{"id":426,"date":"2014-06-23T10:18:45","date_gmt":"2014-06-23T17:18:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meditationretreat.org\/?page_id=426"},"modified":"2025-09-10T15:42:55","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T22:42:55","slug":"teachers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meditationretreat.org\/about-us\/teachers\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Staff"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Our Teaching Staff<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Our core teaching staff are long time devotees of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi, and the lifelong students of the Self-realization teachings of Raja Yoga. You will find in us a friend and guide for your personal or guided retreat.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Nayaswamis Roma and Haridas – Teachers & Spiritual Directors<\/h4>
Nayswamis Haridas and Roma have been the Spiritual Directors of the Ananda Meditation Retreat from 1995 to 2001. During that time they ran the Discipleship Training Program for Ananda. They have also served as co-directors of the Ananda Sacramento Community, and helped to manage the Ananda Palo Alto Community before being transferred to India by Swami Kriyananda in 2005. They travelled extensively giving classes and workshops throughout India and in 2012 started the Ananda Bangalore Center and served there as Spiritual Directors for 14 years.\u00a0\u00a0<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Matt Stickney- Teacher & Manager<\/h4>

Matt is a Lightbearer Minister who has been associated with the Ananda community for many years. He was a founding member of Ananda Sacramento community and served for a long time as a co-director of that community.\u00a0 Matt is a teacher of meditation and Raja Yoga, and a beautiful example of spiritualizing everyday life.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Nayaswami Anandi Gray, MS, E-RYT500 – Teacher, Minister<\/h4>

Anandi lives, serves and teaches at the Ananda Meditation Retreat in Nevada City, California. She has a gift for clarifying the teachings of yoga and making them practical. Her deep calmness helps everyone around her feel comfortable and relaxed. Anandi is a longtime practitioner of Kriya Yoga and founder of the Ananda Yoga & Meditation Center in Ashland, Oregon. Before moving to the Meditation Retreat she was adjunct instructor of Philosophy, Hatha Yoga, and Psychology at Southern Oregon University. She is an Ananda Minister, licensed counselor, and member of the Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society.<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Charles Evans<\/h4>

Charles is the resident gardener of our 5-acre meditation gardens. His list of credentials speaks to a adventurous and curious soul. Author of several landscaping books, he has also been a building engineer, chef, art gallery owner, and even enjoyed a brief stint as a cowboy in Oregon.<\/p>

Charles is Findhorn trained in the art of intuitive gardening. And this is what the guest invariably feels when he takes them on a tour and gives a talk on this subject. This is how Charles has integrated yoga and nature. He has a gift of tuning into the spirit of plants and trees, so that the love they receive from his care and attention is what the gardens share with you.<\/p>

He loves to share his experiences of intuitive gardening as well as the history of the land with visitors. His nature and gardening stories will be a favorite part of your stay here.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Bhawani Isaacson<\/h4>

Bhawani is an E-RYT 200-hour certified Ananda Yoga Instructor, Ananda certified Meditation Teacher, and a long-time meditator. Inspired by yoga since the age of 18, Bhawani\u2019s creative, playful approach makes her classes fun, as well as a relaxing and centering experience. She is passionate about helping people live in a balanced way and reach their highest potential through relaxation and dynamic energy awareness. Her calm, joyful presence help those around her relax and feel welcome. She holds a Master\u2019s degree from CIIS in East-West Psychology, with a specialization in Spiritual Counseling, and is an Ananda certified Spiritual Counselor. She hosts retreats regularly at both Ananda Meditation Retreat and Expanding Light Retreat.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Yogesh Lee<\/h4>

Since childhood, Yogesh was aware of the paramount need to find happiness and help others to be happy. In 2013, he took discipleship to Paramhansa Yogananda, simultaneously taking up residence at Ananda Village. Serving at the Crystal Hermitage Gardens and on the Ananda Meditation Retreat staff, Yogesh also helps lead weekend retreats and sadhanas. He delights in the adventure of living for God and sharing the adventure with others in a spirit of acceptance and freedom. Yogesh strives to be \u201ceven-minded and cheerful under all circumstances\u201d and to see every challenge as an opportunity. With kindness, enthusiasm, and devotion, he aims to share in a way that is practical, relatable, and fun. Always helpful and sincere he easily helps others experience divine friendship by being a divine friend to others himself.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Thomas Smith<\/h4>

A natural leader with a warm and engaging presence, Thomas is passionate about fostering spiritual community, supporting others on their paths, and continually deepening his own practice. Through his dedication to service, meditation, and spiritual growth, he strives to uplift and inspire those around him, helping them connect more deeply with their highest potential<\/p>

At the retreat, Thomas plays a vital role in organizing and supporting various programs, including scheduling, instructing Hatha Yoga, and ensuring the smooth operation of the karma yoga program. As a Sadhana Leader, he helps guide practitioners in deepening their meditation and spiritual discipline. His work blends devotion and practicality, creating an environment where seekers can cultivate inner peace and experience the joy of selfless service.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Cassedi Carlsen<\/h4>

Cassedi brings warmth, joy, and a deep love for nature and our natural rhythms to her service at the Retreat. She supports guests in feeling at home at the Meditation Retreat, offering guidance in yoga, meditation, and spiritual living. Whether through joyfully preparing nourishing meals, or heartfelt instruction, Cassedi creates space for inner stillness and connection.<\/p>

She also offers private healing sessions by appointment, including aromatherapy massage and sound healing, to support guests in deepening their relaxation and inner harmony. Her devotion to Yogananda\u2019s teachings shines through her service, helping others discover the peace and beauty within. Cassedi is an E-RYT 200-hour certified Ananda Yoga Instructor, Ananda certified Meditation Teacher, and Ananda Spiritual Counselor.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our Teaching Staff Our core teaching staff are long time devotees of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi, and the lifelong students of the Self-realization teachings of Raja Yoga. You will find in us a friend and guide for your personal or guided retreat. Nayaswamis Roma and Haridas – Teachers & Spiritual Directors Nayswamis Haridas\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":0,"parent":10784,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-426","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post-excerpt","no-post-thumbnail"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meditationretreat.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/meditationretreat.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/meditationretreat.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meditationretreat.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meditationretreat.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=426"}],"version-history":[{"count":91,"href":"https:\/\/meditationretreat.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/426\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16433,"href":"https:\/\/meditationretreat.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/426\/revisions\/16433"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meditationretreat.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meditationretreat.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}