Yoga of Recovery Workshops in LA, March 14-16, 2008 - FREE Intro Talk Fri night (events » community) Friday, March 14, 2008 - 9:00 AM Yoga of Recovery Weekend Workshops in LA, March 14-16, 2008 at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, 13325 Beach Ave, Marina Del Ray, CA 90292. (www.sivananda.org/la/)

On Friday March 14 there will be a Free Introductory Talk 7:30 - 9:00pm

Saturday, March 15:
Asana Class at 10:30am followed by three 2-hour sessions
12:00 - 2:00pm - Life is Sweet: the roots of our addictive behaviors
2:30 - 4.30pm - Ayurveda: The Addictive Tendencies of the Doshas
5:00 - 7:00pm - Addiction's energetic movement – down and out

Sunday, March 16:
Asana Class at 10:30am followed by two 2-hour sessions (option of asana class at 5:00pm)
12:00-2:00pm - Balancing the doshas
2:30-4:30pm - Ayurvedic nutrition – an uplifting diet to support recovery

Cost: $108 for the full weekend of workshops including asana classes – now you can’t beat that! Please call 310 822 9642 or email losangeles@sivananda.org to reserve your spot as spaces are limited and we’re filling up fast.
Individual Consultations will be available Monday & Tuesday, March 17 and 18 by appointment. Book this when you book your workshop to ensure you get one of the appointment times.

Ayurvedic Spring Cleansing (events » community) Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 8:00 PM AYURVEDA CLEANSING AND REJUVENATION RETREAT

SPRINGCLEANSE March 25-30, 2008
FALL CLEANSE September 21-26, 2008

5 day retreats in the beautiful sierra foothills
Take the opportunity to join us here at the Sivananda Yoga Farm for a week of cleansing, relaxation, meditation and yoga. The ashram is the ideal place to rejuvenate your body, refresh your mind and create inner radiance.
Cost: $650 plus accommodation
WHAT IS AYURVEDA
Ayurveda literally means ‘knowledge/science of life’ – it is an ancient system of medicine that offers simple and practical methods to maintain health and prevent disease through the use of such tools as proper daily and seasonal routines. It is a preventative process that boosts the body’s immune system and revitalizes the body systems.
WHY CLEANSE?
There are certain times of year that are better for cleansing than others. Detoxifying in spring and fall are an important part of the Ayurvedic seasonal routine - disease prevention and wellness are the natural result of regular seasonal cleanses. Cleansing is essential in our lives today as we are bombarded with chemicals such as pesticides and food additives; pollution; sugar; drugs; alcohol and large amounts of poor quality food. Many of us also suffer from stress due to fast paced modern living.

SIGNS OF TOXINS IN YOUR BODY
Proper digestion is crucial for health. When the digestive process is incomplete or inefficient, partially digested food matter is left behind in the digestive system. This substance, called 'Ama' in Ayurveda, is toxic to the physiology. It builds up over time and clogs the channels of the body, causing disease.

How to tell if you have ama build-up

1. Your tongue has a white coating in the morning.
2. You feel sleepy, or have abdominal bloating and gas after a main meal.
3. Your appetite is poor and you crave junk foods.
4. You feel fatigued, lethargic and unmotivated.
6. You're often "spaced out" and you find it difficult to concentrate.
7. You feel heavy and congested or constipated and have a general sense of malaise, with vague aches and pains.

If you experience these symptoms you'll benefit greatly from this cleansing retreat.

The Program Includes:

AYURVEDIC CONSULTATION
Discover your own personal constitution and learn the basic tools to keep your body, mind, and spirit in balance through diet, lifestyle, and other tools for healthy living. Ayurveda views the each individual as a unique expression of the five elements, refined into 3 essential doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha). By understanding your Ayurvedic constitution you’ll be able to determine what kinds of activities and changes in your lifestyle can best help you restore balance. Includes a detailed history intake, pulse and tongue analysis, diet and lifestyle evaluation.
AYURVEDIC BODY TREATMENT
A beautifully relaxing and luxurious full body treatment. Includes Abhyanga, a herbal oil massage; followed by Shirodhara,a soothing steady stream of herbal oil poured gently onto the forehead directly over the third eye, calming and purifying the mind. Last comes Swedhana, a full-body herbal steam treatment, which helps the oil and herbs penetrate the body, nourish the skin and remove toxins.
AYURVEDIC CLEANSING DIET
Ayurveda advises a cleansing mono-diet based on a balanced, healing food known as Kitchari (basmati rice, split mung beans, ghee and spices). It is an ideal cleansing diet for the digestive system and helps remove toxins and allergens from the body. Ordinary fasts that many people attempt often are too limited in food value and are used for a very short time. Many of us become too weak and fatigued to function normally as is often required of us even during a fasting period. Kitchari supplies the needed food for energy, vitamins and minerals we need while gently cleansing and toning the system.

You’ll find the fasting easier in a spiritual environment with like-minded people. It is also extremely beneficial to have all the supporting therapies offered in the retreat – yoga, pranayama, relaxation, sauna, walks in nature, meditation, and most of all, rest and quiet.

AYURVEDA COOKING WORKSHOP
You’ll learn how to cook the cleansing food that you are eating so you can maintain your new healthy routines at home.

AYURVEDA WORKSHOPS
The Ayurveda workshops will cover the following topics:
- Ayurvedic constitution
- Signs of imbalance and balancing therapies
- Proper digestion
- Guidelines to healthy eating
- Ayurvedic lifestyle, seasonal and daily routines
- “At Home” cleansing routine

Daily Schedule

5:30 am Wake up
6 am Satsang
8 am Yoga Asana Class
10 am Vegetarian Brunch
11 am Karma Yoga
12 pm Workshop on Ayurveda
1 pm Free Time
4 pm Yoga Asana Class
6 pm Vegetarian Dinner
8-10 pm Satsang

At Sivananda Yoga Farm (CA) (a non-profit organization) etc. Call for directions or check website for details. www.yogafarm.org
“The farm had such a positive impact on my life in just a week. Thank you to all the staff and the Swamis, especially Swami Sita for being so friendly and welcoming me into the surroundings. The Ayurvedic treatment and classes were extremely informative and uplifting. They really opened my eyes to holistic healing. Ayurveda is so new to me that I am so grateful to learn about it now that I am young that I hope to carry out your teachings for many years to come and maybe even after finishing medical school I will practice Ayurveda”. E.B.

“This has been a very powerful treatment and retreat. I am very grateful to the teachers for their knowledge, expertise, generosity and kindness.” A. P-C

“This has been a wonderful healing week for me. My mind and body have been moving toward disease. With the mind/body/spirit focus and education on the power of thoughts I know I am going in the correct direction. Thank you. I am so grateful that this space is here! It has been a blessing and a gift! The power of thought!” M.S.

“I am full of gratitude for everything I have learned and received this week. I know I am going to make positive changes as a result, which will be good for me and others. I truly am feeling blessed that this week has been part of my spiritual journey – my life – I believe I will return. Thank you so much” B.F.

The information presented was essential. This was a great week. Thank you. JH

“Loved the treatment room. Clean, bright, beautiful. Treatment wonderful, connected, nurturing. Assessment was insightful, informative. Gave me real tools to improve my health and my lifestyle. Workshops really supported and expanded upon knowledge received in consultation. Supported mono-diet was enjoyable in a supportive group and food was deliciously prepared. I would recommend this retreat to others. I will continue to study Ayurveda and I will be back to the Yoga Farm. R

Kirtan with Karnamrita Dasi (events » live music) Sunday, May 25, 2008 - 7:30 PM $20 Advance, $25 Door

Come for a yoga class (3.30-5.30pm), dinner (5.30-6.30pm) and Satsang/kirtan concert for all inclusive price of $40 (Advance booking required).

Add one night's accommodation (tent space, all inclusive price $70, pre-booking required).

Call 530 272 9322 to buy your tickets

Annual Jyotish Conference: Vedic Myths & Symbols in Yoga & Jyotish for Self Transformation (events » other) Friday, August 29, 2008 - 6:00 AM Ninth Annual Jyotish
(Vedic Astrology) Conference
Symbolism and Mythology for Self-transformation in Jyotish and Yoga
August 29-September 3, 2008

Conference will begin Friday morning and end with a Puja on Wednesday morning.

The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm and the American College of Vedic Astrology present the Ninth Annual Jyotish Conference to be held in Grass Valley, CA

This year's theme highlights the use of symbolism and mythology for Self-transformation. Jyotish and Yoga teaches the way of Self-transformation using vedic myths and symbols. Guest speakers will discuss the use of Jyotish and Yoga as a means to offer unique insights in counseling clients about their release from Karma. Furthermore, it provides the basis on which one identifies remedial measures to live a more fulfilled and dharmic life.


Conference Emphasis:

* Explore the connection of classical Yoga, meditation, rituals and Jyotish
* Learn how to use symbols and myths to decode the teachings of each planet to have proper awareness of the thinking mistakes (karmic imprints)
* Apply mental and spiritual remedials appropriately to karmic tendencies

This year, under the blessings of Jupiter in Sagittarius, this ninth annual conference gathers an extraordinary group of vedic astrologers, yogic and vedantic teachers in the warm atmosphere of the Sivananda ashram, "the Vrindavan of the West".

All levels of expertise are invited. There will be a ACVA Level I and II test available on site.

Conference Donation Rates:
Conference Day Rate:

$85
Full Program (Fri, Sat, Sun):

$195
Additional Days (Mon, Tue):

$45 per day

Accommodation Rates (includes $15 holiday surcharge for Fri, Sat, Sun):

Double (2 beds): $100/day

Dorm (4 beds): $80/day

Rates include daily pujas, Sivananda classical yoga classes, meditation and kirtan and vegetarian meals.

Annual Jyotish Conference: Vedic Myths & Symbols in Yoga & Jyotish for Self Transformation (events » other) Friday, August 29, 2008 - 6:00 AM Ninth Annual Jyotish
(Vedic Astrology) Conference
Symbolism and Mythology for Self-transformation in Jyotish and Yoga
August 29-September 3, 2008

Conference will begin Friday morning and end with a Puja on Wednesday morning.

The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm and the American College of Vedic Astrology present the Ninth Annual Jyotish Conference to be held in Grass Valley, CA

This year's theme highlights the use of symbolism and mythology for Self-transformation. Jyotish and Yoga teaches the way of Self-transformation using vedic myths and symbols. Guest speakers will discuss the use of Jyotish and Yoga as a means to offer unique insights in counseling clients about their release from Karma. Furthermore, it provides the basis on which one identifies remedial measures to live a more fulfilled and dharmic life.


Conference Emphasis:

* Explore the connection of classical Yoga, meditation, rituals and Jyotish
* Learn how to use symbols and myths to decode the teachings of each planet to have proper awareness of the thinking mistakes (karmic imprints)
* Apply mental and spiritual remedials appropriately to karmic tendencies

This year, under the blessings of Jupiter in Sagittarius, this ninth annual conference gathers an extraordinary group of vedic astrologers, yogic and vedantic teachers in the warm atmosphere of the Sivananda ashram, "the Vrindavan of the West".

All levels of expertise are invited. There will be a ACVA Level I and II test available on site.

Conference Donation Rates:
Conference Day Rate:

$85
Full Program (Fri, Sat, Sun):

$195
Additional Days (Mon, Tue):

$45 per day

Accommodation Rates (includes $15 holiday surcharge for Fri, Sat, Sun):

Double (2 beds): $100/day

Dorm (4 beds): $80/day

Rates include daily pujas, Sivananda classical yoga classes, meditation and kirtan and vegetarian meals.

AYURVEDA CLEANSING AND REJUVENATION RETREAT (events » other) Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 8:00 PM This retreat is offered at International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashrams (a non-profit organization)

Fall Cleanse: September 21-26, 2008

The Yoga Farm is the ideal place to rejuvenate your body, refresh your mind and create inner radiance.

Take the opportunity to join us for a week of cleansing, relaxation, meditation and yoga.

Proper seasonal routines prevent disease, boost the body’s immune system and revitalizes the body systems. Detoxifying in spring and fall are an important part of the Ayurvedic seasonal routine - disease prevention and wellness are the natural result of regular seasonal cleanses. Cleansing is essential in our lives today as we are bombarded with chemicals such as pesticides and food additives; pollution; sugar; drugs; alcohol and large amounts of poor quality food. Many of us also suffer from stress due to fast paced modern living.

SIGNS OF TOXINS IN YOUR BODY
Proper digestion is crucial for health. When the digestive process is incomplete or inefficient, partially digested food matter is left behind in the digestive system. This substance, called 'Ama' in Ayurveda, is toxic to the physiology. It builds up over time and clogs the channels of the body, causing disease.

How to tell if you have ama build-up

1. Your tongue has a white coating in the morning.
2. You feel sleepy, or have abdominal bloating and gas after a main meal.
3. Your appetite is poor and you crave junk foods.
4. You feel fatigued, lethargic and unmotivated.
5. You're often "spaced out" and you find it difficult to concentrate.
6. You feel heavy and congested or constipated and have a general sense of malaise, with vague aches and pains.

If you experience these symptoms you'll benefit greatly from this cleansing retreat.

The Program cost is $650 plus accommodation. Price Includes:

AYURVEDIC CONSULTATION
Discover your own personal constitution and learn the basic tools to keep your body, mind, and spirit in balance through diet, lifestyle, and other tools for healthy living. Ayurveda views the each individual as a unique expression of the five elements, refined into 3 essential doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha). By understanding your Ayurvedic constitution you’ll be able to determine what kinds of activities and changes in your lifestyle can best help you restore balance. Includes a detailed history intake, pulse and tongue analysis, diet and lifestyle evaluation.

AYURVEDIC BODY TREATMENT
A beautifully relaxing and luxurious full body treatment. Includes Abhyanga, a herbal oil massage; followed by Shirodhara,a soothing steady stream of herbal oil poured gently onto the forehead directly over the third eye, calming and purifying the mind. Last comes Swedhana, a full-body herbal steam treatment, which helps the oil and herbs penetrate the body, nourish the skin and remove toxins.

AYURVEDIC CLEANSING DIET
Ayurveda advises a cleansing mono-diet based on a balanced, healing food known as Kitchari (basmati rice, split mung beans, ghee and spices). It is an ideal cleansing diet for the digestive system and helps remove toxins and allergens from the body. Ordinary fasts that many people attempt often are too limited in food value and are used for a very short time. Many of us become too weak and fatigued to function normally as is often required of us even during a fasting period. Kitchari supplies the needed food for energy, vitamins and minerals we need while gently cleansing and toning the system.

You’ll find the fasting easier in a spiritual environment with like-minded people. It is also extremely beneficial to have all the supporting therapies offered in the retreat – yoga, pranayama, relaxation, sauna, walks in nature,meditation, and most of all, rest and quiet.

AYURVEDA COOKING WORKSHOP
You’ll learn how to cook the cleansing food that you are eating so you can maintain your new healthy routines at home.

AYURVEDA WORKSHOPS - The Ayurveda workshops will cover the following topics:

* Ayurvedic constitution
* Signs of imbalance and balancing therapies
* Proper digestion
* Guidelines to healthy eating
* Ayurvedic lifestyle, seasonal and daily routines
* “At Home” cleansing routine

Check website for more details www.yogafarm.org

Guest comments from previous retreats...
“The farm had such a positive impact on my life in just a week. Thank you to all the staff and the Swamis, especially Swami Sita for being so friendly and welcoming me into the surroundings. The Ayurvedic treatment and classes were extremely informative and uplifting. They really opened my eyes to holistic healing. Ayurveda is so new to me that I am so grateful to learn about it now that I am young that I hope to carry out your teachings for many years to come and maybe even after finishing medical school I will practice Ayurveda”. E.B.

“This has been a very powerful treatment and retreat. I am very grateful to the teachers for their knowledge, expertise, generosity and kindness.” A. P-C

“This has been a wonderful healing week for me. My mind and body have been moving toward disease. With the mind/body/spirit focus and education on the power of thoughts I know I am going in the correct direction. Thank you. I am so grateful that this space is here! It has been a blessing and a gift! The power of thought!” M.S

“I am full of gratitude for everything I have learned and received this week. I know I am going to make positive changes as a result, hich will be good for me and others. I truly am feeling blessed that this week has been part of my spiritual journey – my life – I believe I will return. Thank you so much” B.F.

"The information presented was essential. This was a great week. Thank you." JH

“Loved the treatment room. Clean, bright, beautiful. Treatment wonderful, connected, nurturing. Assessment was insightful, informative. Gave me real tools to improve my health and my lifestyle. Workshops really supported and expanded upon knowledge received in consultation. Supported mono-diet was enjoyable in a supportive group and food was deliciously prepared. I would recommend this retreat to others. I will continue to study Ayurveda and I will be back to the Yoga Farm." RO

Recovery Retreat in the Bahamas, Jan 16-22, 2009 (events » community) Friday, January 16, 2009 - 6:00 AM Yoga of Recovery is a retreat integrating the wisdom of Yoga and Ayurveda with the tools of Recovery. It is open to all who are looking to overcome self-destructive or addictive tendencies.

January 16 - 22, 2009
Location: Nassau, Bahamas

7-day retreat $450 plus accommodation, Ayurvedic Consultation and Body Treatment available for additional fee. Book early to ensure availability of therapists.

Web: www.sivanandabahamas.org
Email: nassau@sivananda.org
Phone: 1-866-446-5934 or 242-363-2902
The Yoga Retreat is an island paradise with crystal clear water and pure white sands... a true sanctuary of peace and natural beauty. It is located across the bay from Nassau on one of the finest beaches of the world. Five and a half acres of tropical paradise await you where you will find a heaven far from the hectic demands of everyday life.
You can stay in one of our cozy wooden cabins, or if you prefer, you may pitch a tent in the quiet coconut grove. Pleasant, simple lodgings include a choice of semi-private rooms overlooking the ocean, or comfortable cabins clustered around an oriental-style footbridge.


Location: Grass Valley, California, USA
March 19 - 22, 2009
3-day weekend retreat $225 plus accommodation, Ayurvedic Consultation and Body Treatment available for additional fee. Book early to ensure availability of therapists.

Web: www.sivananda.org/yogafarm
Email: yogafarm@sivananda.org
Phone: 800-469-9642 or 530-272-9322

The Yoga Farm is located in the foothills of California's Sierra Mountains. It is surrounded by rolling hills, forests of oak and pine, and clear streams. Here are 70 acres of secluded peace and solitude, where the sounds of nature soothe the mind and body.

Yoga of Recovery for Counselors Training Certification Course (events » other) Friday, January 23, 2009 - 6:00 AM Yoga Alliance 100-hour Certification

CEUs available – enquire to durga@yogaofrecovery.com

Location: Pardise Island, Nassau, Bahamas

Jan 23 - Feb 1, 2009 (arrive Jan 22, leave Feb 2, 11 nights)
(accommodation ($59-$89 per night)

Web: www.sivanandabahamas.org
Email: Nassau@sivananda.org
Phone: 1-866-446-5934 or 242-363-2902

Yoga of Recovery is the first comprehensive course to combine Ayurveda and Yoga with traditional recovery tools to offer a more holistic mind, body, spirit approach to addiction and self-destructive behaviors.

This course is for therapists, social workers, addiction counselors, sponsors, yoga teachers, Ayurvedic practitioners etc. Anyone interested in a more holistic and complete view of the problem and its solution. Bringing the west (12 Steps) and the East (Yoga and Ayurveda) together offers us a truly empowering approach to counseling those who embark on a program of recovery. It is the evolution of the solution.

Upon completion of the course you will have the skills to introduce the healing potential of the holistic sciences of Ayurveda and Yoga into your own life and those around you.

For those in counseling roles the course will offer you additional tools and a deeper understanding of the comprehensive approach to wellness, emotional sobriety and sustained spiritual development using Ayurveda and Yoga as extension therapies to any 12 Step work. If you are already a Yoga teacher, this course will make you uniquely qualified and more confident to teach yoga in rehabs or to people in recovery from any addiction. You will fully understand the root of the problem and the holistic approach, extended from limited understanding of substance abuse/behavioral problems to be treated with asana alone, to a full range of therapies for mind, body and spirit from these powerful healing modalities.
Course Fee: $750 plus accommodation

Yoga of Recovery New York Retreat (events » other) Sunday, July 12, 2009 - 6:00 PM This retreat is open to all who are looking to overcome self-destructive or addictive tendencies, people with histories of addiction or family members with addiction.
Every age group and all addictive and self-destructive tendencies are addressed. We require alcohol/chemically dependent guests to have at least 3 months of continuous sobriety.
Those with eating disorders and behavioral addictions (relationships, gambling, spending etc.) should have enough stability to embark on this work.
You do not need to be a yoga practitioner or a member of a 12 step program to come on the retreat. Although the teaching makes reference to the 12 steps, Yoga of Recovery is an independent retreat for people in recovery and is not affiliated with any 12 step program.
Attendance at the open 12 step meeting offered is optional.
Guest retreat fee for 5-day retreat is $350 plus accommodation (Ayurvedic consultation and body treatments additional)

Yoga of Recovery for Counselors Training Certification Course (events » other) Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 6:00 PM Yoga Alliance 100-hour Certification

Course Fee: $750 plus accommodation

Location: Grass Valley, California, USA

July 30 - August 9, 2009
(accommodations $50-$85 per night)

Web: sivananda.org/yogafarm
Email: yogafarm@sivananda.org
Phone: 800-469-9642 or 530-272-9322

Yoga of Recovery is the first comprehensive course to combine Ayurveda and Yoga with traditional recovery tools to offer a more holistic mind, body, spirit approach to addiction and self-destructive behaviors.

This course is for therapists, social workers, addiction counselors, sponsors, yoga teachers, Ayurvedic practitioners etc. Anyone interested in a more holistic and complete view of the problem and its solution. Bringing the west (12 Steps) and the East (Yoga and Ayurveda) together offers us a truly empowering approach to counseling those who embark on a program of recovery. It is the evolution of the solution.

Upon completion of the course you will have the skills to introduce the healing potential of the holistic sciences of Ayurveda and Yoga into your own life and those around you.

For those in counseling roles the course will offer you additional tools and a deeper understanding of the comprehensive approach to wellness, emotional sobriety and sustained spiritual development using Ayurveda and Yoga as extension therapies to any 12 Step work. If you are already a Yoga teacher, this course will make you uniquely qualified and more confident to teach yoga in rehabs or to people in recovery from any addiction. You will fully understand the root of the problem and the holistic approach, extended from limited understanding of substance abuse/behavioral problems to be treated with asana alone, to a full range of therapies for mind, body and spirit from these powerful healing modalities.

PROGRAM INCLUDES:
Hatha Yoga:
Course students will practice hatha yoga 2 hours per day, the class will be suitable for all levels. This course does not qualify you as a hatha yoga teacher, it simply brings you to the awareness and experience of its benefits, within the context of the wider framework of yogic psychology and philosophy and the healing aspects of Ayurveda.

Ayurveda workshops:
· Causes of disease from the Ayurvedic perspective and its relation to addiction.
· Addictive tendencies of each doshic type and their underlying needs and vulnerabilities.
· Likely damage caused and some simple suggestions for balance.
· Simple, practical methods to revitalize the body’s systems and boost the immune system such as proper daily and seasonal routines.
· How to be 'established in the self' – the best way to strengthen ongoing recovery.
· Ayurvedic nutrition.
· Seasonal and lifestyle suggestions.
· Simple yet essential detoxification practices.
·Counseling practices most useful for each type.

Tools of Recovery workshops:
Become able to correlate and discuss the many similarities between the foundations of Classical Yoga and those of the 12 Step Programs. This course expands your awareness and understanding of the 4 Paths of Yoga and how these spiritual practices can be integrated with the tools of 12 Step Programs.

Open 12-step meetings:
Many people who work in the field of recovery are themselves in recovery. Here we talk about our experience, strength and hope around any addictive habits that we are recovering from. This helps us develop more openness and compassion around both our own lingering compulsions and the struggle of different 'drug of choice' than ours. These meetings will also be a very beneficial experience for those not in recovery, to see what meetings are like, what their clients are involved with.

Teachers
This course is co-facilitated by Swami Narayanananda and Durga.

Yoga of Recovery California Retreat (events » other) Sunday, August 9, 2009 - 6:00 PM This retreat is open to all who are looking to overcome self-destructive or addictive tendencies, people with histories of addiction or family members with addiction.
Every age group and all addictive and self-destructive tendencies are addressed. We require alcohol/chemically dependent guests to have at least 3 months of continuous sobriety.
Those with eating disorders and behavioral addictions (relationships, gambling, spending etc.) should have enough stability to embark on this work. You do not need to be a yoga practitioner or a member of a 12 step program to come on the retreat. Although the teaching makes reference to the 12 steps, Yoga of Recovery is an independent retreat for people in recovery and is not affiliated with any 12 step program. Attendance at the open 12 step meeting offered is optional.
Guest retreat fee for 5-day retreat is $350 plus accommodation (Ayurvedic consultation and body treatments additional)

Labor Day Retreat: Inner Tantric Yoga, Ayurveda and Vedic Astrology Conference (events » other) Friday, September 4, 2009 - 6:00 AM This conference will discuss and practically apply the integration of Jyotish, Ayurveda, Classical Yoga, and inner Tantric Yoga in relation to karma and physical, mental and spiritual health. Their will be discussions on remedial measures to our karma and the presentation of the practical tools on how to change your life and how to deal with the world in transition. Discussions will give insights on the contemporary challenging planetary influences that affect humanity and individuals.

Presented by Swami Sitaramananda • Yogini Shambhavi • Ambika (Jennifer Andrews) • Dr. David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) • James Kelleher • Komilla Sutton • Dennis M. Harness, Ph. D - Mahadeva Dayananda • Krishna Darshan • Durga (Cathy O'Neil) • Dr. Marc Halpern (Dr. Siva) •

This program is co-sponsored by the American College of Vedic Astrology (ACVA), California College of Ayurveda (CCA) and the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm.

Guest speakers include:

Vamadeva (Dr. David Frawley)
Yogini Shambhavi
Dayananda Mahadeva (Dr. Dennis Harness)
Komilla Sutton
Dr. Marc Halpern
Durga (Cathy O’Neill)
James Kelleher
Krishna Darshan
Swami Sitaramananda

Afternoon asana class and both meals will follow the daily schedule.

Schedule of workshop topics:
Pre-conference
Thursday, September 3
AM Satsang: Meditation and "Introduction to Jyotish & Yoga" - Krishna Darshan
8 AM: "Introduction to Planets & Houses (I)" - Krishna
12 PM: "Introduction to Planets & Houses (II)" - Krishna
12 PM: Introduction to Ayurveda - Ambika Jennifer Andrews
2:30 PM Constitutional Analysis - Ambika Jennifer Andrews
2:30 PM: "Principles of Chart Interpretation" - Krishna
PM Satsang: Meditation and "Yogic Remedial Measures" - Krishna
Conference
Friday, September 4
AM Satsang: Meditation and Ganesha Homa
8 AM: "Prana & Physical, Mental & Spiritual Health" - Swami Sitaramananda
12 PM: "Inner Tantric Yoga (I)" - Vamadeva and Shambhavi
2:30 PM: "Inner Tantric Yoga (II)" - Vamadeva and Shambhavi
PM Satsang: Meditation and "Integrating Vedic Sciences" - Vamadeva
Saturday, September 5
AM Satsang: Meditation and "Devi Worship" - Shambhavi
8 AM: "Remedial Measures" - Vamadeva
12 PM: "Saturn, the Planet of Truth" - Komilla Sutton
2:30 PM: "Ayurveda & the Mind" - Dr Marc Halpern
PM Satsang: Meditation and "Global Economy" - James Kelleher
Sunday, September 6
AM Satsang: Meditation and "Karmic Code" - Dayananda Mahadeva
8 AM: "Karma & the Four Paths of Yoga: Strengths, Weaknesses & Predispositions" - Swami Sitaramananda
12 PM: "Yoga of Recovery: Patterns of Addiction and Self-destruction" - Durga
2:30 PM: "Case Studies on Recovery" - Dayananda Mahadeva
PM Satsang: "Transits of Jupiter Through the Last Four Signs" - Komilla Sutton
Monday, September 7
AM Satsang: Meditation and "Medical Astrology" - Krishna
8 AM: "Destiny & Free Will" - Panel discussion
12 PM: "Kundalini: Spiritual Emergence or Spiritual Emergency" - Dayananda Mahadeva
2:30 PM: Closing words, "Facing Transitions and Impermanence: Life and Death", Readings from sages

Register and pay for the full cost of the course two months prior to its start to receive 10% of tuition costs.
About Swami Sitaramananda
Swami Sitaramananda hails from Vietnam. She is a Yoga and Meditation teacher for more than 25 years. She is presently the main teacher of the Yoga Teachers Training Courses offered at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm, Grass Valley, CA where she is serving as the director. She also teaches at other Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashrams & Centers in India and Nassau, Bahamas, Asia, as well as Centers along the West Coast USA. She is a direct disciple of Swami Vishnu-devananda. She was nominated by her teacher as Goraknath acharya (spiritual teacher, one of the holders of the lineage) in 1989. Her lectures are based on the four classical paths of yoga as well as the 5 points of Health.
About Yogini Shambhavi
Yogini Shambhavi has an in depth knowledge of inner tantric Yoga for over 15 years and has deep spiritual insights into the working of the inner world. She is an international speaker and teacher along with her partner Dr. Pandit Vamadeva Shastri. She is the author of "Yogini, Unfolding the Goddess Within" and of "Yogic Secrets of the Dark Goddess".
About Ambika (Jennifer Andrews)
Ambika (Jennifer Andrews) specializes in the ancient vedic healing sciences of Ayurveda and Yoga. She is the owner and founder of Ambika’s Ayurveda. Ambika has a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Nevada, Reno, Masters of Education degree from The University of Cincinnati, and certificates in Ayurveda from The Institute of Vedic Studies, Santa Fe, New Mexico , and The California College of Ayurveda, Grass Valley, California, and is a certified Sivananda yoga instructor. www.ambikasayurveda.com
About Dr. David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri)
David is the author of two books on Vedic Astrology, a Vedic Astrology course and twenty other books on Vedic subjects that have been published in more than a dozen languages over the last twenty-five years. His work on Ayurveda, Vedic Astrology and Yoga is widely respected in India and the West. He most recently authored the book entitled 'Inner Tantric Yoga: Working with the Universal Shakti: Secrets of Mantras, Dieties and Meditation'.
About James Kelleher
Author of the recently published two-volume book, 'Path of Light', Jim is a co-founder of the Council of Vedic Astrology (CVA). He recieved his initial training in India and worked for five years in London as the personal assistant to the world-renowned Jyotishi, M.K. Ghandhi. He then returned to the United States where he has been consulting, lecturing and teaching Vedic Astrology since 1984. He is a former board member of CVA and the American College of Vedic Astrology (ACVA). He has been awarded the titles of Jyotish Kovid and Jyotish Vachapasti by the Indian Council of Astrological Sciences (ICAS). He maintains a busy private practice in Los Gatos , CA www.jameskelleher.com
About Komilla Sutton
Komilla is the co-founder and Chair of the british Association for Vedic Astrology. She is an internationally renowned consultant, teacher and lecturer. Indian born, Komilla Sutton is one of the pioneers in making tis subject more accesible for the Western readers. She is the author of 'Vedic Love Signs', 'Vedic Astrology', 'The Essentials of Vedic Astrology' and 'Lunar nodes - Crisis and Redemption'. www.Komilla.com
About Dennis M. Harness, Ph. D - Mahadeva Dayananda
Dennis is a professional astrologer who holds a doctorate in Counseling Psychology. For more than twenty years he has studied both Eastern and Western techniques of astrlogy. While Dennis enjoys tutoring students for the American College of Vedic Astrology (ACVA) certification program, he also teaches workshops on Vedic Astrology and Transpersonal Psycholody throughout the world. Dennis is the President of the American College of Vedic Astrology in Sedona, Arizona. He is the author of 'The Nakshatras: The Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology', published by Lotus Press. www.dennisharness.com, www.ancientoracletours.com
About Krishna Darshan
Krishna Darshan, who hails from Uruguay, is a direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda and has been a yoga and meditation teacher for more than 22 years in South America, Europe and USA. He has been the main Hatha Yoga instructor in numerous International Yoga Teachers Training Courses and has an in depth knowledge of the practice of Hatha and Raja Yoga and Vedanta. He is an able yogic sadhana counsellor as he is certified in Jyotish and is an approved Jyotish teacher and tutor with the American College of Vedic Astrology (ACVA) in the U.S. Krishna studied Jyotish under the tutorship of Gary Gomes, Gangadhara Girish, renowned Vedic astrologer president of the American Council of Vedic Astrology, and other renowned teachers from India and the U.S. In his long practice, study and teaching of Yoga and Vedanta philosophy, Krishna has come to recognize the value of Vedic astrology as a tool to give better counseling and guidance to those on the spiritual journey. He has written numerous articles on Yoga and Jyotish. Some of these can be read on his website: www.9graha.com
About Durga (Cathy O'Neil)
Catherine O’Neill (Durga) is the founder of Yoga of Recovery, a comprehensive program that integrates Ayurveda and Yoga with recovery tools for a holistic mind, body and spirit approach for all those affected by addiction and self-destructive behaviors. Yoga of Recovery is currently offered as workshops, retreats and certificate courses. Durga holds the RYT-500 qualification, having completed both the Sivananda Yoga teachers Training Course and an Advanced Yoga Training. She is also extensively trained in Meditation and Vedanta. She is a Clinical Ayurvedic and Pancha Karma Specialist, trained at the California College of Ayurveda and also in Kerala, India. She is the Director of the Ayurveda Programs at the Yoga Farm in California and a professional member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA). She is also a member of Yoga Alliance and International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT).
About Dr. Marc Halpern (Dr. Siva)
Dr. Marc Halpern is the founder and President of the California College of Ayurveda. An internationally respected expert in the field of Ayurveda, Dr. Halpern received the award for Best Ayurvedic Physician from the Indian Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. A. Ramdas. He is a co-founder of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. He is on the advisory board of Light on Ayurveda Journal in the United States and the Journal of Research and Education in Indian Medicine in Varansi, India. Dr. Halpern has published articles in popular journals and magazines of Ayurveda and Yoga including Yoga Journal and the Journal of the International Association of Yoga Therapy. He is also a contributing writer in several important books on Ayurveda published in the USA and India (Globalizing Ayurveda, Ayurveda: Natures Medicine and Clinician’s Guide to Complimentary and Alternative Medicine). Dr. Halpern is a regular speaker at Ayurveda and Yoga conferences and teaches regularly at the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers.

Tuition: $245
Accommodation options for the 3 night stay:
Tent - $150; Dorm (4 person) - $195
Cabin (2 person) - $255; Private - $420
Dates given are the dates you should plan to arrive and leave and may not be the actual dates of instruction.

Yoga of Recovery Weekend Workshops in London, October 3 and 4, 2009 (events » other) Saturday, October 3, 2009 - 1:00 PM Yoga of Recovery integrates the wisdom of Yoga and Ayurveda with modern recovery tools and 12-Step Programmes.
It is open to all who are looking to overcome self-destructive or addictive tendencies and those affected by the addictions of others.

October 3 - 4 | 2009

Saturday | October 3
1 - 3pm - Workshop: “Life is Sweet - The Roots of our Addictive Behaviours”

Sunday | October 4
3.30 - 5.30pm - Workshop: “Addiction's energetic movement - Down and Out”

Price per workshop: Members £18 / Non-members £22 / Concessions available

Durga is the founder of Yoga of Recovery TM, a comprehensive program that integrates Ayurveda and Yoga with recovery tools for a holistic mind, body and spirit approach for all those affected by addiction and self-destructive behaviors. She is a Clinical Ayurvedic and Pancha Karma Specialist, trained at the California College of Ayurveda and also in Kerala, India. Durga holds the RYT-500 qualification, having completed both the Sivananda Yoga teachers Training Course and an Advanced Yoga Training.

Yoga of Recovery Portugal Retreat (events » other) Friday, October 16, 2009 - 7:00 AM October 16 - 19, 2009
Location: Algarve, Portugal

4-day retreat 225 Euro plus accommodation, Ayurvedic Consultation and Body Treatment available for additional fee. Book early to ensure availability of therapists.

Web: www.quinta-da-calma.com
Email: info@quintadacalma.com
Phone: +351 289 393 741

This retreat is open to all who are looking to overcome self-destructive or addictive tendencies, people with histories of addiction or family members with addiction.
Every age group and all addictive and self-destructive tendencies are addressed. We require alcohol/chemically dependent guests to have at least 3 months of continuous sobriety.
Those with eating disorders and behavioral addictions (relationships, gambling, spending etc.) should have enough stability to embark on this work.
You do not need to be a yoga practitioner or a member of a 12 step program to come on the retreat. Although the teaching makes reference to the 12 steps, Yoga of Recovery is an independent retreat for people in recovery and is not affiliated with any 12 step program.
Attendance at the open 12 step meeting offered is optional.



" Quinta da Calma is located in the heart of Portugal's Algarve, with its long hot summers and mild, gentle winters. 15 minutes from Faro International Airport and conveniently close to the IP1 Motorway and the National EN125. It is just outside Almancil, 10 minutes from the Ria Formosa Natural Park and the soft sandy beaches of Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo. Vilamoura is less than a 15 minute drive away. Via the IP1 Motorway, we are less than a half hour away from the Spanish Border and via the new highway, approximately 2.5 hours drive from Portugals' capital, Lisbon.

Quinta da Calma was founded with the vision of a deep love for nature and natural foods, and a firm belief that it is the birthright of each individual to be healthy, joyful and peaceful, it offers an oasis of peace, beauty and tranquility in the heart of the Algarve.

Yoga of Recovery for Counselors Training Certification Course (events » other) Sunday, January 31, 2010 - 11:00 AM Yoga Alliance 100-hour Certification

Location: Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas

Jan 31 - Feb 9, 2010 (arrive Jan 30, leave Feb 10, 11 nights - accommodation $59-$89 per night)

Web: www.sivanandabahamas.org
Email: Nassau@sivananda.org
Phone: 1-866-446-5934 or 242-363-2902

Course Fee: $750 plus accommodation

Yoga of Recovery is the first comprehensive course to combine Ayurveda and Yoga with traditional recovery tools to offer a more holistic mind, body, spirit approach to addiction and self-destructive behaviors.

This course is for therapists, social workers, addiction counselors, sponsors, yoga teachers, Ayurvedic practitioners etc. Anyone interested in a more holistic and complete view of the problem and its solution. Bringing the west (12 Steps) and the East (Yoga and Ayurveda) together offers us a truly empowering approach to counseling those who embark on a program of recovery. It is the evolution of the solution.

Upon completion of the course you will have the skills to introduce the healing potential of the holistic sciences of Ayurveda and Yoga into your own life and those around you.

For those in counseling roles the course will offer you additional tools and a deeper understanding of the comprehensive approach to wellness, emotional sobriety and sustained spiritual development using Ayurveda and Yoga as extension therapies to any 12 Step work. If you are already a Yoga teacher, this course will make you uniquely qualified and more confident to teach yoga in rehabs or to people in recovery from any addiction. You will fully understand the root of the problem and the holistic approach, extended from limited understanding of substance abuse/behavioral problems to be treated with asana alone, to a full range of therapies for mind, body and spirit from these powerful healing modalities.

PROGRAM INCLUDES:
Hatha Yoga:
Course students will practice hatha yoga 2 hours per day, the class will be suitable for all levels. This course does not qualify you as a hatha yoga teacher, it simply brings you to the awareness and experience of its benefits, within the context of the wider framework of yogic psychology and philosophy and the healing aspects of Ayurveda.

Ayurveda workshops:
· Causes of disease from the Ayurvedic perspective and its relation to addiction.
· Addictive tendencies of each doshic type and their underlying needs and vulnerabilities.
· Likely damage caused and some simple suggestions for balance.
· Simple, practical methods to revitalize the body’s systems and boost the immune system such as proper daily and seasonal routines.
· How to be 'established in the self' – the best way to strengthen ongoing recovery.
· Ayurvedic nutrition.
· Seasonal and lifestyle suggestions.
· Simple yet essential detoxification practices.
·Counseling practices most useful for each type.

Tools of Recovery workshops:
Become able to correlate and discuss the many similarities between the foundations of Classical Yoga and those of the 12 Step Programs. This course expands your awareness and understanding of the 4 Paths of Yoga and how these spiritual practices can be integrated with the tools of 12 Step Programs.

Open 12-step meetings:
Many people who work in the field of recovery are themselves in recovery. Here we talk about our experience, strength and hope around any addictive habits that we are recovering from. This helps us develop more openness and compassion around both our own lingering compulsions and the struggle of different 'drug of choice' than ours. These meetings will also be a very beneficial experience for those not in recovery, to see what meetings are like, what their clients are involved with.

Teachers
This course is co-facilitated by Swami Sitaramananda and Durga.

Yoga of Recovery for Counselors Training Certification Course (events » other) Thursday, July 8, 2010 - 6:00 PM Yoga Alliance 100-hour Certification

Location: Catskills, New York

July 8 - 18, 2010

Web: www.sivananda.org/yogaranch
Email: yogaranch@sivananda.org
Phone: 1-845 436 6492

Course Fee: $750 plus accommodation

Yoga of Recovery is the first comprehensive course to combine Ayurveda and Yoga with traditional recovery tools to offer a more holistic mind, body, spirit approach to addiction and self-destructive behaviors.

This course is for therapists, social workers, addiction counselors, sponsors, yoga teachers, Ayurvedic practitioners etc. Anyone interested in a more holistic and complete view of the problem and its solution. Bringing the west (12 Steps) and the East (Yoga and Ayurveda) together offers us a truly empowering approach to counseling those who embark on a program of recovery. It is the evolution of the solution.

Upon completion of the course you will have the skills to introduce the healing potential of the holistic sciences of Ayurveda and Yoga into your own life and those around you.

For those in counseling roles the course will offer you additional tools and a deeper understanding of the comprehensive approach to wellness, emotional sobriety and sustained spiritual development using Ayurveda and Yoga as extension therapies to any 12 Step work. If you are already a Yoga teacher, this course will make you uniquely qualified and more confident to teach yoga in rehabs or to people in recovery from any addiction. You will fully understand the root of the problem and the holistic approach, extended from limited understanding of substance abuse/behavioral problems to be treated with asana alone, to a full range of therapies for mind, body and spirit from these powerful healing modalities.

PROGRAM INCLUDES:
Hatha Yoga:
Course students will practice hatha yoga 2 hours per day, the class will be suitable for all levels. This course does not qualify you as a hatha yoga teacher, it simply brings you to the awareness and experience of its benefits, within the context of the wider framework of yogic psychology and philosophy and the healing aspects of Ayurveda.

Ayurveda workshops:
· Causes of disease from the Ayurvedic perspective and its relation to addiction.
· Addictive tendencies of each doshic type and their underlying needs and vulnerabilities.
· Likely damage caused and some simple suggestions for balance.
· Simple, practical methods to revitalize the body’s systems and boost the immune system such as proper daily and seasonal routines.
· How to be 'established in the self' – the best way to strengthen ongoing recovery.
· Ayurvedic nutrition.
· Seasonal and lifestyle suggestions.
· Simple yet essential detoxification practices.
·Counseling practices most useful for each type.

Tools of Recovery workshops:
Become able to correlate and discuss the many similarities between the foundations of Classical Yoga and those of the 12 Step Programs. This course expands your awareness and understanding of the 4 Paths of Yoga and how these spiritual practices can be integrated with the tools of 12 Step Programs.

Open 12-step meetings:
Many people who work in the field of recovery are themselves in recovery. Here we talk about our experience, strength and hope around any addictive habits that we are recovering from. This helps us develop more openness and compassion around both our own lingering compulsions and the struggle of different 'drug of choice' than ours. These meetings will also be a very beneficial experience for those not in recovery, to see what meetings are like, what their clients are involved with.

Yoga of Recovery for Counselors Training Certification Course (events » other) Thursday, July 29, 2010 - 6:00 PM July 29 - August 8, 2010
(accommodations $50-$85 per night)

Web: sivananda.org/yogafarm
Email: yogafarm@sivananda.org
Phone: 800-469-9642 or 530-272-9322

Yoga of Recovery is the first comprehensive course to combine Ayurveda and Yoga with traditional recovery tools to offer a more holistic mind, body, spirit approach to addiction and self-destructive behaviors.

This course is for therapists, social workers, addiction counselors, sponsors, yoga teachers, Ayurvedic practitioners etc. Anyone interested in a more holistic and complete view of the problem and its solution. Bringing the west (12 Steps) and the East (Yoga and Ayurveda) together offers us a truly empowering approach to counseling those who embark on a program of recovery. It is the evolution of the solution.

Upon completion of the course you will have the skills to introduce the healing potential of the holistic sciences of Ayurveda and Yoga into your own life and those around you.

For those in counseling roles the course will offer you additional tools and a deeper understanding of the comprehensive approach to wellness, emotional sobriety and sustained spiritual development using Ayurveda and Yoga as extension therapies to any 12 Step work. If you are already a Yoga teacher, this course will make you uniquely qualified and more confident to teach yoga in rehabs or to people in recovery from any addiction. You will fully understand the root of the problem and the holistic approach, extended from limited understanding of substance abuse/behavioral problems to be treated with asana alone, to a full range of therapies for mind, body and spirit from these powerful healing modalities.

PROGRAM INCLUDES:
Hatha Yoga:
Course students will practice hatha yoga 2 hours per day, the class will be suitable for all levels. This course does not qualify you as a hatha yoga teacher, it simply brings you to the awareness and experience of its benefits, within the context of the wider framework of yogic psychology and philosophy and the healing aspects of Ayurveda.

Ayurveda workshops:
· Causes of disease from the Ayurvedic perspective and its relation to addiction.
· Addictive tendencies of each doshic type and their underlying needs and vulnerabilities.
· Likely damage caused and some simple suggestions for balance.
· Simple, practical methods to revitalize the body’s systems and boost the immune system such as proper daily and seasonal routines.
· How to be 'established in the self' – the best way to strengthen ongoing recovery.
· Ayurvedic nutrition.
· Seasonal and lifestyle suggestions.
· Simple yet essential detoxification practices.
·Counseling practices most useful for each type.

Tools of Recovery workshops:
Become able to correlate and discuss the many similarities between the foundations of Classical Yoga and those of the 12 Step Programs. This course expands your awareness and understanding of the 4 Paths of Yoga and how these spiritual practices can be integrated with the tools of 12 Step Programs.

Open 12-step meetings:
Many people who work in the field of recovery are themselves in recovery. Here we talk about our experience, strength and hope around any addictive habits that we are recovering from. This helps us develop more openness and compassion around both our own lingering compulsions and the struggle of different 'drug of choice' than ours. These meetings will also be a very beneficial experience for those not in recovery, to see what meetings are like, what their clients are involved with.

Teachers
This course is co-facilitated by Swami Sitaramananda and Durga.

Swami Sitaramananda is a gifted speaker and teacher of Yoga and Meditation, serving for more than twenty-five years in the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashrams & Centers. Swami Sitaramananda's great experience of the intricacy of spiritual life, her vedic knowledge and her love of spiritual seekers have made her an able spiritual teacher.

She is an internationally respected teacher who presents the intricate yoga philosophy and practice in a simple, down to earth and humorous manner. She is an expert in teaching Positive thinking and how to deal with the mind and the emotions.