10:00 AM Sanskrit Chanting and Meditation in Shrine

Anniversary Celebration Program in Blue Sky Center includes:

11:00 AM Vedic Hymn

Fire Ceremony for Healing and World Peace, Meditation

Reading from Guru's Writings

Brief Addresses by:
Founding Members
Yoga Society of New York Board Members,
Directors of International Schools
Others to be announced

Music, Kirtan

2:00 PM Festive Lunch

Afternoon Programs to be announced

8:00 PM Evening Concert

Meditation, Yogic Philosophy & Science.

This ongoing series uses different critical Yogic teachings, with a focus on biomedical and neuroscience connections, from Vedantic, Jain and Buddhist perspectives. Each time, the stage will be set with an exploration of different meditation techniques, to create a readiness for Svādhyāya (Self-study) and Bhāvana (contemplation). Group meditation with other seekers creates a very special energy. Our meditation practices and understanding of things are enriched when connected with systematic exploration of ancient and modern ideas on consciousness, brain and learning.

Topics we may want to explore together over time will include:

1. Brain structure, function, chemistry and plasticity
2. Genetics, brain and ideas of karma
3. Embodied cognition, language and intuition
4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and consciousness
5. Meditation and general mental health
6. Meditation and intelligence (creativity, insight and wisdom)

Dr. Ken Pugh has been the Director of Research at Haskins Labs since 2009 and holds faculty appointments at both the University of Connecticut and at Yale University School of Medicine. His research program employs genetic, neuroimaging and cognitive methods to explicate the brain bases of typical and atypical language and reading development in children. At the age of sixteen, Dr. Pugh began seven years of training in the Jain monastic traditions and carries these experiences into his work on brain and cognition.

A special musical offering in celebration of Ananda Ashram's 61st Anniversary, presented by sitarist Arjun Verma who is a student of his father Acharya Roop Verma and of Maestro Ali Akbar Khan. Accompanied by Naren Budhakar on Tabla.

Preceded by Ashram Meditation Program beginning at 7:00 PM (by donation).

Arjun Verma, sitarist, began performing at the age of seven. He is a student of his father Acharya Roop Verma and of Maestro Ali Akbar Khan, with whom he studied for eight years. Arjun has performed in the U.S., Europe and India, including at the United Nations in Geneva, Prague Castle in the Czech Republic and the Fillmore in San Francisco. He teaches Sitar and North Indian classical music at the Ali Akbar College of Music in California and at the East-West School of Music at Ananda Ashram. Visit Arjun's website for more information.

Naren Budhakar was brought up in the Indian classical music tradition and began performing Tabla at a young age. A disciple of Tabla Maestro Ustad Shabbir Nisar, Naren has played with prominent instrumentalists, vocalists and dancers including Pandit Birju Maharaj, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Jasraj and Shaed Parvez. He has performed at prestigious venues in the U.S. and Europe, providing Tabla accompaniment for various musical genres. He is also a disciple of Shri Aditya Khandwe, a virtuoso vocalist of the Gwalior style of classical Indian vocal music. Naren is co-director of the East-West School of Music at Ananda Ashram, teaching and performing regularly.

You are invited to join us in Celebration of the Ashram’s 61st Anniversary!

There will be rich offerings of meditations, concerts, classes and workshops, including daily yoga classes as well as morning & evening meditation programs with fire ceremony, Sanskrit chanting, Yoga-Vedanta studies, readings from Guru’s essays, and more.

61st Anniversary Celebration on Friday, July 4th and daily special Events & Concerts!

In this workshop, students will understand how Sanskrit is a tool for meditation. Through chanting and pronouncing the Sanskrit alphabet, it is possible to experience inner alignment. Selected verses to the Devi, the divine feminine aspect of nature will be taught through a devotional and philosophical lens regarding daily life.

Saturday afternoon will include an introduction to Sanskrit Metrics, or chandas, the science of prosody, and a continuation of chanting to the Divine Mother, the creative, nurturing and dynamic force of the universe.

On Sunday, Mother's Day, further investigation into Metrics with an emphasis on chanting verses to the Divine Mother, who manifests, sustains, and transforms the universe, and who embodies qualities like love and compassion.

Shanta Bulkin met his teacher, Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati (Shri Ramamurti), in 1972 at Ananda Ashram. That fateful summer, the Guru's first words to him were: "If you want to stay here you must study Sanskrit!” Shanta did just that. Fifty-some-odd years later, he still feels that promoting the Sanskrit language is his dharma.

Indira (Ann) Bulkin met Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati in the summer of 1971. The following spring, she became a full-time student at the Yoga Society of San Francisco. During that time, the Guru held Sanskrit classes for many hours a day, seven days a week. In the early 1980s, he named her the head of the Sanskrit Department at the YSSF.

Join us for an enchanting evening of sacred music as Gaiea Sanskrit performs live at Ananda Ashram.

This special concert marks the first live collaboration between Gaiea and acclaimed composer John McDowell, producer of the visionary album Holo Voyage.

Experience a unique fusion of Sanskrit mantras, ethereal soundscapes, and transcendent music in a setting dedicated to an inner exploration of peace and spiritual connection.

Gaiea attended St James School in London where she learned Sanskrit from the age of 4 and went on to read Sanskrit at University of Oxford. She has taught Sanskrit for Yoga London, The Ayurveda Institute, Jivamukti Yoga, and East London School of Yoga.

Her life is dedicated to further exploring the depth and power of the sounds of Sanskrit. She has combined her love of Sanskrit with an exploration of the voice, knowing that connecting with one’s voice and expression is a key to deeper self-connection.

Gaiea visits India annually to study with voice and Sanskrit teachers. She performs, writes, and records songs, and leads regular Kirtan (chanting) sessions, along with Sanskrit, Philosophy, and Meditation workshops, both in London and around the world.

For more info, please visit her site or follow her on Instagram.

In honor of Hanuman's Birthday, Karuna Devi and Friends will be chanting the Hanuman Chalisa. This hymn, composed by Tulasidasa, consists of forty verses dedicated to Lord Hanuman as the embodiment of the power of devotion.

Karuna Devi met her Guru Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati in 1972 and has been a lover of Sanskrit and the practice and art of meditation ever since. Serving as an Ashram teacher for many years, Karuna especially enjoys sharing the teachings through chanting.

Following the United Nations' proclamation of December 21 as World Meditation Day in 2024, this gathering brings together experts and practitioners to explore the role of meditation in fostering global health, well-being, and world peace.

This event features a conversation with meditation practitioners, yoga teachers and scholars on the profound impact of mindfulness on personal and societal health and well-being. Participants will also engage in short guided sessions to experience diverse meditation and mindfulness techniques, offering practical tools for inner balance and community harmony.

Please join us in honoring this global movement, cultivating peace within ourselves and the world. This event will be led by Myriam, Carlos, Hari & Sarah.

Myriam Oehri formally introduced the resolution that proclaims 21 December World Meditation Day to the United Nations General Assembly in 2024. She serves as the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Liechtenstein to the United Nations in New York, holds a PhD in political science and is a certified yoga instructor.

Carlos Alberto is the founder of Time To SIT where he offers live and on-demand guided meditations, making mindfulness accessible to a global audience. He has over 30 years of meditation experience and, since his certification in 2016, he has been leading mindfulness meditation sessions in wellness studios, corporations, non-profits, and public schools.

Hari Mulukutla is a student of Yoga, Sanskrit, and Bhakti philosophy and bridges ancient wisdom with modern science and technology. Raised in a family steeped in Hindu spiritual traditions, he grew up immersed in Sanskrit and sacred scriptures. His true spiritual awakening began at Ananda Ashram, where transformative teachings and inspiring mentors deepened his path of self-discovery. Hari is deeply grateful to the teachers of Ananda Ashram and the disciples of Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, including Sharon Gannon and David Life, whose wisdom and love have enriched his journey. Hari is a certified Jivamukti Yoga teacher and founder of the Responsible AI Leadership Consortium.

Sarah Mulukutla, MD, MPH is founder of Mindful Neurology, exploring the frontier of mind-body medicine with innovative research identifying biomarkers of traditional meditation strategies. She has held leadership roles at the American Academy of Neurology to explore the clinical impact of meditation-based cognitive training on neurological conditions. Teaching meditation since 2012, she educates physicians on its neuroanatomical benefits. As founder of Mindful Neurology, PLLC, she researches the impact of mind-body medicine on neurological conditions, focusing on clinical trials to measure its effects.

Included in your stay:

Friday evening
8:00 PM Love Songs on Guitar with Deepak Kumar, followed by special Sweets

Saturday
11:00 AM Valentine's Day Themed Yoga Class
8:45 PM Radha Krishna Kirtan with Krishna Devi

Weekend Programs also include:
9:00 AM & 7:00 PM Meditation Programs

Delicious vegetarian meals

This workshop combines the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with yoga and movement to help participants explore balance and harmony in the body and mind. It will introduce foundational TCM concepts such as Yin and Yang, the Five Elements (the star), the Chinese Clock (Cycle of Tides), and the meridians, highlighting their connections to overall well-being. Participants will learn how energy (Qi) flows through the body and how to support this flow through meridian-based stretches, yoga poses, and self-acupressure techniques.

Vimala Devi (Tammy Quinn), 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher, NY State Licensed Massage Therapist

Vimala is the Director of the School of Hatha Yoga and has been a Dharma Mittra trained teacher since 2011. She also studied Massage Therapy at The Institute for Holistic Health in Poughkeepsie, NY and received her Massage Therapy License in October, 2024.

In addition to studying Anatomy & Physiology, Myology & Kinesiology, Neurology, Pathology and Medical Massage, her course work included three semesters of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Eastern I, Eastern II, and Eastern III.