A New Chapter of Service
Dear Friends, Located in beautiful rural Virginia, Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville has served as an oasis of peace for seekers from all over the globe. For over four decades, people from diverse faiths and backgrounds have come here to reflect, recharge, study, engage in Yoga practice, and deepen their spiritual pursuits. The pandemic brought unforeseen challenges, as well as an opportunity to reexamine our programming and services. We saw more clearly the essential role of spiritual practice in optimizing physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing, as we navigate the changes in today’s world. We emerged with programs geared to a deeper immersion in the Yoga teachings and practices. We are currently reviewing the way we offer our programs and need to make some changes to our reservation system. This is to help ensure our ongoing ability to serve you well. Accommodations will now be complimentary and on a “first come-first serve” basis. This will be made clear in the registration...
Bread to Breadth
Expanding the Present with Yoga Nidra Yoga has graced my life for over 20 years. At first, I was drawn to it for the feeling of stretch and movement—so natural and sublime—and the peaceful mind-space afterwards. As I continued taking classes, different aspects of the...
Yoga Nidra: An Outside In and Inside Out Practice
I spent January sinking deep into the study and practice of Yoga Nidra with Julie Lusk. I started practicing Yoga Nidra almost daily in 2020 during the COVID pandemic. Over time Yoga Nidra became a respite from all that swirled around me. As we emerged from the...
More Recent Articles
Integral Yoga Hatha and Mental Health
Introduction Most ancient theories of health and well-being include balance as a core concept. You can think of Yin/Yang in the Chinese system; even in the West, the Greek philosopher Aristotle writes: “Both excessive and deficient exercise ruin bodily strength, and,...
The Magic Mat
“The Original Magic Mat is the innovative, game-changing product your die cutting has been missing. Swap out one of your plastic cutting pads for this sturdy self-healing pad and you'll be amazed by the cleanest cuts you've ever achieved. Try the affordable,...
Finding Home in Integral Yoga Therapy
IYTh is based on the teachings of His Holiness Sri Swami Satchidananda Maharaj who taught that health and happiness are our birthright; our work is to undo the attachments and stressors that cause suffering.
How Meditation Can Help
in Times of Loss and Heartbreak
In grief and loss, the mind is powerfully affected. The way we think is changed. The content of our thoughts is altered. Particularly in early and traumatic grief, we forget things, we lose things, we are distracted and inattentive. Alternatively, we can be utterly...
Yoga for Personal and Social Resilience
"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." Yoga helps us develop personal resilience. Yes, the world's a mess, but I can't save the whole world. I tried and succeeded mainly at making myself miserable. I was a radio news reporter at the end of the...
Why Study About Death and Dying?
One of the most important things we can do to prepare for death is to think about it. Bring it into your life, and as Don Juan said, “Use death as an advisor.” What would you do if you had six months to live? What would you cut out of your life? What would you do if...
The Best Comfort is Inside You
This above all: to thine own self be true. And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.—William Shakespeare If you have a poor opinion about yourself certainly it will affect your heart, your mind, your personality. What...
Give Sorrow Words: Creative Writing for Grief and Loss
Giving your sorrow words through creative writing. In grief, loss, and trauma writing helps us express and release feelings that otherwise have no outlet.
Experience Your Feminine Nature in Yoga
The feminine nature of a woman’s body and her emotional makeup have unique qualities that need special attention when practicing Yoga.
Reducing Anxiety Amidst a Pandemic
Here we are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and anxiety is through the roof! When we’re anxious, our breathing pattern changes. That’s why it’s good to take a break regularly and stretch your upper body. You don’t even need to get up from your chair.
Ayurvedic Wisdom for Healthy Body and Mind
Tune into ancient Ayurvedic wisdom that offers guidance on keeping our bodies strong and our minds calm, amidst times of pandemic and stress. Ayurveda is a five-thousand-year-old natural system of healing that originated in India, rooted in longevity and preventative...
Laughter and Yoga: Being Happy on Purpose
One of the key indicators of happiness is laughter. Normally, we think we need to wait for something to happen before happiness can occur or before we hit the happiness button, but, that’s not true! We have the power to go ahead and hit that button! I call this...