Sivananda Yoga Retreat Bahamas

A Message of Hope for Turbulent Times Dear Friends, In 1969, as Swami Vishnudevananda sat in deep meditation in front of the altar at the Yoga Retreat temple, he experienced a powerful vision. In his vision, the whole planet Earth was engulfed in fire forcing everyone to run. As people tried to escape, they broke loose of their barriers: physical barriers, mental barriers, spiritual barriers, gender barriers, religious barriers, and racial barriers. All those barriers that we artificially restrict ourselves with suddenly became meaningless in the presence of that fire.

Swamiji awoke from this vision trembling for he thought that a great calamity was imminent. Then he had a sudden insight. Swamiji realized that by transcending their barriers in order to escape this fire, humanity had actually become united. He saw our world progressing to a greater and brighter future even though the vision itself was terrifying.

I believe that Swamiji’s vision is now upon us. The fire that he visualized is here and now and it is spreading. People are bewildered and do not know what to do; they are seeking answers and need help. Much of humanity is in need of shelter, food, and water. All of us want health and healing. But the ultimate quality that we really need at such a turbulent time is spiritual shelter and inner strength. If there is inner spiritual strength, then there is the possibility of overcoming this critical point in the life of humanity successfully.

All of this turmoil in the world today is due to transformation. We are going through a time of transformation that will lead us toward a bright and wonderful future. Yet this transition period, just like any other transition, is by its very nature, chaotic. If we resist this transformation, we will suffer. If we understand it for what it truly is and choose the right path, then humanity will have a hopeful future.

As yoga practitioners, we are key and essential partners in this transformation. We can and should participate. First, we can keep our true Self connected to the seed of inner peace within us by our daily practice.

Then in our own humble way, we can offer this yogic knowledge to others. It will give people strength, hope and a clearer vision. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika describes Hatha Yoga as a “sheltering monastery”, saving humanity from the fires of suffering. Swamiji himself would say that each one of us, not only yoga teachers, must become that monastery where people can find refuge from the scorching fires of fear and confusion. We can all share the wisdom of yoga with others. This is our duty. We must help each other and in doing so, we unite in this transition toward a bright new human life.

I invite you to join us this year at the ashram, to reconnect with your inner spiritual strength and to become a spiritual shelter for others upon your return.

Om Shanti, Om Peace Swami Swaroopananda Director

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Table of Contents Our Teachers Welcome to the Ashram About the Ashram The Well-Being Center The Yoga Vacation Program Yoga Teachers’ Training Course Advanced Yoga Teachers’ Training Course Courses with Swami Swaroopananda Foundation Yoga Courses Calendar of Events Residential Study Programs Professional Accreditation Plan Your Visit Registration and Rates Program Guide Online Community

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Welcome to the Ashram Located across the bay from Nassau, on one of the finest beaches in the world, the ashram is an island paradise and a true oasis of calm and natural beauty. It offers a unique combination of a traditional ashram and a modern yoga retreat.

Our Teachers Swami Sivananda (1887-1963) One of the great saints of modern times, Swami Sivananda is the inspiration behind the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers. Born in India, he served for many years as a medical doctor before renouncing worldly life and establishing the Sivananda Ashram and Divine Life Society in Rishikesh. He is the author of over 300 books and his teachings continue to enrich the lives of millions world-wide.

Swami Vishnudevananda (1927-1993) A world authority on yoga, Swami Vishnudevananda was sent to the west by his master, Swami Sivananda and founded the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers in 1957. He was a tireless campaigner for world peace, a master of Hatha yoga and Raja yoga, and author of the now classic Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga and Meditation and Mantras.

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Come by yourself, bring a friend, or bring your whole family. Our staff will be happy to welcome you and accompany you as you settle into your stay with us.

Take a Vacation Rest, relax, and recharge. The Yoga Vacation Program offers the perfect balance between activities and leisure time. Enjoy daily yoga classes, silent meditation sessions, and expand your horizons with midday workshops and inspiring evening talks.

Treat yourself to a healing session or a private yoga class. In between the activities you will have time to rest, reflect, and enjoy some quality time alone or with others.

Offered year round, the Yoga Vacation Program allows you to come at any time and stay for as long as you wish. For the daily schedule see page 9. For a list of speakers and events, look for programs marked YVP on the Calendar of Events.

Learn, Train, Get Certified Expand your knowledge, gain new skills, and get certified. Choose the course that is right for you from our wide variety of certification courses and professional trainings and deepen your practice as a yoga teacher, healer, counselor, or yoga practitioner.

Many of our courses are approved for Yoga Alliance credits or Continuing Education Units (CEU). See page 82 for professional accreditation information. For a list of courses look for programs marked C on our Calendar of Events and for the CEU symbol for courses approved for Continuing Education Units.

Join the Community Join the Residential Study Program and become part of the ashram community. Live a spiritual life, meet like-minded people from all over the world, and experience the joy of selfless service. See pages 80-81 for details.

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Accommodations Pleasant and simple lodgings include a choice of rooms overlooking the ocean, or comfortable wooden garden cabins.

We offer a variety of accommodation options, ranging from self-pitched tents to luxurious beach-front suites, allowing you to spend your time with us in the way that is optimal for you. Please see pages 84-85 for accommodation options and rates. Visit our website for further details about our accommodations accompanied by photos.

About the Ashram The ashram provides you with the optimal environment for your spiritual growth and relaxation. Experience the full benefits of a physical, mental and spiritual transformation as you retreat from the stressors and distractions of your life to discover a healthier, more relaxed you.

The Ashram’s Setting Practice yoga on spacious platforms located in between the swaying palms of the garden, or facing the clear blue water of the Caribbean. Take your breaks on the white-sand beach or enjoy the shade of the ashram’s tropical garden. Relax amidst colorful flowers that bloom throughout the gardens, and the beautiful song of the birds which fills the air.

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Boutique, Bookstore and Health Hut In the cozy, welcoming Boutique, Bookstore, and Health Hut, you can find an inspiring reading selection and music with a wide variety of spiritual books, including best-sellers, and CDs published by our guest speakers. You can also get your favorite yoga equipment or souvenirs from our new line of organic cotton t-shirts, traditional attire brought from India, and other accessories. 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 (the boutique is open from November to June and on a smaller scale during the rest of the summer).

Meals

The Temple The ashram’s main temple is a semiopen-air inviting structure built on a spot rich with spiritual energies. Two additional temples elevate the ashram’s spiritual vibration with grace and beauty. Several daily pujas (rituals) are conducted by our Tantric priest from India or by the ashram’s senior staff.

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 vegetables buffet and relax with the daily herbal tea. Have your meal by the ocean, in the garden or in the dining area, in the company of other yogis and vacationers.

Stay in Touch While Away Free wireless internet is available throughout most of the ashram grounds. A Skype phone is also available (a Skype account and balance are required and it is suggested that you set one up online prior to your arrival).

Cellular coverage (via the local Bahamian carrier) is available as well.

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The Well-Being Center Take time between workshops and yoga classes to enjoy nurturing and healing treatments and consultations with our skilled practitioners.

The services of the WellBeing Center include:

Panchakarma Panchakarma is the traditional ayurvedic method to cleanse, balance, and rejuvenate the body, mind, and spirit. Following your initial consultation, an experienced ayurvedic practitioner will customize a series of daily personalized treatments and practices for you, and offer you follow-up practices to use at home for rejuvenation and continued balance.

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 body work 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 facilitating mind-body integration.

We recommend scheduling treatments in advance in order to secure the date.

Ayurvedic Consultation Ayurveda, a sister science of yoga, is an ancient system of holistic living that teaches us how to balance our daily life with our unique 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 treatment plan specifically for you.

Ayurveda Body Treatments Bliss Therapy consists of abhyanga (a balancing warm oil body massage), followed by shirodhara (streaming of warm oil over the forehead and scalp) or nasya (a facial using gentle heat and application of oil to the nasal passages), bhasti (localized retention of oil), and ayurvedic facials.

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For more information please visit our website or contact Lalita Devi, the Well-Being Center Director, at Lalitadevi@sivananda.org

The Yoga Vacation Program The Yoga Vacation Program was designed by Swami Vishnudevananda to ensure that real relaxation and rejuvenation are achieved on all levels – body, mind and soul.

Based on five simple principles - exercise, breathing, relaxation, healthy diet, and positive thinking & meditation - the Yoga Vacation Program offers you the ideal way to take a true break from your everyday life. Whether you are new to yoga or a well established practitioner, the Yoga Vacation Program will get you back in balance. You will return home peaceful, energized and better able to joyfully carry on with your daily routine.

The Daily Schedule Morning Start the day at 6 a.m. with the serenity of early morning meditation, joyful chanting, and a spiritual talk. Energize your body while preserving the meditative mood with an 8 a.m. yoga class. Brunch will await you at 10 a.m.

Midday Create your own optimal afternoon schedule. Take an experiential workshop, attend a lecture or enjoy a healing art session*. Relax on the beach or enjoy a swim or snorkeling experience. Have a snack break in the Health Hut, meet new and old friends, or read a book in the garden.

Afternoon Start the third part of the day with a 4 p.m. 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 p.m. and let the company of positive, like-minded individuals uplift you. Meditate, chant, and enjoy a lecture by a world-renowned presenter, or a devotional music or dance performance. Go to sleep feeling fulfilled and inspired.

* Healing art treatments are available at additional cost.

All Yoga Vacation Programs are open to all guests - look for programs marked YVP in the Calendar of Events pages. See pages 84-85 for rates.

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Yoga Teachers’ Training Courses (200-hour certification) December 4 - 31, 2011

March 5 - April 1, 2012

January 4 - 31, 2012

April 5 - May 2, 2012

February 4 - March 2, 2012

May 6 - June 2, 2012

The Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ Training Course (TTC) is a profound learning experience that will transform you on all levels. Drawing from the teachings of an ancient lineage, while integrating modern aspects of the practice of yoga, this course offers a unique opportunity for immersion in an authentic and comprehensive study of all aspects of the yogic practice. In addition to providing teacher trainees with an in-depth knowledge and practice of classic yoga, Swami Vishnudevananda, who created the TTC as part of his global peace initiative, structured it such that it will offer a unique opportunity for each trainee to undergo personal transformation and find inner peace. Thus, the TTC empowers graduates to become peaceful, self-controlled leaders and citizens of the world. You too can become a yogi, a teacher, and a leader. The TTC is open to anyone with a sincere desire for knowledge and personal growth. It fulfills the Registered Yoga Teacher requirements for the 200-hour certification by the Yoga Alliance.

Curriculum • Learn how to competently and

confidently teach a 2 hour Sivananda yoga class; gain versatile teaching skills including teaching beginners, intermediate and advanced classes; explore different techniques to teach children, the elderly, and prenatal yoga.

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Find greater flexibility and comfort in your practice of asanas (postures); discover how to energize the body and calm the mind through the practice of pranayama (breathing); maintain physical and mental purity through the practice of kriyas (cleansing); learn how to nourish your body and make your body and mind fit for yogic practice with classes on yogic diet and nutrition; study the mechanics and innumerable benefits of the practice of yoga on the human body and mind through a focused study of human anatomy and physiology.

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Learn meditation techniques and theory; enhance your concentration abilities and learn to dive deep within and find the peace in silence.

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Open your heart and find your true voice through the practice of chanting; connect with the Divine and your higher Self through the repetition of mantras.

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Become part of the ashram community and purify your heart and mind through one hour daily of karma yoga (the prac- tice of selfless service).

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Immerse yourself in the timeless teachings of the Bhagavad Gita; discover your true nature and be inspired to develop a steady and joyous yoga practice through the study ancient yogic texts; gain a precious understanding of the inner workings of your mind through yoga philosophy and psychology.

Testimonials

At the end of the TTC I felt a new excitement for life and I felt inspired to share the new found peace and love blossoming in my heart. The teachings are authentic and inspirational. The location is absolutely beautiful. I recommend this course for EVERYONE. Mahashakti, U.S. An excellent place to learn yoga; a life changing experience, and an opportunity to make friends with people from all over the world.

Pranava (Mauricio), Columbia TTC brought yoga out of the classroom and into everyday life. The knowledgeable, dedicated teachers instructed not only how to give a balanced asana class, but how to live a balanced life.

Hanuman (Marc), U.S.

Practicalities Course Books: The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga by Swami Vishnudevananda and the Bhagavad Gita with commentary

by Swami Sivananda. These books are available for purchase at our boutique and at Sivananda centers world-wide.

Course fees: Tent space: $2,400 (please bring your own tent) Dormitory or Tent Hut: $3,290 Please contact our reception office for single or double accommodation options and prices.

For registration, a detailed curriculum, information about the daily schedule, arrival and departure and other useful information, visit our website. For all other inquiries, please contact our reception office.

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Advanced Yoga Teachers’ Training Course (500-hour certification) January 4 - 31, 2012 Designed to deepen and expand the knowledge and practice of certified yoga teachers, the Advanced Yoga Teachers’ Training Course (ATTC) is a four-week immersion into advanced yogic practices. Whether you are an active yoga teacher, or otherwise a certified yoga teacher who would like to strengthen your own practice, this course offers the ideal training for you. Through in-depth work, both physically and mentally, the ATTC will provide you with valuable tools to advance your physical practice, take your Self study (Swadhyaya) to the next level, and create a distinguished teaching practice. Once you establish your practice on a firmer and broader base, your advanced teaching skills and teaching confidence will naturally flow and manifest as an increase in teaching opportunities.

The ATTC is taught by the senior staff of the Sivananda organization, who are highly experienced practitioners and teachers. It fulfills the requirements for the Yoga Alliance RYT 500 certification.

Practicalities:

Curriculum • Hatha yoga: Find new angles to your practice with advanced variations and prolonged holding of the asanas (postures); learn to better manage your energy flow with advanced pranayama (breathing), mudras (energy seals), and bandhas (energy locks).

• Jnana yoga (the yoga of Wisdom): Expand your knowledge and get inspired to take your Self study (Swadhyaya) to the next level with the study of Vedanta philosophy including study of Jnana yoga theory and Vedantic meditation techniques.

• Sanskrit: Learn the Sanskrit alphabet and correct pronunciation and spelling of mantras and hymns.

• Raja yoga: Dive deeper into your mind through an in-depth study of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras.

• Bhakti yoga: Open your heart to true love through studies of the nine modes of Bhakti and the five attitudes of devotion (Bhavas).

• Karma Yoga: Explore karma yoga as an inner attitude of selfless service.

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Book: Meditation and Mantras

by Swami Vishnudevananda (available for purchase at our boutique and in all of our centers world-wide).

Course fees: See TTC course fees on page 11.

Students registering simultaneously for the Yoga Teachers’ Training Course and the Advanced Yoga Teachers’ Training Course (500 hours Yoga Alliance Certification.

See page 82) will receive a 10% discount on the total tuition for both courses.

Prerequisite: Graduation from the Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ Training Course or Integral Yoga Teachers’ Training Course (please contact our reception if you are a graduate from another teachers’ training program).

For registration, a detailed curriculum, information about the daily schedule and other useful information, visit our website. For all other inquiries, please contact us by e-mail or phone.

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Courses with Swami Swaroopananda April 29 - May 9

Advanced Raja Yoga Certification Course Course III:Vibhuti Pada Tuition: $490. Add 12 nights’ accommodation.

March 11 - March 21

Advanced Bhagavad Gita Certification Course Tuition: $490. Add 12 nights’ accommodation.

The Bhagavad Gita is a superb exposition of the synthesis of all paths of yoga. Its teachings are 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. Swami Swaroopananda will take us into the timeless teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, continuing the teachings from last year’s course and starting instruction from chapter five.

Students who did not participate in last year’s course are welcome to attend and are advised to read chapters one through four of the Bhagavad Gita with Swami Sivananda’s commentary.

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A unique opportunity for an in-depth study of Raja yoga, the royal path to Enlightenment, and its mother-text, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Maharishi. Explore these ancient teachings and gain deep insight into your consciousness, as well as knowledge and wisdom that will guide you on the spiritual path towards lasting bliss, tranquility, and inner silence. Swami Swaroopananda will share his profound knowledge as we focus on the last three limbs of ashtanga yoga (concentration, meditation, and samadhi), as well as yogic perfections that accompany the different stages on the yogic path.

Swami Swaroopananda is a senior disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda. A practicing yogi from a very young age, Swami Swaroopananda has dedicated the past thirty-six years to the practice and teaching of yoga. He is a member of the board of directors of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers. He is the director of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat and the Acharya for the Sivananda centers and ashrams on the West Coast of the United States, the Middle East, and the Bahamas.

Foundation Yoga Courses Start and Establish Your Practice Beginners’ Yoga Course

Intermediate Yoga Course

Tuition: $200. Add 6 nights’ accommodations

Tuition: $200. Add 6 nights’ accommodations

Often, the first steps we take on a new journey determine our experience of the entire path.

Embark on your journey along the path of yoga in the ideal setting of the ashram and immerse yourself in the basics of yoga. Receive a step-by-step introduction to yogic postures and breathing exercises in addition to yogic theory studies. Discover how the five points of yoga -proper exercise, proper breathing, proper relaxation, balanced diet, and positive thinking & meditation, will support your yoga practices and a healthy lifestyle. Through this course, you will build a solid foundation for a stable and joyous yoga practice.

Take your yoga practice to the next level.

Under the guidance of our experienced teachers, perfect your basic yogic postures and breathing exercises. Explore variations on the twelve basic postures and learn advanced yoga asanas. Ground your practice and give it a deeper meaning by becoming familiar with the core of yogic philosophy and yogic scriptures.

Course dates: November 18 - 22, 2011 December 9 - 13, 2011 January 16 - 20 February 17 - 21 April 12 - 16 May 11 - 15 June 4 -8

Course dates: November 23 - 27, 2011 December 14 - 18, 2011 January 21 - 25 February 22 - 26 May 16 - 20 June 9 - 13

Fine Tune Your Postures Tuition: $200. Add 6 nights’ accommodations

This 5-day intensive is tailored for graduates of the Intermediate Yoga Course or individuals who otherwise have a solid practice that they wish to fine tune and expand. Develop a more focused asana practice through advanced practices and individualized guidance and adjustments.

By achieving steady and comfortable postures, you will have a deeper experience of joy and tranquility in your practice, endowing your body and mind with the innumerable benefits of yoga.

Course dates: November 29 - December 3, 2011 December 19 - 23, 2011 June 15 - 19

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YVP November 6 - 10

YVP November 13 - 18

Homeopathy and Yoga:

Writing from the Spirit

Philosophy and Practice

Dennis Chernin

November YVP October 29 - November 3

YVP November 4 - 6

Restorative Yoga:

Align Your Spine, Align Your Mind

Yoga Therapy for Stress Reduction

Nora Benian (Sundari) Learn how to relieve tension, stress, and stagnant energy and work through injuries, chronic pain, and restlessness by working with acupressure points and massaging main energy lines (meridians, sen lines, or prana nadis). Moving through specifically selected yogic postures, incorporating breathing exercises, and following ayuvedic and Thai yoga massage principles, you will practice freeing the flow of the precious life force.

Nora Benian, DIHom, R.P. Counsellor, is a Sivananda yoga teacher, yoga therapist and Thai yoga massage practitioner.

She prescribes yogic practices along with counseling techniques to bring clients back into alignment, build strength, open energy channels, and increase the life force.

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Learn the basic principles of homeopathy, selecting an appropriate homeopathic remedy and understanding chronic diseases from a homeopathic perspective. We will analyze in-depth several important homeopathic remedies. Exploring the connection between homeopathy and yoga, we will study the relationship of vital force (energy), remedy characteristics, and miasms (inherited disease patterns) to prana (vital energy), the chakras (energetic centers), the koshas (sheaths), and Raja yoga.

Dennis Chernin, MD, MPH, a holistic physician who has taught yogic meditation and breathing techniques for over 30 years. His publications include: How to Meditate Using Chakras, Mantras and Breath, and The Complete Homeopathic Resource for Common Illnesses.

Michael Pyfrom A healthy spine is key to looking and feeling your best. Proper care of your spine will enable you to maintain an optimal flow of energy throughout your body, keeping both your body and mind in good balance.

Together, we will explore the connection between the spine, the mind, and the spiritual path. Expand your knowledge about how to use movement and breath to achieve a healthy back, balance, and internal harmony.

Learn several simple techniques to loosen and release your spine that will allow you to re-balance your body and mind.

Michael Pyfrom, DC, is a chiropractic doctor and Sivananda yoga teacher. He maintains an active chiropractic clinic in Nassau, Bahamas, where he integrates the ancient wisdom of yoga with modern science and the concepts of chiropractic medicine as an integrative approach. Dr. Pyfrom practices in accordance with his belief that the purpose of our physical body is to express our divinity through service. www.familyislandchiropractic.com

Virginia Frances Schwartz Unleash your creative self. Learn how to fuse yoga with writing. Daily freewrites in the garden with easy yoga poses, breathwork, meditation and intention. Discussions, sharing of work with mild critique. Allow your stories to find their way onto the page without judgment. Writing from a spiritual perspective increases our awareness of original mind and develops patience, persistence and self acceptance (ahimsa). Sessions are designed for all levels of writers and yogis.

Virginia Frances Schwartz, a Sivananda yoga teacher, Virginia teaches creative writing at UCLA Extension online using a spiritual approach. The author of seven YA novels, she has trained adults and children in The Writing Process for over 25 years. Her approach to building a writing practice focuses on accessing original mind through meditation, Hatha yoga, breathing techniques, freewriting, and ahimsa. virginiafrancesschwartz.com

YVP November 11 - 13

The Art of Concentration Swami Brahmananda Concentration is the ability to focus the mind on one single thought. It is an important skill both in daily life and on the spiritual path. Learn to concentrate your mind to increase your efficiency and success in the performance of all tasks, endowing you with more satisfaction and leisure. Practice concentration and meditation techniques that will allow you to gain peace of mind. Like the calm water of a lake, a focused mind absent of distracting waves of thought becomes tranquil, allowing for an indepth exploration of your true nature.

Swami Brahmananda: see biography on page 19.

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November 18 - December 3

Foundation Yoga Courses Beginners’ Yoga Course: November 18 – 22 Intermediate Yoga Course: November 23 – 27 Fine-Tune Your Postures: November 29 – December 3

Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) See page 15 for courses descriptions.

Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) is a Sivananda yoga teacher (RYT 500). Searching for a body-mind connection that did not link physical performance to self-worth, this life-long dancer found yoga as her path. A highly experienced teacher, Saraswati is an instructor in the Sivananda Teachers’ Training Courses. She is known for her resourcefulness and ability to assist students in improving their inner attentiveness and meditative faculty.

YVP

November 18 - 20

Energy Medicine:

The Hidden Link Between Emotions and Physical Health

YVP November 21 - 27

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Thanksgiving Celebration and Family Program:

Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ Renewal Program

Discover the Joy in Gratitude

Swami Brahmananda, Shyam and Mohini

Swami Brahmananda, Arjuna and Kumari Celebrate Thanksgiving at the ashram.

Immerse yourself in the joyful mood of gratitude. Learn how to cultivate the feelings of gratitude and appreciation that are the essence of this holiday. Draw inspiration from all that is good and beautiful, and allow the healing natural beauty of the ocean and lush gardens to refresh, relax, and re-invigorate you. All are welcome to celebrate together as an extended family - bring the kids, your mom, siblings, friends, or just yourself. The regular ashram schedule will be supplemented by family and children yoga classes, special workshops, and children’s satsang during the second half of the program. You are also welcome to take part in the preparation of the Thanksgiving feast by joining a cooking workshop that will offer valuable tips and guidance on delicious and nutritious vegetarian cooking. You will return home uplifted and energized in body, heart, and soul.

Swami Brahmananda: see biography on opposite page.

Cairo Rocha Explore the foundations of energy medicine as taught for centuries by ancient healing systems such as Chinese and Tibetan medicine. Understand the link between your body, mind, and emotions. Get simple, yet powerful, tools that can help you detect early signs of disease and vastly improve your health and overall sense of well being.

Cairo Rocha, OMD, PhD, is a Brazilian-born researcher, acupuncturist, doctor of oriental medicine, and author of the book, Anger Goes Up, Fear Goes Down: Emotions and the Hidden Link. He teaches energy healing and oriental medicine in various locations around the world. www.cairorocha.com

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Arjuna and Kumari have been Sivananda yoga teachers and practitioners for nearly thirty years.

Studying and serving for many years under the direct guidance of Swami Vishnudevananda, they are currently the directors of the affiliated Sivananda yoga center in Gatineau, Canada. They have three children and are well acquainted with the challenges of living a spiritual life as family in today’s world.

Arjuna is currently the main teacher and director of yoga programs at their center. Kumari is the founding director of the center and offers specialized services in yoga therapy, healing, and creativity. www.yoga-aylmer.com

November 27 - December 3

A Karma yoga based program. Participants pay half the rate on tent or dormitory accommodation (see pages 84-85). There is no tuition fee.

YVP November 27 - 30

Cultivating Love in Our Interpersonal Relationships Deirdre Fay Learn how to develop satisfying and nurturing interpersonal relationships.

By deeply exploring our own needs and longings, we can identify the relationship patterns we have developed during our lifetime that hinder the realization of the companionship we want. Once we identify our relationship patterns, we can learn how to become free of them and begin to cultivate the relationships and lives we intrinsically desire.

Deirdre Fay MSW, is a licensed clinical social worker, with a specialty in attachment and relationships, who has been practicing mediation for over 30 years.

She is the founder of Becoming Safely Embodied and an author of a book by the same title. She is committed to finding concrete psycho-spiritual ways to alleviate suffering. A much loved and frequent workshop leader, Deirdre delights in supporting people in safely experiencing their body. www.dfay.com

Join other Sivananda-trained teachers in this renewal program that will allow you to re-establish connection with the Sivananda tradition and enjoy the ashram environment. The renewal program gives you the opportunity to strengthen your practice and learn how to address the challenges in your teaching in the supportive environment of the ashram. Enjoy workshops, yoga classes, spiritual guidance, and the joy of karma yoga (3 hours daily). Learn how to start your own Sivananda affiliated yoga center. Return home refreshed with new tools for your practice and your teaching.

Swami Brahmananda is the manager of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat and a senior staff of the Sivananda organization. A long-time practitioner of yoga, he regularly teaches yoga philosophy and meditation for the Sivananda Teachers’ Training Courses as well as Meditation Immersion courses. He is a much-loved, inspiring, and knowledgeable teacher.

Shyam and Mohini are the founders and directors of the Yoga Warehouse, an affiliated Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Highly experienced practitioners and charismatic teachers, Shyam and Mohini are instructors in the Sivananda Teachers’ Training Courses. www.theyogawarehouse.com

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ThetaHealing Introduction and Teachers’ Training Courses

December YVP December 1 - 4

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Healing Chronic Pain: The Mind-Body Syndrome

Ayurveda Body Treatments Certification Course

Paul Epstein

Lalita Devi

Explore the nature of pain, which is an integral part of our lives. Learn how to relate to pain mindfully and compassionately, with unconditional presence. Acquire tools to avoid the development of feelings of resentment and anger towards pain that only aggravate the situation. We will explore the mind-body connection and how biography can become biology. By employing skillful means and practicing understanding, intention, and effort, we will embark on a healing journey as we work through old conditioned patterns to unlearn our pain.

Tuition: $890. Add 10 nights’ accommodation.

Paul Epstein, ND, is a naturopathic physician, mind-body therapist, mindfulness meditation and yoga teacher. Focusing on behavioral medicine, stress, and lifestyle counseling, Dr. Epstein lectures and presents workshops throughout the United States. www.drpaulepstein.com

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December 3 - 11

A wonderful opportunity to learn the techniques of ayurveda body treatments with the ashram’s Well-Being Center Director. Learn the traditional oil massage (abhyanga), pouring of oil over the forehead (shirodhara), the introduction of oil into the nasal passages (nasya), and gentle heat therapy (svedana). Such treatments provide deep detoxification and rejuvenation helping to achieve ultimate balance for the body, mind, and spirit. The course is designed for massage therapists, ayurvedic practitioners, yoga teachers, and all others who have an interest in ayurveda body treatments.

Optional: Two hands-on practical experience days in ayurveda body treatments (December 12 and 13).

Tuition: $50/day plus accommodation.

Lalita Devi, Clinical Ayurveda Specialist (CAS), a graduate of the California College of Ayurveda, and a Sivananda yoga teacher. She is the Director of the Well-Being Center at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat.

YVP December 6 - 7

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Introduction to Theta Healing:

ThetaHealing® Advanced Teachers’ Training

The Healing Power of the Mind The theta state of mind is a one of very deep relaxation, almost trancelike. ThetaHealing is a healing method based on meditation and prayer that utilizes the fundamental creative life energy of the universe. During the ThetaHealing process, by going into a meditative state and channeling healing energy, the healer changes limiting conscious and subconscious beliefs, reads the indications inside the human body, and performs physical and emotional healing. Thus, ThetaHealing is one of the most effective and life-changing forms of healing.

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November 28 - December 2

ThetaHealing® Basic Teachers’ Training Tuition: $980. Add 6 nights’ accommodation.

Taught exclusively by Vianna Stibal, founder of ThetaHealing, this class will prepare and certify ThetaHealing practitioners to teach Basic ThetaHealing Seminars. Learn how to download feelings from the Seventh Plane into large groups of people through conscious permission. Teach students to connect to the “Creator of All That Is”. Guide students to be a medical intuitive and to visualize a pure meditative theta-state in the body. Practitioners will learn discernment when working with guides and guardian angels, and how to teach Future Readings, balance of serotonin and noradrenalin levels, and the pulling of heavy metals and radiation. The course will also cover Gene Work and a deeper introduction to the laws of manifestation, soul mates, and the Planes of Existence.

December 4 - 6

Tuition: $780. Add 4 nights’ accommodation.

Taught exclusively by Vianna Stibal, founder of ThetaHealing, this class prepares and certifies ThetaHealing practitioners to teach the Advanced ThetaHealing Seminars. Gain an in-depth understanding of the Seven Planes of Existence. Learn how to teach students to: clear old resentments, vows, and commitments that hold them back and understand how drama, resentment, jealousy, and anger are Fifth Plane elements that waste important time and energy.

Vianna Stibal pioneered and refined the healing method now known as ThetaHealing after curing herself from cancer in 1995. She and her many students now teach this technique world-wide. She is the author of five books, which were published

by Hay House: Go Up and Seek God, Go up and work with God, ThetaHealing, ThetaHealing Advanced- All That Is, and Diseases and Disorders. www.thetahealing.com

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YVP December 6 – 8

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Perfect Your Balance Postures

Yoga Teachers’ Training Course

Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati)

See pages 10-11 for details.

Balancing postures can be a source of great relaxation once perfected. Yet many find them challenging to master, as they require refined technique. Join this program and learn how to reach a steady and comfortable asana when practicing balance postures such as the crow, the tree, the peacock and many others.

Individual adjustments, explanations on the postures’ anatomy, guided imagery, and positive reinforcement techniques will be used to deepen your sense of balance. In the process, you will also develop better concentration and will power. Yoga practitioners of all levels will benefit from this program.

Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati): See biography on page 18.

December 4 - 31

C CEU December 6 - 11

Thai Yoga Massage: Level I Kam Thye Chow Tuition: $525. Add 7 nights’ accommodation

Thai Yoga Massage, an ancient yoga therapy, combines yoga postures with touch technique.

It promotes deep relaxation and healing, improves circulation, boosts the immune system, and balances the body energetically, thus facilitating mind-body integration. As a therapeutic practice, Thai Yoga Massage is a dynamic form of yoga for the practitioner as well as the recipient, enhancing one’s sense of alignment, posture, and health. This course provides a strong foundation in the key elements of Thai Yoga Massage and prepares students to perform a full 90-minute customized Thai Yoga Massage session. It is suitable for all, including yoga practitioners and teachers.

See page 51 for additional Thai Yoga Massage courses (level I, II and III) offered in 2012.

Kam Thye Chow pioneered a methodology that combines Thai Yoga Massage with its yogic and ayurvedic roots. He founded the Lotus Palm School in Montreal. He is the author of several books, including Thai Yoga Massage and Thai Yoga Therapy for Your Body Type: An Ayurvedic Tradition. He teaches worldwide with skill, humor, and an ever-present sense of loving kindness. www.lotuspalm.com

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YVP December 8 - 12

YVP December 9 - 12

Yoga and Life Enhancement

Kirtan with Ragani

Dale Buegel Learn practical tips on diet, exercise, and energy work. Explore the benefits of specific physical ailments, the mind-body connection, memory, and the unconscious mind and personality from Western as well as yogic perspectives. With medical and psychology training, in addition to many years of experience in yoga, Dr. Dale Buegel will guide us through an examination of the many applications of yoga practices for the healing and balancing of the body and the mind.

Dale Buegel, MD, has practiced complementary medicine for twenty five years and has taught yoga for over thirty years. He integrates his vast training in conventional medicine, bodywork disciplines, and energetic medicine into yoga practice in a clear and unique teaching style. He offers trainings in manual therapy disciplines and ayurveda and yoga certification programs worldwide. He is the author of Homeopathic Remedies.

Ragani Join Ragani and her band for a heartfelt journey into the world of kirtan. With inspired stories of her rare days with her guru, Swami Rama, Ragani offers unique insights and inspirations into the world of yoga. Experience the powerful renewing and transformational energies of ancient chants, which serve to connect us to the ever present and Eternal Being that lies within us all. Open your heart to the Divine through repeating His name.

Ragani, a long-time disciple of Swami Rama of the Himalayas, has been leading kirtan and yoga workshops internationally for the past thirty years. Her award-winning recordings and live events have been featured on primetime television. The story behind her kirtan will be featured in the documentary movie, Sutra. Ragani’s CD’s include Ancient Spirit and Best of Both Words. www.raganiworld.com

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December 9 - 23

Foundation Yoga Courses Intermediate Yoga Course: December 14 - 18 Fine-Tune Your Postures: December 19 - 23

Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) See page 15 for details.

YVP December 12 - 15

Step Out of Stress: Ultimate Self-Care Retreat

Susan Lord Step out of the stress and imagine who you would be without the stress of your daily life.

This experiential retreat will guide you to identify and transform stressors that deplete your energy. Cultivate the courage and will power needed to make positive life changes.

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. Learn how to use yoga, meditation, self-inquiry and other practical mind-bodyspirit tools to transform stressful patterns of thought and behavior into a deeply rewarding, sustainable lifestyle.

Susan Lord, MD, is a holistic medicine consultant specializing in mind-body approaches, energy medicine, functional medicine, nutrition and lifestyle counseling. She works at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health where she leads retreats and provides consultations. She also works with individuals and groups in her private practice. www.drsusanlord.com

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YVP December 19 - 21

The Power of Prayer

Meditation, Healing and Inner Peace

Swami Brahmananda and Bahamian Clergy

Beginners’ Yoga Course: December 9 - 13

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YVP December 18 - 21

YVP December 15 - 19

Healing Trauma through Deep Relaxation Molly Asebey-Birkholm (Madhavi) Discover how you can transform the most challenging experiences of your life into powerful vehicles for healing and self-transformation. Using deeply restorative breathing, asana, and iRest Yoga Nidra guided meditation techniques, we will explore the ways in which deep relaxation can reconnect you with your true nature, help you heal from the effects of trauma, and find the inner meaning that each situation in life presents.

Prayer is communion with God. It is giving an opportunity to God to comfort you. It is an invocation and a mighty spiritual force. Through prayer you will be filled with the Lord’s blessings and protected by His grace.

Prayer will lighten your heart, fill your mind with peace, strengthen and purify you. Join us for a series of talks in which we will explore the mighty power of prayer that will inspire you to embrace prayer as a regular practice.

Bahamian clergy will share with us inspiring teachings on prayer and the Christmas spirit.

Swami Brahmananda: See biography on page 19.

Tom Spector (Kumar) Do you suffer from stress, fear, worry, anxiety, anger, or guilt? Do you want to learn how to relax and live a calmer, more efficient life? Discover the causes of suffering and learn specific techniques to attenuate its effects. We will explore two types of meditation and learn simple techniques that will serve you in your daily life and throughout your spiritual path. The program is suitable for all levels of practitioners.

Tom Spector (Kumar) studied with Ram Das and other meditation teachers. He is the founder of Hatha House and teaches meditation and healing workshops internationally. He is known for his ability to reach individuals of all levels of practice and help them to immediately experience the benefits of meditation. www.hathahouse.com

Molly Asebey-Birkholm (Madhavi) is a Sivananda yoga teacher (RYT 500) and a certified Integrative Restoration (iRest) instructor. She worked at the Department of Veterans Affairs where she conducted clinical research measuring the effects of iRest Yoga Nidra on veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She has been teaching iRest and deep relaxation workshops in Florida. www.blissdivineyoga.com

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YVP December 22, 2011 - January 1, 2012

Christmas and New Year Symposium and Celebration

Unity in Diversity: Realizing the Oneness of Life Many are the shapes and forms within creation; many are the forms of worship. Yet in essence, we are all the same divine light, reflected through the different facets of the prism of nature. Join us this holiday season as we follow our tradition of bringing together spiritual leaders, mystics, and musicians from the world’s major spiritual traditions to celebrate the unity within our diversity and the common aspiration to bring peace, love, and harmony to the world.

Swami Swaroopananda is a senior disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda, the director of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, and the Acharya for the Sivananda centers and ashrams on the West Coast of the United States, the Middle East, and the Bahamas.

Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo practiced under the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche and became one of the first Westerners to be ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun. She founded the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery. She was given the rare title of Jetsunma in recognition of her spiritual achievements and promoting the status of female practitioners in Tibetan Buddhism. She is the author of Reflections on a Mountain Lake: Teachings on Practical Buddhism. www.tenzinpalmo.com.

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Grandmother Sara Smith is of the Mohawk Tribe, Iroquois Nation, and is of the Turtle Clan. She has lived her entire lifetime on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Canada.

She has travelled extensively internationally, carrying the peace message. She is a ceremonialist, Keeper of the Dreamtime Spirituality, and is a member of the Spiritual Elders of Mother Earth. She is the founder of the Roots 4 Peace Sharing Centre on her reservation.

Tulku Sherdor is the executive director of Blazing Wisdom Institute. He has studied Buddhist philosophy and practiced meditation intensively since 1981. He is a heart disciple of the crazy wisdom master Orgyen Kusum Lingpa, and an enthroned reincarnate lama at a major monastery in Tibet. He presides over the annual Buddhist Prayer Festival for World Peace and teaches extensively internationally. www.blazingwisdom.org Sheik Kabir Helminski studied Sufism with Suleyman Hayati of Konya and was officially recognized as a Shaikh of the Mevlevi Order of Sufism in 1990, by the late Celalettin Celebi, Head of the Mevlevi Order. He is the co-founder and co-director of the Threshold Society. He is the author of Living Presence, A Sufi Way to Mindfulness and the Essential Self, that has been translated into more than eight languages. www.sufism.org.

Stephane Vaillancourt studied and practiced meditation for twenty five years. Undertaking in-depth studies with the Franciscan friars of Quebec, he did many retreats each year under their guidance. He is the director of Emmaüs Center of Christian meditation and yoga. www.lenoblechemin.org

YVP December 27 - January 3

Rabbi Daniel Sperber, PhD, is the Milan Roven Professor of Talmud, the President of the Institute of Advanced Torah Studies at Bar-Ilan University, Israel and a rabbi in the Old City of Jerusalem. He has written extensively on how Jewishlaw can and has evolved, including addressing the possibility of inclusion of women in certain ritual services.

Take time to practice and rejuvenate yourself while your children enjoy the ashram community with other children. There will be special yoga classes, chanting, crafts, karma yoga, and lots of games and fun. We offer a flexible, yet predictable, schedule for the children allowing them to bond, get to know one another, and participate in ashram life.

Nathan Katz is a Professor of Jain Studies and Professor of Religious Studies. Arguably the world’s leading authority on Indian Jewish communities, he 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 others. www.indojudaic.com Krishnan Namboodiri is a Tantric priest from South India. He is trained in the classical tradition of mantras (sacred sounds), pujas (prayer ceremonies), homas (fire rituals), and yantras (sacred geometric designs).

He will perform several special rituals during the Symposium.

Ken Whiteley has led gospel singing concerts for people from all walks of life with dynamic energy and a spirit of inclusion.

He has recorded numerous CDs which feature his award winning original material, heartfelt vocals, and instrumental virtuosity. www.kenwhiteley.com Karnamrita Dasi is a talented and moving singer. She received training in Indian classical vocals in Vrindavan, India, and now travels in the United States giving kirtan concerts and singing songs from her album Dasi: Prayers by Women. www.karnamrita.com

Family Holiday Yoga Vacation Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari) and Sandrine Remi (Sanatani) Additional $70 material fee applies for this program.

Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari), MEd, RCYT, is a Sivananda yoga teacher (RYT 500) and a Montessori teacher. She has worked professionally with children since 1989. Omkari has developed her approach to children’s yoga under the guidance of Yashoda (Sarabess Forster), a senior disciple to Swami Vishnudevananda. Her system is a synthesis of education, developmental movement and yogic teachings. She is the author of Its Time for Yoga.

Sandrine Remi (Sanatani) is a Sivananda yoga teacher (RYT 200). She specializes in teaching yoga to children.

Sanatani assisted in the Sivananda Yoga Kid’s Camp in Neyer Dam India and in the Easter Family Yoga Program at the ashram. She brings her joyful andplayful spirit into each class, making the practice of yoga a fun experience for the children.

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January 4 - 31

Yoga Teachers’ Training Course See pages 10-11 for details.

YVP January 4 - 7

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January 2 - 5

Advanced Asana Course Shyam and Mohini Tuition: $290. Add 5 nights’ accommodation.

Take your practice to the next level by learning advanced variations of the standard asana sequence and how to hold postures longer.

Strive towards the one-pointed integration of body, breath, and mind in asana; achieve steadiness (sthira) and comfort (sukham) in your practice. Find yourself moving closer to the underlying purpose of asana and pranayamas practice and the attainment of meditation (dhyana). Familiarity with the twelve-posture series taught at Sivananda centers and ashrams is recommended.

Shyam and Mohini: See biography on page 19.

YVP January 2 - 5

The Mystical Tradition of Eastern Christianity Kyriacos Markides Join us for an introduction to the basic principles and practices of the two-thousand-yearold spiritual tradition of Eastern Christianity that has been preserved in the monasteries and hermitages. Through clear presentations of mystical wisdom, Professor Markides will sensitively guide you, step-by-step, through complex teachings that will foster your own personal growth and serve as your spiritual seeker’s muse.

Kyriacos Markides, PhD, is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Maine. His research ranges from projects related to political sociology and nationalist movements to the sociology of religion, non-medical healing, and Christian mysticism. For the last twenty years he has been exploring the lives and teachings of Christian mystics, healers, and miracle workers and monastics around the world. He is the author of Fire in the Heart: Healers, Sages, and Mystics, Riding with the Lion: In Search of Mystical Christianity, and others.

Breath, Mind, and Hormones:

Transforming the Mind and Balancing Hormones through Gentle Pranayama

Claudia Welch Ayurvedic and Tantric texts present breath as one of the most powerful and instantaneous tools we can use to transform our minds, hearts, and bodies. In the modern world, stress affects each of us in surprising ways. Stress is a major culprit in the hormonal imbalance that lay at the root of most women’s health concerns. Join us as we learn a simple approach to understanding stress and hormones, and apply channel theory to practically address hormonal balance through pranayama (breathing exercises).

Claudia Welch is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and a practitioner of ayurvedic medicine.

She lectures on oriental and ayurvedic medicines internationally. Her recent book, Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life, presents a look at women’s health that offers a combined perspective from western science, ayurveda, and traditional Chinese medicine. She has served on the teaching faculty of The Ayurvedic Institute, Southwest Acupuncture College, and the Kripalu School of Ayurveda. www.drclaudiawelch.com

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YVP January 5 - 11

Becoming a Perfected Yogi: Teachings from the Second Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita

Swami Tattvavidananda The characteristics of an enlightened sage are the sadhana or the spiritual practices of those on the spiritual path. In Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita (Verses 54 – 72), Lord Krishna describes to Arjuna the virtues of a liberated sage. This beautiful section of the Bhagavad Gita is considered a spiritual guide to aspirants on their quest for spiritual liberation. Join us for an in-depth study of this inspiring section from the Bhagavad Gita and get inspired to deepen your practice and model your life after the characteristics of those of have attained the highest Wisdom.

Swami Tattvavidananda is an eminent Vedanta scholar and exponent of Vedantic treatises, epics, the Bhagavad Gita, and many Upanishads. He is an inspiring and knowledgeable speaker who possesses a rare combination of knowledge (vidya) and humility (vinaya). He lectures with great clarity, wisdom, and force that have a tremendous effect on the thinking of the listener. www.arshavidya.org

January 4 - 31

Advanced Yoga Teachers’ Training Course See pages 12-13 for details.

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January 5 - 14

YVP January 7 - 14

New Year’s Detoxification and Juice Fasting Program

Gentle Yoga for the 50 Plus

Manu Dawson, Sita Chaitanya and Grace Van Berkum

Gloria McCartney (Radha)

Tuition: $490. Add 11 nights’ accommodation.

Start the New Year by rejuvenating and revitalizing your body, mind, and spirit through detoxification. Juice fasting is the fastest and safest way to eliminate toxins from the body.

It allows the body to stay slim, healthy and vital, and overcome negative eating patterns.

The program begins gradually with a few days of raw food followed by fruit and vegetable juice fasting, and ends with a raw food diet for the last days of the program. The process is supported by detoxifying herbs and supplements. You will also enjoy special yoga classes and lectures on nutrition.

Manu Dawson is a nutritional consultant at the Integral Yoga Natural Apothecary in New York. He is a radio show host and dynamic teacher of yogic diet and nutrition. He leads workshops on cleansing, fasting, and detoxification. www.integralyoganaturalfoods.com Sita Chaitanya is a direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda, and a senior staff of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat.

She has over twenty-five years of experience teaching yoga and yoga teachers’ training courses.

She directs fasting retreats and has wide experience in supporting individuals on this transformative journey.

Grace Van Berkum is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, certified personal trainer, and Sivananda yoga teacher. She is passionate about increasing vitality and preventing disease through balanced eating, exercise, and yoga. She offers Gracious Living Yoga Adventure Retreats in Nicaragua where she teaches her guidelines for healthy living. www.gracevanberkum.com.

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Divine Creativity:

Sacred Art Programs with Mavis Gewant YVP January 10 - 12

Yoga is an effective practice and therapy for all ages and all health conditions. The many benefits yoga has to offer to the 50+ population have made it more and more popular among such population. Learn how revitalizing yoga practice can benefit you: increase your mobility and enhance your flexibility. Learn how to alleviate sleep disorders, Arthritis symptoms, anxiety or chronic pain through a safe and healing yoga practice. Join us for this practical workshop and discover how yoga can benefit you.

Chakra Immersion: Painting, Chanting and Understanding Sacred Centers Discover the imagery of the chakras (psychic energy centers), as the stage upon which the interaction between higher consciousness and desire get played out. Experience these subtle centers of transformation, coming from the Tantric tradition, through painting and visualization. Learn the imagery, colors, elements, deities, and mantras associated with each chakra.

Gloria McCartney (Radha)

is Sivananda Yoga Teacher (RYT 500 since 1978).

Spiritual and spirited, Radha offers over 30 years of teaching experience in the U.S., Canada, India, and the Bahamas, Radha sets a personal example for the benefits of continuous practice for many years. Her classes are described as “yoga that puts your head in the clouds but keeps your feet on the ground.”

Sacred Art cultivates inner silence and attunes one with the energy and essence of the divine aspect that is being evoked.

Join us for a week of painting, chanting, and peace of mind.

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Additional $30 materials fee applies for each of the Yoga Vacation programs. No previous painting experience is required.

Tuition: $290. Add 4 nights’ accommodation.

YVP January 7 - 9

Yantra Painting:

Transformation through Sacred Form Immerse yourself in the joy of sacred painting. Learn how to paint yantras, sacred geometric patterns, which have been used for ages by Vedic astrologers to help balance, give strength, and calm the energies of the karmic cycles represented in your Vedic astrological chart. Chanting the bija (seed) mantra while painting these sacred designs, you will be guided to choose your own yantra and connect with the power inherent in sacred geometry.

January 13 - 15

Painting Planet Mandalas Indian astrology has long understood that the energy released by the orbiting planets affects our lives and can be directed and harnessed to improve our spiritual, mental, and physical well being. Mandalas, 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. A basic overview of Indian numerology will also be offered as part of this course.

Mavis Gewant is a disciple of the great Tantric Master, Sri Harish Johari. She is an artist who specializes in the ancient techniques of yantra, deity, and chakra and mandala painting.

She teaches sacred art courses in the U.S. and internationally. www.sacredmotherarts.com

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YVP January 12 - 15

YVP January 15 - 21

Inner Tuning:

On the Wings of Ecstasy:

Yoga, the Chakras and Psychological Wellbeing

Interfaith Devotional Singing and Sacred Dance Festival

Shyamji Bhatnagar

Each chakra (energy center) manifests as a mind of its own, expressing desires and strategies to achieve the contentment to which it aspires. Join us to learn techniques to balance your five elements (tatvas) and three qualities (gunas), synchronize the brain hemispheres, and experience contentment. Discover how intuition and meditation happen naturally when the tatvas and gunas are dancing harmoniously.

Shyamji Bhatnagar is the founder of SRI Center International, Inc., created to synthesize Eastern and Western approaches to healing. He is the originator of Microchakra Psychology and InnerTuning and has been teaching in the U.S., Europe, and India for over 30 years. He has co-authored the book Microchakras: InnerTuning for Psychological Well-being. www.innertuning.com

“Singing God’s name with feeling, love and faith is the easiest method for attaining God consciousness.” (Swami Sivananda, Bliss Divine). Devotional singing as spiritual practice is common to all religions and spiritual traditions. Join us for a week of celebrating the joy of music with performers from various traditions and countries, which will bring joy and excitement to your heart.

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January 15 - 17

Cooking for Life Force: Vegan Nutrition Course

YVP January 14

Grace Van Berkum

Ayyappa Puja

Tuition: $290. Add 4 nights’ accommodation.

Lord Ayyappa, the presiding supreme deity of Sabari Hills, was born out of the union between Mohini (Lord Vishnu) and Lord Siva. Worshipping Lord Ayyappa is said to bring contentment and spiritual advancement. Join us to a celebration of Lord Ayyappa with a puja conducted by the ashram’s Tantric Priest Krishnan Namboodiri.

See biography on page 27.

Become your own vegan chef and learn how to create versatile, delicious vegan meals full of life force and sustainable energy.

Through experiential workshops, we will create several menus composed of tasty, sattvic, and energizing vegan dishes including main courses, side dishes, dressings, and scrumptious deserts. During the course you will also be introduced to the principles of vegan nutrition and learn creative ways to increase fiber intake and stabilize blood sugar conducive to alkalinizing, and nourishing the body.

Grace Van Berkum: See biography on page 30.

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Juan De la Sierra, PhD, is a performer, composer, and music educator of Jewish Sephardic who has delighted audiences world-wide for over four decades. He has studied Arabic and Sephardic music, language, and literature.

He is the author and performer of numerous books, recordings, and articles featuring Spanish musical literature from Medieval through contemporary compositions.

Parvathy Baul is well known for her masterful solo rendering in the oldest style of Baul song and dance. She inherited this style from the lineage of Shri Sanatan Das Baul, and Shri Shasanko Goshai. Parvathy performs world-wide, and has recorded several CDs, including RadhaBhav, and Soulful Baul Songs. www.parvathybaul.mimemo.net Silvia Nakkach, MA, MMT, has cultivated a voice that transports the listeners into the heart of devotion. She is an award-winning composer and voice-culturist, who pioneer in the field of sound, consciousness, and music shamanism. She is the founding director of Vox Mundi School of the Voice, which is devoted to teaching and preserving sacred music traditions in schools throughout the world. www.voxmundiproject.com Val Serrant is a steel pan/ traditional drummer from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. He frequently performs and teaches about Caribbean music in schools. He is also a member of Afrika Heartbeat, founded by Sikiru Adepoju.

Shantala (Benjy and Heather Wertheimer) has lead kirtan worldwide. The weaving of Benjy’s Indian classical singing and instrumentation with Heather’s soaring vocals is freshly original and profoundly moving. In the summer of 2008, they were named as one of the top “Wallahs to Watch” by Yoga + Joyful Living. www.shantalamusic.com Davod Azad is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and vocalist from Azerbaijan. He is a master of Azeri folk music, ancient Persian music, and Persian Sufi music.www.davodazad.com

The Gospel Band of the Trinity Full Baptist Church is a Bahamian gospel band, headed by Bishop Trevor Williamson who presently serves as the Founding and Senior Pastor of the Church located in Nassau Bahamas.

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January 15 - 21

The Yoga of Sound and Voice Certification Course John Beaulieu and Silvia Nakkach Tuition: $590. Add 8 nights’ accommodation.

This course is a precious opportunity to experience the transformative power of sound and music with two renowned scholars and clinicians. Join us and explore various dimensions of healing with sound: the scientific, the yogic, the creative, and the shamanic. Such practices promote a state of euphoria leading to enhanced wellness and greater possibility for accomplishment and success in all aspects of life. The practice combines master classes, lectures, devotional chanting sessions, clinics, movement, and music making. It is not necessary to be a musician to take this course. Everyone, regardless of musical training, will learn to use music and sound to heal.

John Beaulieu, ND, PhD, is a world leader in the use of sound for healing and well-being.

He is a naturopathic doctor, composer, and sound therapist. He is the founder of BioSonic Repatterning™ and the author of Human Tuning and Music and Sound in the Healing Arts.

He currently oversees molecular research on sound and the healing effects of tuning forks, and has published numerous research papers. He has practiced meditation and yoga for over 40 years. www.biosonics.com Silvia Nakkach, MA, MMT, has cultivated a voice that transports the listeners into the heart of devotion. She is an award-winning composer and voice-culturist, author, former psychotherapist, and a pioneer in the field of sound, consciousness, and music shamanism. She is the founding director of Vox Mundi School of the Voice, which is devoted to teaching and preserving sacred music traditions in schools throughout the world. She has created and serves on the faculty of the Sound, Voice, Music Healing Certificate at the California Institute of Integral Studies. www.voxmundiproject.com

YVP January 20 - 22

The Five Elements and Polarity Therapy John Beaulieu Tuition: $525. Add 7 nights’ accommodation.

Discover self-healing and self-regulation with the five pillars of the Polarity healing art: awareness, counseling, bodywork, yoga, and nutrition. Polarity is a holistic health system based around ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, alchemy, traditional European medicine, and western medicine. This workshop provides an introduction to the healing art of polarity and is a recommended preparation to the Polarity Therapy and Five Element Bodywork Training Course (see opposite page).

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YVP January 22 - 28

Polarity Therapy and Five Element Bodywork Training Course

Yoga @ Home:

John Beaulieu, Andreas Ledermann, and Brigitta Raimann Ledermann Tuition: $590. Add 7 nights’ accommodation.

Become a certified Polarity Wellness® therapist. Learn how to work with life energy using bodywork sessions, polarity yoga, and sound to balance each of the five elements: ether, air, fire, water, and earth. Emphasis will be given to the application of five element knowledge in daily life through an understanding of modern stress science and polarity therapy. This course offers a valuable training either as a stand-alone practice or as a complement to existing massage, yoga, nursing, counseling, physical therapy, and medicine practices.

John Beaulieu:

Making Yoga Part of Your Daily Routine

Gloria McCartney (Radha) Infuse joy and tranquility to your life by integrating the five points of yoga into your daily routine.

Learn how to create your own sacred space at home.

Discover how you can fit breathing and posture exercises into any daily schedule. Transform your experience of life through positive thinking and reach higher levels of concentration and efficiency through the practice of meditation.

Recharge through proper rest. Enjoy the nourishment and rich flavors of the yogic cuisine. Join us and acquire valuable and practical tools for the home practice that is suitable for you and a better life.

Gloria McCartney (Radha): See biography on page 30.

See biography on opposite page.

Andreas Ledermann is a Polarity Therapy specialist, naturopath, teacher, and author.

He has a profound knowledge of kinesiology, reflexology, process-oriented psychology, lymph drainage, qigong, tai-chi chuan, and yoga. He is the co-founder of the School of Holistic Naturopathy in Zug, Switzerland. www.shn-international.com Brigitta Raimann Ledermann is a naturopath, social educator, and a polarity therapist and instructor. She practices and teaches bodywork, dreamwork, process-oriented psychology, yoga, dietetics, meditation, and Zen in the art of the tea ceremony. She is the co-founder of the School of Holistic Naturopathy SHN in Zug, Switzerland. www.shn-international.com

John Beaulieu: See biography on this page.

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Creative Writing and Yoga Programs with Jeffery Davis YVP January 23 - 25

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Awakening Your Authentic Voice:

Yoga as Muse:

Becoming a Writer through Yoga Two hindrances stand in the way of writers to hearing their own internal voice: mistrusting their inner voice and the noisy mind. Learn how to write from your own voice’s authority while honing your craft. Suitable for people of all backgrounds –fresh as well as veteran writers and artists—this program will fill you with a grounded versatility, confidence, and authenticity. It is highly recommended as a preparation for the Yoga as Muse: Creative Writing Course.

Jeffrey Davis is the director and founder of Tracking Wonder Consulting & Programs, a coaching and mentoring organization for creatives and is the author of The Journey from the Center to the Page: Yoga Philosophies & Practices As Muse for Authentic Writing. He is a writing coach, editor, creativity consultant, and teacher. His in-depth studies of yoga’s myriad tools for the embodied mind add to his versatility. www.trackingwonder.com

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January 26 - 30

Creative Writing Course Tuition: $450. Add 6 nights’ accommodation.

The elusive muse has teased and evaded writers for centuries. Distractions, busyness, fear, self-criticism, and lack of compassion threaten to keep the muse away. Yoga As Muse integrates yoga’s tools into a creative writing process that leads to authentic heart-centered writing. Through unique exercises, discussions, mini-lectures, short readings of professional writing, and optional read-aloud sessions in a safe and supportive environment, you will experience how yoga helps you develop confidence, versatility, and authenticity on the mat and on the page.

Ultimately, you will develop your own Yoga As Muse practice to take home. Writers and yogis of all backgrounds are welcome and will benefit.

YVP January 26 - 29

YVP January 29 - February 1

Evolve Your Brain:

Life after Life

The Science of Changing Your Mind

Joe Dispenza Learn how to reach your specific goals and visions by eliminating self-destructive habits.

Adopt new ways of thinking, change beliefs, and re-wire your brain. Joe Dispenza will give teachings about the role and function of the human brain. He has taught thousands of people how to re-program their thinking through scientifically proven neuro-physiological principles. The premise of this work is that every person on this planet has within them the latent potential for greatness and true unlimited abilities.

Joe Dispenza, DC, is one of the scientists featured in the award winning film What the Bleep Do We Know!? He has taught thousands of people how to re-program their thinking. His book, Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind connects the subjects of thought and consciousness with the brain, the mind, and the body. www.drjoedispenza.com

Raymond Moody Dr. Raymond Moody, author, psychiatrist, teacher, and eminent scholar ,will bring his 40 plus years of working in the field of grief, near-death and shared death experiences, as well as profound spiritual experiences of the dying and their loved ones, to this program.

Learn to recognize the predictable physical and psychological manifestations of grief and comprehend grief as a complex process with medical, psychological and spiritual implications. Explore common features reported by people who have had near-death and shared death experiences, as well as other profound spiritual experiences, and be able to appreciate their clinical implications.

Raymond Moody, MD, PhD, is a globally renowned psychiatrist and best-selling author. He has written 11 books to date, with several more currently in process. His critically acclaimed book Life After Life, sold over 13 million copies world-wide.

In this book about near-death experiences, he coined this term and inspired a rapidly growing field of scientific exploration. He is a sought-after speaker, lecturer, facilitator and consultant. www.lifeafterlife.com

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February YVP February 1 - 4

February 2 -8

Introduction to Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) Certification Course Alan Wiuker (Krishna)

From Religion to Spirituality

Tuition: $450. Add 8 nights’ accommodation.

Thomas Moore and Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa Suitable for anyone who is trying to sort out religious tradition from a spiritual path, this workshop will explore the ways to deepen your connection to spiritual life while maintaining your existing religious roots. Join us for four days of self-inquiry, lecture, discussion, and creative-arts exercises, which will allow you to find your own path and create a deeper, more engaged spiritual practice.

Thomas Moore, PhD (Religion), has been a monk, a musician, a university professor, and a psychotherapist. He lectures widely on holistic medicine, spirituality, psychotherapy, and the arts. He is the author of the bestselling book Care of the Soul and fifteen other books on deepening spirituality and cultivating soul in every aspect of life. www.careofthesoul.net

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Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa is an artist and teacher dedicated to healing through yoga and art.

She is the author of Art & Yoga: Kundalini Awakening in Everyday Life. www.artandyoga.com

According to Vedic astrology, the birth chart can show your past, predict your future, explain difficulties in the present, and suggest changes and remedies. This certification course provides an introduction to classical Vedic astrology and its relationship with yoga practice and philosophy. Students will learn to identify past and present mental tendencies and individual karmas, the time of their fruition, and possible remedies.

Acquire the tools you need to understand the karmic situation of each individual, their potential talents or obstacles, and integrate this understanding with the wisdom of yoga and Vedanta.

Alan Wiuker (Krishna) is a direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda and has been a yoga and meditation teacher for over twenty-five years. He is a certified jyotish consultant and an approved teacher and tutor by the American College of Vedic Astrology in the U.S. He is also a certified and approved tutor by CVA (Council of Vedic astrology) having earned the titles of, “Jyotish Visharada” and “Jyotish Kovid”. www.9graha.com

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C CEU February 2 - 8

Cardiac Yoga Teachers’ Training Program Mala Cunningham Tuition: $790. Add 8 nights’ accommodation.

This comprehensive training program is designed to educate and train yoga instructors and medical personnel to work with cardiac patients and their support network.

Participants in this program will learn to adapt the basic concepts of yoga and meditation to the special needs of cardiac patients.

This competency-based program educates the participant in anatomy and physiology of the heart, stress and the psycho-social factors of heart disease, adaptation of yoga postures, how to design Cardiac Yoga classes, principles and philosophy of mind-body medicine and yoga and meditation as a mechanism for healing.

Mala Cunningham, PhD, is an author and educator on mindbody medicine and health psychology. She is the president of Positive Health Solutions and the founder of the renowned training program Cardiac Medical Yoga. She lectures internationally and is an authority in health and business psychology, sleep enhancement, stress management, and medical yoga. She has taught and practiced yoga and meditation for over thirty-five years. www.cardiacyoga.com

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YVP February 3 - 6

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The Healing Power of Hatha Yoga

Yoga Teachers’ Training Course

Laurier-Pierre Desjardins

See pages 10-11 for details.

Discover the secrets of the functional anatomy of Hatha yoga. Learn what happens in your body physically and energetically when you practice yoga postures. Explore the biomechanics of the postures and how to increase your strength, flexibility, and vital energy through yoga practice.

Laurier-Pierre Desjardins, PhD, is a professor of osteopathy and an experienced Hatha yogi. He is a popular international teacher of the functional anatomy of Hatha yoga and the biomechanics of asanas (yoga postures).

YVP February 5 - 11

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 yogic postures and breathing exercises. Discover how proper relaxation, meditation, positive thinking and a balanced diet will support your yoga practices and a healthy lifestyle. Get the most from yoga classes and meditation at the ashram and at home with the solid understanding that you will gain in this course.

Arjuna is the director of the Sivananda affiliated yoga center in Gatineau , Canada, and an experienced yoga teacher. He spent five years training with Swami Vishnudevananda. He has been teaching family yoga programs in International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta centers and ashrams for many years. www.yoga-aylmer.com

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February 4 - March 2

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February 10 - 18

The Descent of Grace:

Teachings from the Hanuman Chalisa and the Bhagavad Gita

Swamini Paramananda Saraswati Lord Hanuman, the devoted servant of Lord Rama and Sita, and the embodiment of devotion and might, has kindled the light of devotion and service in the hearts of many.

The Hanuman Chalisa tells the story of Lord Hanuman’s heroism and Divine virtues, which make him a role model for spiritual aspirants. As such, the Hanuman Chalisa is a guide for leading a spiritual life. Join us as we celebrate the glories of Lord Hanuman through the teachings of the Hanuman Chalisa. The teachings from the Hanuman Chalisa will be complemented by teachings from the Bhagavad Gita.

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February 10 - 19

Advanced Sadhana Retreat for Yoga Teachers:

Ayurveda and Yoga Wellness Advisor Certification Course

Alan Wiuker (Krishna)

Lalita Devi and the Well-Being Center Staff

Hatha Yoga as a Stairway to Raja Yoga

Tuition: $350. Add 10 nights’ accommodation.

YVP February 6 – 12

Hatha yoga is described by the Masters as a means to attain Raja yoga, or the experience of deep meditation, inner silence, and realization of the Self. This immersion retreat is focused on intense spiritual practice (sadhana), with guided and personal practice on advanced asanas and pranayamas, Japa, and meditation. This course is open to all yoga teachers. Give yourself the opportunity to recharge, deepen your personal practice and enhance your inner meditative and spiritual experience.

Alan Wiuker (Krishna) is a direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda and has been a yoga and meditation teacher for over twenty-five years. He is the main Hatha yoga instructor in many Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ Training Courses and has an in-depth knowledge of Hatha yoga, Raja yoga, and Vedanta philosophy.

He is a certified jyotish consultant and an approved teacher. www.9graha.com.

Tuition: $590. Add 11 nights’ accommodation.

Deepen your knowledge of the use of yoga and ayurvedic lifestyle principles. In this program designed for yoga teachers, ayurveda practitioners, and healthcare professionals, you will learn how to advise your students and clients regarding effective ayurvedic and yogic daily routines, including body-mind care, diet, and yoga practices.

Topics include: history and philosophy of Ayurveda; the three great qualities (maha guna), five elements (maha bhutu), ten pairs of qualities (guna) and three doshas; tissue formation (dhatu) and channels of flow (srota); digestion (agni), toxin formation (ama) and waste elimination (mala); ayurvedic and yogic psychology; the disease process and its treatment with daily practices (dinacharya); ayurvedic and yogic nutrition; color therapy; aromatherapy; and yoga postures and breathing techniques.

Lalita Devi: See biography on page 20.

Swamini Pramananda Saraswati is a senior disciple of Swami Dayananda Saraswati.

She has been teaching Vedanta, Sanskrit, and Vedic heritage for many years. She is the founder of the Purna Vidya Ashram in India and spends most of her time in retreat, occasionally leaving her solitude to share her vast knowledge with seekers around the world. www.purnavidya.com

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YVP February 12 - 18

YVP February 19 - 24

Deeper into the Five Points of Yoga

Realizing the Ultimate Reality: Teachings on the Self

Arjuna Learn how to maximize energy and health by bringing yoga into your daily life. This in-depth exploration using Swami Vishnudevananda’s guidance on the five points of yoga: proper exercise, proper breathing, proper relaxation, proper diet, and meditation and positive thinking. Discover how proper practice and the yogic vegetarian diet can invigorate your life. Combine theory with practice to increase your vitality with yogic postures and breathing techniques. Manage stress and calm the mind through proper relaxation, positive thinking and meditation.

Swami Atmananda Take this precious opportunity to explore the essence and goal of yogic practices with Swami Atmananda, a prominent practitioner who was blessed to practice under the direct guidance of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh.

During this program we will discuss the qualities of the Self and how to transcend our sense of separate individuality and realize the ultimate reality or the Self. Join us and gain wisdom and inspiration that will take your practice to higher spheres.

Swami Atmandanda is one of the few living direct disciples of Swami Sivananda. He is a simple Swami living in the U.S., practicing and teaching yoga and Vedanta philosophy.

Arjuna: See biography on page 40.

YVP February 19 - 25

Explore the Bahamas, Explore Yourself!

Arjuna Join us for a week of outings, games, and fun activities combined with a yoga vacation program for families and individuals. We will visit historical places in the Bahamas and weather permitting, go on a snorkeling trip (some of the trips will involve an additional cost). Special family yoga classes will be added to the ashram’s standard schedule. Come and enjoy the beauty and rich heritage of Nassau.

Arjuna: See biography on page 40.

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YVP February 13 - 18

Classical Indian Music and Dance Festival “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). Join us for four days of inspirational, meditative music concerts, and dance performances as accomplished performers of classical Indian music and dance come together and share their musical mastery with us.

G.S. Sachdev is recognized world-wide 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. bansuri.net Aashish Khan is a renowned master of the sarod, the famous North Indian string instrument.

He was initiated into North Indian classical music at the age of five by his grandfather, the legendary Acharya Baba Allauddin Khan. aashish-khan.org 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. www.swapanchaudhuri.com

Ramesh Mishra, master of the Sarengi, is the son of great sarangi maestro Pt. Ramnath Mishra. He has earned a niche in the hearts of millions of music lovers. He won several awards, including India’s most prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards) and produced numerous recordings including his own solo records. www.rameshmisra.com Sanhita Nandi is a prominent exponent of Hindustani Classical Vocal, Kirana Gharana in the Khayal and Thumri genres.

She was trained by Late Pandit A. Kanan, Kolkata and Pandit Vinayak Torvi. Snahita has won several awards in state and national-level competitions, and performs frequently in India and the U.S. at universities, chamber music series, music festivals, and concerts. www.sanhitanandi.com Suba Ramesh Parmar is an award-winning dancer and choreographer of the South Indian Bharatanatyam dance style. She is the founder and director of Shubanjali’s school of performing arts and is known for grace and dynamism in her expression and movement. www.shubanjali.org.

Shyam Kane has been a tabla player for over thirty years. He trained under the guidance and supervision of great tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussian and has performed worldwide.

He has accompanied such great artists as Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.

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February 20 - 25

Meditation Immersion Course

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February 20 - 24

Sound, Healing, and Consciousness

C CEU February 24 - 26

Guided Imagery and Creative Visualization:

Zacciah Blackburn

Awareness Adventures for the Body, Mind, and Spirit

Tuition: $350. Add 7 nights’ accommodation.

Tuition: $425. Add 6 nights’ accommodation.

Julie Lusk

To achieve lasting happiness and absolute peace, we must first know how to calm the mind, to focus, and eventually to transcend the mind. By turning the mind inward, we can deepen our concentration and attain a state of meditation. This course is designed to suit those who wish to deepen and improve their meditation practice, as well as those new to meditation. Learn about the nature of the mind and how to develop concentration and inner stability. You will be guided in basic meditation techniques and inspired to establish a daily meditation practice.

Sound is the vibrational nature of creation, as well as our human structure, from our energetic (subtle) bodies to our physiological and sub-atomic form. Drawing from contemporary and ancient cultures’ wisdom and methodologies, we will utilize techniques with voice and simple instruments to enhance awareness and integration of sound in personal and professional practice. Explore the nature of authentic healing, and experience how esoteric sound practices enable you to realize heightened states of wellness and Self-realization. No musical talent or prior experience is necessary.

Swami Brahmananda

Swami Brahmananda: See biography on page 19.

YVP February 20

Maha Sivaratri Maha Sivaratri, the night of Lord Siva, is one of the most sacred nights on the yogic calendar. We will celebrate this auspicious night with homas and pujas (traditional ceremonies) conducted throughout the night

by Krishnan Namboodiri, the ashram’s priest (see biography on page 27). Senior staff of the ashram will lead us in continuous Siva chants from dusk until dawn, following which we will all gather to enjoy a variety of prasads (offerings) in the morning.

Zacciah Blackburn, PhD, is a gifted intuitive, teacher, and sound healer, trained in classical healing and shamanic traditions, and sacred sound cultures. He teaches internationally, and practices in the Center of Light Institute of Sound Healing and Shamanic Studies. He is Director of Education at the International Sound Healing Network and the co-founder and director of the World Sound Healing and All One Now Network, both of which are organizations working for global peace. www.thecenteroflight.net

Tuition: $290. Add 4 nights’ accommodation.

Experience the potency of guided imagery and creative visualization - a powerful mind-body-spirit technique that everyone can apply. Through this practice you will reach states of deep relaxation, activate your natural capacity to heal, promote the eradication of undesired behavior patterns, reveal the power of your intuition, and unlock your highest potential. Together we will practice several types of guided imagery within the context of the seven major chakras (energy centers) and the five koshas (sheaths). We will also explore personal experiences, and understand scientific principles relevant to our practice.

Julie Lusk, MEd, is the president of Wholesome Resources and the author of 30 Scriptsfor Relaxation, Imagery and Inner Healing, Yoga Meditations,MindBody Mastery, and numerous guided imagery and meditation CDs. She leads workshops on stress management, wellness, yoga, meditation and guided imagery. www. wholesomeresources.com

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YVP February 24 - 26

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The Yoga of Chant Retreat

Sacred Art:

Krishna Das Nourish your heart, inspire your mind, and uplift your spirit in this retreat of chant, music, and devotion with chanting virtuoso Krishna Das. Sharing his heart through music and chanting is the basis of Krishna Das’ spiritual work. In his concerts and workshops, he uses the power and joy of chanting to lead his audiences beautifully into the inner heart space.

There will be evening kirtan concerts and afternoon workshops with chanting, musical accompaniment, and teachings on Bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion.

February 24 - 26

Express Divine Inspiration

Sita Chaitanya Tuition: $320 (materials included).

Add 4 nights’ accommodations.

The universal language of sacred art has evolved throughout human history, inspired by the beauty of creation, and used for spiritual practice and healing.

Learn how to express divine inspiration with simple methods of drawing, painting, and chanting. Expand your creative horizons with a step-by-step study of basic techniques using a compass, a ruler, a brush, and paint, while cultivating the skills of observation and perseverance.

Sita Chaitanya: See biography on page 30.

YVP

February 28 - 29

Becoming a Peace Leader Elaine Valdov

YVP February 26 - March 5

Practical Spirituality: Life and Teachings of Swami Vishnudevananda

Arjuna Krishna Das is one of the foremost devotional singers in the world. He is a disciple of Neem Karoli Baba and has been chanting on a regular basis in yoga centers all over the world. He has taught with Ram Dass and sung for many saints and yogis in the U.S. and in India. Over the years Krishna Das has made numerous pilgrimages throughout India, meeting teachers and saints of many spiritual traditions on his quest to open and purify his heart. His CDs include, among others, Pilgrim Heart, Greatest Hits of the Kali Yuga, Door of Faith, Live on Earth, and Breath of the Heart. He is also the author of Chants of a Lifetime. www.krishnadas.com

Learn the relevance and benefit of yoga philosophy in modern daily life. Drawing from his rich personal yoga experiences, Arjuna will offer techniques for translating the theories of yoga philosophy into practical tools for everyday life. Arjuna’s approach is dynamic, personal, and inspiring, including many instructive stories from his times with Swami Vishnudevananda, making the study a most enjoyable and satisfying experience.

Arjuna: See biography on page 40.

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Global events unfolding day in day out make peace and social responsibility more relevant than ever. As the challenges faced by the global community grow, the need for capable and motivated peace leaders is becoming more and more pressing. Dr. Elaine Valdov will share with us her vast experience in conducting peace missions world-wide and inspire us to become better global citizens and actively promote inner and outer peace.

Elaine Valdov, PhD, is the director of the International Institute for a Culture of Peace in the United Nations and the former chair of the Executive Committee of NGOs affiliated with the U.N. She is a peace and human rights’ activist and founder of the Yogis without Borders movement.

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February 29 - March 6

Yogis Without Borders: Training for Activist Yoga Teachers

Elaine Valdov, Nirmala and Satyadev Tuition: $350. Add 8 nights’ accommodation.

The Yogis Without Borders movement was originated by Dr. Elaine Valdov. Its mission is to encourage yoga teachers to travel to post-conflict or post-natural disaster areas and help individuals relieve stress and tension. It offers tools to deal with the suffering of such populations and utilize it to lead them on a path of spiritual growth. This program offers theoretical as well as practical guidance on how to develop and carry out a specific project as part of the Yogis Without Borders mission. Bahamian guest speakers will share with us their experience and offer opportunities to promote social responsibility programs in the Bahamas during your stay. Gain valuable leadership skills and learn how to combine yoga practice and leadership skills in order to take part in significant humanitarian efforts.

Elaine Valdov: See biography on this page.

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Yoga for Seniors Week

March YVP March 1 - 5

YVP March 4 - 8

The Beautiful Legend of God:

Yoga and Permaculture:

Teachings from the Srimad Bhagavata Purana

Edwin Bryant The Srimad Bhagavata Purana, literally ‘the Beautiful Legend of God,’ is dedicated exclusively to the various modes of bhakti, the path of devotion. It portrays the accounts of Lord Vishnu’s incarnations and activities, and the lives and practices of the most famous yogi exemplars. All the teachings of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita are to be found in these narratives. Join us for a celebration of devotion and inspiring stories which will take you into the realms of bliss, and learn the main practices of devotion - devotional meditation, kirtan chanting and puja as well as the main philosophy associated with the path of devotion.

Edwin Bryant, PhD, is a Professor of Indic languages and cultures. He teaches Hinduism at Rutgers University.

He has published six books on Vedic history, yoga, and the Krishna tradition among which is Krishna: The Beautiful Legend of God. www.edwinbryant.org

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Vedic Ecology in Practice

YVP March 4 - 6

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Yoga for Seniors Retreat

Yoga for Seniors Course

Catherine Gilies (Kumari)

Catherine Gilies (Kumari) and Rene Engels

Let yoga meet you where you are. Geared to the particular needs of seniors this retreat will focus on the challenges of the golden age. Learn how yoga can help you maintain independent living skills and improve the quality of your sleep. Explore the principles of a practice that is enjoyable and beneficial for you and conducive to strengthening mobility, improving circulation, promoting good digestion, and calming the nervous system. No prior experience necessary. This retreat is an ideal preparation to the Yoga for Seniors Course (see this page), in which you will get an in-depth training in the practice of yoga for seniors.

Swami Omkarananda The goal of yoga is to re-connect ourselves with our divinity. Permaculture reminds us to re-connect with the natural world, of which we are an inseparable part. In this program we will demystify what permaculture is: Explain the three core values and the 12 principles of permaculture; review the Vedic teachings which remind us of the need for reverence for nature; explore how we can apply the teachings of Patanjali Yoga Sutras and express them through the practice of permaculture in our daily lives; and offer practical tools and strategies for living a more sustainable lifestyle.

Catherine Gilies (Kumari) has been a Sivananda yoga teacher for over 30 years. She is the founding director of Sivananda yoga affiliated center in Gatineau, Quebec. Kumari has taught 50+ and seniors yoga for the past 10 years. Her teaching approach is warm and joyful. She creates a relaxed and safe environment that allows participants to practice with grace and ease. www.yoga-aylmer.com

March 7 - 10

Tuition $290. Add 6 nights’ accommodations.

Stay strong, prevent falling injuries, and maintain your independence through an enjoyable yoga practice. Increase your strength, focus, and confidence. Take care of your back and joints, breathe deeper, reach higher energy levels, and enjoy guided deep relaxations. Chair yoga will complement yoga on the mat. Learn fall prevention practices based on the Canada Fall Prevention Curriculum, including risk factors, individual assessments, and fall proofing.

Catherine Gilies (Kumari): See biography on this page.

Rene Engels is a certified FallProof™ Balance and Mobility Instructor, teaching Steady as you Go (SAYGO) Falls Prevention workshops.

She is the coordinator of Fall Prevention exercise and education classes in the Alberta Health Services in Canada.

Swami Omkarananda is the director of the Sivananda Yoga Center in Los Angeles and has over twenty years of experience in teaching yoga and meditation. She earned her Certificate in Permaculture Design and Advanced Permaculture from Mid-West Permaculture and is passionate about bringing yoga and the environment together.

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C CEU March 4 - 10

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March 5 - April 1

Pregnancy Yoga Teachers’ Training Course

Yoga Teachers’ Training Course

Kashi Richardson

See pages 10-11 for details.

Tuition: $450. Add 8 nights’ accommodation.

Yoga offers the very best support to women during pregnancy and prepares them for childbirth and motherhood. It also nurtures the fetus in the womb. Open for yoga teachers, this course offers tools for becoming a professional, confident, and sensitive pregnancy yoga teacher. Learn how to modify yoga postures and breathing techniques for pregnancy. Explore the anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, stages of labor, birth preparation, basic yoga therapy, embracing mental and emotional changes, conscious relaxation and visualization, and guidelines for the post-natal time.

Kashi Richardson has been dedicated to the practices of classical yoga for over 25 years.

She teaches Hatha yoga at the Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ Training Course and offers Pregnancy Yoga Teachers Training Courses and courses in adaptive yoga in various locations, as well as her studio. In addition to a strong background in Sivananda yoga, Kashi is certified in yoga therapy through Rocky Mountain Institute of Yoga and Ayurveda. She specializes in yoga for pregnancy and childbirth, therapeutic yoga for illness and injury.

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YVP March 5 - 8

Ancient Wisdom for a New World:

C CEU March 6 -25

Thai Yoga Massage: Yoga Therapy Practitioner Program Levels I, II and III Level I: March 6 - 11 Level II: March 13 - 18 Level III: March 20 - 25

The Spiritual Teachings of the Avatars

Jeffrey Armstrong An Avatar, a Divine Being that descends from the transcendental realm to restore peace and harmony to the earth, is a manifestation of the Ultimate Being that can appear at will in human or animal form. At the heart of the Avatars’ teachings is respect for all life, the concept that we are each part of the same Ultimate Being, and that everyone is able to make the journey back home to the Divine. With the social, economic, environmental, and political unrest in the world today, these lessons from the Avatar are more important than ever.

Join us and discover how the teachings of Avatars can guide you to become a better citizen of the world.

Jeffrey Armstrong is a scholar of the Eastern teachings and has spent the last 40 years studying and practicing Vedanta, Raja yoga, Tantra and Mantra practices, having been initiated into these mysteries by Masters of these traditions. He has degrees in Psychology, Literature, and Comparative Religion.

He is a member of the American Council of Vedic Astrology and has been practicing Vedic Astrology for over 40 years. He is the author of The Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar, Karma The Ancient Science of Cause & Effect, The Vedic Astrology Learning Deck, and others. www.JeffreyArmstrong.com

Kam Thye Chow and Mariana Mosca (Mirabai) Tuition: Level I, Level II or Level III only $525. Add 7 nights’ accommodation.

Any two levels $940; Add 14 nights’ accommodation. Level I, II & III together: $1,400. Add 21 nights’ accommodation

Thai Yoga Massage is an ancient yoga therapy which 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, Thai Yoga Massage is a dynamic form of yoga for the practitioner as well as the recipient, enhancing one’s sense of alignment, posture, and health. Gain a strong foundation in the key elements of Thai Yoga Massage and learn how to perform a full 90-minute customized Thai Yoga Massage session (or an expanded 2½ hour Thai Yoga Massage session in Level II).

Level III will introduce you to the fundamentals of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian healing system and sister science to yoga. It bridges Thai Yoga Massage with its historical roots in Ayurveda.

Learn practical methods of applying Ayurvedic knowledge to deepen the therapeutic quality of your practice and a new 60 minute Thai Yoga Massage session, customized according to the recipient’s body-type (vata, pitta, or kapha).

Kam Thye Chow pioneered a methodology that combines Thai Yoga Massage with its yogic and ayurvedic roots. He founded the Lotus Palm School in Montreal and teaches around the world. He is the bestselling author of many books, including Thai Yoga Massage and Thai Yoga Therapy for Your Body Type: An Ayurvedic Tradition. He teaches with skill, humor, and an ever-present sense of loving kindness. www.lotuspalm.com

Mariana Mosca (Mirabai) was raised in a family of Sivananda yoga practitioners and has been committed to yoga her entire life. She views Thai Yoga Massage as a natural extension of her yoga practice. Under Kam Thye Chow’s tutelage, Mirabai has taught throughout North and South America.

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YVP March 8 - 10

YVP March 9 - 11

Introduction to Ayurveda:

Nirvana Immersion Retreat

Ancient Yogic Medicine for Healing Body and Mind

Lalita Devi and the Well-Being Center Staff Ayurveda is the knowledge of life, as revealed to the Rishis (seers) of ancient India. Offering a complete system of health and healing to guide the body in journeying back to optimal health, it has been practiced for over 5,000 years by millions of individuals. Learn the basics of ayurveda, including the doshas and the individual constitution, the cause of disease, proper individualized nutrition, and ayurvedic psychology.

Lalita Devi: See biography on page 20.

Geshe Michael Roach Think of the one negative emotion that’s been holding you back for your whole life.

Now imagine never having that emotion ever again. Think about being filled instead with the complete opposite of it. That’s nirvana. Nirvana Immersion is a retreat to change your life. We start with three days in New York City, including personal meetings to tailor the practice suitable for you, evening meditations and yoga asana practices (call us for the possibility to join only the ashram’s part of the workshop).

We then fly together to the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, for four more days of continued teachings and practice, following which we will return together to New York, and to a world where our one worst emotion has been transformed into joy.

Geshe Michael Roach is the first American to have been awarded the degree of Geshe, or Master of Buddhism, after more than 20 years of study in Tibetan monasteries. He has used this training to become a prominent international teacher, businessman, philanthropist, author, educator, public speaker, textual scholar, and musician. His book, The Diamond Cutter, has become a global bestseller in 20 languages. He is the founder of the Asian Classics Institute, Diamond Mountain University, and many others. www.geshemichaelroach.com

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March 11 - March 21

Advanced Bhagavad Gita Certification Course Swami Swaroopananda Swami Swaroopananda will take us into the timeless teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, the superb exposition of the synthesis of all paths of yoga.

See page 14 for details.

YVP March 12 - 17

Exploring our Essential Nature: Teachings from the Drig Drishya Viveka

Swami Shantananda Drig-Drishya-Viveka literally means the wisdom of discrimination (viveka) between the seer (drig) and the seen (drishya). In his scripture of the same title, Adi Shankaracharya takes us through an inquiry into our own essential nature by discriminating between the seer, which is the pure consciousness, and the seen – the field of enquiry. Join us for an inspiring and elevating teaching that will propel you to deepen your practice of meditation and swadhyaya (Self study) and deepen your desire for spiritual liberation.

Swami Shantananda, a disciple of Swami Chinmayananda, 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. www.chinmayamission.org

YVP March 17 - 18

The Strings of the Heart: Sitar Concerts Anupama Bhagvat and Shyam Kane Let the sounds of the sitar open your heart, calm your mind, and take you into a meditative state, full of bliss. Join us for a celebration of authentic and elevating classical Indian music, originating from Divine sources.

Anupama Bhagwat has performed on the sitar internationally to critical acclaim. She is a leading disciple of the world-renowned Pandit Shri Bimalendu Mukherjee. Her sensitivity and erudition have taken her to the highest levels of the modern genre, while allowing her to remain true to tradition. www.anupama.org Shyam Kane: See biography on page 43.

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YVP March 18 - 24

Meditation as a Path to Enlightenment An Interfaith Symposium

Karma Kunzang Palden Rinpoche (Rodney Devenish) is one of the spiritual directors of the Dharma Fellowship of H.H the Gyalwa Karmapa.

He is a disciple of the Karma Namgyal Rinpoche of the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. He is co-founder of The Hermitage, a meditation retreat center in Canada. www.dharmafellowship.org Alan ‘Abd al-Haqq Godlas, PhD, has been involved in traditional Sufi practice and its academic study for 36 years.

He belongs to the Naqshbandi Sufi order and is the founder of Sufis Without Borders, an international online community of Sufis.

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with Dr. Marc Halpern C

March 19 - 21

Yoga Nidra:

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, and how it can open the deepest chambers of your heart.

Swami Swaroopananda is a senior disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda, the director of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, and the Acharya for the Sivananda centers and ashrams on the West Coast of the United States, the Middle East, and the Bahamas.

Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy Programs

Father Joseph Mitchell is a member of the Passionist Community and a priest in the Roman Catholic tradition.

His current work engages the relationship between the emerging scientific cosmology and Christian theology, the cultural implications for human institutions, and the role of humanity in the story of the Earth. Toward this goal, he initiated the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center, where he currently serves as director. www. earthandspiritcenter.org Daniel Matt, PhD, is one of the world’s leading authorities on Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. He is currently engaged in an immense project of translating and annotating the Zohar, the masterpiece of the Kabbalah.

Swami Brahmananda is the manager of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat and a senior staff of the Sivananda organization. A long-time practitioner of yoga, he regularly teaches yoga philosophy and meditation for the Sivananda Teachers’ Training Courses as well as Meditation Immersion courses. He is a much-loved, inspiring, and knowledgeable teacher.

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March 23 - April 1

The Practice of Deep Relaxation

Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Certification Course

Marc Halpern (Siva)

Marc Halpern (Siva)

Tuition: $375. Add 4 nights’ accommodation.

Tuition: $890. Add 11 nights’ accommodation.

Learn techniques that will allow you to reach new states of conscious awareness with acute perception of both your physical and subtle body through yoga nidra - the art of conscious relaxation. Feel the flow of prana move through physical, emotional, and energetic blockages, healing the body and mind and facilitating an expansion of the consciousness. During this program, students will both experience yoga nidra and learn how to teach it to others.

Learn how to teach individualized and group yoga programs based on the nature of the student’s ayurvedic constitution and imbalance. This course emphasizes the energetics of each asana and each form of pranayama.

Using pose and breath you will learn how to balance the mind and body’s subtle physical energies, facilitating healing for the client.

You will also be introduced to yoga nidra and ayurvedic nutrition in the healing process. As an ayurvedic yoga therapist, you will be able to work independently holding classes in studios, or work as a part of an integrative team in a healing center. This professional training program is excellent for yoga teachers of all traditions and practitioners of healing arts.

Marc Halpern (Siva), DC, CAS, PKS, Ayurvedacharya, is a pioneer in ayurvedic medicine in the U.S. and a Sivananda yoga teacher. He is the founder and director of the California College of Ayurveda - the first ayurvedic college to train practitioners of ayurveda outside of India. He received the award for Best Ayurvedic Physician from India’s Minister of Health and Family Welfare. www.ayurvedacollege.com

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March 23 - 27

Adapt, Adjust, Accommodate:

Adaptive Yoga Teachers’ Training

YVP March 23 - 25

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Kirtan and the Bhakti Mandala:

Warriors at Ease:

Healing through Chant

Kashi Richardson

David Newman (Durga Das) and Mira

Tuition: $390. Add 6 nights’ accommodation.

Join us for a blissful weekend exploring the healing power of Kirtan and the ageless teachings of Bhakti Yoga (the yoga of devotion). David Newman (Durga Das) and Mira will guide us on an inspirational journey into the wisdom of the heart and the joys of devotional chanting.

Expand your yoga teaching skills by learning how to adapt classical Hatha yoga for students with injury, illness, obesity, advanced age or any other limiting condition. Explore a wide range of modifications for students who require assistance in a regular yoga class. Learn how to offer a gentler, modified practice for a variety of specific needs, including through the use of ‘chair yoga’ and of structural yoga therapy.

Develop confidence through personal practice and practice teaching throughout the course.

Kashi Richardson: See biography on page 50.

David Newman (Durga Das) is a kirtan chant artist, sacred singer-songwriter, and a practitioner and educator of Bhakti yoga. His CDs include Lotus Feet: A Kirtan Revolution, Soul Freedom, Leap of Grace: The Hanuman Chalisa, Love Peace Chant, Into the Bliss and his latest release To Be Home. www.davidnewmanmusic.com Mira is a vocalist, musician, and poetess. She has recorded on many well-known chanting CDs, sharing her vocals talents on cajon, kartals, and kaimini.

In 2006, Mira released her debut album entitled A Living Prayer. sacredcymbals.com

March 25 - 31

Teaching Yoga in Military Settings

Molly Asebey-Birkholm (Madhavi), Robin Carnes, Karen Soltes, Pat Lillis-Hearne Tuition: $690. Add 8 nights’ accommodation.

Learn how to bring the benefits of yoga practice to military settings with active duty service-members, veterans, family members, professional caregivers, and civilian staff. Focusing on trauma and PTSD, this course offers a unique training which is very relevant to our times. As the U.S. military adopts evidence-based mind-body approaches and seeks to hire competent instructors, specialized training focused on military culture and combat-related conditions will allow you to offer such services and expand the scope and potential of your teaching skills.

Foundations of Vedanta Swami Medhananda Puri “Vedanta is the Moksha-Sastra or the Science of Emancipation.... It reveals the majesty of man in his essential nature.... The message of Vedanta is fearlessness, soul-force and unity of conciousness” (Swami Sivananda, Bliss Divine). Join us for an exploration of the principles of Vedanta which will give you a deeper insight into the philosophy and practices through which you can transcend from the mundane to the Divine.

Swami Medhananda Puri is a senior monk in the Kailash Ashram in Rishikesh, India. His knowledge of Hindu scriptures, and his ability to explain Vedantic topics in a lucid, and humorous way, make him a gifted Vedanta teacher and one of the most respected spiritual teachers in India.

Molly Asebey-Birkholm (Madhavi): See biography on page 24.

Robin Carnes, MBA, E-RYT 500, is the President of Warriors at Ease, LLC. Robin has served as the yoga and iRest® instructor for a Defense Department PTSD treatment program at Walter Reed Medical Center, and was the instructor for the first feasibility study of yoga nidra for service members with PTSD symptoms.

Karen Soltes, LCSW, RYT, is a clinical social worker, registered yoga teacher and a certified iRest® Yoga Nidra teacher. She has taught classes in iRest® Yoga Nidra at the Washington DC Veterans Hospital, offering an adjunctive treatment for alleviating the symptoms of PTSD, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.

Pat Lillis-Hearne, MD, MPH, RYT, is a yoga instructor, Oncologist, and is well versed in Complementary Medicine. She has had over 30 years service in the military before retiring from the Army Medical Department in 2010.

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YVP March 25 - 31

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March 28 – 31

Preventing Diabetes with Yoga and Nutrition Manu Dawson Tuition: $290. Add 5 nights’ accommodation.

Discover complementary approaches to prevent diabetes and safely support diabetes medical treatment.* Explore nutrition strategies and meal-planning for addressing metabolic issues that often accompany diabetes. We will also discuss obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and kidney disease. Participants will enjoy diabetes-friendly vegetarian meals and daily yoga classes in the supportive environment of the ashram. * All diagnosed diabetes patients should receive medical clearance from their physician.

Manu Dawson: See biography on page 30.

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April YVP April 1 - 10

Easter and Passover Symposium and Celebration

Yoga and Sacred Healing Swami Sivananda taught that health is the basis of all virtues and as such it is an invaluable asset to any spiritual aspirant; one who has good health has hope, and whoever has hope has everything. Join us for an exploration of healing method under various traditions, and learn how to connect to the divine energy for healing and spiritual prosperity.

Master Ou Wen Wei created the Pan Gu Shengong (PGSG) in order to enable practitioners to absorb the life force of the universe and to temper and improve their own life force and immune systems. PGSG has successively treated many patients with ailments such as cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, rheumatoid, apoplexy, lupus and others.

Master Ou is the author of seven books including, The Path of Life and Pan Gu Mystical Qigong. www.pangushengong.org

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Amarananda Bhairavan® As a boy in India, Amarananda Bhairavan® was initiated into Kali worship, and trained by his teachers in related mystic practices. Part of this training was on preparation and specific uses of herbal energy oils, which he uses in his yoga and healing practices. Details at ambikabotanicalsinc.com. Amarananda Bhairavan travels internationally conducting lectures and seminars on yoga and healing, and uses his in-depth training and insight to assist serious yoga practitioners to move beyond karmic limitations and into deep sadhana.

He has authored two books, Kali’s Odiyya, and Medicine of Light. A specialist in yoga sadhana from his family tradition, Bhairavan’s upcoming book is a workbook for students of yoga.

Swami Sitaramananda is the director of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in Grass Valley, California, and a direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda. She has many years of experience teaching meditation, yoga philosophy and positive thinking all over the world. www.sivanandayogafarm.org

Grandfather Duncan SingsAlone is a Cherokee healer and spiritual teacher. He has been a practicing ceremonialist for nearly forty years. He is part of the Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee Indians and the founder and Grandfather Chief of the Free Cherokees, an inter-tribal cultural organization. www.freecherokee.org

Marilyn Rossner, PhD, is a close disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda, the co-founder of the International Institute of Integral Human Sciences, and founder-president of The Spiritual Science Fellowship of Canada. She is a retired professor of special care counseling, and one of the world’s most gifted intuitives. www.iiihs.org

Priscilla Cogan is an awardwinning bicultural novelist, screenwriter, storyteller, clinical psychologist, and sacred pipe carrier in Native American ceremonies. Along with her husband, Grandfather Duncan Sings-Alone, she offers workshops and story-telling programs about the spiritual journey.

Komilla Sutton is the cofounder and Chair of the British Association for Vedic Astrology.

She is an internationally renowned consultant, teacher and lecturer. She is on the faculty of The American College of Vedic Astrology. She is the author Personal Panchanga, The Essentials of Vedic Astrology, and others. www.Komilla.com

Shirley Telles, PhD, directs research at Patanjali Research Foundation, Haridwar, India.

She is the head of the Indian Council of Medical Research Center for Advanced Research in Yoga and Neurophysiology in Bangalore, India. She researches the physiological effects of yoga and higher states of consciousness induced by meditation. She has published 3 books, and over 100 research articles.

Rick Hanson, PhD, is a neuropsychologist and the co-founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom. He has practiced mediation for over 35 years. His latest book, Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom shows readers many effective ways to light up the brain circuits that relieve worry and stress, and promote positive relationships and inner peace. www.rickhanson.net Amy Weintraub, MFA, E-RYT 500, is the author of Yoga for Depression, founder of the LifeForce Yoga Healing Institute, a leader in the field of yoga and mental health, and teaches around the world. She is involved in on-going research on the effects of yoga on mood. Amy’s evidence-based yoga protocol is featured on award-winning CDs and the DVD series LifeForce Yoga to Beat the Blues. www.yogafordepression.com

April 6

Passover Seder Celebration Swami Swaroopananda Join us for a traditional celebration of the Passover Sedder. Enjoy a delicious vegetarian feast, reading the Haggada, chanting the Passover chants, and teachings from Swami Swaroopananda (see biography on page 14) on the main historical and spiritual components of Passover.

April 8

Easter Sunrise Service Swami Swaroopananda, Fr. John Rossner, Bishop Elkin Symonette and the Ebenezer Baptist Choir Celebrate with us this beautiful Easter morning with devotional gospel singing and stories and a message from Bishop Elkin Symonette, with a Missionary Baptist Church.

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C CEU April 1 - 4

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Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Training Course

Healing through Mystical Qigong

Karen L. Arthur (Kamala) Tuition: $300. Add 5 nights’ accommodations.

YVP April 1-8

Easter and Passover Family Program Barb van Maris (Omkari) and Sandrine Remy (Sanatani) Celebrate Passover and Easter with your family in Paradise. Children will enjoy a wide range of activities including an introduction to yoga, short asana classes designed specifically for children, chanting, crafts, karma yoga, and lots of games and fun. They will learn about the stories of Passover and Easter, along with stories from the yogic scriptures that provide similar teachings. Parents will enjoy free time to practice and rest.

Barb van Maris (Omkari) is a Sivananda yoga teacher, a longtime practicing yogini and a mother of five children. She has many years of experience working with children and is known for her ability to reach children of all ages and temperaments with patience, compassion, and joy.

Discover the wisdom of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and how it can help you experience an abundant and stress-free life*.

Discovered by Gary Craig, the tapping, along with focused intentionality, balances the energy meridians to produce rapid, long lasting relief. Learn how to improve the quality of your life and overall wellness, alleviate anxiety, depression, sadness, grief, and sorrow by using this gentle, yet profound technique.

This program is suitable for professionals (as a training) and for those seeking personal growth and better quality of life. * This course is not a substitute for personal counseling or psychotherapy.

Karen L. Arthur (Kamala), LCSW, BCD, is a Sivananda yoga teacher and a practicing psychotherapist specializing in trauma, anxiety, grief, stress, and performance enhancement for artists and athletes. She has extensive training in body-mind healing therapies including Shiatsu, martial arts and yoga. Kamala teaches EFT courses throughout the United States. www.centerformindfulliving.com

April 2 - 5

Master Ou Wen Wei

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April 2 -11

Vedanta and Silence Course:

Self-Discovery and Contemplation Practices

Tuition: $390. Add 8 nights’ accommodation.

Swami Sitaramananda

Based on simple yet powerful techniques, Mystical Qigong uses the power of the universe for healing oneself and others. Pan Gu Shen Gong (PGSG) is a unique Qigong system that was developed by Master Ou Wen Wei. Learn the three major aspects of the PGSG system, including:

Tuition: $490. Add 11 nights’ accommodation.

• The Moving Form, designed to promote health through strengthening of the life-force.

• The Healing Skill, teaching the skill to provide healing treatments to others.

• The Non-Moving Form, designed to strengthen the nervous system and intuitive ability.

Immerse yourself in the teachings of Vedanta and dive deeper into the inner silence. Learn Vedantic meditation theory and practice, the yoga of Selfenquiry and the practice of silence. Participants will practice mauna (silence) all day except for three hours of study and two hours of dialogue with the teacher. A daily yoga class and mantra chanting will enhance the experience and allow you to reach higher levels of tranquility and focus. It is recommended that students stay in a single accommodation to support the practice of mauna.

Swami Sitaramananda: See biography on page 58.

There will also be a special class on developing spiritual vision.

Master Ou Wen Wei: See biography on page 58.

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April 5 – May 2

Yoga Teachers’ Training Course See pages 10-11 for details.

Sandrine Remy (Sanatani): See biography on page 27.

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Yoga of Recovery Programs C

April 5 - 11

The Yoga of Recovery Retreat Catherine O’Neill (Durga) Tuition: $450. Add 8 nights’ accommodation.

This program draws parallels between the ancient wisdom of yoga, ayurveda, and the daily practical tools used by members of 12-step programs. It offers supportive tools for overcoming self-destructive and addictive tendencies. You will enjoy daily meditation sessions, talks on yoga as it relates to the 12-step program (especially the 11th step), yoga classes, ayurveda workshops, and a daily open 12-step meeting.

Catherine O’Neill (Durga) is a clinical ayurveda and pancha-karma specialist, trained at the California College of Ayurveda and in India. She has been involved with the 12-Step Fellowship for over seven years and teaches recovery programs internationally. www.yogaofrecovery.com

C CEU April 6 – 12

Yoga for Depression:

Practitioner Training Course Level I

Amy Weintraub with guest teacher Shirley Telles

C CEU April 12 - 21

Tuition: $800. Add 8 nights’ accommodation.

Yoga of Recovery Certificate Course for Counselors

Learn an evidence-based yoga protocol to help students and clients focus, relax, and have greater access to feeling states. This program interweaves ancient yogic wisdom with current findings in neurobiology. Yoga teachers and mental-health professionals will learn strategies appropriate for a clinical setting that can safely release chronically held physical tension and repressed emotion.

While learning yogic techniques to help clients manage their moods and increase self-efficacy, you will also be practicing tools for self-care.

Swami Sitaramananda and Catherine O’Neill (Durga)

Amy Weintraub and Shirley Telles: See biographies on page 59.

Amy Weintraub will be assisted by Rose Kress, a yoga teacher (RYT 500), a LifeForce Yoga Educator and Mentor and a Functional Yoga Therapist; and Kathryn Shafer, PhD, LCSW, CAP, RYT500, a psychotherapist and a LifeForce Yoga® Practitioner.

Tuition: $750. Add 11 nights’ accommodation.

The program 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. It combines ayurveda and yoga with traditional recovery tools to offer a holistic approach to addiction and self-destructive behaviors. Counselors will gain additional 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.

Yoga teachers will be qualified to teach yoga to people in recovery from any addiction.

Swami Sitaramananda: See biography on page 58.

Catherine O’Neill (Durga): See biography on this page.

YVP April 10 – 13

Living a Life that Matters:

A Retreat on Socially Engaged Spiritual Practice

Roshi Bernie Glassman and Roshi Eve Myonen Marko How do we live a meaningful life? In their own special and engaging way, Roshi Bernie Glassman and Roshi Eve Myonen Marko will introduce the art of making a real difference. They will share their experiences of living the life of a homeless person during street retreats and other social activism projects, such as the Bearing Witness project. Through spiritual teachings, personal stories, and a good dose of humor, these two distinguished and charismatic spiritual leaders will inspire you to take action and make your life matter to you and to others.

Roshi Bernie Glassman, PhD, is a world-renowned pioneer in the American Zen movement.

He is a spiritual leader, author, and businessman. He teaches at the Maezumi Institute and the Harvard Divinity School and is the founder of Zen Peacemakers. www.zenpeacemakers.org

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Roshi Eve Myonen Marko is a founding teacher of the Zen Peacemaker Order and resident teacher at the Montague Farm Zendo. She co-founded Peacemaker Circle International and has written and edited numerous articles about Zen Peacemakers. www.mfzendo.org

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Yoga for Children Teachers’ Training Courses with Mira Binzen Tuition for one course: $600; Two courses: $1,125; Three courses: $1600.

Add 6 nights’ accommodations for each course.

April 14 - 18

Planting Seeds:

Teaching Yoga to Children Under Age 8 At this age group, children are active, playful and enthusiastic, and do not wait for demonstrations. We will therefore focus on games, imagination, stories, and simple practices to introduce them to yoga. Learn ways to move with the children, focusing on enjoying yoga through play. Study children’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development, along with engaging interaction and enthusiastic communication skills and methods for creating a positive classroom environment.

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April 19 - 23

Taking Root:

Teaching Yoga to Ages 8-12 Having developed better impulse control than earlier ages, children 8-12, can more fully assimilate the concepts of yoga as a methodic practice. Physical adjustments in the asanas will be effective with this age group. We will focus on observing and reinforcing positive behavior through classroom activities and will create a cooperative community in class all the while observing the evolving cognitive and emotional intelligence, social awareness, and physical growth of the children.

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From Physical to Mental Digestion:

Meditation Immersion Course

The Ayurvedic Perspective

April 15 - 20

Swami Brahmananda

John Douillard

Children who practice yoga are likely to be better able to regulate their emotions, manage stress, and calm themselves. Body image issues leading to anorexia and obesity can also be alleviated by practicing yoga from a young age. Movement, breath awareness, and relaxation inherent in a yoga practice can help children develop better body awareness and improved self-esteem, which are both powerful components of a healthy body image. Join Mira Binzen’s courses and learn how to bring the gift of yoga to children.

You may choose to focus on one or more age group.

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YVP April 13 – 15

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April 25 - 29

Branching Out: Teaching Yoga to Teenagers Teenagers want to learn in deeper ways and are ready for more subtle aspects of the practice. They are bombarded by adult-sized stressors and can benefit greatly from stress reducing techniques that address their unique stage in life.

We will explore ways to express the essence of each pose in a clear, simple, engaging way, all the while keeping the atmosphere relaxing and soothing. With an emphasis on respect, we will address each student as individual.

Mira Binzen is a Sivananda yoga teacher (RYT 500) and a yoga therapist. She holds a degree in child psychology and is the founder of Global Family Yoga, an organization that focuses on child development through yoga. She is a highly experienced yoga for children teacher, who brings joy and enthusiasm to her practice and teaching. www.globalfamilyyoga.org

Learn about the intelligence of the gut (the “second brain”) and how the digestive tract, which produces 95% of the body’s serotonin, is designed to manage stress. Ancient ayurvedic texts teach us that stress tolerance can be increased through strengthening the digestive system. Join us as we explore ayurvedic wisdom on how to balance the mind and protect the body from the ravages of stress by healing the gut. Discover how to increase your digestive strength and heal your digestive system to achieve optimal absorption of nutrients and rid your body of accumulated toxins. Understand how to reset digestive and detox channels while balancing mental health, mood, and energy.

John Douillard, PhD, received his ayurvedic training in India and holds a PhD in Ayurvedic Medicine. He directs the LifeSpa School of ayurveda and practices ayurveda and chiropractic at LifeSpa in Boulder, Colorado. He is a charismatic speaker and a highly experienced healer. He is the author of The Yoga Body Diet, The Encyclopedia of Ayurvedic Massage and others. www.lifespa.com

See details on page 44.

YVP April 15 – 17

From Science to God Peter Russell Modern science now suggests that the fundamental essence of the cosmos is consciousness rather than matter. With his distinctive blend of physics, psychology, and philosophy, Peter Russell will guide us through the connection between matter and consciousness and show that we are on the threshold of a revolution in worldview that bridges science and spirituality. Spiritual awakening-opening to our true naturebecomes a natural part of our evolution, connecting us with the peace, joy, and love that lay within. Join us to a journey of inner exploration, addressing questions such as what is consciousness and what is reality?

Peter Russell, MA, DSC, FSP, is recognized as one of the leading thinkers on consciousness and contemporary spirituality and a revolutionary futurist.

Combining meditation practice with theoretical physics, experimental psychology, and computer science, his work integrates Eastern and Western understandings of the mind. His multi-image shows and videos, The Global Brain and The White Hole in Time, have won international praise and prizes. He is the author of ten books including The Global Brain, Waking up in Time, and From Science to God. www.peterrussell.com

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YVP April 18 – 20

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April 20 – 22

The Three Waves of Volunteers and the New Earth

Sacred Art:

Express Divine Inspiration Sita Chaitanya See details on page 46.

Dolores Cannon Discover how it all began: The creation of our world and the development of our species. Understand your role on Earth. Are you one of the volunteers that has come to help earth with her transition? Gain unique insight into the order of creation, as explained beyond the unexplained.

Dolores Cannon is a past-life regressionist and hypnotherapist. She is an expert on the prophecies of Nostradamus and has written Conversations with Nostradamus, which contains about 1000 prophecies, all interpreted for the first time, as well as several other books. She teaches her unique technique of hypnosis internationally, and appears regularly on TV and radio. www.ozarkmt.com

YVP April 19 – 21

Yoga and Emotional Regulation Richard Panico Yoga teaches us how to dynamically and skillfully encounter emotions. Discover how yogic principals can help you wisely experience emotions as you integrate life experiences and adapt to your world. Together, we will explore the physical and mental mechanism of emotional regulation and the tools yoga offers for achieving emotional balance and a lasting sensation of joy.

Richard Panico, MD, is a psychiatrist, an internal medicine expert, and a yogi who specializes in the integration of yoga and medicine. He is the founder and director of the Athens Regional Mind Body Institute, where he treats patients, in addition to directing research and training on the integration of yoga into Western medicine.

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YVP April 23 – 26

Devotion and Grace: Chanting Retreat

Jai Uttal and Daniel Paul Ride on the wings of kirtan to feel whole and to feel free. Learn to chant and tune your voice and heart to that which is sacred. Jai Uttal, accompanied by Daniel Paul, will invoke a space of prayer and heartfelt expression through music and chant.

Jai Uttal is a pioneer and inspiration to many in the world of kirtan music. His many albums include Beggars and Saints, Siva Station, and the Grammynominated Monda Rama. www.jaiuttal.com

April 21 - 25

Visual Yoga Teachers’ Training Course: Teaching Yoga to Hard of Hearing Persons

Daniel Paul is a tabla player and vocalist. He earned his degree in the classical music of India from the Ali Akbar College of Music. He is Jai Uttal’s principal accompanist. www.tabladaniel.com

Lila Lolling Tuition: $350. Add 6 nights’ accommodation.

Gain tools to serve the hard of hearing, deaf and visually-based learning community members. With about 28 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the US alone, this training course is a valuable resource for any yoga teacher. Learn a variety of visual techniques to suit a multitude of students; whether hard of hearing senior citizens, deaf yogins, or people with autism or apraxia. Explore the deaf and hard of hearing cultures, American Sign Language (ASL), natural gesturing and a variety of other subjects related to the visual method of teaching yoga.

Deepen your spiritual practice and expand your teaching skills with a visual approach to yoga and meditation.

Lila Lolling is a Sivananda yoga teacher and the founder of Deaf Yoga Foundation. She has been studying, integrating and sharing yoga philosophy within the Deaf community for over 5 years. She has been featured in leading yoga magazines, and is the producer of the Deaf Yoga for Beginners DVD. www.yogawithlila.com

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April 26 - May 5

Spring Detoxification and Juice Fasting Program Manu Dawson, Sita Chaitanya, and Grace Van Berkum Tuition: $490. Add 11 nights’ accommodation.

Spring is an excellent time to detoxify - start your spring cleaning with yourself.

For program details see page 30.

YVP April 26 – May 2

The Yoga of Divine Love: A Bhakti Yoga Retreat

Radhanath Swami and Gaura Vani Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a Vaishnava saint, is considered an incarnation of Lord Krishna.

An advocate of Bhakti yoga, he inspires many to connect to the divine love through the worship of Lord Krishna and Radha and the chanting of the Maha Mantra. He composed the Siksastakam – the eight verses of instruction which are considered to contain the complete philosophy of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in condensed form. Join us as Radhanath Swami, will teach the principles of Divine life based on the life and teachings of Lord Chaitanya, accompanied by the soul lifting chanting of Gaura Vani and As Kindred Spirits.

Radhanath Swami has studied with some of the most prominent spiritual teachers of his era. Ultimately meeting his own guru A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, he committed himself to the path of Bhakti and has been inspiring thousands internationally through heart to heart guidance, beautiful story-telling, and enthusiastic kirtans. He resides in Mumbai, India, where he is actively involved with humanitarian activities. He is the author of The Journey Home-Autobiography of an American Swami. www.radhnathswami.com Gaura Vani started studying sacred music in Vrindavan, India at the age of six. Today, he shares the magic he received and performs around the world with his kirtan ensemble, As Kindred Spirits. His CDs include Ten Million Moons and others. www.gauravani.com

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May 6 – June 2

Yoga for the Special Child® LLC

Yoga Teachers’ Training Course

Sonia Sumar

See pages 10-11 for details.

Tuition: $895. Add 8 nights’ accommodation.

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April 29 - May 9

Advanced Raja Yoga Certification Course Course III:Vibhuti Pada

Swami Swaroopananda Tuition: $490. Add 12 nights’ accommodation.

A unique opportunity for an in-depth study of Raja yoga, the royal path to Enlightenment, and its mother-text, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Maharishi.

See page 14 for details.

Learn yoga techniques designed to enhance healthy development and quality of life for children with special needs. Acquire valuable skills for working safely with special needs children. This style of yoga is specifically for babies and children with Down syndrome, Cerebral palsy, microcephaly, autism, attention deficit disorder (ADD) and other developmental and learning disabilities. We will explore the practical techniques of Yoga for the Special Child.

Sonia Sumar authored Yoga for the Special Child and is considered a leading authority on this matter. She started teaching yoga for children with special needs after her second daughter was born with Down syndrome. The enhanced quality of life that yoga made for her own daughter inspired her to teach other children with special needs and to train other yoga teachers to do the same. www.specialyoga.com

YVP May 3 - 6

Science of the Sidhis: Exploring Yogic Perfections

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Dean Radin

Raw Food and Yoga Welness Retreat

Yoga Peace Ambassadors Certification Course

Grace Van Berkum

Elaine Valdov

Tuition: $290. Add 4 nights’ accommodations.

Tuition: $350. Add 8 nights’ accommodation.

Ancient yogic texts such as Patanjali Yoga Sutras, describe extraordinary mental powers (‘siddhis’), associated with advanced meditative practice, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and psychokinesis. These phenomena do not fit easily into the modern scientific worldview, and as such, are often dismissed as fantasy. However, scientists have reached scientific proof of their existence through testing. Join us for this exploration of the nature of the siddhis from a scientific as well as yogic perspective.

Dean Radin, PhD, is a senior scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS).

Experimentally probing the far reaches of human consciousness for decades, principally hypnosis and psychic phenomena, he has concluded that some psychic abilities are genuine, and are important aspects of the prevailing scientific worldview . He has authored and coauthored of over 200 technical and popular articles, a dozen book chapters, and several books including the bestseller The Conscious Universe and Entangled Minds. www.deanradin.com

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May 6 - 8

Learn how to prepare nutritious, satisfying, and detoxifying raw food dishes that are simple, creative, and energizing. Together we will prepare and enjoy delicious raw soups, salad dressings, pates, dips, entrees, and desserts.

We will discuss the ways in which raw foods affect your body, mind, and spirit, promote good health and make your attitude towards life more joyful and positive. You will gain a fresh and natural approach to eating in addition to a take-home recipe book that will help you in maintaining your raw foods practice.

Grace Van Berkum: See biography on page 30.

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May 6 – 12

Become a peace leader in local, national and international communities. Learn about the humanitarian challenges the world is facing, and how you can join the effort of promoting the eight United Nations millennium goals: eradicating poverty and hunger, providing education for all, empowering women and gender equality, providing health care for all, decreasing childhood mortality, protecting the environment and others. In the process you will develop a broad vision of the global community.

Elaine Valdov: See biography on page 70.

Guest Teachers: Andrew Cunningham and Daniele Giovanucci (see biographies on page 70).

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YVP May 7 - 12

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Yoga for Peace Symposium

Yoga and Sports Brian Culkin and Grace Van Berkum Tuition $500. Add 6 nights’ accommodations.

Changing the World from the Inside Out In remembrance of Swami Vishnudevananda and his peace missions, we are delighted to host the fifth Yoga for Peace Symposium.

Now more than ever, humanity is in great need of the harmony, silence, and calm that follow peace. Join us for this gathering of peace leaders who will share with us inspiring stories from their peace and social engagement missions. In the process you will acquire tools for the promotion of peace and well-being of yourself and others.

Kenneth Johnson spent over twenty years in prison (until 1997), in which he undergone spiritual transformation. He is now a spiritual teacher, a proponent of non-violence and consultant to families and to those who have been out of or may be going to prison. He passionately shares the message that “God’s Grace Is Here Now” with others and is the author of the book The Last Hustle. thissacredspace.org

Elaine Valdov, PhD, is the director of the International Institute for a Culture of Peace in the United Nations and the former chair of the Executive Committee of NGOs affiliated with the U.N. She is a peace and human rights’ activist and founder of the Yogis without Borders movement.

Dada Nabhaniilananda is a monk, a musician, a writer, and a meditation teacher with the spiritual movement Ananda Marga – “The Path of Bliss.”

He has won three international songwriting awards, and produced seven musical albums.

He is a peace activist who chants for peace. His chant recordings include The Fire Dragon Suite, The Return of The Magic and several others. He is also the author of Close Your Eyes & Open Your Mind, and After Capitalism. www.eternalwave.com

Daniele Giovannucci is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Committee on Sustainability Assessment (COSA) - a global consortium of institutions and U.N. agencies advancing innovative ways to measure sustainability. He is a former senior consultant to the World Bank Group.

He is the author of Guide to Geographical Indications: Linking Products and Their Origins. www.dgiovannucci.net

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May 12 - 16

Andrew Cunningham cofounded the Women’s Institute for Secondary Education and Research (WISER) in Muhuru Bay, Kenya as the first girls secondary boarding school and community center for development in the region (www. wisergirls.org). He is currently pursuing his M.Sc. in Comparative International Education, focusing his individual research on participatory assessment of quality education through the Child Friendly Schools initiative in Kenya.

Join us for an exploration of how the application of yoga practice and philosophy can dramatically improve athletic performance and experience. Learn how yogic postures, breathing technique, relaxation, yogic diet, positive thinking and meditation can improve your game, physically and mentally. Increase your flexibility and gain core strength, stability, balance, efficient breathing, and physical and mental endurance. Learn how to reduce recovery time and risk of injury.

Enjoy a special class on optimal nutrition for athletes. Athletes and yoga practitioners of all levels are welcome to join this course.

Brian Culkin is a Sivananda yoga teacher and a former NCAA Division 3 Regional All American basketball player, who also had a professional basketball career in Europe.

He is the founder of Jai Yoga. www.brianculkin.com Grace Van Berkum: See biography on page 30.

YVP May 13 - 18

Cultivating True Love:

Teachings from the Bhaja Govindam

Swami Prakashananda “O deluded minded friend, chant Govinda, worship Govinda, love Govinda” thus Adi Shankaracharya opens the Bhaja Govindam, which has become India’s most known bhajan (devotional song). In this prayer, the listeners are encouraged to leave behind worldly desires and attachments and immerse themselves in worship and association with saints until they attain the Absolute. Join us for an in-depth exploration of this precious scripture and become inspired to deepen your spiritual practice and strive for the realization of Truth.

Swami Prakashananda is a respected teacher of Vedanta, and the resident Acharya of Chinmaya Mission, Trinidad and Tobago. He holds a B.A. in Political Science and a Law degree. He studied for many years with Swami Chinmayananda in India and currently travels and lectures internationally. www.chinmaya.org/acharya

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May 14 – 20

Yoga for Grief Teachers’ Training Course Antonio Sausys Tuition: $890. Add 8 nights’ accommodations.

Learn about the physical symptoms of grief, their psycho-neuro-immunological basis and a set of simple yoga exercises to address them while aiding the psychological transformation of grief into a resource for personal growth.

This training is suitable for Yoga Teachers, Health Care professionals and those interested in deepening their knowledge of how yoga can aid the grieving process.

Antonio Sausys, BA, MA, CMT, is a somatic psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience combining psychotherapy and yoga. He teaches yoga for Grief Relief internationally. He founded and produces the International Yoga Therapy Conference and is a TV host for YogiViews. www.yogaforgriefrelief.com

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May 18 - 20

Chair Yoga Training Course

YVP May 21 – 24

YVP May 25- 27

The Yoga of Sleep:

Introduction to The Work of Byron Katie®:

Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati)

Sacred and Scientific Practices to Heal Sleeplessness

Tuition: $290. Add 4 nights’ accommodations.

Rubin Naiman

Make yoga accessible to seniors, those with disabilities, limited mobility and the chronically ill. Corporate yoga will be introduced as well. You will acquire tools to offer chair modifications in mixed level classes (standing and sitting), breathing, chanting and meditation in chairs. Learn the business and marketing of chair yoga to start your own classes at senior or community centers, hospitals, health clubs, corporations, and more. The course is open to all yoga teachers as well as those who would like to learn chair yoga for their own practice.

Deep, refreshing sleep is the cornerstone of well-being and an essential foundation for spiritual practice. Research has linked sleep problems and dream loss to depression, obesity and other serious illnesses. Learn how to addresses insomnia and improve the quality of your sleep, based on an integrative, body, mind and spirit approach to sleep and dreams.

This informative and consciousness enhancing program will include engaging discussion as well as experiential practices.

Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati) is a Sivanada yoga teacher, Gentle Integral Yoga Certified and a Kundalini yoga and prenatal certified instructor. She has been creating new chair yoga programs for senior homes, hospitals and corporations in the bay area, NM and now in Miami. Saraswati was featured most recently on CBS Ch. 4 News Health Watch as “breathing new life into South Florida seniors” for her chair yoga classes. www.sunlightchairyoga.com

Rubin Naiman, PhD, is a psychologist, sleep specialist and clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Arizona’s Center for Integrative Medicine. He is an internationally recognized expert in integrative and holistic approaches to sleep and dreams. In addition to professional publications, he is author of Healing Night: The Science and Spirit of Sleeping, Dreaming and Awakening and the audio programs The Yoga of Sleep, To Sleep Tonight, and Healthy Sleep (with Andrew Weil). www.drnaiman.com

YVP May 18 – 21

Natural Healing: The Doctrine of Signatures Cairo Rocha The Doctrine of Signatures considers a plant’s form, shape, color and texture as the key to understanding its healing properties. It is the foundation of Asian, European, African and American natural medicines. By connecting energy and form, it allows us a deep look into the plants kingdom, the energetic signature and the healing properties of plants. Join us for an exploration of the healing potential of plans, through theoretic discussions and fascinating specific observation.

During this program, workshops on The Japanese Five Elements Diagnosis and Treatment will be offered as well.

Find What is True for You

Kathy White The Work is a process that involves identifying and questioning the beliefs or thoughts that are causing stress in your life. By asking four questions and finding turnarounds you find a way of experiencing the opposite of what you believe. The Work is an inquiry and an invitation to find for yourself what is true for you. It is an accessible tool that anybody can use to find joy, freedom and peace. A special talk will be dedicated to raising children with love - understanding the root cause of hardships with raising children - why we get angry, overwhelmed or frustrated with them. Learn how to turnaround your stressful thoughts, behavior and feelings towards children and find peace and understanding, so that you can do your part to raise the next generation with kindness, connection and love.

Kathy White is a certified facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie, a qualified Art Psychotherapist and a Sivananda yoga teacher. She has worked in charitable and national healthcare settings. She is a staff member of the Findhorn Foundation, a spiritual community and eco-village. www.coachthework.co.uk

YVP May 27 -30

YVP May 30 - June 2

Sensing the Sacred

Songs of the Beloved

Lench Archuleta

Atmarama dasa

Join us for an experience of Native American spirituality and medicine. Discover the part of you that is beyond body and form, in harmony with life and has clarity and focus.

Reclaim your sacred nature and learn how to transcend the energetic pull of modern times which draws us away from honoring ourselves in ways that nourish the fires of our spirit.

Experience beautiful devotional singing and jubilant Kirtan. Prepare to be uplifted and deeply moved through music made to praise and glorify the Divine. Revel in the bliss and pure ecstasy that Atmarama dasa’s music arouses in the hearts of all.

Lench Archuleta is a Yaqui Indian and traditional native healer from Southern Arizona.

He collaborates with numerous medical doctors, health practitioners, therapists, and other traditional healers as a counselor, consultant, advisor, and spiritual guide. www.windspiritteaching.com

Atmarama Dasa is a devotional singer and composer of sacred music. For the past 25 years he has been residing in Vrindavan, India, the holy dham of Lord Krishna. His unique style and sincere desire to share his spiritual understanding creates an atmosphere of profound spiritual vibration.

Through his ecstatic kirtan everyone can relish the mood of transcendental joy and bliss. His CDs include On the way to Krishna, Radha Govinda, and many others. www.atmaramadasa.org

Cairo Rocha: See biography on page 18.

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June 4 - 19

Foundation Yoga Courses: Start and Establish Your Practice

Beginners’ Yoga Course: June 4 - 8 Intermediate Yoga Course: June 9 -13

June

YVP June 3 - 7

Inspiring Stories: My Time With the Guru

Sita Chaitanya and Brahmachari Shankar “To think of saints, to live in their company, to have good fortune of receiving their blessings, is to draw forth upon yourself a shower of purity, inspiration and divine consciousness” (Swami Sivananda, Bliss Divine). Studying the life of saints and sages is considered a high form of swadhyaya (Self-study), and equal to their company. Join us for a journey into the lives of Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnudevananda as captured in their biographies. Staff of the ashram who had the privilege to practice under Swami Vishnudevananda and other senior disciples of Swami Sivananda will share with us their personal memories of those great masters.

Sita Chaitanya: See biography on page 30.

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Fine-Tune Your Postures: June 15 - 19

Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) See page 15 for details.

Brahmachari Shankar is a senior staff member of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat.

He spent about three years in India with Swami Chaitanyananda, a senior disciple of Swami Sivananda, and met with some remarkable people in the Himalayas. Well versed in the Scriptures and fluent in Sanskrit, Brahmachari Shankar teaches the Bhagavad Gita classes in the Sivananda Teachers’ Training Courses and frequently gives talks on yoga philosophy and practice. He is a gifted teacher and story teller, and his courses are taught with much joy and love.

YVP June 8 – 10

You and Your Purpose

YVP June 10 - 15

Non-Violent Communication:

Cultivating Compassionate Interactions

Celeste Barrett (Rev. K. )

Kiran Patel

Join us for an experiential and participative experience of awareness and acceptance of who you are and why you are here.

“Everyone has a purpose in life…a unique gift or special talent to give to others. When we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals.” Deepak Chopra. Through a process of discussion, visualization, exercises, journaling and sharing you will discover your personal purpose and unique talent to impart to others.

Learn to refocus your consciousness from a sense of separateness to an experience of Oneness through the internationally-used Nonviolent Communication process (NVC) developed by Marshall Rosenberg. This shift will facilitate transforming painful conflicts into heartfelt connection. Explore the four components of NVC - observations, feelings, needs and requests - which serve both as a spiritual practice and a practical tool.

Understand and practice these components and combine them to develop empathy, selfempathy and compassionate expression. It is recommended to participate in the complete series of workshops in order to enjoy the benefits of full NVC process.

Celeste Barrett (Rev. K.) is an ordained minister, teacher, counselor, coach, healer and woman of God. As an inspirational and empowerment speaker, she has spoken and facilitated workshops throughout North America. Named “Woman of the Millennium” in 2001 and recipient of the Global Vision Award in Religion in 2005, she holds a B.A. in Business, a Masters in Therapeutic Counseling and is a certified Reiki Master.

Kiran Patel, MA (social psychology), is a Sivananda yoga teacher (RYT 500) and a certified conflict mediator.

Her workshops have reached thousands of individuals and numerous organizations in the U.S. and in India. Her writing on non-violence and yoga has been published in “India West”.

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YVP June 13 – 18

YVP June 16 – 17

Miraculous Moments:

Nature’s Gifts of Healing

True Stories Affirming That Life Goes On

Ida Thompson Rose

Elissa Al-Chokhachy Does life continue after death? Will we be reunited with deceased loved ones? Does love ever die? Certified hospice nurse and author of Miraculous Moments: True Stories Affirming That Life Goes On, Elissa AlChokhachy will share inspiring, hope-filled accounts from those who have seen, heard and felt from beyond.

Elissa Al-Chokhachy, MA, RN, CHPN, FT, is a certified hospice and palliative care nurse, a fellow in thanatology. She is the recipient of the Boston College Alumni Award for Excellence in Nursing and the American Red Cross Health Care Hero Award. She is the author of three books to help with loss and grief. Her newest book, Miraculous Moments: True Stories Affirming That Life Goes On, is a moving collection of eighty-eight testimonials of after death communication, nearing death awareness and near death experiences. www.miraculousmoments.com

YVP June 18 – 22

Yoga for Home Practice: Establishing a Daily Spiritual Routine

Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) Learn how to combine yoga with your daily routine and find peace, lasting happiness and calmness. You will also grow more efficient and confident. Explore Swami Sivananda’s 20 Spiritual Instructions which will give you a firm foundation for a steady spiritual routine and become better equipped to cope with the complex demands of modern life.

Learn the medicinal qualities of natural juices. Prepared based on recipes that were handed down from generation to generation, natural juices and soups can be a most potent source of healing for various ailments.

Join us and discover how readily available materials can aid you to keep a healthier body and overcoming disease.

Ida Thompson Rose is the owner and operator of Seclusion’s Best Plant Beverages and practioner of spiritual truth, whose life was influenced in the art of making plant beverages and bush preparations for good health by an aunt and step mother. She directly experienced the potential for healing within plants through her relationships with chronically ill and diseased individuals who were naturally cured by plant treatments.

YVP June 22 – 24

YVP June 24 – 30

Healing the Light Body:

Meditation and Mind Control

Exploring Shamanic Medicine

Theodore Tsavoussis Explore the Shamanic body-mind Medicine. Learn how to shed your past and it’s 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.

Bring balance to mind, body and soul and walk through life as a fully conscious being, bringing light, peace and beauty to everyone around you.

Theodore Tsavoussis earned a professional certification in energy medicine under the Four Winds - Healing the Light Body program. He traveled to the Amazon and the Andes where he worked with indigenous Shaman in numerous sacred sites including Machu Picchu. He currently practices energy medicine in Nassau and is also a Reiki Master.

Our spiritual growth depends on our ability to turn inwards, focus the mind and attain a meditative state. The more we are able to control our mind and prevent it from wandering in search of sensual objects, the closer we get to a meditative state. Explore the nature of the mind and thought patterns. Learn methods to improve your concentration and inner stability. Practice basic meditation techniques and overcome obstacles in your meditation practice. You will find that you are better able to handle physical and emotional stress, and regain you peace of mind.

The program will be taught by senior staff of the ashram.

Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati): See biography on page 18.

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Summer/Fall 2012 Programs Preview JULY

AUGUST

July 1 - 5 Independence Day and Canada Day: The Power of Thought and Positive Thinking

August 3 - 5 Depression and Anxiety: Yogic Perspectives and Remedies

July 3 Guru Purnima: Celebration of the Guru July 6 - 8 Tips for Maintaining a Steady Home Practice July 9 - 12 Cultivating Dispassion: Finding Your Inner Balance July 13 - 15 Kirtan Special: The Beauty and Magic of Sacred Chant July 14 Swami Sivananda’s Mahasamadhi July 16 - 19 Yoga for the Spine: Back Awareness Workshops July 20 - 22 The Wisdom and Silence Within: The Art of Meditation July 23 - 26 Proper Relaxation: Body-Mind Benefits July 27 - 29 The Yogic Diet: Theoretical and Practical Aspects July 30 - August 2 Karma Yoga Immersion: Healing through Selfless Service 78 sivanandabahamas.org

August 6 - 8 Reaching Lasting Happiness Through Yoga August 9 Krishna Jayanti

SEPTEMBER September 4 - 6 The Yogic Diet: Theoretical and Practical Aspects September 7 - 9 Conquest of Anger: Finding Peace of Mind Through Yoga September 8 Swami Sivananda’s Birthday

August 10 - 12 Yoga, Mind and Consciousness: Tools for Transcending Fear and Anxiety

September 10 - 13 Non-Violence, Non-Covetousness and Non-Stealing: The Foundation of a Spiritual Life

August 13 - 16 Living with Purpose: Practical Teachings from the Bhagavad Gita

September 14 - 16 Unity in Diversity Weekend: The Joy of Oneness

October 1 - 4 The Art of Concentration

September 16 Rosh Hasha’na: Jewish New Year’s Eve

October 5 - 8 Columbus Day Weekend Retreat: The Art of Positive Thinking

September 17 - 20 Cleanliness, Contentment and Self-Discipline: Practices for Spiritual Evolution

October 8 - 11 Breath Deeply, Relax Completely: Pranayama Sadhana

August 17 - 19 The Joy of Kirtan: Opening the Spiritual Heart with Sacred Chanting August 20 - 23 The Power or Prayer: Reaching True Prosperity August 24 - 26 Tasting Absolute Consciousness: The Wisdom of the Upanishads August 27 - 30 Meditation and Self-Enquiry: Theory and Practice August 31 - Sept 3 Labor Day Special: The Joy of Vegetarian Cooking

September 21 - 23 The Pathway to Happiness: Understanding and Working with the Law of Karma September 24 - 27 In Giving That We Receive: Introduction to Selfless Service September 28 - 30 Kirtan Special: Open Your Heart and Find Your VoiceThrough Chanting

OCTOBER

October 12 - 15 Hatha Yoga: Theory and Practice October 16 - 24 Navaratri: Celebrating the Nine Nights of the Divine Mother October 25 - 28 Tools for Creating a Daily Spiritual Routine at Home October 29 - 31 Karma Yoga Weekend: Healing through Selfless Service 79

Karma Yoga Program Participants in this program contribute five hours of selfless service a day and enjoy the various programs that are offered in the ashram during satsangs (meditation, chanting and lecture) as well as some of the afternoon workshops. The daily schedule includes mandatory attendance at morning and evening satsangs (meditation, chanting and lecture) as well as one yoga class.

Spiritual guidance and advice is provided by senior staff of the ashram.

My time at the Yoga Retreat allowed me a real opportunity to open my heart. The place is so beautiful and the people are so wise and kind that it is only natural to evolve mentally and emotionally.

(Minakshi)

The Practice of Karma Yoga Open your heart to Divine love and discover the bliss of selfless service. Karma yoga or ‘selfless service’ is the path of action. Find the joy in acting from the purest motivation of service for others and doing your best to carry on your assigned duty. Through this process you will develop a stronger sense of discipline and will power, purify your heart, and march forward along the path in your spiritual evolution. Make the time to experience living as part of a community of like-minded people and be guided by the ashram’s senior staff on your quest for self-improvement. In your free time you can enjoy the ashram’s beautiful white sand beach, and participate in a variety of ashram programs.

Join us for a full immersion in the ashram’s life. This program is suitable for yoga teachers and those interested in making a deeper commitment to a spiritual life.

Prior interview with the ashram manager is required. The minimum length of stay under this program is three months. No tuition fee applies. For application forms and additional information please contact us by e-mail or phone.

Doing karma yoga at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in the Bahamas allowed me to actually serve people, make good friends from all over the world and practice yoga while enjoying an amazing stay on this beautiful Caribbean Island (Ambika (Anna))

Residential Study Programs “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.”

Advanced Karma Yoga Program

“It is not all fun and games, however, there are moments that resonate with my soul at the deepest level.”

(Bill)

One-month minimum commitment is required. Cost: $899 per month. This price includes accommodations*, meals, yoga classes, and participation in some of the Yoga Vacation Programs (see calendar of events).

For information or an application form please visit our website or contact us by e-mail or phone. * From Mid November – Mid June: Tent accommodations only (please bring your own tent); From Early/Mid June – Mid November: Accommodations will be in dormitories (hotel tax will apply).

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Plan 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 and 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.

Professional Accreditation

Room check-in time: 3 p.m.

Room check-out time: 12 noon

and Continuing Education Yoga Alliance Accreditation The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat is a Yoga Alliance Registered School. The Yoga Teachers’ Training Course and Advanced Yoga Teachers’ 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 RYT500 accreditation.

Open International University for Alternative Medicine The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat is affiliated with the The Open International University via the International Institute for Integral Human Sciences in Montreal, Canada. By graduating from the Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ 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.

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Helpful reminders

Continuing Education Units (CEU) We offer Continuing Education Units (CEU) in a variety of our courses to healthcare and mental care professionals, in addition to various 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 and look for updates on our website for CEUs approved for additional courses.

Look for the CEU symbol in the Calendar of Events. * There is a $20 charge for each CEU certificate.

At the airport: Take a taxi to our dock at Elizabeth on Bay Marketplace and Marina (please visit our website for further details) – our boat will take you to the ashram, 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 from a pay phone at 363-2902 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.

What to bring Recommended items include: Casual comfortable clothes, modest clothes (covered legs and shoulders) for meditation and satsangs, yoga mat (you may buy one at the boutique or rent one at reception), meditation cushion, meditation shawl, toiletries, slip-on sandals, clothing for warm days and cool mornings and evenings, rainwear, flashlight, insect repellent, alarm clock, beach towel, bathing suit, and snorkeling equipment. For tent space only, please bring tent, towels and bedding.

In order to maintain the proper ashram atmosphere, attendance at two daily satsangs and yoga classes is expected. Non-vegetarian food, drugs, alcohol and tobacco are not permitted on the premises. We also recommend maintaining silence from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily to ensure a pleasant night’s sleep for all in the ashram. Sheets and blankets are provided for use in the rooms only.

There are no safety deposit boxes available at the ashram - you are responsible for your personal belongings and valuables.

All speakers and presenters were confirmed prior to publication; however, cancellations may happen with or without notice for reasons that are beyond the ashram’s control. Some courses are subject to minimum registration.

The ashram 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 to any program.

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Registration and Rates How to Register You can register on-line or by phone. A deposit is required to hold your reservation as follows:

• Yoga Vacation Program and Residential Study Program • TTC, ATTC • All other courses (unless specifically stated otherwise)

$100 $300 $150

(2) Program Rates (i) Yoga Vacation Program Rates For Yoga Vacation add the following amount to the accommodation rate (unless specifically stated otherwise under the program’s description):

November 20, 2011 – May 31, 2012 June 1 – November 19, 2012

$29 per day $15 per day

(ii) Rates and Discounts for Other Certification Courses Add the applicable tuition fee (see Calendar of Events) to the accommodation rate.

Special tuition discounts apply if you register for two or more courses simultaneously and pay in full upon arrival for all such courses: 2 courses - 5% discount; 3 courses- 10% discount; 4 courses - 15% discount; 5 courses and more - 20% discount.

The balance is due upon arrival.

All prices are subject to change without notice.

Payment Methods We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, traveler checks, cash (U.S. dollars) and U.S. certified bank drafts under the name of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat.

We do not accept personal checks.

All deposits and payments are in U.S. dollars only.

All discounts are on the aggregate price of the courses.Tuition discounts do not apply to Ayurveda Body Treatments Course.

Children’s Rates

(1) Accommodation Rates and add (2) Program Rates

Children under 5 years stay at no cost. For children of age 5 to 12 years there is a 50% discount on accommodation rates and Yoga Vacation Program fees do not apply (Except if enrolled in one of the children programs where a special material fee applies).

* TTC, ATTC and Residential Study Programs: These programs’ rates include accommodations and tuition fee. Please see the relevant program page for details.

Day Visitors

(1) Accommodation Rates

Day visitors are welcome.Yoga Vacation Day Visit Rate is $45.

Please call us or visit our website for drop-in pricing for the daily activities.

Making a Reservation: To calculate the cost of your stay*, start with:

The prices below are per person per day. A 10% hotel tax applies to all rooms.

November 20, 2011 - May 31, 2012

1 - 6 days

7 - 13 days

14 - 20 days

21 days or more

Cancellation Policy

Tent Space

$ 69

$ 64

$ 61

$ 58

Dormitory (3 - 4 beds)+

$ 79

$ 74

$ 70

$ 67

Cancellation of reservation may be done by calling our reception office prior to your arrival date.

• Refunds(1) are available: Up to 30 days prior to the scheduled arrival date - subject to deduction of Processing Fee(2).

30 days or less prior to the scheduled arrival date - subject to deduction of the Deposit.

• Credit Notes(3) will 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.

Teachers’ Training Course/ Advanced Teachers’ 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 accommodations fees only. No credit or refunds will be given for the tuition amount.

Tent Hut

$ 79

$ 74

$ 70

$ 67

Garden View Double Room+

$ 89

$ 83

$ 78

$ 75

Beachfront Double Room+

$ 99

$ 92

$ 87

$ 83

Single Room+

$ 99

$ 92

$ 87

$ 83

Bay View Double with A/C & private bathroom

$119

$111

$105

$100

Beachfront View Double with A/C & private bathroom

$129

$120

$114

$109

1 - 6 days

7 - 13 days

14 - 20 days

21 days or more

June 1 - November 19, 2012

Dormitory (3 - 4 beds)+

$ 79

$ 64

$ 61

$ 58

Garden View Double Room+

$ 89

$ 74

$ 70

$ 67

Beachfront Double Room+

$ 99

$ 83

$ 78

$ 75

Single Room

$ 99

$ 83

$ 78

$ 75

Bay View Double with A/C & private bathroom

$109

$102

$ 96

$ 92

Beachfront View Double with A/C & private bathroom

$119

$111

$105

$100

(1) Refunds will be done solely by way of crediting the credit card used for the applicable payment.

(2) Processing Fee in the amount of US $50 will be due in connection with any cancellation, in addition to any amount due.

(3) Credit Notes are valid for two years from the date of issue. Credit Notes can be used for booking a Yoga Vacation Program, 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 may not be transferred. * 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 ashram’s schedule or rooms layout.

Accommodation Discounts for Groups 10% discount for groups of 10 or more; 15% discount for a group of 20 people or more.

Group discounts apply only for accommodation rates and only if all members of the group register and pay together as a group for the same period of time. + Add $10 + tax for air-conditioned room.

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Program Guide

Nirvana Immersion Retreat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Geshe Michael Roach

Advanced Bhagavad Gita Certification Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 53 Swami Swaroopananda

Meditation Immersion Course . . . . . . . . . .44, 65 Swami Brahmananda

Meditation as a Path to Enlightenment: An Interfaith Symposium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Vedanta and Silence Course: Self-Discovery and Contemplation Practices . . 61

Swami Swaroopananda

Lalita Devi and the staff of the Well-Being Center

Inspiring Stories: My Time With the Guru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Certification Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Sita Chaitanya and Brahmachari Shankar

Marc Halpern

Meditation and Mind Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

From Physical to Mental Digestion: The Ayurvedic Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Yoga Therapy

John Douillard

The Healing Arts

Restorative Yoga: Yoga Therapy for Stress Reduction . . . . . . . . . 16

Yoga for Depression: Practitioner Training Course Level I . . . . . . . . 63

Thai Yoga Massage Level I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Nora Benian

Amy Weintraub with guest teacher, Dr. Shiley Telles

Kam Thye Chow

Yoga Courses

Teaching Yoga to Children Courses . . . . . . . . 64

Yoga and Life Enhancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Mira Binzen

Dale Buegel

Beginners’ Yoga Course . . . . . . . . . 15, 18, 24, 75 Sylvie Boisclair

Visual Yoga Teachers’ Training Course: Teaching Yoga to Hard of Hearing Persons . . 66

Intermediate Yoga Course . . . . . . . 15, 18, 24, 75

Lila Lolling

Breath, Mind and Hormones: Transforming the Mind and Balancing Hormones through Gentle Pranayama . . . . . . 29

Sylvie Boisclair

Yoga for the Special Child® LLC . . . . . . . . . 69

Fine Tune Your Postures . . . . . . . . 15, 18, 24, 75

Sonia Sumar

Sylvie Boisclair

Yoga for Grief Teacher’s Training Course . . . . 71

Advanced Asana Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Antonio Sausys

Shyam and Mohini

Chair Yoga Training Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Advanced Sadhana Retreat for Yoga Teachers . . 41

Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati)

Specialized Yoga Trainings

Meditation and Yoga Philosophy

Cardiac Yoga Teachers’ Training Program . . . . 39

The Art of Concentration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Mala Cunningham

Pregnancy Yoga Teachers’ Training Course . . . 50 Kashi Richardson

Adapt, Adjust, Accommodate: Adaptive Yoga Teachers’ Training Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Kashi Richardson

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Swami Brahmananda

Meditation, Healing and Inner Peace . . . . . . . 25

Align Your Spine, Align Your Mind . . . . . . . . 16 Michael Pyfrom

Homeopathy and Yoga: Philosophy and Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Dennis Chernin

Healing Chronic Pain: The Mind-Body Syndrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Paul Epstein

Claudia Welch

The Five Elements and Polarity Therapy . . . . 34

The Healing Power of Hatha Yoga . . . . . . . . . 40

John Beaulieu

Laurier-Pierre Desjardins

Polarity Therapy and Five Element Bodywork Training Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Thai Yoga Massage: Levels I, II and III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Kam Thye Chow and Mariana Mosca

John Beaulieu, Andreas Ledermann and Brigitta Raimann Ledermann

Yoga Nidra: The Practice of Deep Relaxation . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Easter and Passover Symposium and Celebration: Yoga and Sacred Healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Marc Halpern

Sensing the Sacred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Lench Archuleta

Yoga and Sound The Yoga of Sound and Voice Certification Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Tom Spector

John Beaulieu and Silvia Nakkach

Ancient Wisdom for a New World: The Spiritual Teachings of the Avatars . . . . . . 50

Sound, Healing and Consciousness . . . . . . . . . 45

Jeffrey Armstrong

Ayurveda and Yoga Wellness Advisor Certification Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Introduction to Ayurveda: Ancient Yogic Medicine for Healing Body and Mind . . . . . . 52

Molly Asebey-Birkholm, Robin Carnes, Karen Soltes, Pat Lillis-Hearne

Alan Wiuker

Alan Wiuker

Advanced Raja Yoga Certification Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 68

Yoga Teachers’ Training Course . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Swami Brahmananda, Shyam and Mohini

Introduction to Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) Certification Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Lalita Devi and the Well-Being Center Staff

Warriors at Ease: Teaching Yoga in Military Settings . . . . . . . . . 57

Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ Renewal Program . . 19

Ayurveda Body Treatments Certification Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Lalita Devi

Swami Sitaramananda

Yoga Teachers’ Trainings Advanced Yoga Teachers’ Training Course . . . 12

Ayurveda and Vedic Science

Zacciah Blackburn

The Yoga of Sleep: Sacred and Scientific Practices to Heal Sleeplessness . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Rubin Naiman

Nature’s Gifts of Healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Ida Thompson Rose

Healing the Light Body: Exploring Shamanic Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Theodore Tsavoussis

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Energy Healing

Interfaith

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Training Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Energy Medicine: The Hidden Link Between Emotions and Physical Health . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

The Power of Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Karen L. Arthur (Kamala)

Swami Brahmananda and Bahamian Clergy

Cairo Rocha

The Yoga of Recovery Retreat . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Christmas and New Year Symposium and Celebration Unity in Diversity . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Catherine O’Neill

Introduction to ThetaHealing®: The Healing Power of the Mind . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Yoga of Recovery Certificate Course for Counselors . . . . . . . . . . 62

Vianna Stibal

The Mystical Tradition of Eastern Christianity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

ThetaHealing® Basic Teachers’ Training . . . . . 21

Kyriacos C. Markides

Vianna Stibal

Yoga and Emotional Regulation . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Richard Panico

ThetaHealing® Advanced Teachers’ Training. . 21

On The Wings of Ecstasy: Interfaith Devotional Singing and Sacred Dance Festival . . . . . . . . . 33

Vianna Stibal

From Religion to Spirituality . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Introduction to The Work of Byron Katie®: Find What Is True For You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Inner Tuning: Yoga, the Chakras and Psychological Wellbeing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Thomas Moore and Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa

Kathy White

Meditation as a Path to Enlightenment: An Interfaith Symposium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

You and Your Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Shyamji Bhatnagar

Healing through Mystical Qigong . . . . . . . . . . 61 Master Ou Wen Wei

Natural Healing: The Doctrine of Signatures . .72 Cairo Rocha

Music, Dance and Kirtan Kirtan with Ragani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Ragani

Nutrition and Cooking

New Year’s Kirtan Concert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

New Year’s Detoxification and Juice Fasting Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

On The Wings of Ecstasy: Interfaith Devotional Singing and Sacred Dance Festival . . . . . . . . . 33

Manu Dawson, Sita Chaitanya and Grace Van Berkum

Classical Indian Music and Dance Festival . . . 43

Cooking for Life Force: Vegan Nutrition Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

The Yoga of Chant Retreat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Grace Van-Berkum

Preventing Diabetes with Yoga and Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Manu Dawson

Spring Detoxification and Juice Fasting Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Manu Dawson, Sita Chaitanya and Grace Van Berkum

Raw Food and Yoga Wellness Retreat . . . . . . . 69 Grace Van Berkum

Karnamrita Dasi

Krishna Das

The Strings of the Heart: Sitar Concert . . . . . 53 Anupama Bhagvat and Shyam Kane

Kirtan and the Bhakti Mandala: Healing through Chant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 David Newman and Mira

Devotion and Grace: Chanting Retreat . . . . . 67

Celeste Barrett (Rev. K.)

Non-Violent Communication: Cultivating Compassionate Interactions . . . . . 75 Kiran Patel

Consciousness and the Spirit Life after Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Raymond Moody

From Science to God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Edwin Bryant

Peter Russell

Exploring our Essential Nature: Teachings from the Drig Drishya Viveka . . . . 53

Miraculous Moments: True Stories Affirming That Life Goes On . . . 76

Foundations of Vedanta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

The Three Waves of Volunteers and the New Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Swami Medhananda Puri

Dolores Cannon

Science of the Sidhis: Exploring Yogic Perfections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Songs of the Beloved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Dean Radin

Atmarama dasa

Cultivating Love in Our Interpersonal Relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Deirdre Fay

Step Out of Stress: Ultimate Self-Care Retreat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Susan Lord

Healing Trauma through Deep Relaxation . . . 24 Molly Asebey-Birkholm

Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Joe Dispenza

Guided Imagery and Creative Visualization . . 45 Julie Lusk

Swami Shantananda

Elissa Al-Chokhachy

Jai Uttal and Daniel Paul

The Mind and Emotions

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Swami Sitaramananda and Catherine O’Neill

Wisdom from the Yogic Scriptures Becoming a Perfected Yogi: Teachings from the Second Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita . . . 29 Swami Tattvavidananda

The Descent of Grace: Teachings from the Hanuman Chalisa and the Bhagavad Gita . . . 40

The Yoga of Divine Love: A Bhakti Yoga Retreat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Radhanath Swami and Gaura Vani

Cultivating True Love: Teachings from the Bhaja Govindam . . . . . . . 71 Swami Prakashananda

Yoga for the Family Thanksgiving Celebration and Family Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Arjuna and Kumari

Family Holiday Yoga Vacation . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Omkari and Sanatani

Swamini Paramananda Saraswati

Explore the Bahamas, Explore Yourself! . . . . . 42

Realizing Ultimate Reality: Teachings on the Self . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Easter and Passover Family Program . . . . . . . . 60

Swami Atmananda

Arjuna Barb Van Maris and Sanatani

The Beautiful Legend of God: Teachings from the Srimad Bhagavata Purana . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

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Yoga for Everyday Living

Painting Planet Mandalas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Perfect Your Balance Postures . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati)

Awakening Your Authentic Voice: Becoming a Writer through Yoga . . . . . . . . . . 36

Gentle Yoga for the 50 Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Jeff Davis

Gloria McCartney (Radha)

Yoga as Muse: Creative Writing Course . . . . . 36

Yoga @ Home: Making Yoga Part of Your Daily Routine . . . . 35

Jeff Davis

Gloria McCartney (Radha)

Sita Chaitanya

Mavis Gewant

Sacred Art: Express Divine Inspiration . . 46, 66

Beginners Yoga Immersion Week . . . . . . . . . . 40

Arjuna

Yoga and Social Engagement

Practical Spirituality: Life and Teachings of Swami Vishnudevananda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Yogis Without Borders: Training for Activist Yoga Teachers . . . . . . . . 47

Arjuna

Deeper into the Five Points of Yoga . . . . . . . . 42

Arjuna

Yoga for Seniors Retreat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Catherine Gilies (Kumari)

Yoga for Seniors Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Elaine Valdov

Becoming a Peace Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Elaine Valdov

Catherine Gilies (Kumari) and Rene Engels

Yoga and Permaculture: Vedic Ecology in Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Yoga and Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Swami Omkarananda

Brian Culkin and Grace Van Berkum

Living a Life that Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Yoga for Home Practice: Establishing a Daily Spiritual Routine . . . . . . 76

Roshi Bernie Glassman and Roshi Eve Myonen Marko

Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati)

Yoga Peace Ambassadors Certification Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Elaine Valdov

Sacred Art and Creativity

Yoga for Peace Symposium: Changing the World from the Inside Out . . . 70

Writing from the Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Virginia Frances Schwartz

Yantra Painting: Transformation through Sacred Form . . . . . . . 31 Mavis Gewant

Chakra Immersion: Painting, Chanting and Understanding Sacred Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Mavis Gewant

Holidays and Traditional Ceremonies

with Our Electronic Media Channels Social Networks

Swami Swaroopananda

• Be the first to know of our events and updates • Enjoy beautiful photos of the Ashram • Keep posted with Articles posted about us in magazines • Read inspiring quotes by our Masters a nd other spiritual teachers

Easter Sunrise Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Ayyappa Puja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Krishnan Namboodiri

Maha Sivaratri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Krishnan Namboodiri

Passover Seder Celebration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Swami Swaroopananda, Fr. John Rossner, Bishop Elkin Symonette and the Ebenezer Baptist Choir

www.facebook.com/SivanandaAshramYoga Retreat http://twitter.com/#!/SivanandaBahama

Thanksgiving Celebration and Family Program: Discover the Joy in Gratitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Youtube

Arjuna and Kumari

• Receive teachings and sights during those times when you can’t actually be at the Ashram • Get a video look at life in the ashram • Watch and listen as Swami Swaroopananda answers students’ questions and gives open addresses on special occasions

Christmas and New Year Symposium and Celebration Unity in Diversity: Realizing the Oneness of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Easter and Passover Symposium and Celebration: Yoga and Sacred Healing . . . . . . 58

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Stay Informed and Get Inspired • Watch segments of talks by world- renowned speakers as they present their programs at the Ashram • Enjoy transcendent chanting If you subscribe to our channel, you will even receive a notice whenever a new video comes out. http://www.youtube.com/sivanandabahamas

Enewsletter • Read inspiring articles on a variety of yoga, healing arts, nutrition and many other topics by world renowned practitioners • Get inspired by excerpts from questions and answers sessions with Swami Swaroopananda, the Ashram’s Director and spiritual preceptor • Stay up-to-date with the ashram’s upcoming events and season highlights To subscribe and view our enews archive click on the enews link on our homepage.

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