Integral Yoga San Francisco

Kirtan with Joanna Manqueros, John Kadyk and Ramana Erickson
2025-09-13 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
In-person
$25 Day of | $20 In advance, use promo code NADA
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Joanna Manqueros on vocals and harmonium. Joanna facilitates kirtan as a medicinal experience, invoking uplifting concepts, reaching to a higher power and the beauty of being surrounded by voices. Joanna also hosts Music of the World on KPFA. John Kadyk brings bass clarinet; plays with a sublime addition to the trio. Ramana Erickson learned tabla playing in ashrams as a teen. He brings extensive experience, and has played for Krishna Das, and Nina Rao. Bring your voice and join in the fun.

Meditation in the Park
2025-09-14 11:00 - 12:00
FREE | In-person @ Dolores Park
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Please join us for a peaceful outdoor meditation session in Dolores Park, suitable for all levels – even first-timers.
We’ll begin with some inspiration and guidance, practice both walking and seated meditation, and end with a little time for sharing the experience. We’ll meet just a block from the Institute, on the 20th Street side of the park, just above the children’s playground.
What to bring:

Comfortable clothes
Blanket or mat and something to comfortably sit on
Water
Sunscreen, hat, or sunglasses

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

Spiritual Study: Ahimsa (Nonviolence) and Satya (Truthfulness) — Moral and Ethical Precepts for Modern Times, 3 - part
2025-09-15 18:00 - 19:00
3 Mondays, July 14, 21, 28 now SEP 15, 22 & 29- Offered individually
Online | $5-15 sliding scale | Free for active teachers
Book SEP 15Please register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Ahimsa (nonviolence) and Satya (truthfulness) are considered supreme among the moral and ethical principles of life. According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, “These great vows are universal, not limited by class, place, time, or circumstance” (Sutra 2.31). The instruction is clear, yet it can feel daunting in our complex and rapidly changing world.
In this study, we will seek inspiration and guidance from the Yoga Sutras and the exemplary lives of two great modern practitioners: Mahatma Gandhi in India and Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States.
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.
3 Mondays offered individually:
9/15 Book now
9/22 Book now
9/29 Book now
To ensure a private space for all attendees, this will not be recorded.

Barbara Dickey is grateful to have been a member of the Integral Yoga Sangha since 1997. She completed the following teacher training programs at the San Francisco IYI: 200-hour Teacher Training 1998, Gentle Yoga Teacher Training 2003, Raja Yoga Teacher Training 2004, and Meditation Teacher Training 2025. She has always been enthusiastic about Scripture Study and is currently delving into meditation.

Awakening Shakti, Part 2 of 2-Parts
2025-09-18 18:00 - 19:30
Online and In-person | Part 1 & 2 offered individually (Sep 11 & 18)
$20 each | Free for active teachers
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 this two-part workshop, we will explore Yoga practices that awaken Shakti—the vital, cosmic force that energizes both body and mind. Our primary focus will be on Pranayama, the yogic science of breath, as a means to clear energetic blockages and restore the natural flow of this dynamic life force. When awakened, Shakti supports healing, builds resilience, and strengthens mental focus.
Part One introduces foundational breathing techniques, practiced gently and safely to soothe the nervous system and uplift the mind.
Part Two deepens the experience with more advanced techniques, including bandhas (energy locks) and breath retention, to amplify the benefits and cultivate the inner clarity needed to awaken higher states of awareness.
We invite you to sign up for both or just one of the workshops.
This workshop will be recorded for later viewing and shared for 2 weeks with all enrolled students. Yoga Alliance CEUs available upon request.
Part 1 – Thursday, September 11, 6:00 – 7:30pm | Online and In-person

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.

Healing Your Life – An Ayurvedic and Yogic Journey, 2-day course
2025-09-20 09:00 - 16:30
Online & In-person | Saturday & Sunday SEP 20 & 21, both days run from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm and from 1:30 – 4:30pm.
$195 Early bird, use promo code LIFE, exp. 9/6 | $225 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.
This two-day program will immerse you in the knowledge of Ayurveda and Yoga as Dr. Halpern supports you on your healing journey. During this program, you’ll explore how to activate your body’s innate ability to heal itself. It begins with an exploration of why we become sick on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels, and how our challenges can serve us to grow and evolve toward higher awareness. The program continues with an exploration of Ayurvedic principles as they apply to your personal healing.
You’ll examine your constitution, the nature of your imbalances, and how to use diet, lifestyle, colors, aromas, sound, and yoga to activate your full healing potential. There will be ample time for personal exploration, dialogue, and questions. This program is born from Dr. Halpern’s 40 years in the healing arts and his book Healing Your Life: Lessons on the Path of Ayurveda.
Read Dr. Halperns Recent blog post Healing Your Life
To ensure a private space for all attendees, this will not be recorded.

Dr. Marc Halpern is the founder of the California College of Ayurveda, the oldest College for the study of Ayurvedic Medicine outside of India, the Co-Founder of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. An Ayurvedic Doctor, Doctor of Chiropractic and a Sivananda Yoga Teacher, he is a leader in the development of Ayurveda in the West. His efforts toward building the profession in the United States have earned him awards in both the United States and India. Dr. Halpern has been featured in film and television and his YouTube videos have more than 1 million views. Dr. Halpern has written five textbooks plus the popular book, Healing Your Life; Lessons on the Path of Ayurveda. His newest textbook released in 2023 is Classical Yoga Therapy. Dr. Halpern is also the creator of the #1 best-selling meditation recording the United States: Yoga Nidra and Self-Healing. ayurvedacollege.com

Sunday Spiritual Talk: Integrating Meditative Attainments, Part 2
2025-09-21 11:00 - 12:00
Online
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
In meditation, we may touch moments of peace, stillness, or bliss—profound inner states that reveal our deeper nature. Yet translating these fleeting experiences into lasting qualities that guide us through daily life is an ongoing challenge.
In this gathering, Swami Ramananda will join Rich Panico in a follow-up discussion on how to cultivate enduring Dharmic traits through revisioning our sadhana. Together, we will reflect on the inner work that allows these sacred states to gradually become stable, living expressions of our practice—on and off the cushion.
You are invited to join Satsang: From State to Trait – Integrating Meditative Attainments into Daily Life, Part 1 with Rich Panico on Saturday, September 6, 5:30 – 6:30 pm. You are also welcome to attend independently.
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.

Navaratri - Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother - Durga Puja
2025-09-22 12:00 - 12:45
$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.
Navaratri is a celebration of the Divine Mother in the form of the three Hindu goddesses: Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.
Over the course of nine days, we’ll honor each of these goddesses, with the celebration culminating in a special service called Vijayadaśamī which offers a unique opportunity to bless your home and the tools you use in your work.

Navaratri – Durga Puja, Monday, SEP 22, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
Navaratri – Lakshmi Puja, Thursday, SEP 25, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
Navaratri – Saraswati Puja, Monday, SEP 29, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
Vijayadaśamī, Wednesday, OCT 1, 12:00 – 1:00pm

Please join us in honoring the Divine Mother.
This donation-based program will not be recorded.

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.

Spiritual Study: Ahimsa (Nonviolence) and Satya (Truthfulness) — Moral and Ethical Precepts for Modern Times, 3 - part
2025-09-22 18:00 - 19:00
3 Mondays, SEP 15, 22 & 29 – Offered individually
Online | $5-15 sliding scale | Free for active teachers
Book SEP 22Please register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Ahimsa (nonviolence) and Satya (truthfulness) are considered supreme among the moral and ethical principles of life. According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, “These great vows are universal, not limited by class, place, time, or circumstance” (Sutra 2.31). The instruction is clear, yet it can feel daunting in our complex and rapidly changing world.
In this study, we will seek inspiration and guidance from the Yoga Sutras and the exemplary lives of two great modern practitioners: Mahatma Gandhi in India and Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States.
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.
3 Mondays offered individually:
9/15 Book now
9/22 Book now
9/29 Book now
To ensure a private space for all attendees, this will not be recorded.

Barbara Dickey is grateful to have been a member of the Integral Yoga Sangha since 1997. She completed the following teacher training programs at the San Francisco IYI: 200-hour Teacher Training 1998, Gentle Yoga Teacher Training 2003, Raja Yoga Teacher Training 2004, and Meditation Teacher Training 2025. She has always been enthusiastic about Scripture Study and is currently delving into meditation.

Navaratri - Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother - Lakshmi Puja
2025-09-25 12:00 - 12:45
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Online and 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.
Navaratri is a celebration of the Divine Mother in the form of the three Hindu goddesses: Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.
Over the course of nine days, we’ll honor each of these goddesses, with the celebration culminating in a special service called Vijayadaśamī which offers a unique opportunity to bless your home and the tools you use in your work.

Navaratri – Durga Puja, Monday, SEP 22, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
Navaratri – Lakshmi Puja, Thursday, SEP 25, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
Navaratri – Saraswati Puja, Monday, SEP 29, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
Vijayadaśamī, Wednesday, OCT 1, 12:00 – 1:00pm

Please join us in honoring the Divine Mother.
This donation-based program will not be recorded.

Swami Divyananda Ma, E-RYT 500, has had 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. Learn more at sacredindiatours.org.

4 Day Silent Yoga Retreat: The Art of Renewal
2025-09-25 17:00 - 2025-09-28 12:30
SOLD OUT
In person – Thursday-Sunday, SEP 25-28, 5pm-12:30pm
At Commonweal Retreat Center, Bolinas, CA
Single room SOLD OUT

$725 Early bird, use promo code RETREAT, exp. 9/4
$795 Regular

Shared room (per person) SOLD OUT

$600 Early bird, use promo code RETREAT, exp. 9/4
$670 Regular

In today’s fast-paced world, we all need moments to truly rest and replenish our energy. This four-day, in-person silent retreat offers a rare opportunity to turn inward, reconnect with inner peace, and renew your commitment to living with clarity and courage. Held in the serene, oceanside setting of the Commonweal Retreat Center in Bolinas—nestled on sacred Native American land—this retreat invites you into the healing embrace of nature and silence.
The program includes daily yoga classes suitable for all levels, guided meditations, workshops, inspiring evening programs, nourishing vegetarian meals, and ample free time to walk, rest, or read. In the quietude of this sacred space, surrounded by natural beauty, you’ll begin to release the physical and mental toxins accumulated through constant stimulation—and return home feeling lighter, clearer, and more deeply connected.
Spaces are limited—join us to experience the transformative power yoga practice and silence.

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 Divyananda Ma, E-RYT 500, has had 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. Learn more at sacredindiatours.org.
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.

New Beginnings Writing Group
2025-09-26 08:00 - 17:00
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:

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: The Mantra Magic with Dr. Arathi Sethumadhavan
2025-09-27 19:00 - 20:30
In-person | $5-$20 or 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 event.

Dr. Arathi Sethumadhavan’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.

Navaratri - Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother - Saraswati
2025-09-29 12:00 - 12:45
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Online and In-person
In-person https://momence.com/s/119156205
Online https://momence.com/s/119156207
Navaratri is a celebration of the Divine Mother in the form of the three Hindu goddesses: Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.
Over the course of nine days, we’ll honor each of these goddesses, with the celebration culminating in a special service called Vijayadaśamī which offers a unique opportunity to bless your home and the tools you use in your work.

Navaratri – Durga Puja, Monday, SEP 22, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
Navaratri – Lakshmi Puja, Thursday, SEP 25, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
Navaratri – Saraswati Puja, Monday, SEP 29, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
Vijayadaśamī, Wednesday, OCT 1, 12:00 – 1:00pm

Please join us in honoring the Divine Mother.
This donation-based program will not be recorded.

Swami Divyananda Ma is a Senior Monk who took monastic vows from Swami Satchidananda in 1975, and continues to teach around the world, including serving as Director of the IYI in Coimbatore, India for ten years. She is a 200 hour, Intermediate, Meditation, and Raja Yoga Teacher Trainer.

Spiritual Study: Ahimsa (Nonviolence) and Satya (Truthfulness) — Moral and Ethical Precepts for Modern Times, 3 - part
2025-09-29 18:00 - 19:00
3 Mondays, SEP 15, 22 & 29- Offered individually
Online | $5-15 sliding scale | Free for active teachers
Book SEP 29Please register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Ahimsa (nonviolence) and Satya (truthfulness) are considered supreme among the moral and ethical principles of life. According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, “These great vows are universal, not limited by class, place, time, or circumstance” (Sutra 2.31). The instruction is clear, yet it can feel daunting in our complex and rapidly changing world.
In this study, we will seek inspiration and guidance from the Yoga Sutras and the exemplary lives of two great modern practitioners: Mahatma Gandhi in India and Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States.
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.
3 Mondays offered individually:
9/15 Book now
9/22 Book now
9/29 Book now
To ensure a private space for all attendees, this will not be recorded.

Barbara Dickey is grateful to have been a member of the Integral Yoga Sangha since 1997. She completed the following teacher training programs at the San Francisco IYI: 200-hour Teacher Training 1998, Gentle Yoga Teacher Training 2003, Raja Yoga Teacher Training 2004, and Meditation Teacher Training 2025. She has always been enthusiastic about Scripture Study and is currently delving into meditation.

Vijayadaśamī: Celebration Honoring the Divine Mother
2025-10-01 12:00 - 13:00
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Online and 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.
Please join us for the final celebration of Vijayadaśamī.
After nine days of Navaratri celebrating the three goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati, we come together to honor the Divine Mother and her victory over evil. This is a time to reflect on our own spiritual journeys, acknowledging both the challenges we’ve faced and the victories we’ve achieved.
This auspicious occasion includes the blessing of the tools we use throughout the year, as well as our living spaces. Following our group discussion, we’ll celebrate with chanting, a traditional Indian worship service (puja), and a home blessing.
To participate in the home blessing online, you may prepare one or more of the following items: a candle, incense or sage, a small bowl of clean water, flowers, or a bell. Please ensure your home is clean and ready to receive a blessing, along with any objects you wish to bless.
Join us for this experiential workshop to honor and bless our personal spaces. No experience necessary.

Navaratri – Durga Puja, Monday, SEP 22, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
Navaratri – Lakshmi Puja, Thursday, SEP 25, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
Navaratri – Saraswati Puja, Monday, SEP 29, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
Vijayadaśamī, Wednesday, OCT 1, 12:00 – 1:00pm

This donation-based program will not be recorded.

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.

Integral Yoga Community Picnic
2025-10-04 12:00 - 13:30
Free | In-person at Dolores Park
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Join us for this picnic that brings together our whole community – students, staff, teachers, friends and family. We’ll meet at Dolores Park, in the grassy area between the children’s playground and Dolores St for conversation, games and a potluck meal. Bring a blanket, a vegetarian dish (no meat, fish or eggs) to share and any games suitable for picnic play. You and your family are welcome to join for the whole time or just to stop by and say hello.

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

Yoga for Strong Bones
2025-10-04 15:30 - 17:00
$16 | Online – first Saturday of each month.
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.
Did you know that yoga can help strengthen your bones? Research by Dr. Loren Fishman shows that practicing 12 specific yoga poses can improve bone density and quality, helping prevent fractures and support bone health at any age. Yoga also enhances balance, posture, and coordination, reducing the risk of falls.
In this monthly workshop, we will cover the basics of the bone-building process, followed by guided instructions for practicing the 12 poses. Integrated within a traditional Integral Yoga structure—including warm-ups, asanas, guided relaxation, pranayama, and a brief meditation—this class supports bone health, posture, balance, and coordination for people of all ages.
All levels are welcome. Modifications will be offered for standing, chair-based, and wall-supported variations so you can practice safely and effectively.
Recommended props: Yoga mat, chair (without arms), strap, block, wall access, and a thick towel or blanket.

Saroja Subrahmanyan, E-RYT 500, has studied and practiced yoga for several decades. Her early yoga studies were in India followed by extensive teacher training in the Integral Yoga tradition since 1994 (Basic, Intermediate, Stress Management, Accessible Yoga Teacher Training, Laughing Yoga, Raja Yoga, Meditation). She also received training in other areas such as Therapeutic yoga, Laughter Yoga in the Madan Kataria style, Ayurveda, Reiki, iRest® Level 1 and a 20- hour teacher training course on Yoga vs. Osteoporosis offered by Dr. Loren Fishman in February 2024. She has taught yoga and stress management courses in a variety of settings and for varied audiences (colleges, gyms, offices, ashram, yoga studios and private classes) in the US, Singapore, and India. For the past two decades, she has taught a popular yoga philosophy and practice course at Saint Mary’s College of California, where is also a tenured professor in the business school. She loves how yoga practices offer guidance for physical, mental, and spiritual health and can be practiced by anyone.

Satsang: Unearthing the Roots of Suffering for Collective Healing
2025-10-04 17:30 - 18:30
Online & In-person
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Join Swami Ramananda and Marc Morozumi for an evening of satsang and reflection in these challenging times. When global crises leave us feeling overwhelmed or powerless, it’s essential to pause and examine how our own reactions—driven by fear, impatience, or comfort—may unknowingly deepen the suffering we hope to ease.
Yoga points us toward liberation through awareness: shifting from divisive thinking to recognizing our shared humanity. Our discomfort can be a wake-up call—a chance to move beyond self-interest and remember that healing begins when we act with compassion and clarity.
Together, we’ll explore how to align personal well-being with collective care. What choices uplift all beings? What small changes matter most? Come be in community, ready to confront discomfort and take steps toward healing—together.
Everyone is welcome to stay for tea and light snacks afterwards.
This workshop will be recorded and available to enrolled students for 2 weeks

Marc Morozumi, E-RYT 500, CMT, Lead Yoga Teacher Trainer with Integral Yoga Institute, began practicing Ashtanga yoga in 2001 while a full-time modern dancer with Joe Goode Performance Group in SF, CA. Due to injury, Mukunda retired from his 12 year dance career in 2004 and entered the events industry from 2004-2016. A 2-month personal trip to India in 2007 paved the way for landing in Yogaville in 2009 for his first teacher training with Swami Divyananda and staff. One month after returning from graduation, Mukunda began teaching a Saturday morning class at the SF IYI which he maintained for over 10 years. Mukunda has co-led Integral Yoga retreats since 2011 and has staffed or co-led Basic Teacher Trainings since 2013. He has opened and managed small group yoga studios in SF since 2017 and in early 2020, he opened and then reformed a yoga center post COVID-19: Mukunda Yoga – Activation and Well-being Center in SOMA, SF, CA.
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.

Exercise and Aging Workshop - from a Yoga Perspective
2025-10-05 13:00 - 15:00
Online & In-person | This workshop will be recorded for later viewing & shared for limited time with all enrolled students.
$40 Early bird, use promo code AGING, exp. 9/28 | $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.
This workshop focuses on integrating yoga with a personalized exercise routine tailored to your body’s needs. Participants will leave with a custom exercise plan (if they don’t already have one) and a clear understanding of the areas in their body that require daily maintenance to support ongoing mobility. You’ll also have the opportunity to share your priorities from your own routine.
We will practice a Strengthening Yoga sequence that incorporates most of the “Daily Dozen” protocols—designed to jump-start your day with deep breathing and full joint mobilization. Each participant will receive a worksheet outlining the Daily Dozen and a copy of the yoga sequence.
Attendees may request two hours of continuing education (CE) credit, which meet Yoga Alliance or IAYT standards.
This workshop will be recorded for later viewing and shared for limited time with all enrolled students.

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.
Dawn Summers
Mae Denman is certified as a Kripalu and also a Viniyoga 500-hour teacher and has been teaching yoga since 1989. She also leads special Falls Prevention and other classes for seniors. She lives and teaches in W. Sacramento. since 1989. She also leads special Falls Prevention and other classes for seniors. She lives and teaches in W. Sacramento.

Monthly Hatha Clinic
2025-10-06 17:00 - 18:30
This event has been cancelled
In-person | $20 | First Mondays of each month
The Hatha Clinic focuses on personal practice and alignment with regards to anatomy making the practice of yoga postures, flow and transitions accessible and safe.
This class meets monthly on the last Saturday. It will include mixed level practice with time for questions and learning personalized ways to approach asana. Yoga Clinic approaches asana practice as a somatic practice, where sensations and signals from the whole human system are explored.

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

Spiritual Study: Living Into the Yoga Sutras in Daily Life, 4-Part
2025-10-06 18:00 - 19:00
Online | $5-15 sliding scale | 1st of 4 Mondays, offered individually
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.
The Yoga Sutras offer practical guidance on how to live from a place of peace, joy, love, and light.
They can shift our perception of the world around us, making our interactions—with those we love, those we encounter, and even with ourselves—more easeful and compassionate.
Let’s explore what it means to become our best Self in the world—together.
Join Jyothi Kimberly Schick and Dharmini Debra Fischgrund for this four-part series as we dive into key sutras and learn how to surf the waves of daily life with wisdom and grace.
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.
To ensure a private space for all attendees, this will not be recorded.
4 Mondays – Book individually:

October 6
October 13
October 20
October 27

Jyothi Kimberley Schick, RYT-500. Yoga is my life, and my lifestyle. I am a 20+ year practitioner, 15+ of that as an instructor, with 1000+ hours of yoga-related training, and an RYT-500 from the Integral Yoga Institute. My style of teaching is holistic and meditative in nature, with breath as the entry point. I create a sacred container for students to go deep in their practice, find their center, and access peace within.
Dharmini Debra Fischgrund’s bio coming soon.

New Beginnings Writing Group
2025-10-10 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 is 10/24.

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.

A Unifying Theory of Lifestyle Medicine
2025-10-11 11:00 - 12:15
$25 Early bird, use promo code MEDICINE, exp. 11/4
$30 Regular
Book now/OnlineWe appreciate advance registration.
This presentation will explain why a whole foods plant-based diet, moderate exercise, stress management techniques, and love/social support are so beneficial in treating and preventing a wide variety of chronic diseases. They share common biological mechanisms which, in turn, are directly influenced to what we eat, how we respond to stress, how much exercise we have, and how much love and social support we experience. The health policy implications of this will also be explored.
This workshop will be recorded for later viewing and shared for limited time with all enrolled students.

An author of 7 bestselling books, Dean Ornish, MD, is founder and president of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute and Ornish Lifestyle Medicine, and Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF. He directed groundbreaking randomized trials showing, for the first time, that lifestyle changes often reverse many chronic diseases, without drugs or surgery. Medicare created a new category to cover his program for reversing heart disease. He was recognized as a “TIME 100 Innovator;” a University of California, Berkeley, “National Public Health Hero;” a New Yorker cartoon and two Jeopardy answers; and by Forbes as “one of the world’s seven most powerful teachers.”

Music and Poetry of South Asian Mystics: an exploration of Sufi songs
2025-10-11 19:00 - 20:30
In-person | $25 Day of | $20 In advance, use promo code SUFI
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Join us for exploration of traditional devotional music from the motherland of Yoga.
Anhad Naad Collective presents:
Music and Poetry of South Asian Mystics: an exploration of Sufi songs.
We are sharing our own experience with Sufism through singing, music and poetry. Audience is encouraged to sing along with us, we will provide lyrics with English translations.
Historically, in South Asia, Sufism played a huge role in inter-faith syncretism and Sufi shrines (dargahs) have been pivotal to communal harmony.
Singers:
Divya Vyas, Faizan Ali, Irum M, Vivek Anand and Ashwini Sriram
Instruments:
Abhay Shankar Anand -Tabla
Craig Reiter – bass
Jun Qb Moda Jazz -keyboard , flute

Spiritual Study: Living Into the Yoga Sutras in Daily Life, 4-Part
2025-10-13 18:00 - 19:00, 2025-10-20 18:00 - 19:00
Online | $5-15 sliding scale | 4 Mondays, offered individually
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.
The Yoga Sutras offer practical guidance on how to live from a place of peace, joy, love, and light.
They can shift our perception of the world around us, making our interactions—with those we love, those we encounter, and even with ourselves—more easeful and compassionate.
Let’s explore what it means to become our best Self in the world—together.
Join Jyothi Kimberly Schick and Dharmini Debra Fischgrund for this four-part series as we dive into key sutras and learn how to surf the waves of daily life with wisdom and grace.
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.
4 Mondays – Book individually:

October 6
October 13
October 20
October 27

Jyothi Kimberley Schick, RYT-500. Yoga is my life, and my lifestyle. I am a 20+ year practitioner, 15+ of that as an instructor, with 1000+ hours of yoga-related training, and an RYT-500 from the Integral Yoga Institute. My style of teaching is holistic and meditative in nature, with breath as the entry point. I create a sacred container for students to go deep in their practice, find their center, and access peace within.
Dharmini Debra Fischgrund’s bio coming soon.

Satsang: Inspiration for the Spiritual Journey
2025-10-18 12:00 - 13:00
Online
$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.
Book now/OnlinePlease register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.
Book now/In-PersonWe appreciate advance registration.
Join us for this heartfelt and inspiring session, where two senior and widely respected Integral Yoga swamis, Swamis Ramananda and Asokananda, will reflect on the teachings and practices that have sustained them over the years. They will also share what continues to inspire and renew their dedication to the path today.
The spiritual journey is filled with challenges, and progress can often feel slow or uncertain. Along the way, we benefit deeply from the support of fellow travelers, those who have walked this path before us, who generously share their experience, and who care enough to walk beside us.
Please bring your heartfelt questions. At least half of the session will be dedicated to Q&A. All are welcome.
This workshop will be recorded and available to enrolled students for 2 weeks.

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 Asokananda, a monk since 1973, is one of Integral Yoga’s foremost teachers, known for his warmth, intelligence, and good humor. His teaching comes out of his own practice and experience, since he has absorbed the wisdom of his guru, Sri Swami Satchidananda, since the age of 19. While he enjoys sharing the practical wisdom of the Yogic philosophy (especially that of the great Indian scripture the Bhagavad Gita), he also loves his practice of Hatha Yoga and is one of our primary instructors for Intermediate and Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training. In the past, he has served as the president of Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville® and Integral Yoga® International; he is currently the President of the New York Integral Yoga Institute.

Therapeutic Yoga and Sound Healing
2025-10-19 15:30 - 17:30
In-person
$45 | $40 Early bird, use promo code SOUND, exp. 10/12
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.
Please register in advance, space is limited. Thank you!

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.
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.

Cultivating Compassion and Forgiveness, 7-day Meditation and Raja Yoga course
2025-10-20 07:15 - 2025-10-26 08:00
7 mornings, Monday-Sunday, October 20-26, 7:15 – 8:00 am.
$45 Early bird, use promo code MEDITATE, exp. 10/13
$55 Regular
All sessions will be recorded and shared with participants for later viewing.
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 three meditation teachers—Diana Meltsner, Swami Ramananda, and Eric Gustafson—for seven online morning meditations and brief talks focused on Karuna, or compassion and forgiveness.
Compassion, mercy, and forgiveness—when cultivated through meditation—help us develop a positive attitude toward ourselves, others, and our everyday experiences. Paired with practical mindfulness skills, meditation supports a calm and clear mind in the face of sorrow and suffering, enabling us to be of service even in difficult situations.
This is a path of connection to the heart, where Yoga and Buddhism meet, aligning our personal will with a deep concern for the well-being of others. Karuna is recognized in Buddhism as one of the Brahma Viharas (The Four Immeasurables), and in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as one of the keys to maintaining mental tranquility.
Each session includes meditation, a talk, discussion, and sharing. Keeping a daily journal is encouraged but not required.
All sessions will be recorded and shared with participants for later viewing.
Yoga Alliance CEUs (4 hours) are available to teachers upon request.

Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, ERYT-500, YACEP, has been teaching a variety of classes and workshops since 2001 and since 2017 offers yoga therapy sessions privately and at Integral Yoga Therapy Clinic in San Francisco. She has 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
Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, C-IAYT, and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He co-founded The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI), which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.
Eric Gustafson embarked on a yoga journey more than 25 years ago. It became a foundation from which his life thrives and he serves. Many years of solid practice on and off the mat allows him to draw from experience and share yoga teachings with others as a teacher and a mentor to new teachers. Spiritual study, meditation and loving kindness are at the core of his daily practice. It is the source of inspiration for him and others and a bit of silliness is never far behind

Fueling the Flame: Cultivating True Sincerity on the Spiritual Path
2025-10-23 18:00 - 19:30
Online and In-person | $10-25 sliding scale
Free for active teachers
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.
What is sincerity? How can we deepen it? And how do we recognize when it is truly present in us?
We engage in practices that nurture the well-being of body and mind—this is our sadhana. Yet at times, we unconsciously undermine those efforts. One foot presses the accelerator, while the other rests on the brake.
In this workshop, Swami Asokananda will offer heartfelt insights and practical tools to help us become more earnest and focused on the spiritual path. Learn how to release the brake, press the gas with confidence, and move forward with greater clarity, sincerity, and inner momentum.
“If you are earnest, whatever way you choose will take you to your goal. It is the earnestness that is the decisive factor. Earnestness is the homing instinct which makes the bird return to its nest and the fish to the mountain stream where it was born. The seed returns to the earth when the fruit is ripe.” Nisargadatta Maharaj
Everyone is welcome to stay for tea and visit with Swami Asokananda afterwards.
This workshop will be recorded for later viewing and shared for 2 weeks with all enrolled students.

Swami Asokananda, a monk since 1973, is one of Integral Yoga’s foremost teachers, known for his warmth, intelligence, and good humor. His teaching comes out of his own practice and experience, since he has absorbed the wisdom of his guru, Sri Swami Satchidananda, since the age of 19. While he enjoys sharing the practical wisdom of the Yogic philosophy (especially that of the great Indian scripture the Bhagavad Gita), he also loves his practice of Hatha Yoga and is one of our primary instructors for Intermediate and Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training. In the past, he has served as the president of Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville® and Integral Yoga® International; he is currently the President of the New York Integral Yoga Institute.
