Meditation Retreat - Intro. to Meditation

08/29/10 to 09/03/10

Taught by Swami Sitaramananda • Kailas Chaitanya •

Course Details

This five-day Meditation retreat in Grass Valley, CA, will introduce you to the basic guidelines for classical yogic meditation.

This course is ideal for beginner's in meditation. If you are curious about meditation, if you want to know what is meditation and how to do it, this course is for you.

You will practice yoga postures, Yoga breathing and meditation twice per day, participate in daily Kirtan chanting sessions, enjoy 2 delicious organic, vegetarian meals, and learn about the specifics of meditation from an experienced meditation teacher.

This meditation course is the only one of it's kind in Northern California, based on the traditional methods of Classical Yoga meditation from ancient India.

Benefits of meditation include:

• Increased focus and concentration
• Lowers blood pressure, naturally
• Balances both right and left hemispheres of the brain
• Natural energy boost
• Increased problem solving ability
• Hightened awareness throughout your day
• Inner peace and tranquility
• Balanced mind and emotions
• Increased sense of joy and happiness

Sivananda Yoga Meditation has been shown to help people through difficult times, by teaching awareness, relaxation and concentration, bringing presence of mind into our every action and endeavor.

This meditation retreat will guide students through the following topics:

- the mind and how it works

- how to manage the emotions

- improving concentration

- using mantras

- guidance on healthy lifestyle.

The Yoga and meditation retreat participants will study the basic yoga psychology from Patanjali Yoga Sutras, and learn how to manage your mind effectively to reach your optimum health and well being and attain success in Life and Self-realization!

Curriculum

Participants follow the ashram daily schedule. You will be personally guided on your first attempts to meditate, coached by an experienced meditation teacher.

Daily Schedule

6-8am Satsang: Guided silent meditation practice, chanting and lecture

8-10am Yoga Class

10am Brunch

11am Karma Yoga

1pm Meditation Workshop

4-6pm Yoga Class

6pm Dinner

7-8pm Free Time

8-10pm Satsang: meditation, chanting and lecture

Cost

Price of accommodations for 5 nights.  See below for accomodation rates.

Arrival and Departure

The course will begin at 7pm on Friday, August 29, with orientation, and will end at 3pm on Friday, September 3.

Please plan to arrive at the Yoga Farm at least one day before the start of the course and to leave at least one day after the course completion.

We recommend that you spend at least a few days at the Yoga Farm before the start of your course. This allows your body and mind to rest, re-energize and be nourished by the ashram environment. You can then bring your study feeling relaxed and refreshed. You may also wish to stay for some days after the end of the course to allow the learning from your study to integrate more fully into your consciousness within the supportive environment of the ashram. If you decide to arrive early and stay longer, please register for the Yoga Vacation Program for those additional days. Please see the calendar of events for guest programs on offer around the time of your visit.

What to Bring

Textbooks:

Meditation and Mantras by Swami Vishnu-devananda

Essentials of Yoga Practice and Philosophy by Swami Sitaramananda

Other: slip on shoes, loose comfortable clothing, writing materials, meditation shawl or blanket, yoga mat, flashlight.

All books and materials are available in our boutique.

Reservations

To reserve a place for this week, please register online or email yogafarmregistration@sivananda.org. Then please call to give us your credit card deposit and confirm your reservation.

A deposit paying for your first night\'s stay is required for your reservation. Please note that in case of cancellation, no refund will be given. A credit note for other programs at the Yoga Farm (valid for one year) will be given.

About Swami Sitaramananda
Swami Sitaramananda 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, including her birth country, Vietnam. 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 Kailas Chaitanya
Kailas Chaitanya is one of the main teachers of Hatha Yoga and Meditation at the ashram. He graduated from the Sivananda Yoga Teacher's Training Course in 2007 and has been assistant director at the Los Angeles Sivananda Yoga Center since then. He is interested in yoga psychology and yoga philosophy and enjoys teaching positive thinking courses.