Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco

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Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco

A non-profit organization dedicated to serving the community through living and sharing the classica
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Connect with a vibrant community dedicated to the classical teachings of Yoga.

01/12/2026

Developing self-discipline is like developing a mental muscle -- we have to exercise it regularly to grow our capacity. With clarity of purpose, self-discipline and patience, we can accomplish any sincere goal we set.

01/10/2026

Saturday January 24 • 11:15am - 2:15pm

Join Claudia Bartsch, C-IAYT, for an immersive exploration into the science and felt-sense of the nervous system. This 3-hour workshop blends the insights of Polyvagal Theory with the embodied wisdom of yoga, breath, and mindful movement to help you understand, sense, and regulate your own physiological state.
Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, explores how the nervous system constantly shifts between states of safety, connection, and protection—and how these shifts shape your emotions, behaviors, and relationships. By learning to recognize and work skillfully with these states, you can restore balance, resilience, and ease.

The workshop begins with a lecture and discussion to demystify how the nervous system influences emotional and mental states, as well as patterns of connection. From there, Claudia will guide you through experiential practices.

This is more than a lecture—it’s a visceral experience of your body’s innate capacity for balance and self-regulation.

Claudia Bartsch, C-IAYT: Certified as a Yoga Therapist in 2016, she is deeply dedicated to facilitating holistic healing. In her work, she specializes in supporting individuals navigating mental, emotional, or physical challenges by adapting yoga practices to meet their unique conditions and needs.

In addition, she is a Certified Stress Management Educator, empowering individuals to cultivate resilience and inner calm through mindful, evidence-informed practices. She also holds certifications as a Shiatsu and Reiki Practitioner, modalities that complement the integrative, body-centered approach she brings to her work.

01/08/2026

a thousand hours of asana
trying to get better
a thousand more on the witness seat
watch the endless thought parade across the mental sky
a glimpse of inner sun,
weeks spent in the fog.

but when the silent heart bell rings even once
all is home
the resume slips away
seeing everyone together at the curtain call
even the people we bombed in the night.

the mind struggles for safety

longing for recognition, for some relief

but then the river of love is in flood again
and sweeps away everything--
even the desires moored there years ago,
measured plans and distant dreams.

head bowed to the floor
the mind empties itself in surrender
silence rains
a flower opens

- Swami Ramananda

01/06/2026

"Why do people do bad things if they already know what is right and what is wrong? Because of lack of will. We know what is wrong, but we don't have the will power to stay away from that. How can one develop the will? By discipline and by regular practice. You develop that will by doing little, little, little things. Don't start with a big job that you cannot easily do; if you fail, you will lose confidence. Accomplishing small things will improve your self-confidence.”

Sri Swami Satchidananda, excerpted from The Golden Present

01/04/2026

We may get discouraged at times, thinking that we aren’t making much progress on the spiritual path and wondering if our practices are bearing fruit.

We should know that every meditation session, every asana, every prayer, positive thought or mantra has a lasting benefit.

The mind and subconscious change through repetition. We need only inspire and sustain our sincere efforts to be sure we are growing.

12/29/2025

Bringing Our Intentions to Life

The beginning of a new year is a natural time to reflect on and re-envision our lives. The tradition of New Year’s resolutions can be life changing or it can be a temporary way of fooling ourselves with lofty ideas that fade when reality hits. Clarifying our intentions for this life is useful, but really makes an impact when we translate the vision into committed actions.

For example, I may be clear that I want to be more rested and energized as I embark on each day. I may want to make time for spiritual practices or participate in workshops that support my personal growth. But for those ideas to bear fruit, I need to break them down into specific goals. I have to commit to a specific bedtime to feel more rested each morning, and determine how many meditation sessions per week are optimal for me to adequately develop my practice.

In addition to translating our vision into specific steps, it behooves us to reflect honestly on our other responsibilities, our physical and mental capacity and our will power. It’s easy to set an admirable goal in a moment of inspiration that proves unreachable when we are stressed or struggling – a recipe for frustration and/or failure. A good goal challenges us in small ways, building confidence with each success.

Success also requires enthusiasm and thoughtfulness. It’s unrealistic to assume that we can muscle our way into new habits without planning ways to support them. We can consider what other adjustments or changes are needed to make a goal doable. For example, we may not be able to make time for some new activity in our lives without letting go of something else, and sharing that vision with friends is a great way to enlist their support.

Whenever we are trying to create positive changes in our lives, we can expect difficulty. Unwanted thoughts and behaviors are usually a product of impressions embedded in the subconscious mind, and it takes time and repetition of a new pattern to replace them. With a combination of determination and willingness to persevere, we can override unhealthy inclinations. Perhaps even more powerful is a prayer for strength and guidance, opening our hearts to the grace of a higher power in whatever way we understand it.

Carrying a meaningful intention in our hearts breathes spiritual life into our days. Remembering again and again a higher purpose frees us from being captive to the consumer-oriented messages of our culture. I pray that by practicing this way, we all grow more aware of the source of deep peace and love that is ever-present within.

12/27/2025

The Peace of Wild things
by Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

12/24/2025

Wednesday December 31 • 5pm - 7pm PST

As we enter a new year, let us come together with Astrud and her dear friends to uplift our spirits, open our hearts, and nourish our souls with divine energies invoked through kirtan and mantra meditation.
Mantras are sacred tools that help redirect the mind toward the heart, toward Peace, and ultimately, toward the natural Source of Spirit within.
Join us for an evening of chanting, mystical poetry, and moments of stillness as we immerse ourselves in the spiritual presence that we awaken together.

About Astrud:

Astrud is a celebrated kirtan wallah and yoga teacher currently living in Los Angeles. She has been sharing the art and practice of kirtan for over two decades and has toured throughout the U.S. and Europe sharing her passion for Mantra Meditation and Bhakti Yoga. Astrud teaches teachers in training the essence of Bhakti and basic harmonium skills. She has been teaching asana infused with Bhakti since 2000. “Astrud’s kirtans immerse the mind in a sea of sacred sound and melt open the heart” -Swami Ramananda. You can find her album Hari Om and other singles on Spotify, and all other music platforms.

Advance registration recommended

12/22/2025

Generosity is More Than Gift Giving

Our intention as spiritual aspirants is to practice generosity in a much more meaningful way than gift giving. Buying a present for someone with real care for their well-being is certainly a fine practice any time of year, but can also be an empty ritual, even an obligation.

Real generosity springs from the heart not from the pocket. Real generosity arises easily from the sense of deep connection that we experience when we practice Yoga and free ourselves from the limiting thoughts that divide us. It can take many forms: a warm smile, taking time to appreciate someone or a silent prayer offered with sincerity to uplift a friend. Simply listening to someone with full attention can be a powerful way to offer support and care.

Sharing the gifts and blessings we have received with others is a natural impulse when we acknowledge our abundance and escape the self-centered messages of our culture. Sharing generously opens our hearts to the love and compassion that is our true nature and is ultimately more fulfilling than keeping things for ourselves.

In her book, The Secret Power of Yoga, Nischala Devi comments on the teaching of Astheya: “In our lives we have many occasions to give. In the simplest way, Astheya tells us not to steal. As it expands your heart, it says, give. For maximum benefit, do not even wait for someone to ask, be alert, and never miss an opportunity to give, give, give. Sri Swami Sivanandaji’s students who hoped to emulate his most generous nature, gave him the nickname of Swami Give-ananda (the bliss of giving).”

12/17/2025

Perfection - a Recipe for Suffering

We might ask ourselves, “What compels me to push myself beyond a healthy limit, to live in a sleep deprived state, to strain or overdo?” If we look deeply, we can begin to discern where our attachment to an outcome prevents us from pursuing our goals with neutrality and poise. Asana practice can be a good opportunity to let go of needing to prove anything or live up to some standard, really listen to the sensations in the body, and respond to them to maintain a balance between effort and ease.

12/11/2025

Equanimity in a World Out of Balance

In many ways, our culture seems to emphasize the idea of pushing ourselves to the limit. The media are constantly highlighting extreme behavior and extreme sports, the richest people, the gold medal winners and the top performers. A much more natural and instinctive tendency is to find balance. Everything in nature seeks balance as part of a strategy to survive. Our bodies are constantly responding to all the conditions we are exposed to in an effort to maintain homeostasis.

To pursue our spiritual growth, we need a very refined state of mental balance that is achieved by a combination of regular meditation practice to create equanimity, and by reflecting on the beliefs and expectations that cause our minds to lose that balance. In this balanced condition, we can function in an optimal way and respond to challenges from a foundation of inner steadiness.

12/10/2025

Sunday December 14, 7pm - 9pm PST

Join Manose, a world renowned musician for a night of chanting and flute music, an enchanting sound bath which creates a bridge between the East and the West. This form of devotional music is uplifting and helps connect man’s mind, body and spirit. It takes the spirit to higher realms of consciousness.

Manose, Nepal’s first Grammy nominated multi instrumentalist & composer, has been touring for more than two decades. Spreading the power of healing music, he has won millions of hearts all over the world.
His interest in flute was ignited at the age of 8 when he heard the mesmerizing flute tune coming through his window. Soon, his music lessons started after being initiated by a shenai player Madan Dev Bhatta, a disciple of Ustad Bismillah Khan. He learned classical raga music that still influences his work with devotional touches from both Hinduism and Buddhism.
His offering of 111 days of free daily meditations on his social media became a lifeline for many during the COVID pandemic.

Address

770 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA
94110

Telephone

+14158211117

Website

http://www.integralyogasf.org/

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