Ashram Sacred Tour: Intro to Sivananda Yoga

This yoga workshop at Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in Grass Valley, California, is an introduction to Sivananda Yoga for anyone curious about the tradition. It begins with a guided Ashram Sacred Tour and moves through an asana and pranayama class and a vegetarian dinner. An evening satsang is open to those who want to experience silent meditation, kirtan chanting and a talk on yoga philosophy. It suits newcomers and returning visitors alike, and you can choose how much of the day to take part in.

What to Expect

The afternoon is shaped as a gradual arc, from walking and listening to movement, then food, then stillness and song.

The day opens with arrival, welcome and registration. The Ashram Sacred Tour follows, a guided walk of a little over an hour through the grounds. Guides tell the story of how the ashram came to be and stop at temples and shrines to speak about their energetic and mythological significance.

The yoga class runs about two hours including relaxation. It includes pranayama (breathwork), sun salutations and the twelve basic asanas, with variations for different levels of experience, and ends with a deep, nourishing relaxation. This is the classical Sivananda sequence, taught here as an introduction.

Dinner is an organic vegetarian buffet prepared in the ashram kitchen. Those who stay on for satsang then move into the evening program: guided silent meditation, kirtan, a lecture on yoga philosophy, and closing prayers with the arati, the light ceremony.

Schedule

- 2:00 to 2:30 pm: Arrival, welcome and registration
- 2:30 to 3:45 pm: Ashram Sacred Tour
- 4:00 to 6:00 pm: Yoga class and relaxation
- 6:00 to 7:00 pm: Vegetarian buffet dinner
- 7:30 to 9:00 pm: Satsang with guided silent meditation, chanting and lecture

The Setting

Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm sits in the Sierra foothills near Grass Valley, California. Swami Vishnu-Devananda founded it in 1971. It is a non-profit run entirely by volunteers and yogis who are dedicated to a healthy, disciplined way of life, one meant to support high consciousness and individual and world peace. His guiding phrase, "Simple living, high thinking," carries through the program.

Before You Go

The program is open to all levels. The class teaches foundational postures and breathwork, and variations are offered so that beginners and more experienced practitioners can each find a suitable way in.

Participation comes in tiers, so you can take the tour alone, add the yoga class, add the dinner, or stay for the whole day through satsang. The meal is included from the third tier upward, and satsang is part of the top tier only. Lodging is not offered as part of this program, and transportation to and from the ashram is not included, so plan your own way to Grass Valley.

The food is vegetarian and organic. The traditions at the heart of the day are Sivananda Yoga, Vedanta and Bhakti.