Summary "Meditation shouldn't end when you leave your cushion. Learn how to carry the flame of awareness into the marketplace, the office, and the home."
Overview "It is easy to feel peaceful in a quiet room, but the true test of Yoga is in the chaos of daily life. We will explore the concept of 'Sahaja Samadhi'—natural absorption—where every breath and movement becomes a meditative act. Integrating teachings from the Bhagavad Gita on focus and balance, this Satsang will provide actionable tools to turn grocery shopping, driving, and working into acts of mindfulness. We will discover that the peace we seek is not an escape from the world, but a new way of being in it."
For much of his life, Swami Sankarananda walked a conventional path that led to apparent success in the business world, only to discover the profound emptiness that comes from living a self-centered life. Overcome by depression and driven by a need for something real and enduring... Read More →
What would it be like to walk with no particular destination in mind? Join Jere to learn about, experience, and discuss walking meditation.
A walking meditation is the practice of walking with awareness and mindfulness, paying attention to each step and the sensations in the body along the way. The goal is not to reach a particular destination, but to be fully present along the way. This helps us to cultivate mindfulness, reduce stress and anxiety, and promote a sense of calm and relaxation. Walking meditation can be a great complement to sitting meditation, and often is enjoyed by people who find sitting meditation to be challenging. It’s also a great way to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life, as you can practice walking meditation while doing your daily activities or out for your daily walk.
NOTE:this venue is outside, be sure to bring sun protection, sunglasses, walking shoes, water, etc.
Jere Friedman, J.D., M.A., CMMI, retired from his 30+ year practice as a corporate transactional attorney in 2024. He is now an Employee of the Universe – with full benefits!
He is a Gong master, certified Breathwork Healer, Certified Meditation and Mindfulness Instructor, and the founder of Spiral Light Sound & Meditation Center in Grand Junction, Colorado. Jere also holds a Masters’ degree in Spiritual Psychology and serves as a Soul-Centered Coach... Read More →
Immerse Yourself in an Extraordinary Journey with Rhythm Ceremony!
Discover the magic of Rhythm Ceremony, where music meets cacao in a sensational, multi-sensory adventure! Step into a sacred circle and unite your personal intentions with the vibrant energy of the community. This is no ordinary journey – this is an experience like no other! Let the Rhythms Resonate, Let the Magic Unfold
Indulge your senses with individual headphones as the enchanting duo, Lauren Sukha & Damon Zen Drummer, skillfully intertwine meditation, pranayama, and original music. Their unique blend of mantra and storytelling creates a symphony that will elevate your spirit. Brace yourself for a transformative, innovative, and uplifted experience guided by the rhythm of your own heartbeat.
Rhythm Ceremony invites you to journey beyond the limits of the known, to a space where creativity and intention converge. This is not just an event; it's a portal to self-discovery and collective elevation.
Damon, Zen Drummer, is a former Self Realization Fellowship monk (yogananda-srf.org) and professional musician.
During Rhythm Ceremony Damon will guide your soul on a meditative, musical journey across the Ganges River to peace within.
By using SoundOff headphones to create an immersive, stereo sensory experience, Zen Drummer will weave his resonant voice and powerful rhythms, skillfully layering these elements in with a soundscape of drums, mantra, songs of voice & nature and ambient grooves using Ableton Live... Read More →
nStep into the flowing river of devotion, where breath, movement, and heart merge as one. In this Bhakti Vinyasa practice, we let the body become a vessel for bhakti—each posture a prayer, each transition a flow of grace, and each inhale and exhale a remembrance of the miracle of the life force flowing through us.
Through flowing sequences, mantra, and mindful presence, we awaken the heart’s innate capacity to give and receive love. Surrender to the current, allow grace to guide you, and feel devotion move through every cell, every joint, and every beat of your heart.
Leave the mat carrying the warmth, joy, and expansiveness of a heart fully open.
Govind Das is is a kirtan leader and teacher in the path of Bhakti Yoga. His inspiring kirtan and Bhakti teachings encourage the opening of the heart and developing a personal and intimate connection with Source.Govind Das believes that ancient practice of bhakti yoga and kirtan... Read More →
Join symbolic mythologist and teacher Manoj Chalam for a transformative talk on the Yoga of Relationships—a journey into how our human connections serve as sacred mirrors for awakening and growth.Manoj will bring in statues of Hindu and Buddhist deities to illustrate the ancient wisdom for modern times. Drawing from Vedantic philosophy, Hindu mythology, and practical wisdom, Manoj weaves humor, storytelling, and insight to reveal how every relationship—whether romantic, familial, or communal—is an opportunity to deepen our self-awareness and align with higher consciousness.
In this engaging and accessible session, participants will explore:
• How relationships reflect the unresolved or enlightened aspects of the self • Archetypes of divine love and union through the lens of deities and symbolism • Tools for turning friction into fuel for evolution • The path of devotion (bhakti) in human connection
With warmth and wit, Manoj invites us to see love not just as emotion, but as a spiritual practice—a yoga. Come ready to laugh, reflect, and leave with your heart a little more open and your relationships a little more sacred.
Manoj will help you find your personal deity archetype.
(This workshop is 80% lecture, 10% meditation, 5% Mantras and 5% light spiritual stretches.)
Manoj (people call him a spiritual standup comedian) employs a uniquely entertaining interactive story telling style that uses Hindu/Buddhist deities in his workshops to illuminate Bhakti practices as well as deep nondual philosophy. He teaches at festivals, yoga events, his ashram... Read More →
Using your Breathe, Movement and Massage, we will release tight muscles in the neck, head and shoulders where we hold onto burdens of responsibilities. We will address lower and upper back tension so you will stand tall, chest open, heart space expansive to receive all that one can.
Prepare your mind, body and spirit to feel light and open for a full weekend immersion to reflect, receive, share, shed, heal, gain clarity and much more!
Julie Wu began her journey in cancer and diabetes research. Seeing health and wellness as a more holistic endeavor, she pursued learning anatomy and movement while discovering yoga and attending acupuncture school.
She has a passion for empowering others to take charge of their well being and loves seeing students’ eyes light up and bodies change quickly and subtly with myofascial release and mindful practices. When she's not on the road teaching, you can find her nose deep in her garden or... Read More →
An invitation to express yourself with belly dance fusion. We will shimmy and shake and awaken our Shakti! Shakti vibrates in all form.
This dance session will bring to life our sense of play, fusing a variety of styles inspired by traditional belly dance, tribal fusion, elements of hip hop, jazz and yoga. This is a fusion of different cultures and practices, with deep respect to each culture’s elements and roots as well as those who came before us. Celebrate and awaken in this unique style that is mindful, accessible, and joyful.
What you will gain; ~Confidence in your movement and presence ~Deepened awareness of your divine feminine power ~Grace, sensuality and depth
Dance is an expression of all that cannot be expressed with words. It brings people together where words fail, dissolving language barriers, and opening the heart and soul to our deepest expression.
All are welcome. Come celebrate your unique, playful and sensual dance expression.
Christine is a Yoga Therapist, yoga educator and an accomplished dancer. Her passion for movement inspired her to become a yoga teacher.
While her son was serving in Afghanistan, Christine began her yoga journey to enhance her dance teaching. She fell in love with yoga and began teaching yoga to veterans at the VA Hospital in Denver. Christine currently leads a Yoga for Veterans class at Yoga V Studio in Grand Junction... Read More →
This class is a prayer in motion. A space to soften, to breathe, and to remember the power of love within you.
Through yoga movement alchemy, devotional flow, sacred breath-work, heart-opening music, and shared community, we enter a deeply embodied experience of self-love, healing, and connection.
You’ll be guided through body prayer and devotional movement to release tension, open your heart, and reconnect with your inner light. As you move and breathe, what feels heavy begins to lift… and the truth of who you are—and the precious gift of life—begins to rise and come alive within you.
This class is a sacred ritual— a space to heal, to celebrate life, and to reconnect with the love that lives inside of you… remembering love as a force that can uplift and sustain life.
And when we gather together in this way, something powerful happens. Your personal practice becomes part of something greater—a shared experience of connection, support, and heart—where we remember that we are not alone, and that we can hold and uplift one another.
You’ll leave with simple, powerful practices to support you in your daily life—tools to reconnect to your breath, your body, and your heart whenever you need.
All are welcome. Come exactly as you are—whether your heart feels open or tender—and leave feeling more grounded, more alive, and more connected to the love, beauty, and power of who you are.
Monica Mesa Dasi is a devotional Tantra guide and yoga teacher dedicated to living and sharing love as a path — a path of self-love, embodiment, and awakening through the body, the heart, and connection with the divine. Monica creates uplifting, heart-centered spaces where yoga... Read More →
Every yoga practice has a beginning. Aerial Yoga is no exception. Whether new to this style of yoga or a wisened practitioner, this session will focus on the language of aerial yoga through a beginners “mind”.
The aerial hammock is a looped fabric that is suspended from an anchor point above. The purpose of the aerial yoga hammock is to act as a supportive prop for the safe entrance/ exit into a variety of postures as well as a prop for changing posture accessibility.
Postures found in traditional Hatha Yoga provide the foundation for the forward folds, arm balances, twists, standing balances, inversions, and reclined positions the hammock assists. Progressing through a variety of aerial yoga postures where the hammock becomes a partner in assisting body and breath movement, this practice deepens stretches, elongates muscles, opens the heart, decompresses the spine, and rejuvenates the Soul.
Discovering the Way of the Hammock, brings alternate ways of expressing and experiencing the body-breath-soul connection. The benefits to this practice go beyond body function reaching into the depths of psychological well-being and resilience.
No experience necessary. Note: Arrive ten minutes before class to get your hammock sized.
Born from a lifetime of living in the Central Rocky Mountains and a 25+ year career in wilderness guiding, eco-psychology, and transformational facilitation, Tanya’s wilderness experiences contribute to her passions today, in fostering resilient relations and systems of living that... Read More →
Join Dr. Marie Collier, neurologist and long-time yoga practitioner, for an exploration of equanimity through both modern neuroscience and ancient yogic wisdom. This session brings together an understanding of the nervous system particularly the vagus nerve with practical ways to remain steady in the face of life’s inevitable fluctuations.
Through guided breath-work, gentle movement, and meditation, you’ll learn simple, accessible ways to support vagal tone, regulate the stress response, and return to a state of calm, clarity, and presence.
Both educational and experiential, this offering invites you to not just understand equanimity but to feel it, directly, within your own body.
Dr. Marie Collier’s journey began in the 80’s with a Kundalini and tantric yoga practice at age 16. She has unfolded over nearly four decades of sustained study and inner exploration. Her path has taken her through varied landscapes from living in a tent in Española New Mexic... Read More →
Kirtan is call and response devotional chanting from the Bhakti Yoga tradition and commonly called the "Heart and Soul of Bhakti Yoga".
In this heart opening and participatory workshop we will join together as a Kirtan collective and each of our voices will be a sacred petal on this fragrant flower of love.
Participants will have the opportunity to take turns in leading the kirtan and offering their unique voice in devotion. All voices are welcome as we are reminded that Kirtan is not a “performance” but a “prayer”. Swami Sivananda reminds us that “Life without Kirtan is like a garden with without flowers.”
Govind Das is is a kirtan leader and teacher in the path of Bhakti Yoga. His inspiring kirtan and Bhakti teachings encourage the opening of the heart and developing a personal and intimate connection with Source.Govind Das believes that ancient practice of bhakti yoga and kirtan... Read More →
What if you could feel your body more clearly—and know exactly how to respond to what it needs? Ayurvedic Massage for self-care is a powerful tool to affect the nervous system, hormonal balance, improve sleep patterns and maintain your health naturally. In this experiential workshop, you’ll learn a modern, intuitive approach to self-massage rooted in fascia science and applied anatomy awareness. Through guided touch and simple body mapping techniques, you’ll develop a deeper awareness of your internal landscape—helping you identify areas of tension, restriction, and disconnection.
Ally Watters is a fascia-focused bodyworker, yoga health educator, and wellness guide specializing in nervous system regulation, structural pain relief, and evolutionary habits. As a wellness guide and pro of 28 years, she's devoted to helping you re-design your body into a place... Read More →
A Heart / Breath Centered Yoga, Meditation & Chanting Experience In this masterclass you will be guided into the heart of Yoga's energetic roots, the energy points and channels in the body that govern health, vitality, and life itself. We will explore the profound importance of protecting and nourishing the heart / spirit energy for wellbeing and awakening and tapping into the primordial creative energy that resides in each of us.
Class will include a short talk, asana, pranayama, and chanting. The intensity will be gentle to moderate, with a deep emphasis on cultivating a healing, peace-filled energy in the body and mind.
This is a space for all levels, all seekers. Come as you are.
Saul David Raye is an internationally recognized master teacher with over 30 years of experience in the healing arts. Drawing from a rich foundation of Hatha Yoga, Bhakti, Tantra, Buddhism, Thai Massage, Pranic Healing, and Shamanism, he has developed an inspiring, heart-centered... Read More →
Join us as we open the sacred space for the Grand Valley Yoga Fest by creating an inclusive space for connection across all traditions and backgrounds with prayer and intention.
Together, we will begin with a formal land acknowledgment, followed by a call to the 7 sacred directions. We will then hold a powerful, life-transforming drum circle.
This circle will set the tone for a weekend of deep spiritual renewal, community, and service.
NOTE: Instruments will be provided by Drumming Sounds or you can bring your own.
Andrew Ecker & Monica Patton – Drumming Sounds Andrew Ecker and Monica Patton bring over 25 years of combined experience creating transformational spaces through rhythm, sound, and sacred practice. Together, they offer a powerful blend of evidence-based group drumming, sound medicine, and ceremonial facilitation that supports... Read More →
Rob and Melissa offer a fresh, heartfelt take on this ancient practice, blending sacred Sanskrit mantras with soulful melodies, rich harmonies, and a spirit of joyful connection.
Their kirtan is both accessible and deeply moving—a celebration of the divine that welcomes every voice.
Rob and Melissa are kirtan artists and Bhakti Yoga teachers whose music bridges the worlds of devotion, accessibility, and sacred sound. With rich harmonies, soulful melodies, and deep-rooted sincerity, they offer a fresh and heart-opening take on traditional mantra music—one that... Read More →
