Cleansing Workshop with Lalitadevi
Saturday September 18th 2010
9:30am-1:30pm

“Spontaneous Ashram Life”
Teachings by Paramahamsa Niranjananda Saraswati
“We have to live well before we can love well. To achieve this we need to develop awareness and balance in living. This can be achieved by embracing yoga in daily life.”

“My spiritual journey began as a medium first and foremost.  I realized that I was able to sense, feel and hear the deceased loved ones in the spirit world, a gift that was difficult to accept. Not sure what to do or where to go, amazing teachers began to suddenly appear in my life. These teachers taught me how to harness my gift and bring it to a level of clarity. I now use these wonderful tools and my special gifts to help and inspire hundreds of people on their individual spiritual paths.”
Kerrilynn will be offering private sessions on October 21st . Investment $75 per session.
More information at : www.yourpurposefullife.weebly.com

Satsang & Kirtan, What is yoga and what can it do for you?
June 25th 7-8:30pm
There is increasing confusion about yoga, it's purpose and its benefits as it is becoming more and more mainstream. Learn about the complete picture by a yoga master. Yoga as a science for integrating the body, mind and the soul in our journey to optimal health and well-being.

Pratyahara – Mastering Relaxation Yoga practices.
June 26th 10-1pm
Pratyahara involves withdrawing the senses from their respective objects. This workshop offers practical tools with a strong theoretical foundation to guide the practitioner in discovering the state of pratyahara. This makes the awareness of inner world, mental aspects, emotions and psyche more intense and clear. It helps to relax the senses, mind and emotions and brings effective relief from psychosomatic illnesses.

Hamsa Dhyana
Sunday June 27th 10-4pm,
Hamsa Dhyana is an advanced meditation practice derived from Tantra. Tantra is a spiritual science, which provides a unique perspective on life, its processes and purpose. It offers practical techniques that speedup the process of human evolution and can be practiced by both men and women of every temperament and spiritual level. It aims at turning every action of life into an act of celebration and expression of the divine. It bridges the gap between the material and spiritual dimensions of our lives.The practice of Hamsa Dhyana works with the fundamental sound vibrations in the Cosmos, which are experienced as Mantras that reconnect our individual consciousness to the Supreme Consiousness. This brings us in the 'flow and rhythm' of the Cosmos leading to the experience of oneness with the entire Cosmos. At a grosser level Hamsa Dhyana leads to a better body and mind coordination and control, reduction of stress and develops mental clarity and focus. It helps us connect to the place of abiding peace within our own self and at the same time feeling the harmony within and without. In sanskrit language Hamsa means a Swan and it represents the quality of peace, harmony ,beauty and discrimination.The practice covers the aspect of Breathing, Mantra, Chakras and advanced Visualization. A major part of the practical session will be devoted to prepare for this amazing meditation practice. All levels are welcome.

WHY IS YOGA RELEVANT IN TODAY'S WORLD?
with LALITADEVI
Woodstock Art Gallery
Wednesday April 14th 2010 7-9pm

The incredible physical & emotional benefits of yoga is what attracts most of us to this ancient tradition. You may feel lighter, stronger, more flexible, grounded, energized, rejuvenated, happier, reconnected to your creative potential and feel more connected to the world around you. Through yoga the possibility opens up for us to see ourselves more clearly with a loving and compassionate eye and to celebrate the joy of life in every moment.
It is interesting that in this increasingly fast paced world with so much pressure, stress and demands, yoga is becoming more and more mainstream. Why? Because it is a quick and relatively easy way for us to feel better and return to a state of mental, emotional and physical balance and harmony. We all have a deep desire to feel good and be balanced but we have never learned any simple practical tools to help us in achieving this aim. With continued practice yoga becomes a simple and practical way of life for people living in the world engaged in daily worldly activities. From the CEO to the mother of five, yoga is for everyone and has the potential to help us to create peace in our lives through a deep understanding of ourselves.
In this 2 hour workshop you will learn more about this ancient system and get a glimpse into how it has the potential to bring ease in the quick flow of life. You will be introduced to some simple and practical techniques that can be seamlessly integrated into your daily routine.

Kirtan is a combination of mantra and music done as call and response. This Bhakti Yoga practice is wonderful for uplifting the spirit and clearing away any heaviness in the body or mind. It is a practice that is expanding rapidly throughout North America as westerners discover it’s uplifting, healing and joyous effects. Open to participants of all religions or no religion at all, Kirtan is easy to learn and participate in. Come and experience an evening of heart opening music and fun!

Satsang & Kirtan
October 2nd, 7 - 8:30pm
Swami Maheshanda will answer your questions about any aspect of yoga. Come and sit in an open environment and ask your questions or to simply sit and listen and see how yoga relates to your every day life! The evening will also include Kirtan: a combination of mantra and music done as call and response. This Bhakti Yoga practice is wonderful for uplifting the spirit and clearing away any heaviness in the body or mind.

Chakra Yoga
October 3rd, 10am - 1pm
Enter into the dimension of Consciousness and Energy through the systems of Chakras. Chakras provide us with tools for relaxation, concentration and meditation and help us to explore the different planes of consciousness so that we can express our creativity in day to day living. By integrating Chakra-Yoga practices into our life, we begin with the awareness of ourselves in our present condition and come to know the potential and possibilities that exist within us. We then use those strengths or possibilities to reach a higher state of awareness and being in life.

Darana – Draw energy from your inner being to overcome lifes obstacles and unleash your creative potential
October 4th, 10am - 4pm(Lunch Included)
Dharana is the advanced yoga technique of holding the mind at one point for extended period of time. This helps us to internalize our awareness and draw energy from our inner being. It also helps develop strong will power and inner strength to face difficult life situations. By becoming aware of the mental processes, we gradually become more sensitive to our needs, desires, creative potentials, phobias, projections, and mental blockages. The ultimate goal of yoga is perfection in life. The result is awareness, knowledge, harmony and a deep understanding of our nature. By integrating the practice of Dharana into our life, we begin with the awareness of ourselves in our present condition and come to know the potentials and possibilities, obstacles and difficulties that exist within us. By inner strength and will power generated by Dharana we can overcome those obstacles and difficulties and let the creative potentials express itself with focused mind and a well integrated personality.

“I truly enjoyed listening to Swami Maheshananda and his clear explanations of energy movement and its relationship to Hatha Yoga.”
Kim Corbin - Nature's Intention

“Sw. Mahesh's is a wonderful and articulate speaker and I felt very privileged to have had the opportunity to be a part of his workshop. He presented prana and pranayama in a very organized and systematic way that made it easy to follow and understand. He also made the practices easy to implement into daily life and offered the benefits of us doing so.”
Kristen Strang “Kriyashakti”

For more information about Swami Maheshananda click here.

AWAKENING THE SACRED FEMININE
with SWAMI KARMA KARUNA
SaturdayJune 6th, 2009

A comprehensive workshop about Women, Yoga and Spirituality.
Discover how to access the creative inner force and awaken the spirit of femininity through yoga. Swami Karma Karuna will use sound, movement and creative expression to guide us in expanding and liberating our potential Shakti (inner feminine force). She will teach us practices designed for women to balance and optimize the physical, mental and emotional aspects of a woman’s unique body. The
workshop will also include Shakti meditation, yantra and mantra, expression & group
discussion.

Satsang & Kirtan
Swami Maheshanda will answer your questions about any aspect of yoga. Come and sit in an open environment and ask your questions or to simply sit and listen and see how yoga relates to your every day life! The evening will also include Kirtan: a combination of mantra and music done as call and response. This Bhakti Yoga practice is wonderful for uplifting the spirit and clearing away any heaviness in the body or mind.

Yoga for Stress Management
It is very difficult to define stress as it is a highly subjective experience and differs from person to person. However, one thing is certain that in modern times stress is an epidemic that is affecting the whole humanity in an adverse way. Stress is not related to a job alone now a days. Even children, teenagers, college students and elderly people experience too much stress in their life, which was not the situation a decade back.

Stress leads to response at Physical, physiological and psychological levels that can be potentially damaging and deadly for the personality over a long period of time. It is not hard to see that it contributes to hypertension, heart attacks, ulcers, neck or low back pain and emotional depression and frustrations. It impairs the immune system, creates imbalances of the body’s hormones, and adversely affects brain activity, making you more vulnerable to colds, allergies, fatigue, infections and mental-emotional depressions and tensions. It sucks the life force out of your being.

There are certain tools and approaches that modern medical science and Psychotherapy have developed to manage stress. But over time we see that stress has progressively increased indicating that the methods don't work. The main reason is that modern science works on piecemeal approach lacking the holistic approach that can bring real success.

Yoga is a science of total health and harmony. Integrating the physical, physiological and psychological functions, it aims to bring us closer to our true nature. It does not overlook the need for a healthy body and mind to help us walk on the path of personal growth and evolution. It touches each and every aspect of our personality and infuses us with the life force and willpower to live a life filled with happiness and contentment.

Experience the beneficial effects of yoga with simple and integrated yoga practices that deal with the body, mind, emotions and psyche. The aim of the workshop is to give you lasting tools for stress management and to help you connect to the next higher level of your own evolution. Yoga is not gymnastics but a systematic approach to strengthen your body's immune system and to focus your mental emotional energy for an integrated development and holistic growth of the personality. All levels welcome. No prior knowledge of yoga is required.

Prana Vidya – Connect to the Cosmic Energy for Self Healing and
Dancing your way through Life
We, as human beings, are always attracted to miracles, mysticism and wonders of nature. In its eternal quest human beings have discovered, experimented and used myriads of techniques, which can be labeled as scientific, mystical, religious or abstract based on the way we look at it. Civilizations arise and die, transferring the knowledge they had attained to posterity. Sometimes the stream of knowledge is cut off as civilizations die abruptly; we are left wondering at the pinnacle of knowledge they had reached looking at the ruins left behind. For example, the Mayan, the Aztec and the Egyptian ruins indicate the knowledge-based society that flourished in those ancient civilizations. Despite the death of ancient civilizations one thing is common - some mystical knowledge to connect with Cosmic Energy did exist in all of them. And Tantra, the science of Spirituality, was a universal knowledge once upon a time.

We are indeed fortunate that a major part of this knowledge is still available to us due to the continuity of the knowledge from the Vedic-Tantric Civilization of India. The Indian Vedic Civilization was more focused on knowledge and its skillful transference and left behind something more valuable and eternal than the ruins of other 'pyramid' civilizations. Tantra and Vedas both focus on knowledge, experience and its continuity. Through them we connect to the eternal stream of Ganga, the holiest river for Indians, that represents the pulsating, vibrant cosmic energy, called Prana in Sanskrit language.

Prana Vidya is a powerful Tantric technique that helps us connect to the throbbing and the most fundamental energy of the cosmos. The aim is to remove blockages in the chakras and to energize, activate and awaken these psychic energy centers as well as creating a proper circuit for the flow of the Pranic energy. The benefit at physical level is increased strength and vitality. The benefits at the physiological level are coordinated and optimal functioning of the body’s organs and systems, thus healing the whole body. At psychological level these practices drive away depression and dullness of mind infusing a renewed enthusiasm towards life. The mind opens up to higher possibilities and a new creative power takes over. At spiritual level these practices help us to see the larger picture of the 'Living Cosmos' and our connection with it.

The workshop will be based on an integrated approach using Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana and Mantra chanting practices. All levels welcome. Participants should be able to do simple stretching, forward and backward bending practices and sit in a simple meditative pose for 20 minutes.

Kirtan is a combination of mantra and music done as call and response. This Bhakti Yoga practice is wonderful for uplifting the spirit and clearing away any heaviness in the body or mind. It is a practice that is expanding rapidly throughout North America as westerners discover it’s uplifting, healing and joyous effects. Open to participants of all religions or no religion at all, Kirtan is easy to learn and participate in. Also joining us are Gita Chavda from Serendipity and Oz, Joan & Marcie from Tribal Thunder. Come and experience an evening of heart opening music and fun!

Ayurveda literally means the knowledge and wisdom of life. It is the healing system of India, sometimes referred to as the mother of all healing. It originated in India over 5,000 years ago and is still being used today. It aims to assist us in journeying back to optimal health by balancing the five elements in the body and mind through the use of herbs, diet, colors, aromas, lifestyle changes, yoga, and meditation along with
other five sense therapies. Yoga & Ayurveda are a complete approach to healing and balancing the body, mind and spirit.

EVOLVING THROUGH THE CHAKRAS
Swami Muktidharma Saraswati &
Swami Karma Karuna Saraswati
July 14th and 15th 2008

Needs, pleasure, power, love, creativity, wisdom, inspiration, awakened brain. Journey through the chakras to understand how these energies create our daily experiences, condition of health, and our mental perceptions.  Explore yogic techniques to become aware of, transform and refine the subtle energy centres.