Kirtan: Integral Yoga Community In-person

In-person only, space limited to 15

By donation $0, $5, $10, $15 (Sliding scale, pay what you can.)

Join Swami Ramananda and Snehan Born in chanting of the Divine names. We will gather in the Institute’s garden to chant together outdoors. Chair seating will be provided.

Kirtan is the Yoga practice of chanting Sanskrit mantras, sacred sound formulas that create a peaceful and uplifting vibration. Singing these holy mantras together calms the thinking mind, illuminates the heart and awakens the spiritual consciousness within. Kirtan is a form of Bhakti Yoga, singing the names of the Divine and a calling out of the soul for support, protection and guidance. No music experience is necessary.

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

 

Snehan Born has four decades of experience with yoga and has been teaching Integral Yoga since 2000. Snehan resides at the Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco, where he serves as assistant to Swami Ramananda, teaches yoga classes and is a lead teacher trainer. He has also led trainings at Satchidananda Ashram, Yogaville, Virginia, The Integral Yoga Institute in New York City and privately in Hawaii where Snehan co-created the Metamorphous Yoga Studio. Snehan is certified in all levels of Integral Yoga Hatha and has received additional certifications in Pranayama, Meditation, Raja Yoga and Stress Management from Integral Yoga and “Life of a Yogi” certification from Sri Dharma Mittra. In 1997 Snehan studied with Deepak Chopra in Goa, India and again in 2001 in Agra, India where he was asked to teach an Integral Yoga class to about 250 participants. Also, in 2001 he received “Conscious Eating”, a live foods certification from Dr. Gabriel Cousens at the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona.
Snehan has lived and traveled extensively within India (over 9 trips) and practiced with many teachers there. He has taught yoga all over the US as well as in India, Nepal, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan and Europe.

2021-05-28T14:16:06-07:00May 28th, 2021|Tags: , , , |

Seva Through Kirtan

I hold a very special place in my heart for India and that is why I’m happy to help in whatever way I can during these challenging times. My work, practices and music have been influenced heavily by the richness of this culture.  Traveling to Mother India has completely shaped my life and she has been very kind to me.

 I think we are all quite aware of the ferocious wave of Covid that is devastating so many in India at the moment. That is why I am offering a Kirtan fundraiser to help. I have chosen 2 organizations (Indiaspora and GiveIndia) that are providing support and resources for critical patients and their families, and for boosting the oxygen supply and funding for life-saving equipment! 

 Many of you have been influenced in one way or another by the teachings of Yoga or Kirtan, transformative practices that stem from India. Both of these practices are based on relationship, interconnectedness, unity and love. Let your donation be a reflection of these principles and practices. Any and all support is essential at this time – no contribution is too little! Please join us for a Kirtan Fundraiser for India this Saturday, May 22 at 7:00pm PDT. Details HERE.

 Thank you again for supporting our brothers and sisters in India.

Hari Om Tat Sat,

Astrud 

 

Astrud has been teaching yoga since 2001 and sharing Kirtan internationally for the last 15 years.
She trained in NYC at Laughing Lotus, currently known as Body and soul Yoga collective and is a senior teacher and teacher trainer. She has studied the basics of yoga therapeutics and Vedic chanting with T.K.V. Desikachar in India. Her teaching has been inspired by her mentor and friend Mark Whitwell over the last 20 years.
Astrud’s classes and kirtans are warm, welcoming and all inclusive.
Her love and relationship to Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion, is always illuminated in her teaching and music.
Astrud leads annual pilgrimages to India, has travelled internationally leading Kirtan, teaches Bhakti yoga to teachers in training and currently lives at the IYI in SF.

2021-05-20T07:54:10-07:00May 19th, 2021|Tags: |

Kirtan with Mirabai

$10, $20  |  Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.

Kirtan is part of the path of Bhakti Yoga — the path of opening the heart through devotion and surrender. It is the music of the heart, and is sung freely from the heart. No experience is necessary to participate. Using these practices, breathing and chanting helps to release fear in these unique times.

(previously offered as an in-person Kirtan, this event is now online only).

 

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.

Kirtan

$10 or $20, please pay what you can afford | Please register in advance, a Zoom link and passcode will be provided via confirmation email.

Kirtan with Nina Rao

Chanting cleans the mirror of my heart to develop the clarity to slowly (but surely I’m told) find the Love and along the way, try to step out of my own reactionary behavior and see and be with all as it is. Maybe it will take at least another 108 lifetimes, but all I know is I have this moment – now.

Enjoy “What’s in the Name? – A few words on chanting or kirtanartilcle by Nina Rao

Nina Rao learned traditional chants (bhajans) from her grandfather in a village in south India when she nine years old. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996. For many years Nina has been Krishna Das’ business manager and accompanies him musically as well. In 2007, she recorded the track ‘Nina Chalisa’ on Krishna Das’ CD “Flow of Grace ” ; January 2013 she released her debut album, “Antarayaami – Knower of All Hearts”; In August 2018 her second album “Anubhav” was released. Nina regularly leads kirtan, workshops, and retreats in her hometown of Brooklyn, New York and beyond. For more information visit NinaRaoChant.com. She is also chair woman of SavingWildTigers.org which supports conservation of wild tigers and all species in their natural habitat in India.

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