Restorative Asana with Live Chanting
LABOR DAY HOLIDAY | MONDAY, SEP 1, 3:30 - 5:00 P.M.
Join Bhavani Siegel and Sara Williams for restorative asana (postures) accompanied by live chanting. In this gentle and deeply relaxing environment, you will hold poses with the support of yoga props for extended periods, allowing for profound physical and mental relaxation. Paired with melodic chanting to further enhance the meditative state and connection to inner peace, this class is perfect for all levels of yoga practitioners seeking deep relaxation and mindful presence.
The day’s program will also include:
- A guided tour of the Mount Madonna campus (weather permitting)
- Lunch & dinner in the shared community dining hall
- Personal time
- Option to stay for arati (ritual of light) after dinner at the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple
- Option to book a wellness treatment at Kaya Kalpa Wellness Center (fees additional, advance reservations recommended)
To participate in this special class, please register for a Mountain Experience day visit or an overnight Personal Retreat.
Sample Schedule
| Monday, September 1 | |
| 10:00am | Arrival & Check-in | 10:30 - 11:30am | Personal time | 11:30am - 12:30pm | Guided campus tour to Sunset Ridge | 12:30 - 1:30pm | Lunch | 1:30 - 3:30pm | Personal time | 3:30 - 5:00 pm | Yoga class | 5:15 - 6:15 pm | Dinner | 6:00 pm | Arati | 7:00 pm | Program Concludes |
Presenters
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Bhavani SiegelECEBhavani was introduced to yoga in childhood, practicing asana and yogic breathing with her family. She met Baba Hari Dass in 1974; after becoming his disciple, she began formal study and sadhana practice. She then went on to begin teaching yoga in 1975.
A senior Yoga faculty member and a founding member of Mount Madonna, where she lives, Bhavani teaches many aspects of Yoga, including meditation, pranayama and yoga philosophy.
Among these, her specialties are:
– Foundational values in Yoga philosophy: Yama & Niyama
– Mantra Yoga: Sanskrit as Sacred Sound
– Ritual and Symbolism in the Path of YogaBhavani also leads Yogic rituals (Puja & Yajna) at Mount Madonna’s Sankaṭ Mochan Hanuman Temple. She also incorporated yoga for children as a school teacher for 20 years.
Considering the teachings of conscious communication an important aspect of the Yogic principle of non-harming, Bhavani integrated this study as facilitator/coordinator of Mount Madonna’s Yoga, Service and Community residential programs for over 20 years.
In Yoga teacher trainings, Yoga retreats, community programs, and seminars, Bhavani has continued her journey, guided by her revered teacher’s injunction to “teach to learn,” at Mount Madonna and at our sister community, Salt Spring Centre of Yoga.
Bhavani loves chanting and ritual, mystic poetry, and the solace of nature.
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Sara WilliamsRYT 500Sara is originally from the great Northwest. She has studied art, loves travel, and has worked in hospitality for many moons. She has over 10 years of experience practicing Asana, with a special focus on Hot Yoga. During the pandemic, she began to rely heavily on her yoga practice and this experience sparked a desire to expand her knowledge and delve deeper into the history and philosophy of yoga—a passion she couldn’t live without. In 2022, Sara received her 500 HR YTT certification from Yogpeeth in Rishikesh, India. Today, she is honored to be teaching at Mount Madonna, where she continues to grow and learn as both a teacher and a student.
