Spring 2026

Spring Kitchari Cleanse

If you feel the call to cleanse in the Spring, you’ll appreciate this practice. Ayurveda most often relies on a simple porridge-like dish called kitchari to sustain the body during fasts. Kitchari means “mixture”, usually of two grains. Kitchari is an exceptionally nourishing and easy-to-digest mono-diet, making it a perfect staple food to use during periods of cleansing. The two grains used, basmati rice and green mung dal (mung bean), mixed with ghee (clarified butter), provide the essential carbohydrates, protein, and clean essential fatty acids needed to sustain the body during a fast. Kitchari is consumed during extended Pancha Karma detoxification programs of several months performed under medical supervision. Kitchari provides the essential nutrients needed, allowing us to avoid the questionable foods in our diet that are known to produce Ama. In short, kitchari is a remedy for Ama, as it is easy to digest and helps reduce it. When combined with Ama-detoxifying herbs, the practice is a mild and effective way to cleanse the body and mind.

Instructor: James Bailey, AD, DASc, LAc
Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 @ 6:00 – 8:00 pm CST
Tuition: Free

Light on Food: The Yoga and Ayurveda of Nutrition

Food is so sacred in Ayurveda and Yoga that food preparation, cooking, and eating is considered a spiritual sadhana (practice), known as Ahara Sadhana. Food is called ahara in Sanskrit. Ahara is that which nourishes the body’s life essences (rasa). Food is ahara, and so are breath, sensory experiences, and subtle energy. Our life, intelligence, mental clarity, happiness, and strength depend on food. Everything we consume will directly affect our physical and mental health. This course will review and distinguish the dynamics of Yogic and Ayurvedic nutrition and their insights into a spiritual approach to food and eating that can be life-changing. We will examine the impact of physical and subtle toxins in our foods, how to free ourselves from attachments to inappropriate foods, and how to access and utilize the most prana from a sattvic diet. There is no medicine comparable to food appropriate to one’s unique constitution.

Instructor: James Bailey, AD, DASc, LAc
Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 6:00 – 8:00 pm CST
Tuition: Free

Summer 2026

Vedic Astrology: The Light of the Ancients

The ancient rishis (the seers) of India cognized three major systems of healing, each a sister science to the other: Yoga, as a means to connect with the divine soul; Ayurveda, as a way to maintain optimal health and well-being; and Jyotish, as the luminous glue between the two. Vedic Astrology, known as Jyotish, is the science of light—a way to understand our soul’s journey and live in greater alignment with our true nature. In this introduction, Vish will explain the key differences that make this ancient Vedic system much more powerful that its modern counterpart found in pop-culture Western astrology. He will also give an overview of how to look at a Vedic chart and explore the basic characteristics of the planets, signs, and houses. As a student of Vedic sciences, it is essential we have an understanding of Vedic Astrology.

Instructor: Vish Chatterji
Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2026, 6:00 – 8:00 pm CST
Tuition: Free