Workshops & Retreats

Our workshops vary in length from two-hour classes to weekend retreats and are a
wonderful introduction to Yasodhara Yoga.

Workshops offer an opportunity to step out of your busy life and find renewal and relaxation.

PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS

Recap: YASODHARA ASHRAM 2017 OUTREACH

Thank you to all who joined Swami Matananda and Swami Satyananda at the Lotus Heart Retreat Centre in Brighton. The workshop truly focused on “Nurturing Inner & Outer Peace”. Participants commented on the opportunity to nurture spiritual health, the flow and depth of the reflective process, the inspiring teachers, clarity, connections and the community process, and an appreciation of having the Ashram come to Ontario.

And many thanks to all who attended one, two, three or all five Toronto Workshops! Swami Matananda began the week with a workshop on Breath; then moving towards freedom by understanding ‘what I want to let go of” by taking the obstacle through the insights of the chakras; an evening with healing mantra; a day dedicated to sacred space; and then an inspirational Hidden Language Hatha Yoga class focused on ‘choice’.

The week concluded with a moving satsang during which we viewed an inspirational video of the new Temple of Divine Light. Following the video, a spontaneous discussion on the personal understanding/experience of sacred space took place! An invigorating and spiritually renewing week!

In Toronto participants commented on the positive experience of chanting followed by reflections, deepening self-awareness, the gift of insights through the visualizations, the inspiration to continue on the journey away from fear, a renewed dedication to daily cultivating one own’s sacred space and gratitude for the connection to the practices.

The Outreach workshops offered a special time to explore “yoga as a unifying path in today’s world”!

Many thanks to Swami Matananda and Swami Satyananda for bringing the teachings to Ontario to create an Ashram in the City experience! And gratitude to all who participated and shared in the experience of Outreach.

If we first understand ourselves – our inner world and the impact of our own thoughts and choices on the world -can we then create the kind of world we would like to live in: a world of peace and harmony, a world based on personal responsibility, understanding and compassion?
– Swami Sivananda Radha, Light and Vibration

YOGA: A UNIFYING PATH IN TODAY’S WORLD

Fall 2017 Workshops to nurture inner and outer peace

“Nurturing Inner & Outer Peace” – A Weekend Retreat in Brighton, Ontario

Come together with others to learn and use yogic practices that help you stay centred and be the person you want to be. Together, we will explore how you can increase understanding, and become empowered to take steps toward harmony in your own life.

If we first understand ourselves -our inner world and the impact of our own thoughts and choices on the world -can we then create the kind of world we would like to live in: a world of peace and harmony, a world based on personal responsibility, understanding and compassion?
– Swami Sivananda Radha, Light and Vibration

The retreat offers both space and structure. Included are: guided workshops in the tradition of Swami Sivananda Radha including breath, mantra, visualization, Light, morning Hidden Language of Hatha Yoga classes and reflection. Vegetarian (or vegan) meals available, shared or single accommodation.

Date: Friday, October 20 (arrival by 4 pm) to Sunday, October 22 (after lunch)
Where: Lotus Heart Centre, 448 Old Wooler Rd, Brighton, ON
Cost: All-inclusive: $450 shared; deposit required.
Teachers: Swami Matananda and Swami Satyananda, Yasodhara Ashram, Kootenay Lake, BC
Bring: Yoga mat, blanket and journal

Lotus Heart Centre is located near the town of Brighton, Ontario; only 8 minutes north of the 401. The land consists of 20 acres with walking trails, a small pond, and a few fresh water springs. See lotusheartcentre.ca

View Weekend Retreat poster here.

To Register: www.yasodharaontarioretreat.eventbrite.ca
Or contact Anna at adipede@sympatico.ca or call 416-399-7786

Toronto Fall 2017 Outreach Workshops

Join Swami Matananda for workshops that will renew and inspire you to create change in your own world. Take one or all.       Workshops will incorporate yogic practices: breath, relaxation, visualization, mantra, reflection and drawing.

View Toronto workshops poster here.

Breath: a pathway to peace

”Breath is always available; it’s the rhythm of life”
– Swami Radhananda, Living the Practice

Date: Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Time: 7 – 9 pm
Cost: $25 (sliding scale available)
Location: St. Andrew’s Centre, 73 Simcoe St. – through the blue door – across from Roy Thomson Hall. King St. & University Ave. St. Andrew subway station.

Bring a journal.

Learn to find the still place within, even in the busyness of your life, using the yogic tools of breath, meditation, relaxation and reflection.

Steps to Freedom – Bringing mindfulness to your life

Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Time: 7 – 9 pm
Cost: $25 (sliding scale available)
Location: St. Andrew’s Centre, 73 Simcoe St. – through the blue door – across from Roy Thomson Hall. King St. & University Ave. St. Andrew subway station.

Bring a journal.

Explore the power of Yoga to transform your life through a process of self-inquiry and meditation practices. Each choice you make, each step you take, can help you overcome limitations and bring you closer to your potential.

The Yoga of Healing: Uniting Mind, Body & Spirit

Date: Thursday, October 26, 2017
Time: 7 – 9 pm
Cost: $25 (sliding scale available)
Location: St. Andrew’s Centre, 73 Simcoe St. – through the blue door – across from Roy Thomson Hall. King St. & University Ave. St. Andrew subway station.

Bring a journal, yoga mat & blanket; wear comfortable clothing. There will be some extra mats available.

The journey of Yoga is a healing journey. What needs to be healed? What makes your life worth living? Take time to go inward and nurture yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually, in a compassionate space.

Entering Into Sacred Space: Steps to Understanding Yourself and Others

Date: Saturday, October 28, 2017
Time: 10 am – 4 pm
Cost: $125 (sliding scale available)
Location: St. Andrew’s Centre, 73 Simcoe St. – through the blue door – across from Roy Thomson Hall. King St. & University Ave. St. Andrew subway station.

Bring a journal, yoga mat & blanket and lunch (or eat locally); wear comfortable clothing.

Get in touch with the light in your heart by using reflection and practical spiritual exercises from the Yasodhara Ashram tradition. Learn to engage the power of choice to keep your inner knowing active in your day-by-day life.

Still the Mind Through Movement
Hidden Language Hatha Yoga Class

Date: Sunday, October 29, 2017
Time: 10 am – noon
Cost: $25 (sliding scale available)
Location: Multi-Faith Centre, University of Toronto. 569 Spadina Avenue (south of Harbord St. and north of College St.) Please click here for Public Transit/Parking info.

Bring a journal, yoga mat & blanket; wear comfortable clothing.

Hidden Language Hatha is a gentle and meditative style of Hatha Yoga that can benefit your mind and body in everyday life. We will use metaphor, symbolism and written reflections to access the insightful messages that the body can bring. Open to all levels.

Special Satsang

Please join us for a special Satsang on Sunday, October 29, 2017
with Swami Matananda, Yasodhara Ashram, British Columbia.

Your presence is welcome.

Date: Sunday, October 29th, 2017
Time: 7 – 8 pm
Location: 310 Scarborough Road, M4E 3M8 (Kingston Rd and Victoria Park Ave)
By Donation – Donations to the Yasodhara Temple of Light will be gratefully received.

Please email or call ahead to notify Victoria Campbell if you plan to attend. lightfilledyoga@hotmail.com or 416-566-7510.

For all Workshops Registration & Information: Please contact Anna at adipede@sympatico.ca or 416-399-7786

Swami Matananda and Swami Satyananda are long-time teachers and residents of Yasodhara Ashram.

Their light-hearted nurturing approach supports people in accessing their inner well of wisdom

and their true potential.

Yasodhara Ashram Workshops in Toronto, Peterborough and Huntsville with Charlotte Mustard

Charlotte Mustard, a Yasodhara Ashram teacher and Ashram Resident, will offer two workshops and a Hidden Language Hatha Yoga class on a visit back to Ontario. Please share this news with family and friends in the area.

**CANCELLED** Toronto: Hidden Language Hatha Yoga Class

NOTE – The Toronto workshop has been cancelled.
Date: Sunday May 21, 2017
Time: 11 am – 1 pm
Cost: $30.00 (sliding scale available)
Location: Ester Myers Yoga Studio, 390 Dupont Street (west of Spadina), Toronto.
A 5 minute walk west of the Dupont Subway Station on the University line. To reach the second floor Studio, enter from the door on the west side of the building.
Bring: Journal and wear comfortable clothing.
For information and registration: please contact carlajoyce@rogers.com or call 416-669-4658

Hidden Language Hatha Yoga takes the practice of Hatha Yoga far beyond a series of physical exercises. It is a gentle and meditative style of Hatha that respects the body as a spiritual tool. By working with metaphor, symbolism, imagery and visualization, the ‘hidden’ messages of each asana are revealed. This workshop will include asana practice, as well as written reflection. Open to all levels.

Peterborough: Hidden Language Hatha Yoga
Date: Thursday, May 11, 2017
Time: 7 – 9 pm
Location: Queen Alexander Centre, Peterborough
For information & registration: Please contact margoleeburton@gmail.com or call 647-284-1959

Huntsville: Conscious Living in Times of Change
Date: Thursday, May 25, 2017
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Location: 1151 Maplehurst Drive, Huntsville
For information & registration: Please contact marthalamon@live.ca or call 705-783-1973

View workshop poster here.

STEPPING INTO 2017 WITH INTENTION

What are your intentions for 2017? What will you create?

Take time to reflect on the past year.

With reflection comes awareness. And with awareness comes responsibility to ‘take action, to create, to apply your understanding’. How will you apply your insights and understanding in 2017? What choices will you make?

Utilizing practices of visualization, breath, and reflection, prepare to step into 2017 with intention – awareness, purpose and direction.

Teacher: Anna Di Pede
Date: Saturday, January 7, 2017
Time: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Location: Northern District Public Library
Gwen Liu Meeting Room, 2nd floor
40 Orchard View Boulevard, Toronto
1 block north of Eglinton Ave., 1/2 block west of Yonge St.
Eglinton subway station
Cost: $45 (sliding scale available)
Bring: Journal
Register: Please contact Anna at 416-399-7786 or anna.d@yasodharayoga.org to register or for information.

View Stepping Into 2017 With Intention Poster

YASODHARA ASHRAM OUTREACH

This fall, Swami Matananda and Swami Satyananda, two long-time teachers and residents of Yasodhara Ashram will travel to Ontario to offer a weekend retreat and workshops.

This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the Ashram – to have an Ashram experience in Ontario! Please join us!

Transitions Weekend Retreat – Brighton, Ontario

Find support in times of ending and beginning, change and transition. Explore your past experiences of transition and identify what choices you want to make now. What is the creative direction for your future? By working with reflective tools such as writing, drawing and spiritual practice, you can prepare for change, access strength and clarify options for your next steps.

The retreat offers both space and structure. Included are: morning Hidden Language Hatha Yoga classes, guided workshops, delicious vegetarian meals (with vegan option available), shared or single accommodation. Prepare for a new season with fresh insights and energy!

Date: Friday, September 9 (arrival by 4 pm) to Sunday, September 11 (after lunch)
Location: Lotus Heart Centre, Brighton, Ontario
Cost: $450 shared (all inclusive), $500 single (8 rooms available)
Registration and information: Uma at 705-427-4914 or uma@yasodharayoga.com.

Lotus Heart Centre is located near Brighton, Ontario; only 8 minutes north of the 401 in the scenic rolling hills of Northumberland County. The land consists of 20 acres with walking trails, a small pond, and a few fresh water springs.

View poster here.

YASODHARA ASHRAM OUTREACH – TORONTO OFFERINGS

Swami Matananda will facilitate an evening talk, an all–day workshop and offer a Hidden Language Hatha Yoga class in Toronto. Take time to step back from the day-to-day and take time to renew and open to your inner wisdom.

Our theme for the Yasodhara Ashram activities in Toronto is ‘Choosing with Compassion’.  Please join us for one or more of these activities – create your own Ashram program in the city and spend time cultivating an open heart.

View poster here.

Conscious Living in Times of Change

We live in a world of fast-paced, continual change – processing endless input and meeting demands for flexibility and quick decisions. As life speeds up, we can lose perspective and a deep sense of meaning. Yogic practices are designed to bring us back to our ‘grounding,’ to stillness and to connection to purpose. Join us for a breath, relaxation, visualization and reflection – a time of returning to centre..

Date:  Thursday, September 29, 2016
Time:  7-9 pm
Location:  YWCA Toronto, 87 Elm St. (between University Ave and Bay St, St. Patrick subway station)
Cost:  $25  (sliding scale available for those with limited income)
Bring: A journal

Registration and information:  For all Toronto activities, please contact Anna Di Pede at anna.d@yasodharayoga.org or call at 416-399-7786.

View poster here.

Cultivating Compassion

Being compassionate towards ourselves, those around us and the world requires the willingness and courage to be kind-hearted.  How do you live an ideal of compassion in a world that seems to express so much of the opposite?  How can you deepen your understanding so kindness and concern can grow?  Using practices of visualization, meditation and Light, experience the gift of an open heart.

Date:  Saturday, October 1, 2016
Time:  10 am – 4 pm
Location:  YWCA Toronto, 87 Elm St. (between University Ave and Bay St, St. Patrick subway station)
Cost:  $125  (sliding scale available for those with limited income)
Bring: A journal, yoga mat, blanket and lunch (or eat locally).

Registration and information:  For all Toronto activities, please contact Anna Di Pede at anna.d@yasodharayoga.org or call at 416-399-7786.

View poster here.

NAVIGATING  2016 WITH AWARENESS

Choose to navigate 2016 with awareness. Take time to reflect on your year. Plan to move through the balance of 2016 with awareness, purpose and direction.

How have you chosen to move through 2016?  How will you maintain awareness of your intentions? How are you shaping this year?

Utilizing yogic practices, Navigating 2016 With Awareness is about planning and directing your choices to reflect your ideals and intentions.

View workshop poster here.

Teacher: Anna Di Pede is a Yasodhara Certified Teacher. A former marketing executive, she has returned to Toronto following a three-year residency at Yasodhara Ashram, British Columbia. Always drawn to the spiritual path, Anna has found the ‘something more’ in life through her commitment to her own spiritual evolution, to growing in the Light.

LISTENING & SPEAKING IN RELATIONSHIPS

Give yourself the gift of an afternoon to reflect on how listening and speaking affects your relationship with yourself and with those around you. Take time to explore the subtle ways in which your body communicates.

Yogic practices will be used to bring more awareness to the ways you listen and speak.

Date: Saturday, February 6, 2016
Time: 1 to 4 p.m.
We provide: yoga mats and blankets. Bring your own if desired.
Bring: comfortable and warm clothing, journal and pen.
Cost: $35 if registered by Jan 25, 2016, $40 afterward
Register: Call Victoria at 416-694-7155 or email Victoria at victoria.c@yasodharayoga.org
Space is quite limited. Please call or email in advance to register and reserve your spot.
Method of payment: cash or cheque made payable to Yasodhara Ashram Society
Location: Yasodhara Yoga Centre, east end, Upper Beach. Victoria Park is closest subway station.

STEPPING INTO 2016 WITH INTENTION

Take time to gather learnings from the past year and set intentions to enter the New Year with awareness, purpose and direction.

How has the past year shaped your life? What strengths will you build on? Create awareness of the power of choice and responsibility. Utilizing practices of visualization, breath, and reflection, prepare to step into the new year with intention.

Teacher: Anna Di Pede
Date: Saturday, January 2, 2016
Time: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Location: Runnymede Public Library, 2178 Bloor Street West, Toronto.  Bloor & Runnymede, Runnymede subway station.
Cost: $40 (sliding scale available)
Bring: Journal
Register: Please contact Anna at 416-241-2463 or anna.d@yasodharayoga.org to register or for information.

View Stepping Into 2016 With Intention Poster

Special Workshop – Stilling the Mind with Swami Samayananda

What is the mind? What are its tendencies? How can I still my mind and bring more relaxation into my day? Learn various practices – including visualization, breathing techniques, concentration and relaxation – to help you understand different levels of mind and to approach the mind’s expansive potential. Take time to search for the silence and beauty within.

Date: Thursday, October 22, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Where: YWCA, 87 Elm Street (between University & Bay). Closest subway: St. Patrick Station
Cost: $25 (sliding scale available)
Registration & information: Please contact Anna at anna.d@yasodharayoga.org or (416) 241-2463
Bring a journal

Special Workshop – Relaxation & Renewal with Swami Samayananda

Step away from the demands of daily life into a day of relaxation and renewal. Allow your body a time of rest and give your mind an opportunity to become still. Learning a variety of tools that can help you gain
perspective and clarifywhat is important in your life. Take time to connect with your own joy and inner
strength.

Date: Saturday, October 24, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where: YWCA, 87 Elm Street (between University & Bay). Closest subway: St. Patrick Station
Cost: $125 (sliding scale available)
Registration & information: Please contact Anna at anna.d@yasodharayoga.org or (416) 241-2463
Bring a journal, yoga mat, blanket & lunch (or eat locally)

SPECIAL WEEKEND RETREAT – Life Seals with Swami Samayananda and Swami Matananda

In Life Seals you create personal symbols that represent your mind, essence, senses, likes, dislikes, and positive and negative characteristics. This process allows the unconscious to come forward, revealing patterns, life lessons and the potential for change. Life Seals can open doors of awareness and help you gain a new perspective on yourself and your direction in life.

Date: Friday, October 16, 2015 (arrival by 4:00 pm), ending Sunday, October 18 after lunch
Cost: $425 (all inclusive); $400 (early bird special until Sept 21); deposit of $175 (non-refundable unless someone on waiting list takes your place)
Where: Ecology Retreat Centre: 308046 Hockley Rd, Mono, ON
Registration and information: Please contact Uma (Nicolette) at uma.s@yasodharayoga.org or 705-427-4914
Bring: journal, yoga mat & blanket, special dietary needs. Registration limited to 18

About the Teachers

Swami Samayananda is a Senior Teacher at Yasodhara Ashram, Kootenay Bay, British Columbia, and has been a student of Swami Radha’s teachings since 1979. An educator for over 35 years, Swami Samayananda has worked with educational institutions, businesses and private consulting agencies, as well as offering yogic tools to palliative care patients.;

Swami Matananda is a Senior Teacher at Yasodhara Ashram, Kootenay Bay, British Columbia, and has been a resident and student of Swami Radha’s teachings since 1990. With a background as an educator, Swami Matananda is also an artist and is actively involved in tending the Ashram land.