Cultivating Compassion and Forgiveness, 7-day Meditation and Raja Yoga course

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.

Please 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

Spiritual Study: Recognizing & Overcoming Obstacles, 1 of 3 parts

Online | $5-15 sliding scale | Free for active IYISF teachers

Please register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.

Each session offered individually. 3 Mondays 6:00 – 7:00 pm:

  1. May/12 Part 1 of 3
  2. May/19 Part 2 of 3
  3. May/26 Part 3 of 3

Have current events contributed to disharmonious thoughts or feelings of anxiety? The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali provide ancient wisdom for current concerns.

Join Prajna in a review of the Yoga Sutras, identifying the obstacles that contribute to feelings of disharmony, anxiety or fear and focusing on practices that help identify and resolve concerns restoring the inner calm that is our true nature.

We will review Sutra 1.30 & 2.3 and will add others as we progress in the 3 sessions on May 12, 19 and 26th.

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, 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.


Prajna 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 a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis in 2015, led to the practice of yoga. The practice was so transformative, (both physically and mentally) 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 Institute (IYI) community. Tricia completed IYISF Raja Yoga Teacher Training in October of 2024 with Swami Ramananda & Swami DIvyananda and received her spiritual name Prajna, defined as wisdom & knowledge gained through intuitive insight. She completed IYISF Meditation Teacher Training with Swami Ramananda and Diana Meltsner in February 2025.

Scripture study: The Essence of Balance: Exploring the Gunas through the Yoga Sutras, 3-part

Online | $5-15 sliding scale

Please register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.

Join us for a transformative 3-week scripture study group, “Understanding and Balancing the Gunas,” where you’ll explore the ancient wisdom of the Gunas—Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—as described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

On 3 Monday evenings, January 13th, 20th and 27th, we will delve into how these fundamental energies shape our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The first week, you’ll dive deep into the characteristics of each Guna through group discussions and weekly reflections, gaining a profound understanding of how these energies manifest in your life. The concept of Gunas in Yoga philosophy introduces three fundamental energies that influence human behavior and the natural world. Sattva represents harmony, balance, and purity, associated with qualities like joy, intelligence, and clarity. Rajas are characterized by activity, passion, and desire, linked to movement, ambition, and restlessness. Tamas is associated with inertia, darkness, and ignorance, often leading to lethargy, confusion, and delusion. Understanding the interplay of these Gunas provides a framework for self-observation and personal development, allowing practitioners to navigate their emotional landscapes effectively, ultimately leading to a state of liberation as described in Patanjali’s teachings.

The Yoga Scripture Study series is an offering for participants to learn and discuss how the teachings of Yoga apply to our daily lives. We read passages, take time for reflection , and share how these words and practices support us on the spiritual path.

All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions. Each session offered individually:

Part 1 Monday 1/13 online
Part 2 Monday 1/20 online
Part 3 Monday 1/27 online


Kealoha Deluz, Ph.D, has been a holistic health practitioner for 30 years, holds a Master of Divinity, Ph.D. in Holistic Studies, and is currently working towards a degree in transpersonal counseling. He has been an Integral Yoga Teacher since 2006 and is a Raja Yoga trainer, advanced level Hatha Yoga, meditation and stress management instructor. Kealoha is a licensed massage therapist, skin care practitioner, and holistic life coach. Kealoha Born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii, and currently lives and works in San Francisco, California.

Scripture Study: The Path to Freedom, 3-part

Online | $5-15 sliding scale. Please register separately for each session.

Please register in advance; a Zoom link will be emailed 1 hour before the session, or join Zoom directly via your Momence dashboard.

Each session offered individually:

Monday, June 3, 6:00-7:00 pm
Monday, June 10, 6:00-7:00 pm
Monday, June 17, 6:00-7:00 pm

In this three part series, Swami Ramananda will guide us in a study of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali to transform our relationships with each other and our goals.

6/3 – The first session will focus on understanding the root cause of suffering.

6/10 – The second session will examine the necessity of adversity for spiritual growth.

6/17 – In the third session, we will explore the pathways to authentic joy.

All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.

The Yoga Scripture Study series is an offering in which participants learn and discuss how the teachings of Yoga apply to our daily lives. We read passages, take time to reflect upon them, and share with each other how these words and practices support us on the spiritual path.


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.

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