Christmas and New Year Unity in Diversity Symposium

Radhika Das is a London-based kirtan artist and Bhakti yoga teacher whose devotion and spiritual grounding have made him one of the most sought-after voices in the global conscious music movement.

He has spent almost 20 years immersed in the path of Bhakti Yoga. His work blends tradition with modern sensibility, creating spaces where people from all backgrounds can experience connection, joy and spiritual upliftment. As an artist of “Mantra Roots,” he is committed to expanding the global perception of kirtan as an art form that is both sacred and accessible, especially among mainstream and younger people.

Radhika Das was raised in the UK and was introduced to Bhakti at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, UK. He believes that Bhakti Yoga is his spiritual home and where he finds his devotion, community and purpose. With an approach that blends both spirituality and accessibility, his aim is to make Yoga of devotion relevant to his audiences globally, transcending traditional boundaries.

Over the years, Radhika Das has been known for taking mantra beyond traditional settings and into mainstream spaces. From large venues like Union Chapel and O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in the UK, DOME in Mumbai, and Palais Theatre in Melbourne, to intimate yoga studios, his performances have touched audiences across the UK, Europe, North America, Australia and India.

In June 2025, his Mumbai live concert, Heart Land India, received significant recognition at the WOW Awards, winning Gold for “Concert of the Year Under 10k Attendees” and Bronze for “Entertainment Event of the Year”.

Today, Radhika Das stands as an authentic, heart-centred voice in devotional music, grounded in tradition yet deeply relevant to contemporary culture. His mission is simple: to help people feel more connected and aligned through the transformative power of sacred sound.

radhikadas.com

Tenzin Robert Thurman is a recognized authority on religion and spirituality, Asian history, world philosophy, Buddhist science, Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, and the Dalai Lama. An eloquent advocate of the relevance of Buddhist ideas to our daily lives, he has become a leading voice of the value of reason, peace and compassion. He was named one of Time magazine’s 25 most influential Americans and travels internationally speaking at universities, companies, conferences, and think tanks.

John Campbell has been practicing yoga and meditation for thirty years, teaching both worldwide for much of that time. A scholar of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, he holds a PhD in Religion from Columbia University. He has been a Fulbright Fellow and has taught at Columbia University and the University of Virginia, where he co-founded the Contemplative Sciences Center (https://csc.virginia.edu/) for research and teaching centered on contemplative methods and traditions. He currently works with Robert Thurman translating key tantric Buddhist works of the great Nalanda University from Sanskrit and Tibetan for the American Institute of Buddhist Studies.

His yoga education began in 1992 with the late Sri K. Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, and for nearly as long has been a student of Tibetan Buddhism and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. As a graduate student more than two decades ago, he began introducing hatha yoga masters like Richard Freeman to his PhD advisor, Robert Thurman. These collaborations have evolved into Vajrayoga, an initiative based at Tibet House US and its Menla retreat centre for comparative study and practice of the Indo-Tibetan yoga systems. In addition to teaching asana, Tibetan yoga, philosophy, and Sanskrit, John teaches Vajrayoga practice sessions at the Tibet House gallery on 15th St. in NYC.

A native New Yorker, he lives with his wife, three children, and various cats and dogs in Newburgh, New York.

Murshid R. Ibrahim Jaffe, MD is a physician, Master Sufi Healer, Sufi Guide, and Chancellor of the University of Sufism. He is widely known for his spiritual wisdom and teachings on Love, Peace, and Unity, and for developing the APIIR-TB Method of Sufi Spiritual Healing — a pioneering system integrating Western medicine, complementary therapies, and Sufi spiritual healing practices refined over more than 30 years.

Through this living Sufi Spiritual Healing System, Dr. Jaffe guides participants to uncover and transform the root spiritual, emotional, and energetic causes of illness, suffering, and separation through the presence of the Divine. His work supports healing on physical, psychological, and spiritual levels while awakening inner listening, deepening remembrance of the Divine, and opening the path toward Unity and enduring spiritual realization.

Grounded in an ancient Sufi lineage and prophetic healing wisdom passed from teacher to student for centuries, Dr. Jaffe’s teachings are universal and warmly welcome people of all faiths, traditions, and backgrounds.

drjaffemd.com

Father Dan is an Anglican priest, retreat leader, and seasoned facilitator known for creating transformative spaces where individuals can listen deeply, reflect authentically, and reconnect with their inner wisdom. Mentored by renowned Quaker activist and author Parker J. Palmer, Dan carries forward the Circle of Trust Approach, a powerful method that fosters self-discovery through deep listening, open questions, and intentional dialogue.

Blending poetry, wisdom metaphors, journal writing, visual imagery, breathwork, and the art of disciplined speaking and listening, Dan has led thousands of people—from diverse backgrounds, professions, and cultures—through profound experiences of personal insight and collective connection. His work has touched individuals across multiple countries, guiding them in retreats, workshops, and reflective gatherings that inspire clarity, courage, and transformation.

Beyond his pastoral and facilitation work, Dan is a published poet, a former zoo manager, and a community builder who co-founded an intentional housing cooperative. His passion for adventure and nature also leads him to offer sailing expeditions in the breathtaking waters of British Columbia, Canada, where he combines the wisdom of the sea with the spiritual practice of wayfinding.
With a deep commitment to nurturing personal and communal wholeness, Father Dan invites those who seek meaning, renewal, and authentic connection to embark on journeys of soulful exploration and discovery.

danhines.ca

Daniel Matt is a scholar of Kabbalah. He has been featured in Time and Newsweek and on National Public Radio. His books include The Essential Kabbalah (translated into seven languages) and God and the Big Bang. In 2022, his biography of Elijah the Prophet (Becoming Elijah: Prophet of Transformation) was published by Yale University Press in their series Jewish Lives, and it was awarded the inaugural Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Book Prize, established by Yeshiva University.

Daniel spent 18-years translating the Zohar. His nine-volume annotated translation – The Zohar: Pritzker Edition – received various awards and has been hailed as “a monumental contribution to the history of Jewish thought.” Daniel received his Ph.D. from Brandeis and taught for many years at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. He has also taught at Stanford and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Daniel lives in Berkeley and currently teaches Zohar online.

danielcmatt.com

Kahontakwas Diane Longboat, MEd is a citizen of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, a member of the Turtle Clan, Mohawk Nation. She is a ceremonial leader, traditional teacher and healer.

Diane is Founder of Soul of the Mother, a Healing Lodge on the shores of the Grand River at Six Nations Grand River Territory, as well as the Founder of First Nations House (Office of Aboriginal Student Services and Programs) at the University of Toronto

Diane is a professional educator with a master’s degree in education and has taught at universities and conferences, nationally and internationally, on traditional Indigenous knowledge and spirituality as the fuel for system metamorphosis to align with natural law and spiritual law.

In 2018, Diane was Co-Chair for the development of the Indigenous Peoples Program at the Parliament of the World’s Religions global gathering in Toronto for 10,000 delegates.

In 2023, Diane was Co-Chair for the Traditional Peoples Gathering in Crawford Lake, Ontario for Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee spiritual leaders.

For 2025, Diane will participate in the planning of Indigenous participation in the “State of the World Forum” in Washington, DC.

Currently, Diane is the CEO and Founder of the national Indigenous women-led charity called the Institute for the Study of Spirit, based at Six Nations Grand River Territory, Canada. The Institute supports global spiritual gatherings for unity, and community-based spiritually led action such as Grandmother Circles, podcasts with Elders and Knowledge Keepers, training next generation healers, supporting plant pharmacies in First Nations and Master Plant Healers, along with food sovereignty.

Awards:
Evolutionary Leader by the Source of Synergy Foundation
Lifetime Achievement Award as a Visionary Leader-Visioneers International Network
Empathetic Traditions-Indigenous Niagara Outstanding Achievement Award

Our beloved senior teachers play a central role in teaching at the ashram. Please note that their participation depends on their availability and cannot be assured for every program.

Swami Hridyananda

Swami Hridyananda is a direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda and senior staff at the  Yoga Retreat. She has spent over 35 years teaching different aspects of yoga, as well as teaching in Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Courses. She also teaches meditation, thought power, chanting, and supports individuals on their inner transformative journey.

Swami Brahmananda

Swami Brahmananda is Manager of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat and senior staff of the Sivananda organization. A long-time practitioner of yoga, he regularly teaches yoga philosophy and meditation for the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Courses as well as meditation immersion courses. He is a much-loved, inspiring, and knowledgeable teacher.

Swami Shambhudevananda

Swami Shambhudevananda is a senior staff member at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas and a practitioner of yoga and meditation for more than 30 years. A member of the Sivananda organization since 1995, Swami Shambhudevananda regularly teaches Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga philosophy for the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Courses and advanced courses. He is a much-loved, knowledgeable, and inspiring teacher.

Swami Paramananda

Swami Paramananda is a monk and senior teacher of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers. Swami Paramananda joined the Sivananda organization in 2006 and was initiated into Sannyasa (monasticism) in 2016.

A long-time practitioner of yoga, meditation and philosophical studies, he regularly teaches in the Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ Training Courses as well as the Advanced Yoga Teachers’ Training Courses. He also teaches online courses and guides students from around the world in their practice and study.

A much-loved teacher admired for his humor, warmth, and devotion to the practice, he seamlessly weaves classical yoga teachings into modern daily life.

Rukmini Chaitanya

Rukmini Chaitanya is a senior staff member of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas, and the personal assistant to Swami Swaroopananda, the Acharya, or spiritual director of the Ashram. She regularly teaches the Bhagavad Gita during the Sivananda Yoga Teacher training as well as other courses on the Bhagavad Gita, Vedanta, positive thinking, meditation, and yoga philosophy.

Rukmini Chaitanya is known for her enthusiastic and inspiring teaching style as well as for her devotion to the lineage and the scriptures. She is dedicated to each of her students and has an innate desire to share knowledge with them. She brings a great deal of clarity to every topic and is highly appreciated for her capacity to unfold complicated topics and present them in a coherent and pure way.

Rukmini Chaitanya was interviewed on The Spiritually Inspired Show

Jnaneshwari Chaitanya

Jnaneshwari Chaitanya is a senior staff member and teacher of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat. An experienced and devoted practitioner, she is an inspiring and insightful teacher of Yoga and Vedanta in Yoga teachers training courses and many of the ashram programs. Jnaneshwari Chaitanya is known for her clear and pure way of communicating the knowledge and its application in daily life, and is especially known for her skill in teaching the Bhagavad Gita.

Parvati Chaitanya

Parvati Chaitanya is a senior staff member of the ashram with many years of experience teaching, studying, and practicing yoga. She currently serves the ashram as caretaker of the gardens.

Krishna Chaitanya

Krishna Chaitanya is a physical therapist, senior staff member of the Yoga Retreat, and senior instructor of Hatha Yoga in the Teacher Training Course and other courses. He has taught for more than 20 years and specializes in working with the elderly population. He teaches Adaptive Yoga, Chair Yoga, and has many years experience helping individuals with all kinds of physical limitations.

Bhargavi Chaitanya

Bhargavi Chaitanya is an experienced yoga teacher and has been a staff member in the Sivananda organization since 2006.  Bhargavi Chaitanya teaches courses on yoga, meditation, positive thinking, the power of thought, cooking workshops, advanced yoga courses, yoga for adolescents, and more. She is known for her gentle teaching style and for the inner peace and love her students are experiencing while taking her classes.