Sangha

Celebrating Community; Karma Yoga
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Celebrating Community; Karma Yoga

Celebrating Community; Karma Yoga

Free

We appreciate advance registration.

Join us for a few hours of fun, food, and meaningful connection as we explore how to transform our work into spiritual practice. We’ll begin with a brief talk and discussion on the practice of Karma Yoga, led by Swami Ramananda. This will be followed by an opportunity to support our beautiful building through mindful service—cleaning the Institute’s classrooms, hallways, and outdoor areas with awareness and joy.

We’ll conclude our time together with an extended deep relaxation and a nourishing meal. During the meal, we will honor the dedicated Karma Yogis who have generously supported the Institute over the past few years.

“Work done in the right attitude becomes consecrated; becomes a sacred act. A life consecrated in doing selfless acts will become a divine life.” – Swami Sivananda

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.

Kia Meaux. I have been a dedicated student of yoga since 1989 beginning with my first teacher, Richard Freeman in Boulder, CO. I began teaching my alignment-based vinyasa flow classes in 1998 here in San Francisco and then eventually opened my own yoga studio, Kaya Yoga in 2006. Due to Covid I closed my yoga studio in 2022 and currently only teach yoga online. My interest has moved more towards meditation and the practice of deeply contemplating “What Am I? I am currently a Resident of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco where I have the great fortune to manage the daily organization of the house.

Raama Das, C-IAYT, is a former director of the Integral Yoga® Teachers Association and has been instructing Integral Yoga since 2009. He is a lead trainer for the Integral Yoga 200-hour Teacher Training at Yogaville and co-presenter for the 200 and 500-hour Yoga Alliance programs at Heal Me Institute in Fredericksburg. Raama recently received certification as a Yoga Therapist through the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), having studied Yoga programs for specific health conditions, including, anxiety, depression, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and addiction. He is also certified as a teacher of Intermediate Hatha, Raja Yoga, Meditation, Stress Management, Yin Yoga, and Yoga for our Elders. Raama has studied and served extensively at the Integral Yoga Academy at Yogaville and managed the Integral Yoga Therapy Program. In addition, he has participated in many months of deep Tantric and classical Yoga sadhana (practice) at the Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School in Sweden under the direction of Swami Janakananda. He currently serves as Institute Manager at the Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco.

Sevika Ford2025-06-23T14:05:03-07:00June 23rd, 2025|Tags: community gathering, Karma Yoga, Kia Meaux, Raama Das, Sangha, selfless service, Swami Ramananda, yoga|

Sunday Spiritual Talk: Radically Unselfish
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Sunday Spiritual Talk: Radically Unselfish

Sunday Spiritual Talk: Radically Unselfish

$5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.

Book now/Online

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

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. observed that, “The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land; confusion all around,” then immediately following, he also said, “that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.” Those words continue to be relevant today. Dr. King himself was beaten, stabbed and even jailed almost 30 times. Still, he continued on this path because he believed he could make a difference. Imagine if the rest of us took up even a fraction of that kind of commitment. Using the guidance of the Yoga Sutras, let’s come together for an hour long discussion to figure out what meaningful and sustainable action looks like today and bring the light of truth to overcome ignorance.

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.

Mia Velez, E-RYT 500, entered the Integral Yoga Sangha in 2016 through the kitchen by helping to cook Thursday community lunches and silent retreat meals. In 2018 she was certified as an Integral Yoga teacher to learn more of the IYI approach and be part of the lineage. Mia is a disciple of the Moy Yat Ving Tsun Kung Fu lineage and is highly influenced by her martial arts training. After completing her first 200-hour teacher training in 2008, she began to see undeniable parallels in Yoga and Kung Fu. When she began teaching Kung Fu in 2014, she incorporated Yoga insight and principles in her classes. Her goal in teaching is to connect with the students and to facilitate a safe space for exploration and self-inquiry. Yoga and Kung Fu are integrated into her daily life as a mother, a preschool teacher, and an advocate for gender, race, and class equality through multiple non-profit groups.

Sevika Ford2024-12-16T18:35:48-08:00December 11th, 2024|Tags: community, Mia Velez, Sangha, Spititual talk, Yoga Sutras, Yoga teachings|

Community Movie Night
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Community Movie Night

Community Movie Night

Free | In-person

Book now/In-Person

Please review our In-person Safety Guidelines. https://integralyogasf.org/attending-in-person

Break up the cold, dark month of January by joining us for an evening of uplifting entertainment to watch a fun British movie “Millions” (73 minutes). It’s a great movie with levity, spiritual values and is free of violence. The Institute will supply popcorn. Bring your own snacks or meal.

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 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.

Sevika Ford2024-12-11T20:10:28-08:00December 10th, 2024|Tags: Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco, Movie night, Sangha, Swami Ramananda, Yoga community|

Sunday Spiritual Talk: Responding to a World in Crisis
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Sunday Spiritual Talk: Responding to a World in Crisis

Sunday Spiritual Talk: Responding to a World in Crisis

ONLINE | $5-$20 | Enroll for free, use promo code FREE.

Book now/Online

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

Many of us are deeply concerned about events in our countries and on our planet and are searching for ways to maintain peace in our hearts and stand up for our values. As we hear about ongoing natural disasters and the climate crisis, senseless violence, rampant injustice and the refugee crisis, we may react with anger, anxiety or feel hopeless. How can we respond meaningfully, instead of tuning it all out or being passively complicit? What does ‘living a spiritual life’ mean in times like ours? Together we will reflect on how to empower ourselves, both as individuals and communities. We will review how a spiritual practice attunes our hearts and minds to the spiritual consciousness we share, and how we are called to manifest that consciousness in response to the world around us.

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.

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.

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.

Sevika Ford2024-08-30T19:33:43-07:00August 30th, 2024|Tags: living a spiritual life, Sangha, Sunday Spiritual Talk, Swami Asokananda, Swami Ramananda, World crisis and Yoga, Yoga and community, Yoga and the world|