INTRO TO BHAKTI SAT-SANGA
an introductory class and sanga for those new to bhakti
Are you new to Bhakti, and want to know more? Intro to Bhakti is a starter course and discussion group facilitated by a committed bhakti-yogi, based on the first part of The Journey Within by Radhanath Swami. In five sessions we will explore four foundational questions of bhakti-yoga:
- who am I?
- who is God?
- what is yoga?
- what is bhakti?
Intro to Bhakti is designed to cover the most basic tenets of bhakti philosophy, and is a stepping stone to Beginning Bhakti, and other Bhakti-yoga courses.
overview
Start your spiritual journey with our introductory Bhakti yoga course, exploring life’s deepest questions through the wisdom of Bhakti teachings. Join fellow seekers in four enlightening sessions that will lay the foundation for your Bhakti practice!
admission
admission – $10 – $108
At the Bhakti Center, we strive to keep the costs of our wisdom offerings as accessible as possible. At the same time, reciprocity with the teacher is a valued principle in the Vedic tradition. If finances present a challenge, however, we warmly encourage you to reach out to us at the email below. We are here to support your journey.
Contact Vasudeva with any questions vasudeva@bhakticenter.org
meeting structure
- introduction and invocation – 10 minutes
- presentation – 20-25 min
- discussion – 25-30 minutes
- check-out – 10 minutes
what you’ll need
- The Journey Within by Radhanath Swami
- journal and writing utensil (optional)
groups
dates – mondays – april 7 – may 5
time – 6:30pm – 8:00pm in 2E
teacher – Manohara
dates – sundays – april 13 – may 11
11:00am-12.30 EST on Zoom
teacher – Venkata Bhatta
dates – sundays – april 13 – may 11
2.30pm – 4:00pm EST in 2E
teachers – Dina Bandhu and Vraja
dates – tuesdays – may 20 – june 17
6:30pm – 8:00pm EST on Zoom
teachers – Damodar and Champaka
dates – tuesdays – april 22 – may 20
time – 6:30pm – 8:00pm in 2E
teacher – Vasudeva and Parastou
your teachers
Vasudeva Das, originally from the Netherlands, started his journey on the path of bhakti in 1997 Since then, he has lived as a monk for 16 years in various ashrams in India and Europe, engaged in intensive practice of bhakti-yoga and study of Sanskrit and Vedic bhakti texts such as the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Vasudeva currently lives with his wife in the East Village, New York City, where he serves as the head priest and senior educator at the Bhakti Center.
Manohara Das, a graduate from Chapman University, CA, has immersed himself in the science of bhakti-yoga for the last five years. This year he completed (with honors) the Bhakti Sastri course in Mayapur, India, a five-month intensive study of classical bhakti-yoga texts. Back in the USA, Manohara now serves at the Bhakti Center full-time, giving personal and communal tutelage on the science of bhakti-yoga.
Venkata Bhatta Das was born and raised in New York City, and discovered the path of Krishna Bhakti in his youth. A student of HH Radhanath Swami for more than two decades, he has offered classes and seminars in a number of temples, yoga studios, and online platforms. In his professional life, Venkata works as a dean and chaplain at Princeton University. Venkata and his wife Krsangi Devi were among the handful of pioneering community members who came together in the early 2000s to found the Bhakti Center, and they have served the project in a variety of roles over the years.
Parastou, started her bhakti journey in 2011 and has since immersed herself in the Vedic wisdom. She also has completed yoga and meditation teacher trainings in New York and India. Professionally, she consults, designs, and builds products across industries including climate tech, finance, and edtech.
Dina Bandhu began exploring the Bhakti tradition as a teenager after discovering a recording of kirtan. He serves as a chaplain within a hospital setting, and for the Bhakti Center community.
Damodar Vinoda moved from Upstate New York to New York City in 2014, where he completed his BA at the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2017. His spiritual journey brought him to the path of Bhakti in 2018, thanks largely to the Bhakti Center community. For three years, Damodara lived at the Bhakti Center’s ashram and immersed himself in bhakti-yoga. Under the guidance of senior teachers, he regularly studies Bhakti scriptures and does various services at the Bhakti Center while working in digital advertising and residing in Brooklyn.
Champaka Mala grew up in the Bhakti tradition in Moscow. In 2014 she moved to New York to pursue her BA in psychology at The New School. In New York Champaka now holds a new community of Bhakti practitioners and a deepened Bhakti practice very close to her heart. Professionally, Champaka Mala works as a Business Consultant specializing in organizational psychology and helping teams and leaders create meaningful, empowering cultures. She is also a ceramic artist, making and teaching pottery in New York and Govardhan, India.
