Cultivating Presence; Eastern and Western Pathways to Inner Freedom, 2 of 3-part

Online, 3 Thursdays offered individually  JAN 29, FEB 5 & FEB 12.

Book individual session(s) for $25 each.

Book all 3 sessions | $65  regular | Early bird discount $57, use promo code FREEDOM exp. 1/22.

We appreciate advance registration.

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

Across time and cultures, wisdom traditions have pointed to the same realization: much of human suffering arises from identification with thought. The Yoga Sutras state that “Yoga is experienced in that mind which has ceased to identify itself with its vacillating waves of perception” (1:2 – M. Stiles translation), pointing to the way mental activity distorts reality and creates a false sense of disconnection. Modern teachers such as Eckhart Tolle echo this understanding, highlighting how attachment to thought forms gives rise to the illusion of a separate self. Likewise, contemporary psychology and emotional intelligence research show that our interpretations—and our awareness of them—deeply shape how we feel, relate, and respond to life.

In this three-part experiential workshop series, Dylan Burditt, a licensed psychotherapist and yoga teacher, and Diana Meltsner, a certified yoga therapist and meditation trainer, invite you to explore the nature of thought through both Eastern and Western lenses, integrating mindfulness and self-awareness, psychotherapeutic theories and modalities, and emotional intelligence. Through teaching, guided meditation, discussion, and reflection, we will explore theories of thinking alongside how to witness and navigate the mind rather than be ruled by it. Participants will discover practical tools to recognize thought-driven emotional patterns, respond with greater clarity and compassion, and experience the freedom that arises when awareness is no longer trapped in the trance of thought.

Individual Session Overviews:

1. Jan 29 The Nature of Thought and the Roots of Suffering — How mental activity shapes perception, emotion, and pain.

2. Feb 5 Witnessing the Mind — Awareness practices from yoga, mindfulness, and modern psychology.

3. Feb 12 Living Beyond the Trance — Integrating presence and emotional intelligence into daily life
You have the option to sign up for them individually or for all 3.

Ideal for: Anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the mind and emotions, mindfulness practitioners, yoga students and teachers, therapists, coaches, and those interested in bridging spirituality, psychology, and emotional well-being.

Sessions will be recorded and available to all enrolled students for two weeks.


Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, ERYT-500, YACEP, has been teaching a variety of classes and workshops since 2001 and since 2017 offers yoga therapy sessions privately and at Integral Yoga Therapy Clinic in San Francisco. She has over 15 years of experience in leading and co-teaching Yoga and Meditation teacher trainings. She has been working in the clinical setting for Kaiser Permanente since 2005 as a yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and health educator. Diana’s focus is on the healing aspects of Yoga on the mind as well as the body by applying the physical postures, practices of breath-control, mindfulness and meditation. Diana helps her clients to find the ability to move through life with increased ease, stress resilience, and intuition. Diana Meltsner works as a programs manager at Integral Yoga Institute, an urban ashram in San Francisco. dianameltsner.com

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

Cultivating Presence; Eastern and Western Pathways to Inner Freedom, 1 of 3-parts

Online, 3 Thursdays – offered individually  JAN 29, FEB 5 & FEB 12.

Book individual session(s) for $25 each.

Book all 3 sessions | $65  regular | Early bird discount $57, use promo code FREEDOM exp. 1/22.

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

Across time and cultures, wisdom traditions have pointed to the same realization: much of human suffering arises from identification with thought. The Yoga Sutras state that “Yoga is experienced in that mind which has ceased to identify itself with its vacillating waves of perception” (1:2 – M. Stiles translation), pointing to the way mental activity distorts reality and creates a false sense of disconnection. Modern teachers such as Eckhart Tolle echo this understanding, highlighting how attachment to thought forms gives rise to the illusion of a separate self. Likewise, contemporary psychology and emotional intelligence research show that our interpretations—and our awareness of them—deeply shape how we feel, relate, and respond to life.

In this three-part experiential workshop series, Dylan Burditt, a licensed psychotherapist and yoga teacher, and Diana Meltsner, a certified yoga therapist and meditation trainer, invite you to explore the nature of thought through both Eastern and Western lenses, integrating mindfulness and self-awareness, psychotherapeutic theories and modalities, and emotional intelligence. Through teaching, guided meditation, discussion, and reflection, we will explore theories of thinking alongside how to witness and navigate the mind rather than be ruled by it. Participants will discover practical tools to recognize thought-driven emotional patterns, respond with greater clarity and compassion, and experience the freedom that arises when awareness is no longer trapped in the trance of thought.

Individual Session Overviews:

1. Jan 29 The Nature of Thought and the Roots of Suffering — How mental activity shapes perception, emotion, and pain.

2. Feb 5 Witnessing the Mind — Awareness practices from yoga, mindfulness, and modern psychology.

3. Feb 12 Living Beyond the Trance — Integrating presence and emotional intelligence into daily life
You have the option to sign up for them individually or for all 3.

Ideal for: Anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the mind and emotions, mindfulness practitioners, yoga students and teachers, therapists, coaches, and those interested in bridging spirituality, psychology, and emotional well-being.

Sessions will be recorded and available to all enrolled students for two weeks.


Diana Meltsner, C-IAYT, ERYT-500, YACEP, has been teaching a variety of classes and workshops since 2001 and since 2017 offers yoga therapy sessions privately and at Integral Yoga Therapy Clinic in San Francisco. She has over 15 years of experience in leading and co-teaching Yoga and Meditation teacher trainings. She has been working in the clinical setting for Kaiser Permanente since 2005 as a yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and health educator. Diana’s focus is on the healing aspects of Yoga on the mind as well as the body by applying the physical postures, practices of breath-control, mindfulness and meditation. Diana helps her clients to find the ability to move through life with increased ease, stress resilience, and intuition. Diana Meltsner works as a programs manager at Integral Yoga Institute, an urban ashram in San Francisco. dianameltsner.com

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

Reclaiming Peace: A Toolkit for Modern Stress

Online & In-person

$54 | $45 Early bird, use promo code PEACE, exp. 11/8

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

We appreciate advance registration.

We’re living in stressful times. The safety and order of our world seem to be disappearing, and the pace of change is accelerating. It’s no wonder that worry and anxiety have become regular companions for many of us.

It’s easy to get caught in doom-scrolling and catastrophizing about the unknown. We do this in an effort to be prepared if the worst happens. But our worry about the future often robs us of the beauty of the present moment. Instead of helping us feel prepared, chronic stress and anxiety create mental imbalance and physical exhaustion, leaving us unable to clearly see our best options for being a positive influence in the world.

Yoga offers practical tools to cultivate mental and emotional calm, helping us rest in our inner peace—regardless of what our lives look like or how the world around us is shifting. This is real power: being in charge of our internal state, no matter the circumstances. From that place of inner steadiness, we can better recognize where and how we can make a meaningful difference.

In this workshop, you will experience:

  • Yoga strategies for reducing stress and caring for yourself, to find inner steadiness in an unsteady world
  • Techniques for working with your thoughts and emotions during times of anxiety, to reduce negative conditioning and catastrophizing
  • Yogic perspectives to help you see your place in the bigger picture
  • Tools for using the body and breath to stay grounded in the present
  • Practice of yoga poses, breathwork, relaxation, and centering for stress relief
  • Discussion of yoga philosophy and wisdom for rising above stress and anxiety

Suitable for all levels.

This workshop will be recorded for later viewing and shared for 2 weeks with all enrolled students.

Yoga Alliance CEUs (3 hours) are available to teachers upon request.


Swami Vidyananda has been teaching Integral Yoga since 1973, and practicing Yoga Therapy since 1979, specializing in Yoga as Stress Management. Vidyananda co-developed the Integral Yoga Stress Management Teacher Training with Swami Ramananda, and taught it for over 30 years. She has taught in many therapeutic programs, including Smith Center Cancer Retreats, Yoga for children with Down Syndrome, Yoga for university students with eating disorders, and chair Yoga for seniors. She is also trained as a hospital chaplain, with an emphasis on end-of-life issues.

Vidyananda has created therapeutic yoga programs for clients with stress-related mental and physical challenges, anxiety, sports and other injuries, and complex trauma. She uses a multi-leveled approach to Stress Management, including adapted stretches, breathing, relaxation, centering and wisdom teachings, to bring wellness to the body, emotions and mind.

Before becoming a Yoga teacher, Vidyananda worked as a broadcast news producer and reporter. Since 1983 she has produced and edited dozens of Yoga Videos, audios and documentaries for Integral Yoga. She also served as conference translator into French for her teacher, Swami Satchidananda, and other notable Yoga Masters. She has been a monk (Swami) since 1983. She founded the Integral Yoga Teachers’ Association and serves as the Director of the Integral Yoga Therapy Training Program. She lives in Satchidananda Ashram, VA, and travels and teaches internationally.

 

Yoga for Strong Bones

$16 | Online – first Saturday of each month.

Please 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 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—key factors in reducing the risk of falls.

This ongoing monthly class focuses on Dr. Fishman’s 12 poses from Series I, gradually introducing additional bone-strengthening poses from his Series II and III over time. These are integrated within a traditional Integral Yoga structure of warm-ups, asanas, guided relaxation, pranayama, and brief meditation. The approach is gentle, steady, and mindful—supporting bone health, posture, balance, and coordination for people of all ages.

Depending on class interest and familiarity, each session may begin with brief discussions on general bone-building fundamentals—such as how bones are formed, how they change with age, and how movement and lifestyle can help maintain bone strength—before transitioning into guided yoga practice. Whether you are joining for the first time or returning to refine and deepen your understanding, you’ll benefit from ongoing
participation.

All levels are welcome. Standing, chair-based, and wall-supported variations will be offered to make the practice safe and accessible.

Recommended props (please have them nearby before class begins to ensure a safe and comfortable practice): Yoga mat, chair (without arms), strap, block, wall access, and a thick towel or blanket.

Important note: This class is educational and experiential in nature. If you have any
medical conditions—including fractures, spinal issues, or joint replacements (especially hips or knees)—please consult your healthcare provider before participating. The class offers safe modifications but is not a substitute for medical advice.


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.

Go to Top