Kirtan & Singing for Opening the Heart

Location icon
14651 Ballantree Lane Grass Valley, CA 95949 USA(530) 272-9322
Date
September 25 - 28, 2025

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Details of this retreat

Bhakti and Music
Bhakti yoga is a natural path for those who are dominantly seeking emotional fulfillment, and desire to convert worldly emotions into Divine devotion. The devotee visualizes the Lord sitting or standing before him/her. He/she pours out her heart’s love, adoration, and shares his/her deepest thoughts and concerns with the Lord until a continuous flow of awareness moves between devotee and his/her beloved Lord. This continuous flow of love brings about a a close relationship with God and culminates in Divine Union in which the worshiper and that which is worshiped become One.
DEVOTION TO THE DIVINE
“Kirtan is singing of God’s name, with feeling. Such singing has a benign effect on both the physical and subtle bodies. It is an excellent method of soothing the nerves and directing the emotions to a positive goal. Kirtan melts the heart, fills the mind with purity and generates harmony and divine love. The chanting of Sanskrit kirtan, even when mechanically done, produces certain effects. When done with devotion, and awareness of the meaning, its benefits are immeasureable.” – Swami Sivananda
Daily Schedule
6-7:30am Satsang: Silent meditation, chanting and lecture
8-10am Yoga Class
10am Brunch
11am Karma Yoga
1-2:30pm Kirtan Workshop
2:30-4pm Free Time and Nature walks
4-6pm Open Yoga Class
6pm Dinner
7:30-9pm Satsang: meditation, chanting and lecture
Pre-requisite
There are no prerequisites other than a sincere desire to learn classical yoga.
Course Material
"Kirtan Book" by Sivananda Yoga Farm
"Selfless Love" by Swami Sitaramananda
Reference Materials
YouTube - Jaya Ganesha Daily Chants with Swami Sitaramananda
YouTube -The power of Love & Devotion by Swami Ramananda
Article - Seven Practices to learn how to Love
Article - Yoga of Relationships: The way to Selfless Love

Getting Here

Location icon Sivananda Yoga Farm, 14651 Ballantree Lane Grass Valley, CA 95949 USA(530) 272-9322

Accommodation

Tent - Bring Your Own

Accommodation
Guests may bring their own tent and gear and camp on the land. Sleep closer to nature in the fresh, open air. There are deck platforms designated for tenting. If you want more than one tent, book with us multiple times!

Om Cabin - Double

Accommodation
The double is a shared room, and the cost is per person.  If you are not booking with a friend or family member, a roommate will be assigned.  Pleasant and simple lodging, our Om Cabins are the original tent cabins that were built about 20 years ago.  They are placed in a peaceful and tranquil setting, on a gentle hillside overlooking the pond and surrounded by the natural beauty of the Ashram. Each cabin is named for a different virtue, such as happiness or contentment. Each cabin is furnished with a dresser, desk, night stand, ceiling fan and propane heater. Om Cabin guests share a nearby bathhouse.  Wifi internet is available.

Om Cabin - Private

Accommodation
Book your own private Om cabin. Pleasant and simple lodging, our Om Cabins are the original tent cabins that were built about 20 years ago.  They are placed in a peaceful and tranquil setting, on a gentle hillside overlooking the pond and surrounded by the natural beauty of the Ashram. Each cabin is named for a different virtue, such as happiness or contentment. Each cabin is furnished with a dresser, desk, night stand, ceiling fan and propane heater. Om Cabin guests share a nearby bathhouse.  Wifi internet is available.

Siva Cabin - Double

Accommodation
The double is a shared room, and the cost is per person.  If you are not booking with a friend or family member, a roommate will be assigned. Our Siva & Krishna Cabins are newly built and are placed in a peaceful, tranquil setting, at the base of Siva hill on a gentle hillside overlooking the pond and surrounded by the natural beauty of the Ashram. They feature an outdoor porch, bamboo wood flooring, ceiling fan, and are built with high grade materials and furnished with a side table, dresser and propane heater.  Includes a private bathroom and shower.  Wifi is available.

Krishna Cabin, Double

Accommodation
The double is a shared room, and the cost is per person.  If you are not booking with a friend or family member, a roommate will be assigned.  Our Krishna Cabins are newly built and are placed in a peaceful, tranquil setting, at the base of Siva hill on a gentle hillside overlooking the pond and surrounded by the natural beauty of the Ashram. They feature an outdoor porch, bamboo wood flooring, ceiling fan, and are built with high grade materials and furnished with a side table, dresser and propane heater.  Includes a private bathroom and shower.  Wifi is available.

Siva Cabin - Private

Accommodation
Our Siva Cabins are newly built and are placed in a peaceful, tranquil setting, at the base of Siva hill on a gentle hillside overlooking the pond and surrounded by the natural beauty of the Ashram. They feature an outdoor porch, bamboo wood flooring, ceiling fan, and are built with high grade materials and furnished with a side table, dresser and propane heater.  Includes a private bathroom and shower.  Wifi is available.

Deluxe Shanti Cabin - Shared

Accommodation
The double is a shared room, and the cost is per person.  If you are not booking with a friend or family member, a roommate will be assigned.  Pleasant, deluxe, lodging, our Shanti Cabins are placed in a peaceful, tranquil setting, on a gentle hillside overlooking the pond and are surrounded by the natural beauty of the Ashram.  Includes private bathroom with shower, air conditioner, propane heater, ceiling fan, and attic space.  Furnishings include a desk, table, chairs, dresser, wardrobe and a sitting area. A small refrigerator, dishes and cutlery are provided.  Wifi is available.

Deluxe Shanti Cabin - Private

Accommodation
Pleasant, deluxe, lodging, our Shanti Cabins are placed in a peaceful, tranquil setting, on a gentle hillside overlooking the pond and are surrounded by the natural beauty of the Ashram.  Includes private bathroom with shower, air conditioner, propane heater, ceiling fan, and attic space.  Furnishings include a desk, table, chairs, dresser, wardrobe and a sitting area. A small refrigerator, dishes and cutlery are provided.  Wifi is available.

Customer Reviews

4.67 out of 5.0 average rating

5.0
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Will return
Was apprehensive of going because of my health conditions and reserved only for two nights. Regret that very much as I wished I stayed longer. The staff are very understanding, attentive to your needs and kind. I feel much better even with only two days. Thank you for the gita lessons, the satsang and even Karma yoga. I feel blessed.

3.0
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Memroiall day weekend.
Disorganized. No schedule ahead of time. Everything is decided a day bofore or on the spot.

5.0
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Sivananda Yoga Farm
It's 2021 now, but 2007 was my first introduction to the Sivananda Yoga Farm where my heart and soul were touched immediately. Thereafter attended many workshops, conferences and graduated from TTC in 2009. These experiences changed my philosophy and attitude to one of service especially for the disabled, elderly, and my mother, over a profession.

My mother passed a few years ago but am so thankful we spent quality years together prior. I thank Sivananda Yoga Farm and Swami Sita for this. Her influence and the Sivananda teachings made a tremendous difference in my life and in my mother's end. My Mom said to me "the biggest change in you is your belief in God, and I never thought about the time before Jesus".

We shared such Peace. OmOmOm!


5.0
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Glories of the Upanishads
It was a joy to study the Mandukya Upanishad on line at Sivananda Ashram. Learning about the three states of being i.e., waking, dreaming and deep sleep state and their repeating cycle of evolution and de-evolution was most intriguing.

5.0
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Yoga in Transition and Crisis Management with Swami Jnaneswariananda Saraswati
This was a wonderful interactive course where Swami Jnaneswariananda gently but firmly taught the significance of becoming a silent witness to our instinctual emotions, thus allowing us to develop our intuition of all one consciousness. And in that process to be aware of the "pitfall" of justifying our emotions by reasoning.