Berkshire Yoga Festival 2025: Full Schedule

9:00am EDT

Beyond Illusion: A Somatic Approach to Transforming the “Near Enemies”

Thursday June 12, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT

In this 3-hour intensive, we will explore the concept of "near enemies"—qualities or behaviors that appear virtuous on the surface but can subtly undermine our growth, relationships, and authenticity. Rooted in teachings from yoga philosophy, psychology, and recovery frameworks, this session will help participants uncover how these disguised habits can keep us disconnected from ourselves and others.

Through guided reflection, experiential exercises, and somatic practices, you’ll learn to distinguish near enemies from their true counterparts, such as how pity masquerades as compassion or indifference as equanimity. Together, we’ll cultivate awareness, resilience, and tools to realign with genuine values, fostering deeper connection and transformation.
Whether you’re on a path of personal growth, recovery, or spiritual development, this workshop offers insight and practices to support living with integrity and truth.

Presenters

Nikki Myers

Founder, Y12SR

Nikki Myers, MBA, C-IAYT, is an accomplished speaker, teacher and the founder of Y12SR, The Yoga of 12-Step Recovery.Nikki is also a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Addictions Recovery Specialist, and Certified Health Coach. Born from her personal struggle with addiction, based... Read More →

Thursday June 12, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Crane West - Sponsored by Om Botanicals 37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA, USA

Intensive

Schedule Spotlights Personal Growth & Transformation, Yoga Philosophy, Trauma-Informed Yoga

2:00pm EDT

Maha Sadhana: Advanced Asana, Pranayama, Chanting & Sacred Story

Thursday June 12, 2025 2:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

JJ's Lodge - Sponsored by Wipex

This is Raghu’s deep offering giving ample amount of time for philosophical understanding of bhakti. He uses the tools of sacred story and wisdom literature before he has the students entering a quality, invigorating pranayama and asana sequence that takes students to a next level of their practice. It’s recommended that regular practitioners in asana have ample time to come together for a maha sadhana or great practice to go deeper into our into the teachings of yoga and it’s application at least once a month. This keeps the consciousness and intention on track.this This fun and informative class is steeped with Vedic knowledge Raghu shares from his own experience of 30 plus years of practice serious study and application of the process.

Presenters

Raghunath

Raghunath – born Ray Cappo – was a Lower East Side hardcore/punk singer-songwriter icon, touring the globe in his teens. In a decadent music scene infested with hard drugs, negativity and intoxication he was an anomaly, propounding clean living, a positive attitude and a vegetarian... Read More →

Thursday June 12, 2025 2:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
JJ's Lodge - Sponsored by Wipex 37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA, USA

Intensive

Schedule Spotlights Yoga Philosophy, Advance Your Practice

12:00pm EDT

The Stories and Songs of the Yoga Tradition

Friday June 13, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm EDT

Crane East - Sponsored by WellnessLiving

Join expert storyteller, kirtan singer and lifelong student of Vedic lore, Raghunath in this inspiring exploration of the stories of the Vedic sages who our yoga asanas are named after. Hearing these stories your asanas become like deep meditations. He will also teach bhakti mantras and pepper the entire class with kirtan.

Presenters

Raghunath

Friday June 13, 2025 12:00pm - 1:30pm EDT
Crane East - Sponsored by WellnessLiving 37 Corey Rd, Hancock, MA 01237, USA

Lecture/Talk

Schedule Spotlights For Teachers, Yoga Philosophy

2:30pm EDT

✴️ Yoga of Relationships

Friday June 13, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

The Stagecoach

Manoj will bring in yogic statues/archetypes and guide you through experiential yogic practices involving the heart and emotions and not some random spiritual platitudes generated by AI/ChatGpt. There will be specific takeaways for your daily sadhana and on skillfully dealing with relationship types such as romance, friendship, workplace, teachers and even break-ups!

Beginning with the relationship with the higher Self, we will explore the relationships of Shiva/Shakti, Sita/Ram, Arjuna/Krishna, Hanuman/Ram-Sita, and Krishna/Radha with sacred stories, philosophy, breath-work, and mantras.

All done using sacred statues (murtis) of these deity archetypes.

With a whole lotta laughter and bowing.

Presenters

Dr Manoj Chalam

Unique Arts

Manoj (people call him a spiritual standup comedian) uses a uniquely entertaining, interactive story telling style using Hindu/Buddhist deity statues (Murtis) in his workshops to illuminate Bhakti practices as well as deep non dual philosophy. He teaches at festivals, yoga events... Read More →

Friday June 13, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
The Stagecoach 37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA, USA

Community Event, Lecture/Talk

Schedule Spotlights Yoga Philosophy

4:00pm EDT

Handstands, Harmoniums and the Bhagavad Gita

Friday June 13, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

Crane West - Sponsored by Om Botanicals

Raghunath, master storyteller, and handstand junkie will lead us in call and response chanting, teach stories of Vedic lore with real world life lessons, and dip into the powerful and transformative teachings of Indias classic. This class is appreciated by advanced teachers and newbies alike. Raghu makes learning is fun! He’s a senior teacher leading trainings internationally. Explore your potential of both the physical and the metaphysical.

Presenters

Raghunath

Friday June 13, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Crane West - Sponsored by Om Botanicals 37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA, USA

Yoga

Level Intermediate
Schedule Spotlights Yoga Philosophy, Advance Your Practice

9:00am EDT

✴️ The Alchemy of You - Ayurveda's Formula for Harmony FILLING

Saturday June 14, 2025 9:00am - 9:45am EDT

The Stagecoach

How can a 5,000-year-old system of medicine still be relevant in our fast-paced, modern world?

Ayurveda, the science of life, offers profound yet practical tools for balance, longevity, and well-being. In this session, we’ll explore how Ayurveda can help you understand your unique constitution, recognize imbalances before they manifest as illness, and cultivate simple daily habits for sustainable health and vitality.

Topics we’ll cover:
· Your Unique Blueprint – Understanding the doshas and how they shape your body, mind, and emotions
· The Roots of Imbalance – How daily routines, diet, and stress throw us off balance
· Practical Tools for Alignment – Simple Ayurvedic practices to restore harmony and thrive in every season

Join us for an insightful journey into this ancient science and leave with practical takeaways to support your well-being in today’s world.

Presenters

Hilary Garivaltis

HILARY GARIVALTIS is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and Ayurvedic Education Consultant.She served as the Executive Director of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association from 2016-2023 and was the Founder and former Dean of the Kripalu School of Ayurveda in Stockbridge, MA. She... Read More →

Sponsors

Anahata School House

Saturday June 14, 2025 9:00am - 9:45am EDT
The Stagecoach 37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA, USA

Community Event, Lecture/Talk

Schedule Spotlights Yoga Philosophy

2:30pm EDT

✴️ Awaken Shakti- The Goddess Archetype Within You in Your Heroines Journey

Saturday June 14, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

The Stagecoach

This class is suitable for men and women. Manoj will bring statues of yogic Goddesses and relate them to your personal archetypes. The pinnacle of the Goddess archetype is the Wisdom Goddess with side archetypes of the Mother and the luminous Devi. Discover the archetypes of the slumbering Goddesses or Shakti within us as Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kali, Durga, Tara and Kwan Yin. Unleash this Shakti, within you as the creative power of the One. This Shakti archetype guides us through all aspects of life transitions such as adulthood, relationships, marriage, parenting, profession, mentoring and finally enlightenment. With Shakti's guidance, we are able to fully express the heroine’s journey to Self Actualization.

Manoj will help you find your personal deity Goddess archetype

(This workshop is 80% lecture, 10% meditation, 5% Mantras and 5% light spiritual stretches.)

Presenters

Dr Manoj Chalam

Unique Arts

Saturday June 14, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
The Stagecoach 37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA, USA

Community Event, Lecture/Talk

Schedule Spotlights Yoga Philosophy

8:00am EDT

✴️ Live Music Sutras - How We Move When We Are Moved

Sunday June 15, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am EDT

Burbank Room - Sponsored by Himalayan Institute

The woven wisdom of yoga sutras inspire this intersection of movement, mindfulness and live music. This meditative vinyasa practice exists for you to awaken to new pathways for listening and discover the beautiful song of life that exists within you.

Begin in stillness as you attune to the musicians, and then you will slowly integrate gentle movement to the sounds that move you. Megan Twining will join the musicians to lead you through an intuitive, gently paced, vinyasa class that peaks with a range of expansive postures to match the musical crescendo and then, both yogis and music, will soften back down to finish the expression of shared moving artistry. All levels are welcome. Thank you for trusting us to lead you through.

Presenters

Megan Twining

Founder / Director, Sonder Studios

Megan Twining is the founder & director of Sonder Studios, located in Maryland, just outside of Washington DC. She has been involved in visual, culinary, and movement arts for more than 25 years. She teaches from the lens that gentle communication is a worthy pursuit and that words... Read More →

Sunday June 15, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am EDT
Burbank Room - Sponsored by Himalayan Institute 37 Corey Rd, Hancock, MA 01237, USA

Community Event

Style Vinyasa
Schedule Spotlights Studio Partners, Yoga Philosophy

8:00am EDT

Your Humanity IS Your Divinity: The Yoga of Radical Affirmation!

Sunday June 15, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am EDT

The Big Tent - Sponsored by Jiminy Peak

We are all gods and goddesses in drag! The universe is hiding in plain sight in us as us! But due to our negative talk, we don’t recognize our divinity. We’ve convinced ourselves that we’re not good enough, we don’t have what it takes, or that we’re flawed in some way. Tantra teaches that we are perfectly imperfect just as we are. As infinite souls on the journey of the heart, we are already whole and complete, lacking nothing, ready to create a destiny of greatness.
Join master yogi, founder, and internationally acclaimed teacher, Todd Norian, as he guides you step-by-step into the empowering philosophy and practices that affirm the truth of your infinite nature.
During this workshop, you will
- Explore the empowering and spiritually uplifting philosophy of Nondual Tantra
- Build inner strength, balance, and flexibility with alignment-based Ashaya Yoga
- Quiet the mind and cultivate inner peace through meditation, mantra chanting, and deep relaxation
- Receive hands-on adjustments to improve your alignment and go deeper
-Enjoy Todd’s music throughout the workshop

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a renewed sense of purpose, inspiration, and freedom to live your best life and bring more joy into the world.

Presenters

Todd Norian

Todd Norian, E-RYT 500, YACEP, internationally acclaimed yoga teacher, author of Tantra Yoga: Journey to Unbreakable Wholeness, A Memoir, and founder of Ashaya Yoga®, has practiced and taught yoga for over 42 years. Designated a Kripalu Legacy faculty member, Todd became a Kripalu... Read More →

Sunday June 15, 2025 8:00am - 9:30am EDT
The Big Tent - Sponsored by Jiminy Peak 37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA, USA

Yoga

Schedule Spotlights Yoga Philosophy

8:30am EDT

✴️ Form & Formless: Hindu/Buddhist Deity Archetypes & Enlightment

Sunday June 15, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

The Stagecoach

Presenters

Dr Manoj Chalam

Unique Arts

Sunday June 15, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
The Stagecoach 37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA, USA

Community Event, Lecture/Talk

Schedule Spotlights Yoga Philosophy

10:30am EDT

Yes Talk: Ayurveda Works

Sunday June 15, 2025 10:30am - 11:15am EDT

Clark Room, Country Inn - Sponsored by BlueQ

Discover Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old holistic healing system that complements and deepens the practice of yoga. In this short talk, you’ll learn the fundamental principles of Ayurveda, including the five elements and their combinations to form the three doshas (mind-body types) and how they influence our physical, mental, and emotional health. We’ll explore how Ayurveda and yoga work together to promote balance, vitality, and self-awareness, offering practical insights into incorporating Ayurvedic wisdom into your daily routine. Perfect for yoga practitioners seeking a more integrated approach to wellness!

Presenters

Kari Harendorf

Co-Founder, Better Yoga

Kari Harendorf is an Ayurvedic Practitioner, a C-IAYT Yoga Therapist, an E_RYT 500 Yoga Educator, and a Reiki Master. Kari, a teacher of teachers, was on faculty for 200-hour and 850-hour teacher trainings at the Kripalu Schools of Yoga, Ayurveda, and Yoga Therapy. She spent over... Read More →

Sunday June 15, 2025 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
Clark Room, Country Inn - Sponsored by BlueQ 37 Corey Rd, Hancock, MA 01237, USA

Lecture/Talk, YES! Talk

Schedule Spotlights Yoga Philosophy

2:00pm EDT

Soul Flow: Awakening Your Spiritual Heart

Sunday June 15, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

The Big Tent - Sponsored by Jiminy Peak

All-Levels Welcome.

Experience the depth of your soul in this powerful complete yoga practice. With DJ Taz spinning soul grooving bi-neural beats and guided by Festival Founder Andrew Tanner, whose 22 years of practice include 5 years as a Taoist monk and 5 years studying Hatha-Vinyasa under Sri Dharma Mittra.

In this Practice You Will Experience:

Powerful breathwork to completely reset your nervous system
An All-level soulful vinyasa flow to music in the lineage of Dharma Yoga
A deep and soothing savasana
Ji-gam “Stop Thinking” taoist meditation
Simple call-and-response chanting to feel your heart.
Spiritual teachings connecting the Taoist and Vedic traditions.

This is a class to end your festival in harmony with your body and soul.

Presenters

Andrew Tanner

Founder, Berkshire Yoga Festival

Andrew Tanner is a global yoga teacher, men's mind/body coach, and public speaker known for his soulful style of teaching, and unshaken faith in people's ability to transform for the better. He has been offering holistic healing work and guiding people on spiritual retreat for over... Read More →

DJ Taz Rashid

Musician/Producer/DJ, Soul Groove Wellness

DJ Taz Rashid brings a high vibrational energy to any room instantly by mixing the beats and rhythms of Love, Ancient New World, House, Devotional, and all the cosmic sounds. He is known for his unique style of blending electronic dance music with yoga and meditation, which has made... Read More →

Sunday June 15, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
The Big Tent - Sponsored by Jiminy Peak 37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA, USA

Community Event, Yoga

Style Taoist, Vinyasa
Level All levels
Schedule Spotlights Personal Growth & Transformation, Yoga Philosophy

2:00pm EDT

The Obstacles That Distract the Mind and Disrupt Practice: Master Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra - Chapter 1, Verse 30

Sunday June 15, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

JJ's Lodge - Sponsored by Wipex

A wise one once said: “The first step to solve a problem is to accept there is a problem.”

What are the obstacles to practice? How do we work with the challenges on our path? How do we reconcile our intention to be alert and focused, our longing to be open and compassionate with human tendencies such as doubt, laziness, distraction, edginess, etc. This is a common and uncomfortable place to find ourselves in. During our time together, we will discuss this verse and how to relate to the obstacles that arise when engaging in practice.

Presenters

Rima Rabbath

Founder, Souk NYC

Rima is the founder of Souk NYC. In March 2020, Rima launched the Souk Zoom Room, which instantly became a lifeline: a net that joined and held up students from all over the world. Her online community became the portal to our physical Souk studio in Manhattan: a space of practice... Read More →

Sunday June 15, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
JJ's Lodge - Sponsored by Wipex 37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA, USA

Lecture/Talk

Schedule Spotlights Yoga Philosophy, For Teachers

Berkshire Yoga Festival 2025

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