Berkshire Yoga Festival 2026: Full Schedule

arrow_back View All Dates

8:00am EDT

The Net That Catches: Jalandhara Bandha and the Art of Quieting the Mind

Saturday June 13, 2026 8:00am - 9:30am EDT

Limited Capacity seats available

This embodied practice explores the technique of Jalandhara Bandha: “the net that catches." This subtle yogic energetic seal gathers scattered attention and stabilizes the mind. Through accessible movement, lunar-informed breathwork, and guided meditation, this practice gently quiets mental overactivity and supports nervous system regulation. Woven with contemplative INSIGHT inquiry, participants experience how steadiness arises not through effort, but through alignment, containment, and listening. This is a practice of calm power, inner coherence, and the relief of being held from within. Suitable for all levels.

Presenters

Kevin Courtney

Kevin Courtney is a meditation guide, INSIGHT facilitator, and teacher working at the intersection of ancient contemplative traditions, modern neuroscience, and embodied transformation. With decades of experience in yoga, meditation, breathwork, and subtle energy systems, his work... Read More →

Saturday June 13, 2026 8:00am - 9:30am EDT
Crane East 37 Corey Rd, Hancock, MA 01237, USA

Yoga

Schedule Spotlights Yoga Philosophy & Wisdom Traditions

2:00pm EDT

Living Symbols and Inner Practices: Devatā Yoga – Lakṣmī

Saturday June 13, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

Crane East

Limited Capacity seats available

We all have the recurring experience of frustration and suffering - from different causes, and at different levels of intensity - throughout our daily lives. In response to this recurring experience, we seek to release suffering and find fulfillment outwardly and, as a result, become entangled in what the Ancients called the ‘world of name and form’. This misguided seeking perpetuates the recurrence of unresolved issues, frustrations, tension, and suffering that we all experience throughout our lives.

Deep methods of Inner Practice evolved in the tradition of Tantric Laya Yoga through which we can break this recurring cycle, realize our true nature, actualize our innate potentials and, ultimately, become free. These methods of practice relied on complex symbol systems.

In this series of three classes, we will explore two of the most important symbol systems, the methods of practice evolved to work with them and, finally, how to integrate these symbols and methods into our personal practice.

In the second session of the series, we will
- Explore the symbolism of the Vedic Gods and Goddesses as “macrocosmic map” that reveals what the Ancients called our Divine Human Potentials.
- Introduce the methods of Devatā Yoga
- Work with this methods in a practice focused on the Mahā Lakṣmī

Presenters

Gary Kraftsow

Gary Kraftsow has been an innovator in the transmission of yoga for health, healing, and personal transformation for over 40 years. He began his study of yoga in India with T.K.V. Deśikācar in 1974 and received a Viniyoga Special Diploma from Viniyoga International in Paris, France... Read More →

Saturday June 13, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Crane East 37 Corey Rd, Hancock, MA 01237, USA

Yoga

Style Yoga & Lecture
Schedule Spotlights Yoga Philosophy & Wisdom Traditions

4:00pm EDT

✴️ Saraswati — Key to the Treasure Trove of Tantra

Saturday June 13, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

Doc Maynard Pavillion

Limited Capacity seats available

At the heart of the tantric tradition stands Saraswati, the radiant embodiment of knowledge, intuition, and the hidden currents of wisdom that guide every seeker. In the esoteric teachings of the Durga Saptashati, she is revealed as the gatekeeper to the vast treasury of tantra vidya, and the one who holds the key to unveiling the deeper nature of reality. Known as maha maya and yoga nidra, Saraswati illuminates the many layers of human experience, from the most ordinary to the most sublime, and shows us how to move skillfully between them.

In this transformative session, you will explore this multifaceted divinity not as a symbol, but as a living force that unlocks access to the true heart of tantra. You will also learn the meaning and practice of a rare and sacred Saraswati mantra, preserved in both the Vedic and tantric traditions, and discover how this mantra opens the doors to clarity, creativity, and inner awakening.

From this vantage point, this session expands into the wider world of tantra itself—a tradition that, for millennia, has offered a priceless trove of techniques to support and accelerate our spiritual growth. Yet today it is often overshadowed by confusion and sensationalism. Some encounter rituals, mantras, kundalini, and chakras; others become absorbed in deities and mystical practices.

Pandit Tigunait, drawing on a thousand-year lineage of tantric masters, will cut through this modern jungle of misunderstanding to reveal the rich and sublime essence of tantra. You will learn how to discern which aspects of the tantric tradition resonate most deeply with you, how to navigate common pitfalls with confidence, and how to follow a path that leads directly to inner fulfillment and true freedom.

Presenters

Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

Himalayan Institute

Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD, is a modern-day master and living link in the unbroken Himalayan Tradition. He is the successor to Sri Swami Rama of the Himalayas, and the spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute. As the author of numerous books, including his autobiography Touche... Read More →

Sponsors

Himalayan Institute

Saturday June 13, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Doc Maynard Pavillion

Community Event

Schedule Spotlights Yoga Philosophy & Wisdom Traditions, Personal Growth & Transformation

4:30pm EDT

✴️ Is Yoga Anti-War?

Saturday June 13, 2026 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT

Clark Room, Country Inn

Limited Capacity seats available

In this global moment of war, chaos, and destruction, yoga practitioners might feel inclined to turn to yoga philosophy for ethical guidance and a broader understanding of the moral implications and relationship between yoga and war. While it is common and tempting to turn to “ahimsa” as a foundational tenet of yoga philosophy and thus regard yoga as inherently non-violent and anti-war, such interpretations offer simplistic readings of yoga philosophy.

So what does yoga philosophy say about war, from a historic and contemporary standpoint? I believe that nuancing our understanding of yoga philosophy with respect to war strengthens both our capacity to turn to yoga as a moral compass and our impact when we wish to harness yoga's power toward more liberatory purposes. In this half lecture, half participatory workshop session, I invite you to join me in a dialogue on the politics of yoga, war, and empire; and in a commitment to strengthen our collective movement toward liberation of all beings.

Presenters

Sheena Sood

Healer, Activist, Scholar

Sheena Sood, PhD (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Delaware Valley University, and a Philly-based activist, yoga practitioner, and healing justice visionary. Sheena earned her yoga certifications at Kailash Tribal School in McLeodganj, India. Her research, “Omwashing... Read More →

Saturday June 13, 2026 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Clark Room, Country Inn 37 Corey Rd, Hancock, MA 01237, USA

Community Event