Sep 9 Morning: 11 am – 1 pm & 2 – 4 pm

Puja – Open Your Heart with Bhakti Yoga Rituals

The Sanskrit word ‘Puja’ is an acronym for ‘Purna Jagruti’ or complete awakening. Puja is a sacred ritual that combines Meditation, Mantras, Mudras and Pranayama into a very powerful, uplifting experience. Even though the Puja looks like an external ritual, it is actually an internal meditation.

This workshop is for those who would like to learn how do a basic – but powerful – Vedic Puja ceremony for the benefit of themselves as well as others. Ram will teach the different steps involved in performing a ‘Panchopachara Puja’. A Panchopachara Puja is where the Five Elemental Energies are symbolically offered with Mantras and Mudras to the Divine as an act of gratitude as well as surrender.

In celebration of Krishna’s birthday on Sep 6, this Puja is dedicated to Krishna. Please feel free to bring a few flowers and fruits to the Puja as per your convenience and wear loose clothing so you can sit on the floor comfortably.

Sep 9 Afternoon: 2 – 4 pm

The Tales of Krishna and Bhakti 

In the Yogic tradition, the sublimest principles of philosophy were often transmitted in the form of stories by the ancient Seers of India. The Upanishads and Puranas are packed with stories that make very deep impressions on our hearts while subtly conveying the noblest of truths to the intellect. Sometimes, a story can effortlessly convey what a lengthy, intellectual meandering struggles to communicate. That’s why many ancient texts about Yoga were written in the form of nestled stories – story within a story – in order to carry across wisdom from generation to generation.

True to the tradition, Ram is going to share some great tales related to Krishna as well as Bhakti Yoga, honoring the practice of teaching through stories in these sessions. Listening to these stories will allow the seeds of Bhakti to sprout in your heart and enliven the teachings of Krishna.

If you like to channel your inner child and listen to a story or two to unplug and unwind, you will love these sessions with Ram and his masterful way of story-telling.

Do join us!

Sep 10: 11 am – 1 pm & 2 – 4 pm

Connecting with the Divine within through Puja Ceremony 

The purpose of the Puja is to transcend the sense of individual ego by surrendering it to the Divine and ultimately merge into the Universal Consciousness. In this workshop, Ram will teach how to offer the sacred ceremony known as ‘Shadasha Upachara Puja to Krishna. Though the ceremony is dedicated to Krishna, Ram will also teach how to adapt the Puja ceremony to your chosen Deity. After the workshop, with a little practice, you would be able to do a puja by yourself, incorporating a heart-opening practice of Bhakti Yoga into your daily life.

The Puja will be followed by a ‘Spiritual Naming’ ceremony (Namakarana), for those who are interested. Thereafter, there will be a Mantra initiation ceremony for those who are interested.

Please feel free to bring any flowers and fruits to the Puja as per your convenience and wear loose clothing so you can sit on the floor comfortably.

ABOUT RAM VAKKALANKA:

Ram Vakkalanka is an internationally recognized master of Yoga philosophy, Nada Yoga, Meditation and Sanskrit. He was born and brought up in India in a Yogic lifestyle. He grew up studying the Sanskrit language, ancient scriptures such as Upanishads and practicing Mantra-chanting and Meditation since childhood. In his teens, Ram started studying music through the Sitar, which eventually blossomed into Nada Yoga. Simultaneous to Yogic education, Ram also pursued mundane education, amassed a few qualifications in Finance and worked in the upper echelons of Management in the corporate world in Singapore, Africa, USA and Canada.

It was in Canada, Ram met his spiritual Guru and that meeting changed his life completely. In 2010, Ram quit the corporate world and dedicated his life to spreading the sublime philosophy of Veda and Vedic sciences such as Astrology and Ayurveda.

Ram shares his deep knowledge of the Yoga philosophy, Sanskrit, Nada Yoga as well as Vedic sciences such as Ayurveda and Astrology with a global audience through workshops, Retreats, Podcasts as well as one-on-one sessions. He is often described as ‘a gift to the global Yoga community’, given the breadth and depth of his wisdom as well as the authenticity, humility and passion with which he shares it.  His teaching style is direct and simple but profound, filled with current examples and humour.

Ram’s creations so far include 22 CDs in three languages, one DVD and an online course about the origin and evolution of Yoga.

For more about Ram, visit www.ramvakkalanka.com, listen to his podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or connect with him on the social media (FB: Ram Vakkalanka, IG: ram_vakkalanka)