://soundcloud.com/casaganeshrecords/heer-sukhawat-ali-khan
Door: https://soundcloud.com/casaganeshrecords/door-sukhawat-ali-khan

Sukhawat Ali Khan, vocals and harmonium – Sukhawat Ali is a classical vocalist from the Sham Chaurasi Gharana, a tradition founded in the 16th century. He is the son of legendary Indian-Pakistani vocalist Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and nephew of Nazakat Ali Khan. In addition to being a master of Hindustani classical music, he is an accomplished performer of North Indian and Pakistani devotional and folk music and ghazals. He began singing and playing music at the age of seven with his father Salamat Ali Khan, and has performed extensively around the world. Based in Sacramento he teaches individual students in the San Francisco Bay Area and leads Cali Qawwali. Instagram: @alisukhawat
Vivek Anand, vocals – A vocalist deeply rooted in emotional and spiritual expression, Vivek hails from a musical family in Bombay and has studied with Sukhawat Ali Khan for sixteen years. His repertoire spans Hindustani classical, semi-classical, bhajans, Sufi songs, and ghazals. Vivek performs solo and in other ensemble concerts in the Bay Area with Rita Sahai, her Vasundhara Choir, and with Anhad Naad. Instagram: @vivek.anand.sf
Irum Aftab, vocals – A vocalist and passionate student of Sukhawat Ali Khan, Irum hails from Pakistan and now lives in Berkeley. Her musical focus is on understanding the raagas that form the foundation of ghazal, folk, geet, and qawwali music across South Asia. Instagram: @irum.out.west
Saima Jamshed, vocals and percussion – A multi-instrumental percussionist and vocalist, Saima began playing dholak at age six. Now a key member of the qawwali ensemble led by Sukhawat Ali Khan, she brings joyful energy to the stage through dholak, darbuka, tambourine, and shakers. Originally from Karachi and now based in Berkeley, she continues classical and qawwali training under Sukhawat Ali Khan and Rita Sahai. Instagram: @saimamilesaway
Varun Pattabhiraman, drum set and percussion – An Indian percussionist based in San Francisco, Varun seamlessly blends traditional Carnatic percussion with global rhythms. He explores hybrid setups that incorporate instruments like the cajón, Roland HandSonic, drum set and mridangam. Instagram: @varunrpraman
Craig Reiter, acoustic and electric bass guitar – Craig Reiter is a multi-talented creative spirit whose musical expression transcends form. Known for channeling the divine through any instrument he encounters, his eclectic interests include everything from card counting to feline domestication, all of which somehow feed into his musical persona.
Daljeet Singh, acoustic and electric guitar – Daljeet brings the magic as a music director and guitarist, fusing devotional, classical Indian, Sufi, old-school Bollywood, and rock influences into a sound that is both soulful and electrifying. A master at building bands and weaving traditions, he is the driving force behind the group’s unique sound. Instagram: @ka8mandude

TRE® – Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises
2025-07-27 10:00 - 12:00
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.
$50 Early bird, use promo code TRE, exp. 7/20
$55 Regular
TRE is a simple, gentle and profound technique that facilitates the lengthening and relaxation of the psoas muscle and the release of physical and emotional tension and stress. The TRE exercises mildly tire the legs, triggering an involuntary shaking and trembling response, which begins in the legs and often spreads throughout the body. This natural response is the nervous system’s way of discharging long-held tension and unconscious body contraction, caused by everyday stress and traumatic life experiences, in order to restore the body to wholeness.
TRE was developed by Dr. David Berceli, a bio-energetic therapist and social worker, who used it successfully worldwide working with soldiers, firefighters, police officers and survivors of war, natural disasters and other traumatic circumstances to help alleviate the many symptoms of post-traumatic stress. TRE is taught in over 75 countries worldwide.
Originally developed for sufferers of trauma, over the past few decades, TRE is becoming an increasingly popular way to also deal with the stressors of everyday life.
Reported benefits include:

decrease anxiety
release chronic tension
discharge emotional and physical trauma
increase energy and flexibility
improve sleep and mood
decrease of aches, pains and symptoms of fibromyalgia and sciatica

This workshop is suitable for all ages and fitness levels as the exercises can be modified to accommodate any body’s need. Maria offers a weekly online refresher class that workshop participants can attend by donation.
CEU certificate available upon request from the teacher for psychotherapists and massage therapists.

Maria is a native Italian living in Santa Cruz, California. She has over 30 years of yoga experience and a background in Chinese martial arts and massage. As a senior TRE® Certification Trainer, since 2004, she has taught thousands of people in the US, Canada, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. She assisted Dr. Berceli, TRE’s founder, in numerous trainings in the US, South Africa, Brazil and Japan and led hundreds of public workshops and over hundred certification trainings worldwide. Maria is also the co-creator of Neurogenic Yoga™, the sister method of TRE. Maria facilitates workshops and trainings globally. She creates a supportive environment that makes people feel safe as she leads her classes with compassion and a sense of humor

Open House: Intermediate Teacher Training
2025-07-31 18:00 - 19:00
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.
We invite you to attend this information session to learn more about our ONLINE Intermediate Yoga Teacher Training (ITT) program. You’ll have the opportunity to meet the trainers, explore the curriculum, and ask any questions you may have.
The ITT is a highly interactive training in which we will explore and experience the profound benefits of advanced Yoga practices. Please note that this program does not include instruction in basic teaching methodology.
Our 2025 Intermediate Teacher Training team includes lead trainers Swami Ramananda, Snehan Born, and Letícia Padmasri, with guest trainer Swami Asokananda and senior staff member Raisa Punkki.
We welcome all 200-hour Yoga Alliance-certified teachers from other schools. Completion of this program qualifies you to teach at any Integral Yoga center worldwide.
For over forty years, we have led teacher trainings here in San Francisco. Our experienced faculty use time-tested methods to ensure a high-quality and supportive learning environment. This program is designed to prepare you to teach both in person and online, with dedicated staff providing personalized online coaching throughout the training.
For more details about the Training or to apply please visit: Intermediate Yoga Teacher Training

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.

Celebrating Community; Karma Yoga
2025-08-02 11:00 - 14:00
Free
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Join us for a few hours of fun, food, and meaningful connection as we explore how to transform our work into spiritual practice. We’ll begin with a brief talk and discussion on the practice of Karma Yoga, led by Swami Ramananda. This will be followed by an opportunity to support our beautiful building through mindful service—cleaning the Institute’s classrooms, hallways, and outdoor areas with awareness and joy.
We’ll conclude our time together with an extended deep relaxation and a nourishing meal. During the meal, we will honor the dedicated Karma Yogis who have generously supported the Institute over the past few years.
“Work done in the right attitude becomes consecrated; becomes a sacred act. A life consecrated in doing selfless acts will become a divine life.” – Swami Sivananda

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.
Kia Meaux. I have been a dedicated student of yoga since 1989 beginning with my first teacher, Richard Freeman in Boulder, CO. I began teaching my alignment-based vinyasa flow classes in 1998 here in San Francisco and then eventually opened my own yoga studio, Kaya Yoga in 2006. Due to Covid I closed my yoga studio in 2022 and currently only teach yoga online. My interest has moved more towards meditation and the practice of deeply contemplating “What Am I? I am currently a Resident of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco where I have the great fortune to manage the daily organization of the house.
Raama Das, C-IAYT, is a former director of the Integral Yoga® Teachers Association and has been instructing Integral Yoga since 2009. He is a lead trainer for the Integral Yoga 200-hour Teacher Training at Yogaville and co-presenter for the 200 and 500-hour Yoga Alliance programs at Heal Me Institute in Fredericksburg. Raama recently received certification as a Yoga Therapist through the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), having studied Yoga programs for specific health conditions, including, anxiety, depression, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and addiction. He is also certified as a teacher of Intermediate Hatha, Raja Yoga, Meditation, Stress Management, Yin Yoga, and Yoga for our Elders. Raama has studied and served extensively at the Integral Yoga Academy at Yogaville and managed the Integral Yoga Therapy Program. In addition, he has participated in many months of deep Tantric and classical Yoga sadhana (practice) at the Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School in Sweden under the direction of Swami Janakananda. He currently serves as Institute Manager at the Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco.

Satsang: Poetry Reading
2025-08-02 17:30 - 18:30
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.
Join us 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.
Everyone is welcome to stay for tea and light snacks afterwards.
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 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 over 15 years of experience in leading and co-teaching Yoga and Meditation teacher trainings. She has been working in the clinical setting for Kaiser Permanente since 2005 as a yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and health educator. Diana’s focus is on the healing aspects of Yoga on the mind as well as the body by applying the physical postures, practices of breath-control, mindfulness and meditation. Diana helps her clients to find the ability to move through life with increased ease, stress resilience, and intuition. Diana Meltsner works as a programs manager at Integral Yoga Institute, an urban ashram in San Francisco. dianameltsner.com

New Beginnings Writing Group
2025-08-08 16:00 - 17:30, 2025-08-22 16:00 - 17:30
Online | $1-15 sliding scale
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Meets twice a month on 2nd and 4th Friday | Ongoing
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.
Upcoming sessions:
Friday, August 8 Book now
Friday, August 22 Book now

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.

Kirtan with Mirabai
2025-08-09 19:00 - 20:30
In-person | $20 In advance, use promo code MIRABAI | $25 Day of
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Kirtan, a call-and-response style chanting, is part of the path of Bhakti Yoga — the path of opening the heart through devotion and surrender. It is the music of the heart, and is sung freely from the heart. Using these practices, breathing and chanting helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Kirtan is a spiritual gathering treasure that nourishes our soul, heart and spirit.
No experience is necessary to participate, pre-registration is recommended.

Mirabai Warkulwiz planted her yoga and meditation roots in San Francisco at the Sivananda Center in 1998. Amazed at her healing of a back injury and many other positive life changes, she became yoga certified through 200-hour teacher training programs both at the Integral Yoga Institute in 2004, and at the Greenpath Ashtanga Studio in 2005. In July 2008 she completed another 170 hour Intermediate Teacher Training program in Asana and Pranayama through the Integral Yoga Institute in Virginia. She is attuned to Reiki Level 1, studies Aryuveda, is a dancer, and enjoys being in communion with nature. She invites all of her yoga students to transcend physical, emotional, and mental blocks to experience more spaciousness, comfort, happiness, clarity, and inner peace. As a Kirtan musician (Mirabai and Friends Kirtan Band) Mirabai leads Kirtan around the Bay Area, and enjoys implementing chanting, sound, and music into class.

Sunday Spiritual Talk: Self-Realization as a Daily Practice
2025-08-17 11:00 - 12:00
$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.
We often think of self-realization as the goal of Yoga, but what does that truly mean to us? It can remain a vague and distant concept, seemingly disconnected from our daily lives. Join Ramananda for a discussion on how we can free ourselves from the illusion of separation and how our everyday thoughts and actions can become meaningful steps toward realizing our true nature.
Satsang is a special time for us to come together as a community. In Sanskrit, Sat means truth and Sangha means community. Satsang offers an opportunity to come together to share spiritual teachings. The philosophy of Integral Yoga is explored often through an informal discussion. Although our spiritual paths may diverge, the act of sharing spiritual teachings with others is inspiring and creates a solid foundation for continued practice.

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.
Swami Yatidharmananda is a globally recognised Yogi from India and is the founder of Swami Chidananda Sevashram. The Sevashram is a Socio-Spiritual Organization dedicated to the life and teachings of Gurudev Swami Chidanandaji. He conducts workshops on Relaxation and Meditation, Sings Kirtans and loves to share inspiring stories of his life transformative journey. He has also developed unique and impactful programs that heal, empower and transform you to tackle challenges in day to day lives. He dedicated himself to the service of his Guru Swami Chidananda Saraswati and was blessed to be with him 24X7 for many years. He had the rare opportunity and blessing to observe one of the greatest saints that left an indelible imprint on his life. In the year 2000, he received Sannyasa Diksha. Having received so much unconditionally, urges him to share this anecdotal wisdom with one and all. In July 2015, he set out on his own and founded Swami Chidananda Sevashram with the blessings of Gurudev Swami Chidananda ji of Sivananda Ashram. It is a monastery for the modern world where people of all ages and backgrounds can live on the principles and practices of Ayurveda for the body, Yoga for the mind and Vedanta for the soul. It also brings together revered teachers from around the world for sharing knowledge and wisdom on various wellness based activities. Since 2016 he has traveled extensively each year to US and Europe for conducting workshops on Relaxation & meditation and conducted Kirtans. Since September 2020 Swami Yatidharmananda is serving as the General Secretary of Swami Sivanand Seva Samiti, and living in the company of Swami Premanandaji and Swami Atmanandaji, the direct disciples of Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj at the Sivananda Ashram, Ganeshpur, Uttarkashi, Himalayas, India. https://sivanandsevasamiti.org/about/swami-yatidharmananda

Sri Swami Satchidananda's Mahasamadhi Puja
2025-08-19 12:00 - 12:45
Free | Online or in-person
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Join us for a special service in memory of Sri Swami Satchidananda’s passing, Mahasamadhi, a time to come together for blessings and to offer gratitude for guidance and love of our spiritual teacher and a founder of Integral Yoga. A puja (spiritual service) with participatory chanting will be performed. This service will include our noon meditation.

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.

Integral Yoga Reunion: Celebrating our Unity
2025-08-21 08:00 - 2025-08-25 17:00
In-Person at Yogaville, VA.
Sign up Via Yogaville.org
Exploring Our Interconnected Journey
Join us at Satchidananda Ashram, Yogaville, for a joyful gathering of hearts and minds as we come together to celebrate our shared journey in Integral Yoga.
This reunion is an opportunity to reconnect with old friends, forge new bonds, and deepen our understanding of the unity that weaves us all together. Through shared practices, discussions, and joyful interactions, we will explore the threads that connect us in love and acceptance.
Let’s gather in the spirit of togetherness to celebrate our collective journey and the divine essence that unites us all.
This Program Offers:

Daily group sadhana schedule
Workshops on yogic lifestyle and philosophy led by senior Integral Yoga practitioners
Intergenerational Dialogue: Bridging experiences across different yoga generations
Evening Community Gatherings including kirtan and inspirational talks
Collective Meditation: Group meditation at the LOTUS shrine
Guided hikes across the beautiful ashram landscape
Delicious, vegetarian meals for a enhanced immune system

What to Expect:
At our Integral Yoga Reunion, you can anticipate a journey of spiritual connection and personal transformation. Our gathering will offer a nurturing, inclusive environment where practitioners of all levels can explore deep meditation, yoga practices, and meaningful community interactions. Expect to engage in heartfelt sharing circles, transformative workshops, and collective sadhana that celebrate our interconnectedness. You’ll experience a blend of introspective practices and joyful community celebrations, designed to honor individual paths while recognizing our shared spiritual path of Integral Yoga. Whether you’re seeking personal growth, healing, or simply a space of unconditional acceptance, this reunion promises to be a transformative experience that weaves together individual threads into a beautiful, collective tapestry of consciousness, love, and understanding.
All Are Welcome:
This Integral Yoga Reunion is a heartfelt gathering that embraces practitioners of all levels and backgrounds, celebrating the diversity of our spiritual community. Whether you are a seasoned Integral Yoga practitioner or a curious newcomer, everyone is welcome to join our event. We believe that every individual, regardless of their yoga experience, has a unique thread to weave into our collective tapestry. Your journey, your experience, and your presence are valued. Come as you are, with an open heart and a willingness to explore, grow, and connect with fellow Integral Yogis from diverse paths and backgrounds.
View Tentative Schedule
Sign Up via Yogaville website
Financial Aid and Equity Discounts are available

YCat Yoga Therapy in Cancer & Chronic Illness
2025-08-23 14:00 - 2025-08-25 17:00
This training has been cancelled.
NEW! Hybrid YCat Level One Training
VIRTUAL & IN PERSON
Virtual Dates: Saturdays & Sundays – 9am- 2pm CST
AUG 23-24, SEP 13-14, SEP 20-21, OCT 4-5, OCT 11-12, OCT 17-18, OCT 24-25, 2025
In Person Dates: AUG 7-10, 2025 at Integral Yoga San Francisco, CA

100 HR Certification Tuition: $1650
Registration and Deposit by July 20. Full tuition is due by August 1.
Room and Board for San Francisco is Self pay
20% discount for Integral Yoga teachers, enrollees in IYI Yoga Therapy Program and Accessible Yoga Ambassadors

YCat: Yoga Therapy in Cancer and Chronic Illness began as a workshop and later developed into a three level training program with the option of a 100 hr certificate of attendance or a 300 hour YCat certification. YCat is open to Yoga teachers who have completed their 200-hour training and have one year of Yoga teaching experience as well as health care professionals.* The program was created by the late Jnani Chapman who said, “I created YCat Yoga Therapy programs in 1997 after seeing the many challenges that cancer patients face during treatments, hospitalizations and recovery at home. By introducing appropriately adapted Yoga therapy like YCat, people can reduce the severity of distressing side effects from cancer and treatment. We consistently hear, “I feel so much better.” YCat teachers are trained to understand underlying concepts and physiological rationales of Yoga and cancer in order to meet their students where they are and individualize their sessions and classes safely and authentically.
Disclaimer: YCat is not a Yoga therapy school however, the program has been providing elements of Yoga therapy in its instruction since it began and prior to Yoga therapy being a certified discipline through IAYT. Certified Yoga teachers and certified Yoga therapists can benefit from this specialized training for continuing education in evidence informed practices for Yoga in oncology and chronic illness.
*Pre-requisites:
200hr Yoga teacher training
1 year of teaching experience Completion of Pre Program Assignments

Any Licensed Health Professional(LHP) is welcome to attend all YCat levels.
LHPs will receive a certificate of attendance.
To receive certification of training, LHPs need to complete a 200-hour Yoga teacher training.

Sandra Susheela Gilbert, BA, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500 has been the director of YCat since December 2017 and has spent the last fourteen years as Senior Faculty of YCat and facilitating YCat programs alongside YCat founder, Jnani Chapman. She is a highly recognized Integral Yoga teacher holding advanced training certificates in Stress Management, Integrative and Mind/Body therapies, CancerGuides and Patient Navigation. She has taught for Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation at Beth Israel/Mt. Sinai Medical Center in NYC and taught the YCat curriculum for the Mt. Sinai Breast Health Resource Center and in the Ruttenberg Oncology infusion center. Sandra Susheela has also taught at retreats and training’s for the Omega Institute, for the Center for Mind Body Medicine and for Chai Lifeline. In addition, she was one of the first Urban Zen integrative therapists in practice in NYC for their 2008 initiative and research. Sandra currently teaches in Yoga research and as a research assistant at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in Nashville, TN. Sandra is appreciated for her patience, presence and dedication in service to those who are going through the experience of cancer and cancer treatment as well as the YCat teachers she trains and mentors. She shares her service through the lens of Yoga and says, “Wherever you are, Yoga is there for you.”

Kirtan with Astrud and Friends
2025-08-23 19:00 - 20:30
In-person
$25 Day of | $20 In advance, use promo code MANTRA
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Join Astrud and her dear friends for an evening of Kirtan or mantra meditation.
We use mantra, sound and vibration to polish the mirror of the heart and dismantle the illusion of separation. Man means mind and tra means instrument. Mantras are instruments or tools used to redirect our mind to the Source, Peace and ultimately to the heart.
The collective consciousness is healing and fun. We use this time to celebrate being alive, send prayers to those in need and be in community.
We sing in the key of “WE”, join us!
No experience is necessary.

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

Yoga Nidra Meets Meditation
2025-08-26 18:00 - 19:30
Donation event
Online & In-person | Sliding scale $10-108
This workshop will be recorded for later viewing and shared for 2 weeks with all enrolled students.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Join Swami Yatidharmananda for a transformative workshop, Yoga Nidra Meets Meditation, to heal, meditate, grow, and awaken.
This powerful classical Yoga practice will include guided techniques for complete physical, mental, and emotional relaxation—a deep state best achieved by turning inward, away from external distractions.
Through each session of Yoga Nidra, you will begin to release old Samskaras—deep-seated habits and tendencies—allowing space for renewal and transformation. During the practice, you will set a Sankalpa (a personal resolve), planting seeds of meaningful change. This state, hovering between wakefulness and dreaming, is one of the most potent for reshaping your inner world and fostering lasting personal growth.
The modern teaching of Yoga Nidra was pioneered by Paramahamsa Swami Satyananda Saraswati and further developed by Paramahamsa Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati.
All generous donations will support the activities of Sivanand Ashram in Uttarkashi, India.
Learn more: https://sivanandsevasamiti.org/

Swami Yatidharmananda is a globally recognised Yogi from India and is the founder of Swami Chidananda Sevashram. The Sevashram is a Socio-Spiritual Organization dedicated to the life and teachings of Gurudev Swami Chidanandaji. He conducts workshops on Relaxation and Meditation, Sings Kirtans and loves to share inspiring stories of his life transformative journey. He has also developed unique and impactful programs that heal, empower and transform you to tackle challenges in day to day lives. He dedicated himself to the service of his Guru Swami Chidananda Saraswati and was blessed to be with him 24X7 for many years. He had the rare opportunity and blessing to observe one of the greatest saints that left an indelible imprint on his life. In the year 2000, he received Sannyasa Diksha. Having received so much unconditionally, urges him to share this anecdotal wisdom with one and all. In July 2015, he set out on his own and founded Swami Chidananda Sevashram with the blessings of Gurudev Swami Chidananda ji of Sivananda Ashram. It is a monastery for the modern world where people of all ages and backgrounds can live on the principles and practices of Ayurveda for the body, Yoga for the mind and Vedanta for the soul. It also brings together revered teachers from around the world for sharing knowledge and wisdom on various wellness based activities. Since 2016 he has traveled extensively each year to US and Europe for conducting workshops on Relaxation & meditation and conducted Kirtans. Since September 2020 Swami Yatidharmananda is serving as the General Secretary of Swami Sivanand Seva Samiti, and living in the company of Swami Premanandaji and Swami Atmanandaji, the direct disciples of Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj at the Sivananda Ashram, Ganeshpur, Uttarkashi, Himalayas, India. sivanandsevasamiti.org
