News & Events

Partnership with Heart of the Valley, Services for Seniors (nonprofit) , September, 2021

We are thrilled to share practices of mindful living with the staff, volunteers and clients of Heart of the Valley, a nonprofit organization helping seniors 65 and older in West Santa Clara Valley. The organization offers services and programs to help seniors maintain their independence.

We shared the practice of Meditative Drawing with this community. Check out their newsletter for more details.

International Yoga Day, June 21, 2021

What an epic day to hold our first in-person class after the pandemic! Our community was thrilled to get together, share our amazing energies and love for yoga. The peaceful and calm surroundings enhanced our gentle yoga practice. And of course, we did continue to Zoom for our online participants logging in from various locations.

The theme this year was “yoga at home and yoga with family”. And this is what we did!

Sound Bath Meditation session, May 2021

So thankful to our volunteer, Maria, for the unique experience of a sound bath today. It was my first time being 'bathed' by sound waves produced by various sources such as gongs, singing bowls, percussion, chimes, rattles and tuning forks.

Though sound baths may seem like a “new age” concept, the practice of healing bodies through sound is technically thousands of years old with deep roots in various cultures across the world.

Stress Awareness Workshop, April 2021

April is #NationalStressAwarenessMonth. Stress Awareness Month has been recognized every April since 1992, but this year it seems particularly important. Learning to cope with stress and finding healthy ways to deal with these situations can go a long way in living a healthy and positive life.

Several youth from the Friends For Youth nonprofit organization attended our free workshop on April 3rd. They were engaged in yoga, knowledge talk and meditative doodling sessions.

Partnership with Friends for Youth (nonprofit), March 2021

Upcoming Youth Holistic Living workshop for the underserved youth in the Bay Area.

We are partnering with Friends for Youth, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the lives of young adults who have faced significant challenges, to share our carefully crafted program based on the philosophy and teachings of yoga.

Established in 1979, Friends For Youth, has worked to support children who would otherwise go unserved, with an emphasis on positive youth development, academic achievement, health and wellness.

Workshop details

Setting a Dristhi for the New Year, December 2020

Looking back, 2020 has been a positively special year for the Blissful Yoga community. Some highlights:

We started the year with our regular free yoga classes for our community
With the onset of COVID-19 we made a pivot and started conducting classes online. Our community grew as we welcomed members from other locations
In March, we received 501(c)(3) non profit status as a charitable organization
In April, we introduced weekly meditation classes with Meenakshi Pant. These sessions brought the calm and focus needed during trying times
International Yoga Day in June brought our community together virtually for a group session of 108 Surya Namaskars. The combined energy was exhilarating!
Our youth volunteer Rishi Sinha started conducting HIIT classes via Zoom in June. His classes are still going strong till this day.
In July, we hosted a virtual workshop on Mindful Living with Priya Kapoor, a practicing Buddhist. Priya shared her profound experiences and wellness benefits from the teachings of Buddhism and meditation.
Also in July, we partnered with The Mentoring Club, a nonprofit charity organization based in Mountain View, CA. Our goal is to bring physical and mental well-being to this dedicated community of leaders, mentors and rising professionals.
In August, we introduced and held our first Youth Holistic Living workshop. Our deepest gratitude to Sonali Perti, Meenakshi and Aarna Pant for their contributions to this program.
In October, we partnered with Silver Oak Elementary School in San Jose as we continued to fulfil our mission to make yoga available for all.
In November, Maria Ortega joined us as a volunteer teacher and brought weekly gentle yoga classes to our community
In December, we received news of being recognized as a certifying organization for the President’s Volunteer Service Award!
We wrapped up the year by raising a substantial donation for nonprofits - LifeMoves, MISSSEY and Friends For Youth. Guided by our strong and unwavering purpose, our community came together to help the underserved. These funds were matched by Blissful Yoga and Wellness.

Holiday Giving, December 2020

Due to COVID-19, our plans to offer free yoga and meditation classes for underprivileged youth in the Bay Area were placed on hold. Guided by our strong and unwavering purpose, our community came together to raise funds for Life Moves, a nonprofit organization aimed to serve displaced families and confront the homelessness crisis in our community.

We are now a PVSA certifying organization, December 2020

We are extremely excited to share that Blissful Yoga & Wellness is now a President’s Volunteer Service Award Certifying Organization. Led by the AmeriCorps and managed in partnership with Points of Light, we recognize our outstanding volunteers!

The ability to bestow Presidential recognition to our volunteers is a tremendous honor. Recognizing the great work and commitment of our volunteers delivers a powerful message, one that encourages others to take action.

Holiday Schedule, December 2020

Friends, we've added Gentle Yoga to our regular class offerings as a special Holiday treat for you all. So join us virtually and make the most of our free community classes. Contact us for Zoom details.

Coming soon!!! Gentle Yoga classes! November 2020

We are excited to welcome our dear friend and fellow yoga teacher, Maria Laura Ortega, to our community. Maria is joining us as a volunteer teacher.

Maria’s interest in yoga began in 2007, after reading “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramhansa Yogananda. At this time, she was living in her native country, Argentina. After moving to the US in 2011, Maria began participating in workshops and classes at well-recognized institutions.

Her passion for Yoga led her to complete a 200hr teacher training certification in 2018. She is also on track to finish an advanced 300hr YTT by the end of 2020. Maria has also completed her 200hr Meditation Teacher Training.

María’s classes are infused with healing touch, creatively blending physical movement, use of positive affirmations, meditation and harmonizing sounds of crystal bowls. All these elements make for a unique experience on centeredness, ease, and peace in your life.

Partnership with public schools, October 2020

We're proud to partner with Silver Oak Elementary School in San Jose as we continue to fulfil our mission to make yoga available for all. Teaching students to develop body-mind awareness and the ability to nurture their own well-being.

https://silveroak.eesd.org/page.cfm?p=3385&newsid=7925

Our Aspiring Yogis, September 2020

Our current group of youngsters - creative, focused and engaged. They have big thoughts! We love channelizing their potential.

Our program focuses on building self confidence, helps kids know their super powers, find balance and dream big!

One child at the end of this session wrote the following in the Zoom chat - 'please don't end'. This filled our hearts with joy.

Youth Holistic Living, August 2020

We are thrilled to embark on this journey of physical health and well being with your child. Our carefully crafted program will empower youth and encourage them to be the best version of themselves.

Partnership with non-profit organization, July 2020

We are honored to partner with The Mentoring Club, a nonprofit charity organization based in Mountain View, CA. Bringing physical and mental well-being to this dedicated community of leaders, mentors and rising professionals.

www.eventbrite.com/e/mentors-and-leaders-yoga-for-health-session-1-tickets-117714793115

Mindful Living Workshop, July 2020

Virtual workshop on Mindful Living with Priya Kapoor, a practicing Buddhist. On Aug 7th, 2020, Priya shared her profound experiences and wellness benefits from the teachings of Buddhism and meditation.

International Yoga Day, June 2020

Our enthusiastic and energetic group came together virtually on June 21st, 2020. We committed 1.5 hours to perform 108 rounds of Surya Namaskar! Can't wait to do it again with you next year. #internationalyogaday2020