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

Scripture study: Unlocking Inner Peace with 8 Limbs of Yoga, 3-part

Online | $5-15 sliding scale
Free for active 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:

  1. Monday, April 29, 6:00-7:00 pm
  2. Monday, May 6, 6:00-7:00 pm
  3. Monday, May 13, 6:00-7:00 pm

This three-part series peels back the layers of the Eight Limbs presented in Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, revealing their practical relevance in our modern lives. From cultivating ethical principles like non-violence and truthfulness (Yamas) to mastering the art of breath control (Pranayama) and diving into meditative absorption (Dhyana), you’ll discover tools to navigate everyday challenges and fuel your spiritual growth.
Each week, we’ll delve into three key sutras, allowing their wisdom to permeate your understanding. Remember, your unique perspective shapes your interpretation, making this a personalized journey of self-discovery. We’ll learn from each other’s insights as we collectively explore new facets of ourselves and cultivate inner peace.
Whether you’re a yoga newbie or a seasoned practitioner, this series unveils the transformative power hidden within the Yoga Sutras. Kealoha will be using Deborah Adele’s “Yamas and Niyama” book as a reference point. No prior knowledge or having your own book is required, just an open mind and a willingness to embark on a journey of inner exploration. All are welcome.

Read Kealoha’s recent blog post Exploring the Yoga Sutras: A Journey to Inner Wisdom


Kealoha Deluz 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: Unlocking Inner Peace with 8 Limbs of Yoga, 3-part

Online | $5-15 sliding scale
Free for active 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:

  1. Monday, April 29, 6:00-7:00 pm
  2. Monday, May 6, 6:00-7:00 pm
  3. Monday, May 13, 6:00-7:00 pm

This three-part series peels back the layers of the Eight Limbs presented in Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, revealing their practical relevance in our modern lives. From cultivating ethical principles like non-violence and truthfulness (Yamas) to mastering the art of breath control (Pranayama) and diving into meditative absorption (Dhyana), you’ll discover tools to navigate everyday challenges and fuel your spiritual growth.
Each week, we’ll delve into three key sutras, allowing their wisdom to permeate your understanding. Remember, your unique perspective shapes your interpretation, making this a personalized journey of self-discovery. We’ll learn from each other’s insights as we collectively explore new facets of ourselves and cultivate inner peace.
Whether you’re a yoga newbie or a seasoned practitioner, this series unveils the transformative power hidden within the Yoga Sutras. Kealoha will be using Deborah Adele’s “Yamas and Niyama” book as a reference point. No prior knowledge or having your own book is required, just an open mind and a willingness to embark on a journey of inner exploration. All are welcome.

Read Kealoha’s recent blog post Exploring the Yoga Sutras: A Journey to Inner Wisdom


Kealoha Deluz 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: Yoga In Action, 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.

3 Parts offered individually:

In this series we will study Kriya Yoga (book 2, sutra 1) from The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Patanjali’s first sutra in book 2 (The Portion on Practice), begins with “tapas,” and ignites the yoga journey with a potent image: both the heat of transformation and the light of self-discovery. It suggests that challenges, embraced wisely, become fuel for illuminating our true nature. We will continue with Svadhyaya and Ishwara Pranidhana. Questions and discussion are most welcome. We will be following and deepening the studies from the previous series, Yoga Sutras for Modern Times with Mia Velez. Any of the translations of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is helpful but not necessary to participate.

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. All are welcome to join any one or all of the sessions.
Online | $5-15 sliding scale


Carlee Cohen Barr (Kalyani) first found herself at the Integral Yoga Institute (IYI) in 2001 and began teaching Hatha Yoga, Pranayama and meditation in 2005 after receiving her certification with Swami Ramananda at IYI Bacalar, Mexico. The name Kalyani is a spiritual name given to Carlee by Swami Ramananda which signifies a state of auspiciousness, recognizing blessings, and bliss.
Kalyani has attended numerous workshops and trainings over the years, including Pranayama, meditation, Mantra, Mudras, Dharma, nutrition, Yoga Therapy for Cancer and Chronic Illness (YCAT), Yoga for the Special Child (IYINY), and Anusara Yoga. She is now certified in Raja Yoga (IYISF), weaving the yoga sutras into her teachings. Kalyani has led classes and small group sessions for musicians of all ages at Interplay Jazz Camp in Vermont, has co-lead a retreat in Northern India, has led “Yoga Day” classes for 150 students, and has appeared on Canadian public television. She co-founded Simply Yoga in South Florida.
“Yoga has many facets that contribute to a peaceful, happy, healthy life. Yoga has transformed my life on many levels, and my favorite thing is sharing this gift with others.” Join Kalyani to find your breath and balance, and enjoy the benefits of increased energy, health, and overall well-being.

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