Sivananda

2013⁄14Expand your horizons
2013⁄14

Dear friends,
I offer my heartfelt blessings to you from the Yoga Retreat
in the Bahamas. It is my pleasure to present the 2013–2014
program, designed with great care to allow you to go deeper on
your spiritual path; to expand your heart, your mind, and your
horizons; and to discover the joy of our unity and the beauty of
our diversity.
This program is inspired by the vision of our Guru, Swami
Visnudevananda, who left a profound and complex legacy. As the years pass, it
becomes ever more clear that his mission to help humanity was based on deep
wisdom and insight. To him, the source of our human suffering came from the
level of our consciousness and the remedy involved a shift of consciousness
that would uplift humanity into higher dimensions. He foresaw this shift, which
is taking place at this time, but he also knew that like all transformations, it could
be painful and difficult. His work was to ease the pain, sooth the transition, and
help humanity move forward towards a bright future. He did so by training yoga
teachers, conducting peace missions, and teaching humanity about the four
paths of yoga and the yoga of synthesis.
Swamiji also recognized that some souls incarnated with the purpose of helping
mankind in this transition, including many yogis, saints, spiritual leaders, healers,
scientists, sacred artists, and musicians. He made it a point to find those
individuals, to invite them to our ashrams and centers, and to ask them to share
their knowledge, their wisdom, and their light. His vision was to bring them
together so they could interact with one another and let their light truly shine.
In next season’s program, we bring together previously skeptical scientists who
awakened to new truths and ground-breaking researchers investigating the
nature of reality; we gather rabbis, priests, lamas, and swamis to debate on the
ultimate goal of the spiritual path; we invite Ayurvedic healers, Chinese doctors,
herbalists, shamans, and physicians to share their vision of health and vitality;
and we welcome cantors, gospel choirs, Sufi singers, and kirtan groups to share
the ecstasy of devotional singing. Through these gatherings, we continue the
mission of Swami Visnudevananda to help humanity on its karmic journey.
I invite you to participate in these events of light, beauty, and wisdom and to
contribute by bringing in your own light. We are privileged to be alive at this
time, a time that yogis, mystics, scientists, and spiritual leaders recognize as the
most special and unique in the history of humanity and planet Earth. Join us, and
be part of this truth.
Wishing you a wonderful, fulfilling, and shining year ahead!
Om shanti, Om peace,
Swami Swaroopananda
Director
A Message from Swami Swaroopananda

2 Our Lineage
3 Ways to Visit
4 About Us
6 The Well-Being Center
8 The Yoga Vacation Program
10 Yoga Teacher Training Course
12 Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Course
14 Programs with Swami Swaroopananda
16 Foundation Yoga Courses
18 November to June Programs
98 Summer–Fall 2014 Previews
100 Join Our Online Community
101 Professional Accreditation
102 Residential Study Programs
104 Plan Your Visit
106 Registration and Rates
108 Teacher and Presenter Index
110 Program Guide
Welcome
Get started
Contents
Deepen
Explore
Useful info

Our Lineage
The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat follows an unbroken lineage of teachers
who practice the classical yogic wisdom of Swami Sivananda, which
was introduced to the West by his disciple, Swami Vishnudevananda. We are
part of an ever-growing international organization of Sivananda ashrams and
centers, with the mission to share peace, health, and joy through yoga.
Swami Sivananda (1887-1963)
A venerated saint of modern times, Swami Sivananda is the
inspiration behind the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta
Centres. Following a brilliant career as a medical doctor,
Swami Sivananda renounced worldly life and established the
Sivananda Ashram and Divine Life Society in Rishikesh, India.
He became one of the most prolific yoga teachers who has ever lived, authoring
more than 300 books. Although he rarely left Rishikesh, Swami Sivananda’s
teachings quickly spread worldwide, continuing to deeply touch and transform
the lives of many to this day.
Swami Vishnudevananda (1927-1993)
Swami Vishnudevananda trained under Swami Sivananda
in all aspects of yoga for ten years, becoming a world
authority on yoga. In 1957, Swami Sivananda sent Swami
Vishnudevananda to spread the teachings of yoga in the
West, where he founded and directed the International
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and created the first Yoga Teacher Training
Course to empower individuals to be ambassadors of peace through Swami
Sivananda’s yoga teachings. A tireless campaigner for world peace and a master
of Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga, he authored the now classic books The Complete
Illustrated Book of Yoga and Meditation and Mantras.
2 www.sivanandabahamas.org

Welcome
Located on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, on one of the finest beaches in the world, the
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat is a true oasis of calm and natural beauty, and offers a
unique combination of a traditional ashram and a modern yoga retreat. Visit by yourself,
come with a friend, or bring your whole family—our staff will welcome you and be happy to
assist you during your stay with us. There are three ways to visit:
Take a Yoga Vacation YVP
Rest, relax, and recharge. The Yoga Vacation Program offers the perfect balance between
activity and leisure time. Enjoy daily yoga classes and silent meditation sessions. Expand
your horizons with mid-day workshops and inspiring evening talks. Treat yourself to a
healing session or a private yoga class. Take quality time alone or connect with others.
Offered year-round; see pages 8 and 9 for more information.
Learn, Train, Get Certified C PT
Explore a topic of interest through one of our course offerings with leading teachers,
authors, and guides. Or gain new skills and certifications through highly-respected
professional trainings to expand your career as a yoga teacher, healer, health-care
professional, counselor, or yoga practitioner. Complemented by morning and evening
practices and events at the ashram, you’ll experience a full learning immersion. Choose from
a wide variety of date-specific offerings; see pages 18–99.
CEU Many of our courses and trainings are approved for Yoga Alliance credits and/or
Continuing Education Units (CEUs). See page 101 for professional accreditation information.
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 102–103 for details.
3Welcome

About Us
The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat provides you with an optimal environment for spiritual
growth, healing, and relaxation. Experience the full benefits of a physical, mental, and
spiritual transformation as you retreat from the stressors and distractions of your life to
discover a healthier, happier you.
The Temple
The main temple is an inviting semi
open-air structure built on a spot rich
with spiritual energies. Two additional
temples elevate the spiritual vibration of
the ashram, both with grace and beauty.
Several daily pujas (rituals) are conducted
either by our Tantric priest from India or
by the senior staff.
The Setting
Practice yoga on spacious platforms
located amongst the swaying palms of the
garden, or facing the clear blue water of the
Caribbean. Take a break on the white sand
beach or enjoy the shade of the tropical
gardens. Relax amidst colorful flowers that
bloom throughout the gardens and the
beautiful bird songs that fill the air.

Boutique, Bookstore,
and Health Hut
In our cozy, welcoming Boutique,
Bookstore and Health Hut, you can find
an inspiring book and music selection and
get your favorite yoga gear or souvenirs,
including something special from our
new line of organic cotton t-shirts and
traditional attire and accessories brought
from India. Share a snack with some friends
or take a private break and delight yourself
with a selection of natural products, freshly
squeezed juices, and a variety of freshly
baked delights from the Health Hut. The
Boutique is open on a regular schedule
from December to June and on a smaller
scale during the rest of the year.
Stay in Touch While Away
Free wireless Internet is available
throughout most of the 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.
Accommodations
Pleasant and simple lodgings include a
choice of rooms overlooking the ocean,
or comfortable garden cabins. We offer
a variety of accommodation options,
ranging from self-pitched tents to
luxurious beachfront suites, allowing you
to spend your time with us in the way
that is optimal for you. See pages 106–107
for accommodation options and rates.
Visit our website for further details about
our accommodations accompanied by
photographs.
Meals
Enjoy a variety of delicious and nutritious
vegetarian meals made with loving care
according to yogic dietary principles for a
healthy and calm body and mind. Savor the
flavor of freshly baked bread, homemade
granola, and breakfast spreads. Nourish
your body with hearty soups and bean,
lentil, and vegetable dishes. Make your own
salad with our raw vegetables buffet, and
relax with daily herbal tea. Have your meal in
the company of other yogis and vacationers
by the ocean, in the garden, or in the dining
area.
5About Us

The Well-Being
Center
Take time between workshops and yoga
classes to nourish yourself through
healing treatments and consultations
with our skilled practitioners. An
integral component of holistic living,
our services are designed to bring your
body and mind into balance and nurture
natural health.
Services offered:
Ayurvedic Consultation
Ayurveda is an ancient system of holistic
living that teaches us how to balance our
daily life based on our individual physical
and mental constitution. An Ayurvedic
consultation is a two-hour meeting with
an Ayurvedic practitioner who will explore
your unique constitution, evaluate the
signs and causes of actual or potential
imbalances, and design a treatment plan
specifically for you.

To make an appointment
From December 1 to May 31
Call 1-242-363-2902
Email nassau@sivananda.org
From June 1 to November 30
Email Lalitadevi@sivananda.org
Welcome
Lalita Devi, Director of the Well-Being
Center, is a Clinical Ayurveda Specialist,
panchakarma specialist, and Sivananda
Yoga teacher. A graduate and former
faculty of the California College of
Ayurveda, she teaches Ayurveda
workshops and trainings internationally
and also runs the Ayurveda Center at
the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch in
New York. Lalita’s background includes
herbalism, aromatherapy, polarity
therapy, Reiki, and trauma-resolution
therapy.
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.
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 bodywork modalities will customize
the massage for you to have a relaxing and
rejuvenating experience.
Thai Yoga Massage
Thai Yoga Massage is a bodywork
treatment that relieves muscular
tension, improves circulation, boosts the
immune system, and balances the body
energetically to facilitate mind-body
integration.
Contact us
The Well-Being Center is open from
December to June. We recommend
scheduling treatments in advance to
ensure availability.
7The Well-Being Center

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 and
meditation—the Yoga Vacation Program offers you the ideal way to take a real break from
your everyday life. Whether you are new to yoga or a well-established practitioner, the
Yoga Vacation Program will bring you back into balance.
The flow of your day
Morning Start the day at 6 am with the serenity of early morning meditation, joyful
chanting, and a spiritual talk. Energize your body while preserving the meditative mood
with an 8 am yoga class. Brunch will await you at 10 am.
Mid-day Create your own optimal afternoon schedule. Take an experiential workshop,
attend a lecture, or enjoy a healing art session.* Relax on the beach, take a swim, or
enjoy a 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 pm yoga class and feel your body
achieve its maximum flexibility. Observe as your breath gets calmer and your mind
clearer in the serenity of your afternoon practice. Dinner will await you after the class.
Take an early evening walk on the beach and enjoy a beautiful sunset.
Evening Join the evening satsang at 8 pm and let the company of positive, like-minded
people uplift you. Meditate, chant, and enjoy a lecture by a world-renowned presenter,
devotional music, or dance performance. Drift to sleep fulfilled and inspired.
* Healing arts sessions are available through the Well-Being Center; view menu of services on pages 6–7.
The Yoga Vacation
Program

During your stay
We welcome more than 200 distinguished presenters each year through our Yoga Vacation
Program. They are spiritual teachers of different traditions, scientists, healers, religious
leaders, authors, and musicians, each one a jewel in their discipline.
These presenters offer experiential workshops, musical events, spiritual teachings and
rituals, holiday programs, special events, and participate in symposia on important topics.
These programs form an integral part of your Yoga Vacation Program experience and vary
based on the dates of your stay.
Look for programs marked YVP in the Calendar of Events (pages 18 to 99)
to see what’s happening when you plan to stay with us—or to plan your
stay to coincide with a particular program or presenter.
Please Note: All Yoga Vacation Programs are open to all guests.
See pages 106–107 for Yoga Vacation Program rates. Healing arts sessions are not included.
Families with children are welcome; see page 105 for information about children at the Yoga Retreat.
9The Yoga Vacation Program

www.sivanandabahamas.org
The Sivananda Yoga Teacher 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, the TTC offers a unique opportunity
for immersion in an authentic and comprehensive study
of all aspects of yoga practice. In addition to providing
teacher trainees with an in-depth knowledge and
practice of classical yoga, Swami Vishnudevananda,
who created the TTC as part of his global peace
initiative, structured it in such a way 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 and 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 requirements for the RYT-200
certification by the Yoga Alliance. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are also available to
graduates of the TTC.
Sivananda Yoga
Teacher Training
Course
PT 200-HOUR CERTIFICATION
Take your yoga the next step.
Dates:
December 4–31, 2013
January 4–31, 2014
February 3–March 2
March 5–April 1
April 4–May 1
May 5–June 1
10

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’s, adaptive, and prenatal yoga.
• 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 the
practice of yoga with classes on yogic diet
and nutrition; study the mechanics and
innumerable benefits of the practice of yoga
on the body and mind through a focused
study of human anatomy and physiology.
• Learn meditation techniques and theory;
enhance your concentration abilities and
learn to dive deep within and find peace in
silence.
• 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.
• Become part of the community and purify
your heart and mind through
Karma Yoga (the practice of selfless service).
• 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
of ancient yogic scriptures; gain a precious
understanding of the inner workings of
your mind through yoga philosophy and
psychology.
Testimonials
“Best experience I have ever had! I have
grown not only intellectually but spiritually
as well. I highly recommend Sivananda TTC!”
—Joy Higgans
“Thank you for everything. It was a
wonderful TTC course. My journey has
deepened spiritually, emotionally, physically,
and mentally. Sivananda TTC offered
everything I resonated with. It was a
privilege to be a part of this lineage.”
—Patti Saar
“I really enjoyed the program and I don’t
want to leave. This feels like home to me.”
—Josh Mosely
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 worldwide.
Course Fee
Tent Space $2,400
(please bring your own tent)
Dormitory or Tent Hut $3,290
Rates include tuition and accommodations.
Please contact our reception office for
single or double accommodation options
and prices.
For registration process, a detailed curriculum,
information about the daily schedule, arrival and
departure, and other useful information, please visit
our website. For all other inquiries, please contact
our reception office.
11Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course

Advanced Yoga
Teacher Training
Course
January 4–31, 2014
PT 500-HOUR CERTIFICATION

Curriculum
• Hatha Yoga Advanced variations
and prolonged holding of the asanas
(postures); advanced pranayama
(breathing), mudras (energy seals), and
bandhas (energy locks).
• Jnana Yoga Study of Vedanta
philosophy, including study of Jnana
Yoga theory and Vedantic meditation
techniques.
• Sanskrit Sanskrit alphabet and correct
pronunciation and spelling of mantras
and hymns.
• Raja Yoga An in-depth study of Patanjali
Yoga Sutras.
• Bhakti Yoga The nine modes of Bhakti
and the five attitudes (Bhavas) of
devotion.
• Karma Yoga Karma Yoga as an inner
attitude of selfless service.
Practicalities
Course Book Meditation and Mantras
by Swami Vishnudevananda (available
for purchase at our boutique and in all
Sivananda centers worldwide).
Course Fee See TTC course fees on page 11.
Students registering simultaneously for the
TTC and the ATTC (500-hour Yoga Alliance
Certification) will receive a 10% discount on
the total tuition for both courses.
Prerequisite
Graduation from the Sivananda Yoga
Teacher Training Course or Integral Yoga
Teacher Training Course (Please contact
our reception if you are a graduate from
another teacher training program.)
For registration, a detailed curriculum, information
about the daily schedule and other useful informa-
tion, visit our website. For all other inquiries, please
contact us by e-mail or phone.
The Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Course (ATTC) is taught by senior staff members
of the Sivananda organization, who are highly experienced practitioners and teachers.
It fulfills the requirements for the Yoga Alliance RYT-500 certification.
Designed to deepen and expand the knowledge and practice of certified yoga teachers,
the ATTC is a 4-week immersion into advanced yogic practices. Whether you are an active
yoga teacher or a certified yoga teacher who would like to strengthen your own practice,
the ATTC 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.
Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Course 13

Programs with
Swami
Swaroopananda
C March 16–26
Advanced Bhagavad
Gita 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 seven. Students
who did not participate in last year’s course
are welcome to attend and are advised
to read chapters one through six of the
Bhagavad Gita with Swami Sivananda’s
commentary.
C April 23–May 3
Advanced Raja Yoga
Course
Part IV, Kaivalya Pada
Tuition: $490. Add 12 nights’ accommodation
Join us as Swami Swaroopananda takes us
on a journey of exploring the Royal Path
to Enlightenment, the path of Raja Yoga.
Focusing on the “Kaivalya Pada,” the fourth
and final chapter of the Yoga Sutras of
Patanjali Maharishi, Swami Swaroopananda
will inspire and grant knowledge to lead
us through the last stage of the Raja Yoga
path, in which the practitioner attains final
liberation and, free from attachments and
sorrows, basks in the inner light of the
Self. Participation in courses I–III is not a
prerequisite for taking this course.
14

YVP Questions and Answers
on Yoga and Spiritual Life
Join us for an evening of Q&A with Swami Swaroopananda.
Ask anything you ever wanted to know about yoga practice,
philosophy and the spiritual path. The answers are steeped
in rare wisdom and deep understanding of the teachings and
practice of yoga. Swami Swaroopananda is renowned for
his clear, concise, and complete answers. While presented in
simple terms, his answers are illuminating and hold within them
vast knowledge. He dispels doubts and fears, clears troubled
minds, and inspires the listeners to strive and advance on the
spiritual path and become better citizens of the world.
Dates:
December 28
January 28
February 20
March 30
April 21
May 29
Swami Swaroopananda is a senior disciple of Swami
Vishnudevananda. A practicing yogi from a very young age,
Swami Swaroopananda has dedicated his life to the practice and
teaching of yoga. He taught in Yoga Teacher Training Courses
around the world and is currently teaching advanced yoga
philosophy courses and lectures internationally. He is Director
of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat and Acharya (spiritual
director) for the Sivananda centers and ashrams on the West Coast of the United
States, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. He is a member of the Board of
Directors of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres.
15Programs with Swami Swaroopananda

www.sivanandabahamas.org
C Yoga for Beginners
5-day tuition: $220. Add 6 nights’ accommodation
Weekend tuition: $150. Add 4 nights’ accommodation
Embark on your journey into the practice of
yoga in a beautiful, nurturing environment.
Discover the Five Points of Yoga for health
and inner peace: proper exercise, proper
breathing, proper relaxation, proper diet,
and positive thinking and meditation. Learn
the basic Sivananda asana sequence and
immerse yourself in guided practice and
theory studies. You will gain many tools for
continuing your practice at home.
5-day Course Weekend
December 1–5 November 29–December 1
January 5–9 March 28–30
February 2–6 May 30–June 1
March 1–5
April 6–10
May 4–8
Foundation
Yoga Courses
Taught by senior yoga teachers and staff members of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat.
C Intermediate Yoga
Tuition: $220. Add 6 nights’ accommodation.
Ready to take your yoga practice to the
next level? Under the guidance of our
experienced teachers, you will enjoy
the perfect opportunity to expand and
advance your practice, establishing it on a
broader base. Explore variations on the 12
basic postures, and learn advanced yoga
asanas. Get a practical and theoretical
introduction to meditation, positive
thinking, Ayurveda, and the yogic diet.
5-day Course
January 19–23
February 7–11
April 21–25
May 18–22
Start and establish a practice.

C Positive Thinking
5-day tuition: $220. Add 6 nights’ accommodation.
Discover simple, practical tools for
entertaining positive and creative thoughts
that contribute to vibrant health and a
peaceful, joyful mind. Exploring thoughts,
their nature, and how they create your
reality, you will learn how to identify the
habitual thought patterns that prevent you
from fulfilling your highest potential. By
applying practical methods of self-inquiry,
imagery, and positive affirmations, you will
acquire tools for cultivating a higher state of
mind that will result in a more harmonious,
peaceful, and successful life.
November 24–28 December 20–22
March 23–27 January 17–19
May 25–29 May 9–11
June 16–20
C Advanced Yoga
Develop a more precise and focused asana
practice. Learn more variations, and deepen
your knowledge of yoga philosophy and
lifestyle. Discover the joy and tranquility that
follow a practice of steady and comfortable
postures. This course is tailored for people
at an intermediate level of yoga practice
who would like to expand and diversify their
pranayama and asana practice.
5-day Course
February 12–16
C Introduction to Meditation
5-day tuition: $220. Add 6 nights’ accommodation
Embark on a journey into your inner self.
Learn concentration and meditation
techniques and take your first steps towards
attaining a calm and blissful mind. You will
practice sitting postures, deep relaxation,
breathing exercises, concentration, and
methods of introducing positive suggestions
in the subconscious mind. An introduction
to the philosophy and psychology of the
practice of meditation will complement the
experiential practice. You will gain inspiration
and strength for developing your practice of
meditation, while you are here and at home.
December 15–19 November 1–3
March 9–13 December 6–8
June 9–13 January 24–26
February 21–23
May 23–25
17Foundation Yoga Courses

November
C November 5–9
Introduction to
Sivananda Yoga
Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati)
Tuition: $200 Add 6 nights’ accommodation.
Gain access to the wisdom and
transformative power of the Sivananda
Yoga lineage. This course will introduce you
to the daily routine, basic practices, and
philosophy of yoga as taught by Swami
Sivananda. One of his foremost disciples,
Swami Vishnudevananda, condensed
the teachings into the 5 Points of Yoga:
proper exercise, proper breathing, proper
relaxation, proper diet, and positive
thinking and meditation. Learn about and
experience each of these and leave with
tools to continue your practice at home.
Z Course book: Yoga, Mind and Body,
published by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta
Centre.
is a lifelong dancer who
found yoga while searching
for a body-mind practice
that also provided spiritual
guidance. An instructor in the
Sivananda Teacher Training
Course, she is known for her ability to assist
students in improving inner attentiveness.
YVP November 8–10
Healing Chronic Pain
The Mind-Body Syndrome
Paul Epstein
Pain 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 toward pain. Together, we will
explore the mind-body connection and how
biography becomes biology. By employing
skillful means and practicing understanding,
intention, and effort, you will embark on a
healing journey as you work through old
conditioned patterns to unlearn pain.
Paul Epstein, ND, is a
naturopathic physician,
mind-body therapist, and
mindfulness meditation and
yoga teacher. Focusing on
behavioral medicine, stress,
and lifestyle counseling, Dr.
Epstein lectures and presents workshops
throughout the United States.
C November 1–3
Introduction to Meditation
Develop a personal meditation practice.
Page 17.

YVP November 1–3
Karma Yoga: Love in Action
Swami Brahmananda
Often translated as
“selfless service,”
Karma Yoga is the
yoga of action. One of
the four paths of yoga,
Karma Yoga purifies
the heart and mind;
in forgetting yourself
and serving others out
of love, you discover
new depths of love
and joy within you.
Failure is impossible:
the outcome of
Karma Yoga is always
success in gaining
spiritual progress. You’ll learn the spiritual
foundations of Karma Yoga, connect with
an inner desire to serve, practice selfless
service, and reflect on your experiences.
YVP November 4–7
Cultivating Vairagya
The Practice of Non-Attachment
We are all looking for happiness, but
according to the teachings of yoga, we
usually fail to obtain it because we are
looking in the wrong place. We think that
through more wealth, more entertainment,
more objects, we will become happy.
But yoga teaches us that happiness is
within, that it is our own nature. The
way to gain happiness is to let go of our
attachments to external objects and
false identifications. By letting go of the
false, we are left with the truth of our own
essential nature.
Swami Brahmananda
is Manager of the Yoga
Retreat and senior staff
member of the Sivananda
organization. A long-time
practitioner of yoga, he
regularly teaches yoga
philosophy and meditation for the Teacher
Training Course as well as meditation
immersion courses.
PT November 9–17
Ayurveda Body Treatments
Certification Course
Lalita Devi
Designed especially for massage therapists,
Ayurveda practitioners, and yoga teachers
and practitioners, this 9-day course offers
training in four treatments: abhyanga,
traditional oil massage; shirodhara, the
pouring of oil on the forehead; nasya, the
introduction of oil into the nasal passages;
and svedana, gentle heat therapy. You will
learn about health and disease from an
Ayurvedic perspective and experience the
treatments as a spiritual practice for both
giver and receiver. More information online.
Z Two hands-on experience days in
Ayurvedic body treatments (November
18 and 19); Tuition: $50/day plus
accommodation.
Lalita Devi bio on page 7.
YVP November 10–13
Create Your Sacred Space
Introduction to Vastu Shastra
Olga Mandodari Sokolova (Narayani)
Vastu Shastra is a 10,000-year-old Indian
practice of designing and constructing
buildings to influence peace and prosperity
by means of design. Learn the basic
concepts of Vastu Shastra, or the workings
of Divine Space and the Absolute Time
manifesting into matter. Explore the direct
link between the energies of the cosmos,
Earth, the home, and the human form, and
acquire tools to apply the principles of
Vastu Shastra when designing your living
environment.
Olga Mandodari Sokolova,
MS, certified Vastu Shastra
consultant, studied at
the International Institute
of Mayonic Science and
Technology in Chennai,
India, under Dr. V. Ganapati
Sthapati, a renowned traditional architect of
Southern India who used Vastu principles in
his projects.
19YVP C PT Page 3

Thai Yoga Massage
Kam Thye Chow
Tuition: Each individual training $535; add 7 nights’ accommodation.
Any two: $945; add 14 nights’ accommodation. 1, 2, and 3 together: $1,400; add 21 nights’ accommodation.
All four together: $1,800; add 28 nights’ accommodation.
Thai Yoga Massage is an ancient system of yoga therapy
that combines yoga postures with touch technique.
It promotes deep relaxation and healing, improves
circulation, boosts the immune system, balances the body
energetically, and facilitates mind-body integration. As a
therapeutic practice, it is a dynamic form of yoga for the
practitioner as well as the recipient.
Gain a strong foundation in the key elements of Thai
Yoga Massage and learn how to perform a full 90-minute
customized session (and an expanded 2-hour session
in Level 2). Level 3 will teach you practical methods of
applying Ayurvedic knowledge to deepen the therapeutic
quality of your practice, including a new 60-minute protocol
customized to the recipient’s body-type (Vata, Pitta, or Kapha),
while Level 4 deepens knowledge and experience for creating
personalized 4-session wellness programs for individuals.
Z Visit website for full information.
Kam Thye Chow pioneered a methodology that combines Thai
Yoga Massage with its yogic and Ayurvedic roots. He is founder of
the Lotus Palm School in Montreal and the author of several books,
including Thai Yoga Therapy for Your Body Type: An Ayurvedic
Tradition.
Level 1: November 10–15
February 9–14
May 18–23
Level 2: November 17–22
February 16–21
May 25–30
Level 3: February 23–28
Level 4: March 2–7
PT Yoga Therapy Practitioner Program Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4
20

Stress and Weight
Management
Katie Papo (Ambika)
Join us for a motivating and inspirational
week of workshops exploring links between
stress and weight management. You
are warmly invited to de-stress, explore
relationships with food, and engage
in exercises that facilitate self-care,
introspection and healing. Relax in a tropical
paradise and learn practical methods to
take home to support your successful and
healthy lifestyle.
Katie Papo (Ambika) is a
Sivananda Yoga teacher
who designs and leads
customized wellness
programs, specializing
in holistic approaches
to lasting and effective
weight management. She has empowered
hundreds of people to transcend limiting
behavior and adopt healthy lifestyles.
C November 11–14
Advanced Asana Practice
Take advantage of this opportunity to
learn intricate, more advanced asanas and
receive the guidance you need to progress
into a steady and comfortable practice.
Visualization, meditation, and positive
thinking will also be taught and practiced
to allow for longer and steadier holding
of the postures. Join a highly experienced
Sivananda Yoga teacher and teacher
trainer and discover a whole range of new
possibilities in your practice.
Z Course book: The Complete Illustrated
Book of Yoga, Swami Vishnudevananda.
Sylvie Boisclair (Saraswati) bio on page 18.
The Yoga of Devotion
Practicing Bhakti Yoga
Swami Brahmananda
Bhakti Yoga, known as the Yoga of
Devotion, is a time-tested method of
transforming emotion to devotion, which
is a heightened energy of divine love.
Considered the shortest way to attain
lasting bliss, Bhakti Yoga connects yoga
practitioners with their hearts, make them
loving and compassionate in daily life.
Through chanting of the Divine names
and immersion in stories, we will create a
celebration of the divine glories, opening
our hearts to deep peace.
Swami Brahmananda bio on page 19.
C November 14–17
Gracious Living
4-Day Liquid Detox
Grace Van Berkum
This 4-day cleanse is designed to detox
your body in a gentle and nourishing way.
Enjoy alkalinizing juices, detox smoothies,
and cleansing gazpachos, combined with
nutrition discussions, yoga, breathing
exercises, meditation, and relaxation. The
cleanse will help reduce inflammation,
cleanse the internal organs, recalibrate the
taste buds, reset the appetite, and clear the
mind. Gracious Living recipes are included.
We’ll end the detox with a special raw-food
graduation dinner. More online.
Grace Van Berkum is
a registered holistic
nutritionist, Sivananda Yoga
teacher, certified personal
trainer, and raw and vegan
recipe creator. Passionate
about the healing powers of
live foods and yoga, she regularly teaches
at the Yoga Retreat.
21YVP C PT Page 3

Yoga Therapy for
Stress Reduction
Nora Benian (Sundari)
Learn how to relieve tension, stress, and
stagnant energy and address 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
Ayurvedic and Thai Yoga Massage
principles, you will practice freeing the
flow of the precious life force and feel vital
and serene.
Nora Benian (Sundari) bio on page 23.
C November 16–20
Yoga for Home Practice
Establishing a Daily
Spiritual Routine
Many of us are motivated to practice yoga,
meditation, and other spiritual practices
while we are on retreat, but find it difficult
to have a regular practice while we are at
home. Come learn how to combine yoga
with your daily routine and learn tips and
insights that will help you discover the
discipline you need. We will explore Swami
Sivananda’s 20 Spiritual Instructions, which
will give you a firm foundation for a steady
spiritual routine, and point you toward calm,
peace and lasting happiness.
Healing the Light Body
Exploring Shamanic Medicine
Theodore Tsavoussis
Explore shamanic body-mind medicine,
a transformational approach to healing.
Discover how to shed your 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 back to your mind, body, and
soul and you’ll walk through life as a fully
conscious being, bringing light, peace, and
beauty to everyone around you.
Theodore Tsavoussis
earned professional
certification in energy
medicine from the Four
Winds Healing the Light
Body program. He traveled
to numerous sacred sites
in the Amazon and the Andes, where he
worked with indigenous shamans. He
practices energy medicine in Nassau,
Bahamas.
Understanding Your
Ayurvedic Constitution
The Key to Health and Well-Being
Marisa Laursen (Sri Devi)
Learn the basic principles of Ayurveda,
the oldest system of medicine in the
world and the sister science to yoga.
Ayurveda is based on the laws of nature,
and is considered to be a direct reflection
of the healing wisdom inherent in life
itself. In simplest terms, Ayurveda is the
wisdom that explains what conditions
are necessary for each of us to thrive.
By learning about your Ayurvedic
constitution, you become empowered to
take charge of your own health.
Marisa Laursen (Sri
Devi), CAS, AYT, is a
graduate and a senior
member of the faculty
of the California College
of Ayurveda. She is a
and has an active Ayurvedic clinical
practice in Chino, California.

C November 19–22
Gracious Living Raw
Vegan Holiday Course
Grace Van Berkum
Learn special raw, vegan dishes that are
perfect for holidays and celebrations.
Together we will prepare and enjoy
delicious, nutrient-dense, raw soups, salad
dressings, patés, dips, entrées, side dishes,
and desserts that are surprisingly easy
to make. All foods will be wheat-, gluten-,
sugar-, dairy-, and soy-free. We will also
discuss the many benefits of raw and
vegan foods and you’ll take home a recipe
book for your next special occasion. Make
this a unique, healthy, and detoxifying
holiday. More online.
Grace Van Berkum bio on page 21.
C November 18–22
Ayurvedic Nutrition
The Art of Conscious Eating
Marisa Laursen (Sri Devi)
Embark on a personal journey to
understand what type of diet is right for
you. You will learn all of the fundamental
principles of Ayurveda and how to use food
as a source of health and healing in your
life. You will also learn that health is based
not only on what you eat but also on how
you eat. By enjoying our meals together, we
will practice healthy eating habits that will
promote better digestion and health.
More online.
Marisa Laursen (Sri Devi) bio on page 22.
Restorative Yoga
and Healing Therapies
What better time
of the year to learn
how to restore
yourself regularly
with practices
that reduce pain,
increase strength
and vigor, and
develop a positive
outlook! You’ll
explore restorative
prop use for
maximum release and comfort, self-healing
techniques, working with acupressure
points, breathing exercises, meditation, and
visualization. This program is perfect for
those wanting to learn to relieve stress and
tension as well as those working through
injuries, chronic pain, and restlessness.
Nora Benian (Sundari),
DIHom, is a Sivananda Yoga
teacher, yoga therapist,
and Thai Yoga Massage
practitioner. She believes
in self-development with
ease and uses yoga therapy
along with counseling techniques to help
people come into alignment, build strength,
and open energetically.
Living a Divine Life
Swami Brahmananda
Learn how to become the architect of
your own fate and the master of your own
destiny. Explore core spiritual values for
living a divine life, summarized by Swami
Sivananda as “Serve, love, give, purify,
meditate; adapt, adjust, accommodate;
be good, do good, be kind; practice self-
restraint, equanimity, self-reliance; do what
you believe in and believe in what you do;
be practical; realize thyself.” Tap into the
power and vast ocean of knowledge within
you and be free.
23YVP C PT Page 3

Introduction to Dreamwork
for Spiritual Practice
Rodger Kamenetz, Moira Crone,
Kezia Kamenetz
Learn to think in images, the language
of dreams. Over these days, we will
explore the topics of dreams in the West
from Genesis to Jung, interpretation vs.
revelation, the case of the disappearing
dream, the gifts of the dream for spiritual
practitioners, and the dynamics of the
dream world from archetypes to past
lives. You will be introduced to a 3-stage
dreamwork process and have a chance
to discuss and engage your own dreams
through “string work,” where dreams are
acted out by the group.
Rodger Kamenetz is an
award-winning poet and
author of the international
bestseller The Jew in the
Lotus and 9 other books.
A retired distinguished
professor of English and
Religious Studies, he now works with
people who seek spiritual direction through
their dreams.
Moira Crone has been
practicing dreamwork since
2002. Professor Emerita
and former director of
Louisiana State University’s
MFA program, her latest
novel, The Not Yet, was
nominated for the Philip K Dick Award
in 2013 for best science fiction novel of
the year.
Kezia Kamenetz has been
a student of Marc Bregman
and Archetypal Dreamwork
since 2009 and working
with individuals since 2012.
She is an experienced
social-justice organizer,
hosts a community radio show, and
participates in Theater of the Oppressed
productions.
C November 22–24
Gentle Yoga
Pre-Holiday Retreat
Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati)
Enjoy a restful and stress-free yoga retreat
as you get ready for the holiday season
ahead. Everyone is welcome: those new to
yoga, practitioners wanting a gentle yoga
experience, and people of all ages and
stages of health. We will learn and practice
with modifications that make the postures
accessible to all, and explore specific
postures and breathing practices to calm
the mind and bring healing energy to the
body. Yoga teachers looking for ideas on
teaching mixed-level/ability classes are also
welcome. More online.
Stacie Dooreck (Saraswati)
is a certified Sivananda
instructor, is certified in
Integral Gentle Yoga, leads
the Chair Yoga teacher
trainings at the Sivananda
ashram, and has been
implementing yoga programs in health
clubs, senior homes, corporations, and
hospitals since 1994.
C November 22–24
Perfect Your Balancing
Postures
Balancing postures can be a source of
great relaxation once perfected, yet many
find them challenging to master as they
require refined technique. Come learn
how to reach a steady and comfortable
asana when practicing balancing postures.
Individual adjustments, exploration of
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 willpower.

Thanksgiving Celebration
and Family Program
Discover the Joy in Gratitude
Swami Brahmananda and Arjuna
Celebrate Thanksgiving in the joyous
company of like-minded people. Immerse
yourself in a blissful mood of gratitude.
Experience the cultivation of positive
feelings and appreciation that are the
essence of this holiday. This program
will include a vegetarian Thanksgiving
feast prepared by Arjuna, a professional
vegetarian chef, as well as silent walks
on the beach, sunrise meditations, yoga
classes, and a variety of workshops. You
will return home uplifted and energized in
body, heart, and soul.
C November 24–30
Sivananda Yoga
Teacher Renewal
Swami Brahmananda,
Shyam, Mohini
A Karma Yoga-based program: no tuition fee ap-
plies and participants pay half the rate on tent or
dormitory accommodations (see page 102).
Meet other Sivananda-trained teachers,
reestablish connection with the tradition,
and enjoy the ashram environment. This
renewal program gives you the opportunity
to strengthen your practice and address
various challenges in your classes within
the ashram’s supportive environment. Enjoy
workshops, yoga classes, spiritual guidance,
and the joy of Karma Yoga (3 hours daily).
We’ll also discuss starting a Sivananda-
affiliated yoga center. Return home
refreshed with new tools for your practice
and teaching.
Arjuna is a direct disciple of Swami
Vishnudevananda and director of
the Sivananda-affiliated yoga center
in Gatineau, Quebec. He has been a
professional vegetarian cook for 25 years
and has taught family yoga programs
for many years in Sivananda centers and
ashrams.
Shyam and Mohini are founders and
directors of Yoga Warehouse, an affiliated
Sivananda Yoga center in Ft. Lauderdale,
Florida. Highly experienced practitioners
and charismatic teachers, Shyam and
Mohini are also instructors in the Sivananda
Yoga Teacher Training Course.
C November 24–28
Positive Thinking
Change the way you think. Page 17.
25YVP C PT Page 3

YVP November 24–December 1
Turning to the Mystics for
Guidance on the Spiritual Path
Swami Brahmananda, Mirabai Starr, Sister Greta Roningen,
Amir Vahab, Suba Ramesh Parmar
Celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday in
the sacred space of the Yoga Retreat,
discovering the spiritual truths of the
mystics. In every religion and spiritual
tradition there are mystics, those who are
dedicated to the spiritual path and who
attain transcendent experience.
Their life stories and teachings can offer
encouragement and guidance for those
who are walking the spiritual path.
Come hear their stories, listen to their
teachings, and learn how to become
established in your own spiritual practice and experience
profound states of peace, love, and contentment. Through
lectures, experiential workshops, dance performances, and
sacred music concerts, you will get a glimpse of the bliss that
the mystics describe.

C November 26–29
Fine-Tune Your Yoga Practice
Yoga asana is described as “stiram sukam,”
steady and joyful. The secret for getting
the most benefit out of your asana practice
is to be able to develop both steadiness/
stability in your practice and at the same
time, joy, bliss, and relaxation while holding
the posture. This course will teach you how
to attain these two components and get the
most physical, mental, and spiritual benefit
from your asanas. Come realign, fine-tune,
and rejuvenate your yoga practice.
PT November 26–30
Restorative Yoga
Teacher Training
Restorative Yoga is a very gentle yoga
practice designed to calm the nervous
system and create overall health in the
body. In this training, you will learn a full
series of restorative postures and the
use of well-placed props, complemented
with gentle stretching, breathing, and
meditation. Through direct experience,
teaching practice, and feedback, you leave
with the ability to confidently teach a
primary series of restorative poses as well
as incorporate them into your own practice.
More information online.
C November 29–December 1
Yoga for Beginners Weekend
Immerse yourself in the basics of yoga.
Page 16.
Swami Brahmananda
is Manager of the Yoga
Retreat and senior staff
member of the Sivananda
organization. A long-time
practitioner of yoga, he
regularly teaches yoga
philosophy and meditation for the Teacher
Training Course as well as meditation
immersion courses.
Mirabai Starr writes fiction,
creative non-fiction, and
contemporary translations
of sacred literature,
including writings by
Christian mystics. She
teaches philosophy and
world religions at the University of New
Mexico, Taos, and speaks widely on inter-
spiritual dialogue.
Sister Greta Ronningen is
a professed member of the
Community of Divine Love—
an Episcopal monastery in
the Benedictine tradition in
California—and a chaplain
for incarcerated men,
women, and girls. A yoga practitioner of 35
years, she teaches about women mystics.
Amir Vahab, a peacemaker
and virtuoso, is one of New
York’s most celebrated and
distinguished composer-
vocalists of Sufi and folk
music. His music maintains
traditional and mystical
sensibilities, drawing the listener’s attention
to the spiritual dimension of existence.
Suba Ramesh Parmar
is an award-winning
dancer of the South Indian
Bharatanatyam dance
style. She is known for
grace and dynamism in her
expression and movement
and performs regularly at Sivananda Yoga
centers together with her gifted daughter
Madhu Parmar.
27YVP C PT Page 3

YVP December 1–4
Christian Models of
Contemplation and Meditation
Father William Meninger
The journey to union with God is the journey
of contemplation. Learn and experience
the practices of Christian contemplative
meditation, a 2,000-year-old spiritual
pathway. From Origin to Augustine to
Aquinas to John of the Cross to Thomas
Merton, great mystics have left us in their
writings the rich fruits of their experiences
of union with God. Together, we will follow
them, and contribute our own spiritual
wisdom to this living tradition.
Father William Meninger,
OCSO, is one of the founders
of the Centering Prayer
movement and has been
teaching contemplative
prayer since 1974. He is
based at St. Benedict’s
Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado, and has
authored many books, including The Loving
Search for God.
C December 1–5
Yoga for Beginners
An immersion in the basics of yoga; see
page 16.
C
PT December 4–31
Yoga Teacher Training Course
Take your yoga the next step. Page 10.
YVP December 5–8
The Yoga of Sleep
Sacred and Scientific Practices
to Heal Sleeplessness
Rubin Naimin
Deep, refreshing sleep is the cornerstone of
well-being and an essential foundation of
spiritual practice. Research has linked sleep
problems and dream loss to depression,
obesity, and other serious illnesses.
Through engaging discussion as well as
experiential practices, learn how to address
insomnia and improve the quality of your
sleep based on an integrative body, mind,
and spirit approach to sleep and dreams.
Rubin Naiman, PhD, is a
psychologist and leading
expert in integrative and
holistic approaches to
sleep and dreams. A clinical
assistant professor of
medicine at the University
of Arizona’s Center for Integrative Medicine,
he is the author of Healing Night.
December

C December 6–8
Introduction to
Meditation Weekend
Develop a personal meditation practice. Page 17.
29YVP C PT Page 3
Divine
Creativity
Sacred arts programs
with Mavis Gewant
YVP December 3–5
Yantra Painting
Transformation through Sacred Form
Immerse yourself in the joy of sacred painting. Learn how to paint yantras, geometric
patterns that Vedic astrologers have used for ages as tools to help create balance, give
strength, and calm the energies of the karmic cycles represented in one’s astrological
chart. You will be guided to choose your own yantra, and chant a bija (seed) mantra
while painting the sacred designs, connecting with the power inherent in their geometry.
YVP December 6–8
Chakra Immersion
Painting, Chanting, and Understanding Sacred Centers
Discover the imagery of the chakras, our psychic energy centers, where the interaction
between higher consciousness and our desires is played out. Through the lens
of the Tantric tradition of sacred arts, you will experience these subtle centers of
transformation through painting and visualization, and learn the imagery, colors,
elements, deities, and mantras associated with each chakra.
YVP December 9–11
Painting Planet Mandalas
According to Indian astrology, the energy released by the orbiting planets affects our
lives and can be directed and harnessed to improve our well-being. Mandalas, or sacred
circular energy patterns, reflect our inner nature. By working with specific colors and
mantras, this meditative painting practice will connect you to the deeper energies of the
planets, creating more harmony, peace, and energy in your life. You will
also enjoy a basic overview of Indian numerology.
Mavis Gewant, MA, is a sacred artist, educator, doula, and practitioner
of Vedic astrology. She learned the ancient techniques of yantra and
silk deity painting from Tantric master Dada Shri Harish Johari, and
illustrated his book Planetary Meditation Kit.

C December 7–11 (5-day)
C December 7–16 (10-day)
Yoga and Integrative
Weight Loss
Katie Papo (Ambika)
Beginners welcome! Move into your
new year feeling light, refreshed, and
rejuvenated. These immersions offer an
authentic, holistic, and lasting approach to
weight loss through yoga as well as healthy,
satisfying lifestyle changes. Participants
of all physical capabilities and levels are
warmly welcomed to these heart- and
mind-opening programs that delve into
concepts of weight loss and self-care at
deep levels.
Both the 5-day and 10-day retreats include
beach walks, exercise and yoga classes,
daily lectures and discussion, mindful
eating practices, and guided experiences
for stress-reduction, meditation, breathing
exercises, introspection, and creative
expression. With yoga teacher and weight-
management specialist Ambika, you will be
compassionately guided to break through
old patterns, heal your relationship with
food, and create permanent changes to
your way of living.
Nourished, strengthened, and empowered
in a beautiful Caribbean setting, you’ll
return home with fresh habits and
perspectives. More online.
Katie Papo (Ambika) bio on page 21.
YVP December 8–11
Food as a Spiritual Path
Daniele Giovannucci
Food is one of the most powerful ways
we relate to the people around us, to
the planet, and to ourselves. Joining a
world leader in the conversation on food,
hunger, and sustainable development, we
will discover that our journey has nothing
to do with diets or calories—it is about
relatedness, about discovering the faces of
hunger in the world, and about the choice
to release self-centeredness. Together, we
will seek a genuine connection with this
profound part of the spiritual path.
Daniele Giovannucci
is president of the
Committee on Sustainability
Assessment, a global
consortium of institutions
advancing innovative ways
to understand and manage
the sustainability of our food systems. Since
1992, he has taught and worked in more
than 30 countries.

C December 8–12
Yoga for Healthy Bones
Beata Barnard (Savitri-Devi)
This course offers a complete program to
promote healthy bones and overall well-
being. For everyone interested in healthy
aging as well as people with osteoporosis,
the course includes yoga and Ayurveda
theory and practice along with elements
of recreational therapy. Through lecture,
discussion, and practice, you will learn
how well-being depends on the inner
architecture and function of the bones,
and experience a safe yoga practice that
improves balance and strength (following
individual assessment).
C December 13–17
Yoga for Osteoporosis
Teacher Training
Yoga teachers working with older people
can easily use yoga for the process of
healing osteoporosis and maintaining
healthy bones. Based on Swami
Vishnudevananda’s 5 Points of Yoga,
this training takes a holistic approach to
osteoporosis and teaches you how yoga
addresses the bones most susceptible
to fracture; how to perform postures to
increase bone mass density; and how to
assess individual needs and prescribe and
adjust postures for students at any level
of practice. Advance your skills as a yoga
teacher.
Beata Barnard
(Savitri-Devi) is a
with more than 20
years’ experience and
a recreation therapist
trained at Sunnybrook
Health Science Center Hospital in Toronto.
Her comprehensive yoga system improves
balance, endurance, and strength for
people with osteoporosis.
YVP December 10–12
Vedantic Meditation
The Practice of Self-Inquiry
Brahmachari Shankar
Learn Advaita Vedanta philosophy
and experience a variety of meditation
techniques. Vedantic philosophy asserts
that we live in ignorance—that we see the
world in a distorted way, and therefore we
suffer. This philosophy states that the end of
ignorance is also the end of suffering, and
that the root of ignorance is our ignorance
regarding our own selves. Meditation then
becomes a tool for Self-analysis; we learn
to introvert and probe our inner world and,
ultimately, get to know our True Self.
Brahmachari Shankar is a
senior staff member of the
Yoga Retreat. Well-versed
in scriptures and fluent in
Sanskrit, he spent three
years in India with Swami
Chaitanyananda, a senior
disciple of Swami Sivananda, and teaches
and gives talks on yoga philosophy and
practice.
31YVP C PT Page 3

Harmonizing Our Lives with
Mantras, Ragas, and Voice
Karnamrita Dasi
Gain a deeper understanding of the power
of sound vibration and learn simple ways to
introduce sound practices into your daily
life. We’ll explore and experiment with the
basic concepts of ragas (a classical music
tradition of India) and the harmonizing
gifts that they offer, as well as uncover the
healing potential inherent in Sanskrit (and the secrets to its pronunciation).
Come awaken to the depth and intimacy of your own voice.
Karnamrita Dasi grew up surrounded by Vedic teachings in an ashram
community in West Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains. She studied Indian
classical music in India for 10 years and sings worldwide, offering the blessings
handed down by her teachers.
Healing through Deep
Relaxation Weekend Retreat
Molly Asebey-Birkholm (Madhavi)
Enjoy a deeply nourishing start to your
holiday season. Connect with true inner
peace and soothe your body and mind
through enjoyable practices for self-renewal.
Thursday: Learn and experience how yoga
and meditation heal. Friday: Explore the
healing effects of Yoga Nidra, which can be
used for insomnia, pain, trauma, and anxiety.
Saturday: Uncover the peace inside of you,
where healing naturally unfolds. Sunday:
Create a spiritual diary and learn how to
bring yoga into everyday life.
Molly Asebey-Birkholm
(Madhavi) is an advanced
and Integrative Restoration
(iRest) instructor. Co-
founder and director of
the Yoga Center of Key
Biscayne, she leads retreats and workshops
on yoga for trauma and has worked
extensively with war veterans.
The Yoga of the Vision
of the Cosmic Form
Teachings on the 11th Chapter
of the Bhagavad Gita
Swamini Pramananda (Ammaji)
Join us for five days of inspirational
teachings with Swamini Pramananda, as
she shares her deep knowledge of yoga
philosophy and experience. We will focus
on the 11th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita
and the Cosmic Form of the Lord, shown
by Lord Krishna to his devotee Arjuna. This
rare vision of God was granted to Arjuna
not because of his study or austerity, but
because of his burning desire to behold the
Lord’s Cosmic Form, to know the Infinite.
Open to all spiritual seekers.
Swamini Pramananda (Ammaji) bio on
page 34.
C December 15–19
Introduction to Meditation
Page 17.

Yoga and Self Thai Massage
Soothe tired feet, ease a headache, and
release tension from the face, shoulders
and neck, back, hips, arms, and hands. This
workshop fuses a spectrum of techniques:
acupressure, therapeutic yoga, breath work,
and energy-line massage. Learn how to find
acupressure points and release blockages in
energy flow. Relax deeper than ever before
and learn to channel the life force through
congested areas of the body. Discover ways
to create better mobility in the joints and
increase overall flexibility.
Adapting Sivananda
Yoga to Your Body
Krishna Das
If you find yoga practice difficult due to
limiting conditions such as sickness, injury,
obesity and other physical realities, this is
the program for you. In these experiential
workshops, we will explore adaptations to
the 12 basic postures of a Sivananda Yoga
class. You will receive personal guidance
and discover which modifications are just
right for you. As a result, yoga will become
more accessible and beneficial to your life—
or to your students.
Krishna Das is a physical
therapist and Sivananda
Yoga teacher (RYT-500).
He is a senior staff member
at the Yoga Retreat and
teaches in the Yoga Teacher
Training Course. He has
taught for more than 15 years, including
gentle yoga to seniors.
Kirtan with Ragani
Ragani
Join a participatory, cross-
cultural musical experience
as you take an inspirational
journey into the world
of kirtan. Discover the
transformational energies of ancient Hindu
chants, opening your heart to the Divine and
connecting to the eternal that lies within us
all. Ragani, known for her heartfelt vocals,
inspiring stories, and sense of humor, will
share the devotional practice of kirtan and
offer unique insights and inspirations into the
world of yoga.
Ragani is an award-winning artist who leads
Milwaukee’s Kirtan with Ragani, the largest
independent kirtan scene in the US. At age
eight, Ragani met the yoga master Swami
Rama, who personally trained her in yoga
sciences, meditation, and Eastern music.
Secrets of Ayurveda
Ancient Yogic Medicine
for Healing Body and Mind
Lalita Devi and Isvari
Yoga and Ayurveda emerge from the same
Vedic tradition in India. Meaning the “science
of life,” Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest
healthcare systems, with proven self-care
practices for health and well-being. Join two
gifted teachers and learn Ayurvedic healthy-
living tools and concepts, discover your
personal constitution, identify imbalances,
and create easy daily routines to restore
inner balance. You’ll return home inspired
and empowered to apply new wisdom in
your life—or your students’.
Lalita Devi bio on page 7.
Isvari is a graduate of
Vasant Lad’s Ayurvedic
Institute, a Sivananda Yoga
teacher and a practitioner
for the Well-Being Center
at the Yoga Retreat and the
Sivananda Ashram Yoga
Ranch in New York.
33YVP C PT Page 3

Unity in Diversity: Let the
Swami Swaroopananda is
a senior disciple of Swami
Vishnudevananda. Director
of the Sivananda Ashram
Yoga Retreat Bahamas, and
Acharya (spiritual director)
of the Sivananda centers and
ashrams in the US West Coast, the Middle
East, and the Bahamas, he is also a member
of the Sivananda organization’s Board of
Directors.
Swamini Pramananda
(Ammaji) 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 and spends most of
her time in retreat, only leaving her solitude
to teach.
Rabbi Mitchell Chefitz,
currently Scholar-in-
Residence at Temple
Israel of Greater Miami,
has been described as
pushing the envelope of
American Judaism. A natural
storyteller, he is the author of two novels,
including The Seventh Telling: The Kabbalah
of Moshe Katan.
Venerable Thupten
Phuntsok, a student of
Lobsang Tharchin Khen
Rinpoche, has received
teachings from many
prominent Tibetan lamas and
participated in several Mind
and Life Institute conferences held by the
Dalai Lama and Western scientists. He is an
ordained member of the Gelugpa Sangha.
Christmas & New Year Symposium
According to yoga philosophy,
the one God or Ultimate
Reality manifests as a
multiplicity of names, forms,
shapes, and colors. “Unity”
and “diversity” are one and the
same and their essence is our
own essence: pure existence,
pure consciousness, and pure
bliss. Join us for a gathering of
spiritual leaders, mystics, and
musicians from the world’s
major spiritual traditions and
gain a direct glimpse of this
truth.
During this special time
of the year just after the
winter solstice, when people
worldwide are engaged
in religious and spiritual
traditions and preparations
for a hopeful new year, you
are invited to an experience
of wisdom, love, and
compassion. Through talks,
concerts, spiritual practices,
discussions, and more, you
will participate in breaking
down superficial barriers and
experience the underlying
unity in our diversity.
Come welcome the New Year
in a celebration of light, truth,
and peace.
YVP December 22, 2013–January 1, 2014

Ed McGaa (Eagle Man)
was born on the Pine
Ridge Reservation in South
Dakota and studied under
Sioux holy men Chief
Eagle Feather and Chief
Fool’s Crow. He served as a
decorated fighter pilot in Vietnam, became
an Oglala Sioux lawyer, and is the author of
seven books.
Krishnan Namboodiri
is a Tantric priest from
South India, trained in
the classical tradition of
mantras (sacred sounds),
pujas (prayer ceremonies),
homas (fire rituals), and
yantras (sacred geometric designs). He is
the Yoga Retreat’s resident priest, regularly
performing special rituals.
Emily Markides, PhD,
teaches at the University
of Maine as adjunct faculty
on issues concerning peace
and the environment.
She has written about
women healers, poetry and
community, world peace, and spirituality,
and taught courses in Peace Studies.
Gaura Vani began studying sacred
music in Vrindavan, India at the age
of 6. Today, he shares the gifts of
devotional song throughout the world,
performing extensively with his
kirtan ensemble. His albums
include Nectar of Devotion
and Ten Million Moons.
Kyriacos C. Markides, PhD,
a professor of sociology at
the University of Maine, has
been researching Christian
saints, mystics, and healers
for the last 30 years. He
is the author of several
books on Christian spiritualty, including The
Mountain of Silence and Inner River.
Kabir Helminski is a sheikh
of the Mevlevi Order of
Sufis. Author of three
books, he travels the world
with his wife, leading
workshops and presenting
at conferences on Sufism,
Rumi’s teachings, and the application of
traditional Sufi principles to modern life.
Camille Adams Helminski
is cofounder of the
Threshold Society with her
husband, Kabir Helminski.
An author and translator,
with The Light of Dawn, she
became the first woman
to translate a substantial portion of the
Koran. She is writing a book about women
in Sufism.
Snatam Kaur is a
beloved artist from
the Sikh tradition
who transforms
traditional chants
into contemporary
sounds that appeal
to the modern ear and awaken
ancient yearnings in the soul.
She tours the world, singing,
teaching, and offering concerts
dedicated to peace.
Light Shine
35YVP C PT Page 3

Prana in Life Enhancement
Dale Buegel
Delve into the energies of life to facilitate
balance on physical, emotional, and
energetic levels. We will learn to work
with the pranas in postures, breath, and
meditation, developing skills in directly
sensing the flows and blockages of
energy within ourselves. Medical doctor
Dale Buegel, who has taught yoga and
meditation for 40 years in settings including
teacher trainings and medical practices, will
guide you through unique yoga experiences
for restoring balance and enhancing life.
Dale Buegel, MD, has 40
years’ experience teaching
yoga disciplines. Integrating
extensive training in
medicine, bodywork
therapies, and energetic
medicine, he is known for
teaching skillful mastery of yoga postures,
breathing techniques, and meditation.
C December 20–22
Positive Thinking Weekend
Office Yoga
If you work at a desk, this form of yoga can
be a great pick-me-up and tension reliever.
As an antidote to the tense muscles, shallow
breathing, and weakened circulation and
concentration of long days at a desk,
you will learn yoga postures, breathing
techniques, meditation, and relaxation
techniques you can do in a chair. Ideal for
office settings, you will feel relaxed, revived,
and rejuvenated!

YVP December 27–January 3, 2014
Family Holiday Program For ages 4-10.
Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari) and Sandrine Remy (Sanatani)
Take time to practice yoga and rejuvenate yourself while your
children enjoy time with Omkari and Sanatani, two loving and
creative teachers with years of experience working with children. A
popular annual program, there are special yoga classes, chanting,
crafts, Karma Yoga, and lots of games and fun. A structured yet
flexible schedule allows children to make new friends, be creative,
and participate in the life of the community in their own way.
Z Additional material fee of $70 for arts and crafts supplies.
See Children’s Rates on page 105.
Tara Rachel Jones (Omkari),
MEd, RCYT, is a Sivananda Yoga
teacher and a Montessori teacher.
She has worked professionally
with children since 1989 and is the
author of It’s Time for Yoga.
Sandrine Remy (Sanatani) is a Sivananda Yoga teacher
who specializes in yoga for children. With a playful spirit,
she teaches in kids camps and family programs at various
Sivananda ashrams.
Teen Yoga Holiday Program For ages 11–17.
Make friends, be challenged physically and mentally, and plant positive
seeds for the future. During this weeklong intensive, teens will learn the
foundations of yoga, including history and philosophy, postures, breathing,
meditation, and hygiene practices. Fully immersed, they will spend four
hours a day learning and practicing yoga, one hour of Karma Yoga service,
and attend evening satsangs.
Z A registered adult at the Yoga Retreat must accompany each teen.
See Children’s Rates on page 105.
Nora Benian (Sundari) is a Sivananda Yoga teacher,
yoga therapist, and Thai Yoga Massage practitioner.
She has been teaching yoga to youth and teens since 2007
in private and public schools in Ontario, Canada, with an
emphasis on quieting the mind as well as physical fitness.
End-of-the-year family getaway!
37YVP C PT Page 3

Therapeutic Yoga
for the Spine, Hips,
Legs, and Shoulders
In yoga, even a small misalignment
caused by muscular tension can
cause great discomfort. Combining
therapeutic sequences and strategic prop
placement to meet individual needs, we
will learn and practice safe and specific
therapeutic postures for spinal health and
hip and shoulder mobility. These invite relief
from pain and increase energy flow, and can
be used preventatively and therapeutically
for conditions such as acute and chronic
back pain, scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis, and
degenerative disc disease.
Mantra Revolution
Chanting the Divine Names
Gaura Vani
As we turn the page between years, join
Gaura Vani for a celebration of divine music
and love in the company of fellow spiritual
seekers. In the Vedic tradition of chanting
the Lord’s name with devotion, your heart
will open to the Divine, resulting in the
elation and bliss that is the fruit of this
Bhakti Yoga path. With his ensemble,
Guara Vani will lead us on the wings of
kirtan to new heights of devotion.
Gaura Vani bio on page 35.
The Heart of Chanting
Snatam Kaur
Join one of the most inspirational
singers of devotional music of
the Sikh tradition, Snatam Kaur,
as she shares her angelic voice
through song along with sacred
teachings of yoga. Snatam will
be accompanied by the soulful
guitar and flute of Todd Boston.
Snatam Kaur is a beloved artist
from the Sikh tradition who
transforms traditional chants
into contemporary sounds that
appeal to the modern ear and
awaken ancient yearnings in the
soul. She tours the world, singing,
teaching, and offering concerts
dedicated to peace.

January
YVP January 2–5
Creating a Yogic Lifestyle
Silvia San Miguel (Surya)
Develop a yogic lifestyle that suits your
daily schedule and transform your outlook
on work, family, and life in general.
Learn how to accommodate a period
of meditation at the start of your day,
adapt your diet, and take care of yourself
physically and mentally by practicing
yoga asanas. You will also discover how to
recharge yourself through practicing proper
relaxation, how to detect stress—and
avoid it—through a few simple breathing
techniques, and develop a positive thinking
mind all day long.
Silvia San Miguel (Surya) is
an educator and a certified
with diversified teaching
experience at Sivananda
ashrams worldwide and
at her own yoga studio
in Mallorca, Spain. Surya knew Swami
Vishnudevananda during the last five years
of his life.
YVP January 2–5
Working with Mindfulness
Mirabai Bush
Mirabai Bush will teach mindfulness
practices adapted for the workplace,
including sitting and walking practices
to cultivate attention, insight, and a calm,
centered presence as well as compassion
practices to increase self-awareness
and awareness of others. She will share
exercises she helped to develop for Google,
including mindful emailing and mindful
listening, share her experiences in diverse
workplaces, and lead discussions on
“waking up at work” and being more joyful
and happy while working.
Mirabai Bush is Senior
Fellow and founding
Director of the Center for
Contemplative Mind in
Society. Co-author with
Ram Dass of Compassion
in Action: Setting Out
on the Path of Service, she works with
organizations to bring contemplative
principles to the workplace.
39YVP C PT Page 3

C January 4–13
New Year’s Cleanse, Detox,
and Juice-Fasting Experience
Shivanter Singh (John Barczak),
Julian DeVoe, Grace Van Berkum
Cleanse and rejuvenate, invigorate your
natural body wisdom, and establish new
habits. This intensive program initiates
transformation on the physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual levels. We begin
gradually with a few days of raw food,
followed by fruit and vegetable juice fasting,
and end with a raw food diet—all supported
PT January 4–31
Yoga Teacher
Training Course
Take your yoga the next step. Page 10.
PT January 4–31
Advanced Yoga
Teacher Training
Deepen. Study. Advance. Page 12.
C January 5–9
Yoga for Beginners
An immersion in the basics of yoga. Page 16.
by detoxifying herbs and supplements.
Yoga classes and beach walks will
enhance digestion, elimination, and
integration for optimum cleansing and
health. More online.
Shivanter Singh (John
Barczak) is a certified
yoga teacher and
Integrative Nutrition
counselor. A leading
proponent of juicing
who has worked with
Joe Cross and Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, he
offers cleanses, classes, and one-on-one
sessions for healthy lifestyle strategies.
Julian DeVoe has been
working as a cranio-sacral
therapy facilitator, Thai
Yoga Massage artist, and
energy healer for over
five years. An advocate
for consciousness and
thriving health through mindful eating,
yoga, and personal inquiry, he teaches in
Nosara, Costa Rica.
Grace Van Berkum is
a registered holistic
nutritionist, Sivananda
Yoga teacher, certified
personal trainer, and raw
and vegan recipe creator.
Passionate about the
healing powers of live foods and yoga,
she regularly teaches at the Yoga Retreat.
40

YVP January 5–9
Neuroscience
and World Religions
Different Practices, Different Brains, Different Spiritualities?
Stephen Kaplan, Daniel Drubach, William Waldron,
Prantik Kundu
For five days we will explore the interface between religious/spiritual practices and the
brain sciences. Our speakers will examine some of the different practices that can be
found in the world’s religions and explain how contemporary neurosciences understand
what is happening in the brains of those who engage such practices. We will not only
ask if different religious practices produce different brain states, but we will also ask if
these different practices produce different states of mental and spiritual health. Do some
practices produce one type of mental/spiritual health and other practices produce others?
These discussions may lead us to ask if these diversities of practice and neurological
function lead to a diversity of spiritual experiences.
Stephen Kaplan, PhD,
is Professor of Religious
Studies at Manhattan
College, specializing in
Indian and comparative
religions. He publishes
articles in leading journals,
is the author of two books, and is working
on a book entitled Advaita Vedanta and the
Neurosciences.
Daniel Drubach, MD, is a
member of the Behavioral
Neurology Division at Mayo
Clinic. Author of The Brain
Explained, he writes on
the neuroscience of music,
meditation, language,
and religion, and on how concepts from
neuroscience can address existential human
questions.
William Waldron, PhD,
is Professor of Religion
at Middlebury College in
Vermont. A recent Fulbright
Senior Scholar in Nepal,
he is currently researching
the relation between
theories of mind in the Yogācāra school of
Indian Buddhism and in modern cognitive
sciences.
Prantik Kundu is a doctoral
candidate studying
neuroscience with fMRI
technology in collaboration
with the Brain Mapping
Unit at the University
of Cambridge and the
Section on Functional Imaging Methods at
the National Institute of Mental Health in
Washington, DC.
41

PT CEU
January 11–16
Polarity Therapy
and 5-Element
Body Work Certification
John Beaulieu,
Andreas Ledermann,
Brigitta Raimann
Become a certified Polarity 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.
Valuable on its own or as a complement
to massage, yoga, nursing, counseling,
physical therapy, and medical practices, the
training will emphasize the application of
5-element knowledge in daily life through
an understanding of modern stress science
and Polarity Therapy. More information online.
John Beaulieu, ND, PhD, is
a composer, sound healer,
counseling psychologist,
board-certified
naturopathic physician,
and Polarity practitioner. A
world leader in the use of
integrative energy medicine for healing, he
is also an author, researcher, and professor.
Andreas Ledermann is a
naturopath and Polarity
Therapy instructor. A
teacher of Polarity Therapy,
energy medicine, and
creative art therapy for 30-
plus years, he cofounded
the School of Holistic Naturopathy in
Switzerland, and is the author of Polarity
Therapy.
Brigitta Raimann is a
naturopath and Polarity
therapist with 20 years’
experience as a therapist,
teacher, and pioneer
of natural health and
healing arts for women.
She is cofounder of the School of Holistic
Naturopathy and the holistic arts GmbH,
both in Switzerland.
YVP January 5–31
Foundations of Raja Yoga
Srinivasan
One of the four main paths of yoga, Raja
Yoga, the science of physical and mental
purification and control, is often called the
“king of yogas.” It is an exact science that
aims at gaining control over all thought
waves or mental modifications, allowing
the aspirant to unfold the divinity within.
Focusing on the yamas (prohibitions) and
niyamas (observations), during this month,
Srinivasan will take us on an in-depth
journey into the theory and practice of Raja
Yoga.
Srinivasan is a senior
disciple of Swami
Vishnudevananda. Director
of the Sivananda Ashram
Yoga Ranch, he is Acharya
(spiritual director) for the
Sivananda centers and
ashrams in the Eastern US and a member of
the Board of Directors of the International
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres.
YVP January 10–11
Secrets of Ayurveda
Lalita Devi and Isvari
Learn Ayurvedic tools for healthy living.
Page 33.

When several people join together and practice Sankirtan [chanting the Lord’s name], a huge
spiritual current, or Mahashakti, is generated. This purifies the heart of the aspirants and
elevates them to the sublime heights of Divine ecstasy. —Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga
Devotional singing is a widespread practice in religions and spiritual traditions worldwide.
Join us as we continue to break barriers and celebrate unity in diversity, this time through
music and chant. Join in community and experience the joy of music with performers from
various traditions, religions, and cultures.
Come sing your heart open, honor the Divine, and nourish your soul.
YVP January 10–17
On the Wings of Ecstasy
Interfaith Devotional Singing Festival
Davod Azad, Nirinjan Kaur, Shantala, Jan Kirschner,
Tia Pittman, Vishal Vaid
Shantala, the duo
Benjy and Heather
Wertheimer, leads
kirtan worldwide, with
soul-stirring vocals and
exotic instrumentation
creating music with
beauty, passion, and
reverence. Shantala
performs with many sacred-music
luminaries and has recorded numerous CDs,
including Jaya! and Ocean of Sound.
Tia Pittman, a singer
her entire life, is founder
of Soulster Music
Group, a nonprofit
working with aspiring
songwriters, singers,
musicians, dancers,
and artists. Her voice
can be heard on many
recordings in the gospel community and on
her own recording, Awesome God.
Vishal Vaid trained
in Ghazal music from
a young age with his
parents, who taught
him to “experience it as
it comes through you.”
He fell in love with both
Eastern and Western,
ancient and future, his
music weaving cultures, his voice an offering
to the Divine.
Davod Azad is an
accomplished multi-
instrumentalist
and vocalist from
Azerbaijan. He is
a master in Iranian
classical music, Azeri
folk music, ancient
Persian music, and
Persian Sufi music. His music speaks the
universal language of love and unity.
Nirinjan Kaur, born into
a Sikh family of kundalini
yogis, fell in love with
sacred chanting at a
young age. Her heart-
opening voice conveys
innocence and devotion,
bringing listeners into
a state of bliss and
healing. She teaches, performs, and sings
around the world.
Jan Kirschner began
devotional singing
at the age of 10, as a
soloist in a professional
choir in New York
City, where he worked
with legendary cantor
Leibele Waldman. For
the past 18 years, has
been the chazzan (cantor) at Congregation
Bonai Shalom in Boulder, Colorado.
43YVP C PT Page 3

YVP January 14
Ayyappa Puja
Krishnan Namboodiri
Lord Ayyappa, the presiding supreme
deity of Sabari Hills, was born out of the
union between Mohini (incarnation of
Lord Vishnu) and Lord Siva. Worshipping
Lord Ayyappa is said to bring
contentment and spiritual advancement.
Join us for a celebration of Lord Ayyappa
with a puja conducted by the ashram’s
resident priest, Krishnan Namboodiri.
Krishnan Namboodiri bio on page 35.
C January 15–17
Gracious Living Vegan
Nutrition Retreat
Grace Van Berkum
This practical and inspiring course is perfect
for both the already committed vegan
and the curious. Through experiential
workshops, we will create several menus
composed of sattvic vegan dishes that
are energizing and tasty, including
main courses, side dishes, dressings,
and scrumptious desserts. You will be
introduced to the compassionate principles
of vegan nutrition and learn creative ways
to increase fiber intake and stabilize blood
sugar. All foods will be wheat-free, dairy-
free, and sugar-free.
Grace Van Berkum bio on page 21.
YVP January 15–19
Healing Your Emotional Body
Learn how to transform negative thoughts
and emotions that lodge in the physical body
resulting in dis-ease and suffering. Explore
the possibility of breaking free from your
past and its old emotional patterns. Discover
how your emotional states condition your
breathing and how to apply the science
of pranayama to re-shape your emotional
well-being. Based on the teachings of Swami
Sivananda, you will study the causes and
remedies of emotions such as sadness,
resentment, anger, jealousy, and grief.
Silvia San Miguel (Surya) bio on page 39.
C January 17–19
Positive Thinking Weekend
C January 19–23
Intermediate Yoga
Expand and advance your practice.
Page 16.

YVP January 17–21
The Mahabharata
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Jeffrey Armstrong
Embark on a spectacular adventure with Vedic
scholar and storyteller of ancient wisdom, Jeffrey
Armstrong, as he brings to life the Mahabharata,
India’s greatest epic poem, and leads us through
the epic pathways of this 5,000-year-old yoga classic. You will learn, discover, and
experience through this rich and layered story that speaks to the physical, psychological
and transcendental realms and reveals the secrets of how good and evil
fight eternally on the platform of planet Earth.
Jeffrey Armstrong is a scholar of Eastern teachings who has spent 40 years
studying and practicing Vedanta, Raja Yoga, Tantra, and mantra, initiated
into these mysteries by masters. He is also the author of several books,
including The Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar.
PT CEU
January 17–23
The Yoga of Sound
and Voice Training
John Beaulieu and Silvia Nakkach
Experience the transformative power
of sound and music with two renowned
scholars and clinicians. Combining
master classes, lectures, devotional
chanting sessions, clinics, movement,
and music-making, this in-depth training
explores various dimensions of healing
with sound: the scientific, yogic, creative,
and shamanic. These practices promote
a state of euphoria, leading to enhanced
wellness and greater possibility for
accomplishment and success in all
aspects of life. More online.
C January 25–26
A Practicum on
Yoga of the Voice
Modalities and Ways to Implement
Voice in a Therapeutic Setting
Silvia Nakkach
Pursue your dreams! Gain professional sound
healing experience in this empowering
practicum focused on integrating sound into
your current healing practice—or exploring
new career options. You will be guided
through five stages of creating the work you
love: clarity of intent; openness; completeness
and engagement from the mind and heart;
ripening of potential; and manifestation
and action. You will achieve a new level of
excellence in your sound healing skills and
practice. More online.
John Beaulieu, ND, PhD, is a composer, sound healer,
counseling psychologist, board-certified naturopathic
physician, and Polarity practitioner. A world leader in the
use of integrative energy medicine for healing, he is also an
author, researcher, and professor.
Silvia Nakkach is an award-winning composer and voice-culturist, author, and a pioneer in
the field of sound, consciousness, and music shamanism. She is founding director of Vox
Mundi School of the Voice and teaches at the California Institute of Integral Studies.
The Yoga of Sound and Voice
45YVP C PT Page 3

YVP January 20–24
Yoga for Stress Management
In this series of workshops, we will study
how the stress response works—and how to
manage it by detecting early signs such as
irritability and impatience. We will employ
cognitive approaches as well as ancient
yoga techniques such as breath awareness
and control. We will also consider how
to create a yogic lifestyle as a preventive
measure against the “stressed-out”
syndrome.
YVP January 23–25
Adapting Sivananda
Yoga to Your Body
Krishna Das
Make yoga more accessible and enjoyable.
Page 33.
C January 24–26
Introduction to
Meditation Weekend
Page 17.
YVP January 23–26
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself
Joe Dispenza
You are not doomed by your genes or hardwired to be
a certain way for the rest of your life. A new science is
emerging that empowers all human beings to create the
reality that they choose. In these workshops, renowned
author and speaker Joe Dispenza shares insights from
the fields of quantum physics, neuroscience, brain
chemistry, biology, and genetics to show you what is
truly possible. You will learn step-by-step tools to make
measurable changes in any area of your life.
Joe Dispenza, DC, is a neuroscientist, chiropractor, author, and international
lecturer. He is the author of Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind
and the best-selling Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind
and Create a New One.
YVP January 25–29
Mindfulness Meditation
for Daily Life
Ideally, mindfulness meditation is not
something we do, but something we live.
In these workshops, we will explore the
rationale for taking on or deepening a
personal mindfulness practice. You will
experience a number of mindfulness
exercises that can be easily integrated
into your life, such as walking, lying down,
eating or listening meditation. You will leave
inspired and empowered to live your life in
an intentionally mindful way.

YVP January 26–28
Sacred Music and Song
Opening the Window of the Soul
Shimshai
Join heart-centered musician Shimshai as
he shares sacred prayers, mantras, and
songs from around the world. Through
music and chants and their sacred
intentions, we have the opportunity to open
the window to our soul and see more clearly
into the beauty of life and our own true
nature. Over these days, Shimshai will teach
selected songs, inviting participation, and
sharing the history, message, and healing
properties of each. Each evening, he will
perform stirring traditional and original
sacred music.
PT CEU January 26–February 1
Cardiac Yoga
Teacher Training
Mala Cunningham
This comprehensive training educates and
trains yoga teachers and medical personnel
to work with cardiac patients. You will
learn how to adapt the basic concepts of
yoga and meditation to the special needs
of cardiac patients. You will also study the
anatomy and physiology of the heart; stress
and the psycho-social factors of heart
disease; adaptations of yoga postures; how
to design cardiac yoga classes; principles
of mind-body medicine; and yoga and
meditation as mechanisms for healing.
More information online.
Mala Cunningham, PhD,
is an author and educator
of mind-body medicine
and health psychology.
President of Positive Health
Solutions and founder of
the renowned training
program Cardiac Medical Yoga, she has
taught and practiced yoga and meditation
for over 35 years.
YVP January 28
Questions and Answers
on Yoga and Spiritual Life
with Swami Swaroopananda
Ask your most important questions.
Page 15.
Shimshai performs his unique brand of
world spiritual music around the globe.
Whether singing Sanskrit mantras, Hebrew
prayers, or his original works, he invokes
ancestral devotion and a dedication to
higher consciousness. His CDs include Live
on Maui and True Heart.
47

C January 30–February 1
ThetaHealing Basic
DNA Training
Petra Rakebrandt
The Basic DNA course introduces
ThetaHealing® techniques and focuses
on activating the 12 strands of DNA
within each participant. The heart of this
class is the practice of techniques that
allow you to change life patterns held in
place by core, genetic, historic, and soul
beliefs, either self-inflicted or externally
imposed. You will learn to identify these
beliefs in yourself as well as to practice
pulling them for others in the class.
Graduates become practitioners of
ThetaHealing.
C February 3–5
ThetaHealing Advanced
DNA Training
The Advanced DNA course expands
on the basic course to encompass an
in-depth understanding of the “Seven
Planes of Existence” that surround us.
The student will learn how to clear old
resentments, vows, and commitments
that hold them back and discover how
to heal with the “Baby in the Womb” and
“Heal the Broken Soul” exercises. Direct
transmissions from the instructor will
being profound healing and awareness.
Experience new and positive feelings
and what self-acceptance feels like.
Z Prerequisite: ThetaHealing® Basic DNA
Petra Rakebrandt is a
holistic health coach
certified with the
Institute of Integrative
Nutrition, a ThetaHealer
practitioner and
instructor, a certified
yoga teacher, and a Reiki master. She
has a private practice in Guadeloupe
and teaches in the Caribbean and US.
YVP January 29–30
Courage and Compassion
Foundations of the Peaceful
Warrior’s Way
Dan Millman
The Peaceful Warrior’s Way is
comprised of a set of perspectives,
principles, and practices stretching
between heaven and earth—our
highest ideals and the realities of
everyday life. In this program, Dan
Millman shares the foundations of
living a balanced and powerful life
in the present moment; enjoyable
and illuminating practices for
understanding universal/spiritual laws,
including balance, choice, presence,
action, and surrender; and a life-
clarifying consideration of the four
purposes of life.
Dan Millman is a former world-
champion athlete, coach, martial arts
instructor, and college professor.
Author of the bestselling Way of the
Peaceful Warrior and 15 other books
read by millions of people in 29
languages, he teaches worldwide.

YVP January 30–February 2
Healing Your Relationship
with Food
Sasha Loring and Sondra Loring
In a nurturing atmosphere, come learn a
range of methods for changing unhelpful
thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors regarding
food. From the ground of mindfulness,
attention training, and self-kindness,
this workshop focuses on releasing
unhealthy habitual patterns, building
the psychological resources needed for
change, and practicing mindful eating.
Inspiring, practical, and potentially
life-changing, you will establish habits
of mind and practices to continue your
transformation when you return home.
Sasha Loring, Med, LCSW,
is author of Eating with
Fierce Kindness: A Mindful
and Compassionate Guide
to Losing Weight. A yoga
practitioner of 30 years, she
leads mindfulness retreats
throughout the US, and teaches in the
Tibetan Buddhist and Vipassana meditation
traditions.
Sondra Loring, E-RYT,
is a dancer, master yoga
teacher, and founder of
the Sadhana Center for
Yoga and Meditation in
Hudson, New York. She will
focus on body awakening
through mindfulness and movement for this
workshop.
Cardiac Medical Yoga Retreat
Mala Cunningham
This is a special retreat for people who
have heart disease, diabetes, and/or high
blood pressure. Research overwhelmingly
shows that yoga and mindfulness can
positively impact heart disease and
overall health. You are invited to come
learn and experience this for yourself.
Receive important information on the
basic concepts of mind-body medicine
and Medical Yoga, have high-quality
experiences of yoga, relaxation, and
mindfulness practices, and return home
with a life-changing daily practice.
Mala Cunningham bio on page 47.
Finding Balance
Developing a Practice to Bring
Harmony into Everyday Life
Molly Asebey-Birkholm (Madhavi)
Take an experiential journey to develop
a personalized practice. Day 1: Create
your sankalpa (intention) and explore the
components of a spiritual practice. Day 2:
Learn yogic tips to maintain health (diet,
asana, and pranayama). Day 3: Experience
the ways mantra and meditation can bring
strength, peace, and balance to your life.
Day 4: Learn to integrate the yamas and
niyamas as well as the study of Vedanta
into your spiritual practice; Day 5: Create
a spiritual diary to begin fully living the
teachings of yoga.
Molly Asebey-Birkholm (Madhavi) bio on
page 32.
49YVP C PT Page 3

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