Swami Ritavan Bharati

Formerly Pandit Ananta (American name Daniel Richey) has been serving H.H. Swami Rama of the Himalayas and Swami Veda Bharati’s work for the past forty years with single-minded devotion and dedication. His educational history includes degrees and multiple advanced degrees in theology, philosophy, psychology and education. He is also a highly trained and experienced teacher of Yoga and Meditation, holding many certifications and is Yoga Alliance certified (E-RYT-500). Swami Ritavan joined the Dhyana-Mandiram (Meditation Center) Ashram in 1970 and has since then remained in spiritual life in a steadfast manner. By the grace of Swami Rama of the Himalayas, he was conferred the monastic vows of samnyasa (swami) in 2007 and earlier in 2001 the vows of Vanaprasthi, having lived a married life for 22 years. In 1995 he had received the sacred thread and the title of Pandit by Swami Veda Bharati.

Swami Ritavan, in addition to his duties as spiritual guide of the Meditation Center Ashram which he has directed for 20 years in the absence of Swami Veda Bharati, also spends much of his year serving, teaching, and practicing disciplines and meditation at Swami Rama’s Ashrams in Rishikesh. Swami Ritavan has been traveling and teaching internationally for the past ten years, teaching throughout North and South Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Southeast Asia. In addition, he has been a much appreciated presence as an advanced teacher at Swami Rama Dhyana Gurukulam in Swami Veda’s Ashram in Rishikesh. He also spends much of his time in guiding the International Himalayan Yoga Teachers Association in training numerous yoga teachers, having taught for the past 38 years. He is gifted in guiding and conducting numerous Silence and Meditation retreats throughout the world. A man of few words, his primary focus is on the inner life. He continues to be trained and further guided by his guru, Senior Acharya Sri Mahamandaleshvar Swami Veda Bharati from his Rishikesh Ashram.

Swami Ma Radha Bharati

Swami Ma Radha Bharati earned an M.A. in philosophy and commenced doctoral studies in Eastern and Western philosophy with emphasis on views of the self and mind. She has taught philosophy at a number of schools including the University of Hawaii. She received a fellowship from the Humphrey Institute in Public Policy. Swami Ma Radha was initiated by H.H. Sri Swami Rama 33 years ago and has been an active member of The Meditation Center community ever since.

Pandit Dabral

Pandit Dabral has been a student of Swami Veda Bharati for over 15 years. He was recently appointed by Swami Veda to serve as the spiritual director of the Association of Himalayan Yoga and Meditation Societies (AHYMS). As such, he is second to Swami Veda in guiding the International Himalayan Yoga Teachers Association (IHYTA). Pandit Dabral was born into a family of Sanskrit scholars in India. He has a master’s degree in Sanskrit literature and a Ph.D. in Indian philosophy from the University of Garhwal in India. He has worked throughout the world as a lecturer and meditation instructor. He is based in Calgary, Canada. He is a registered yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance.

Stephen (Stoma) Parker

Michael Smith

Michael Smith has been teaching yoga for over 36 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 many books on yoga and has lectured widely on stress management (the topic of his Masters Thesis) and also on holistic health.  Currently he is very interested in the cultivation of a yoga-based life style, incorporating the principles of Ayurveda.

Jim Nelson

Jim holds a Masters degrees in Education and Counseling Psychology.  He worked as a Consulting Psychologist and therapist for Family Life Mental Health Center for almost fifteen years, while teaching psychology at Blaine High School.  Jim received the Medtronic Outstanding Teacher Award in 1997 and was selected to the Whose Who of American teachers.  He served five terms on Blaine City Council championing environmental causes, and served on the Anoka County Mental  Health Advisory Board for several years.  He currently is in private practice and worked until his recent retirement, at Transition Plus as a Psychologist, serving students with learning disabilities and mental health issues.   For almost 20 years he was on the Meditation Center’s Board of Directors serving as President or Chairman of the Board for most of that time.  Jim has taught at the Center for over 25 years. He currently serves as Vice-President of AHYMS-A and is on the executive committee of AHYMSIN—the International organization dedicated to spreading the teachings of Swami Rama and the Himalayan Tradition.  He has traveled broadly in North America speaking at conferences on a variety of psychological and Philosophical topics.  He currently finished writing a book—Running on Empty”–an assessment of the destructive changes and challenges, that have eroded the well being of adolescents and young adults.

Lori Beron

Lori Beron is an initiate and certified teacher through the Himalayan Yoga Tradition as well as a Certified Holistic Nurse, she has an MA in Holistic Health Studies and is employed as an RN on a surgical oncology unit at the University of Minnesota Health.

Lori took a 3-year Vanaprastha Vow from Swami Veda Bharati during the 2013 Sangha Gathering. (Vanaprastha-a stage in life where one lessens worldly attachments.)

Barbra Bloy

Barbra’s first exposure to Yoga was from reading about it in a book in the early 1970’s. Barbra started teaching on her own in 1997 because of people asking her to teach them. She was introduced to the Himalayan Tradition by her friend and fellow teacher Mary Bowman. She did her teacher training at The Institute of The Himalayan Tradition (IHT) in St Paul, Minnesota. In 2003 she became initiated. Barbra is a RYT-500 hour member of Yoga Alliance.

Barbra is happy to teach for the Meditation Center in NE Minneapolis. She is also a fine artist, massage therapist and a landlord.

Mary Bowman-Cline

Mary Bowman-Cline CMT, ERYT 500, has been teaching Hatha Yoga since 1986 in Michigan and Minnesota and was initiated into the Himalayan Tradition by Swami Veda in 1998. She was a member of the Yoga Teachers Association of Greater Detroit before moving to Minnesota in 1993 when she discovered the Himalayan Tradition. Mary loves to bring laughter into her classes and encourages students to incorporate yoga into their everyday lives. Besides teaching Hatha l and ll, and center drop-in classes, she regularly teaches Anatomy in Clay workshops and assists with Anatomy and Physiology of Respiration with Paul Emerson. Mary also serves on the faculty with the International Himalayan Teachers Training Program.  Mary is a Certified Medical Assistant and a Certified Massage Therapist specializing in rehabilitation and oncology massage.

Rosann Chamberlain

Rosann Chamberlain has been practicing yoga since the 1980s. She became kalyanamitra (spiritual friends) with Sig Martel at Teacher’s Training in 2001, when they discovered they’d grown up 10 miles from each other near La Crosse, WI.  Together they teach the Wednesday morning Gentle Yoga class. Join this Wednesday group for a truly relaxing experience!

Paul Emerson

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.

Veena Haasl-Blilie

Initiated in the Himalayan Tradition in 1985 by Swami Veda, Veena has lived in the ashram on two occasions, completed the Teacher’s Training Program (TTP) in 1998, and completed the Teacher’s Training and STP Programs at the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, PA. Veena has worked with The Center’s Board of Directors since 2001, becoming a member in 2002 and served as its President until 2015. Veena holds a Master’s Degree from Hamline University.

Veena is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner providing consultations world wide virtually, and in-person at the Meditation Center, and in New Mexico through https://www.saumya-ayurveda.com/

Daniel Hertz

Daniel Hertz, E-RYT 500, BCB, has an MS Degree in School Counseling and is in his 36th year as an educator with the Minneapolis Public Schools.  Daniel has been giving Yoga and Meditation classes in the U.S., India, and Panama since 1995.  He is also Internationally Certified as a Biofeedback Practitioner with BCIA.org and offers individual Biofeedback sessions at The Meditation Center.  Please see the Biofeedback link at the bottom of the front page of the Center’s website for more informaton.  Daniel’s first book, Swami Hari: I am a Simple Forest Monk, is available at The Center’s bookstore and Amazon.com.  All proceeds go to, SRIVERM a school in the Himalayas founded by Swami Hari.  All of the royalties from his new book, EVERYTHING IS A LITTLE BIT ALRIGHT, go directly to The Meditation Center. Please click the book title to go to the Amazon book page.

Brian Hoffman

Brian Hoffman began teaching Hatha and combined Yoga classes at the Mediation Center thirty years ago following initiation into the Himalayan Tradition by Swami Veda. Hatha and Meditation training began in 1978 through the gifts of several accomplished Yoga teachers and resulted in study at the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale PA. Additional learning in the systems of Tai Chi, Healing Energy, and Martial Arts provided further understanding into mind-breath-body understanding. As a graduate from the University of Minnesota, Brian continues work in public service management in the metropolitan area, providing opportunity for an occasional Yoga class in the City Council Chambers or around a conference table. 

Rodney Huff

Rodney Huff first came to the Center in January of 2000 and quickly took as many classes as he could. Since then he has traveled to India to study at Sadhana Mandir and Sadhaka Grama in Rishikesh. He began teaching Hatha yoga in 2003 and has been a regular teacher of Hatha Yoga (I & II) as well as Meditation I. Rodney is grateful for the opportunity to teach at a place as special as the Meditation Center. The teachings he received transformed his life, and he hopes that each of his students can have an equally rewarding experience.

Jennifer Manion

Aaron Means

Signe Martel

Signe Martel has been practicing yoga since the 1980s. She became kalyanamitra (spiritual friends) with Rosann Chamberlain at Teacher’s Training in 2001, when they discovered they’d grown up 10 miles from each other near La Crosse, WI.  Together they teach the Wednesday morning Gentle Yoga class. Join this Wednesday group for a truly relaxing experience!

Eric Ness

Nicole Roberts

Nicole Roberts is the current resident and caretaker at The Meditation Center. Nicole has been guiding hatha yoga since 2010 and is 250-RYT certified with Yoga Alliance. She trained in the Jivamukti yoga lineage and the Himalayan Tradition yoga meditation lineage. Nicole was initiated in 2016 in the Himalayan Tradition. Nicole is part of our DEI team teaching outreach hatha classes. Nicole has guided the gentle hatha class on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings.

Chris Young