Surya Namaskar: Salute to the Sun
A Special Yoga Class with Live Chanting of Sanskrit Mantras
You are invited to join Bhavani Siegel and Vika Kolesov for a special yoga class focusing on the ancient practice of Surya Namaskar (salute to the sun). After a warm up, participants will complete 12 rounds of the Surya Namaskar series. Each flowing movement will be accompanied by live chanting of Sanskrit mantras (sacred chanting). The mantras include a bija mantra (seed mantra) and the twelve traditional names for the sun.
The day’s program will also include:
- Brunch & dinner in the shared community dining hall
- A guided campus tour to Sunset Ridge (weather permitting)
- 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 as a Mountain Experience day visitor or Personal Retreat overnight guest.
Sample Schedule
| Saturday, November 7, 2026 | |
| 10:00am | Arrival & Check-in | 10:00 - 11:00am | Brunch in the shared community dining hall | 11:30am - 12:30pm | Guided campus tour to Sunset Ridge | 12:30 - 3:30pm | Personal time | 3:30 - 5:00pm | Surya Namaskar yoga class | 5:15 - 6:15pm | Dinner | 6:00pm | Arati | 7:00pm | Program Concludes |
Schedule subject to change. Registrants will be notified.
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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Vika KolesovRYT 500, AHCVika completed her classical Ashtanga Yoga Teachers Training YTT200 and YTT300 at Mount Madonna Institute School of Yoga and further deepened her holistic knowledge by earning her certification as an Ayurvedic Health Counselor (AHC) from the Mount Madonna Institute College of Ayurveda.
As an instructor, Vika is part of the rotating teaching team at Mount Madonna’s Redwood Room, leading both Classical Ashtanga and All Levels Asana classes. She tailors her instruction to support each student’s unique abilities and aspirations, integrating Ayurvedic principles—such as seasonal changes and time of day—to enhance balance and well-being.
Vika’s personal Asana practice is Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga as taught by Pattabhi Jois. Being deeply committed to lifelong learning, she continues her immersion in yoga and its related disciplines through ongoing studies in Sanskrit grammar and Vedic chanting.
