2025 Mahasamadhi Celebration & Full Moon Yoga Nidra

In the I AM Yoga tradition, we honor the life and teachings of Swami Kripalu with an annual gathering called Mahasamadhi. If you are a beginner or new to the Roots of Yoga, this is a great opportunity to learn more and experience aspects of yoga that go way beyond exercises on a mat. If you’ve been practicing Yoga, especially in the Integrated Amrit Method, the Kripalu style, or Meditation in Motion, you may be familiar with the depth of meditation, the power of chanting, the joy of learning about Swami Kripalu, or the peace when you connect to the subtle movement of energy.
But no previous experience is needed - simply arrive with an open mind and an open heart. ALL are very welcome to connect with a wider global sangha (community) of people who resonate with the lineage of light.
This year, we are honored to feature:Heather Indu Arena, Santosha Co-Founder and Senior I AM Yoga Teacher - guiding a seated meditation, the Kriya of Chitta & Prana, that was Kripalu’s “Gift to the West.” Read more about Indu here.
One of Swami Kripalu's Bhajans chanted by Leela Bruner, a devoted disciple of Swami Kripalu. Leela is the only woman in the U.S. to receive spiritual initiation from Bapuji and her strong connection continues today. See below for details about Leela and to learn more about Bhajans.
And as a bonus because this event falls on a Full Moon your experience will be integrated as we end the evening with a fully-guided meditation in a reclined position, Yoga Nidra for the Full Wolf Moon, guided by Jayashree Missy.
The Event will include:

• Santosha Yoga Instructors and Students
• Friends and fellow Siblings on the Path from both Near and Far
• Swami Kripalu's poem “My Beloved Child”
• Chanting to connect to your heart
• Community Connections

The first part of the program will be a chance to listen, chant if you’d like, and connect with the flow of energy through a guided meditation. The second part will include a Yoga Nidra (fully-guided reclined meditation) in alignment with the full moon. Santosha Yoga offers a Pop-Up Yoga Nidra every month for the full moon.

Yoga Nidra is one of the easiest ways to meditate – it can be done on your yoga mat with lots of props to make sure your body is supremely comfortable when you relax deeply, in a recliner or couch, or even on a bed. Practicing Yoga Nidra in conjunction with the Full Moon helps connect you to the Earth’s rhythms, encourages a state of harmony and balance, and prepares the body and mind for a rejuvenating sleep experience. Our Full Moon Yoga Nidra will begin at 8:40pm.

Why is it called Mahasamadhi?

Mahasamadhi is 2 Sanskrit words (Maha = great) + (samadhi = deep integration), together referring to the death of a spiritual being - Swami Kripalu's final deep integration. He's called a Swami because he took vows to renounce a worldly life, similar to a monk in the West. This event is an annual opportunity to remember Swami Kripalu's passing (on December 29, 1981). This year, we're honoring the date of his birth (on January 13, 1913), and each year it's a chance to learn about and revisit his teachings and connect to the wider community of people who resonate with Kripalu.

Embrace Yoga’s Roots

Since there are so many ways to practice and study yoga in the West, we offer this annual event as a chance to Embrace Yoga's Roots as we highlight and uplift the original words, wisdom, and gifts of a yoga master from India, Swami Kripalu.

Swami Kripalu (January 13, 1913 - December 29, 1981) was a renowned yoga master who lived primarily in the Gujarat region of India. At Santosha Yoga and in the I AM Yoga (Integrated Amrit Method of Yoga), we call him “Bapuji,” an affectionate nickname meaning “beloved father.” Among Swami Kripalu’s dedicated disciples was Yogi Amrit Desai, who we call “Gurudev” meaning “beloved teacher.” Kripalu encouraged Yogi Desai to bring yoga to the US in 1959. Gurudev began teaching around 1961, creating first Kripalu Yoga and then Amrit Yoga to convey the power of these teachings to Americans and other Westerners.

When you purchase access to this Recording, Santosha will send donations to 2 organizations that maintain the legacy of Swami Kripalu in the United States: Muktidham in Sumneytown, Pennsylvania maintained by Kripalvananda Yoga Institute and Power of Love Temple in Council Bluffs, Iowa.