Integral Yoga San Francisco

New Beginnings Writing Group
2026-07-10 16:00 - 17:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
ONLINE with Susan Ford, C-IAYT, RYT-500
$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.

Satsang: The Maturation of Spiritual Practice: Moving from State to Trait
2026-07-11 11:30 - 12:30
ONLINE with Rich Panico, MD and Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500
$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 Rich Panico and Swami Ramananda for an inspiring exploration of how spiritual practice can truly mature and bear fruit in our lives. Together, we will reflect on how to deepen our efforts, sustain inner vigilance, and cultivate a way of living that supports genuine awakening. Through this process, the moments of peace and clarity we experience in practice can gradually ripen into steady, enduring qualities—transforming not just what we feel in meditation, but how we live each day.
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.

Rich Panico is an artist, yogi and physician known for his humor and clarity in teaching. He has practiced meditation and yoga since 1970 and began teaching mindfulness woven into pottery making classes in the late 70’s. Rich has taught mindfulness formally, in medical, academic and art-related settings for over 20 years. He was a pioneer in the use of mindfulness-based treatment in the adaptation to and treatment of chronic disease. Mindfulness occupied a central therapeutic role in his professional offering as a physician.
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.

Kirtan: The Mantra Magic
2026-07-11 19:00 - 20:00
IN-PERSON with Dr. Arathi Sethumadhavan
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Immerse yourself in the soulful practice of Kirtan, a profound musical meditation and communal chanting experience harmoniously centered on sacred mantras. We welcome everyone who is seeking a spiritual and uplifting environment. Absolutely no prior chanting experience is necessary. All are wholeheartedly invited to partake in this ‘by donation’ event.

Arathi‘s connection with sacred sounds began in her formative years, rooted in Carnatic music training and a decade-long immersion in Sanskrit. Having sung hymns and songs throughout her life, she is thrilled to delve into the vibrant joy and shared experience of kirtan with you. In her professional life, Arathi partners with some of the world’s best musicians, filmmakers, and creatives to cocreate AI tools that empower their artistic endeavors.

Introduction to Yin: The History, Philosophy & Function, Part 1 of 3
2026-07-14 18:00 - 19:15
ONLINE with Tricia Prajna Richardson, E-RYT-200, RYT-500, YACEP
3 Tuesdays, July 14, 21 & 28, offered individually
$59 for all 3 session| $54 early bird for all 3, exp. 7/7
$22 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 all 3 session/Online
Book July 14/Online
Book July 21/Online
Book July 28/Online
Step into the rich and subtle world of Yin Yoga with Tricia Prajna Richardson, a certified Yin Yoga and Integral Yoga teacher. This three-part series offers a thoughtful and experiential exploration of Yin—blending history, philosophy, and embodied practice.
Each 75-minute session weaves together engaging presentation, meaningful discussion, and guided Yin practice. Come prepared with your mat, blocks, bolsters, and blankets, and allow yourself to settle into a deeper, more receptive way of practicing.
Session Overview:

July 14 – Discover the roots of Yin Yoga, from ancient traditions to its modern evolution, and explore the anatomy of Yin along with the meeting points of Indian and Chinese energy systems.
July 21 – Dive into the foundations of Daoism and Chinese medicine, including the five elements, organ systems, and the flow of energy through the meridians.
July 28 – Explore how to skillfully integrate Yin into your life and practice—when and how to practice, important cautions, and the power of subtle awareness.

Join for a single session or immerse yourself in the full series. All sessions will be recorded and shared with enrolled students for 2 weeks.
Ideal for: Curious students, dedicated practitioners, and teachers seeking to deepen their understanding of Yin Yoga, differentiate it from restorative practices, and explore the bridge between yogic wisdom, Daoist philosophy, and Eastern approaches to healing.

Tricia is a San Francisco native who joined Navy Military Medicine in 1980, served on active duty for 20 years and as a Civil Servant for an additional 15 years. A search for natural complementary and alternative medicine treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, led her to the practice of yoga. The practice was so transformative, (both physically and spiritually) she felt compelled to bring the practice to others.
Tricia completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with Zenya Yoga in 2023 and teaches at the Beazley Senior Center, the YMCA and local Yoga Studios in Portsmouth, Virginia. A retreat to Yogaville in Buckingham, Virginia in 2023 opened her heart to the Integral Yoga community. Tricia has since added 300 hours of education with IYISF, completing Raja Yoga Teacher Training in October of 2024 with Swami Ramananda & Swami Divyananda and received her spiritual name (Prajna). She completed IYISF Meditation Teacher Training with Swami Ramananda and Diana Meltsner in February 2025 and IYISF Yoga Teaching Essentials with Mia Velez & Rukmini Ando in November 2025. In December 2025, T Prajna certified in Yin Yoga with My Vinyasa Practice (MVP).

TRE® (Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises) Intro Workshop
2026-07-19 10:00 - 12:00
ONLINE with Maria Alfaro
$55 | $50 Early bird, exp. 7/12
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.
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. This online session will not be recorded.
CEU certificate available upon request from the teacher for psychotherapists and massage therapists.
Please read a downloadable pdf with important preparation instructions about your Online TRE® session. It will be sent to you with an enrollment confirmation email. This document contains information about how to set up your camera and mat and checklist of needed items.
For more information about TRE please visit www.TREcalifornia.com

Maria 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.

Therapeutic Yoga and Sound Healing
2026-07-19 15:30 - 17:30
IN-PERSON with Rachel Jennine Goudey, Psy.D., C-IAYT and PJ Church, RYT-500
$45 | $40 Early bird,exp. 7/12
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Therapeutic Yoga and Sound Healing are remedies for the challenges of our stressful times, and blends restorative yoga with guided breathwork and sound healing. Accompanied by the healing sounds of various instruments, you will be gently guided to relax into postures that allow for deep relaxation and restoration of the entire body including tight muscles, restricted fascia, overstimulated nervous systems, and an overactive or out of balanced mind, resetting and restoring a natural rhythm to your whole being. The practice creates a calm, supportive and nurturing environment in which you can relax and let go, allowing the innate wisdom of your body to naturally restore balance and well-being. Whether you just need to decompress from stress, recover from injury or if you’re dealing with chronic illness, this workshop will help your body, mind and spirit to relax, rejuvenate, and heal.
No prior yoga experience is necessary. All props are provided.
Please register in advance, space is limited. Thank you!

PJ Church is an RYT-500 and certified yoga therapist who has been a practitioner of yoga, mindfulness and related modalities for decades. Over the last 12 years, he has taught an array of studio classes, workshops and teacher trainings. Modalities that PJ teaches and practices include Hatha, Raja, Restorative, Vinyasa, Yin, as well as sound healing. When not teaching, he enjoys books, tea, travel, music, and being a grandparent.
Rachel is an IAYT Certified Yoga Therapist, Educator and Doctor of Psychology. Specializing in trauma work and embodied practices for nervous system integration, Rachel helps clients increase their capacity for joy and love in life through somatic movement, breath work, sound healing, self-reflection, and cultivating healthy life choices. Rachel brings years of mental health experience working with at-risk and underserved populations, integrating Eastern and Western practices to help clients move past symptom relief into true healing. She has brought holistic yoga programs and professional trainings on yoga for mental health into community mental health centers, hospitals and schools. Rachel’s aim is to guide individuals into states of peace and trust in their life’s story through the mind and body, create community, and bring the teachings and practices of yoga into various settings around the world. Rachel’s classes meet each student where they are at while still challenging them to reach new heights of self-realization, acceptance, and strength and flexibility, both on and off of the mat. She will push you to challenge yourself while also guiding you to listen to your body and intuition, teaching from a place of authenticity, passion and playfulness. To learn more about Rachel and her work visit racheljenninewellnessandyoga.com.

Introduction to Yin: The History, Philosophy & Function, Part 2 of 3
2026-07-21 18:00 - 19:15

New Beginnings Writing Group
2026-07-24 16:00 - 17:30
ONLINE with Susan Ford, C-IAYT, RYT-500
$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.

Satsang: Guru Purnima
2026-07-25 17:30 - 18:30
ONLINE & IN-PERSON with Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500 and Swami Vimalananda
$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 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 Vimalananda Ma, RYT 500, 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.

Introduction to Yin: The History, Philosophy & Function, Part 3 of 3
2026-07-28 18:00 - 19:15

Guru Purnima Puja
2026-07-29 12:00 - 13:00
Free ONLINE & IN-PERSON with Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500
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 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.

From Thought Loops to Body Roots: Reset Your Nervous System Through Yoga
2026-08-01 14:00 - 17:00
ONLINE & IN-PERSON with Claudia Bartsch, C-IAYT, PRYT
$54 | $49 Early bird, exp. 7/25
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 of us try to change how we feel by changing how we think. While insight is valuable, it often lacks the power to create lasting change because many of our deepest patterns—stress responses, habits, and even aspects of personality—were “programmed” into our nervous systems early in life, long before we had the language or logic to process them.
When these patterns are locked below the level of the rational mind, you simply cannot “think” your way out of mental states. Real, sustainable change requires a different gateway: The Body.
This 3-hour workshop explores a somatic approach to transformation. By shifting our focus from mental overactivity to Interoception—the ability to sense the internal state of the body—we create the conditions for the nervous system to regulate and reset. We will begin with a brief lecture but the heart of this session is experiential—moving beyond theory into the felt sense of a grounded presence.
In this workshop, you will:

Map Your Nervous System: Shift from self-judgment to self-compassion by learning how “stuck” patterns are actually protective physiological adaptations rather than personal failures.
Cultivate Interoception through Yoga: Move beyond the “story” of the mind and into the direct sensory experience of the body through somatic movement and intentional postures.
Regulate through Pranayama: Learn specific breathing techniques that signal safety to the brain, giving you the power to shift your physiological state in real-time.
Integrate through Yoga Nidra: Settle into a systematic “yogic sleep” meditation designed to ground your experience. This practice cultivates a deep sense of safety and relaxation, fostering a restorative connection to both body and soul.

This workshop is particularly beneficial for those who:

Want practical, somatic tools for emotional regulation and resilience.
Feel stuck in cycles of anxiety, overthinking, or chronic stress.
Experience “burnout” or a sense of being disconnected from their physical self.
Are interested in the science of the mind-body connection through the lens of Yoga Therapy.

No yoga experience needed. This workshop will be recorded and available to all enrolled students for two weeks.

Originally from Germany, Claudia has been studying and teaching yoga for over 25 years. With more than 2,000 hours of formal training, she brings a strong foundation in the classical traditions of yoga together with innovative, therapeutic approaches. Certified as a Yoga Therapist in 2016, she is deeply dedicated to facilitating holistic healing. In her work, she specializes in supporting individuals navigating mental, emotional, or physical challenges by adapting yoga practices to meet their unique conditions and needs. In addition, she is a Certified Stress Management Educator, empowering individuals to cultivate resilience and inner calm through mindful, evidence-informed practices. She also holds certifications as a Shiatsu and Reiki Practitioner, modalities that complement the integrative, body-centered approach she brings to her work. To further deepen her understanding of cognitive and mental health, she became a Brain Longevity Specialist through the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation in 2022. Her approach weaves together ancient wisdom and modern science to support balance, healing, and authentic well-being.

4-Day Yoga Retreat: Relax, Reflect and Rejuvenate
2026-08-13 17:00
IN-PERSON with Swami Ramananda, Diana Meltsner & Astrud Castillo
Retreat begins on Thursday, August 13 at 5pm – Ends on Sunday, August 16 at 12:30pm
$795 Single room | $725 Early bird, exp. 7/23
$670 Shared room (price per person) | $600 Early bird, exp. 7/23
Active teacher discount 20%
Book now/Single RoomPlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/Double RoomWe appreciate advance registration.
At Commonweal Retreat Center, Bolinas, CA. This in-person 4-day retreat will include a variety of Yoga classes for all levels of practice, workshops, meditations, inspirational evening programs—including kirtan with Astrud—healthy vegetarian meals, and free time for walks, resting, or reading.
Each day will also include Yoga Nidra practices to support deep rest and nervous system renewal. We will practice silent, walking and guided meditations as well as an end-of-day personal reflection practice to integrate the day’s teachings and insights and help us move more deeply into awareness.
We will observe silence from Thursday night until Sunday morning. In this spacious quiet, we can strengthen our inner connection to peace, find clarity of thought, and cultivate compassionate connection with one another.
We are blessed once again to gather at the Commonweal Retreat Center in Bolinas, known for the natural beauty of its oceanside setting and its location on sacred Native American land. Practicing Yoga in this powerful natural environment offers an opportunity to cleanse the body and mind of the stimulants and toxins we ingest through the mouth, eyes, and ears, and to renew our personal commitment to live courageously in the light of awareness.

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.
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
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 Therapy for Grief Relief; Navigating Loss in Challenging Global Times
2026-08-22 13:30 - 17:30
ONLINE & IN-PERSON with Antonio Sausys, MA, IGT, CMT, C-IAYT
$74 | $65 Early bird, exp. 8/15
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.
In the face of personal and collective loss, grieving can often feel like an overwhelming journey. The workshop offers a space for you to reconnect with yourself, find peace, and transform your grief through the power of yoga.
In a world full of uncertainty, grounding techniques are crucial to maintaining balance. This workshop will focus on poses, breathing exercises, and meditations that help you connect deeply with yourself, offering a foundation of strength and stability amidst chaos. You’ll learn to cultivate resilience, tapping into your inner power as you face the complexities of grief and loss.
Whether you’re navigating personal loss or grappling with the global challenges that affect us all, this program offers a compassionate space for self-discovery, empowerment, and connection. Join a supportive community and together, let’s cultivate peace, clarity, and resilience.
This combination of theoretical lecture and experiential work can help the heart of anyone who is grieving a loss or those working with them.
The physical, mental, and spiritual release that doing the practice provides truly does help your body pain decrease, your mental fog lift, your engagement with life return, and eventually you begin to “ring the bells that still will ring.”~ Jessica Bell

Antonio Sausys MA, IGT, CMT, C-IAYT is a somatic psychologist and yoga therapist specializing in grief counseling and therapy. His studies in Somatic Psychology were guided by Hugo Bilsky, and his yoga training includes teachings from swamis of the Satyananda, Sivananda, and Satchidananda traditions, as well as renowned teachers such as Indra Devi, Ram Das, and Rama Jyoti Vernon. Antonio has continued his professional growth through training in Integrative Grief Therapy with Lyn Prashant, as well as Foot Reflexology, Swedish Therapeutic Massage, and Reiki.
Antonio presents his work both nationally and internationally at Schools and Universities and leads retreats at Ashrams, Retreat Centers and Yoga Studios., is a member of the World Yoga Council, the International Association of Yoga Therapists, a TV Host for YogiViews and the founder and Executive Director of ‘Yoga for Health’ the International Yoga Therapy Conference.
He is the author of Yoga for Grief Relief: Simple Practices for Transforming Your Grieving Mind and Body (New Harbinger) and a contributor for Yoga and Science in Pain Care – Treating the Person in Pain (Edited by Shelly Prosko and Neil Person – Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2019) and New Techniques of Grief Therapy: Bereavement and Beyond by Robert Niemeyer (Routledge 2019).

Sukhawat Ali Khan and Cali Qawwali in a Sufi and Kirtan Concert
2026-08-22 19:00 - 20:30
IN-PERSON with Sukhawat Ali Khan and Cali Qawwali
$25 Day of | $20 In advance
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
Ghulam Ali
Jogiya
Raste Juda Juda
Ghoom Charakhana
Heer
Door

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
Band Members:
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
