As the title says, Welcome to Bhakti House!  We hope that you’ll feel welcome here.

What is Bhakti House?

Speaking of here, where is Bhakti House and what exactly is it?  Bhakti House is, quite literally, my home in Pleasant Grove.  I married a wonderful woman years ago and we live there with three of our children.  Bhakti House is where I take time for my sadhana.  It’s also where I teach yoga classes, offer guided meditation and train others how to live a yogic lifestyle.

As you may already know, the practice of yoga saved my life and has helped keep my family intact.  For years, I have taught yoga under the banners of Shanta Yoga, Wasatch Yoga and Wasatch School of Yoga.  The time has come for something more.

More Than a Studio

When the Shanta Yoga/Wasatch Yoga studio closed, I promised I would never open another yoga studio.  I stand by that promise.  Yoga studios are, generally, where an instructor leads a sequence of yoga postures.  There might be a shop, because it’s so very hard to accessorize these days, and there might be space to have a cup of tea after classes.  The entire relationship is a transaction.  It’s a business transaction which is, hopefully, beneficial to all parties.

Bhakti House is a yoga ashram or rather, the beginnings of one.  Some of you may wonder what an ashram is or how it’s different from a studio.  Ashrams are often compared to a hermitage or monastery.  A more practical way of seeing an ashram is the home of a teacher or of a guru where students are invited to live and study.  Bhakti House doesn’t quite fit that description yet, the rooms are full of my sons and sharing a room with them might be more trial than any of us are ready for.

What is Bhakti?

There are three primary schools of yoga.  Jnana Yoga is the yoga of knowledge.  Karma Yoga is the yoga of action and includes the familiar Hatha Yoga traditions.  Bhakti Yoga is the yoga of devotion.  Devotion to what?  Devotion to the True Self that you are.  In turn, devotion to the True Self helps you become a benefit to all who know you.

Although it is true that true realization is attained by actual practice, in the beginning correct knowledge is needed.  ~Bapuji, Swami Kripalu

The traditional yoga classes, guided meditation sessions, courses on philosophy and all the programs available through Bhakti House are designed to give you that correct knowledge.  They show you the True Self that you are and they help you be free of all that you are not.

No Longer Alone

One of the biggest hurdles I’ve faced over the years is that there is only one of me.  That means there are only so many classes that I can offer each week but with the announcement of Bhakti House, I also get to announce two new teachers that I had the privilege of personally training!

 

Monica and Radhika have both been long time students and they bring with them priceless insight gained through their years of personal sadhana.  Over the next few days you’ll have a chance to hear from them both.  Not only will they help maintain the continuity of classes when I teach out-of-town, they also offer their own classes.

In the days to come, we’ll share with you more about Bhakti House and our vision of its future.

Until next time,
Jai Bhagwan