Thursday Satsang Via Zoom and In-Person Viewing at TMC: "The Mystic and Tantra" with Charles B Crenshaw Jr. M.S., M.Div.W., C-IAYT - June 19, 2025
2025-06-19 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Thursday Satsang Via Zoom and In-Person Viewing at TMC – June 19, 2025
“The Mystic and Tantra”
with Charles B Crenshaw Jr. M.S., M.Div.W., C-IAYT
7:00-8:30 p.m.

5:30-6:45 p.m.: Gentle Hatha Yoga with Michael Snodgrass
7:00-7:30 p.m: Guided Meditation with Swami Ma Radha Bharati
7:30-8:30 p.m.: “The Mystic and Tantra” with Charles B Crenshaw Jr. M.S., M.Div.W., C-IAYT
8:30 p.m.: Evening Prayers
Let’s explore the connections between tradition and mysticism looking at the origins of mysticism and tantra through what might be called an interfaith lens, but truly through the lens of non-dual awareness. Charles is particularly suited for this discussion as he was trained as an interfaith minister in his younger years.
CHARLES CRENSHAW
Charles B Crenshaw Jr. M.S., M.Div.W., C-IAYT a graduate of the Program in Eastern Studies, Comparative Psychology that Swami Rama founded, is an ordained interfaith minister and was co-director of the Himalayan Institute New York City for several years with his wife, Carol. After retreating at Sadhana Mandir Trust (Swami Rama’s ashram) in
1994, he worked at Himalayan Hospital Trust Rehab department doing yoga therapy. Currently he assists with the Teachers Transformation Program for SRSG, when needed, and is on the board of the non-profit educational organization he and his wife co-founded.

Thursday Satsang In Person at TMC and Via Zoom: “The Moon" with Gary Gran CYT, DAy - June 26, 2025
2025-06-26 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang – June 26, 2025
The speaker will join us in person at TMC
The talk will be live-streamed via Zoom
“The Moon” with Gary Gran, CYT, DAy.
Everyone is Welcome!
7:00-8:30 p.m. CT

5:30-6:45 p.m.: Gentle Hatha Yoga with Michael Snodgrass
7:00-7:30 p.m. Guided Meditation with Gary Gran
7:30-8:30 p.m.: “The Moon” with Gary Gran
8:30 p.m.: Evening Prayers

Who hasn’t experienced the beauty of the moon in the night sky? All cultures speak of the moon. Science tells us the moon has a strong influence on the tides and life on earth. The poets speak of the moon’s cooling rays and her radiant beauty. Jyotish, the astrological science of light, calls the moon “the Queen of Heaven.” The moon waxes and wanes month by month, creating a powerful ritam, the rhythm of nature here on earth. Ayurveda, the science of the life-force, recognizes the moon as a magnetic force-field, a living presence, and the very juice or soma of our life. And in yoga, the moon is equated with manas, our mind.
Please join us for this evening’s reflection upon the moon, her influence, her beauty, and her many mysteries. We will draw from the teachings of Ayurveda, yoga and astrology to help illuminate the moon within and without.
Swami Veda once posed the question, ‘How do we know the moon is beautiful?
Because there is a moon within us!’
Then quoting the Visvasara Tantra:
‘Whatever is in the universe, is in the body; whatever is in the body is in the universe.
What is here is elsewhere. What is not here is nowhere else.’
“Who will reflect the purest moon in the lake of his mind?” –
Ryokan (1758-1831)
Gary Gran, CYT, DAy. was in attendance at the 1985 workshop and will be sharing theteachings from his personal notes. He and his wife Cynthia have been treading the Himalayan path since the late 1970s. They met at the old Glenview Center in Illinois and have served the tradition in various capacities over the years. They are both certified yoga teachers and Ayurvedic educators. They have published more than eighty articles on yoga, meditation and Ayurveda. They are currently wintering in Tucson, Arizona where they enjoy desert gardening, cooking and hiking.
To support the work of The Meditation Center and register you can donate here or make a general donation by clicking on the “donate” button on the “Support TMC” website page.
Or donate through PayPal.
There is parking available for TMC visitors in the St. Boniface lot across the street from the Center.

Thursday Satsang In Person at TMC and Live-Streamed Via Zoom: “Meditations from the Upanishads" with Gary Gran CYT, DAy - July 24, 2025
2025-07-24 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang – July 24, 2025
The speaker will join us in person at TMC
The talk will also be live-streamed via Zoom
“Thursday, July 24: “Meditations from the Upanishads” with Gary Gran, CYT, DAy.
Everyone is Welcome!
7:00-8:30 p.m. CT

5:30-6:45 p.m.: In-Person Gentle Yoga with Michael Snodgrass
7:00-7:30 p.m.: Guided Meditation with Gary Gran, CYT, DAy.
7:30-8:30 p.m.: “Meditations from the Upanishads” with Gary Gran, CYT, DAy.
8:30 p.m.: Evening Prayers

Gary Gran will talk about a seminar on the Upanishads that Swami Veda gave at the Glenview Center years ago.
On June 10, 1984, Swami Veda, then known as Dr. Usharbudh Arya, presented a workshop called “Meditations from the Upanishads” at the Himalayan Institute of Glenview in Glenview, Illinois. The room was packed.
Drawing primarily from the oldest Upanishads, the Brihadāranyaka and the Chāndogya, which date from at least the 15th century BC, Swami Veda explained that there are 33 major vidyas (sciences or meditations) contained in the Upanishads. The Upanishads, as part of the ancient Vedic tradition, are well known as philosophical texts. However, the meditative aspect of the tradition is lesser known, and the meditations themselves are only passed down from teacher to student. As Swami Veda explained: “there is a whole different tradition that is the initiatory tradition in which the internal meaning is experiential…the experience of internal presence. This experience of internal presence is called the path of Upasana, practicing the presence of God.”
Swami Veda then detailed and led the participants through several of the meditations, and taught us how to improve our daily meditation practice. He even provided a shortcut!
“The idea and the hope is that it will open a new way of looking at the world, a different perspective about the world in which you live, so that your life, your appreciation of the unitary aspects of this natural world, with the unity of the spirit within you, that becomes clearer; in one way or another, a little.” – Swami Veda~
During tonight’s satsang, we will share these universal teachings from personal notes taken during the workshop, along with some short readings from the Upanishads. Please join us as we ponder the unitary message of the Upanishadic tradition as presented by Swami Veda. All are welcome.
Gary Gran, CYT, DAy. was in attendance at the 1985 workshop and will be sharing theteachings from his personal notes. He and his wife Cynthia have been treading the Himalayan path since the late 1970s. They met at the old Glenview Center in Illinois and have served the tradition in various capacities over the years. They are both certified yoga teachers and Ayurvedic educators. They have published more than eighty articles on yoga, meditation and Ayurveda. They are currently wintering in Tucson, Arizona where they enjoy desert gardening, cooking and hiking.
To support the work of The Meditation Center and register you can donate here or make a general donation by clicking on the “donate” button on the “Support TMC” website page.
Or donate through PayPal.
There is parking available for TMC visitors in the St. Boniface lot across the street from the Center.

Thursday Satsang Live-Streamed Via Zoom: Stories of a Journey to Beautiful Peru with Swami Radha, Mariella Silva, Silvia Baratta, Lori Beron, Chetna Tandon, and Carol Crenshaw. - July 31, 2025
2025-07-31 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang via Zoom – July 31, 2025
Stories of a Journey to Beautiful Peru with
Swami Radha, Mariella Silva, Silvia Baratta, Lori Beron,
Chetna Tandon, and Carol Crenshaw.
7:00-8:30 p.m.
Everyone is Welcome!
7:00-8:30 p.m. CT

5:30-6:45 p.m.: Gentle Hatha Yoga with Michael Snodgrass
7:00-7:30 p.m. Guided Meditation with Swami Radha Bharati
7:30-8:30 p.m.: Stories of a Journey to Beautiful Peru with Swami Radha, Mariella Silva, Silvia Baratta,
Lori Beron, Chetna Tandon, and Carol Crenshaw.
8:30 p.m.: Evening Prayers

To support the work of The Meditation Center and register you can donate here or make a general donation by clicking on the “donate” button on the “Support TMC” website page.
Or donate through PayPal.
There is parking available for TMC visitors in the St. Boniface lot across the street from the Center.

Thursday Satsang In Person and Via Zoom: Ayurvedic Study Group:"Ayurveda Study Group: The Three Roots" with Gary Gran DAy. CYT and Cynthia Gran DAy. E-RYT 500, YACEP on August 21, 2025 at 7:00-8:30 p.m. CT
2025-08-21 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang In Person at TMC and Via Zoom – August 21, 2025
“Ayurveda Study Group: The Three Roots”
with Gary Gran DAy. CYT and Cynthia Gran DAy. E-RYT 500, YACEP
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. CdT

5:30-6:45 p.m.: In-Person Gentle Hatha Yoga with Nikki Strong
7:00-7:30 p.m.: Guided Meditation with Swami Radha Bharati
7:30-8:30 p.m.: Ayurvedic Study Group “Ayurveda Study Group: The Three Roots”
with Gary Gran, DAy. CYT and Cynthia Gran, DAy. E-RYT 500, YACEP
8:30 p.m.: Evening Prayers

Please join us for our group study of Ayurveda, the science of life and longevity. In tonight’s session we’ll be reading sutras from the 7th chapter of the “Charaka Samhita” which discuss our basic urges – which ones to express, which ones to moderate, and which ones to suppress. From there we’ll introduce what are called the three roots, or the underlying causes that perpetuate suffering in the world, drawing from Buddhist commentaries and the “Yoga Sutras.”
“There are various modes and levels of suffering, but ignorance is the mother of all.” – Bengali Baba
Ayurveda teaches that eliminating the cause, cutting the root, is the best cure, but that’s not always possible. So, we’ll be reflecting on how to best live in this world, reduce suffering, and foster peace. Please bring your “beginner’s mind” and join us as we listen deeply to the words of the sages and share our reflections.
Participation is invited! Attendance at prior meetings is not required. All are welcome.
.Gary & Cynthia Gran have been treading the Himalayan path since the late 1970s. They met at the old Glenview Center in Illinois and have served the tradition in various capacities over the years. They are both certified yoga teachers and Ayurvedic educators. They have published more than eighty articles on yoga, meditation and Ayurveda. They enjoy desert gardening, cooking and hiking at their home in Tucson, Arizona, and are currently in summer residence in Minneapolis.
Gary Gran, DAy. CYT
Cynthia Gran, DAy. E-RYT 500, YACEP

Gary’s blog is ayurvedalessons.com.

Thursday Satsang In Person and Via Zoom: "Bodhicāryāvatāra," (The Way of the Bodhisattva) presented by Stephen Parker PsyD, E-RYT 500, 7:00-8:30 p.m. on August 28, 2025 at 7:00-8:30 p.m. CT
2025-08-28 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang In Person at TMC and Via Zoom – August 28, 2025
Bodhicāryāvatāra, (The Way of the Bodhisattva)
presented by Stephen Parker PsyD, E-RYT 500, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. CT

5:30-6:45 p.m.: In-Person Gentle Hatha Yoga
7:00-7:30 p.m.: Guided Meditation with Stephen Parker PsyD, E-RYT 500
7:30-8:30 p.m.: Bodhicāryāvatāra, (The Way of the Bodhisattva) w/ Stephen Parker PsyD, E-RYT 500
8:30 p.m.: Evening Prayers

A discussion of the text …Bodhicāryāvatāra, (The Way of the Bodhisattva) to prepare for the in-depth study of the text with Stoma beginning September 8th.. a bodhisattva is a person who has attained, or is striving towards, bodhi (‘awakening’, ‘enlightenment’) or Buddhahood. Often, the term specifically refers to a person who forgoes or delays personal nirvana or bodhi in order to compassionately help other individuals reach Buddhahood. Courtesy of Wikipedia .org.

Thursday Satsang In Person and Via Zoom: "The Life of a Swami" with Swami Ritavan and Swami Yatidharmananda - September 4, 2025
2025-09-04 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang – September 4, 2025
“The Life of a Swami”
with Swami Ritavan and Swami Yatidharmananda
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Swami Ritavan and Swami Yatidharmananda will be presenting
in person at TMC and live-streamed via Zoom.
Everyone is welcome!

5:30-6:45 p.m.: In-Person Gentle Yoga with Cynthia Gran
7:00-7:30 p.m. Guided Meditation with Swami Ritavan Bharati
7:30-8:30 p.m.: “The Life of a Swami” Swami Ritavan & Special Guest Speaker, Swami Yatidharmananda
8:30 p.m.: Evening Prayers

Special guest speaker, Swami Yatidharmananda , and Swami Ritavan will talk on the life of a Swami, renunciation as an attitude for daily life, includes a short video on the life of Swami Atmananda.
Swami Yatidharmananda is a globally recognised Yogi from India and is the founder of Swami Chidananda Sevashram. The Sevashram is a Socio-Spiritual Organization dedicated to the life and teachings of Gurudev Swami Chidanandaji. He conducts workshops on Relaxation and Meditation, Sings Kirtans and loves to share inspiring stories of his life transformative journey. He has also developed unique and impactful programs that heal, empower and transform you to tackle challenges in day to day lives. He dedicated himself to the service of his Guru Swami Chidananda Saraswati and was blessed to be with him 24X7 for many years… read more here. Courtesy of Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco.
Swami Ritavan Bharati has lived a life dedicated to serving Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati since 1970. After having been initiated at the age of 20, he transited through all the three Ashrams of Vedic life (Brahmacharya, Grihastha, and Vanaprastha) under the direct guidance of Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati. He was then initiated into Sanyasa in 2007.
He holds master’s degrees in Management, Education, Holistic Philosophy, and Eastern Studies. A highly experienced yoga meditation practitioner, he has conducted and guided numerous silence and meditation retreats throughout the world and has been instrumental in guiding the international Himalayan Yoga Tradition – Teacher Training Program (HYT-TTP). He is also a Mantra Initiator within the Tradition of the Himalayan Masters. Swami Veda Bharati chose Swami Ritavan Bharati as his successor; as the Ashram Pramukha and Spiritual Guide of SRSG and the AHYMSIN community, before he took Mahasamadhi in 2015. A man of few words, his primary focus is on the inner life. Courtesy of AHYMSIN.org.

To support the work of The Meditation Center and register you can donate here or make a general donation by clicking on the “donate” button on the “Support TMC” website page
Or donate through PayPal.
There is parking available for TMC visitors in the St. Boniface lot across the street from the Center.

Thursday Satsang In Person at TMC and via Zoom: "Images and Stories of My Recent Trip to India Part III with Sunita Gangopadhyay - October 2, 2025
2025-10-02 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang In Person at TMC and via Zoom – October 2, 2025
“Images and Stories of My Recent Trip to India – Part IV
with Sunita Gangopadhyay
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. CT

5:30-6:45 p.m.: In-Person Gentle Hatha Yoga with Michael Snodgrass
7:00-7:30 p.m.: Meditation Guided by Lori Beron
7:30-8:30 p.m.: “Images and Stories of My Recent Trip to India – Part IV
with Sunita Gangopadhyay
8:30 p.m.: Evening Prayers

Join Sunita Gangopadhyay for an evening of stories and beautiful images of her recent visit to India.
Sunita Gangopadhyay, President of The Meditation Center, has been associated with The Meditation Center since 2006, and was initiated in the tradition in 2011. Native of India, Sunita moved to the US in 1987 for graduate studies (Physics). She has had a keen interest in spirituality, meditation, and yoga for many years. Teachings of the Himalayan Tradition as well as Sunday Satsang with Michael Smith and Jim Nelson have immensely helped deepen her practice and navigate through a busy home and work life. Whenever she gets an opportunity, she visits the SRSG Ashram at Rishikesh, India. One of her passions is to take the learning of the tradition to a wider part of the community as well as be of greater service to the center for years ahead. Sunita is married and has two children. She was an Executive in Research and Development department of Seagate Technology.
To support the work of The Meditation Center and register you can donate here or make a general donation by clicking on the “donate” button on the “Support TMC” website page.
Or donate through PayPal.
Note: There is parking available for TMC visitors in the St. Boniface lot across the street from the Center.

Thursday Satsang Via Zoom and In-Person Viewing at TMC: Miscellaneous Mystical Musings...including Swami Sarvapriyananda’s discussion of FIVE PARABLES OF VEDANTA with Michael Smith - October 21, 2025
2025-10-16 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang via Zoom and In-Person Viewing at TMC
October 16, 2025
Miscellaneous Mystical Musings…including Swami Sarvapriyananda’s
discussion of FIVE PARABLES OF VEDANTA with Michael Smith
Everyone is Welcome!

5:30-6:45 p.m.: In-Person Gentle Hatha Yoga with Michael Snodgrass
7:oo-7:30 p.m.: Guided Meditation with Swami Ma Radha Bharati
7:30-8:30 p.m.: Miscellaneous Mystical Musings, including Swami Sarvapriyananda’s lecture on FIVE PARABLES OF VEDANTA with Michael Smith
8:30 p.m.: Evening Chants
8:40 p.m.: Tea and Snacks

Join us on Thursday, October 21, for a wonderful night of readings and contemplation with Michael Smith. Michael will read passages from his favorite books in the Tradition, accompanied by interesting stories of his own experiences.
Michael is a child’s of the 1960s, where an entire generation was intent on breaking out of the “paradigm paralysis” of conventional, status quo thinking — the collective “default mode network.” All the great teachings, such as those in the YOGA VASISHTHA, try to do this.
If you have seen Swami Sarvapriyananda’s FIVE PARABLES OF VEDANTA,that’s the way he’d like to go. He will talk about adhyropa apavada, which is the Vedantic dismantling of a misconception.
Adhyropa apavada is most beautifully taught through little jewel-like stories, folk tales, parables, metaphorical images, and even jokes!
All of the great spiritual teachers have had a vast storehouse of such stories. Many are classics which many people have not heard, or are stories who have been forgotten — It will be a night of the oldies-but-goodies!
In this presentation, there will also be many diagrams and pictures and photos and symbols that he’d like to show. Michael doesn’t have any expertise in anything like Power Point etc, so he’ll just show them on the screen — and hopefully they will show up okay on the screen and on the Vimeo recordings.

Michael Smith has been practicing & teaching yoga for over 50 years and is currently a curriculum coordinator for the International Himalayan Yoga Teachers Association. He has also been certified by the Himalayan Institute Teachers Association and the Behram Guard School of Yoga Meditation (an Iyengar-based Hatha Yoga School). He was a public school teacher for 35 years and also a professor of Comparative Religion at North Hennepin Community College. He has edited and/or illustrated several books on yoga and has lectured widely on stress management (the topic of his Masters Thesis) and also on holistic health. His main work has been to transcribe and to get the teachings of Swami Rama, Swami Veda and the Himalayan teachers out to as many people as possible.
To support the work of The Meditation Center and register you can donate here or make a general donation by clicking on the “donate” button on the “Support TMC” website page.
Or donate through PayPal.
Note: There is parking available for TMC visitors in the St. Boniface lot across the street from the Center.

Thursday Satsang in Person and Via Zoom: "Musika Medica" with Maja Radovanlija, Molly Sturges, and Sara Pajunen - October 23, 2025
2025-10-23 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang In-Person and Via Zoom – October 23, 2025
“Musika Medica” with with Maja Radovanlij, Molly Sturges, and Sara Pajunen
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

5:30-6:45 p.m.: Gentle Hatha Yoga – TBD
7:00-7:30 p.m.: Meditation guided by Swami Radha Bharati
7:30-8:30 p.m.: “Musika Medica” with with Maja Radovanlija, Molly Sturges and Sara Pajunen
8:30 p.m.: Evening Chants
8:40 p.m.: Tea and Snacks
Everyone is welcome!!!

About Musika Medica
Musika Medica is a women-led improvisational music, collective healing and meditation project that weaves together deep listening, musical exploration, and embodied inquiry. Rooted in the practice of attunement, the project responds organically to each unique context, creating experiences that transcend traditional performance boundaries. By collaborating with guest musicians, storytellers, and diverse community voices, Musika Medica crafts immersive concerts, workshops, and restorative performances that invite rest, reflection, and creative wondering.
Founders
Maja Radovanlija is a versatile guitarist and musical explorer whose artistic journey spans continents and musical traditions. Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia) in 1975, she brings nearly two decades of classical guitar training from Eastern Europe, and Indiana University, Bloomington. Her musical path has been defined by a rich tapestry of collaborations that traverse diverse genres, from Balkan traditional music to jazz, intuitive free improvisation, and experimental soundscapes. Radovanlija is an active member of multiple distinguished ensembles, including the Szilard Mezéi ensemble, Minneapolis Guitar Quartet, Ensemble Studio6, MM Guitar duo, the Linda Chatterton-Radovanlija guitar/flute duo, and the Satu Jiwa improvised music collective. Her innovative approach to music-making reflects a deep commitment to cross-cultural musical dialogue and creative expression.
Molly Sturges is a healing-centered composer, soundrest artist, musical improviser, meditation teacher, and community healing facilitator, with over three decades working at the intersection of music, ceremony infused improvisation, collective healing, contemplative practice, and social justice. A United States Artist Fellow in Music, Molly brings depth and innovation to her research and creative endeavors. She has led and participated in a wide range projects including community sourced arts activations, creating and performing music for circus, sound installation creation, directing creative music ensembles and creating-directing Lifesongs, an intergenerationald music and end of life project for over twelve years. Currently Molly serves as a senior researcher in music and health and as founder/director of Waking The Oracle, an arts, earth kinship, and wellbeing project at University of Minnesota’s Medical School and Center for Spirituality & Healing. www.mollysturges.com
Sara Pajunen is an interdisciplinary artist based in Minnesota (USA), specializing in music and the sonic arts.
Her work blends folk traditions (violin, hardanger d’amore, voice), still and moving imagery, environmental recordings, and improvisation. Born into the immigrant culture of Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range, Pajunen’s artistic practice is driven by the interactions of her ancestral roots, American cultural histories, and a deep connection to environments through sound. While questioning dominant American narratives, she searches for long-rhythm values and uncovers beauty and familiarity in the overlooked.
As a composer and improviser, Pajunen challenges conventional boundaries between noise and music, using sound to alter our perception of the physical world. She has studied composition and improvisation with Tanya Kalmanovitch, Anthony Coleman, and Ted Reichman and environmental recording with Chris Watson, Jez Riley French, and Jana Winderen. Longterm project Mine Songs: Sounding an Altered Landscape explores the transformed environment of the Mesabi Iron Range, investigating the fissure in our relationship with the earth and the complex stories we tell ourselves (or have been told) about history, power, identity, and agency. Works from Mine Songs have been presented on stage, in galleries, and as a 2024 audio album.
Steeped in both folk and classical music since childhood, Pajunen has studied folk traditions extensively in the Nordic countries [with Arto Järvelä and Ritva Talvitie (Finland), Benedicte Maurseth and Knut Hamre (Norway), and Mats Edén (Sweden)] and has released six audio albums that use traditional music in progressive yet reverent ways.
Pajunen has performed extensively in Europe and North America and her work has received funding from the Jerome Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, Kone Foundation, New Music USA, American Scandinavian Foundation, and the Arts Council of Finland – amongst others. She holds classical music degrees in both the United States and Finland, and a Master of Music in Contemporary Improvisation from New England Conservatory.
CONTACT
Maja Radovanlija, mradovan@umn.edu , 763-300-9795
Molly Sturges, mollysturges@gmail.com , 505-660-9473

Thursday Satsang In Person and Via Zoom: "Devas East and West" with Paul Emerson PhD - October 30, 2025
2025-10-30 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang In Person at TMC and via Zoom
October 30, 2025
Devas East and West” with Paul Emerson, PhD
7:00-8:30 p.m. CDT

5:30-6:45 p.m. – Gentle Hatha Yoga – TBD
7:00-7:30 p.m. – Meditation with Swami Radha Bharati
7:30 -8:30 p.m. – Devas East and West” presented by Paul Emerson Ph.D.
8:30 p.m. Evening Chants
8:40 p.m. Join Us for Birthday Cake in Honor of Paul Emerson

When the seasons change and light becomes less, imagination stirs. We remember departed souls, tell stories of ghosts and think about other creatures that go “bump” in the night. Let us remember the beings of light. Details to come.
Paul Emerson is a biomedical engineer with a Ph.D. He is the authority on the physiology of breathing for The Meditation Center and has been teaching yoga for over 30 years. Paul has worked as a research scientist, has been a manager of clinical research with a major biomedical company and a university instructor. In addition, he holds eight patents in the areas of dialysis and sleep therapy. he is a scholar of ancient yoga texts. Paul was certified by the Rockford School of Yoga and began teaching in 1975.

Thursday Satsang Via Zoom and In-Person Viewing at TMC - November 6, 2025 - Video Presentation of the Late Dr. Dale Buegel's Talk at the St. Olaf Gathering in July 2024 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. CT
2025-11-06 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang Via Zoom and In Person Viewing at TMC
November 6, 2025
Video Presentation of the Late Dr. Dale Buegel’s Talk
at the St. Olaf Gathering in July 2024
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. CT
Everyone is welcome

5:30-6:45 p.m. – Gentle Hatha Yoga with Michael Snodgrass
7:00-7:30 p.m. – Meditation with Paul Emerson Ph.D.
7:30 -8:30 p.m. -Video Presentation of the Late Dr. Dale Buegel’s Talk at the St. Olaf Gathering in July 2024
8:30 p.m. Evening Chants
8:40 p.m. Tea and Snacks

Join us to honor Dr. Dale Buegel, who passed away on October 21, 2025. We will show his recorded talk from the July 2024 AHYMSIN Americas gathering at St. Olaf College.
Dr. Buegel was a student of Swami Rama and had practiced and taught hatha yoga and meditation for over 40 years in seminars, teacher training programs, and specialty workshops. His expertise in the fine points of yoga techniques had earned him the respect and appreciation of students in the U.S. and abroad.
Dale authored two books, Practical Yoga Sutras and Practical Samaya Tantra

To support the work of The Meditation Center and register you can donate here or make a general donation by clicking on the “donate” button on the “Support TMC” website page.

Thursday Satsang Via Zoom and In-Person Viewing at TMC: "Mindfulness, Memory & Remembrance, Part I" with Gary Gran CYT, DAy - November 20, 2025
2025-11-20 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang – November 20, 2025
The speaker will join us via Zoom
The talk will can also be viewed on the TV screen at TMC
“Thursday, November 20: “Mindfulness, Memory & Remembrance – Part I”
with Gary Gran, CYT, DAy.
Everyone is Welcome!
7:00-8:30 p.m. CT

5:30-6:45 p.m.: In-Person Gentle Yoga with Chris Young
7:00-7:30 p.m.: Guided Meditation with Gary Gran, CYT, DAy.
7:30-8:30 p.m.: “Mindfulness, Memory & Remembrance – Part I” with Gary Gran, CYT, DAy.
8:30 p.m.: Evening Prayers

These days, the practice of mindfulness promises us everything from better health and better relationships to success in business and sports. The American Psychological Association’s website provides a list of proven benefits including less somatic distress, reduced depressive symptoms, lower anxiety, less neural reactivity and less emotional reactivity. In addition, there are positives including better working memory, better-sustained attention, better focus, more cognitive flexibility, greater relationship satisfaction, more self-insight, enhanced intuition, more equanimity, greater morality, greater empathy, and greater compassion. With a list like that, what are we waiting for?
How do we strengthen our practice of mindfulness? What’s the relationship of mindfulness to yoga? How is mindfulness connected to memory? What happens to our memory as we age? What are the important things to remember?
In this series of talks, we’ll take a deep dive into the long history of mindfulness practice. We’ll listen deeply and reflect on the rich treasure trove of mindfulness and memory practices. And we’ll share specific practices as passed down in the Himalayan Tradition.
All are welcome.
“This practice of constant mindfulness is taught universally by the yogis of the Himalayas, irrespective of their affiliations.”
– Swami Veda Bharati
Gary Gran, CYT, DAy. Gary and his wife Cynthia have been treading the Himalayan path since the late 1970s. They met at the old Glenview Center in Illinois and have served the tradition in various capacities over the years. They are both certified yoga teachers and Ayurvedic educators. They have published more than eighty articles on yoga, meditation and Ayurveda. They are currently in winter residence in Tucson, Arizona, enjoying winter gardening, cooking, and hiking.

To support the work of The Meditation Center and register you can donate here or make a general donation by clicking on the “donate” button on the “Support TMC” website page.
Or donate through PayPal.
There is parking available for TMC visitors in the St. Boniface lot across the street from the Center.

Thursday Satsang Via Zoom and In-Person Viewing at TMC: "Mindfulness, Memory & Remembrance, Part II" with Gary Gran CYT, DAy followed by a Full Moon Puja, December 4, 2025
2025-12-04 19:00 - 20:50
Thursday Satsang – December 4, 2025
The speaker will join us via Zoom
The talk will can also be viewed on the TV screen at TMC
“Thursday, November 20: “Mindfulness, Memory & Remembrance – Part II”
with Gary Gran, CYT, DAy.
Everyone is Welcome!
7:00-8:50 p.m. CT

5:30-6:45 p.m.: In-Person Gentle Yoga with Michael Snodgrass
7:00-7:30 p.m. Guided Meditation by Gary Gran
7:20-7:30 p.m.: “Mindfulness, Memory & Remembrance – Part II” by Gary Gran
8:30-8:50: Full Moon Puja. (see below)
9:00-10:00 p.m.: Global Full Moon Meditation
10:00 p.m.: Evening Chants
These days, the practice of mindfulness promises us everything from better health and better relationships to success in business and sports. The American Psychological Association’s website provides a list of proven benefits including less somatic distress, reduced depressive symptoms, lower anxiety, less neural reactivity and less emotional reactivity. In addition, there are positives including better working memory, better-sustained attention, better focus, more cognitive flexibility, greater relationship satisfaction, more self-insight, enhanced intuition, more equanimity, greater morality, greater empathy, and greater compassion. With a list like that, what are we waiting for?
How do we strengthen our practice of mindfulness? What’s the relationship of mindfulness to yoga? How is mindfulness connected to memory? What happens to our memory as we age? What are the important things to remember?
In this series of talks, we’ll take a deep dive into the long history of mindfulness practice. We’ll listen deeply and reflect on the rich treasure trove of mindfulness and memory practices. And we’ll share specific practices as passed down in the Himalayan Tradition.
All are welcome.
“This practice of constant mindfulness is taught universally by the yogis of the Himalayas, irrespective of their affiliations.”
– Swami Veda Bharati
Gary Gran, CYT, DAy. Gary and his wife Cynthia have been treading the Himalayan path since the late 1970s. They met at the old Glenview Center in Illinois and have served the tradition in various capacities over the years. They are both certified yoga teachers and Ayurvedic educators. They have published more than eighty articles on yoga, meditation and Ayurveda. They are currently in winter residence in Tucson, Arizona, enjoying winter gardening, cooking, and hiking.

“Long Night Super Full Moon Puja”
(also known as the Cold Full Moon)
December 4, 2025
8:30-8:50 p.m.

After the talk by Gary Gran and before the Full Moon Meditation, there will be a short puja of invocation of and gratitude to the Great Mother as Maha Lakshmi. Her boons of generosity, fertility, stability, and wisdom have benefitted to our Meditation Center building and community during this fall’s fund raising efforts.
Below is the mantra that will be recited during the puja.
Maha Lakshmi Gayatri
OM
Maha Lakshmyai cha vidmahe
(We meditate upon the Great Mother as fully-endowed Lakshmi)
Vishnu patnyai cha dhimahi
(To that Shakti of Preservation may we “be en-wisdomed”, may light imbue our buddhi, awakening wisdom.)
Tan no Lakshmih prachodayat
(May Divine Mother’s Grace impel and guide our mind in the direction of growing the spiritual prosperity
of our collective mindfield as initiates of the Tradition here for the Meditation Center.)

To support the work of The Meditation Center and register you can donate here or make a general donation by clicking on the “donate” button on the “Support TMC” website page.
Or donate through PayPal.
There is parking available for TMC visitors in the St. Boniface lot across the street from the Center.

Thursday Satsang Via Zoom and In-Person Viewing at TMC: "Mindfulness, Memory & Remembrance, Part III" with Gary Gran CYT, DAy - December 11, 2025
2025-12-11 19:00 - 20:30
Thursday Satsang – December 11, 2025
The speaker will join us via Zoom
The talk will can also be viewed on the TV screen at TMC
“Thursday, November 20: “Mindfulness, Memory & Remembrance – Part III”
with Gary Gran, CYT, DAy.
Everyone is Welcome!
7:00-8:30 p.m. CT

5:30-6:45 p.m.: In-Person Gentle Yoga
7:00-7:30 p.m.: Guided Meditation with Gary Gran, CYT, DAy.
7:30-8:30 p.m.: “Mindfulness, Memory & Remembrance – Part III” with Gary Gran, CYT, DAy.
8:30 p.m.: Evening Prayers

These days, the practice of mindfulness promises us everything from better health and better relationships to success in business and sports. The American Psychological Association’s website provides a list of proven benefits including less somatic distress, reduced depressive symptoms, lower anxiety, less neural reactivity and less emotional reactivity. In addition, there are positives including better working memory, better-sustained attention, better focus, more cognitive flexibility, greater relationship satisfaction, more self-insight, enhanced intuition, more equanimity, greater morality, greater empathy, and greater compassion. With a list like that, what are we waiting for?
How do we strengthen our practice of mindfulness? What’s the relationship of mindfulness to yoga? How is mindfulness connected to memory? What happens to our memory as we age? What are the important things to remember?
In this series of talks, we’ll take a deep dive into the long history of mindfulness practice. We’ll listen deeply and reflect on the rich treasure trove of mindfulness and memory practices. And we’ll share specific practices as passed down in the Himalayan Tradition.
All are welcome.
“This practice of constant mindfulness is taught universally by the yogis of the Himalayas, irrespective of their affiliations.”
– Swami Veda Bharati
Gary Gran, CYT, DAy. Gary and his wife Cynthia have been treading the Himalayan path since the late 1970s. They met at the old Glenview Center in Illinois and have served the tradition in various capacities over the years. They are both certified yoga teachers and Ayurvedic educators. They have published more than eighty articles on yoga, meditation and Ayurveda. They are currently in winter residence in Tucson, Arizona, enjoying winter gardening, cooking, and hiking.

To support the work of The Meditation Center and register you can donate here or make a general donation by clicking on the “donate” button on the “Support TMC” website page.
Or donate through PayPal.
There is parking available for TMC visitors in the St. Boniface lot across the street from the Center.
