EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS Yoga Vacations Teacher Training Experiential Courses
OCTOBER 2015 — MAY 2016
SIVANANDA Ashram Yoga Retreat
BAHAMAS October 2015 – May 2016 Located on Paradise Island on one of the finest beaches in the world, the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas is a true oasis of calm and natural beauty, and offers a unique combination of a traditional ashram and a modern yoga retreat. Welcome 2
The Sivananda Lineage
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What Is Sivananda Yoga?
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What Is an Ashram?
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The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas
Getting started 11
Ways to Visit
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Yoga Vacation Program
15 Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course (TTC) 17 Advanced Teacher Training Course (ATTC) 19 Q&A with Swami Swaroopananda 21 Experiential Courses 22 Sivananda Core Courses Explore 25
Calendar of October to May Programs
Deepen 139 Professional Accreditation and Continuing Education 140 Karma Yoga Program Useful info 142 Plan Your Visit 144 The Well Being Center 146 Registration and Rates 148 Teacher and Presenter Index 150 Program Guide
WELCOME from Swami Swaroopananda
Welcome. I warmly invite you to join us in the Bahamas for a season of joy, beauty, wisdom and the profound teachings of yoga given to us by our teacher, Swami Vishnudevananda and his teacher, Swami Sivananda. In 1969, Swami Vishnudevananda had a vision about the world. The gist of the vision was that all the barriers that exist between people — physical, psychological, spiritual, everything that separates us — would be destroyed or broken globally, everywhere on the planet. One of the results of that vision was the creation of the Yoga Teacher Training Course (TTC) in order to train people to become new kind of leaders for humanity. These leaders would bring peace to humanity, not war, strife, and suffering; these leaders would lead from within, from the deep place of love and of compassion and of inner peace; and these leaders could teach other people to do the same thing. When he created the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course in 1969, Swami Vishnudevananda envisioned millions and millions of people practicing yoga, a far-fetched notion at that time. And now, in 2015, there are millions and millions of people practicing yoga; on June 21st, the world celebrated the first International Day of Yoga, an initiative cocreated by 175 individual countries through the United Nations. As we navigate these times of change that Swami Vishnudevananda foretold, it is yogis who are playing an important role in helping humanity move through the transformation. At the ashram, we train yoga teachers and yoga practitioners at all levels in support of this great vision, of a barrier-free world in which we are united in oneness expressed through our diversity. Among the programs in this catalog, you will find many special events and symposia that bring together spiritual leaders, healers, musicians, scientists, and artists from diverse backgrounds, religions, and spiritual traditions. These important exchanges invite us to connect, learn, and share with one another, and great spiritual wisdom emerges — the kind of wisdom needed at this time on our planet to inspire and guide us forward. Please join us. Come immerse in yoga, become a yoga teacher, attend a course or special event, take a yoga vacation, join our residential study program — and contribute to creating a bright future for all. Om shanti, Om peace Swami Swaroopananda, Director sivanandabahamas.org | 1
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Health is wealth. Peace of mind is happiness. Yoga shows the way. — Swami Vishnudevananda
Swami Sivananda (1887–1963)
Portraits of Swami Sivananda (left) and Swami Vishnudevananda (right) presented by a Teacher Training Course assistant while students prepare for their group graduation photo..
THE SIVANANDA LINEAGE SERVE. LOVE. GIVE. PURIFY. MEDITATE. REALIZE.
The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas follows an unbroken lineage of teachers who practice the classical yoga wisdom of Swami Sivananda, which was introduced to the West by his disciple Swami Vishnudevananda. We are part of an ever-growing international organization of Sivananda ashrams and centers (sivananda.org), with the mission to share peace, health, and joy through yoga. Member of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres
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Swami Vishnudevananda (right) with his Master, Swami Sivananda, stand along the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh, India.
1945 A young member of the Indian army happens upon a pamphlet by Swami Sivananda entitled 20 Important Spiritual Instructions; he is so inspired, he travels to meet him and joins his ashram in 1947. 1957 On the instructions of his guru, Swami Vishnudevananda brings the foundations of Sivananda Yoga to the West, with a goal to help heal the physical body and the mind and cure suffering. 1969 Swami Vishnudevananda creates the first yoga teacher-training course in the West, which has now trained more than 36,000 certified teachers. Today The International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta organization has nine ashrams and more than 30 centers around the world.
A venerated saint of modern times, Swami Sivananda is the inspiration behind the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres. Following a brilliant career as a medical doctor, Swami Sivananda renounced worldly life and established the Sivananda Ashram and Divine Life Society in Rishikesh, India. He became one of the most prolific yoga teachers who has ever lived, authoring more than 300 books. Although he rarely left Rishikesh, Swami Sivananda’s teachings spread quickly worldwide, continuing to deeply touch and transform the lives of many to this day.
Swami Vishnudevananda (1927–1993) Swami Vishnudevananda trained under Swami Sivananda in all aspects of yoga for 10 years, becoming a world authority on yoga. In 1957, Swami Sivananda sent Swami Vishnudevananda to spread the teachings of yoga in the West, where he founded and directed the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and created the first Yoga Teacher Training Course to empower individuals to be ambassadors of peace through Swami Sivananda’s yoga teachings. A tireless campaigner for world peace, a master of hatha yoga and Raja Yoga, he authored the now classic books The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga and Meditation and Mantras.
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WHAT IS SIVANANDA YOGA? Lifestyle
The Five Points of Yoga • Asana Exercise to stretch, tone, improve circulation, release tension, and increase flexibility • Pranayama Conscious breathing to rejuvenate body and mind • Deep Relaxation Establish deep calm in body, mind, and spirit • Vegetarian Diet Natural and wholesome foods • Positive Thinking & Meditation A clear, balanced mind to access wisdom and peace
Unity in Diversity Yoga Is a Spiritual Path
Sivananda Yoga is rooted in the ancient yoga and Vedanta traditions of India. It brings the practitioner to the recognition of the oneness of existence, the unity underlying the diversity of creation. Through the yogic practices, including asanas, pranayama, and meditation, one attains inner peace and harmony with all of life.
Practice
A Daily Practice for Inner Peace Sivananda Yoga gives practitioners the skills for integrating yoga into their everyday lives. Practice of yoga asanas, pranayama, and other daily routines promotes a healthy flow of prana in the energy body, continually deepens one’s practice, and ultimately creates life transformation from the inside out.
Learn more about Sivananda Yoga (and the yoga classes at the ashram) online: www.sivanandabahamas.org/about-the-ashram/sivananda-yoga
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WHAT IS AN ASHRAM? Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage, a place for spiritual study by a community of residents. Like monasteries, ashrams are usually found in places of great beauty, away from the bustle of everyday life, and rich in life-force energies. Ashrams offer a truly unique setting to immerse in yoga practice and be exposed to timeless wisdom teachings. The Sivananda ashram in the Bahamas is both a place of study and retreat as well as a lively education center, and is maintained by a staff of devoted yogis and spiritual teachers. People come here from around the world to deepen their yoga practice and experience a yogic lifestyle, supported by the abundant energies of the ocean, sun, trees, and plants. In the tradition of Swami Sivananda’s ashram, we are open to everyone and actively promote unity in diversity, welcoming people from all walks of life for short and long stays, while also serving as a spiritual home for everyone.
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There’s time to relax…
h
g on the beac
an Sunrise sats
Daily yoga classes at 8:00
am and 4:00 pm
Evening satsang
SIVANANDA ASHRAM YOGA RETREAT BAHAMAS Accommodations Pleasant lodgings include a choice of rooms overlooking the ocean, or comfortable garden cabins. We offer a variety of accommodation options, ranging from selfpitched tents to luxurious beachfront suites, allowing you to spend your time with us in the way that is optimal for you. See page 146 for accommodation options and rates. Visit our website for further details about our accommodations as well as photographs.
A room with an ocean view
Meals Enjoy a variety of delicious and nutritious vegetarian meals made with loving care according to yogic dietary principles for a healthy and calm body and mind. Savor the flavor of freshly baked bread, homemade granola, and breakfast spreads. Nourish your body with hearty soups and bean, lentil, and vegetable dishes. Make your own salad with our raw vegetable buffet, and relax with the daily herbal tea. Have your meal in the company of other yogis and vacationers by the ocean, in the garden, or in the dining area.
Nourish your body with delicious and nutritious vegetarian meals.
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Setting We are located across the bay from Nassau, Bahamas, on one of the finest beaches in the world. The ashram is truly an island paradise and a sanctuary of peace and natural beauty. With its pristine white sand beaches, crystal blue waters and five-and-a-half acres of lush tropical gardens, the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat provides the ideal environment for practice, rest, and rejuvenation.
Paradise Island, across the bay from Nassau
The Temples The ashram’s main temple is an inviting semi open-air structure built on a spot rich with spiritual energies. Two additional temples elevate the ashram’s spiritual vibration, both with grace and beauty. Several daily pujas (rituals) are conducted either by our Tantric priest from India or by the ashram’s senior staff. We are currently engaged in plans to build a new Main Temple; stay tuned for updates and to find out how you can help!
The Vana Durga Temple
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DAILY SCHEDULE Immerse in a Yogic Lifestyle The ashram’s Daily Schedule creates the rhythm of each day for everyone at the ashram — yoga vacationers, course participants, yoga teacher trainees, Karma Yogis, and staff. This structured immersion creates positive changes that last long after you leave the ashram.
The Well Being Center
The Boutique
Our natural state is one of health, balance, and joy. The healing treatments and consultations offered by the Well Being Center are designed to bring you back into this natural state. Our skilled therapists facilitate healing by working with the flow of prana (life force), freeing up the energy channels to bring healing to the mind and body. Take time to experience a yogic approach to health and well-being.
In the cozy, welcoming Boutique, Bookstore, and Health Hut, you’ll find an inspiring selection of books and music, your favorite yoga equipment, and souvenirs, including our line of organic cotton t-shirts, traditional attire, and accessories brought from India. Share a snack with some friends or take a private break and delight yourself with a selection of natural products, freshly squeezed juices, and a variety of freshly baked delights from the Health Hut.
Slow down. Experience your inner divinity.
Turn to page 145 to discover the menu of treatments we offer.
I had one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life. The therapist’s depth of presence and skills were transformational. —Grace
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6:00 am Satsang: meditation, chanting, and lecture or Silent Walk 8:00 am Yoga Class (asana, pranayama, and relaxation) 10:00 am Brunch 11:00 am – 4:00 pm Class time and/or Free time 4:00 pm Yoga Class (asana, pranayama, and relaxation) 6:00 pm Dinner 8:00 pm Satsang: meditation, chanting, and a talk or performance
Please note The two satsangs and meals times are the same for everyone; individual schedules for the rest of the day vary depending on the program or course you are participating in.
Flow of the Day Morning Start the day at 6:00 am with the serenity of early morning meditation, joyful chanting, and a spiritual talk. Energize your body while preserving the meditative mood with an 8:00 am yoga class. Brunch will await you at 10:00 am. Mid-day Take time for learning through experiential course sessions or a Yoga Vacation workshop. After, you may want to relax on the beach and take a swim or enjoy a healing arts session. Perhaps you’ll stop by the Health Hut for a snack break, spend time with friends, or find a comfortable chair in the garden and read a book. Afternoon Begin the third part of the day with a 4:00 pm yoga class and feel your body achieve its maximum flexibility. Observe as your breath gets calmer and your mind clearer in the serenity of your afternoon practice. Dinner will await you after the class. Take an early evening walk on the beach and enjoy a beautiful sunset. Evening Join the evening satsang at 8:00 pm and let the company of positive, like-minded people uplift you. Meditate, chant, and enjoy devotional music, a dance performance, or a lecture by a world-renowned presenter. Drift to sleep fulfilled and inspired.
Satsang Gain inspiration on your path In Sanskrit, “satsang” means “to be in the company of truth.” During satsang, we come together as a community for meditation, chanting, daily prayers, and learning. Satsangs feature a variety of talks by spiritual teachers and guest presenters as well as special programs, concerts, ceremonies, and symposia.
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For nearly 50 years, we have been a leading destination for people seeking a spiritual environment to study, practice yoga, and develop a healthy lifestyle.
WAYS TO VISIT As a traditional yoga ashram — a spiritual community and study center — all of our programs, trainings, and courses feature immersion in a yogic lifestyle at the heart of the experience.
Yoga Vacation Program Take a break from everyday life and rejuvenate from the inside out through this signature program. Come any time and stay as long as you want. Page 13. Special events! Conferences, symposia, and festivals— an inspiring way to experience the ashram.
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course Become a yoga teacher. Immerse yourself in a profound 28-day immersion that will transform you on all levels. Offered monthly November to June. Page 15.
Experiential Courses Dive into a path of study. Overhaul your health. Learn, grow, and develop life skills. Expand your knowledge and earn certification. Course topics include Nutrition and Cleanses, Healing Arts Trainings, Yoga Philosophy and Practice, Specialized Trainings for Yoga Teachers, and more. Look through this catalog to find specific start and end dates for the course you’re interested in. Pages 25-138. First visit? Take a look at our Sivananda Core Courses— a balance of classes and free time. Page 22.
Karma Yoga Program Participate in the path of selfless service and become part of the ashram community through this residential study option. Page 140.
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The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat provides an optimal environment for spiritual growth, healing, and relaxation. Experience the full benefits of a physical, mental, and spiritual transformation as you retreat from the stressors and distractions of your life. Come discover a healthier, happier you.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM Simplify, reset, and reconnect with yourself. The Yoga Vacation Program was designed by Swami Vishnudevananda to ensure that real relaxation and rejuvenation are achieved for the body, mind, and soul. Whether you are new to yoga or a well-established practitioner, the Yoga Vacation Program invites you to step outside of the challenges and complexities of your everyday life and return to what’s important.
Immerse in a yogic lifestyle Increase your vitality, positivity, and ease of being as a result of daily yoga practice, a healthy vegetarian diet, meditation, and uplifting teachings.
Connect to nature’s healing Enjoy the restorative power of the natural world as you take in the fresh sea air, the sounds of the waves, and the beauty of the tropical gardens.
Meet interesting people Experience the pleasure of good company through connection with kindred spirits from around the world at meals, on the beach, in classes, and in satsang.
Explore inspiring topics Discover new ways of thinking and being, deepen spiritual knowledge, learn body-mind practices, and celebrate the diversity of life. Each year, we invite hundreds of guest presenters to the ashram — scholars, spiritual teachers, scientists, and artists — to offer a rich tapestry of engaging talks, performances, and workshops as part of on pages 25 to 138 to see the Yoga Vacation Program. Look for programs marked what’s happening when you plan to stay with us — or to plan your stay to coincide with a particular program or presenter.
Yoga Vacation Program Rates When you take a Yoga Vacation at the ashram, you enjoy twice daily yoga classes, morning and evening satsang, healthy vegetarian meals, and full access to our grounds and facilities (including the beach!) as well as daily Yoga Vacation Program workshops and talks offered at noon and/or 2:00 pm. November 20, 2015 – May 31, 2016
$32 per person per night
June 1 – November 19, 2016
$18 per person per night
Total cost Add the Yoga Vacation fee to your accommodation rate; see page 146 (the total cost of your stay depends on your accommodation choice). 12 | sivanandabahamas.org
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It was an amazing, life-changing experience! Testing one’s personal limits, broadening the horizon, and cultivating love are at the heart of the TTC. —Luise
CEU
200-HOUR CERTIFICATION
SIVANANDA YOGA TEACHER TRAINING COURSE (TTC) Are you ready for a life transformation? Become a yoga teacher.
Step into the next phase of your life through the tools of yoga. Experience immersion learning at a yoga ashram and develop your teaching skills from the foundations of your own practice and study.
NEW! November 4 – December 1 December 4 – 31
2016 Dates:
This training offers you:
January 4 – 31
• A solid foundation in a classical yoga tradition, including the study and practice of asanas, pranayama, meditation, and mantra
February 3 – March 1
• Versatile teaching skills to work with a variety of populations • Experience with kriyas (physical and mental cleansing practices) • Vegetarian meals and teachings on nutrition and the yogic diet • Participation in Karma Yoga, the practice of selfless service • Yoga philosophy and teachings from the Bhagavad Gita and other ancient texts The TTC is a unique, profoundly transformative, and rewarding experience that is based on the ancient Gurukula teaching system, which integrates the student’s daily life into the yoga training. For four intense weeks of ashram living, students strengthen their own yoga practice through self-discipline and awareness of the nature of mind, body, and spirit. They also build a firm foundation from which to teach others naturally and with confidence.
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2015 Dates:
March 4 – 31 April 3 – 30 May 3 – 30 June 2 – 29
First Yoga Teacher Training in the West! In 1969, Swami Vishnudevananda became the first yogi from India to develop a yoga teacher training program in the West, with the vision to not only develop successful yoga teachers but also to spread peace in the world through them. Recognized worldwide as a leading yoga training program, since 1969, the TTC has graduated more than 36,000 people around the world.
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hi Practice teac
Classmates from around the world
Study with learned instruct ors
Why take the TTC with us in the Bahamas? Live and study in a traditional yoga ashram for a month — • Deepen your spiritual connection to yoga and open to profound inner transformation • Immerse in a yogic lifestyle that promotes physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual growth and well-being • Interact with knowledgeable senior ashram staff and others committed to the yogic path
Participate in a rich tapestry of morning and evening satsang programs —
CEU
Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Course (ATTC)
Inspired?
January 4 – 31, 2016 April 3 – 30, 2016
• Expand your horizons; in addition to the training content, you will be exposed to an array of leading thinkers, performers, and spiritual teachers
Take the next step — GET ONLINE!
• Take a look at the Yoga Vacation Programs in this catalog and online to see what’s happening during the dates of your training
• Find important information: full curriculum, schedule, what to bring, and more
This one-of-a-kind, four-week immersion course provides you the opportunity to advance your hatha yoga practice, take your Self-study (Swadhyaya) to the next level, and create a confident and distinguished approach to your teaching. During the course, you will delve much deeper into the teachings and practices of Bhakti, Jnana, Raja, and Karma Yoga, advance your Sanskrit studies, and engage the transformative practices of yoga to guide you forward on the path of teaching.
• Watch a TTC video
• Register
• Experience a lineage of peace and healing, passed down by true masters
Course Fee • Tent Space $2,580 (plan to bring your own tent)
Questions?
Experience the healing powers and beauty of the ocean —
• Tent Hut $3,752
Email us: ttcbahamas@sivananda.org
• Dormitory $3,704
• Enjoy the expansive views, blue waters, soothing sounds, and sea air of our beachfront setting
Rates are all-inclusive and include tuition, accommodations, and meals. Get online to learn more about each housing option.
Call us: 1-866-559-5167 (US and Canada) 1-416-479-0199 (all countries)
• Participate in weekly sunrise satsang walks on the beach
Be part of a vibrant international yoga community — • Meet people from all over the world who come here to study and practice yoga • Connect with a lineage that has a worldwide network of teachers, centers, and ashrams
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500-HOUR CERTIFICATION
Certification At the end of each TTC, students take an exam. Graduates then receive internationally recognized Sivananda certification. The TTC is also certified by the Yoga Alliance for the 200-hour standard for Registered Yoga Schools. CEU CEUs for social workers and nurses are available.
Visit our website for detailed information. Course Fee See TTC course fees (at left). Students registering simultaneously for the TTC and the ATTC (500-hour Yoga Alliance certification) receive a 10% discount on the total tuition for both courses. Prerequisite Graduation from the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course or Integral Yoga Teacher Training Course. (Please contact Registration if you are a graduate from another teacher training program.) sivanandabahamas.org | 17
Q&A
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS on Yoga and Spiritual Life with Swami Swaroopananda Join us for an evening of Q&A with Swami Swaroopananda. Ask anything you ever wanted to know about yoga practice and philosophy and the spiritual path. The answers are steeped in rare wisdom and deep understanding of the teachings and practice of yoga. Swami Swaroopananda is renowned for his clear, concise, and complete answers. While presented in simple terms, his answers are illuminating and hold within them vast knowledge. He dispels doubts and fears, clears troubled minds, and inspires the listeners to strive and advance on the spiritual path and become better citizens of the world. Swami Swaroopananda is a senior disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda. A practicing yogi from a very young age, Swami Swaroopananda has dedicated his life to the practice and teaching of yoga. He taught in Yoga Teacher Training Courses around the world and is currently teaching advanced yoga philosophy courses and lectures internationally. He is Director of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat and Acharya (spiritual director) for the Sivananda centers and ashrams in the Middle East and the Caribbean. Swami Swaroopananda is also a member of the Board of Directors of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres.
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YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
Q&A
The popular evenings of Q&A’s with Swami Swaroopananda are offered as part of the Yoga Vacation Program; see page 13.
Dates December 29, 2015 January 30, 2016 February 25, 2016 March 27, 2016 April 28, 2016 May 27, 2016
Inspired? Get online! Find numerous Q&A’s with Swami Swaroopananda from previous seasons. Videos on our YouTube page: www.youtube.com/ user/sivanandabahamas Posts on our blog: http://www.sivanandabahamas.org/blog/qa-withswami-swaroopananda/
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The hands-on learning style was just what I needed. The instructors were very knowledgeable and I gained new skills and had experiences I will never forget. — Jennifer
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
EXPERIENTIAL COURSES Pursue an area of interest. Dive into a path of study, gain certification, or take a depth retreat in an enriching educational environment that integrates mind, body, and spirit. All of our courses are taught by expert teachers who specialize in creating holistic learning experiences. Studying at the ashram provides you with the opportunity to balance your course time with healthy meals, walks by the ocean, yoga classes, and community gatherings for meditation and inspiring talks, performances, and events. Courses have specific start and end dates and meet daily.
Topics We offer hundreds of courses a year on a variety of yoga and yoga-related topics. Browse pages 25 to 138 in this catalog to find a course that interests you. Sivananda Core Courses — Learn to integrate classical yoga into your daily life Professional Trainings and Certifications — Develop skills as a new or experienced yoga teacher, healing arts practitioner, and/or helping professional to better serve your students and clients. Nutrition, Cleanses, and Wellness — Create health and well-being in all levels of your life. Yoga Practice and Philosophy — Deepen your knowledge on the spiritual path. Depth Retreats and Personal Discovery — Explore who you really are. To round out your experience at the ashram, we encourage you to consider taking a few days in our Yoga Vacation Program before or after your course; see page 13.
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SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
Essentials of Yoga I: Establish Your Foundation 5-day tuition: $258. Add 6 nights’ accommodation Weekend tuition: $178. Add 4 nights’ accommodation New to Sivananda Yoga? New to yoga? First time at a Sivananda ashram? This inspiring course provides beginners as well as those with a yoga background the information and experience to jumpstart a practice — or deepen one. Highly empowering and practical, you’ll gain knowledge about yoga and discover keys for enriching your life.
• Learn a routine of essential yoga postures for daily tuning up your body, building strength, balance, focus, and physical intelligence • Find out how to benefit from better breathing, de-stress, stretch, and relax SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
• Experience extensive guided practice
Essentials of Yoga II: Deepen Your Practice
Tuition: $258. Add 6 nights’ accommodation. This course is perfect for those who have taken Essentials of Yoga I (5-day or weekend) or have been introduced to Sivananda Yoga practices through classes or courses at the Sivananda Ashram Bahamas or in another Sivananda location. In the course, you will deepen your experience with the 12 basic postures of Sivananda Yoga. Each day focuses on a new theme while practicing asana: concentrating on the energy channels; learning to meditate; relaxation in poses; and working with visualization. You will also be exposed to a practical and theoretical introduction to meditation, positive thinking, Ayurveda, the yogic diet, and stress-relieving techniques, expanding your base of knowledge and experience.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSES
• Gain exposure to yoga theory and philosophy
5-day Course
• Receive personalized attention and answers to your questions.
January 18 – 22
5-day Course
Weekend
Learn how to access energy, joy, and inner peace on a daily basis.
October 19 – 23
October 9 – 11
November 9 – 13
December 4 – 6
December 14 – 18
January 22 – 24
January 11 – 15
March 4 – 6
February 29 – March 4
April 15 – 17
Discover the yogic lifestyle practices that form the foundation of the Sivananda approach to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Learn how to easily weave classical yoga practices into your daily routines. Through yoga postures and breathing, a healthy diet, positive thinking, meditation, and relaxation, you can transform your life from the inside out. Core Courses are taught by senior teachers and staff of the Yoga Retreat, each one with years of experience studying, living, and teaching yoga practices, philosophy, and lifestyle. Come • learn practical tools and techniques • experience a balance of course time and free time • live in an authentic yogic environment • engage traditional wisdom for contemporary lives • take home inspiring new ways to create vitality and peace in your life.
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April 11 – 15 May 2 – 6
November 16 – 20 March 14 – 18 May 9 – 13
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
Essentials of Yoga III: Advance Your Studies Tuition: $258. Add 6 nights’ accommodation. Develop a more precise and focused asana practice. Learn more variations, and deepen your knowledge of yoga philosophy and lifestyle. Visit our website for more information.
5-day Course January 25 – 29 May 16 – 20
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SIVANANDA CORE COURSES (continued) SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
Introduction to Meditation 5-day tuition: $258. Add 6 nights’ accommodation Weekend tuition: $178. Add 4 nights’ accommodation Embark on a journey into your inner self. Learn concentration and meditation techniques and take your first steps toward attaining a calm and blissful mind. You will practice sitting postures, deep relaxation, breathing exercises, concentration, and methods of introducing positive suggestions in the subconscious mind. An introduction to the philosophy and psychology of the practice of meditation will complement the experiential practice. Gain inspiration and strength for developing your practice of meditation, while you are here and at home.
5-day Course
Weekend
December 7 – 11
October 16 – 18
February 24 – 28
November 13 – 15
March 21 – 25
December 18 – 20
April 25 – 29
January 29 – 31
May 13 – 15
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SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
The Power of Positive Thinking 5-day tuition: $258. Add 6 nights’ accommodation. Weekend tuition: $178. Add 4 nights’ accommodation Discover simple, practical tools for developing positive and creative thoughts that contribute to vibrant health and a peaceful, joyful mind. Exploring thoughts, their nature, and how they create your reality, you will learn how to identify the habitual thought patterns that prevent you from fulfilling your highest potential. By applying practical methods of self-inquiry, imagery, and positive affirmations, you will acquire tools for cultivating a higher state of mind that will result in a more harmonious, peaceful, and successful life.
5-day Course
Weekend
October 12 – 16
November 6 – 8
Nov 30 – Dec 4
December 11 – 13
February 1 – 5
January 15 – 17
April 4 – 8
March 25 – 27
May 17 – 21
May 6 – 8
OCTOBER
PROGRAM CALENDAR Health is wealth. Peace of mind is happiness. Yoga shows the way. – Swami Vishnudevananda
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
September 28 – October 1
Yoga and Aromatherapy to Relieve Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Aira Guevara (Rukmini) Learn how to use the healing powers of essential oils to promote relaxation, calm the mind, and release blockages. Through experiential sessions of theory and practice, you will learn simple methods for using aromatherapy in your daily life, including baths, easy diffusing techniques, and the traditional practice of inhaling the oil. You will make your own aromatherapy eye pillow and sample essential oils that address different conditions. Each workshop will end with a deep relaxation session. Aira Guevara (Rukmini) is a Sivananda Yoga teacher with a special interest in integrating yoga and essential oils for therapeutic purposes. She has spent more than a decade studying and practicing aromatherapy and shares her synergistic healing method in workshops in the US and other countries.
See page 11.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
October 2 – 5
Meditation, Mantra, and Music Dennis Chernin Open your heart and focus your mind. Immerse yourself in Bhakti Yoga through a combination of meditation, breathing techniques, sound vibrations, and mantra. Explore various types of mantra and learn how to use them effectively in your meditation practice. Delve into the symbolic meaning and powers of yogic deities through the simple call-and-response chanting of kirtan. People often experience great joy and even ecstasy through these repetitive musical prayers. Dennis Chernin, MD, MPH, a practitioner and teacher of meditation for over 35 years, complements his medical practice with individualized meditation instruction. He is the author of How to Meditate Using Chakras, Mantras, and Breath and The Complete Homeopathic Resource for Common Illness.
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OCTOBER
OCTOBER
DISCOVER CHAIR YOGA Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati) is the creator of SunLight Chair Yoga: Yoga for Everyone book and teacher trainings. A Sivananda Yoga instructor since 1995, she is also certified in Gentle Integral, Kundalini, and prenatal yoga. She leads the Chair Yoga Teacher Trainings at Sivananda ashrams in the US and Bahamas.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
October 2 – 3
Chair Yoga and Yoga at Work: Yoga for Everyone Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati) Experience all the benefits of yoga from a chair. Whether you have health challenges that limit you or spend many hours at a desk — or teach students who do — you can adapt yoga poses and practices to be practical and easy. In just a short time, you’ll feel better physically and reconnect with inner peace and calm. Come learn gentle yoga postures in chairs (standing and seated), chair yoga sun salutations, meditation, breath work (pranayama) and chants with a guided relaxation. Sitting never felt so good! CEU
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
October 4 – 7
Chair Yoga Teacher Training: Making Yoga Accessible for Everyone Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati) Tuition: $290. Add 5 nights’ accommodation Chair Yoga is the best way to adapt yoga so that everyone can benefit. Learn how to make yoga accessible to seniors, persons with disabilities or limited mobility, the chronically ill, those recovering from injuries or surgery. You will learn to teach modified yoga postures in chairs, including sun salutations, and offer breathing practices, chanting, and meditation. You will also learn about the business and marketing of Chair Yoga so you can start your own classes at senior or community centers, hospitals, health clubs, corporations, and other settings. More online.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
October 6 – 9
October 9 – 11
Adapting Sivananda Yoga to Your Body: Everyone Can Practice Krishnadas
Yoga, Stress Relief, and Relaxation Iswara
Do you find practicing yoga postures difficult due to injury, obesity, sickness, or other physical constraint? In this program, offered as three daily hour-and-a-half workshops, you will have the opportunity to explore adaptations to the 12 basic postures of Sivananda Yoga. You will receive personal guidance and discover which modifications are just right for you. As a result, the practice of yoga will become more enjoyable, accessible, and beneficial. This program is also recommended for yoga teachers wanting to expand their skills in meeting their students’ needs.
Discover how awareness and mindful living can enhance your resiliency, prevent and heal stress-related illness, and offer a creative, meaningful approach to living your life. Cultivate the courage and willpower needed to make positive life changes. Learn how to use yoga, meditation, self-inquiry, and other practical mind-body-spirit tools to transform stressful patterns of thought and behavior into a deeply rewarding, sustainable lifestyle. Iswara is a Sivananda Yoga practitioner and teacher of many years and a senior staff member at the ashram. He currently serves the ashram as the IT manager.
Krishnadas, RYT-500, is a physical therapist and Sivananda Yoga teacher. He is a senior staff member of the Yoga Retreat and instructor of the Teacher Training Course. He has taught for more than 15 years, including gentle yoga to seniors. SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
October 9 – 11
Essentials of Yoga I Weekend Experience a highly practical and inspiring jumpstart to a regular yoga practice to enrich your life. See page 23.
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See page 11.
See page 11.
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OCTOBER YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
OCTOBER YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
October 11 — 15
October 13 – 16
October 15 – 18
Creating Sacred Space with Vaastu Shastra Design: Heal Your Home Olga Mandodari Sokolova
Insights from the Middle Theory: Living a Life of Balance Deshon Fox
The Secret of Hatha Yoga: How Asana and Pranayama Work Shyam and Mohini
Deshon Fox teaches that balance is the ultimate universal law that governs both the physical and spiritual realities. True balance begins at the level of perception. What we perceive determines how we behave toward others and ourselves, how we react to challenges in our lives, and how we progress physically and spiritually. You will gain powerful insights on how to achieve balance in all areas of life and become an instrument of balance in the world.
Tuition $296. Add 5 nights’ accommodation.
Peace and harmony at home are crucial for well-being. Come discover the ancient principles of Vaastu Shastra, a 10,000-year-old architectural science that teaches that each building is a living organism with its own energy structure. Through interactive lectures and workshops with a leading Vaastu Shastra expert, you will gain a deeper understanding of the qualities of space itself and how they impact proper design and construction, so you can turn your home into a space of healing. Olga Mandodari Sokolova, PhD, is a certified Vaastu Shastra consultant, who studied under renowned architect Dr. V. Sthapati Ganapati. She received her certification from the International Institute of Mayonic Science and Technology in Chennai, India, and holds a master’s degree in civil engineering as well as a doctorate in therapeutic counseling.
Deshon Fox is the author of The Middle Theory: A Guide to Balance, a book he wrote after a sudden shift in consciousness in 2000. He lives in the Bahamas and travels extensively, offering workshops and talks on his book, his experience, and the true nature of balance. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
October 14 – 17
Karma Yoga: Love in Action Swami Brahmananda
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
October 12 – 16
The Power of Positive Thinking Discover the connection between your thinking, emotions, and health and learn simple, practical tools for positive and creative thoughts. See page 24.
Often translated as “selfless service,” Karma Yoga is the yoga of action. One of the four paths of yoga, Karma Yoga purifies the heart and mind. In forgetting yourself and serving others, you discover new depths of love and joy within yourself. Failure is impossible: the outcome of Karma Yoga is always success in gaining spiritual progress. You’ll learn the spiritual foundations of Karma Yoga, connect with an inner desire to serve, practice selfless service, and reflect on your experience. Swami Brahmananda bio on page 32.
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See page 11.
Hundreds of millions of people all over the world practice hatha yoga for better physical health, longer life, and increased mental calm. Often, however, these amazing benefits obscure the deeper secret of the practice — the sacred science of transcendence. Come explore how hatha yogis use the physical to go beyond the physical and eventually to ultimate truth. Specialized classes will systematically guide you through the magic of the Sivananda hatha yoga sequence, into deep relaxation and its benefits, and provide tools for embarking on a spiritual yoga journey. Shyam and Mohini renounced their professional careers in 1999 following a spiritual pilgrimage to the Himalayas. As partners in the lineage of Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnudevananda, they decided to dedicate themselves to the practice, study, and teaching of the full range of authentic yogic practices. They codirect the Yoga Warehouse, an award-winning Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which they founded in 1998. Instructors in the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Courses and Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Courses, they have helped to train and certify hundreds of yoga teachers. SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
October 16 – 19
Waterfall Qigong: A Moving Meditation Practice Steven Michael Pague Qigong is one of the most eloquent and powerful methods of exercise and moving meditation. Delve into its mysteries through a blend of easy-to-learn, beautiful movements such as Serving Tea, Inner Rivers Flowing, and Eight Pieces of Silk. Explore the history, philosophy, and healing principals of qigong, and learn to increase vitality, strengthen immune function, enhance creativity, and achieve harmony and balance. You will return home with a new or refreshed personal practice and the inspiration to make qigong an ongoing part of daily life. Steven Michael Pague is a certified instructor of Chinese movement and healing arts with the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi. He also teaches life skills and nature awareness with the Tracking Project and is a gifted musician and songwriter, with a CD entitled The Wheel of This Moment.
October 16 – 18
Introduction to Meditation Weekend Retreat Take a break from your life and discover how to find inner peace, contentment, and happiness from within. See page 24.
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OCTOBER
OCTOBER EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
October 23 – 25
October 19 – 21
Gracious Living Weekend Detox Retreat Grace Van Berkum
Breathe, Perceive, Receive Ed Harrold It all starts with a simple breath. Your breath is the tool to yoke your body to your thoughts, connecting life to consciousness. At any given moment, your experience and your perception of your experience are being authenticated by the length, depth, and pace of your breath. This communication between the brain and body dictates a physiologic and biochemical response that either impedes or promotes your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Come discover the power of the breath through guided experiences designed to create transformation. Ed Harrold, founder of the Center for Whole Self Health, applies conscious breathing practices as a coach and educator. As a transformational guide of human potential, yogic sciences, and emotional intelligence, his wisdom and philosophies are translated through his mastery of pranayama and cross-patterning yoga techniques.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
October 19 – 23
Essentials of Yoga I Experience a highly practical and inspiring jumpstart to a regular yoga practice to enrich your life. See page 23.
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Tuition $425. Add 4 nights’ accommodation.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
October 21 – 25
Inner Healing Through Nada Yoga: Sacred Sounds of the Sitar Ram Vakkalanka Nada Yoga is a wonderful confluence of the science of yoga and the art of music. There is something sacred inside each of us that vibrates in perfect harmony with the universe. However, our usual cacophony of thoughts prevents us from enjoying this inner harmony. Come explore music as a means of enlightenment and delve into the relationship between swaras (energized musical tones) and the five elements, the chakras, zodiac signs, and more. Remove energy blockages and discover deeper states of meditation. Ram Vakkalanka is an internationally known Nada Yogi, sitar artist, yoga philosopher, meditation teacher, and Sanskrit expert. A master of sound energy and vibrations, Ram belongs to the musical lineage of maestro Ravi Shankar and has recorded 15 CDs. His meditative ragas are used by many healing practitioners.
Join us for a weekend immersion retreat to cleanse your body and discover how specific foods can increase vitality and energy and prevent and heal disease. Enjoy alkalizing juices, smoothies, and gazpachos prepared in creative, delicious ways and filled with raw, vegan, nutrientdense foods to ensure that you do not feel deprived. The cleanse is designed to improve metabolism and digestion, cleanse internal organs, reduce inflammation, increase energy, recalibrate the taste buds, reset the appetite, educate, inspire, and clear the mind. More online. Grace Van Berkum is a registered holistic nutritionist, Sivananda Yoga teacher, certified personal trainer, and founder of Gracious Living Retreats. Known for her detoxifying and delicious plant-based recipes, Grace leads retreats worldwide.
Waking up to the sound of the ocean every morning, going to sleep with new ideas from the satsang lectures, and practicing yoga asanas daily rejuvenated my body and mind. —Megan YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
October 23 – 26
Living Your Soul: Knowing Yourself on a Deeper Level Connie Numbers Through wisdom traditions, we learn that we are a soul first, and a human second. This program helps us access this ‘forever’ part of us that guides us to experience joy and peace no matter what is happening in our lives. Through a process of self-discovery exercises, you will explore ways of attaining a more profound understanding of who you really are; how to surrender negativity; how to consciously raise your vibration one thought at a time; and how to experience your inherent spirituality through the practice of self-love. Connie Numbers, PsyD, is an author, inspirational speaker, spiritual teacher, and a psychotherapist in private practice for 30 years. She is the author of The Dear One Letters: A Path to Growing as a Human and Evolving as a Soul, and a faculty member of the Sophia Institute in Charleston, South Carolina.
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OCTOBER
OCTOBER YOGA VACATION PROGRAM EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
October 24 – 30
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Renewal Swami Brahmananda and Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) This is a Karma Yoga-based program, no tuition fee applies and participants pay half the rate on tent or dormitory accommodations (see page 146). Imagine spending six days in the company of fellow teachers from all over the world, deepening your knowledge and skills of the classical teachings of yoga and Vedanta, as well as the timeless positive messages of Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnudevananda. Come re-connect with the Sivananda tradition and gain inspiration for your journey as a yoga teacher. This renewal program gives you the opportunity to strengthen your practice and address various challenges in your classes within the ashram’s supportive environment. You will enjoy workshops, yoga classes, spiritual guidance, and the practice of Karma Yoga (3 hours daily) and return home refreshed with new tools for your practice and teaching.
October 27 – 30
Exploring Shamanic Medicine: Healing the Light Body Theodore Tsavoussis
Teachings of the Bhagavad Gita Swami Brahmananda
Come explore shamanic medicine, an ancient transformational approach to healing the mind, body, and spirit. You will discover shamanic practices to shed worn-out stories, break free from the grip of fear and unfavorable heritages, drop your limiting roles and beliefs, and discover the original wounds that derailed your destiny. This will restore balance to your mind, body, and soul, so you can walk through life as a fully conscious being. Theodore Tsavoussis earned professional certification in energy medicine from Alberto Villoldo’s Light Body School of the Four Winds Society. He has traveled to numerous sacred sites in the Andes and Amazon, where he worked with indigenous shamans, and practices energy medicine in Nassau, Bahamas.
Swami Brahmananda bio on page 32.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
October 29 – November 1
Infuse Your Writing with Yoga Virginia Frances Schwartz (Saraswati)
Virginia Frances Schwartz (Saraswati) is a Sivananda Yoga teacher and award-winning author of numerous young adult novels, including Send One Angel Down. Currently a teacher of creative writing at the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, she has trained adults and children in the writing process for more than 25 years.
Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) is a lifelong dancer who found yoga while searching for a body-mind practice that also provided spiritual guidance. An instructor in the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course, she is known for her ability to assist students in improving inner attentiveness.
See page 11.
Dive into the teachings of the most important scriptures in yoga, the Bhagavad Gita. The Gita brings together knowledge and action, inner and outer, individual and society, man and God. All of life is presented as a perfectly complete organic wholeness, leaving nothing unsaid and attempting to solve every problem of life. Thus, the Bhagavad Gita has been acclaimed to be a gospel of life. Come and experience its teachings and learn to live a life deeply rooted in service to humanity and the world at large.
Experience how yoga can be a writer’s most powerful tool. Allow your words to find their own path onto the page without interference by practicing ahimsa, or nonjudgment. Learn how to shift tamas (lack of inspiration) and rajas (over-thinking) to write from a pure sattvic center of calmness. Enjoy daily freewrites in the garden with simple yoga poses, breath work, meditation, and intention. Unleash your creativity and awaken the muse within.
Swami Brahmananda is Manager of the Yoga Retreat and senior staff of the Sivananda organization. A long-time practitioner of yoga, he regularly teaches yoga philosophy and meditation for the Teacher Training Course as well as meditation immersion courses and is a much-loved and inspiring teacher.
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YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
October 25 – 28
See page 11.
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OCTOBER
OCTOBER EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
October 30 – November 2
Ayurvedic Herbal Medicine: Remedies from Your Home Kitchen Brenda Igler Tuition $269. Add 5 nights’ accommodation. Plants are one of the oldest healing remedies and you already have an abundance of practical and effective plant medicines available right in your kitchen and garden. In this course, you will learn to find valuable day-today uses for common culinary spices; create basic first aid and wellness medicines; prepare tasty teas to support purification and increase energy naturally; and make herbal-based alternatives for body-care products. You will return home with a deeper connection to plant medicines and increased confidence — as well as samples of what we make together. Brenda Igler, CAS, PKS, studied Ayurveda at the California College of Ayurveda and in India. She is part of the teaching faculty at the college and the Director of Herbalism, where she runs the 9-month Advanced Ayurvedic Herbal Apprenticeship course. Brenda also maintains a clinical practice at the college’s healthcare center.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
October 31 – November 4
November 5 – 8
The Lives of Saints: Touching Divinity Parvati
Building Bhakti: Chanting from the Heart Jim Gelcer
Celebrate the Divine Feminine: Awakening the Goddess Within Retreat Rachel Fiske
Study the lives of saints and you are inspired at once. Remember their sayings, you are elevated immediately. Walk in their footsteps, you are freed from pain and sorrow. —Swami Sivananda, The Lives of Saints Swami Sivananda wrote that no country can lay claim to its saints as their influence overflows all boundaries. Their lives are practical demonstrations of the truths of spiritual life and a guide to uplifting our hearts and enriching our own practices. Come be inspired by the stories of saints from around the world. Parvati is a senior staff member of the ashram with many years of experience teaching, studying, and practicing yoga. She currently serves the ashram as caretaker of the gardens.
Take a healing journey into the teachings and practice of Bhakti, the yoga of devotion, through kirtan, an ancient form of call-and-response chanting of Sanskrit and other mantras. You are invited to tune into the power and joy of chant, mantra, and music. Come open yourself to an experience of deep devotion, peace of mind, and a blissful connection to yourself and those around you. Jim Gelcer, a Sivananda Yoga teacher, is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer whose style has been called “welcoming, inviting, and contagious,” and blends together traditional Sanskrit chants with R&B, jazz, and rock. Jim’s debut recording, Bhagavan, was hailed as one of the year’s best by American radio shows. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 2 – 5 EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
October 31 – November 3
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Practicum Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) Tuition $258. Add 5 nights’ accommodation. Reignite your flame as a Sivananda Yoga teacher while deepening your own practice. Continuing education and ongoing inspiration is a must for yoga teachers and what better place to connect with your teaching and practice than here. In this course, we will explore practical tools and techniques for assisting students with the 12 basic postures as well as advanced variations. Come refine your teaching style and skills and gain greater confidence in your ability to teach, in an ashram setting or any other environment. Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) bio on page 32.
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YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
October 30 – November 3
Yoga for a Healthy Back and Strong Core Meenakshi Angel Honig Back pain plagues 85 percent of people at some point in their life. Come learn seven easy steps you can take to align, tone, and strengthen your back and your core so you can move with greater ease and comfort. This program is suitable for people at all levels of yoga (including beginners) — no strain is involved. You will also discover proper body mechanics and deep relaxation techniques to help release tension and stress. Meenakshi Angel Honig has studied yoga with Swami Satchidananda since she was 16. She is an Integral Yoga teacher trainer with over 40 years’ experience, has produced four instructional yoga DVDs, and authored eight books. She is the cofounder of Well Being International, and currently teaches on Maui. See page 11.
Tuition $296. Add 5 nights’ accommodation. Within every woman lies access to the embodiment of the Divine Feminine. Come learn how to recognize, claim, and express these energies — and to see them reflected in others. Experience how tension-releasing movement, breathing, and “divine play” can lead to states of profound self-reflection and the free-flow of epiphanies. Learn to rejuvenate and enliven yourself with your breath; find out where your body stores energy and how to access it; practice mudras that help cultivate feminine energy; and renew your sense of connection to the Divine Feminine within. Rachel Fiske, a certified yoga instructor of 19 years, demystifies ancient teachings to make them accessible to contemporary minds. Rachel also integrates the core principles of her varied yoga trainings into a unique and seamless body-mind-spirit experience.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
November 6 — 8
The Power of Positive Thinking Weekend Discover the connection between your thinking, emotions, and health and learn simple, practical tools for positive and creative thoughts. See page 24.
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NOVEMBER
NOVEMBER TEACHER TRAINING COURSE
November 4 – December 1
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course Are you ready for a life transformation? Become a yoga teacher. See page 15. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 5 – 8
Yoga for Grief: Spiritual Practice to Nourish the Self Antonio Sausys
Antonio Sausys, IGT, CMT, RYT, is a somatic psychotherapist and yoga teacher specializing in one-on-one yoga therapy for people with chronic and acute medical and emotional conditions. The author of Yoga for Grief Relief and television host of YogiViews, he lectures and teaches internationally.
The fact that grief is normal does not make it any easier to go through. We identify ourselves through the people and things we are attached to; when we lose them, we lose part of who we are. Yoga can help because it focuses on mind, body, and spirit, the three areas where grief manifests — and often goes unacknowledged. Come learn a yoga sadhana, or practice, developed specifically to help work with grief, that includes breathing exercises, body movements, cleansing techniques, relaxation, mental reprogramming, and meditation. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 6 – 8
Yoga for Manifesting Your Full Potential Antonio Sausys Life is a gift to be received; the big challenge is choosing what to do with what we are given. In this three-day series of yoga asanas and lecture, you will receive a road map for the optimal use of life force for manifesting your full potential. Come learn how to unblock the flow of vital force; how to clean your hara, or energy-balance center, so manifestation is aligned with the true desires of your heart; and how to release blocks to creative energy.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
November 7 – 10
November 7 – 15
Mindful Healing: Curing the BodyMind by Listening to the Self Paul Epstein
Ayurveda Body Treatments Certification Course Lalita Devi
Tuition $425. Add 5 nights’ accommodation.
Tuition $957. Add 10 nights’ accommodation.
Over the course of our lives, we inevitably develop aliments and illnesses, yet, as Norman Vincent Peale wrote, “Every problem contains within itself the seeds of its own solution.” Come experience a toolkit of powerful therapies and techniques to help you optimize your health while you engage with illness and aging from a new perspective. Through yoga, meditation, guided imagery, mind-body and contemplative medicine, and other approaches, you will discover how to arrive at full unconditional acceptance and love of yourself exactly as you are. This is where true healing happens.
Designed especially for massage therapists, Ayurveda practitioners, and yoga teachers and practitioners, this 9-day course offers training in four treatments: abhyanga, traditional oil massage; shirodhara, the pouring of oil on the forehead; nasya, the introduction of oil into the nasal passages; and svedana, gentle heat therapy. You will learn about health and disease from an Ayurvedic perspective and experience these treatments as a spiritual practice for both giver and receiver. See this course online for important notes. Please note Two optional hands-on experiential days follow this course; information online. Lalita Devi bio on page 145.
Paul Epstein, ND, graduated from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, and has been a pioneer and leading voice in mind-body integrative medicine for more than 30 years. He maintains a private practice, teaches worldwide, and has authored many articles and CDs, including The Healing Journey Meets the Spiritual Journey.
I returned home rejuvenated and full of energy and inspiration. —Illia 36 | sivanandabahamas.org
See page 11.
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NOVEMBER
NOVEMBER YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 9 – 12
Wonder on the Creative Quest: Workshops & Talks on Yoga, Writing & Wonder Jeffrey Davis
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 7 – 10
Life and Teachings of Swami Vishnudevananda: Bringing Peace to the World Swami Brahmananda When our founder and guru, Swami Vishnudevananda, attained Mahasamadhi — the great and final samadhi; the state of consciously leaving one’s body at the time of Self-realization — on November 9, 1993, he left a legacy that continues to guide our mission to bring peace to the world through yoga and Vedanta. Come celebrate the life and teachings of this great master as we honor his Mahasamadhi and his Jalasamadhi (the day his body was placed in the Ganges) with special prayers, pujas, and satsangs. Swami Brahmananda bio on page 32.
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Unconscious biases and fears can block our best efforts to lead a creative life. Delve into how yoga, writing, and wonder dissolve common blocks to creative fulfillment. Drawing from current studies in the psychology of creativity correlated with his studies of yogic texts such as the Siva-Sutras, Jeffrey Davis will show you how a lifetime of creative mastery often stems from cultivating wonder — a state of awareness some spiritual traditions consider the window to ultimate reality. He will also offer Yoga as Muse writing practices to hone focus, wonder, and deep imagination. Jeffrey Davis is author of The Journey from the Center to the Page and a leading voice on the art and science of creative mastery. Founder of Tracking Wonder Consultancy, he and his team mentor authors, teachers, and entrepreneurs to publish remarkable books and expand their audience. He has training in two yogic traditions.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
November 11 – 14
Thai Yoga Massage Level I Kam Thye Chow
The Yoga of Vision: Holistic Eye Care Marc Grossman
Tuition $602. Add 7 nights’ accommodation. Thai Yoga Massage is an ancient system of yoga therapy that combines yoga postures with touch technique. It promotes deep relaxation and healing, improves circulation, boosts the immune system, balances the body energetically, and facilitates mind-bod integration. As a therapeutic practice, it is a dynamic form of yoga for the practitioner as well as the recipient. Gain a strong foundation in the key elements of Thai Yoga Massage and learn how to perform a full 90-minute customized session. See more on page 95 and online.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
November 9 — 13
Essentials of Yoga I Experience a highly practical and inspiring jumpstart to a regular yoga practice to enrich your life. See page 22.
See page 11.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 9 – 14
Kam Thye Chow bio on page 95.
According to behavioral optometrist Marc Grossman, how you see is the largest determining factor in “what” you see — and, visual “symptoms” are valuable messages through which you can become more aware of your true nature. Come discover the underlying patterns that cause vision problems — and the physical and psychological effects of many conditions — and learn important nutritional, herbal, and yogic protocols to improve your eyesight, become less dependent on glasses, and prevent future vision problems. Marc Grossman, OD, LAc, is a behavioral optometrist of 35 years and licensed acupuncturist who takes an integrated medical approach to vision. He has written five books on natural eye care including Greater Vision: A Comprehensive Program for Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Clarity and Magic Eye Beyond 3D: Improve Your Vision. sivanandabahamas.org | 39
NOVEMBER
NOVEMBER YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 12 – 15
November 15 – 19
The Yoga of Dreams Tzivia Gover
Principles of Asana Alignment Steven Weiss
Enhance your yogic lifestyle by developing a deeper relationship with your dreams. Learn how to listen to your dreams for wise guidance, selfknowledge, and powerful healing. This program draws from various traditions including Tibetan dream yoga, Jungian psychology, meditation, and pranayama. You will learn techniques to improve dream recall and how to interpret the meaning and messages of your dreams as a path for daily self-reflection, self-observation, and self-study.
When practiced with the awareness of alignment, asanas are revitalizing and provide great therapeutic value. Come learn subtle yet essential alignment principles that keep asana practice safe, while adhering to yogic philosophy and advancing the form with elegance. This program will explore the fundamentals of alignment used in all asana and yoga therapy. Working alone and with partners, you will learn basic techniques that can be immediately put into practice.
Tzivia Gover, CDT, MFA, is a certified dream therapist who uses dreamwork to help people realize their full potential, access creativity, and promote health and development. The founder of 350 Dreamers, a worldwide network of dreamers for global healing, Tzivia is the author of Mindful Moments for Stressful Days.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
November 13 – 15
Introduction to Meditation Weekend Retreat Take a break from your life and discover how to find inner peace, contentment, and happiness from within. See page 24.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
November 13 – 17
Fall Cleanse, Detox, and Juice Fasting Manu Dawson Tuition $424. Add 6 nights’ accommodation. You are invited to tune up and reset your natural body wisdom through a 5-day cleanse. This is a great time to prepare for winter and the holidays, when a combination of slowing down and over-consuming challenge our body. This program initiates transformation on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. You will experience a combination of fruit and vegetable juice fasting and raw food diet, all supported by detoxifying herbs and supplements. Yoga classes and beach walks will enhance digestion, elimination, and integration for optimum cleansing and health. More online. Manu Dawson is a certified Yoga Nutrition Therapist, Integral Yoga teacher, and practicing clinical nutritionist and has directed hundreds of people in detoxification protocols. A direct disciple of Swami Satchidananda, Manu is the manager of the Integral Yoga Natural Apothecary in New York City.
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Steven Weiss, DC, RYT, author of The InjuryFree Yoga Practice, is a holistic chiropractor and nutritionist, registered yoga therapist, and yoga teacher. He teaches anatomy, alignment principles, yoga therapeutics, and nutrition for yoga teacher trainings worldwide and is post-graduate faculty with New York Chiropractic College. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 16 – 20
20 Important Spiritual Instructions Iswara Swami Sivananda provided 20 Spiritual Instructions that are the very essence of all yoga paths: Karma, Raja, Bhakti, and Jnana. Come explore how they can inspire your life and spiritual practice. As Swami Sivananda said, “These are the unfailing keys to quick and effective development of the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual evolution of man.” Iswara bio on page 27.
See page 11.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
November 16 – 20
Essentials of Yoga II Deepen your practice. See page 23. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 18 – 22
Yoga and Energy Healing Retreat Brett Bevell Develop your sensitivity to energy and express your desire to heal yourself and others. In this program, you will learn a variety of energy healing techniques, some of which are steeped in Reiki tradition — such as the secret yet powerful technique called Rei Ju — and others that draw upon ancient energy healing traditions from around the world. You will also experience powerful group energy healings that will upgrade and empower your own energy system to be able to heal yourself and others. Brett Bevell received his Reiki master initiation in 1995 and is the author of several books, including Energy Healing for Everyone, New Reiki Software for Divine Living, and Reiki for Spiritual Healing. He is dedicated to discovering new Reiki techniques that work collaboratively with the Higher Self.
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NOVEMBER YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
NOVEMBER YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 19 – 22
November 21 — 24
From Stress to Resilience: Cutting-Edge Science Meets Ancient Wisdom Susan B. Lord
Food as a Spiritual Path Daniele Giovannucci
Self-care involves an understanding of and resilient response to life’s stressors. Stress can diminish us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, causing suffering and disease. Ancient meditative and mind-body practices offer effective ways of transforming stress and recent discoveries in genetics, biochemistry, physics, and neuroscience now explain and validate these approaches. This program teaches a variety of meditative and mindbody modalities to facilitate self-awareness and self-expression for living a mindful life of resilience, joy, and meaning. Susan B. Lord, MD, is an integrative physician specializing in mind-body-spirit medicine. In her private practice, she helps people create healthy lifestyle changes through nutrition, mindful living, and psychospiritual counseling. Dr. Lord also provides consultations and teaches at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Lenox, Massachusetts.
Food is one of the most powerful ways that we relate to the people around us, to the planet, and to ourselves. Join a world leader in the conversation on food issues for a journey that has nothing to do with diets or calories; it is about discovering the faces of hunger in the world and the choice to release self-centeredness. Together, we will seek a genuine connection with this profound spiritual path. Daniele Giovannucci is president of the Committee on Sustainability Assessment, a global consortium of institutions advancing innovative ways to understand and manage the sustainability of our food systems. Since 1992, he has taught and worked in more than 30 countries.
SPECIAL EVENT
November 23 – 27
GIVING THANKS with the MYSTICS: A Celebration in Poetry and Prayer Swami Brahmananda Mirabai Starr Celeste Yacoboni Roger Housden Jenny Bird Mysticism is about a personal and direct connection with the Divine, melting the boundaries of form and transcending religious dogma. Come celebrate this union with the sacred in the company of a worldrenowned group of spiritual teachers, mystics, poets, musicians, and interspiritual guides. Experience a transformational immersion as we dive into the love languages of the mystics — those of poetry and prayer — across a spectrum of spiritual traditions. Through poetry and song, silence and deep dialog, prayer and play, we seek access to a direct encounter with the sacred, and welcome the in-rushing of spirit in response to our calling out to the Beloved.
Swami Brahmananda, a long-time practitioner of yoga and much-loved and inspiring teacher, is Manager of the Yoga Retreat and senior staff of the Sivananda organization. Mirabai Starr is a critically acclaimed author and translator of sacred literature, including writings by Christian mystics, and a leader in the emerging interspiritual movement. Celeste Yacoboni is the creator and editor of the book How Do You Pray? and leads workshops in which people share and experience different ways of prayer and connection to source. Roger Housden, spiritual writer and modern-day pilgrim, is the author of several works of nonfiction, including the Ten Poems series, and gives public recitals of ecstatic poetry. Jenny Bird is a musician who has been presenting her original songs since age 10 and playing festivals and clubs across Europe, Canada, and the United States for the last 20 years.
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See page 11.
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NOVEMBER
NOVEMBER YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
Thanksgiving Celebration: Discover the Joy of Gratitude Arjuna and Swami Brahmananda
Arjuna is a direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda and co-directs Yoga Sivananda along with his wife Kumari in Aylmer, Quebec, Canada. He has been a professional vegetarian chef for 25 years and has taught family yoga programs for many years in Sivananda centers and ashrams. Swami Brahmananda bio on page 32.
The beach is out of this world!! This place is amazing; the grounds are beautiful, peaceful and safe. Go — you will love it! —Madeline 44 | sivanandabahamas.org
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 30 – December 3
The Art of Self-Reflection Gregg Krech
November 23 – 28
Celebrate Thanksgiving in the nourishing company of like-minded people. Come for all or part of this special Thanksgiving program and immerse yourself in a blissful mood of gratitude as you experience the positive feelings and appreciation that are the essence of this holiday. This program will include a Thanksgiving-day vegetarian feast prepared by chef Arjuna, as well as silent walks on the beach, sunrise meditations, yoga classes, and a variety of daily workshops and satsang talks as part of the Thanksgiving Symposium. Return home uplifted in body, heart, and soul.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 28 – December 1
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
November 24 – 29
Thanksgiving Holiday Program for Children Ages 4-12 Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari) and Aaron Jones $15/day materials fee. Please see Children’s Accommodation Rates on page 143. While you enjoy free time to practice yoga and relax, your children will be introduced to yoga through short asana classes, chanting, crafts, Karma Yoga, storytelling, and lots of games and fun. Led by two beloved and creative teachers, we’ll share stories and legends that illustrate gratitude and many other valuable principles found within the yoga teachings of the yamas and niyamas. Please see the online description for important notes about this program.
Come learn about Naikan, a systematic method of self-reflection from Japan that helps us to both increase awareness of how the world is supporting us and become more conscious of the impact we are having on the world around us. Through stories, anecdotes, personal experience, poems, and brief periods of quiet reflection, you will learn practical approaches for cultivating gratitude in the context of relationships, families, and communities while deepening your experience of compassion, empathy, and sensitivity. Gregg Krech is Executive Director of the ToDo Institute and author of several books, including The Art of Taking Action and the award-winning Naikan. A member of the North American Naikan Council and editor of the journal Thirty Thousand Days, his work has been widely published.
Yoga Nidra: Healing Through Deep Relaxation Molly Birkholm (Madhavi) Explore how iRest® Yoga Nidra guided meditation can uncover the part of you that is truly at peace. Learn how to navigate the layers of consciousness (koshas) to experience the deepest states of meditation. Discover how iRest Yoga Nidra has been clinically proven to help with PTSD, chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety and depression. Relax your way into true healing. Molly Birkholm (Madhavi) bio on page 64.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
November 30 – December 4
The Power of Positive Thinking Discover the connection between your thinking, emotions, and health and learn simple, practical tools for positive and creative thoughts. See page 24.
Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari), MEd, is an experienced Waldorf and Montessori educator, and Sivananda Yoga teacher, who has been working with children since 1989. She is the author of It’s Time for Yoga and director of Family Week at the Sivananda Yoga Ranch in New York. Aaron Jones is a Sivananda Yoga teacher, vegetarian cook, organic gardener, poet, musician, and visual artist. He has been assisting family holiday programs at the Yoga Retreat for several years and shares his parenting experience with warmth, creativity, and guiding presence.
See page 11.
See page 11.
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DECEMBER
DECEMBER YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 3 – 6
Healing Your Relationship with Food Sasha Loring and Sondra Loring In a nurturing atmosphere, learn a range of methods for changing unhelpful thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors regarding food. You will be guided in exploring craving and in learning mindfulness skills to reduce stress and emotion-driven eating. From the ground of mindfulness, attentional training, and self-kindness, this workshop focuses on releasing unhealthy habitual patterns, building the psychological resources needed for change, and practicing mindful eating.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
Divine Creativity Sacred Arts Programs with Mavis Gewant Sacred art cultivates inner silence and attunes one with energy and the essence of the divine aspect that is being evoked. Mavis Gewant is a sacred artist, educator, doula, and practitioner of Vedic astrology. She learned the ancient techniques of yantra and silk deity painting from Tantric master Dada Shri Harish Johari and illustrated his book Planetary Meditation Kit.
November 30 – December 2
Yantra Painting: Transformation through Sacred Form Immerse yourself in the joy of sacred painting. Learn how to paint yantras, sacred geometric patterns that Vedic astrologers have used for ages as tools to help create balance, give strength, and calm the energies of the karmic cycles represented in one’s astrological chart. You will be guided to choose your own yantra and chant a bija (seed) mantra while painting the sacred designs, connecting with the power inherent in their geometry.
December 3 – 5
Chakra Immersion: Understanding Sacred Centers Come discover the imagery of the chakras, our psychic energy centers, where the interaction between higher consciousness
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and our desire is played out. Through the lens of the Tantric tradition of sacred arts, you will experience these subtle centers of transformation through painting and visualization, and learn the imagery, colors, elements, deities, and mantras associated with each chakra.
December 6 – 8
Painting Planet Mandalas According to Indian astrology, the energy released by the orbiting planets affects our lives and can be directed and harnessed to improve our well-being. Mandalas, or sacred circular energy patterns, reflect our inner nature. By working with specific colors and mantras, this meditative painting practice will connect you to the deeper energies of the planets, creating more harmony, peace and energy in your life. You will also enjoy a basic
Sasha Loring, MEd, LCSW, is author of Eating with a Fierce Kindness and, most recently, RELIEF: Release Stress and Harmful Habits and Awaken Your Best Self. A yoga practitioner of 30 years, she leads retreats throughout the US and teaches in the Tibetan Buddhist and vipassana meditation traditions. Sondra Loring is a dancer, master yoga teacher, founder of Sadhana Center for Yoga and Meditation in Hudson, New York, and co-owner of Satya Yoga Center in Rhinebeck, New York. In this program, she will focus on body awakening through mindfulness and movement.
TEACHER TRAINING COURSE
December 4 – 31
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course Are you ready for a life transformation? Become a yoga teacher. See page 25. SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
December 4 – 6
Essentials of Yoga I Weekend Experience a highly practical and inspiring jumpstart to a regular yoga practice to enrich your life. See page 23.
overview of Indian numerology.
See page 11.
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DECEMBER
DECEMBER Father William Meninger, a member of the contemplative Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, is one of the founders of the Centering Prayer movement. Based at St. Benedict’s Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado, he has authored many books, including The Loving Search for God.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
December 5 – 8
Ayurveda for Diabetes and High Blood Pressure Bharata Surya Tuition $318. Add 5 nights’ accommodation. Take a pro-active approach to your health. Did you know that 80 percent of people with Type II diabetes have high blood pressure? In this course, you will learn a powerful, time-tested approach to treating both diabetes and high blood pressure using Ayurveda, a holistic health-care science of India that has been treating both ailments for over 3,000 years. Ayurvedic practices keep sugar levels and blood flow under control through an integrated focus on proper diet and lifestyle management using specific yoga asana and pranayama exercises (breathing techniques), herbs, and natural medicines. More online. Bharata Surya is a Sivananda Yoga Teacher and certified Ayurveda practitioner and counselor, Pancha Karma Specialist, Marma therapist, and vegetarian chef trained in the US, Europe, and India. For 18 years, he has maintained a private practice and led stress-reduction and pain-management programs in corporate settings. Bharata regularly teaches workshops on Ayurvedic cooking and is the lead chef and on-staff Ayurvedic Practitioner at the Sivananda ashram in Grass Valley, California.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
December 7 — 11
Introduction to Meditation Retreat Take a break from your life and discover how to find inner peace, contentment, and happiness from within. See page 24.
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YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 8 – 10
Contemplative Prayer: The Cloud of Unknowing Father William Meninger YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 7 – 9
Yoga Practice for Stress: The Science of Yoga Sat Bir Singh Khalsa Join leading yoga researcher Dr. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa for a cutting-edge exploration of the psychophysiological science underlying the benefits of yoga practice — and discover how and why yoga manifests as beneficial for addressing stress, creating resilience, maintaining health, and preventing disease. In addition to an overview of current scientific studies on yoga focused especially on stress, you will experience and practice the techniques presented. This program provides important exposure to the past, present, and future research on yoga and yoga therapy. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, PhD, has engaged in clinical research on yoga and meditation since 2001 and is Director of Research for the Kundalini Research Institute, Research Director for the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Sat Bir has also practiced a yoga lifestyle since 1973 and is a certified yoga instructor.
See page 11.
Discover a mystical tradition within Christianity that leads to direct experience of the true nature of God. The Cloud of Unknowing is an anonymous work written in the late 1300s; all but forgotten, in 1974, Father William Meninger, a Trappist monk and retreat master at St. Joseph’s Abbey, found a dusty little copy in the abbey library. An invaluable treasure, the book presents contemplative meditation as a teachable, spiritual process enabling the ordinary person to enter and receive a direct experience of union with God. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 9 – 12
The Process of Forgiveness Father William Meninger Join Father William Meninger, one of the leading figures in the Centering Prayer movement, in this important exploration of forgiveness, the most complex but necessary facet of spiritual life. A gifted teacher, Father Meninger will describe its five stages (claiming the hurt, guilt, victim, anger, and finally wholeness) and share a variety of time-tested practices from the Christian contemplative tradition for developing forgiveness: scriptural meditation, compassion meditation, centering meditation, focusing, and vulnerability. He will also tell powerful stories of people who have overcome great obstacles to achieve forgiveness.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
December 10 — 13
Ayurvedic Cooking Retreat Bharata Surya Tuition $350. Add 5 nights’ accommodation. The ancient science of Ayurveda is perhaps the only medical and healing system that offers a detailed guide to food therapy. In Ayurveda, as in yoga, nutrition is considered one of the most important contributors to health and wellbeing on all levels of being, from the physical to the spiritual. Luckily, the principles and practices of Ayurveda are as applicable and effective today as ever. Come learn unique, healthpromoting insights and recipes from the Ayurvedic tradition with a highly experienced chef and Ayurvedic practitioner. More online. Bharata Surya bio on page 48.
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DECEMBER
DECEMBER
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 10 – 13
Prana Focus During Hatha Yoga Practice Dale Buegel Delve into the life force (prana) to facilitate balance on physical, emotional, and energetic levels. We will learn to work with the energies in postures, breath, and meditation, developing skills to directly sense the flows and blockages of energy within ourselves. Medical doctor Dale Buegel, who has taught yoga and meditation for 40 years in settings that include teacher trainings and medical practices, will guide you through unique yoga experiences for restoring balance and enhancing life. Dale Buegel, MD, has 40 years’ experience teaching yoga disciplines. Integrating extensive training in allopathic medicine, bodywork therapies, and energetic medicine, he is known for teaching skillful mastery of yoga postures, breathing techniques, and meditation.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
December 11 – 13
The Power of Positive Thinking Weekend Discover the connection between your thinking, emotions, and health and learn simple, practical tools for positive and creative thoughts. See page 24.
Sivananda Bahamas is a wonderful place to go to if you are looking for a peaceful retreat from modern life. —Andrea
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 11 – 14
Kirtan with Ragani Join a participatory, crosscultural musical experience as you take an inspirational journey into the world of kirtan. Discover the transformational energies of ancient Hindu chants, opening your heart to the Divine and connecting to the eternal that lies within us all. Known for her heartfelt vocals, inspiring stories, and sense of humor, Ragani will share the devotional practice of kirtan and offer unique insights and inspiration into the world of yoga. Ragani is an award-winning artist who leads Milwaukee’s renowned Kirtan with Ragani, one of the largest ongoing independent kirtan scenes in the US. At age eight, Ragani met the yoga master Swami Rama, who personally trained her in yogic sciences, meditation, and Eastern music.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
December 13 – 17
Lightened Living for Those with Chronic Pain and Fatigue Erin Bidlake
The Ramayana: The Greatest Story Ever Told Jeffrey Armstrong
Tuition $269. Add 5 nights’ accommodation.
Join master storyteller and Vedic scholar Jeffrey Armstrong as he skillfully unveils the characters, hidden meanings, and initiations within the ancient yoga classic, the Ramayana. Family, intrigue, romance, and war form the backdrop for this exciting adventure story, with psychologically fascinating characters who are as revealing today as when they were written. Come experience the glory, wealth, opulence, beauty, and enlightening knowledge contained within this timeless story, told with humor and elegance.
“The wound is where the light enters,” wrote Rumi, the 13th century Persian poet and Sufi mystic. This is a hopeful reminder: that dark and light are entwined. This course, for those experiencing the immense physical and emotional darkness of chronic pain and fatigue, draws on ancient yogic and Buddhist wisdom and gentle tools to help you find light in the dark. You will gain new understandings of your experience and explore yogic breathing techniques, meditation practices, guided relaxation, and restorative yoga poses to calm and connect body and mind. Erin Bidlake is a certified 500-hour yoga teacher registered with Yoga Alliance. She spent years living with chronic pain and fatigue as a result of late-stage chronic Lyme disease and her teaching is grounded in her journey, coupled with the science of yoga and the human body.
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See page 11.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 11 – 14
See page 11.
Jeffrey Armstrong is a scholar of Eastern teachings who has spent 40 years studying and practicing Vedanta, Raja Yoga, Tantra, and mantra, initiated into these mysteries by masters. He is the author of several books, including The Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar.
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DECEMBER SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
DECEMBER SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 14 – 18
December 18 – 20
December 20 – 22
December 20 – 22
Essentials of Yoga I
Introduction to Meditation Weekend Retreat
Depression and Anxiety: From Emotion to Devotion Swami Hridyananda
Therapeutic Yoga for the Spine, Hips, Legs, and Shoulders Nora Benian (Sundari)
Let this become a turning point in your life. Among the leading causes of disability in people ages 15 to 44, depression and anxiety don’t need to hold you back anymore. Come reconnect with your essential self as you learn specific yoga postures and breathing practices, dietary guidelines, and other yogic techniques to ease and relieve depression and anxiety and allow your natural state of joy and balance to emerge.
In yoga, even a small misalignment caused by muscular tension can cause great discomfort. Combining therapeutic sequences and strategic prop placement to meet individual needs, we will learn and practice safe and specific therapeutic postures for spinal health, hip and shoulder mobility. These invite relief from pain and increase in energy flow, and can be used preventatively and therapeutically for conditions such as acute and chronic back pain, scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis, and degenerative disc disease.
Establish your foundations. See page 23. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 15 — 19
Restorative Yoga and Healing Therapies Nora Benian (Sundari) There’s no better time of the year to learn how to restore yourself regularly with practices that reduce pain, develop a positive outlook, and increase strength and vigor. We’ll explore restorative prop use for maximum release and comfort, self-healing techniques, working with acupressure points, breathing exercises, meditation, and visualization. This program is perfect for those wanting to learn to relieve stress and tension as well as those working through injuries, chronic pain, and restlessness. Nora Benian (Sundari) is a Sivananda Yoga teacher, yoga therapist, registered professional counselor, and Thai Yoga Massage practitioner with a degree in homeopathy from the British Institute of Homeopathy in Toronto.
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Take a break from your life and discover how to find inner peace, contentment, and happiness from within. See page 24. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 18 – 20
Mantras, Ragas & Voice: Harmonizing Our Lives with Sound Karnamrita Dasi Gain a deeper understanding of the power of sound vibration and learn simple ways to introduce sound practices into your daily life. In this program, we will explore and experiment with the basic concepts of classical Indian ragas and the harmonizing gifts that they offer. You will discover the healing potential of Sanskrit and the secrets to its pronunciation. Come awaken to the depth and intimacy of your own voice.
Swami Hridyananda is a direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda and senior staff of the Yoga Retreat, and has spent over 30 years teaching yoga and Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Courses, directing fasting retreats, and supporting individuals on this transformative journey.
Nora Benian (Sundari) bio on page 52.
Karnamrita Dasi grew up surrounded by Vedic teachings in an ashram community in West Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains. She studied Indian classical music in India for 10 years and sings worldwide, offering the blessings handed down by her teachers.
See page 11.
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DECEMBER
DECEMBER
SPECIAL EVENT
December 22 – January 2, 2016
CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR’S SYMPOSIUM
UNITY IN DIVERSITY Many Paths, One Truth Swami Swaroopananda Lama Surya Das Shayk Abdul Haqq Sazonoff Brant Secunda Lama Migmar Tseten Reverend Jane Vennard Daniel Matt Jan Booman Saeed Snatam Kaur Gaura Vani Krishnan Namboodiri According to yoga philosophy, the one God or Ultimate Reality manifests as a multiplicity of names, forms, shapes, and colors. “Unity” and “diversity” are one and the same and their essence is our own essence: pure existence, pure consciousness, and pure bliss. Join us for a gathering of spiritual leaders, mystics, and musicians from the world’s major spiritual traditions and gain a direct glimpse of this truth. During this special time of the year around the winter solstice and Christmas holiday, when people worldwide are engaged in religious and spiritual traditions and preparations for a hopeful new year, we invite you to an experience of wisdom, love, and compassion. Through talks, concerts, spiritual practices, discussions, and more, you will participate in breaking down artificial barriers and experience the underlying unity in our diversity. Come celebrate light, truth, and peace and welcome in a new year with deep hope for our shared humanity. 54 | sivanandabahamas.org
Swami Swaroopananda, a senior disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda, is Director of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, Acharya (spiritual director) of the Sivananda centers and ashrams in the Bahamas and the Middle East, and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres. Lama Surya Das is an authorized lama in the Tibetan Buddhist order, founder of the Dzogchen Center, and author of the bestselling Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World and 12 other books.
Daniel Matt, PhD, is a leading authority on Kabbalah and the author of more than a dozen books, including God and the Big Bang: Discovering Harmony between Science and Spirituality. He is currently translating and annotating the Zohar, the masterpiece of the Kabbalah. Jan Booman Saeed is Director of Spiritual Life at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah. Raised in the Baha’i faith, she has served many interfaith organizations and has contributed to two interfaith books.
Shayk Abdul Haqq Sazonoff is the national director of the Naqshandi Haqqani Sufi Order of America and teaches Sufism and Islamic mysticism in universities and spiritual centers of diverse faiths worldwide.
Snatam Kaur is an American kirtan singer and peace activist, who learned to sing in the Sikh musical style with her mother. She has been recording music since 2000, and her popular CDs include Shanti, Grace, and Liberation’s Door.
Brant Secunda is a shaman, healer, and ceremonial leader in the Huichol Indian tradition of Mexico and teaches throughout the world. Alongside other dignitaries, including President Jimmy Carter, Brant cofounded the Peace University in Berlin.
Gaura Vani began studying sacred music in Vrindavan, India, at the age of six, and now performs extensively with his kirtan ensemble throughout the world. His albums include Ten Million Moons and Nectar of Devotion.
Lama Migmar Tseten is Buddhist chaplain at Harvard University and director of the Sakya Institute of Buddhist Studies in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has supervised the editing of many rare volumes of Sakya literature.
Krishnan Namboodiri is a Tantric priest from South India, trained in the classical tradition of mantras, pujas (prayer ceremonies), homas (fire rituals), and yantras (sacred geometric designs). He performs many special rituals on a daily basis for the ashram.
Reverend Jane Vennard is ordained to a special ministry of teaching and spiritual direction in the United Church of Christ, a Protestant denomination. An astute scholar of Christianity, she has also practiced Buddhism.
See page 11.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 25 – 28
Heart of the Universe: Chanting with Snatam Kaur Snatam Kaur Join one of the most inspirational singers of devotional music of the Sikh tradition, Snatam Kaur, as she shares her angelic voice through song along with sacred teachings of yoga. Snatam will be accompanied by the soulful guitar and flute of Todd Boston. In addition to satsang concerts, she will offer daytime workshops. Her husband, Sopurkh, will also lead a workshop on meditation. Snatam Kaur bio at left.
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DECEMBER
DECEMBER
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 29
Questions and Answers on Yoga and Spiritual Life Swami Swaroopananda Ask your most important questions. See page 19.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 26 – 31
Teen Yoga Holiday Program Nora Benian (Sundari) Please see Children’s Accommodation Rates on page 143. Learn and experience new things while enjoying a yogic lifestyle in a beautiful setting. Teens will participate in a variety of classes and activities, including yoga (postures, breathing, and meditation), arts and crafts, and journaling. They will be exposed to fundamental yoga teachings and consider the applications of yogic wisdom in their lives, including topics like being true to one’s self, developing compassion, gratitude, and good character, the role of karma in our lives, and the keys to a positive, healthy lifestyle. Teens will contribute an hour of Karma Yoga service daily, becoming part of the community that keeps the ashram humming. Please see the online description for important notes regarding this program Please note A registered adult must accompany each teen at the ashram. Nora Benian (Sundari) bio on page 52.
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YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
December 26 – January 3
Family Yoga Holiday for Children Ages 4-11 Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari) and Aaron Jones $15/day materials fee. Please see Children’s Accommodation Rates on page 143. While you enjoy free time to practice yoga and relax, your children can experience the Yoga Retreat through a wide range of activities and classes designed specifically for them. Led by two beloved and creative teachers, children will be introduced to yoga through short asana classes, chanting, crafts, storytelling, lots of games and fun, and Karma Yoga. We’ll share stories of Hanukkah, Christmas, and the life of Swami Vishnudevananda. Come make new friends, celebrate Swami Vishnudevananda’s birthday, and ring in the New Year with us. Please see the online description for important notes regarding this program. Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari) and Aaron L. Jones bios on page 44.
See page 11.
Happy New Year
December 31 – January 1 Enjoy a special welcome to the year ahead. This is an auspicious time at the ashram, when we also celebrate Swami Vishnudevananda’s birthday. Come experience kirtan with Gaura Vani and a puja led by Krishnan Namboodiri, as well as the sharing of inspiring stories from the life and teachings of Swami Vishnudevanda. See page 11.
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JANUARY
JANUARY YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 3 – 6
The Path of Bhakti Vasudha Narayanan In the Hindu tradition, Bhakti Yoga is more than simply a way of bringing devotional practices into everyday living. Come learn teachings from the Hindu traditions, including through stories of devotion and traditional songs and prayers, as well as philosophical texts and narratives. Together, we will begin to understand the ways in which our daily actions and devotional actions seamlessly flow into each other as we connect simultaneously the deity in the temple and the devotee in the world.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 2 – 4
Growing Older and Wiser with Yoga Silvia San Miguel (Surya) Enjoy a series of workshops that explores the challenges and the blessings of aging and gives you practices for daily life. Learn how Swami Vishnudevananda’s motto of “adapt, adjust, accommodate” can help you take care of body and mind for a lifetime of wellness. You will explore the basics of Ayurveda as a holistic system to keep healthy and beautiful and discover the possibility of transforming emotional challenges such as sadness, grief, and fear into joy, contentment, and love. Silvia San Miguel (Surya) is an educator and a certified Sivananda Yoga teacher who knew Swami Vishnudevananda during the last five years of his life. She has years of diversified teaching experience at Sivananda ashrams worldwide and at her own yoga studio in Mallorca, Spain.
Vasudha Narayanan is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Religion at the University of Florida; director of the Center for the Study of Hindu Traditions at the University of Florida; and the author or editor of several books, including The Vernacular Veda, Hinduism, and The Life of Hinduism.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 4 – 9
Foundations of Raja Yoga Srinivasan
The Yoga of Restful Being: A Deep Yoga Nidra Retreat James Reeves
Srinivasan will lead us on an in-depth journey into the theory and practice of Raja Yoga during morning satsang throughout the month of January, with a special focus on the yamas and niyamas. “Our thoughts create our world” is the essence of Raja Yoga, often referred to as the kingly or royal path of yoga. Its focus is on the purification and control of the mind. Srinivasan is a senior disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda, Director of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch and the acharya (spiritual guide) of the Sivananda centers and ashrams of the eastern United States. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres.
TEACHER TRAINING COURSE
January 4 – 31
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course Are you ready for a life transformation? Become a yoga teacher. See page 15.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
January 3 – 30
Tuition: $478. Add 7 nights’ accommodation Leave everyday distractions behind and experience the rare gift of encountering your true, authentic self in this retreat. Let go of any agenda you have with your yoga practice and take a journey through the koshas (layers of consciousness), uncover what rests at the core of your being, and welcome the deepest essence of who you are. Explore asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha, yoga nidra, meditation, silence, and intimate and spirited dialogue, all to support the realization of your innate connectedness to all of life. More online. James Reeves, the founder of Restful Being, completed his teacher training at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in Kerala, India, in 2004, and then qualified as a Structural Yoga Therapist under Mukunda Stiles. He studied with and was influenced by Richard Miller, the founder of iRest® Yoga Nidra.
January 4 – 31
Advanced Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course Delve deeper into the teachings and practices of Bhakti, Jnana, Raja, and Karma Yoga. See page 17.
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See page 11.
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JANUARY
JANUARY
The ashram is always such a nourishing environment to live and learn in. —Toni
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 6 – 8
Writing Down the Light: A Conscious Retelling of Your Life’s Story Joan Borysenko You can rewire your brain by changing your story. The stories we habitually tell ourselves change our brain circuitry, our relationships, and our path through the world. Come explore your life-myths, create your personal Tree of Life, and rewrite your own narrative as a “medicine for the soul,” helping to foster greater health, happiness. and well-being. Through lectures and short writing exercises, you will be invited to re-consider your life story and use the written word to transform darkness into light.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
January 7 – 10
January 7 – 16
Yoga Shows the Way: The Legacy of Swami Vishnudevananda Rukmini
Discover Peace and Purpose through an Ancient Healing Practice Susan Pualani Alden
New Year’s Cleanse, Detox, and Juice Fast Manu Dawson
Tuition: $318. Add 5 nights’ accommodation
Cleanse and rejuvenate, invigorate your natural body wisdom, and establish new habits. This intensive program initiates transformation on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. We begin gradually with a few days of raw food, followed by fruit and vegetable juice fasting, and end with a raw food diet — all supported by detoxifying herbs and supplements. Yoga classes and beach walks will enhance digestion, elimination, and integration for optimum cleansing and health. More online.
Our founder and guru, Swami Vishnudevananda passed on a legacy that continues to guide our mission to bring peace to the world through yoga and Vedanta. Learn about the life of Swami Vishnudevananda and how he came to found the Sivananda Ashrams around the world, bringing the ancient teachings of the east to the people of the west. Together we will celebrate his life and contribution to humanity through stories from his life and some of the teachings that form a part of his legacy. Rukmini bio on page 71.
Joan Borysenko, PhD, is a Harvard Medical School trained cell biologist, psychologist, spiritual educator, and New York Times bestselling author. A pioneer in stress management, resilience, and personalized nutrition, she is the author of 16 books, including Minding the Body, Mending the Mind and A Women’s Journey to God.
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EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
January 6 – 8
Step into the New Year in harmony with every person, place, and thing in your life through the timeless Hawaiian teachings of ho’oponopono. A key principle in Hawaiian healing practices, ho’oponopono can be used for healing from the past, disconnecting from any form of negativity, deepening into peace and purpose, and embracing your divinity in every moment. In this course, you will explore the cultural roots and modern applications of ho’oponopono, as well as experience Hawaiian chant, meditation, breath, and the “spirit of aloha.” More online. Susan Pualani Alden is a certified yoga instructor and a teacher of native traditions such as ho’oponopono and the Medicine Wheel. She has been traditionally trained and mentored by elders in the native Hawaiian and American Indian communities. Also a Mana Lomi® therapist, Susan offers retreats and workshops worldwide.
See page 11.
Tuition: $753. Add 11 nights’ accommodation
Manu Dawson is a certified Yoga Nutrition Therapist, Integral Yoga teacher, and practicing clinical nutritionist and has directed hundreds of people in detoxification protocols. A direct disciple of Swami Satchidananda, Manu is the manager of the Integral Yoga Natural Apothecary in New York City.
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JANUARY SPECIAL EVENT
January 10 – 15
ON THE WINGS OF ECSTASY Interfaith Devotional Singing Festival YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 8 – 11
Aging Gracefully through Yoga Tao Porchon-Lynch Explore the eternal energy of yoga with Tao Porchon-Lynch, an inspiring “96-yearsyoung” yoga master who fully exemplifies her mantra, “There is nothing you cannot do.” Learn her approach to overcoming obstacles and living mindfully. Discover how to use the four pillars of yoga — pranayama (breathwork), mudras (gestures), bandhas (energetic locks) and chakras (energy centers) — to heal, renew, and revitalize your body. Experience a yoga sequence that builds energy and vitality, including Tao’s special “yoga tango,” integrating breath, movement, and music.
When several people join together and practice Sankirtan [chanting the Lord’s name], a huge spiritual current, or Mahashakti, is generated. This purifies the heart of the aspirants and elevates them to the sublime heights of Divine ecstasy. — Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga
Davod Azad, Dave Stringer, Jan Kirschner, Brother Paul Richards, Ken Whiteley, and Sivananda Ashram Senior Teachers Devotional singing is a widespread practice in religions and spiritual traditions worldwide. Join us as we continue to break barriers and celebrate unity in diversity, this time through music and chant. Join in community and experience the joy of music with performers from various traditions, religions, and cultures. In addition to the esteemed singers and musicians at this festival, senior teachers from the ashram Swami Hridyananda, Rukmini, and Iswara will offer kirtan in the Sivananda tradition. Come sing your heart open, honor the Divine, and nourish your soul.
Dave Stringer is widely profiled as one of the most innovative artists in the world of kirtan and sacred chant, translating these venerable traditions into inspiring and thoroughly modern participatory theater accessible to all. Jan Kirschner began devotional signing at the age of 10, as a soloist in a professional choir in New York City. For 20 years, he has been the chazzan (cantor) at Congregation Bonai Shalom in Boulder, Colorado. Brother Paul Richards, a Benedictine monk of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, holds degrees in music, voice, choral conducting, and education. Well-versed in traditional Gregorian chant, he founded the St. John’s Boys’ Choir.
Tao Porchon-Lynch is considered a grande dame of yoga and is possibly the only person still on the planet who marched with both Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She began practicing at age eight and her many teachers included Swami Prabhavananda, BKS Iyengar, and K. Pattabhi Jois.
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Davod Azad is a prominent master of traditional Iranian music who has performed throughout the world. Based in Tehran, Iran, he is a vocalist, composer, multi-instrumental musician, and virtuoso in several traditional instruments.
Ken Whiteley, one of Canada’s most respected roots musicians, draws on a rich background in blues, gospel, and folk styles. He is a prolific songwriter, versatile instrumentalist, and powerful singer, and has recorded numerous CDs.
See page 11.
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JANUARY
Gain Skills to Share Yoga with Families and Children PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
January 10 – 12
Teaching Yoga to Families Mira Binzen Tuition: $301. Add 4 nights’ accommodation Finding time for fitness, family fun, and relaxation can be a challenge. In family yoga classes, they are all rolled into one. Child-centered and built for fun, family yoga classes create a space where families can connect with each other and their community — parents participate right along with the kids. Come learn how to facilitate a class with a variety of ages and levels of experience and a variety of tools and techniques to give you confidence in teaching yoga to families. More online. PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
January 13 – 15
Yoga for Stable and Calm Children Mira Binzen Tuition: $301. Add 4 nights’ accommodation Many children today struggle with attention, focus, anxiety, or “behavior issues.” Yoga looks at the deeper wisdom of the human mind and the root cause of these conditions rather than the symptoms. Come gain a better understanding of the yogic perspective on children’s well-being and how to help them. You will learn the key poses that help children develop stability, basic practices you can use again and again, the exact words to use to help kids relax, and more. More online. Mira Binzen is an advanced Sivananda Yoga teacher and a yoga therapist. A highly experienced teacher of children’s yoga, she holds a degree in child psychology and is the founder of Global Family Yoga, an organization that focuses on child development through yoga.
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SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
January 11 – 15
Essentials of Yoga I Experience a highly practical and inspiring jumpstart to a regular yoga practice to enrich your life. See page 23. PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
January 11 – 16
Teaching Yoga for Anxiety and Trauma Part 1: A Certification Training for Yoga Teachers Molly Birkholm (Madhavi) and Robin Carnes Tuition: $693. Add 7 nights’ accommodation The effects of anxiety and trauma are a major public health concern and a source of enormous suffering in the world. In this training, yoga teachers will gain an understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other trauma and anxiety-related issues and their impact on the body and mind. You will learn to skillfully choose, introduce, and teach evidence-based practices to work with a variety of populations. More online. Please note Yoga instructors from all lineages welcome. Students will receive full certification after completing Part 2, a oneon-one mentorship program. Molly Birkholm (Madhavi) (pictured left) is an advanced Sivananda Yoga teacher and certified Integrative Restoration (iRest®) instructor. Cofounder of the Yoga Center of Key Biscayne, Florida, and Warriors at Ease, she leads retreats and workshops on yoga for trauma and has worked extensively with veterans of war. Robin Carnes is an Integrative Restoration (iRest) instructor who worked for 6 years as part of a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment program at Walter Reed Medical Center. Her pioneering work was featured in the award-winning documentary Escape Fire: the Fight to Rescue America’s Healthcare.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
January 15 – 17
The Power of Positive Thinking Weekend Discover the connection between your thinking, emotions, and health and learn simple, practical tools for positive and creative thoughts. See page 24. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 16 – 18
Yoga, Stress, and Food Katie Papo (Ambika) Join us for this motivating and inspirational program exploring stress management at its deepest levels and learn methods to effectively and efficiently reduce stress. As the program progresses, you will take your knowledge one step further, and explore the link between stress, your relationship with food, cravings, and weight management. Enjoy detoxification from self-defeating thought patterns, and learn how to apply stress reduction to all parts of life, including physical health goals. Come engage in exercises that facilitate self-care, introspection, and healing. Katie Papo (Ambika) is a Sivananda Yoga teacher and director of Shane Diet & Fitness Resorts in New York State. She is also a certified sports nutrition specialist, fitness trainer, holistic life coach, and weight-management specialist who emphasizes integrative approaches to stress management, self-care, and eating.
See page 11.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 16 – 19
Making Your Mind Matter Joe Dispenza Join a renowned expert on the ways the human brain can be used to affect reality through the mastery of thought. Dr. Joe will share his cutting-edge scientific evidence that proves we have the ability within us to alter our physical health and mental wellbeing, and create our future destiny. He will demonstrate how meditative states can measurably change our brain circuitry, heart rate, and energy field. Come discover simple tools and practices to rewire the brain and make real and lasting changes in your life. Joe Dispenza, DC, is the author of Evolve Your Brain, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, and You Are the Placebo. Featured in the award-winning movie What the BLEEP Do We Know!?, Dr. Joe engages in cutting-edge research on the effects of meditative states and lectures worldwide.
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JANUARY SPECIAL EVENT
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 19 – 22
January 16 – 18
Creating a Yogic Lifestyle Silvia San Miguel (Surya)
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
January 17 – 22
Mindfulness-Based Time and Life Management Jost Blomeyer Tuition: $478. Add 7 nights’ accommodation Discover why mindfulness — the ability to focus your attention in the present moment — is essential for your happiness and success in any area of life. In this course, you will gain a greater understanding of how your brain works, learn how to better handle stress, experience the effects of positive brain training, and redefine your personal values, beliefs, and goals. Come explore the impact of the mind-body connection through a variety of techniques such as mindfulness-based stress reduction, meditation, neuro-lingustic programming, positive psychology, and yoga. More online. Jost Blomeyer is an advanced Sivananda Yoga teacher with a Certificate for Professional Practice of Psychotherapy. Based in Germany, he works as a trainer, counselor, therapist, and coach through his company Metatraining and appears extensively in German magazines and television as an expert on yoga and stress management.
Develop a yogic lifestyle that suits your daily schedule and transform your outlook on work, family, and life in general. Learn how to accommodate a period of meditation at the start of your day, adapt your diet, and take care of yourself physically and mentally by practicing yoga asanas. You will also discover how to recharge yourself with relaxation techniques, how to detect stress — and avoid it — through a few simple breathing exercises, and develop a positive-thinking mind all day long. Silvia San Miguel (Surya) bio on page 58. SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
January 18 – 22
Essentials of Yoga II Deepen your experience of Sivananda Yoga through inspiring new approaches to asana and lifestyle practices. See page 23.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
January 19 – 23
Veterans and Service Members Yoga Retreat: The Power of Calm Robin Carnes Tuition: $310. Add 6 nights’ accommodation Are you looking for a powerful way to manage your stress? Sleep better? Feel more relaxed? Join us for a special retreat just for veterans and active-duty service members where we focus on practical, scientifically proven, simple practices to incorporate into your daily routine. In the company of other vets, you receive useful information together with easy-to-learn breathing exercises, yoga postures, and meditations. Come reconnect with your “chill” and be empowered to bring it back home with you. Robin Carnes bio on page 64.
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MINDFULNESS IN THE WORLD S Y M P O S I U M Mirabai Bush, Judith Simmer-Brown, and Gopi Kallayil One of the most promising trends in the workplace and in education is the rise of mindfulness, an ancient practice for focusing attention to create a still, quiet, stable mind and heart. This symposium brings together three pioneering leaders of the mindfulness movement to share their expertise and experience. Come explore how mindfulness has the ability to create unmatched personal and social well-being — and what you can do to bring mindfulness into your own world. Mirabai Bush is cofounder of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society and coauthor with Ram Dass of Compassion in Action. She works with organizations to bring contemplative principles to the workplace and has a special interest in the recovery of women’s spiritual wisdom.
The Benefits of Mindfulness Employees, employers, educators, and students alike are discovering what sages knew and psychologists and cognitive scientists have confirmed: the practice of mindfulness meditation has tangible benefits, including lowering stress, increasing mental focus, alleviating depression and anxiety, increasing resilience, and improving sleep and mental clarity. Students and employees who practice mindfulness report unprecedented levels of productivity and peace of mind, in spite of the exponential stress and information overload present in our modern world.
Judith Simmer-Brown, PhD, is Professor of Religious Studies at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. A practicing Buddhist for over 40 years, and an acharya (senior dharma teacher) in the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, she is author of several books, including Meditation and the Classroom. Gopi Kallayil is a Sivananda yogi and the Chief Evangelist of Google Social for Brands, with degrees in electronics engineering and business administration. An avid yoga practitioner, meditation practitioner, triathlete, and public speaker, he founded and teaches a weekly yoga program for Google employees (Googlers) called Yoglers. sivanandabahamas.org | 67
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JANUARY EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 22 – 25
January 23 – 25
Creating Your Life Through Sustainable Abundance Jennifer Cohen and Gina LaRoche
Energizing the Light Body Silvia San Miguel (Surya)
Tuition: $366. Add 5 nights’ accommodation Start of the New Year by tapping into a hidden treasure trove of resources and committing to living your life on purpose. In this course, you will begin to map and investigate your mind to uncover what you truly want to create. Through metta meditation, exercises in mindfulness, daily inventory-taking, and body-oriented movement, you will be introduced to the seven principles of living a life of sustainable abundance and guided to move your dreams into action. Jennifer Cohen (pictured right) is a personal and leadership coach with 20 years’ experience. She is a nationally recognized teacher of the Strozzi Institute and cofounder of Seven Stones Leadership Group. Jennifer teaches a unique model of personal development and is a devoted student of vipassana meditation from the Theravada Buddhist tradition. Gina LaRoche (pictured left), cofounder of Seven Stones Leadership Group, is a coach, facilitator, consultant, writer and collage artist, who has published two books about living life from sufficiency. Gina speaks nationally on mindfulness in the workplace and currently trains at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in their Community Dharma Leadership program.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 23 – 25
Silvia San Miguel (Surya) bio on page 58.
Sacred Sound with Jai-Jagdeesh There is something extraordinary about the vibrational healing that happens through music. Come together with Jai-Jagdeesh and her band for two evenings of pure heart-centered sound current. Join an extraordinary musical experience, and be part of creating a vibration of healing for the planet. Jai-Jagdeesh will also be offering “Opening the Authentic Voice: Yoga, Sound, and Mantra Meditation” workshops during the day. Jai-Jagdeesh began her journey as a singer in a temple in India. Between then and now, her creative spirit has walked many artistic paths: actress, classical Indian dancer, photographer, and writer. A Spirit Voyage recording artist and yoga teacher, she is deeply devoted to sharing the transformative technologies of yoga and sacred sound.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
January 24 – 27
Healing with Herbs, Food, and Essential Oils Brigitte Mars Tuition: $366. Add 5 nights’ accommodation You can naturally enjoy more health, beauty, energy, and productivity. Come discover a connection with food that nourishes and heals the body as a temple for the soul. Learn to use food, herbs, essential oils, and other natural techniques for creating well-being through lecture, group discussion, and time in the kitchen making simple preparations. You will also practice simple foraging while exploring beautiful Paradise Island, and return home with enough knowledge to create your own natural medicine cabinet and framework for health. More online. Brigitte Mars is an herbalist and nutritional consultant with more than 40 years’ experience and teaches herbal medicine widely, including at Naropa University. She is the author of numerous books, including The Home Reference to Holistic Health and Healing, and a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post and Care2.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
January 22 – 24
Essentials of Yoga I Jumpstart a regular yoga practice. See page 23. 68 | sivanandabahamas.org
Learn about the subtle body, its network of channels (nadis) and energy centers (chakras) and how they interact with our endocrine and nervous systems. Through the practices of pranayama (breath), visualization, and meditation we will get in touch with the source of our energy (prana) and develop tools to revitalize ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually.
See page XX.
See page 11.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
January 24 – 27
Therapeutic Yoga for Pain Management Neil Pearson Tuition: $318. Add 5 nights’ accommodation Pain is a universal human experience, yet few take the time to think about pain. This course, for people in pain, health professionals, and yoga teachers, invites you to explore an in-depth integration of pain science, pain care, and therapeutic yoga aimed at winding down the nervous system and promoting positive lasting changes in the body. You will learn current pain neuroscience, as well as practical and empowering tools to guide yourself and your students and clients towards moving with greater ease. Neil Pearson is a physical therapist, yoga therapist, and clinical assistant professor of physical therapy at the University of British Columbia, Canada. He teaches therapeutic yoga, works with people with complex pain problems, and offers a Pain Care Yoga certification program.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
January 25 – 29
Essentials of Yoga III Expand and diversify your practice of asana and pranayama and deepen your connection to Sivananda Yoga practices. See page 23.
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JANUARY EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
January 25 – 31
Advanced Bhakti Yoga Course: Teachings from the Narada Bhakti Sutra Rukmini Tuition: $296. Add 8 nights’ accommodation
SPECIAL EVENT
January 25 – 29
3rd Annual Sivananda Ayurveda Conference
LIVING HEALTHY in the 21st Century
Marc Halpern (Siva), Manisha Kshirsagar, Suhas Kshirsagar, Kevin Spelman, Marisa Laursen (Sri Devi) Throughout history, humanity has suffered; while modern technology has extended life, many would argue that suffering today is even greater than in ancient times. Yet ancient Vedic teachers of India left us a body of knowledge to end suffering; that knowledge is called “Ayurveda,” a holistic healing science recorded at the same time as the teachings of its sister science of yoga. With the growth of yoga in the past decade, Ayurveda and its comprehensive teachings have also become more widespread, increasingly influencing our modern approach to healing the body and the mind. We invite you to join us for this week of inspired teachings from outstanding Ayurvedic teachers as together we explore how to end our suffering and create optimal health and peace of mind. 70 | sivanandabahamas.org
Marc Halpern (Siva), DC, CAS, PKS, is founder and president of the California College of Ayurveda and the author of Healing Your Life: Lessons on the Path of Ayurveda. A Sivananda Yoga teacher, he is the cofounder of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. Manisha Kshirsagar, BAMS, specializes in women’s and children’s health care as well as skin care and natural beauty treatments. The author of Ayurveda: A Quick Reference Handbook, she travels world-wide helping to propagate the knowledge of Ayurveda and is on the faculty of several Ayurvedic colleges in the United States. See page 11.
Suhas Kshirsagar, BAMS, MD, is one of the few Ayurvedic practitioners who brings a detailed knowledge of medical astrology into his clinical practice. He is author of the best-selling book The Hot Belly Diet, a consultant to nutraceutical companies, and travels the world popularizing Ayurvedic medicine and teaching. Kevin Spelman, PhD, MCPP, is an internationally recognized expert on the molecular biology and clinical therapeutics of botanical medicines. A past National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellow and Marie Curie research fellow, he served as an herbal pharmacist for the Ayurvedic physician Vasant Lad for five years.
Discover the key that will open the doors of your heart as you learn to cultivate ecstatic love and joy. The Narada Bhakti Sutra is an ancient Vedic text of 84 aphorisms that explains all aspects of the Path of Divine Love, otherwise known as Bhakti Yoga and said to be the most direct path to Self-realization. This course will assist the spiritual aspirant in exploring topics such as the nature of Bhakti, how to cultivate and practice Bhakti, and how to identify the signs of true devotion in a devotee. Rukmini is a senior staff member of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat and personal assistant to Swami Swaroopananda, the Ashram Director. A knowledgeable and experienced teacher, she has been teaching yoga classes and offering lectures on yoga philosophy for many years.
Marisa Laursen (Sri Devi), CAS, AYT, a Sivananda Yoga teacher, earned her Ayurvedic certifications from the California College of Ayurveda, where she is now a faculty member. She participated in post-graduate study in India, has been practicing Ayurveda for more than a decade, and teaches worldwide. sivanandabahamas.org | 71
FEBRUARY
JANUARY EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
January 28 – 31
Abundant Living for People in Recovery Isabel Allen (Devi) and Snow Piccolo
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
January 29 – February 4
Tuition: $366. Add 5 nights’ accommodation Join Isabel Allen and Snow Piccolo for an inspiring experience designed to help you manifest a more abundant life. Drawing upon their experiences with Positive Psychology, yoga, and more than 50 years of recovery work, Isabel and Snow are dedicated to being your cheerleaders for change. Your experience will be infused with principles of yoga and science, and this uplifting weekend will send you home with a fresh outlook, strength, and hope. More online. Isabel Allen (Devi) (pictured on left) is a certified Sivananda Yoga teacher, also trained in the Yoga of Recovery, and a certified Positive Psychology Practitioner. With nearly 15 years in recovery, she is also an Infinite Possibilities trainer and a self-proclaimed Happiness Activist who brings enthusiasm to everything she does. Snow Piccolo (pictured on right) is an artist, photographer, and writer and a certified Positive Psychology practitioner. Snow has 40 years of abundant living in recovery, is also an Infinite Possibilities trainer, and takes groups around the world on fellowship vacations.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
January 29 – 31
Introduction to Meditation Weekend Learn to improve your concentration and happiness and experience less stress and anxiety in daily life. See page 24. 72 | sivanandabahamas.org
The Yoga of Sound and Voice Training John Beaulieu and Silvia Nakkach
Immerse yourself in the
Yoga of Sound John Beaulieu, ND, PhD, is a naturopathic doctor, counseling psychologist, board-certified polarity therapist, composer, pianist, and sound therapist. A world leader in the use of integrative energy medicine for healing, he is also an author, researcher, and professor. Silvia Nakkach is a Grammy-nominated musician, an award-winning composer and voiceculturist, and a pioneer in the field of sound, consciousness, and music shamanism. She is the founding director of Vox Mundi Mystery School of the Voice, and teaches at the California Institute of Integral Studies.
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Tuition: $661. Add 8 nights’ accommodation Experience the transformative power of sound and music with two renowned scholars and clinicians. Combining master classes, lectures, devotional chanting sessions, clinics, movement, and music-making, this in-depth training explores various dimensions of healing with sound: the scientific, yogic, creative, and shamanic. These practices promote a state of euphoria, leading to enhanced wellness and greater possibility for accomplishment and success in all aspects of life. PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
February 6 – 8
A Practicum on the Yoga of Sound and Voice: Modalities and Ways to Implement Voice in a Therapeutic Setting Silvia Nakkach Tuition: $161. Add 4 nights’ accommodation Gain professional sound healing experience in this empowering practicum focused on integrating sound into your current healing practice and exploring career options within professional therapeutic settings. You will be guided through five stages of creating the work you love: clarity of intent; openness; completeness and engagement from the mind and heart; ripening of potential; and manifestation and action. You will achieve a new level of excellence in your sound healing skills and practice.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 30
Questions and Answers on Yoga and Spiritual Life Swami Swaroopananda Ask your most important questions. See page 19.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 30 – February 1
Jnana Yoga: The Practice of Self-Inquiry Swami Brahmananda Jnana Yoga is the path of Self-knowledge that leads to the direct experience of our God-Self. Swami Sivananda wrote, “Selfrealization or direct intuitive perception of the Supreme Self is necessary for attaining freedom and perfection.” The practice of Jnana Yoga can only begin with the purity of heart that results from Karma and Bhakti Yoga. Through study, self-inquiry, meditation, and constant, earnest sadhana, the aspirant then engages in the highest forms of Jnana Yoga. Swami Brahmananda bio on page 32.
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FEBRUARY YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
January 30 – February 1
February 1 – 2
Yogic Remedies for Depression and Anxiety Swami Hridyananda
Cultivating Will Power Through Yoga Jnaneshwari
Let this become a turning point in your life’s journey. Depression and anxiety rank high among the leading causes of disability in people ages 15 to 44 — and they don’t have to hold you back anymore. This weekend offers the opportunity to transcend depression and anxiety by igniting a radical shift in your perspective. You will reconnect with your essential self as you learn specific yoga postures (asanas) and breathing practices, dietary guidelines, and other yogic techniques to ease and relieve depression and anxiety and allow your natural state of joy and balance to emerge.
The practice of yoga helps us to remember who we are and to move toward our True Self. Within this frame, will power becomes an effortless act of love. As we cultivate a more wholesome state of mind and devote ourselves to spiritual practice, we begin to notice that unwholesome habits fall away on their own. In our one desire to know the Self, those actions that do not serve that sole purpose begin to dissolve.
Swami Hridyananda bio on page 53.
Jnaneshwari is a senior staff member of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat. A knowledgeable and experienced teacher and yoga practitioner, has been teaching courses on yoga, meditation, positive thinking, and related topics for many years.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
February 1 – 4
When I arrived, I felt exhausted, unsure of myself, and needing some rejuvenation. The experience at the ashram brought me great relaxation and a sense of good health, and also several good habits to retain. —Chris
From Asana to Deep Meditation Arjuna Tuition: $242. Add 5 nights’ accommodation “Asanas are not just physical exercise.” — Swami Vishnudevananda Swami Vishnudevananda taught that hatha yoga leads to deep meditation and samadhi (super-conscious state) through control of prana, the life force. In this course for yoga teachers and serious practitioners who want to deepen their practice, you will explore the effect of the conscious practice of the 12 Sivananda yoga postures on the physical, astral, and causal bodies. Come learn how asana leads to pranayama, to pratyahara (sense withdrawal), to dharana (concentration), to dhyana (meditation), and finally to samadhi (super-conscious state).
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
February 1 – 5
The Power of Positive Thinking Discover the connection between your thinking, emotions, and health and learn simple, practical tools for positive and creative thoughts. See page 24.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 2 – 5
February 1 – 4
Consciousness Revolution: Changing to a Peace Economy John Perkins Come be part of the change. Shaman and economist John Perkins calls on us to join the greatest revolution in history: the Consciousness Revolution. John writes and travels the world teaching it is critical that we shift from a Death Economy, based on militarization and stealing the earth’s resources, to a Peace Economy, based on cleaning up pollution and developing new food, energy, transportation, communications, marketing, and banking systems. You will learn what indigenous shamans call shapeshifting, the ability to alter form at will, and explore it at the cellular, personal, and institutional levels.
Fine Tune Your Asana Practice Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) This course offers a special opportunity to fine tune and expand your practice to reach better alignment in your physical postures (asanas) and beyond. Over years of practice, we sometimes fall into a routine or develop bad habits. This course will help realign your practice and take it to the next level. Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) bio on page 32.
John Perkins is the 2012 winner of the John Lennon/Yoko Ono Peace Prize, and the best-selling author of Shapeshifting, The World Is As You Dream It, and Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. He has taught at institutions around the world, advised country presidents and CEOs, and trained with master shamans in many different cultures.
Arjuna bio on page 44. 74 | sivanandabahamas.org
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FEBRUARY EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
TEACHER TRAINING COURSE
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 2 – 6
February 3 – March 1
February 5 – 7
Refilling Your Well: The Art of Self-Care Priti Robyn Ross
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course
Shivoham Kirtan Retreat: A Journey of Bliss Manish Vyas
Tuition: $349. Add 6 nights’ accommodation
Are you ready for a life transformation? Become a yoga teacher. See page 15.
Be transported back to ancient India through the music of Manish Vyas, one of the finest performers of the contemporary kirtan genre. Immerse yourself in the sacred chants, mantras, and devotional songs which carry a flavor of meditation, devotion, and celebration. Manish will be accompanied by instrumentalists Ramdass Khalsa and Steve Gorn. In addition to evening kirtans, they will be offering daytime workshops rich in Indian music, singing, meditation, and silence.
There comes a time when you know you need to take a break — when body and soul are searching for sacred space to relax and let go. Come spend a restorative time-out immersed in nurturing activities that replenish your soul, increase your joy, and transform your stress into bliss through gentle yoga classes, massage, meditation, creative journaling, joyful movement, and more. Take home effective stress-relieving tools and set a powerful intention for self-care. Come awaken your spirit and set yourself free. Priti Robyn Ross has been leading workshops in yoga and health for over 20 years. She is co-director of the Kripalu School of Yoga and Pranotthan Yoga teacher training programs. Priti has created groundbreaking yoga and meditation programs in medical settings, including Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 5 – 7
What Is Yoga? Rukmini Most people know that yoga is more than physical practice and that it is actually a spiritual path. But what exactly do we mean by “spiritual path,” how is that different from “religion,” and can we practice yoga while keeping our faith in our own religion? If yoga is a spiritual path, how is it different from Hinduism and what is the connection between the spiritual aspect of yoga and the physical practices of postures and breathing techniques? Through lecture and discussion, we will discover the deeper meaning of yoga. Rukmini bio on page 71.
Manish Vyas grew up in a family of musicians in Gujarat, India, and was initiated to the tabla when he was just nine-years-old. An internationally recognized multiinstrumentalist, composer, recorder, and performer, Manish toured with Prem Joshua for 15 years and has collaborated with kirtan artists Snatam Kaur and Deva Premal.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 5 – 10
Beginners Yoga Immersion Week Arjuna Immerse yourself in the basics of yoga and gain a strong foundation for your practice. Receive a step-by-step introduction to yoga postures and breathing exercises. Discover how proper relaxation, meditation, positive thinking, and a balanced diet will support your ongoing yoga practice and a healthy lifestyle. The solid base of understanding you gain in the program will allow you to get the most from yoga classes and meditation while at the Yoga Retreat and continue your practice at home. Arjuna bio on page 44.
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See page 11.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
February 5 – 10
Energy Medicine Certification: Working with Polarity, the Elements, and the Stars John Beaulieu, Andreas Ledermann, and Brigitta Raimann Tuition: $634. Add 7 nights’ accommodation In this powerful training, you will learn how to work with life energy using bodywork sessions, Polarity Yoga, and sound therapy to balance the five elements — ether, air, fire, water, and earth — the five-pointed star, and the six-pointed star. Valuable on its own or as a complement to massage, yoga, nursing, counseling, physical therapy, and medical practices, the training will emphasize the application of five-element knowledge of modern stress science, Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, and Polarity Therapy. More online. John Beaulieu ND, PhD, is a naturopathic doctor, counseling psychologist, board-certified polarity therapist, composer, pianist, and sound therapist. A world leader in the use of integrative energy medicine for healing, he is also an author, researcher, and professor. Andreas Ledermann is a naturopath, polarity therapist, craniosacral osteopath, lecturer, and author of Polarity Therapy. He cofounded and directs the School of Holistic Naturopathy in Zug, Switzerland. Brigitta Raimann is a naturopath, polarity therapist, craniosacral osteopath, and social worker. She is cofounder of the School of Holistic Naturopathy in Zug, Switzerland.
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FEBRUARY SPECIAL EVENT
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
February 7 – 11
February 8 – 11
The Yoga of Eating: A Fresh New Approach Petra Rakebrandt Tuition: $318. Add 5 nights’ accommodation
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
February 7 – 12
iRest® Yoga Nidra Level 1 Teacher Training Molly Birkholm (Madhavi) Tuition: $1,495. Add 7 nights’ accommodation This training is designed to provide you with the basic principles, history, theory, practice and delivery of iRest Yoga Nidra and enables you to incorporate the simple 10-step iRest protocol into your personal life, professional teaching, or clinical practice. This profoundly healing protocol has been designed for use in various settings such as a personal practice, yoga environments, physical therapy, massage therapy, social work, clinical settings, and alternative or integrative medical practices, as well as in-job training and job resiliency programs. More online.
Regain a healthy relationship with food through immersion in the yogic philosophy of eating — for nutrition and joy! We don’t always eat simply to satisfy hunger; we often turn to food for stress relief, comfort, and reward. In this course, you will learn how to recognize your personal triggers and how your mood affects food choices. You will also learn recipes for smoothies and vegetarian dishes that alleviate cravings. Other experiences — and take-home toolkit — include meditation, Reiki, ThetaHealing, journaling, exercise, and mindful eating techniques. Petra Rakebrandt is a holistic health coach certified with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, a ThetaHealing® practitioner and instructor, a certified yoga teacher, Pilates instructor, and Reiki master. She has a private practice in Guadeloupe, French West Indies, and teaches in the Caribbean and US.
S Y M P O S I U M
Raymond Moody Eben Alexander Karen Newell Swami Brahmananda A common thread runs through the stories of those who have experienced near death: awe-inspiring, positive occurrences and visions of unending peace and love. These stories match the teachings of the world’s wisdom traditions, which say that we are all expressions of one consciousness; that we are souls who take on human form in this “earthly classroom” to live out predetermined lessons and to spiritually evolve. Join a gathering of today’s leading researchers and scholars for an intimate retreat exploring some of life’s most pressing questions: What happens when we die? What are the lessons of life that those who have crossed over wish to share with us? What is the explanation for mystical experiences, psychical phenomena, near-death experiences, outof-body experiences, and children who are able to remember past lives? What are the techniques and tools for accessing the clarity, peace of mind, and inner awareness reportedly available to us, without the near-death experience?
Molly Birkholm (Madhavi) bio on page 64.
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NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE & THE SOUL
See page XX.
See page 11.
Raymond Moody, MD, PhD, has studied near-death experiences for almost 50 years and is the best-selling author of 12 books, including Life After Life, which inspired a surge of scientific interest in life after death. Dr. Moody trains health-care professionals in matters of grief recovery and dying. Eben Alexander, MD, is a neurosurgeon and the author of Proof of Heaven, the story of his own near-death experience, which convinced him of the reality of an afterlife. Chairman of Eternea, he speaks worldwide to promote the power of love, encourage research, and to reconcile medical science with spirituality. Karen Newell, cofounder of Sacred Acoustics and creator of brain entrainment audio meditations, combines digital frequencies, sacred instruments, harmonics of nature, and human vocals to access altered states of awareness. She teaches how to use this form of acoustic enhancement for deep consciousness exploration. Swami Brahmananda is Manager of the Yoga Retreat and senior staff of the Sivananda organization. A long-time practitioner of yoga, he regularly teaches yoga philosophy and meditation. sivanandabahamas.org | 79
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FEBRUARY YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 13 – 14
Yoga, Stress, and Food Katie Papo (Ambika)
Using Thought Power for SelfTransformation Swami Hridyananda
Explore the link between stress and weight management. See page 65.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
February 12 – 16
February 12 – 15
Yoga of Relationships Shyam and Mohini Tuition: $318. Add 5 nights’ accommodation YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 12 – 14
Kirtan and the Bhakti Mandala: Healing Through Chant David Newman (Durga Das) Step into the sacred for a joyous weekend of call and response chanting and devotional song with kirtan recording artist David Newman (Durga Das). His distinctive approach to kirtan embodies a heartfelt devotional mysticism with an adventurous musicality and poetic intimacy. Join us for a heart opening and uplifting journey into bliss. David Newman (Durga Das) is a kirtan chant artist, sacred singer-songwriter, and a practitioner of Bhakti Yoga. A dedicated troubadour of chant and sacred song, he travels extensively sharing kirtan, devotional music, and the spiritual, meditative, and musical aspects of yoga. He founded the Stay Strong Project and Yoga on Main.
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Come discover how the classical teachings of yoga can help you sustain rich, loving relationships with everyone in your life. Explore the yogic keys principles to deep and fulfilling connections, while enjoying morning and evening meditations and special yoga classes. Join us on Valentine’s Day weekend amid the beautiful natural surroundings and daily spiritual rhythm of the ashram as two gifted teachers prepare you physically, mentally, and spiritually for a life filled with love. Shyam (pictured right) and Mohini (pictured left) renounced their professional careers in 1999 following a spiritual pilgrimage to the Himalayas. As partners in the lineage of Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnudevananda, they decided to dedicate themselves to the practice, study, and teaching of the full range of authentic yogic practices. They codirect the Yoga Warehouse, an award-winning Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which they founded in 1998. Instructors in the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Courses and Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Courses, they have helped to train and certify hundreds of yoga teachers.
See page 11.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 12 – 15
Discover the Bahamas, Discover Yourself Arjuna Come and enjoy the beauty and rich heritage of Nassau. This special week of outings, games, and fun activities is offered in combination with the Yoga Vacation Program at a time when many schools have winter breaks. Special family yoga classes will be offered at the Yoga Retreat. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit historical places in the Bahamas and, weather permitting, go on a snorkeling trip (some off-site excursions will involve an additional cost).
Using Swami Sivananda’s book Thought Power, this program explores thoughts, their nature, and how they create reality. Thinking is one of the basic principles of yoga and serves as an essential factor in any process of self-transformation. Come learn tools for identifying the habitual negative thought patterns that prevent you from fulfilling your highest potential. By applying various practical methods of self-inquiry, creative imagery and positive affirmations, you will learn how to cultivate a higher state of mind and bring more harmony, peace, and success into your life. Swami Hridyananda bio on page 53.
Arjuna bio on page 44.
See page XX.
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FEBRUARY
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
February 14 – 18 EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
February 13 – 18
iRest® Yoga Nidra Retreat: Health, Healing, and Wholeness Anne Douglas Tuition: $594. Add 7 nights’ accommodation iRest Yoga Nidra is a research-based meditation, relaxation, and healing protocol that deeply calms the nervous system, integrates negative emotions and thoughts, and is an excellent personal practice as well as adjunctive practice for those in the health and healing professions. This retreat offers profound healing benefits in body, mind, and spirit. Daily practice themes include iRest Yoga Nidra for insomnia, anxiety, and depression; working with emotions and beliefs; awakening to your essential wholeness and true nature; and more. More online. Anne Douglas is Director of Trainers and Certification Supervisor and a senior retreat leader for the Integrative Restoration Institute. She has been teaching yoga and meditation for over 30 years and has a thriving yoga therapy practice in which iRest is the primary resource. 82 | sivanandabahamas.org
The Spine and Wellness: Awakening Oneness Angelo Castello Tuition: $344. Add 6 nights’ accommodation The continuum of health and wellness for the body and mind is a sliding scale of states between vigor, vitality, and wholeness and sickness or “dis-ease.” Come learn about the fundamental qualities of the spine and brain and how their roles relate to this continuum. This enlightening and empowering course integrates modern science, yoga, meditation, the major mystical traditions, and the healing arts. Topics will include brain science, spinal imbalances (including individual assessments), and more. More online. Angelo Castello, DC, is an advanced Sivananda Yoga instructor and a practicing chiropractor of 25 years. He completed his advanced Sivananda training in Val Morin, Canada, and has been a yoga teacher for 20 years.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 15 – 20
Bhakti Stories from the Bhagavata Purana Edwin Bryant Bhakti is central in the Indian tradition, based in devotion and imbibed from the colorful and popular narratives derived from a genre of texts called the Puranas. Come explore a selection of the most beloved, charming, and delightful tales of Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion, from the Bhagavata Purana. The stories of the amazing lives of the yogis of yore and their astonishing yoga practices will capture your heart and mind. You will also have an opportunity to meditate upon some of the best known devotional mantras. Edwin Bryant, PhD, received his doctorate in Indic languages and cultures from Columbia University and is a professor of Hinduism at Rutgers University. He is the author of six books on Vedic history, yoga, and the Krishna tradition, among which is his translation of and commentary on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. See page 11
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 16 – 19
Living a Life that Matters Roshi Bernie Glassman and Roshi Eve Myonen Marko How do we live a meaningful life? In their own special and engaging way, Roshis Bernie Glassman and Eve Myonen Marko will share spiritual teachings and personal stories, including reflections on their experiences of living as homeless people during street retreats and social activism projects such as the Bearing Witness project. Join these two distinguished and charismatic spiritual leaders to get inspired to take action and make your life matter to you and to others. Roshi Bernie Glassman, PhD, is a worldrenowned pioneer in the American Zen movement and founder of Zen Peacemakers. He is a spiritual leader, author, and businessman and teaches at the Maezumi Institute and the Harvard Divinity School. Roshi Eve Myonen Marko is a founding teacher of the Zen Peacemaker Order and resident teacher at the Green River Zen Center in Greenfield, Massachusetts. She co-founded Peacemaker Circle International and has written and edited numerous articles about Zen Peacemakers. sivanandabahamas.org | 83
FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 21
Chanting the Hanuman Chalisa Nina Rao The Hanuman Chalisa is a sacred 40-verse devotional hymn recited for hundreds of years in India to the Hindu monkey god Hanuman. Together we will chant the Chalisa along with musical accompaniment and discover how this ancient practice is still relevant to us today.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 19 – 21
Yoga of Chant Retreat Krishna Das Nourish your heart, inspire your mind, and uplift your spirit through chant, music, and devotion. Krishna Das shares the heart of his spiritual practice through his concerts and workshops, using the power and joy of chanting to lead you into your inner heart space. Join one of the foremost devotional singers in the world for evening kirtan concerts and afternoon workshops with musical prayer and teachings on Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion. Krishna Das, a disciple of Indian sage Neem Karoli Baba, chants in yoga centers and concert halls worldwide. Known to most simply as KD, he has created many CDs, including Pilgrim Heart, Live on Earth, and the Grammy-nominated Live Ananda.
Nina Rao learned traditional chants from her grandfather in a village in South India when she was nine years old. She is Krishna Das’ assistant and accompanies him on tour, and released her own CD, Antarayaami, which includes a variety of Hanuman Chalisa melodies, in 2013.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 21 – 25
The Joy of Right Living with the Yamas and Niyamas Pranava The yamas and niyamas (ethical restraints and injunctions) are the first two steps of the Raja Yoga system and create the foundation of spiritual life. They consist of 10 principles that provide a moral compass for developing character. Their practice rids us of desires, cravings, and negative qualities and fills the heart with love, kindness, and goodness. Come learn how to systematically cultivate these virtues by using a spiritual diary, meditation, affirmations, introspection, and other yogic methods that can be applied in your daily life. Pranava is an advanced Sivananda Yoga teacher who teaches workshops, courses, and Teacher Training Courses (TTC) at the ashram. He regularly travels to Asia and India for pilgrimage to holy sites, retreats, and to deepen his yogic studies.
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Always the perfect balance of de-stressing, activity, and learning. —Eva YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 22 – 25
Practical Spirituality: Life and Teachings of Swami Vishnudevananda Arjuna Learn the relevance and benefits of yoga philosophy for modern daily life. Drawing from his rich personal experiences, Arjuna will offer techniques for translating the theories of yoga philosophy into practical tools for everyday living. Arjuna’s approach is dynamic, personal, and inspiring, including many instructive stories from his times with Swami Vishnudevananda, making your study an enjoyable and deeply satisfying experience. Arjuna bio on page 44.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
February 24 – 28
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 22 – 25
Active Dreaming 24/7: Living by Synchronicity Robert Moss Synchronicity is when the universe gets personal. Come move beyond self-limiting beliefs into a world filled with possibilities. In this profound, high-energy workshop we enter the realm of Active Dreaming — an original synthesis of contemporary dreamwork and shamanic journeying — and tap into the deeper logic of events, receive extraordinary counsel, and have fun. You will also be introduced to the archetype of the Trickster — our friend when we are ready to improvise and change, but our foe when we insist on following old road maps. Robert Moss is the creator of Active Dreaming, an original synthesis of modern dreamwork and shamanism. His nine books on dreaming, shamanism, and imagination include Conscious Dreaming; The Secret History of Dreaming; and Dreaming the Soul Back Home.
Introduction to Meditation Retreat Take a break from your life and discover how to find inner peace, contentment, and happiness from within. See page 24.
See page 11.
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FEBRUARY EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
February 26 – 29
The Complete Vegetarian: How to Transition to a Yogic Diet Manu Dawson Tuition: $387. Add 5 nights’ accommodation
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 25
Questions and Answers on Yoga and Spiritual Life Swami Swaroopananda Ask your most important questions. See page 19.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 24 – 27
Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Resilience and Well-Being Linda Graham Mindfulness and compassion practices are among the most powerful agents of brain change known to modern science. In this program, you will learn practices that skillfully harness the innate neuroplasticity of the brain to reduce the impacts of stress, trauma, and our all-too-human conditioning on how to cope with the inevitable disappointments and disasters of life. Through teachings and experiential exercises, you will gain skills in using self-directed neuroplasticity as a genuine support for wisdom and inner peace. Linda Graham, MFT, integrates modern neuroscience, mindfulness practices, and relational psychology in her trainings on resilience and well-being. She is the author of Bouncing Back and publishes a monthly e-newsletter, Healing and Awakening into Aliveness and Wholeness, archived on her website. 86 | sivanandabahamas.org
Manu Dawson bio on page 40.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
February 25 – 28
Be. Write. Now. Jennifer Louden Tuition: $318. Add 5 nights’ accommodation Are you ready to dive into a beloved writing project or jumpstart a stuck one? In this course for writers of any genre, you will generate new material, explore ways to deepen your writing, and come away with a tool box to help your writing practice flourish. Combining healthy living, spiritual nourishment, and creative inspiration, each day we will use writing prompts, yoga nidra inspired meditation, small group reading circles, and Q&A to generate new words and fresh insights into the heart of your project. Jennifer Louden is a personal growth pioneer and best-selling author who helped launch the self-care movement with her first book The Woman’s Comfort Book. She’s the author of seven additional books on wellbeing and whole living and has been leading retreats and workshops since 1992.
In this four-day experiential course, nutritionist Manu Dawson guides you in the fundamentals of a healthy vegetarian yogic diet, highly regarded for nourishing the body and facilitating weight loss while eliminating the inflammation and allergies that affect a growing number of people. Through lecture and hands-on practice in the kitchen, we cover topics such as how much protein and fat to consume, multivitamin supplements, cooked food vs. raw food, and maintaining peace and flexibility in your mind. More online.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
February 26 – 28
Using Yoga for Lightened Living with Lyme Disease Erin Bidlake Tuition: $269. Add 4 nights’ accommodation The 13th century Sufi mystic Rumi wrote “the wound is where the light enters.” In this course for people living with Lyme disease, you will explore tools and wisdom designed to find light amidst the immense physical and emotional darkness of this disease. You will draw on yogic philosophy and Buddhist teachings to develop new understandings of Lyme disease; explore yogic breathing techniques, meditation practices, guided relaxation, and restorative yoga poses to calm and connect body and mind; and draw strength from community. More online. Erin Bidlake bio on page 51.
See page 11.
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FEBRUARY SPECIAL EVENT
February 26 – 29
CLASSICAL INDIAN
MUSIC & DANCE FESTIVAL Join us for an uplifting and inspirational experience of classical Indian music and dance, as renowned masters come together to share with us their musical gifts and messages. This is a rare opportunity to listen to and watch masters of classical Indian music and dance, who have practiced all their life and obtained perfection, each on their own instrument. Come be inspired by the unique sounds and rhythms of Indian music and experience music as a doorway to the harmony, love, and hope in our hearts.
G.S. Sachdev Swapan Chaudhuri Sanhita Nandi Pandit Habib Khan Shyam Kane Niharika Mohanty
Music kindles love and infuses hope. It has countless voices and instruments. It elevates, inspires, strengthens, and invigorates... Music melts the hardest hearts... If at all there is anything in this world which can change the heart of a man in a very quick time, that is music and dance. — Swami Sivananda, Bliss Divine
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G.S. Sachdev is recognized worldwide as a master of the bansuri (North Indian flute). He is one of the premier performers on this traditional instrument. His pure and classical approach instills tranquility and carries listeners beyond the mind into deep meditation. Swapan Chaudhuri is considered one of the top masters of tabla in the world. He is the Director of Percussion at Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, California. He developed his skill through years of accompanying Ali Akbar Khan and other leading musicians of India.
Pandit Habib Khan, an accomplished composer and vocalist, is as much at ease with light classical and devotional music as he is with pure classical renderings of Indian ragas. He frequently uses Western guitar, drums, violin, and Japanese Taiko drums in his orchestral compositions. Shyam Kane has been a tabla player for over 30 years. He trained under the guidance and supervision of great tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain and performed worldwide. He has accompanied such great artists as Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. Niharika Mohanty has a master’s degree in dance and is a leading Odissi dancer in North America who has received many grants and awards for her choreography. A prominent disciple of the late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, she strives to impart her guru’s style to many aspiring dancers.
Sanhita Nandi is an outstanding performer of Kirana Gayaki, excelling in the exposition and elaboration of ragas with modulations and precision. Her resplendent voice and depth of musical acumen brought her early recognition and she has been invited to perform at all major festivals in India and the US.
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FEBRUARY YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 26 – March 1
February 27 – 29
The Razor’s Edge: Staying on the Spiritual Path Arjuna
Raja Yoga: The Royal Path to Enlightenment Swami Brahmananda
Discover the practicality of a daily yoga practice. Explore how Swami Sivananda’s 20 Spiritual Instructions and Swami Vishnudevananda’s Five Points of Yoga can be applied in your daily life, encompassing family, work, relationship, and duty.
Raja Yoga, the royal path of mind control, is the most comprehensive and scientific approach to God-Realization. Join us on a journey exploring the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga, as described by the great yogi Patanjali Maharishi. We will dive deep into yogic practices and enjoy experiential sessions, alongside in-depth study of yogic theory. We will learn about moral restraints and regulations, postures, breathing, withdrawal of the senses, concentration, meditation and finally, the superconscious state, which is the culmination of this practice.
Drawing from his rich personal experiences, Arjuna will share some teachings from his time with Swami Vishnudevananda on how to stay on the spiritual path and the skills needed to do so. Arjuna bio on page 44.
Swami Brahmananda bio on page 32.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
February 29 – March 3
Assisted Yoga Using Thai Massage Kam Thye Chow
Big Yoga™ Meera Patricia Kerr
In this program, you will learn to safely adjust others in yoga postures using Thai Yoga Massage touch techniques. These ancient techniques include counterbalancing and levering the recipient’s body with your own, gradual touch, and proper positioning, and allow you to practice adjustments with confidence, precision, and depth. You will gain an understanding of how to read the body and its mechanics in order to detect misalignments and properly correct them. This program is for yoga teachers, Pilates instructors, healing arts therapists, and all interested laypeople.
Tuition: $398. Add 6 nights’ accommodation
Kam Thye Chow bio on page 95.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
February 29 - March 4
Essentials of Yoga I Jumpstart a regular yoga practice. See page 23.
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EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
February 29 – March 4
See page 11.
Do you stay away from yoga because of physical challenges, extra weight, stiffness, or injury? Join Meera Patricia Kerr, author of Big Yoga, as she guides you in a gentle approach to asana practice that is both comfortable and accessible. You will build strength and vitality while reducing stress as you experience the benefits of other yoga practices such as devotional chanting and the centering power of mantra. You will also explore pranayama and yoga nidra, two wonderful tools for calming the mind and revitalizing the system. More online. Meera Patricia Kerr is a direct disciple of Swami Satchidananda and has been a certified Integral Yoga teacher for over 35 years. Her book Big Yoga won the Benjamin Franklin award for best book in Health and Wellness. Her new book is Big Yoga for Less Stress. sivanandabahamas.org | 91
MARCH
MARCH
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 3 – 5
March 2 – 4
Yoga, Mind, and Belly: Boost Your Body Course Katie Papo (Ambika)
Bharatanatyam Music and Dance from India Suba Ramesh Parmar
Tuition: $178. Add 4 nights’ accommodation
Join us for a very special program of performances and workshops by Suba Ramesh Parmar. This distinguished artist has imbibed the spirit of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form that originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu, India. Suba manifests its grandeur through her lightning fast footwork, impressive expressions, and impeccable gestures.
Jumpstart your health and fitness levels. Led by a seasoned wellness professional, you will learn to maximize nutrition, beat bloat and belly fat, and boost your energy levels. Discover yogic secrets for strong health and longevity, how to burn more fat, and detoxification methods you can practice at home. Practice yogic techniques to let go of negative habits, curb emotional eating, and conquer cravings. Come experience a fresh and practical approach to food and fitness, designed to help you look and feel your best. Katie Papo (Ambika) bio on page 65.
Sivananda Bahamas is a wonderful place to go to if you are looking for a peaceful retreat from modern life. —Andrea
Suba Ramesh Parmar is an award-winning dancer of the South Indian Bharatanatyam dance style. She is known for grace and dynamism in her expression and movement and performs regularly at Sivananda Yoga centers together with her gifted daughter, Madhu Parmar.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 2 – 4
March 3 – 4
Preksha Meditation: Relaxation, Visualization, and Contemplation Ramesh Parmar
Sadhana: Understanding and Maintaining a Daily Practice Jnaneshwari
Preksha Meditation is an ancient Jain meditation technique to discover oneself through one’s inner eye. Helpful for relieving stress, improving focus, and creating attitudinal changes, the technique has various components, including kayotsarg for total relaxation, color visualization, and contemplation for internal transformation. The workshop will include a summary and a practice session. Ramesh Parmar is a Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course graduate. A successful entrepreneur, Ramesh is a regular practitioner of Jain Preksha meditation.
Swami Sivananda described sadhana as spiritual movement that is consciously systematized. Sadhana creates the structure and guidelines for a spiritual life, and both requires and develops self-discipline. It is the touchstone to which we return, in times of ease or challenge, and supports our spiritual progress. These talks provide inspiration and guidance in establishing and committing to sadhana. We will discuss the obstacles and pitfalls in sadhana and how to overcome them, as well as the benefits and gifts that come as a result of sadhana. Jnaneshwari bio on page 74.
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MARCH
MARCH YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 4 – 6
Creating a Yogic Lifestyle Silvia San Miguel (Surya) Learn how to easily integrate yoga into your daily schedule. See page 66.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
March 4 – 6
Essentials of Yoga I Weekend Experience a highly practical and inspiring jumpstart to a regular yoga practice to enrich your life. See page 24. EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
TEACHER TRAINING COURSE
March 4 – 5
March 4 – 31
Healing Through Mystical Qigong Master Ou Wen Wei Tuition: $314. Add 3 nights’ accommodation Based on simple yet powerful techniques, Pan Gu Shen Gong (PGSG) is a mystical qigong system that uses the power of the universe for healing. Come learn the three primary aspects of PGSG with its originator, Master Ou Wen Wei, including the Moving Form, to promote health by strengthening of the life-force; the Non-Moving Form, to strengthen the nervous system and intuitive ability; and the Healing Skill, to provide healing treatments to others. There will also be a special class on developing spiritual vision. Master Ou Wen Wei is a qigong master and originator of the Pan Gu Shen Gong system, which he has successfully used to heal people suffering from cancer, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. He is the author of seven books, including Pan Gu Mystical Qigong.
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course Are you ready for a life transformation? Become a yoga teacher. See page 15. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 5 – 9
Yoga Psychology and the Transformation of Emotions Uma Krishnamurthy With a deep and practical approach, Uma Krishnamurthy will introduce the basic concepts of yoga psychology, drawing from the work of Patanjali and other sources of ancient yogic wisdom. She will present and discuss her own work on the psychology of transformation, in particular, methods of transforming negative emotions into positive ones. Together, we will take up the subject of planetary evolution in terms of Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy and discuss how to develop the four supreme positive emotions. Uma Krishnamurthy, MD, was exposed to spiritual teachers and yoga philosophy from early childhood and is formally trained in classical Indian dance. A psychiatrist by training, with many years of experience in the fields of healing, yoga psychology, and transformation of emotions, she conducts workshops worldwide.
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THAI YOGA MASSAGE TRAINING WITH KAM THYE CHOW PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
March 5 – 10
Thai Yoga Massage Level 1 March 12 – 17
Thai Yoga Massage Level 2 Kam Thye Chow Tuition: $602 per training. Add 7 nights’ accommodation per training Thai Yoga Massage is an ancient system of yoga therapy that combines yoga postures with touch technique. It promotes deep relaxation and healing, improves circulation, boosts the immune system, balances the body energetically, and facilitates mind-body integration. As a therapeutic practice, it is a dynamic form of yoga for the practitioner as well as the recipient. In Level I, you will gain a strong foundation in the key elements of Thai Yoga Massage and learn how to perform a full 90-minute customized session. In Level 2, you will deepen your knowledge, advance your skills, and learn to perform an expanded 2+ hour customized session. Please note Register for both Level 1 and Level 2 for $1,053 total tuition. (Add 14 nights’ accommodation). Thai Yoga Massage: Level 1 is also offered November 9 – 14, 2015. Kam Thye Chow pioneered a methodology that combines Thai Yoga Massage with its yogic and Ayurvedic roots. He is founder of the Lotus Palm School in Montreal and the author of several books, including Thai Yoga Therapy for Your Body Type: An Ayurvedic Tradition.
See page 11.
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MARCH PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
March 6 – 9
Teaching Yoga for Back Care Catherine Gilles (Kumari) Tuition: $366. Add 5 nights’ accommodation Learn the essentials of adapting
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 6 – 10
Quantum Activism Amit Goswami There is a genuine paradigm shift occurring in science, away from the material toward the primacy of consciousness. Discover the transformative aspects of quantum physics, such as nonlocality (communicating without signals); discontinuity (taking quantum leaps without going through intermediate steps); and tangled hierarchy (the capacity for causally circular relationships). Learn how we can use these quantum principles to guide ourselves and our societies toward creativity, conflict resolution, and the energies of love. Amit Goswami, PhD, is a retired professor of theoretical physics at the University of Oregon in Eugene. A visionary thinker and pioneer of the new paradigm of science called “science within consciousness,” he has written many popular books based on his research, including The Self-Aware Universe.
a traditional Sivananda Yoga class to safely accommodate a variety of back conditions with specific exercises and modified postures. This training will include basic breath and voice/sound exercises, deep relaxation practices, vocabulary awareness, using visualization and imagery for healing, and the importance of holding sacred space. You will discover a unique, right-brain approach to health and healing that harnesses the mind while connecting body and soul. Catherine Gillies (Kumari) is an advanced Sivananda Yoga teacher, a registered yoga therapist, and a direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda. The director of Yoga Sivananda, an affiliated-Sivananda Yoga Center in Gatineau, Quebec, she has been teaching yoga for 31 years and offers services in yoga therapy and healing.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
March 7 – 12
Restorative Yoga Teacher Training Nora Benian (Sundari) Tuition: $688. Add 7 nights’ accommodation Restorative Yoga is a very gentle yoga practice designed to calm the nervous system and create overall health in the body. In this training for certified yoga instructors, you will learn a full series of restorative postures and the use of well-placed props, complemented with gentle stretching, breathing, and meditation. Through direct experience, teaching practice, and feedback, you leave with the ability to confidently teach a primary series of restorative poses as well as incorporate them into your own practice. More online.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
March 7 – 13
The Yoga of Meditation: Teachings on the 6th Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita Rukmini Tuition: $403. Add 8 nights’ accommodation Not only is meditation beneficial, it is indispensable for attaining Self-realization and spiritual liberation. And yet, it is so hard to control the mind. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna, the mightiest warrior of his time, had the same problem. He felt that it is easier to control the wind than the mind. In the Gita, Lord Krishna is teaching Arjuna (and through him, us) how to meditate. Join us for this inspiring and practical course and learn how to meditate by following the instructions of Lord Krishna himself. Rukmini bio on page 71.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 8 – 9
Maha Sivaratri Krishnan Namboodiri and Senior Staff Join us in celebration of Maha Sivaratri, the night of Lord Siva, one of the most sacred nights on the yogic calendar. We will celebrate throughout this auspicious night with homas and pujas — traditional fire and prayer ceremonies — conducted by the ashram’s Tantric priest from South India. Senior staff of the Yoga Retreat will lead us in continuous Siva chants from dusk until dawn. Together, we will enjoy a variety of prasads (blessed offerings) in the morning. Om Namah Sivaya!
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 7 – 17
Godly Gossip Satsang Talks and Special Lectures Swami Atmananda Join us for a series of daily satsang talks and special lectures on how to experience God in this life, both outside and inside yourself. Discover that God’s presence is not limited to the transcendental realm or the heavens, but rather it is here and now wherever you are, at all times. Swami Atmandanda is one of the few living direct disciples of Swami Sivananda. He is a simple swami living in the United States, practicing and teaching yoga and Vedantic philosophy.
Krishnan Namboodiri bio on page 55.
Nora Benian (Sundari) bio on page 52. 96 | sivanandabahamas.org
See page 11.
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MARCH EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
March 10 – 15
An Immersion in Compassionate, Nonviolent Communication: Creating Peace with Others and Ourselves Dian Killian
Ayurvedic Cooking and Nutrition Retreat Bharata Surya
Tuition: $414. Add 6 nights’ accommodation
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 9 – 11
Quest for the Mysteries of Spiritual Experience Ralph White Join a community of spiritual seekers and author Ralph White as he shares a retrospective on the consciousness movement and the ways we participate in it, from travel to mysterious esoteric lands, to urban spiritual activism, and quiet contemplative inquiry. We’ll discuss sacred history, cultural revolt, the emergence of new learning, and the road that carries the seeds of the human future. Come explore your place within the great spiritual revolution of the early 21st century and gain perspective and inspiration on your journey. Ralph White, cofounder and Creative Director of the New York Open Center, is an international speaker on spirituality and consciousness. Editor of Lapis magazine and author of The Jeweled Highway, he has edited and/or contributed writing to many publications, including the book What Does It Mean to be Human?
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EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
March 9 – 13
We all desire to connect with and express our innate sense of compassion and caring, but how do we actually accomplish these intentions? In this highly interactive immersion in compassionate and Nonviolent Communication (NVC), you will learn powerful, practical skills that can support you in communicating with more honesty, authenticity, connection, and compassion — with others and with yourself. This course uses music, storytelling, role-plays, games, and small group activities and is ideal for those new to NVC as well as for those wanting to deepen their journey.
Tuition: $618. Add 7 nights’ accommodation Food is one of the most powerful medicines we have for healing body, mind, and consciousness. Join Ayurvedic practitioner and vegetarian chef Bharata Surya for hands-on practice in the kitchen where you will be introduced to topics that include a foundational understanding of Ayurvedic principles. You will also explore Ayurvedic cooking techniques and proper food combining, the science of the six tastes in Ayurvedic nutrition, preparation of sattvic meals, and the art of using spices for balancing your constitution. More online. Bharata Surya bio on page 48.
Dian Killian, PhD, is a certified trainer with the International Center for Nonviolent Communication, a certified life coach, and author of Urban Empathy and Connecting Across Differences: How to Connect with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere. She leads communication trainings for diverse organizations in the US, Europe, and Asia.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
March 10 – 22 (for yoga teachers and healing arts practitioner)
March 14 – 22 (for Ayurvedic practitioners)
Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist Certification Marc Halpern (Siva) and Marisa Laursen (Sri Devi) Tuition March 10 – 22: $1,129. Add 13 nights’ accommodation Tuition March 14 – 22: $929. Add 10 nights’ accommodation Certified Ayurvedic Yoga Therapists play an integral role in the healing process of their students and can work by themselves or alongside other health-care professionals. This certification course trains you to provide personalized yoga therapy programs and to conduct dosha-specific yoga classes and individual sessions. The course curriculum includes the diagnosis of constitution (prakruti) and the current state of the doshas (vikruti). Students will study the energetics of each asana and pranayama through an understanding of the nadis, chakras, and vayus of the body. More online. Marc Halpern (Siva), DC, CAS, PKS, is founder and president of the California College of Ayurveda and the author of Healing Your Life: Lessons on the Path of Ayurveda. A Sivananda Yoga teacher, he is the cofounder of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine.
The staff could not be more gracious and giving. The ashram is an authentic center for the practice of the science and spirituality of yoga, including hatha, meditation, chanting/prayer, study, and selfless service. —Angelo
Marisa Laursen (Sri Devi), a Sivananda Yoga teacher, is a graduate and senior faculty member of the California College of Ayurveda with certifications as a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, Pancha Karma Specialist, and Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist. She maintains a clinical practice in Chino, California. See page 11.
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MARCH YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 11 – 13
Living with Grief and Loss: Healing the Broken Heart Catherine Gillies (Kumari) Learn to honor and embrace all of life’s experiences for the lessons and growth opportunities they provide. Within the sacred space of the ashram, you are invited to heal old wounds and transform depression, grief, trauma, and anxiety. Give yourself the gift of a deeply nurturing retreat that includes hatha yoga, meditation, mantra, breath work, healing ceremony, guided journal writing, and Karma Yoga. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 11 – 12
Peaceful Heart, Warrior Spirit: Keys to Life Purpose and Spiritual Growth Dan Millman Explore what it means to live an awakened life, one with your head in the clouds and your feet on the ground. Take a closer look at your life’s purpose, your significant relationships, and how the earth works as a divine classroom. Dan Millman will share what he calls the 12 Gateways to Spiritual Growth and the core curriculum we need to pass in order to “graduate.” Come reconnect with the higher purpose and promise in your life and cultivate more compassion, understanding, and humor. Dan Millman is a former world champion athlete, coach, martial arts instructor, and college professor. Author of the best-selling Way of the Peaceful Warrior and 16 other books, including most recently, The Creative Compass, a collaboration with his daughter, he teaches worldwide.
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Catherine Gillies (Kumari) bio on page 96.
SPECIAL EVENT
March 13 – 17
NEUROSCIENCE & SPIRITUALITY SYMPOSIUM Mind, Brain, and Consciousness Stephan Kaplan, Michael Spezio, Ann Taves, Prantik Kundu, Swami Brahmananda Stephen Kaplan is Professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan College, specializing in Indian and comparative religions. The author of two books and numerous articles in leading journals, he is currently working on a book entitled Advaita Vedanta and the Neurosciences.
One of the key issues in using the neurosciences to examine spirituality is the possibility that one reduces spiritual experiences to a brain experience and nothing but a brain experience. In other words, the neurosciences raise the possibility that the experience of Brahman, Tao, God, etc. is a set of neurological conditions and only a set of neurological conditions. This 5-day symposium — with two professors of religion with backgrounds in different traditions, two neuroscientists with varied expertise, and a swami from the Sivananda lineage — will address the “fear of neuroscientific reductionism” by investigating questions such as: What is the mind? What is consciousness? What is the relationship between mind and consciousness? and What is the relationship between mind, consciousness, brain, and spiritual experiences? Additionally, do spiritual traditions, for example Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, confront the same issues when encountering the neurosciences or does each spiritual tradition confront different issues based upon its specific understanding of brain, mind, and consciousness?
Michael Spezio, PhD, MDiv, is an affective and social neuroscientist and teaches psychology and neuroscience at Scripps College in Claremont, California. He is finishing work on a project entitled Mindful-Emotional Persons: From Cognitive Science and Virtue Theory to Character in Loving Encounter. Ann Taves is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara. She is currently working on a book titled Revelatory Events: Experiences and Appraisals in the Emergence of New Spiritual Paths and supervising the interdisciplinary Religion, Experience, and Mind Lab Group at UCSB.
See page 11.
Prantik Kundu is a doctoral candidate studying neuroscience with fMRI technology in collaboration with the Brain Mapping Unit at the University of Cambridge and the Section on Functional Imaging Methods at the National Institute of Mental Health in Washington, DC. Swami Brahmananda is Manager of the Yoga Retreat and senior staff of the Sivananda organization. A long-time practitioner of yoga, he regularly teaches yoga philosophy and meditation for the Teacher Training Course as well as meditation immersion courses. sivanandabahamas.org | 101
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MARCH
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
CEU
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
March 14 – 19
March 18 – 20
March 19 – 25
Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training Nora Benian (Sundari)
Introduction to Raja Yoga: The Science of Happiness Swami Hridyananda
Tuition: $688. Add 7 nights’ accommodation
Life today is full of stress and strain, tension and nervous irritability, passion and hurry. By putting into practice the principles of Raja Yoga, you will be far better equipped to cope with the complexities of existence. Called the King of Yogas, Raja Yoga is a philosophy and practice of purification and control of mind that was written down in concise form by the great philosopher, yogi, and sage Pantanjali. Consisting of eight limbs, it teaches us how to attain the state of divinity.
Warriors at Ease: Teaching Yoga in Military Settings Molly Birkholm (Madhavi), Susan Pualani Alden, and Annie Okerlin
This certified training for yoga teachers and health-care practitioners gives you the skills to integrate therapeutic yoga and healing modalities into your practice and effectively serve individuals recovering from illness or injury, pregnant women, or aging populations. Learn techniques to bring the various systems within the body into balance, reduce pain, release long-held tensions, and produce a state of mind conducive to healing. Deepen your confidence as a teacher, expand the range of clients you work with, and increase the types of classes you offer. More online. Nora Benian (Sundari) bio on page 52.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
March 14 – 18
Essentials of Yoga II Deepen your experience of Sivananda Yoga through inspiring new approaches to asana and lifestyle practices. See page 23.
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YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 18 – 20
The Mandala of Being™: Living from the Power of Presence Richard Moss Welcome to an adventure in learning essential mind. The Mandala of Being model for transformation teaches you where your attention has gone when you leave the present moment. You will learn how to uncover the underlying unconscious beliefs and stories that you tell yourself, to release them, and to transform the negative energy that has been trapped in them. This simple but powerful method of self-inquiry allows you to live from the power of presence and respond to any situation with the maximum clarity, balance, and joy. Richard Moss, MD, is an internationally respected leader and visionary thinker in the field of personal transformation, selfhealing, and group energy dynamics. He lectures worldwide and is the author of seven books on the transformational process and the art of conscious living, including InsideOut Healing.
Swami Hridyananda bio on page 53.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 18 – 20
Healing Your Emotional Body Silvia San Miguel (Surya) Learn how to transform negative thoughts and emotions that lodge in the physical body resulting in dis-ease and suffering. Explore the possibility of breaking free from your past and its old emotional patterns. Discover how your emotional state conditions your breathing and how to apply the science of pranayama (conscious breathing practices) to re-shape your emotional wellbeing. Based on the teachings of Swami Sivananda, you will study the causes and remedies of emotions such as sadness, resentment, anger, jealousy, and grief. Silvia San Miguel (Surya) bio on page 58.
See page 11.
Tuition: $849. Add 8 nights’ accommodation
Learn to teach a therapeutic yoga class to any segment of the military community, with relevant support as needed. Topics covered include the key distinctions between “yogic culture” and “military culture” and why they matter; trauma-sensitive teaching guidelines and precautions; as well as yoga asana sequence protocols and modifications for specific military populations, addressing physical and/or psycho-emotional challenges. More online. Molly Birkholm (Madhavi) is a recognized leader in Sivananda Yoga, iRest Yoga Nidra, and treating trauma with yoga and meditation. She is the cofounder of Warriors at Ease, an organization that builds yoga programs in military communities, where her curriculum has been taught to over 100,000 veterans. Susan Pualani Alden is a yoga instructor, Mana Lomi® therapist, and teacher of hoʻoponopono and the medicine wheel. A graduate of the United States Military Academy and former Army officer and military spouse, she has worked with veterans, active-duty service members, and military families for 18 years. Annie Okerlin is the president and founder of the Exalted Warrior Foundation, which has helped to implement adaptive yoga programs at major military medical and veterans hospital facilities nationwide. She is the owner of Yogani Studios in Tampa, Florida.
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MARCH SPECIAL EVENT
March 20 – 28
EASTER SYMPOSIUM
YOGA & SACRED HEALING Swami Swaroopananda Judith Orloff Richard Moss Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa Shyamji Bhatnagar Eva Selhub Russill Paul Amy Weintraub Marilyn Rossner Rukmini
Swami Sivananda taught that health is a positive state. It is not simply negation of disease. It is our birthright, and is as natural as being born. Learn how to experience your radiant health and vitality as we explore healing modalities from various traditions and their connection to spirituality through this inspiring week of lectures and workshops with world-renowned healers, spiritual guides, teachers, and musicians. Spring is a season of rebirth and renewal, a holy time for many, when individuals of diverse faiths and beliefs engage in spiritual practices and rituals that hold great meaning and opportunities for healing. Come discover healing on all levels—body, mind, and spirit.
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Swami Swaroopananda, a senior disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda, is Director of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, acharya (spiritual director) of the Sivananda centers and ashrams in the Bahamas and the Middle East, and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres.
March 27 Shyamji Bhatnagar is the founder of SRI Center International, Inc., created in 1970 to synthesize Eastern and Western approaches to healing. He is the originator of Microchakra Psychology and InnerTuning and is coauthor of Microchakras: InnerTuning for Psychological Well-being.
Judith Orloff, MD, is a psychiatrist, intuitive healer, and New York Times best-selling author whose latest book is The Ecstasy of Surrender. Dr. Orloff synthesizes the pearls of traditional medicine with cutting-edge knowledge of intuition, energy, and spirituality.
Eva Selhub, MD, is an international physician, author, speaker, and consultant in the field of mind-body medicine. Widely featured in the media, she is on staff at Harvard Medical School and the world-renowned Benson Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Richard Moss, MD, is an internationally respected leader and visionary thinker in the field of personal transformation, self-healing, and group energy dynamics. Dr. Moss lectures worldwide and is the author of seven books on the transformational process and the art of conscious living.
Russill Paul (Anirud Jaidev) is considered a leading authority on the sonic applications of yoga. Trained in India as a monk and yogi as well as in Sanskrit chanting and Indian music, he is the author of The Yoga of Sound and producer of several bestselling yoga chant albums.
Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa, DN-C, RH, one of the foremost natural healing experts in North America, is a founding faculty member in the Ayurvedic sciences program at Bastyr University and a worldwide teacher and author. Personally trained with Yogi Bhajan, he is president of the American Herbalist Guild.
Amy Weintraub is director of the LifeForce Yoga Healing Institute. Author of the best-selling Yoga for Depression and Yoga Skills for Therapists, she has been a pioneering teacher and researcher in the field of yoga and mental health for 20 years.
See page 11.
Easter Sunrise Service Swami Swaroopananda, Marilyn Rossner, and Bishop Trevor Williamson Celebrate a beautiful Easter morning with us in paradise. Listen to traditional stories and receive messages of hope and faith from Swami Swaroopananda, Marilyn Rossner, and Bishop Trevor Williamson (pictured here) of the Trinity Full Baptist Church of Nassau, Bahamas. There will also be traditional Easter chanting by the choir of Trinity Full Baptist Church.
Marilyn Rossner, PhD, is cofounder of the International Institute of Integral Human Sciences, and founderpresident of the Spiritual Science Fellowship of Canada. An internationally prominent intuitive, she is a retired professor of special care counseling. Rukmini is a senior staff member of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat and personal assistant to Swami Swaroopananda, the Ashram Director. A knowledgeable and experienced teacher, she has been teaching yoga classes and offering lectures on yoga philosophy for many years.
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MARCH CEU
Wonderful vacation. It was my first time in an ashram and I felt part of a big family. —Francesca EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
March 21 – 26
Advanced Raja Yoga Swami Brahmananda
Deepening Through Stillness in Asana: A Teacher Training Nora Benian (Sundari)
Join us on a journey of exploring the Royal Path to Enlightenment, the path of Raja Yoga. Focusing on the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga, as described by the great yogi Patanjali Maharishi, we will dive deep into yogic practices and enjoy experiential sessions, alongside in-depth study of yogic theory. We will learn about moral restraints and regulations, postures, breathing, withdrawal of the senses, concentration, meditation and finally, the superconscious state, which is the culmination of this practice. Swami Brahmananda bio on page 32.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Yoga Nidra Teacher Training: The Art of Conscious Deep Relaxation and Healing Marc Halpern (Siva)
Yoga for Mood Management: LifeForce Yoga Practitioner Training Amy Weintraub
Tuition: $618. Add 6 nights’ accommodation
Tuition: $688. Add 6 nights’ accommodation
Yoga Nidra is the art of conscious deep relaxation that allows you to begin to experience the flow of prana in your physical and subtle bodies. You can then identify and release blockages to the flow of prana and ultimately, bring healing to the body and mind and expand consciousness. During this course, students will experience Yoga Nidra and learn how to teach it to others. Topics covered include the history, physiology, science, and practice of Yoga Nidra.
Learn an empowering, evidence-based yoga protocol to help students and clients focus, relax, and have greater access to feeling states. Yoga teachers and mental-health professionals will learn strategies appropriate for both home practice and clinical settings that safely release chronically held physical tension and repressed emotions. This experiential course covers a comprehensive, in-depth curriculum and provides ample opportunity for practice sessions and feedback from the presenters. It is open to anyone with yoga experience and is Part A of a certification course. More online.
Marc Halpern (Siva) bio on page 99.
Amy Weintraub bio on page 105.
Tuition: $688. Add 7 nights’ accommodation Bridge the gap of an active life to a meditative life for yourself and your students by learning passive yoga. While practicing stillness in asanas with longer holds, the mind begins to quiet down and greater awareness and understanding emerges. Come experience an increase in energy, improved mobility, and decrease of pain and learn how to successfully guide students with verbal cues and hands-on adjustments. This training for yoga teachers and practitioners is a wonderful complement to any other form of yoga. More online.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 29 – 31
March 25 – 27
The Power of Positive Thinking Weekend
Yoga to Ease an Aching Back Catherine Gillies (Kumari)
Discover the connection between your thinking, emotions, and health and learn simple, practical tools for positive and creative thoughts. See page 24.
In yoga, a healthy back means a healthy, strong and supple body. This back care program offers relief for acute and chronic back conditions, various means to maintain a strong back and posture, and practices to prevent difficulties before they develop. You will enjoy a daily modified hatha yoga class that introduces not only specific back care exercises but also teaches how to modify the basic yoga postures to relieve and support the healing of various conditions. A daily workshop will highlight the principles and attitudes that support healing.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
March 25 – 28
Healing with Herbs, Food, and Essential Oils Brigitte Mars Come discover a connection with food that nourishes and heals. See page 69.
Catherine Gillies (Kumari) bio on page 96.
Nora Benian (Sundari) bio on page 52. 106 | sivanandabahamas.org
CEU
March 28 – April 1
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
March 20 – 25
Tuition: $349. Add 7 nights’ accommodation
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
March 24 – 28
See page 11.
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MARCH YOGA VACATION PROGRAM YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
March 29 – April 1
Living a Divine Life Swami Brahmananda Learn how to become the architect of your own fate and the master of your own destiny. Explore core spiritual values for living a divine life, summarized by Swami Sivananda as “Serve, love, give, purify, meditate; adapt, adjust, accommodate; be good, do good, be kind; practice selfrestraint, equanimity, self-reliance; do what you believe in and believe in what you do; be practical; realize thyself.” Tap into the power and vast ocean of knowledge within you and be free. Swami Brahmananda bio on page 32.
March 29 – April 2
Subtle Energy: Healing the Mind-Body Continuum Ivy Loo Learn to tune-in to the flow of subtle energy through simple qigong (energy cultivation) exercises, which can heal body, mind, and soul. In this program, you will experience the miraculous power of qigong and learn the root cause of illness and how to obtain health, vitality, and longevity. You will also learn and practice Wuji Gong, a simple yet effective movement exercise for opening the energy channels and meridians and balancing yin/yang energies. Ivy Loo is a certified teacher of Emei Qigong who, since 2002, has trained directly with Grandmaster Fu Wei Zhong, the 13th Lineage Holder of the Emei “Sudden Enlightenment” school of qigong, established in 1227 CE by the monk White Cloud, who attained enlightenment on his pilgrimage to Emei Mountain.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
April 1 – 6
Calling Out to the Guru: Tibetan Buddhist Devotional Chanting Tulku Sherdor
Teaching Yoga to Seniors Catherine Gillies (Kumari)
Tuition: $376. Add 6 nights’ accommodation Tibetan Buddhism contains a vast treasury of beautiful, melodic chants, and music that touches the sky and shakes the world to its foundation. Tulku Sherdor is a highly accomplished master within this tradition that grew out of the Indian yogic world, and particularly of guru devotion chants which purify the heart, focus the mind, and align the subtle energies of the body, to deepen spiritual attainment. This course will introduce these chants and practices in a simple, direct and deep way. No previous background in Buddhism is required. Tulku Sherdor is the founder of the Blazing Wisdom Institute and the Rimay Monlam Tibetan Peace Prayer Gathering, and one of the most accomplished non-native chant masters in the Tibetan Buddhist world today. A dharma teacher for 25 years, he assumed his seat as a Tulku in 2006 in Tibet.
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See page 11.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
March 31 – April 4
See page 11.
Tuition: $688. Add 7 nights’ accommodation A fit and active senior is more motivated to maintain independent daily living, and a regular yoga practice can help. Learn to modify asanas for extra attention to joint and back care, postural strength and alignment. Be introduced to how health issues may require further modifications such as chair yoga. Explore ways to introduce breath work, guided relaxation, chanting, sound, and meditation into a yoga class for seniors. Help your students through the aging process by anchoring the spiritual teachings of yoga into their lives. Catherine Gillies (Kumari) bio on page 96.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 1 – 5
Yoga, Stress, and Food Katie Papo (Ambika) Explore the link between stress and weight management. See page 65.
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APRIL SPECIAL EVENT
April 5 – 9
Interfaith Symposium TEACHER TRAINING COURSE
April 3 – 30
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Are you ready for a life transformation? Become a yoga teacher. See page 15.
April 3 – 30
Advanced Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Delve deeper into the teachings and practices of Bhakti, Jnana, Raja, and Karma Yoga. See page 17.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 2 – 4
Digestion and the Mind: The Key to Health and Longevity John Douillard In this illuminating series, we will consider just how important the digestive tract is — 80 percent of the body’s immunity comes from it! You will learn how to balance and repair the microbial cells in your digestive tract as well as troubleshoot hidden imbalances in digestion and reset your digestive strength. Techniques from Ayurveda will help to free the mind from stress and imbalance. We will also explore the epidemic of pre-diabetes and how changing how, when, and what you eat can protect you. John Douillard, DC, CAP, is a globally recognized leader in the fields of natural health, Ayurveda, and sports medicine, and regularly featured in the media. He is the creator of LifeSpa.com, the leading Ayurvedic health and wellness resource on the web and the author of six books, including The 3-Season Diet.
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SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
April 4 – 8
The Power of Positive Thinking Discover the connection between your thinking, emotions, and health and learn simple, practical tools for positive and creative thoughts See page 24.
I learned new lifestyle routines, which I will integrate in my single mom, family doctor, busy life as a way to stay connected to my inner peace. —Margaret
See page 11.
MEDITATION AS A PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT Tulku Sherdor, Imam Jamal Rahman, Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinburg, Father Vincent Pizzutto, Swami Brahmananda Meditation is the royal road to super consciousness. It is the ladder that will elevate you from bondage to truth, bliss, abiding peace, and knowledge. The practice of meditation is prescribed as part of the spiritual practice under all major religions and spiritual traditions. Join us and learn from prominent spiritual leaders the theory and practice of meditation, how it can take you beyond your mind to open the deepest chambers of your heart. Tulku Sherdor is the founder of the Blazing Wisdom Institute and the Rimay Monlam Tibetan Peace Prayer Gathering. He is one of the most accomplished non-native chant masters in the Tibetan Buddhist world today. A dharma teacher for 25 years, Tulku assumed his seat as a Tulku in 2006 in Tibet. Imam Jamal Rahman cofounder and Muslim Sufi minister at the Interfaith Community Sanctuary in Seattle and adjunct faculty at Seattle University, Imam Jamal is a spiritual counselor who has a passion for interfaith work and travels and teaches internationally. His books include The Fragrance of Faith: The Enlightened Heart of Islam.
Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg is a Reconstructionist rabbi, educator, poet, and nationally recognized pioneer in the field of Jewish mindfulness practice. A cofounder of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, she has taught mindfulness meditation, yoga, and Hasidic literature to hundreds of rabbis, cantors, and lay leaders. Father Vincent Pizzutto, PhD, is Chair of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Francisco, speaks nationally on the integration of contemplative practice in higher education, and has taught and published on Christian contemplative prayer around the world. Swami Brahmananda is Manager of the Yoga Retreat and senior staff of the Sivananda organization. A long-time practitioner of yoga, he regularly teaches yoga philosophy and meditation for the Teacher Training Course as well as meditation immersion courses.
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APRIL YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 10 – 11
Yoga Shows the Way: The Legacy of Swami Vishnudevananda Swami Hridyananda Our founder and guru, Swami Vishnudevananda passed on a legacy that continues to guide our mission to bring peace to the world through yoga and Vedanta. Come learn about the life of Swami Vishnudevananda and how he came to found the Sivananda ashrams around the world, bringing the ancient teachings of the East to the people of the West. Together we will celebrate his life and contribution to humanity, hear stories from his life, and be exposed to some of the teachings that form a part of his legacy. PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Swami Hridyananda bio on page 53.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
April 7 – 11
April 9 – 12
Yoga for Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Teacher Training Beata Barnard (Savitri-Devi)
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Retreat Mary Guip
Tuition: $296. Add 6 nights’ accommodation
Tuition: $349. Add 5 nights’ accommodation
Yoga teachers working with older people can easily use yoga for the process of healing osteoporosis and maintaining healthy bones, a critical component of healthy aging. Based on Swami Vishnudevananda’s Five Points of Yoga, this training takes a holistic approach to osteoporosis and teaches you how yoga addresses the bones most susceptible to fracture; how to perform postures to increase bone mass density; and how to assess individual needs and prescribe and adjust postures for students at any level of practice. Come advance your skills as a yoga teacher.
This highly participatory 4-day immersion is perfect for anyone who wants to cultivate a mindfulness meditation practice and apply meditative insight to their life. Modeled after the traditional 8-week Stress Reduction Program developed in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, you will learn through your own direct experience the meditation tools and techniques that lay the foundation and principles of mindfulness in a supportive, structured learning environment. More online.
Beata Barnard (Savitri-Devi) was initiated by Swami Vishnudevananda and is an advanced Sivananda Yoga teacher who teaches in many Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Courses. As a recreation therapist in nursing homes for the last 15 years, she developed and teaches a comprehensive yoga system for people with osteoporosis.
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May Guip, RN, is an advanced yoga and meditation teacher with extensive training in the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, qualified to teach the 8-week MBSR course and currently completing a three-year full certification track. She practices vipassana meditation, Tibetan Buddhist meditation, and yogic meditation.
See page 11.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 10 – 11
Bhakti Yoga: The Joy of Chanting Iswara Come open your heart and your voice through chanting in praise of the Divine. Singing the Lord’s name is a sure way for finding your spiritual heart and the true happiness that is your birthright. Chanting is part of the path of Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion and Divine love. It is said to be the shortest way to progress on the spiritual path. This program invites you to step onto this path and connect with the Divine through sacred sound.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 10 – 15
The Yoga of the Division of the Three Gunas: Talks on the 14th Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita Swami Shantananda All embodied souls are under the control of the three modes, or qualities, of material nature: goodness, passion and ignorance. In Chapter 14 of the Bhagavad Gita, titled “The Three Modes of Material Nature,” Lord Krishna explains what these modes are, how they act upon us, how one transcends them, and the symptoms of one who has attained the transcendental state. Swami Shantananda has dedicated his life to mission work and Vedantic teachings. He is presently the resident Acharya of Chinmaya Mission centers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. His lectures are filled with wonderful insights into life. People respond instantly to his wisdom and affectionate nature.
Iswara bio on page 27. SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
April 11 – 15
Essentials of Yoga I Experience a highly practical and inspiring jumpstart to a regular yoga practice to enrich your life. See page 23.
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SPECIAL EVENT
April 11 – 15
HEALING TRAUMA The Spirituality and Science of Healing Through Yoga Richard Miller, Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, Keith Mitchell, Molly Birkholm (Madhavi) Learn from pioneers in the field of trauma-healing about the heart of true healing with yoga and meditation from the scientific, the spiritual, and the practical aspects. These thought-leaders and cuttingedge researchers have broken through countless barriers to bring yoga to communities with trauma, including the military, schools, human trafficking survivors, and even the NFL. They will meet on one stage to share their personal insights, interact, and inspire us to bring the power of yoga and meditation to our own homes and communities in need.
Richard Miller, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, author, researcher, yogic scholar and spiritual teacher. President of the Integrative Restoration Institute, cofounder of the International Association of Yoga Therapy, he serves as a research consultant studying the efficacy of the Integrative Restoration, the iRest® meditation protocol he has developed. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, PhD, has engaged in clinical research on yoga and meditation since 2001 and is Director of Research for the Kundalini Research Institute, Research Director for the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Sat Bir has also practiced a yoga lifestyle since 1973 and is a certified yoga instructor. Keith Mitchell was an NFL linebacker for the New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars whose career came to an abrupt end when he suffered a paralyzing injury in a game. He discovered the practice of yoga not only helped him move again, it opened his mind, body, and soul. Molly Birkholm (Madhavi) is a recognized leader in Sivananda Yoga, iRest® Yoga Nidra, and treating trauma with yoga and meditation. She is the cofounder of Warriors at Ease, an organization that builds yoga programs in military communities, where her curriculum has been taught to over 100,000 veterans.
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EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
April 12 – 15
April 14 – 20
Breaking Free from Old Paradigms Keith Mitchell
Vedantic Meditation: Studies from the Vivekachudamani Swami Kashi
Tuition: $318. Add 5 nights’ accommodation
Tuition: $403. Add 8 nights’ accommodation
Access energy for creativity, growth, and to live your life’s purpose by breaking free from old limiting thoughts and beliefs. In a supportive environment, without the fear of being judged, harness the tools of yoga and meditation to find freedom from and wisdom in your traumas and move into a state of wholeness. Explore the paradigms that keep you from living as the fullest manifestation of yourself. Through group discussion, lectures, partner practices, and Q&A, transcend limiting thoughts and beliefs to experience new freedom.
The Vivekachudamani is one of the greatest texts of the Advaita Vedanta philosophy; it is ascribed to Adi Shankaracharya, an 8thcentury philosopher and theologian. The title Vivekachudamani means “a crested jewel of discrimination” because it deals with the highest teachings and answers some of the deepest questions of our existence. The course will focus on a unique technique of meditation called “Neti-Neti,” as it is described in the Vivekachudamani. It is the most direct way to break through the veil of ignorance and overcome our suffering.
Keith Mitchell bio on page 114.
Swami Kashi is a Western swami (monk), who has been living in the Himalayas of India and Sivananda ashrams for the past 15 years. He learned Sanskrit, Hindi, and Vedanta philosophy from his guru, Swami Chaitanyananda of Uttarkashi, a direct disciple of Swami Sivananda.
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April 15 – 17
Opening the Window of the Soul Through Sacred Song Shimshai Join heart-centered musician Shimshai as he shares sacred prayers, mantras, and songs from around the world. Through music and chants and their sacred intentions, we have the opportunity to open the window to our soul and see more clearly into the beauty of our own true nature. Over these days, Shimshai will teach selected songs, inviting participation and sharing the history, message, and healing properties of each. Each evening, he will perform stirring traditional and original sacred music.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
April 15 – 17
Shimshai performs his unique brand of world spiritual music around the globe. Whether singing Sanskrit mantras, Hebrew prayers, traditional South American folk music, or his original works, he invokes ancestral devotion and a dedication to higher consciousness. His many CDs include Live on Maui, Jaya Bhagavan, and True Heart.
Learn Yogic Tools for Recovery EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
April 15 – 18
Yoga of Recovery Retreat Catherine O’Neill (Durga Leela) Tuition: $296. Add 5 nights’ accommodation
Catherine O’Neill (Durga Leela) is a clinical Ayurvedic and Pancha Karma Specialist, an advanced Sivananda-trained yoga teacher, and director of the Ayurveda programs at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in California. She has been involved with the 12Step Fellowship for 13 years and regularly leads yoga and recovery programs and retreats.
Essentials of Yoga I Weekend Experience a highly practical and inspiring jumpstart to a regular yoga practice to
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
April 15 – 24
Yoga of Recovery Certification for Counselors Catherine O’Neill (Durga Leela) and Swami Dharmananda Tuition: $855. Add 11 nights’ accommodation Combine Ayurveda and yoga with traditional recovery
enrich your life. See page 23.
Swami Dharmananda is the Assistant Director and Spiritual Advisor to staff and students of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in Grass Valley, California, where he teaches yoga and meditation in the Teacher Training Course. He presents the classical teachings in a practical and accessible way to people of all backgrounds.
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This retreat for people in recovery draws parallels between the wisdom of yoga, Ayurveda, and the daily practical tools used by members of 12-step programs. Experience practices that support health and well-being, including meditation, chanting, yoga postures and breathing, a vegetarian diet, and participation in service work. Topics covered include the root causes of addiction from a multidimensional perspective, training the mind, and the cultivation of sattva (peace and serenity).
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tools for a more holistic approach to addiction and selfdestructive behaviors. The course offers tools and a comprehensive approach to wellness, emotional sobriety, and sustained spiritual development using Ayurveda and yoga as extension therapies to any 12-step work. This course is designed for yoga teachers and health professionals who work with people recovering from addiction, and for people with personal histories or family members with histories of addiction. More online.
See page 11.
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EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 17 – 21
THE NATURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS:
Science & Spirituality In Collaboration with SAND: Science and Nonduality Peter Russell, Cassandra Vieten, Menas Kafatos, Shauna Shapiro, Maurizio Benazzo, Zaya Benazzo, Swami Shantananda
Tuition: $295. Add 6 nights’ accommodation Discoveries in quantum physics are arriving at strikingly similar understandings of the cosmos as those shared by the world’s spiritual traditions over thousands of years. Time, space, matter, and energy are not what we thought they were. Consciousness can no longer be sidelined to some phenomenon arising from matter; it has to be included as an essential quality of the cosmos. Join leading scholars and scientists to explore the newly emerging scientific study of consciousness and its relationship to human spirituality. • What is reality and what is illusion? • What is research showing about the effects of meditation on the brain? • How is the evolution of the cosmos related to the spiritual evolution of humanity? • How can the new science of consciousness further our inner awakening? • Can we relate to others and the world around in alignment with our true self? • What lies at the heart of the world’s spiritual teachings? What would the world look like if we took these questions seriously?
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Peter Russell is a leading thinker on consciousness and contemporary spirituality whose books include The Global Brain and From Science to God. His multi-image shows and videos, The Global Brain and The White Hole in Time, have received wide recognition. Cassandra Vieten, PhD, is President and CEO of the Institute of Noetic Sciences and co-president of the Institute for Spirituality and Psychology. Her primary interest lies in how psychology, biology, and spirituality interact to affect experience and behavior. Menas Kafatos, PhD, is the Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Computational Physics at Chapman University and an acclaimed scholar of climate change, quantum theory, consciousness, and monistic philosophies. Widely published, he is coauthor, with Deepak Chopra, of the forthcoming, Who Made God and Other Cosmic Riddles.
April 18 – 24
Spring Family Holiday Program Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari) and Aaron Jones Shauna Shapiro, PhD, is a professor at Santa Clara University, a clinical psychologist, and an internationally recognized expert in mindfulness. With 20 years of meditation experience, she brings an embodied sense of mindfulness to her scientific work. Shauna is widely published and has been featured in many magazines. Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo are the cofounders and organizers of the internationally acclaimed conference series titled Science and Nonduality. They are also founders of Neti Neti Media, a conglomerate of filmmakers, scientists, philosophers and explorers committed to expanding the potential of humanity. Their mission is to create media and public gatherings to inspire, connect, and facilitate the emergence of a new spiritual paradigm which is based on the timeless wisdom traditions of the world, informed by science, and grounded in direct experience. Swami Shantananda has dedicated his life to mission work and Vedantic teachings. He is presently the resident acharya of Chinmaya Mission centers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. His lectures are filled with wonderful insights into life. People respond instantly to his wisdom and affectionate nature.
$15/day materials fee. Please see Children’s Accommodation Rates on page 143. While you enjoy free time to practice yoga and relax, your children will be introduced to yoga through short asana classes, chanting, crafts, Karma Yoga, storytelling, and lots of games and fun. Led by two beloved and creative teachers, we’ll share stories and legends that illustrate gratitude and many other valuable principles found within the yoga teachings of the yamas and niyamas. Please see the online description for important notes about this program. Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari) and Aaron Jones bio on page 44.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 21 – 23
From Darkness to Light: The Need for a Spiritual Teacher Rukmini It is said that the only way to light a candle is with another candle; this is the relationship of the student and teacher. The teacher, or Guru, is the dispeller of darkness, the bringer of light. These talks will include teachings and stories on this important aspect of the spiritual path. We will discuss how to find a teacher, how to make ourselves ready and open to having a teacher, and how to cultivate love, devotion, and service toward our teacher. Rukmini bio on page 71.
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Be a part of the first Bahamas…
Swami Swaroopananda
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 23 – 25
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
April 21 – 25 Swami Sitaramananda
Swami Brahmananda
SIVANANDA TEACHERS REUNION Swami Swaroopananda, Swami Sitaramananda, Swami Brahmananda, Rukmini, Jnaneshwari, Shyam and Mohini, Satyadev and Nirmala, Surya and Niranjana, and friends
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 22
Passover Seder Celebration Swami Swaroopananda Join us for a traditional celebration of the Passover seder with Swami Swaroopananda. Enjoy a delicious vegetarian feast, a reading of the Haggadah, Passover chants, and teachings from Swami Swaroopananda on the main historical and spiritual components of Passover and their relationship to yogic principles.
There is no tuition for this course. Add 6 nights’ accommodation Rukmini
Jnaneshwari
Douglas Canterbury-Counts, PhD, practices sacred psychology with specialties in neuropsychology and behavioral medicine. Trained in the area of psychospiritual transformation, since 1992 he has been a student of Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati, and has lived with his family in an interfaith community, Kashi Ashram, since 1996.
Satyadev and Nirmala
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Join us for a special experiential retreat, integrating elements from the world’s earthhonoring wisdom traditions to foster personal and social transformation. With the sacred land of the ashram — beaches, ocean waves, tropical gardens, sunrise, and sunsets — as our classroom, we explore how the ancient practices of wilderness retreat, vision quest, and ceremony help us fulfill our role as stewards of the earth. We will experience the magical blending of yogic, Vedantic, Buddhist, Taoist, tantric, and shamanic traditions to arrive at deep relaxation, presence, and connection to our inner selves. John Milton is a pioneering ecologist, spiritual teacher, meditation master, vision quest leader, and shaman. A founding father of the environmental movement in the early 1960s, he has guided thousands of people into the wilderness to cultivate a deep ecological experience of communion with nature and the earth.
Sivananda teachers from all over the world will unite for this infusion of inspiration, prana, and fun! Experience workshops that will bring new techniques and insights into your sadhana and teachings. Connect with old and new members of the Sivananda family. Lectures, workshops, and Q&A’s with senior Sivananda teachers will cover topics ranging from Vedanta, the Bhagavad Gita, Adaptive Yoga, the Yoga of Recovery, Inspired Sadhana and many more.
Shyam and Mohini
The Way of Nature: Reconnection and Renewal John Milton and Douglas Canterbury-Counts
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April 25 – 26
Sadhana: Understanding and Maintaining a Daily Practice Jnaneshwari Gain inspiration and guidance in establishing and committing to sadhana. See page 93.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
April 25 – 29
Introduction to Meditation 5-Day Retreat
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
April 25 – 28
Cell-Level Healing: Union of Body and Spirit Joyce Hawkes and Helen Folsom Tuition: $376. Add 5 nights’ accommodation Explore the depths of our healing nature in this 4-day course at the ocean’s edge. Looking within, both through powerful micrographic images of cells and through time-honored spiritual practices, we will explore the healing nature of our physicality and our minds. We will touch the heart of stillness in meditation, sing ourselves to new levels of wholeness, discover the capacity of water to carry blessing for health, and deepen our ability to be of service to one another through the refined techniques of Cell-Level Healing. Joyce Hawkes, PhD, is a biophysicist and cell-biologist who received a National Achievement Award. A near-death experience in 1984 caused her to embark on extensive exploration of indigenous spiritual and healing traditions, incorporated into her book Cell-Level Healing. Helen Folsom, registered hypnotherapist, altered states therapist, healing facilitator, and musician, is certified by the Institute for Therapeutic Learning in Seattle, Washington, as an advanced practitioner. She is author of the award-winning children’s book series Runt Farm. 122 | sivanandabahamas.org
Take a break from your life and discover how to find inner peace, contentment, and happiness from within. See page 24.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 26 – 28
Adapting Sivananda Yoga to Your Body: Everyone Can Practice Krishnadas Learn to accommodate yoga postures to your unique needs. See page 27.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
April 26 – 30 YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 25 – 28
Awakening Bhakti: Chanting Retreat Jai Uttal Ride on the wings of kirtan and feel whole and free. Join Jai Uttal as he invokes a space of prayer and heartfelt expression and invites us to tune our voices and hearts to that which is sacred. Jai will share and demystify some of the secrets of the ecstatic songs of ancient India and show us that with just a little understanding of music and rhythm and a lot of self-acceptance, we all can sing and lead and share our hearts with others. Jai Uttal is a pioneer in the world of kirtan music and has led kirtans around the world for more than 30 years. A sacred music composer, recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist, he has recorded many albums, including Monda Rama and Kirtan Kids.
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The Practice of Karma Yoga: Teachings on the 3rd Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita Rukmini Tuition: $296. Add 6 nights’ accommodation What is the best way to attain spiritual liberation? Is it the path of action or the path of knowledge? What is Karma Yoga and how do we practice it in our daily lives? How can we purify the heart and the mind for the practice of meditation? How can we act responsively and still be unattached to the results of our actions? The third chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most inspiring and practical chapters of the Gita, offers answers to these questions and many others. Join us for this 5-day course and receive practical guidance on how to turn your daily life into spiritual practice, such that your meditations becomes deeper and your life more joyful and fulfilling. Rukmini bio on page 71.
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YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 26 – May 5
April 29 – May 1
Ayurveda and Yoga Wellness Counselor Certification Catherine O’Neill (Durga Leela) and Swami Dharmananda
Creating Sacred Space for Your Spiritual Practice Sivakami
Tuition: $1,398. Add 11 nights’ accommodation
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
April 26 – May 5
Spring Cleanse, Detox, and Juice Fast Manu Dawson Tuition: $753. Add 11 nights’ accommodation Cleanse and rejuvenate, invigorate your natural body wisdom, and establish new habits. This intensive program initiates transformation on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. We begin gradually with a few days of raw food, followed by fruit and vegetable juice fasting, and end with a raw food diet — all supported by detoxifying herbs and supplements. Yoga classes and beach walks will enhance digestion, elimination, and integration for optimum cleansing and health. More online. Manu Dawson bio on page 40.
This is a thorough foundational course in Ayurveda as the health-care component of the yoga tradition. It is based on the books and distance-learning programs of Dr. David Frawley and taught in the Sivananda Yoga tradition. There are no prerequisites, and it qualifies a person to serve as an Ayurvedic lifestyle counselor who can assess someone’s Ayurvedic constitutional type and guide them toward balance through daily health regimens and lifestyle recommendations based on Ayurvedic principles. More online. Catherine O’Neill (Durga Leela) is a clinical Ayurvedic and Pancha Karma Specialist, trained at the California College of Ayurveda and in Kerala, India. An advanced Sivanandatrained yoga teacher, she is director of the Ayurveda programs at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in California. Swami Dharmananda is the assistant director and spiritual advisor to staff and students of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in Grass Valley, California, where he teaches yoga and meditation in the Teacher Training Course. He presents the classical teachings in a practical and accessible way to people of all backgrounds.
I was able to unwind and get in touch with my natural rhythm, thanks to the positive environment, people, and activities. —Matt 124 | sivanandabahamas.org
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
April 28
Questions and Answers on Yoga and Spiritual Life Swami Swaroopananda Ask you most important questions. See page 19.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
In yogic philosophy, everything affects the mind. By purifying your environment, you purify the mind and cultivate inner peace. Come learn step-by-step how to create a sacred space using time-honored practices from the Sivananda lineage. Gain ideas for creating an altar, separating spiritual space from larger rooms, creating a focal point with flowers, cloth, and inspiring images. You will also learn a short daily routine to start the day and to increase the sense of meaning and purpose in your life. Sivakami is a Sivananda Yoga teacher, a staff member at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat and a hatha yoga instructor in the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course. She is also a student of Ayurveda, a gifted cook, and a player of the Indian tabla drum.
April 28 – May 1
What Is Yoga? Rukmini
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
Many people know that yoga is more than physical practice and that it is actually a spiritual path. But what exactly do we mean by “spiritual path,” how is that different from “religion,” and can we practice yoga while keeping our faith in our own religion? If yoga is a spiritual path, how is it different from Hinduism and what is the connection between the spiritual aspect of yoga and the physical practices of postures and breathing techniques? Through lecture and discussion, we will discover the deeper meaning of yoga.
April 29 – May 1
Bhakti Yoga: The Joy of Chanting Iswara Come open your heart and your voice through chanting in praise of the Divine. See page 113.
Rukmini bio on page 71.
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EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
April 29 – May 3
May 1 – 5
Meditation and the Mind Intensive Swami Dharmananda
Yoga for Healthy Bones: Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Beata Barnard (Savitri-Devi)
Tuition: $296. Add 6 nights’ accommodation Move your yoga practice to a new level by understanding the connection between prana, mind, emotions, and body. During this 5-day meditation course, you will immerse yourself in the techniques of classical yoga meditation and identify personal obstacles to the transcendental state of bliss through self-examination, introspection, and dialogue with an experienced teacher. Learn to free yourself by detaching from the mind’s disturbances. Improve concentration and prepare your mind for a positive and successful life. Swami Dharmananda bio on page 117.
Tuition: $296. Add 6 nights’ accommodation Take interest in your bones regardless of your age or gender. In this program, you will find out how to protect your bones through the Five Points of Yoga as taught by Swami Vishnudevananda and Ayurveda. In our practice, you will experience how body and mind connect, learn how bones and joints communicate their needs, and discover tools for bone-loss prevention with weight-bearing yoga and hidden nutritional secrets. You will return home with the skills for testing and maintaining your own progress. Beata Barnard (Savitri-Devi) bio on page 112.
May 1 – 5
SPIRITUALITY: HEART & MIND S Y M P O S I U M William Chittick Stephen Sinatra Daniel Drubach Nathan Katz Jan Willis Swami Brahmananda The heart and the mind — two organs, two archetypes, two metaphors. This symposium will explore the heart and the mind (as well as the brain) according to contemporary medicine and two esoteric traditions. The core of the symposium will be a discussion of the overlaps between medicine and spirituality. A neurologist, a cardiologist, and practitioners from three spiritual traditions (yoga, Sufism, and Buddhism) will share their wisdom, cross boundaries, and explore the ongoing engagements between spirituality and medicine.
William Chittick studied Persian literature, Sufism, and Islamic philosophy while living in Iran. He teaches in the religious studies program at Stony Brook University in New York, and is the author of many books, including The Sufi Path of Love and Islamic Literature and the Path to God. Stephen Sinatra, MD, is a board-certified cardiologist and assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He is founder of heartmindinstitute.com and author of The Great Cholesterol Myth and other books. Daniel Drubach, MD, is a specialist in neurology, psychiatry and neurorehabilitation, and a member of the Behavioral Neurology Division at Mayo Clinic. Author of The Brain Explained, he has written extensively on the neuroscience of music, meditation, language, and religion. Nathan Katz, PhD, the world’s leading authority on Indian Jewish communities, is a pioneer in the field of Indo-Judaic studies. His books include Spiritual Journey Home: Eastern Mysticism to the Western Wall, Who Are the Jews of India?, and 13 others. Jan Willis, PhD, is Professor of Religion at Wesleyan University. She has studied with Tibetan Buddhists and has taught courses in Buddhism for four decades. Jan is the author of Dreaming Me: Black, Baptist and Buddhist, and was named by Time magazine as one of six “spiritual innovators for the new millennium.” Swami Brahmananda is Manager of the Yoga Retreat and senior staff of the Sivananda organization. A long-time practitioner of yoga, he regularly teaches yoga philosophy and meditation for the Teacher Training Course as well as meditation immersion courses.
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May 6 – 9
The Yoga of Eating: A Fresh New Approach Petra Rakebrandt
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
Regain a healthy relationship with food through immersion in the yogic philosophy of eating — for nutrition and joy! See page 78.
May 2 – 6
Essentials of Yoga I Experience a highly practical and inspiring jumpstart to a regular yoga practice to enrich your life.. See page 23.
TEACHER TRAINING COURSE
May 3 – 30
Sivananda Teacher Training Course
EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
Are you ready for a life transformation? Become a yoga teacher. See page 15.
May 6 – 9
Writing Your Story of Transformation Mirabai Starr
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
May 6 – 8
The Power of Positive Thinking Weekend Discover the connection between your thinking, emotions, and health and learn simple, practical tools for positive and creative thoughts. See page 24.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
May 6 – 8
Karma Yoga: Love in Action Jnaneshwari Karma Yoga is the yoga of action, or selfless service to our fellow beings. Selfless service eradicates egoism, purifies the heart, and leads to the descent of Divine light. Humility and pure love are developed. A sense of separateness is annihilated. You begin to feel oneness, or unity of life. You realize the “onein-all” and “all-in-one.” You feel unbounded joy. The first step on the spiritual path is the selfless service of humanity.
Tuition: $349. Add 5 nights’ accommodation
May 6 – 8
Sound Tantra and Bhakti Chant: Align with the Divine Vibration Gina Salá Just as the trees, swaying in the coastal breezes, need strong roots, so we need strong roots when the winds of distraction come our way. With warmth, humor and devotion, Gina Salá offers empowering, clarifying practices in Bhakti chant, sound tantra, and mantra (with careful pronunciation) to help us feel the fullness of the Divine from within. She will also offer vocal empowerment exercises, and ways to connect “Voice and Vision” to open to the highest good for our lives. Gina will be accompanied by Daniel Paul.
Have you experienced a profound transformation that changed everything? Do you long to share your story, but don’t know how to begin? Using writing techniques shared in her latest book, Caravan of No Despair: A Memoir of Loss and Transformation, Mirabai Starr helps us access our authentic voice and find the freedom to speak our deepest truths. Through guided writing exercises, deep dialogue, yoga asanas and meditation, and supported by the contemplative atmosphere of the ashram, you will fearlessly share your story — one that deserves to be told.
We met here 8 years ago and we keep coming back. The Sivananda philosophy and teachings are life changing. The guests are from all over the world. We slow down and reconnect with ourself and each other — and the beach is a great escape from winter. —Nina
Mirabai Starr bio on page 43.
Gina Salá has been chanting since her childhood in an ashram in the tradition of Swami Sivananda. With a repertoire spanning 23 languages, she offers kirtans, workshops, and retreats internationally. She also teaches classical Indian singing, Sanskrit mantra, and harmonium.
Jnaneshwari bio on page 74.
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May 9 - 11
Rhythmic Music and Movement: Joy, Grace, and the Divine Source Within Andrea Seidel
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
May 9 – 11
Psychoenergetic Science: The Scientific Revolution in our Midst William Tiller Join distinguished physicist William Tiller, whose work received mainstream attention in the acclaimed documentary What the Bleep do We Know?!, as he creates a bridge between psychoenergetic science and spirituality, exploring the implications each have on human evolution, development, and healing. Come learn about the second level of physical reality, the placebo effect, acupuncture, and non-local healing and consider the questions: What is our untapped human potential? What is the biggest stumbling block to a person’s consciousness? and Why is personal work so critically important? William Tiller, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at Stanford University’s Department of Materials Science. For over 30 years, he has been avocationally pursuing serious experimental and theoretical study of the emerging field of psychoenergetics and has published 100 scientific papers and four seminal books on the topic.
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This program will guide you on a journey to discover the inherent grace, creative energy, and natural, expressive joy within us all. Through a series of basic structured, natural movements coordinated with the breath and creative visualizations drawn from sacred rituals, you will learn how to respond to your natural, wave-like breath rhythms and impulses, thereby heightening bodily awareness, creating more inner and outer space and expansiveness, and facilitating the integration of mind, body, emotions, and spirit through the power of rhythm and movement. Andrea Mantell Seidel, PhD, is a certified yoga teacher in the Sivananda tradition, Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Professor of Dance at Florida International University, and author of The Art and Soul of Isadora in the 21st Century. She lectures, leads workshops, and performs at conferences, festivals, and universities internationally.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
May 9 – 13
Essentials of Yoga II Deepen your experience of Sivananda Yoga through inspiring new approaches to asana and lifestyle practices. See page 23.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
May 9 – June 5
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Chapter 3: The Court of Yajnavalkya Swami Medhananda Puri Throughout this month, Swami Medhananda Puri will offer teachings on an important chapter of the sacred text Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, a key scripture to various schools of Hinduism. The third chapter is a metaphysical dialogue among 10 ancient sages on the nature of Reality, the Atman (the Self), and Mukti (spiritual liberation). In his characteristic style, Swami Medhananda brings clarity to spiritual concepts and inspires us to delve into some of the most important questions we can ask as humans. Swami Medhananda Puri is a distinguished traditional teacher of Vedanta. In 1979, he joined the Kailash Ashram in Rishikesh, India, where he was initiated into the Kailash monastic order. A teacher of teachers, many of his students have became acharyas who are now teaching around the world.
See page 11.
I really had an amazing experience! Loved the fact that it is a very respectful place, spiritual and peaceful. Yoga classes are excellent and I really enjoyed starting my day early with meditation. Can’t wait to go back! —Trevor
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MAY
MAY EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
May 11 – 15
Bhakti Yoga Retreat Radhanath Swami and Gaura Vani “Listening to the stories of the Lord, thinking on Him day and night are both sure remedies for the misery called the cycle of birth and death.” —Srimad Bhagavatam Immerse yourself in Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion, with Radhanath Swami as he brings to life ancient Hindu stories. These stories are designed to evoke Divine love and endless devotion in our hearts, leading the way to true peace and happiness. Talks will be accompanied by devotional chanting with Gaura Vani. Radhanath Swami is an inspiring storyteller and kirtan leader who teaches devotional wisdom around the world. He resides in Mumbai, India, where he is involved with humanitarian activities, and is the author of The Journey Home: Autobiography of an American Swami. Gaura Vani began studying sacred music in Vrindavan, India, at the age of six, and now performs extensively with his kirtan ensemble throughout the world. His albums include Ten Million Moons and Nectar of Devotion.
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EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
May 13 – 15
May 13 – 17
Gracious Living Weekend Detox Retreat Grace Van Berkum
Yoga Peace Ambassadors Certification Course Elaine Valdov Tuition: $376. Add 6 nights’ accommodation
Tuition: $425. Add 4 nights’ accommodation Join us for a weekend immersion retreat to cleanse your body and discover how specific foods can increase vitality and energy and prevent and heal disease. Enjoy alkalizing juices, smoothies, and gazpachos prepared in creative, delicious ways and filled with raw, vegan, nutrient-dense foods to ensure that you do not feel deprived. The cleanse is designed to improve metabolism and digestion, cleanse internal organs, reduce inflammation, increase energy, recalibrate the taste buds, reset the appetite, educate, inspire, and clear the mind. More online. Grace Van Berkum bio on page 31.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
May 12 – 15
The Joy of Right Living with the Yamas and Niyamas Pranava Explore the foundational steps of the Raja Yoga system. See page 84.
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
Elaine Valdov, PhD, a representative to the United Nations, is a peace and human rights activist, conflict resolution specialist, founder and president of Yoga Peace Ambassadors, Yogis Beyond Borders, International Peace Ambassadors, and the International Institute for a Culture of Peace.
Become an agent of change in a world so much in need. Yoga Peace Ambassadors invites you to find your unique calling for making a difference and turn it into action. In this hands-on course, each participant will create a program or project for realizing his or her visions. Learn how to listen to your calling, develop leadership skills, and create your own or join existing humanitarian initiatives. Begin a journey to live a life of purpose, meaning, and joy. More online. EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
May 19 – 23
Yogis Beyond Borders Certification Course Elaine Valdov Tuition: $376. Add 6 nights’ accommodation Take yoga into the world and be of service to humanity. Yogis Beyond Borders provides you with practical skills and knowledge for combining your yoga practice with leadership skills and help map your path to making a difference and offering the gift of selfless service to those in need. It will inspire and empower you to become an activist of the heart by taking yoga into your local community, underserved communities worldwide, and areas around the globe that have been affected by war and conflict. More online. Please note The combined tuition for these two courses is $538. Scholarships are available; please see website. Elaine Valdov’s courses are scheduled to coincide with our Yoga for Peace symposium (see page 134). Symposium presenters will guest lecture in these courses, and course participants will have special opportunities to register to join in small-group discussions and Q&A sessions with these renowned presenters of peace and activism.
May 13 – 15
Introduction to Meditation Weekend Retreat Take a break from your life and discover how to find inner peace, contentment, and happiness from within. See page 24.
See page 11.
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MAY
MAY SPECIAL EVENT
May 16 – 20
9th Annual
YOGA FOR PEACE Changing the World from the Inside Out Matthew Fox Andrew Harvey Adam Bucko Elaine Valdov Stephen Fiske Rukmini
In honor of Swami Vishnudevananda’s mission of promoting inner and outer peace, we are delighted to host the 9th Yoga for Peace Symposium. Swami Vishnudevananda was a peace activist whose missions included conducting peace flights over the world’s trouble spots, earning himself the name “The Flying Swami.” Another of his peace missions was the creation of the first Sivananda Teacher Training Course in 1969, to train future leaders of the world in yogic disciplines. He founded the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, of which the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in the Bahamas is one. During these five days, we bring together a collection of today’s leading spiritual activists and peace activists for this special international gathering. We offer opportunities for informal and formal training in peace activism. In the mornings and evenings we hear keynote presentations from distinguished presenters. During the day we are invited to attend informal lectures and discussions. We will learn that in order to help bring peace, we first need to find our own inner peace and joy. And yet, our social engagement is by itself spiritual practice. By helping others, we gain peace and joy. We invite you to join us for this gathering and become inspired to change the world from the inside out.
Matthew Fox, PhD, is an acclaimed theologian and spiritual maverick who has spent the last 40 years advocating for a creation-centered spirituality of compassion and justice. He has written more than 30 books, including Original Blessing and Meister Eckhart: A Mystic Warrior for Our Times. Andrew Harvey is Founder Director of the Institute of Sacred Activism, which invites concerned people to take up the challenge of our contemporary global crises. A lifelong spiritual seeker and an author, he has taught at Oxford University and colleges and spiritual centers throughout the world. Adam Bucko is an activist and spiritual director to many of New York City’s homeless youth He is a coauthor of Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation, cofounder of Reciprocity Foundation, and creator of HAB, an inter-spiritual “new monastic” fellowship for young people. Elaine Valdov, PhD, a representative to the United Nations, is a peace and human rights activist, conflict resolution specialist, founder and president of Yoga Peace Ambassadors, Yogis Beyond Borders, International Peace Ambassadors, and the International Institute for a Culture of Peace. Stephen Fiske is a peace troubadour whose dedication to peace, humanitarian, environmental, and spiritual concerns has always found expression through his artistic pursuits. An award-winning singer-songwriter, he is the author of The Art of Peace: A Personal Manual on Peacemaking and Creativity. Rukmini is a senior staff member of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat and personal assistant to Swami Swaroopananda, the Ashram Director. A knowledgeable and experienced teacher, she has been teaching yoga classes and offering lectures on yoga philosophy for many years.
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See page 11.
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MAY
MAY EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
May 22 – 28
Advanced Bhagavad Gita Jnaneshwari Tuition: $403. Add 8 nights’ accommodation
SIVANANDA CORE COURSE
May 16 – 20
Essentials of Yoga III Expand and diversify your practice of asana and pranayama and deepen your connection to Sivananda Yoga practices. See page 23.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
May 21 – 24
Adapting Sivananda Yoga to Your Body: Everyone Can Practice Krishnadas Learn to accommodate yoga postures to your unique needs. See page 27.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
May 21 – 25
Light on Vedanta Swami Medhananda Puri The Advaita Vedanta is one of the greatest philosophies of India. It boldly declares the underlying unity of all creation. The teachings of Vedanta, when applied to our daily life, transform one’s life and open vistas to eternal bliss. According to the teachings of the Vedanta philosophy our true nature is bliss and, therefore, all we need to do to bathe in eternal bliss is to remove our ignorance regarding our nature. Come and explore these highest teachings taught by an authentic bearer of this knowledge. Swami Medhananda Puri bio on page 131.
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The Bhagavad Gita is filled with deep philosophy and practical advice for all life situations. It offers a source of help for human beings to solve the ever-present problems of birth and death: pain, suffering, fear, bondage, love, and hate. Daily readings and lectures will give unique interpretation and insight into the Bhagavad Gita. This course is open to all students who wish to deepen their knowledge and application of some of the highest teachings of yoga. Jnaneshwari bio on page 74.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
May 21 – 24
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras Earle Birney (Nilakuntha)
Earle Birney (Nilakuntha) trained as an advanced Sivananda Yoga teacher, and recently completed a three-year, threemonth, three-day silent meditation retreat, the culmination of a 14-year program in advanced Buddhist studies. He has taught yoga philosophy and Buddhist teachings for more than a decade.
Come explore Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras for an in-depth look at the subjects of karma and emptiness. We will focus on the yamas and niyamas and discover how these codes of ethical behavior profoundly affect our reality and our lives. Learn to apply a very practical approach to Patanjali’s ashtanga yoga system and how asana and meditation practice “make our negative thoughts dwindle away,” bringing us closer to the stability of an extremely joyful state of mind. YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
May 25 – 28
Creating an Inspired Daily Practice Earle Birney (Nilakuntha) Navigating elaborate philosophy and a plethora of spiritual practices into the challenging life of a modern day yogi is a fine balance. Drawing on his experiences of 15 years of study and three years of silent retreat, Earle will discuss ways to establish meditation, yoga, retreat, and the wisdom of an ethical life as essential elements of a daily practice — while keeping grounded in the practical realities we all face. This program shows that we don’t need to work harder at spirituality, we just need to work smarter!
See page 11.
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MAY EXPERIENTIAL COURSE
May 26 – 30
Yoga for a Strong and Balanced Mind Stacy Kamala Waltman Tuition: $376. Add 6 nights’ accommodation Learn to use the power of the mind to unlock patterns and transform negative tendencies into positive tools of strength and interconnectedness. Through the subtle practice of Raja Yoga — the science of physical and mental control — in this course, you will learn techniques that encourage a more dynamic, joyful and creative life. Discover how to turn your mental and physical energy into spiritual energy by using relaxation techniques, breathing practices, imagery, and Yoga Nidra, as well as redirection techniques to help you maintain peace in stressful situations. More online. Stacy Kamala Waltman, e-RYT 500, is certified to teach Integral Yoga Meditation, Raja Yoga, Yoga of Recovery, and Yoga of the Heart. She is also a professional life coach, stress management teacher, and life alignment specialist. She is creator of the CD Yoga Nidra Deep Relaxation Meditation Program.
Morning and evening satsang were wonderful. The group meditation and chanting were great and I could feel the power of the combined energy of the participants. —Kimberly
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
May 27
Questions and Answers on Yoga and Spiritual Life Swami Swaroopananda Ask your most important questions. See page 19.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
May 28 – 29
Yoga Philosophy and Practice in the Shakta Tradition Amaranada Bhairavan (Nandu) This program provides an introduction to yoga philosophy and practice in the Shakta tradition. You will briefly explore the concept of the Dasha Mahavidyas, or 10 Goddess Wisdoms, and their relevance in yogic cosmogony; Prakriti and Her children; the Mind of an Adept; the Yogi and Yogini as explorers of the cosmos; and simple daily yoga sadhana to achieve mind-expansion. Amarananda Bhairavan (Nandu) was initiated into Kali worship as a boy in India and trained by his teachers in related mystic practices. Part of this training was on preparation and specific uses of herbal energy oils. Amarananda has authored two books, Kali’s Odiyya and Medicine of Light.
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM
May 29 – 31
Creating Sacred Space for Your Spiritual Practice Sivakami
Professional Accreditation and Continuing Education Yoga Alliance Accreditation The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat is a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga School. The Yoga Teacher Training Course and Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Course fulfill the requirements for the Yoga Alliance 200-hour and 500-hour certification, respectively. Other certification courses fulfill the Yoga Alliance requirements for Continuing Education Units and may be used as credit towards RYT-500 accreditation (visit our website for more information).
Open International University for Alternative Medicine The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat is affiliated with the Open International University via the International Institute for Integral Human Sciences in Montreal, Canada. By graduating from the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course or any other certification course at the Yoga Retreat, you can earn credits towards Bachelor (BTC) and Master (MTC) degrees in Therapeutic Counseling and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Therapeutic Counseling.
Continuing Education Units (CEU) We offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for health-care and mental-health professionals, in addition to other professional fields. Please check with your state board of licensure or professional association to determine if a particular program meets their continuing education requirements. Look for the CEU symbol with the program descriptions in this catalog and check our website for the most current information on CEU-approved courses. * A $20 charge applies for each CEU certificate.
Learn to purify your environment and cultivate inner peace. See page 125. 138 | sivanandabahamas.org
See page 11.
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Karma Yoga at the ashram is an excellent way to —
Why People Join the Karma Yoga Program —
• actively engage with a spiritual path • deepen your knowledge and practice of yoga • make a valuable contribution to our community • cultivate lasting friendships with fellow Karma Yogis • have opportunities to practice teaching (for TTC graduates)
KARMA YOGA JOIN THE ASHRAM’S RESIDENTIAL STUDY PROGRAM Karma Yoga is the path of action. It is a path of purification through letting go of attachment to outcome, of opening your heart to Divine love, and discovering the bliss of selfless service. Come experience the practice of Karma Yoga, live in a spiritual community with like-minded people, and receive guidance on your quest for self-improvement. Karma Yoga, or the practice of selfless service, is the best preparation for the practice of meditation. Without purifying the heart and the mind from selfishness and other negative emotions, success in meditation is not possible. The ashram is the best setting for such a practice. Serving others with joy, in the company of other spiritual practitioners, is a safe way to practice Karma Yoga and eventually attain success in meditation and enjoy the bliss of the spiritual life. —Swami Swaroopananda
Interested? Visit our website to find out more and apply or email karmayogabahamas@sivananda.org. 140 | sivanandabahamas.org
• experience the rich tapestry of presenters and teachings at our morning and evening satsangs
Karma Yoga Immersion Join us for a full immersion in ashram life for a minimum of 3 months. Through your work assignments, you will engage in selfless service — finding the joy in acting from the purest motivation of service for others and doing your best to carry out your assigned duty. This process will help you develop a stronger sense of discipline and willpower, purify your heart, and move you forward along the path of your spiritual evolution. This program is suitable for yoga teachers and those interested in making a deeper commitment to a spiritual life. Prior interview with the Karma Yoga coordinator is required. No tuition or accommodation fees apply.
36-Day Introduction to Karma Yoga Participants in this program contribute five hours of selfless service a day. The daily schedule includes mandatory attendance at morning and evening satsangs (meditation, chanting, and lecture) as well as one yoga class. 36-day minimum commitment is required. Cost: $31.18/day ($1,122.48 for 36 days). This price includes accommodations*, meals, yoga classes, and participation in some of the Yoga Vacation Programs (see catalog program pages).
*From November to July: Tent accommodations only; please bring your own tent.
I came to broaden my horizons and do things I’ve never done before. —Mauricio
I joined to improve my practice, become more self-aware, enjoy the benefits of being with like-minded people in a spiritual place, and have the opportunity to practice selfless service. —Kim
I wanted to deepen my yoga practice and my understanding of yoga. —Jennifer
For me it was to learn new tools to grow spiritually. —Shakti
I wanted to give of my time and skills and in turn feel I was of value. —Brian
I came for discipline and a better comprehension of yoga and how to integrate it in my day-to-day life. —Adelia
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FIND MORE ONLINE www.sivanandabahamas.org • Guest Information
What to Bring
PLAN YOUR VISIT In the following pages, you will find the information you need for planning a stay at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat. If you still can’t find what you are looking for, please visit us online or contact us by email or phone. We look forward to your visit!
Arrival and Departure
How to Get Here
Students in all courses are advised to arrive at least one day before the first day of the course and depart at least one day after the course ends. Courses generally begin in the morning of the first day and end in the evening of the last day. You are welcome to arrive earlier or extend your stay to enjoy the Yoga Vacation Program or another course.
Fly to Nassau International Airport (please contact your local Bahamian Consulate to enquire whether you are required to have a visa to enter the Bahamas).
Guests in the Yoga Vacation Program are welcome to arrive and depart at any time, and can attend a whole program or any part of it. Room check-in time 3:00 pm Room check-out time 11:00 am Late checkouts: After 11:00 am, pay a $25 supplement; after 3:00 pm, full night payment (subject to availability).
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We’re closer than you think — 3.5 hours: Toronto and Chicago 3 hours: New York City 1 hour: Miami At the airport: Take a taxi to our dock at Elizabeth on Bay Marketplace and Marina. The ashram boat will bring you here; it is about a five-minute ride from the dock. You are welcome to consult with reception about the boat schedule prior to arrival. If you arrive during early morning or late night, call us using a pay phone at 3632902 to let us know that you are on your way and our boat will wait for you at the dock. Please visit our website for further arrival information.
Recommended items include: casual comfortable clothes appropriate for a spiritual ashram, modest clothes (covered legs and shoulders) for meditation and satsangs, yoga mat (you may also buy one at the Boutique or rent one at Reception), meditation shawl (cushions are available for use and for purchase), toiletries, slip-on sandals, clothing for warm days and cool mornings and evenings, rainwear, flashlight, insect repellent, alarm clock, beach towel, bathing suit, refillable water bottle, and snorkeling equipment. For tent space only, please bring tent, towels, and bedding.
• FAQS • Pre-Arrival Information (www.sivanandabahamas.org/ travel-planning-pre-arrivalinformation)
Children Families with children are always welcome at the ashram as part of the Yoga Vacation Program. We also offer special family, children, and teen programs. Children’s rates Baby cots are available for $15 a night. For children staying in their parents’ room only (age at the time of arrival):
Helpful Reminders
Under age 5 Free
In order to maintain a proper ashram atmosphere, attendance at two daily satsangs and yoga classes is expected. As the ashram is a spiritual community and study center, we ask that clothing be respectable and modest. Non-vegetarian food, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco are not permitted on the premises. We also recommend silence from 10:00 pm to 8:00 am daily to ensure a pleasant night’s sleep and peaceful morning satsang for everyone. Sheets and blankets are provided for use in the rooms and tent huts only. Please note that there are no safety deposit boxes available.
Age 5–11 50% discount on accommodation rates (page 146). Yoga Vacation Program fees do not apply (unless otherwise indicated). From age 12 Standard accommodation rates (page 146) and Yoga Vacation Program rates (page 13) apply.
Day Visitors Day visitors are welcome. The Yoga Vacation Program day rate is $45. Please call or visit our website for more information and drop-in pricing for individual yoga classes and meals.
All speakers and presenters were confirmed prior to publication; however, cancellations may happen with or without notice for reasons that are beyond our control. Some courses are subject to minimum registration. The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat will not be held liable for any cancellations or other changes in the program. Please consult our website or reception office for program updates prior to registering for any program.
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Book your sessions before you arrive to guarantee availability.
THE WELL BEING CENTER Slow down and experience your inner divinity Our natural state is one of health, balance, and joy. The healing treatments and consultations offered by the Well Being Center are designed to bring you back into this natural state. Our skilled therapists facilitate healing by working with the flow of prana (life force), freeing up the energy channels to bring healing to the mind and body. Take time to experience a yogic approach to health and well-being.
Services offered: Ayurvedic Consultation Ayurveda is an ancient system of holistic living that teaches us how to balance our daily life based on our individual physical and mental constitution. An Ayurvedic consultation is a two-hour meeting with an Ayurvedic practitioner who will explore your unique constitution, evaluate the signs and causes of actual or potential imbalances, and design a practical plan for self-healing.
Lalita Devi, Director of the Well Being Center, is a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, Pancha Karma Specialist, and Sivananda Yoga teacher. A graduate and former faculty of the California College of Ayurveda, she teaches Ayurveda workshops and trainings internationally. Lalita’s background includes herbalism, aromatherapy, polarity therapy, Reiki, and trauma-resolution therapy.
Ayurveda Body Treatments Also called Bliss Therapy, this deeply healing therapy begins first with Abhyanga (a balancing warm-oil body massage). This is followed by Shirodhara (streaming of warm oil over the forehead and scalp) or Nasya (a head and neck therapy using gentle heat and application of oil to the nasal passages). Therapeutic Massage Therapeutic massage supports general health, increases circulation, releases stress, and enhances the immune system. It can relieve muscle strain, aches, and pains. Experienced therapists in energy and bodywork modalities will customize the massage for you to have a relaxing and rejuvenating experience. Thai Yoga Massage Thai Yoga Massage is a bodywork treatment that relieves muscular tension, improves circulation, boosts the immune system, and balances the body energetically to facilitate mind-body integration.
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Appointments The Well Being Center offers services from December 15, 2015 to May 31, 2016.
When to make appointments: Reservations for Well Being Center appointments begin November 15, 2015. We strongly recommend scheduling your sessions before you arrive to ensure availability as appointments often sell out.
How to make appointments: Call +1-416-479-0199 Email wellbeingbahamas@sivananda.org sivanandabahamas.org | 145 sivanandabahamas.org | 145
REGISTRATION & RATES
REGISTER TODAY
CHOOSE YOUR PROGRAM (All guests must be registered for a program).
YOGA VACATION PROGRAM Add the following amount to accommodation rate • November 20, 2015 – May 31, 2016 : $32 per person per night • June 1 – November 19, 2016: $18 per person per night EXPERIENTIAL COURSES (Including SIVANANDA CORE COURSES and PROFESSIONAL TRAININGS) A dd tuition fee (listed with course description) to accommodation rate. You may come early or stay after by registering for a day or more of the Yoga Vacation Program. TTC, ATTC, AND RESIDENTIAL STUDY PROGRAM These programs’ rates include tuition and accommodation. Please see pages 15 to 17 for Teacher Training Courses and page 140 for Residential Study/Karma Yoga) rates.
CHOOSE YOUR ACCOMMODATION OPTION Room Types You’ll find photos and more information about housing on our website. Accommodation Rates The rates are per person, per night and are listed in US dollars. For children’s rates, see page 143. WINTER SEASON November 20, 2015 – May 31, 2016 Room Type
# of Nights: 1–6
7–13
14–20
21 or more
Tent Space
69
64
61
58
Tent Hut Single or Double (private)
79
74
70
67
Dormitory (3-4 beds)
94
88
84
81
Garden Room (shared*)
109
103
98
94
Beach Hut (shared*)
120
112
106
102
Garden Room Single (private)
127
119
113
108
Garden Room with Bath (shared*)
131 123 116 111
Oceanview Deluxe Room (King Bed or 2 Twin Beds & Private Bathroom) 140 130 124 119 Beachfront Deluxe Suite (2 Double Beds & Private Bathroom) 147 137 131 126 SUMMER SEASON June 1, 2016 – November 19, 2016 Room Type
# of Nights: 1–6
7–13
14–20
21 or more
Dormitory (3-4 beds)
83
77
73
70
Garden Room (shared*)
99
93
88
84
Beach Hut (shared*)
109
102
97
93
Garden Room Single (private)
116
108
103
99
Garden Room with Bath (shared*)
121
113
107
103
Oceanview Deluxe Room (King Bed or 2 Twin Beds & Private Bathroom) 129 121 114 109 Beachfront Deluxe Suite (2 Double Beds & Private Bathroom) 136 128 121 116 * Shared rooms have 2 single beds. All prices include local energy surcharge and a Bahamian VAT tax of 7.5%. Accommodation rates do not include course tuition or Yoga Vacation Program fee. All prices and discounts are subject to change without notice. Minimum 2-night stay. Minimum 4-night stay December 22, 2015–January 5, 2016. Minimum 3-night stay February 18–22, 2016. 146 | sivanandabahamas.org
Online at sivanandabahamas.org
Special Rates and Discounts
Call us: 1-866-559-5167 (US and Canada only) 1-416-479-0199 (all countries)
Double Room for Single Use From June 1– November 19, 2016: all double rooms are offered for single use at 85% of the double full-occupancy price.
Our reservationists are available to answer any questions. Deposit To guarantee your reservation, the following deposits are required: $100 for Yoga Vacation and Residential Study Programs; $300 for TTC and ATTC; $150 for all other courses. Deposit amounts are per-person. Balance is due upon arrival. Payment Methods We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, travelers checks, cash (US dollars) and US certified bank drafts to the name Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat. We do not accept personal checks. All deposits and payments in US dollars only.
Group Accommodation Discounts 10% discount for groups of 10 or more 15% discount for groups of 20 or more * Group discounts apply only to accommodation rates and only if all members of the group register and pay together as a group for the same time period. Tuition Discounts for Senior Citizens Senior citizens 65-years-old and over receive a 10% discount on course tuition. Multiple Course Tuition Discounts Applies only when you register for two or more courses simultaneously and pay in full upon arrival for the courses: 1 course full tuition 2 courses 5% off tuition for both 3 courses 10% off tuition for all 3 * Only one type of discount may be taken, including special promotions.
Cancellation Policy Refunds* are available: Up to 30 days prior to the scheduled arrival date — subject to deduction of processing fee**. 30 days or fewer prior to the scheduled arrival date — subject to deduction of the deposit. Credit Notes*** Apply to cancellation following arrival date. Credit notes will not be issued for the deposit. Any amount in excess of the deposit may be credited as follows: • Yoga Vacation Reservation: A credit note will be issued in an amount equal to the amount paid for the cancelled portion of your original reservation. • Teacher Training Course/Advanced Teacher Training Course: A credit note will be issued in an amount equal to the amount paid for the cancelled portion of the course. • Other Courses: A credit note will be issued in an amount equal to the unused accommodation fees only. No credit or refunds will be given for the tuition amount. * Refunds will be given solely by way of crediting the credit card used for the applicable payment. ** Processing fee in the amount of US $50 per person will be due in conjunction with any cancellation, in addition to any amount due. *** Credit notes are valid for two years from the date of issue. Credit notes can be used for booking a Yoga Vacation, a course, or a daily program in the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, Nassau, Bahamas only (specifically excluding Boutique purchases and Well Being Center services). Credit notes are personal and nontransferable. No refund or credit notes will be available if you attend a program and are dissatisfied with its presentation or content, or due to dissatisfaction with the Yoga Retreat’s schedule or accommodations. sivanandabahamas.org | 147
TEACHER & PRESENTER INDEX Our programs are led by spiritual teachers of different traditions, scientists, healers, religious leaders, trainers, teachers, authors, and musicians, each one a jewel in their discipline. A
Susan Pualani Alden 61, 103 Eben Alexander 79 Isabel Allen 72 Arjuna 44, 74, 77, 81, 85, 90 Jeffrey Armstrong 51 Swami Atmananda 97 Davod Azad 63
B
Beata Barnard (Savitri-Devi) 112, 126 John Beaulieu 72, 77 Maurizio Benazzo 118 Zaya Benazzo 118 Nora Benian (Sundari) 52, 53, 56, 96, 102, 106 Brett Bevell 41 Amarananda Bhairavan (Nandu) 138 Shyamji Bhatnagar 104 Erin Bidlake 51, 87 Mira Binzen 64 Jenny Bird 43 Earle Birney (Nilakuntha) 137 Molly Birkholm (Madhavi) 45, 64, 78, 103, 114 Jost Blomeyer 66 Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) 32, 34, 75 Joan Borysenko 60 Swami Brahmananda 28, 32, 33, 38, 43, 44, 73, 79, 90, 101, 106, 108, 111, 120 Edwin Bryant 83 Adam Bucko 134 Dale Buegel 50 Mirabai Bush 67
C
Douglas Canterbury-Counts 121 Robin Carnes 64, 66 Angelo Castello 82 Swapan Chaudhuri 88 Dennis Chernin 25 William Chittick 127 Kam Thye Chow 39, 91, 95 Jennifer Cohen 68 148 | sivanandabahamas.org
D
Krishna Das 84 Lama Surya Das 55 Karnamrita Dasi 52 Jeffrey Davis 38 Manu Dawson 40, 61, 87, 124 Lalita Devi 37, 145 Swami Dharmananda 117, 124, 126 Joe Dispenza 65 Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati) 26 Anne Douglas 82 John Douillard 110 Daniel Drubach 127
E
Paul Epstein 37 F Rachel Fiske 35 Stephen Fiske 00 Helen Folsom 00 Deshon Fox 28 Matthew Fox 00
G
Jim Gelcer 35 Mavis Gewant 46 Catherine Gillies (Kumari) 96, 100, 107, 109 Daniele Giovannucci 42 Roshi Bernie Glassman 83 Amit Goswami 96 Tzivia Gover 40 Linda Graham 86 Marc Grossman 39 Aira Guevara (Rukmini) 25 Mary Guip 112
H
Marc Halpern (Siva) 70, 99, 107 Ed Harrold 30 Andrew Harvey 134 Joyce Hawkes 122 Meenakshi Angel Honig 35 Roger Housden 43 Swami Hridyananda 53, 74, 81, 103
I
Brenda Igler 34 Iswara 27, 41, 113, 125
J
Jai-Jagdeesh 68 Jnaneshwari 74, 93, 120, 122, 137 Aaron Jones 45, 56, 119 Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari) 45, 56, 119
K
Menas Kafatos 118 Gopi Kallayil 67 Shyam Kane 88 Stephen Kaplan 101 Swami Kashi 115 Nathan Katz 127 Snatam Kaur 55, 56 Meera Patricia Kerr 91 Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa 104 Sat Bir Singh Khalsa 48, 114 Pandit Habib Khan 88 Dian Killian 98 Jan Kirschner 63 Gregg Krech 45 Krishnadas 27, 122, 136 Uma Krishnamurthy 94 Manisha Kshirsagar 70 Suhas Kshirsagar 70 Prantik Kundu 101
L
Gina LaRoche 68 Marisa Laursen (Sri Devi) 70, 99 Andreas Ledermann 77 Ivy Loo 108 Susan B. Lord 42 Sasha Loring 47 Sondra Loring 47 Jennifer Louden 86
M
Roshi Eve Myonen Marko 83 Brigitte Mars 69, 107 Daniel Matt 55 Father William Meninger 49 Richard Miller 114 Dan Millman 100 John Milton 121 Keith Mitchell 114, 115 Niharika Mohanty 88 Mohini 29, 80, 120 Raymond Moody 79 Richard Moss 102, 104 Robert Moss 85
N
Silvia Nakkach 72 Krishnan Namboodiri 55, 57, 97 Sanhita Nandi 88 Vasudha Narayanan 58 Karen Newell 79 David Newman (Durga Das) 80 Niranjana 120 Nirmala 120 Connie Numbers 31
O
Annie Okerlin 103 Catherine O’Neill (Durga Leela) 117, 124 Judith Orloff 104
P
Steven Michael Pague 29 Katie Papo (Ambika) 65, 81, 92, 109 Ramesh Parmar 93 Suba Ramesh Parmar 92 Parvati 34 Russill Paul (Anirud Jaidev) 104 Neil Pearson 69 John Perkins 75 Snow Piccolo 72 Father Vincent Pizzutto 111 Tao Porchon-Lynch 62 Pranava 84, 132 Swami Medhananda Puri 131, 136
R
Ragani 50 Imam Jamal Rahman 111 Brigitta Raimann 77 Petra Rakebrandt 78, 129 Nina Rao 84 James Reeves 59 Brother Paul Richards 63 Marilyn Rossner 104 Priti Robyn Ross 76 Rukmini 60, 71, 76, 97, 104, 119, 120, 123, 125 Peter Russell 118
S
G.S. Sachdev 88 Jan Booman Saeed 55 Gina SalĂĄ 128 Silvia San Miguel (Surya) 56, 58, 66, 69, 94, 103 Satyadev 120 Antonio Sausys 36 Shaykh Abdul Haqq Sazonoff 55 Virginia Frances Schwartz (Saraswati) 33 Brant Secunda 55 Andrea Mantell Seidel 130 Eva Selhub 104 Swami Shantananda 113, 118 Shauna Shapiro 118 Tulku Sherdor 108, 111 Shimshai 116 Shyam 29, 80, 120 Judith Simmer-Brown 67 Stephen Sinatra 127 Swami Sitaramananda 120 Sivakami 125, 138 Olga Mandodari Sokolova 28 Kevin Spelman 70 Michael Spezio 101 Srinivasan 59 Mirabai Starr 43, 129 Dave Stringer 63 Surya 120 Bharata Surya 48, 49, 99
Radhanath Swami 132 Swami Swaroopananda 19, 55, 57, 73, 87, 104, 105, 120, 121, 125, 138
T
Ann Taves 101 William Tiller 130 Theodore Tsavoussis 33 Lama Migmar Tseten 55
U
Jai Uttal 123
V
Ram Vakkalanka 30 Elaine Valdov 133, 134 Grace Van Berkum 31, 132 Gaura Vani 55, 132 Reverend Jane Vennard 55 Cassandra Vieten 118 Manish Vyas 77
W
Stacy Kamala Waltman 138 Master Ou Wen Wei 94 Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinburg 111 Amy Weintraub 104, 107 Steven Weiss 41 Ralph White 98 Ken Whiteley 63 Bishop Trevor Williamson 105 Jan Willis 127
Y
Celeste Yacoboni 43
sivanandabahamas.org | 149
PROGRAM GUIDE What are you interested in?
Creativity & Sacred Arts Be. Write. Now. Jennifer Louden...........................................................86 Bharatanatyam Music and Dance from India Suba Ramesh Parmar................................................ 92 Chakra Immersion: Understanding Sacred Centers Mavis Gewant................................................................46 Classical Indian Music & Dance Festival.............................................................................88 Creating Sacred Space with Vaastu Shastra Design: Heal Your Home Olga Mandodari Sokolova....................................... 28
Ayurveda Discover one of the world’s oldest health-care systems, a holistic model of prevention and well-being — as well as healing — rooted in the same Vedic tradition as yoga. Ayurveda and Yoga Wellness Counselor Certification, Catherine O’Neill (Durga Leela) and Swami Dharmananda....... 124 Ayurveda Body Treatments Certification Course, Lalita Devi........... 37 Ayurveda for Diabetes and High Blood Pressure, Bharata Surya............................48
Painting Planet Mandalas Mavis Gewant................................................................46 Rhythmic Music and Movement: Joy, Grace, and the Divine Source Within Andrea Seidel.............................................................. 130 Wonder on the Creative Quest: Workshops & Talks on Yoga, Writing & Wonder Jeffrey Davis..................................................................38 Yantra Painting: Transformation through Sacred Form Mavis Gewant................................................................46
Ayurvedic Cooking and Nutrition Retreat, Bharata Surya..............................99
Families & Children
Ayurvedic Cooking Retreat, Bharata Surya................................................49
Family Yoga Holiday for Children Ages 4-11 Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari) and Aaron Jones..........................................................56
Ayurvedic Herbal Medicine: Remedies from Your Home Kitchen, Brenda Igler....................................................34 Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist Certification, Marc Halpern (Siva) and Marisa Laursen (Sri Devi)................99 3rd Annual Sivananda Ayurveda Conference: Healthy Living for the 21st Century: ..................................70
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Infuse Your Writing with Yoga Virginia Frances Schwartz (Saraswati)............. 33
Spring Family Holiday Program Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari) and Aaron Jones...................................................................119 Teen Yoga Holiday Program Nora Benian (Sundari)..............................................56 Thanksgiving Holiday Program for Children Ages 4-12 Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari) and Aaron Jones...................................................................44 sivanandabahamas.org | 151
Hatha Yoga Adapting Sivananda Yoga to Your Body: Everyone Can Practice Krishnadas.....................................................27, 122, 136
Healthy Eating, Nutrition & Cleanses Ayurvedic Cooking and Nutrition Retreat Bharata Surya................................................................99
Fine Tune Your Asana Practice Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati)..................................... 75
Ayurvedic Cooking Retreat Bharata Surya................................................................49
From Asana to Deep Meditation Arjuna................................................................................ 74
The Complete Vegetarian: How to Transition to a Yogic Diet Manu Dawson .............................................................. 87
Prana Focus During Hatha Yoga Practice Dale Buegel....................................................................50 Principles of Asana Alignment Steven Weiss.................................................................. 41 The Secret of Hatha Yoga: How Asana and Pranayama Work Shyam and Mohini.......................................................29
Healing Arts Trainings Ayurveda and Yoga Wellness Counselor Certification Catherine O’Neill (Durga Leela) and Swami Dharmananda...............................................124 Ayurveda Body Treatments Certification Course Lalita Devi....................................................................... 37 Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist Certification Marc Halpern (Siva) and Marisa Laursen (Sri Devi)...............................99 Assisted Yoga Using Thai Massage Kam Thye Chow............................................................ 91 Energy Medicine Certification: Working with Polarity, the Elements, and the Stars John Beaulieu, Andreas Ledermann, and Brigitta Raimann.......................................................... 77 iRest® Yoga Nidra Level 1 Teacher Training Molly Birkholm (Madhavi)....................................... 78 Thai Yoga Massage: Level 1 Kam Thye Chow................................................... 39, 95 Thai Yoga Massage: Level 2 Kam Thye Chow...........................................................95
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Fall Cleanse, Detox, and Juice Fasting Manu Dawson............................................................... 40 Gracious Living Weekend Detox Retreat Grace Van Berkum.............................................. 31, 132 Healing with Herbs, Food, and Essential Oils Brigitte Mars.........................................................69, 107 Healing Your Relationship with Food Sasha Loring and Sondra Loring.......................... 47 New Year’s Cleanse, Detox, and Juice Fast Manu Dawson................................................................. 61 Spring Cleanse, Detox, and Juice Fast Manu Dawson...............................................................124 The Yoga of Eating: A Fresh New Approach Petra Rakebrandt...............................................78, 129
Holidays & Traditional Ceremonies Christmas & New Year’s Symposium: Unity in Diversity: Many Paths One Truth........................................................................54 Easter Sunrise Service, Swami Swaroopananda, Marilyn Rossner and Bishop Trevor Williamson............................. 105 Maha Sivaratri Krishnan Namboodiri and Senior Staff............. 97 Passover Seder Celebration Swami Swaroopananda............................................121 Thanksgiving Celebration: Discover the Joy of Gratitude Arjuna and Swami Brahmananda........................44
Integrated Health & Healing
Interfaith & Interspiritual
Cell-Level Healing: Union of Body and Spirit Joyce Hawkes and Helen Folsom.......................122
Christmas and New Year’s Symposium: Unity in Diversity: Many Paths, One Truth......54
Digestion and the Mind: The Key to Health and Longevity John Douillard.............................................................. 110 Discover Peace and Purpose through an Ancient Healing Practice Susan Pualani Alden................................................... 61 Exploring Shamanic Medicine: Healing the Light Body Theodore Tsavoussis.................................................. 33 From Stress to Resilience: Cutting-Edge Science Meets Ancient Wisdom Susan B. Lord............................................................... 42
Easter Symposium: Yoga & Sacred Healing...........................................104 Giving Thanks with the Mystics: A Celebration in Poetry and Prayer...................43 Interfaith Devotional Singing Festival: On the Wings of Ecstasy................................................63 Meditation as a Path to Enlightenment: Interfaith Symposium.................................................111 Yoga for Peace: Changing the World from the Inside Out...................................................135
Healing Through Mystical Qigong Master Ou Wen Wei...................................................94 Lightened Living for Those with Chronic Pain and Fatigue Erin Bidlake..................................................................... 51 Mindful Healing: Curing the Body-Mind by Listening to the Self Paul Epstein................................................................... 37 Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Retreat Mary Guip........................................................................112 The Spine and Wellness: Awakening Oneness Angelo Castello............................................................ 82 Subtle Energy: Healing the Mind-Body Continuum Ivy Loo............................................................................ 108 Waterfall Qigong: A Moving Meditation Practice Steven Michael Pague...............................................29 Writing Down the Light: A Conscious Retelling of Your Life’s Story Joan Borysenko........................................................... 60 Writing Your Story of Transformation Mirabai Starr.................................................................129 The Yoga of Vision: Holistic Eye Care Marc Grossman............................................................39
NEW TO YOGA? Adapting Sivananda Yoga to Your Body: Everyone Can Practice Krishnadas.........................................27, 122, 136 Beginners Yoga Immersion Week Arjuna.................................................................... 77 Creating a Yogic Lifestyle Silvia San Miguel (Surya).....................66, 94 Essentials of Yoga I........................................ 23 Introduction to Meditation......................... 24 The Power of Positive Thinking................ 24 sivanandabahamas.org | 153
Are you a
TTC graduate?
Join the first Sivananda Teachers Reunion in the Bahamas
Details on page 120
Kirtan, Chanting & Sound Awakening Bhakti: Chanting Retreat Jai Uttal...........................................................................123 Bhakti Yoga: The Joy of Chanting Iswara.......................................................................113, 125 Building Bhakti: Chanting from the Heart Jim Gelcer (Siva)......................................................... 35 Calling Out to the Guru: Tibetan Buddhist Devotional Chanting Tulku Sherdor..............................................................109 Chanting the Hanuman Chalisa Nina Rao..........................................................................84 Heart of the Universe: Chanting with Snatam Kaur.................................................................. 55 Inner Healing Through Nada Yoga: Sacred Sounds of the Sitar Ram Vakkalanka...........................................................30 Kirtan and the Bhakti Mandala: Healing Through Chant David Newman (Durga Das)................................. 80 Kirtan with Ragani......................................................50 Mantras, Ragas & Voice: Harmonizing Our Lives with Sound Karnamrita Dasi............................................................ 52 Meditation, Mantra, and Music Dennis Chernin.............................................................25 On the Wings of Ecstasy: Interfaith Devotional Singing Festival....................................63 Opening the Window of the Soul Through Sacred Song Shimshai..........................................................................116 A Practicum on the Yoga of Sound and Voice: Modalities and Ways to Implement Voice in a Therapeutic Setting Silvia Nakkach............................................................... 73 Sacred Sound with Jai-Jagdeesh........................68 Shivoham Kirtan Retreat: A Journey of Bliss Manish Vyas................................................................... 77 154 | sivanandabahamas.org
Sound Tantra and Bhakti Chant: Align with the Divine Vibration Gina SalĂĄ.........................................................................128 Yoga of Chant Retreat Krishna Das....................................................................84 The Yoga of Sound and Voice Training John Beaulieu and Silvia Nakkach....................... 73
Meditation & Yoga Philosophy Advanced Bhagavad Gita Jnaneshwari..................................................................137 Advanced Bhakti Yoga Course: Teachings from the Narada Bhakti Sutra Rukmini............................................................................. 71 Advanced Raja Yoga Swami Brahmananda...............................................106
The Lives of Saints: Touching Divinity Parvati...............................................................................34 Meditation and the Mind Intensive Swami Dharmananda...............................................126 Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras Earle Birney...................................................................137 The Practice of Karma Yoga: Teachings on the 3rd Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita Rukmini...........................................................................123
Raja Yoga: The Royal Path to Enlightenment Swami Brahmananda................................................ 90
Breaking Free from Old Paradigms Keith Mitchell.................................................................115
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Chapter 3: The Court of Yajnavalkya Swami Medhananda Puri.........................................131
Vedantic Meditation: Studies from the Vivekachudamani Swami Kashi...................................................................115
Foundations of Raja Yoga Srinivasan........................................................................59
The Yoga of Meditation: Teachings on the 6th Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita Rukmini............................................................................ 97
Jnana Yoga: The Practice of Self-Inquiry Swami Brahmananda................................................. 73 Karma Yoga: Love in Action Jnaneshwari..................................................................128 Life and Teachings of Swami Vishnudevananda: Bringing Peace to the World Swami Brahmananda.................................................38 Light on Vedanta Swami Medhananda Puri........................................137
The Art of Self-Reflection Gregg Krech..................................................................45 Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Resilience and Well-Being Linda Graham................................................................86
Bhakti Stories from the Bhagavata Purana Edwin Bryant.................................................................83
Introduction to Meditation..................................... 24
Active Dreaming 24/7: Living by Synchronicity Robert Moss...................................................................85
Preksha Meditation: Relaxation, Visualization, and Contemplation Ramesh Parmar............................................................93
The Ramayana: The Greatest Story Ever Told Jeffrey Armstrong........................................................ 51
Godly Gossip Satsang Talks and Special Lectures Swami Atmananda...................................................... 97
Self-Discovery, Science & Spirituality
The Yoga of the Division of the Three Gunas: Talks on the 14th Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita Swami Shantananda..................................................113 Yoga Philosophy and Practice in the Shakta Tradition Amaranada Bhairavan (Nandu).......................... 138 Yoga Psychology and the Transformation of Emotions Uma Krishnamurthy...................................................94 Yoga Shows the Way: The Legacy of Swami Vishnudevananda Rukmini........................................................................... 60 Yoga Shows the Way: The Legacy of Swami Vishnudevananda Swami Hridyananda...................................................113
Breathe, Perceive, Receive Ed Harrold.......................................................................30 Celebrate the Divine Feminine: Awakening the Goddess Within Retreat Rachel Fiske................................................................... 35 Creating Your Life Through Sustainable Abundance Jennifer Cohen and Gina LaRoche..................... 68 Insights from the Middle Theory: Living a Life of Balance Deshon Fox.................................................................... 28 Living Your Soul: Knowing Yourself on a Deeper Level Connie Numbers........................................................... 31 Making Your Mind Matter Joe Dispenza ................................................................65 Mindfulness-Based Time and Life Management Jost Blomeyer...............................................................66 The Nature of Consciousness: Science and Spirituality...........................................118 Near-Death Experience & the Soul Symposium.......................................................... 79 Neuroscience & Spirituality Symposium: Mind, Brain, and Consciousness.......................... 101 sivanandabahamas.org | 155
We hope you are
inspired by our catalog; please continue your journey on
www.sivanandabahamas.org to find just the right experience for you.
Self-Discovery, Science & Spirituality continued Peaceful Heart, Warrior Spirit: Keys to Life Purpose and Spiritual Growth Dan Millman................................................................. 100 Psychoenergetic Science: The Scientific Revolution in our Midst William Tiller................................................................. 130 Quantum Activism Amit Goswami..............................................................96 Spirituality: Heart & Mind Symposium.............127
Living a Life That Matters Roshi Bernie Glassman and Roshi Eve Myonen Marko........................................83
Yogis Beyond Borders Certification Course Elaine Valdov................................................................133
Sadhana: Understanding and Maintaining a Spiritual Practice Jnaneshwari.......................................................... 93, 122
Mindfulness in the World Symposium.............. 67
Yoga for Mood Management: LifeForce Yoga Practitioner Training Amy Weintraub.......................................................... 107
Teachings of the Bhagavad Gita Swami Brahmananda................................................. 33
The Way of Nature: Reconnection and Renewal John Milton and Douglas Canterbury-Counts..................................121 Yoga Peace Ambassadors Certification Course Elaine Valdov................................................................133
Yoga for Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Teacher Training Beata Barnard (Savitri-Devi)..................................112 Yoga for Stable and Calm Children Mira Binzen.....................................................................64
The Yoga of Dreams Tzivia Gover................................................................... 40
Specialized Yoga Teacher Trainings
Yoga Nidra Teacher Training: The Art of Conscious Deep Relaxation and Healing Marc Halpern (Siva)................................................. 107
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Trainings
Chair Yoga Teacher Training: Making Yoga Accessible to Everyone Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati)....................................26
Spiritual Practice & Living
Advanced Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training............................................................ 17 Sivananda Teachers Reunion............................... 120
Deepening Through Stillness in Asana: A Teacher Training Nora Benian (Sundari)............................................106
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Practicum Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati).....................................34
Restorative Yoga Teacher Training Nora Benian (Sundari)..............................................96
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Renewal Swami Brahmananda and Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati)..................................... 32
Teaching Yoga for Anxiety and Trauma Part 1: A Certification Training for Yoga Teachers Molly Birkholm (Madhavi) and Robin Carnes.................................................................64
Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training........................ 15
Social Activism and the Environment
Teach Yoga to Families Mira Binzen.....................................................................64 Teaching Yoga for Back Care Catherine Gilles (Kumari)........................................96
Consciousness Revolution: Changing to a Peace Economy John Perkins.................................................................. 75
Teaching Yoga to Seniors Catherine Gillies (Kumari).....................................109
Food as a Spiritual Path Daniele Giovannucci...................................................42
Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training Nora Benian (Sundari)............................................ 102
An Immersion in Compassionate, Nonviolent Communication: Creating Peace with Others and Ourselves Dian Killian......................................................................98
Warriors at Ease: Teaching Yoga in Military Settings Molly Birkholm (Madhavi), Susan Pualani Alden, and Annie Okerlin....................................... 103
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20 Important Spiritual Instructions Iswara................................................................................. 41 Using Thought Power for Self-Transformation Swami Hridyananda................................................... 81 The Yoga of Restful Being: A Deep Yoga Nidra Retreat James Reeves...............................................................59
Bhakti Yoga Retreat Radhanath Swami and Gaura Vani....................132 Contemplative Prayer: The Cloud of Unknowing Father William Meninger..........................................49 From Darkness to Light: The Need for a Spiritual Teacher Rukmini............................................................................119 Living a Divine Life Swami Brahmananda............................................... 108 The Mandala of Being™: Living from the Power of Presence Richard Moss............................................................... 102 The Path of Bhakti Vasudha Narayanan...................................................58 The Process of Forgiveness Father William Meninger..........................................49 Quest for the Mysteries of Spiritual Experience Ralph White...................................................................98 Questions and Answers on Yoga and Spiritual Life Swami Swaroopananda............................................. 19
Yoga for Everyday Life Big Yoga™ Meera Patricia Kerr...................................................... 91 Chair Yoga and Yoga at Work: Yoga for Everyone Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati)....................................26 Creating an Inspired Daily Practice Earle Birney...................................................................137 Creating a Yogic Lifestyle Silvia San Miguel (Surya).................................66, 94 Creating Sacred Space for Your Spiritual Practice Sivakami.................................................................125, 138 sivanandabahamas.org | 157
SPECIAL EVENTS These symposia, conferences, and festivals bring together renowned spiritual teachers, musicians, scientists, and leaders in a celebration of unity in diversity. An important part of our mission, these events catalyze new discoveries, enlightening exchanges, and the emergence of great spiritual wisdom.
Yoga for Everyday Life continued
Yoga for Health & Well-Being
Cultivating Will Power Through Yoga Jnaneshwari................................................................... 74
Abundant Living for People in Recovery Isabel Allen (Devi) and Snow Piccolo................ 72
Discover the Bahamas, Discover Yourself Arjuna................................................................................. 81
Aging Gracefully through Yoga Tao Porchon-Lynch.....................................................62
Energizing the Light Body Silvia San Miguel (Surya).........................................69
Depression and Anxiety: From Emotion to Devotion Swami Hridyananda................................................... 53
Essentials of Yoga I.................................................... 23 Essentials of Yoga II................................................... 23 Essentials of Yoga III.................................................. 23 Growing Older and Wiser with Yoga Silvia San Miguel (Surya).........................................58 Introduction to Raja Yoga: The Science of Happiness Swami Hridyananda................................................. 103 The Joy of Right Living with the Yamas and Niyamas Pranava....................................................................84, 132 The Power of Positive Thinking............................ 24 Practical Spirituality: Life and Teachings of Swami Vishnudevananda Arjuna................................................................................85
Healing Trauma: The Spirituality and Science of Healing Through Yoga.......................114
Yoga Nidra: Healing Through Deep Relaxation Molly Birkholm (Madhavi).......................................45
Refilling Your Well: The Art of Sacred Self-Care Robyn Ross (Priti)....................................................... 76
iRest®Yoga Nidra Retreat: Health, Healing, and Wholeness Anne Douglas................................................................ 82
Restorative Yoga and Healing Therapies Nora Benian (Sundari).............................................. 52
Yoga of Recovery: Certification for Counselors Catherine O’Neill (Durga Leela) and Swami Dharmananda................................................117
Therapeutic Yoga for Pain Management Neil Pearson...................................................................69
Using Yoga for Lightened Living with Lyme Disease Erin Bidlake.................................................................... 87
Yoga, Stress Relief, and Relaxation Iswara................................................................................ 27
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Yoga for Healthy Bones: Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Beata Barnard (Savitri-Devi).................................126
Living with Grief and Loss: Healing the Broken Heart Catherine Gillies (Kumari).....................................100
What Is Yoga? Rukmini................................................................... 76, 125
Yoga of Relationships Shyam and Mohini...................................................... 80
Yoga for a Strong and Balanced Mind Stacy Kamala Waltman.......................................... 138
Yoga, Mind, and Belly: Boost Your Body Course Katie Papo (Ambika)................................................. 92
Therapeutic Yoga for the Spine, Hips, Legs, and Shoulders Nora Benian (Sundari).............................................. 53
Yoga for Stress Management Silvia San Miguel (Surya)..............................................
Yoga for a Healthy Back and Strong Core Meenakshi Angel Honig............................................ 35
Healing Your Emotional Body Silvia San Miguel (Surya)....................................... 103
The Razor’s Edge: Staying on the Spiritual Path Arjuna............................................................................... 90
Yoga for Manifesting Your Full Potential Antonio Sausys.............................................................36
Yoga for Grief: Spiritual Practice to Nourish the Self Antonio Sausys.............................................................36
Veterans and Service Members Yoga Retreat: The Power of Calm Robin Carnes.................................................................66 Yoga and Aromatherapy to Relieve Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia Aira Guevara (Rukmini)............................................ 25 Yoga and Energy Healing Retreat Brett Bevell...................................................................... 41
Yoga of Recovery Retreat Catherine O’Neill (Durga Leela)...........................117 Yoga Practice for Stress: The Science of Yoga Sat Bir Singh Khalsa...................................................48 Yogic Remedies for Depression and Anxiety Swami Hridyananda................................................... 74 Yoga, Stress, and Food Katie Papo (Ambika).................................65, 81, 109 Yoga to Ease an Aching Back Catherine Gillies (Kumari)..................................... 107
November 23 – 27 Giving Thanks with the Mystics: A Celebration in Poetry and Prayer............... 43 December 22 – January 2 Christmas & New Year’s Symposium: Unity in Diversity: Many Paths, One Truth............................................................... 54 January 10 – 15 Interfaith Devotional Singing Festival: On the Wings of Ecstasy................................ 63 January 19 – 22 Mindfulness in the World Symposium..... 67 January 25 – 29 3rd Annual Sivananda Ayurveda Conference: Healthy Living for the 21st Century.......................................................... 70 February 7 – 11 Near-Death Experience and the Soul: A Symposium........................................... 79 February 26 – 29 Classical Indian Music & Dance Festival..................................................... 88 March 13 – 17 Neuroscience & Spirituality Symposium: Mind, Brain, and Consciousness..................101 March 20 – 28 Easter Symposium: Yoga & Sacred Healing.................................................. 104 April 5 – 9 Meditation as a Path to Enlightenment: Interfaith Symposium........................................ 111 April 11 – 15 Healing Trauma: The Spirituality and Science of Healing Through Yoga..............114 April 17 – 21 The Nature of Consciousness: Science and Spirituality..................................118 May 1 – 5 Spirituality: Heart & Mind Symposium.......................................................... 127 May 16 – 20 9th Annual Yoga for Peace Symposium: Changing the World from the Inside Out.....................................................135 sivanandabahamas.org | 159
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