Testimonials

Paolo B: “Meditation class at Rudramandir is my touchstone into a deeper place in myself. Class is the most important event in my week. It feeds me, tunes me, challenges me and opens me. Coming in contact with the energy field of a real Teacher is truly a gift.”

Kimberly Sugrue: “Being able to meditate at Rudramandir is such a blessing in my life. The meditation classes begin with beautiful music and chanting that help prepare me to receive the gift of energy available during the open-eyes meditation transmission. I love that after each meditation there is an opportunity to ask questions that may arise in a supportive environment. Meditating in the sacred sanctuary nourishes my being and helps me to stay centered and open as I encounter challenges that appear in daily life.”

Elizabeth Finlayson: “When I started attending class with Nathaji he gave me a money back guarantee that my life would change. That was nine years ago and my life has changed in many wonderful ways. It took work on my part to make those changes but it is the nourishment I got from attending class regularly that made it possible for me to do that work. What is rare about this practice is that when you find yourself up against a wall you find that you have the energy to blast through that wall. It is a gift of fierce grace freely given to all who want it.”

Ivory Sidell: “Meditation classes at Rudramandir are an exquisite and regular opportunity to sit with like minded souls, in the presence of Swami Kecharanata (Nathaji). He gives both wisdom, and shaktipat (divine energy) with great love. I leave meditation class, having been spiritually cleansed, renewed, and energized. The tensions I walk in with are washed away, and replaced with a newly opened heart, a greater peace, and strength. My experience of the divine within continues to deepen. These meditation classes are Grace that supports me in more easily bringing joy into my daily life, and making a contribution in the lives of others. I personally am profoundly grateful for the difference that the meditation classes at Rudramandir make in my life!”

Jim Rodseth: “I have attended retreats at Rudramandir several times a year many years, and I know that the experience has deepened my spiritual practice and understanding in ways that I never would have expected or even thought possible. I look forward to each retreat with the confidence that it will be a deep immersion into the divine and a springboard to future spiritual growth.”

P. Leopold: “I am always looking forward to the next retreat at Rudramandir. Without fail, each retreat has brought me to deeper experiences of my Self than I ever imagined.”

Nan Nachtwey: “Humor, wisdom, shakti, and deep spiritual immersion are a few words to describe the weekend retreats at Rudramandir. The community bonding, the great food with opportunity for healing, connecting and recharging is an invaluable part of my health and well being.”

GuruGanesha Singh: “Snatam and I have been touring all over the world for the last 8 years and played our music in some amazing places but none more heavenly than Rudramandir in Berkeley! From the moment we set foot there for our yearly concert until the moment our last piece of gear is packed back into the tour van, we are showered with love, hugs, smiles and selfless service led by their great Director, Swami Khecaranatha (Nathaji) who even helps us carry our equipment into the temple himself!!! This center is truly divinity in action!!!”

Ellen Jefferds: “I love attending concerts at Rudramandir. The physical beauty and sacred atmosphere of the center really enhance my experience of listening to spiritually-oriented music. And when you feel like getting up and moving, there’s room to dance at the back of the room! I find that the programs are a good mix of annual performances by some of my favorite singers, like Jennifer Berezan and Jai Uttal, plus offerings that are new to me, but equally enjoyable.”

Maria M.: “A concert at Rudramandir is truly a magical, uplifting experience! The music and musicians are amazing and give fully from the heart. I always leave with a deep sense of satisfaction and heart connectedness. Enjoying the beautiful music in the sanctuary space at Rudramandir is a sublime gift.”

Elena Portacolone: “Why do I enjoy every single concert at Rudramandir? I love the music. I also think that artists give their best because of the atmosphere. Stepping into the concert hall feels like steeping into a sacred Shangri-La. The space is full of beauty. Tropical plants, golden walls, statues of Indian Gods, murals of gigantic Buddhas. Listening to live music in such a space takes me to another place. It is just wonderful.”

Niko B.: “The daily classes at Rudramandir by Juliana Monin and the workshops by Sofia Diaz and Ashley Apple are all really wonderful. All teach that yoga is not just about the movement/posture but also incorporate breathing exercises, visualizations, chakra exercises, and sacred teachings to help awaken not just body but spirit. It is a challenging, but also deeply rewarding experience to take these teachings and carry them over to daily life. Thank you Rudramandir for making this possible.”

Lloyd Barde: “Juliana Monin leads the most prayerful yoga class I know a few times a week at Rudramandir. I love going to this class; while it is a stretch and sometimes challenging, it is the spirit in which Juliana teaches and allows for a less ‘goal-oriented’ class that embodies the true nature of Yoga that keeps me returning. This is a beautiful, breath-oriented class that deepens your acceptance, joy, and ability to be present. Each class leaves me with a deeper sense of peace, openness and self-love. Juliana is the perfect combination of total tradition, intensive training, embodied practice, irreverence, fun and focus.”

Shelley Lapkoff: “Being around Juliana opens, opens, opens my heart. The fact that we’re doing yoga and breathing consciously is just a bonus! I learned so much from Ashley Apple’s tantric hatha yoga series and I was able to start my own home practice. There’s a depth of knowledge in her teachings, I felt like I was attending a mystery school. ”

Hugh Milne, Milne Institute Founder: “I teach craniosacral workshops worldwide, and my institute has been renting rooms from Rudramandir since it took over 830 Bancroft Way. The Rudramandir administration team has been totally professional, courteous and helpful throughout. No sharp edges. I have no hesitation in recommending them and their rooms.”

Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Body-Mind Centering: “The space you have created is truly sacred and we are honored to do our programs here.”

Emilie Conrad, Continuum Founder: “Rudramandir … If ever there was a perfect space to move, to sound, to stir and to listen to the silence as one gazes upon the colors blended onto the wall; rich saffron and burgundy with a hint of golden lights that leap mischievously around the room as one is greeted with the colors of wet dawn. Plants are posted perfectly like leafy guardians; they protect and give branched poetry to the aesthetic richness that greets our eyes. A generosity of spirit fills each pore of our skin as one enters and is utterly welcomed.”