ABOUT NAG
What is NAG?
Connect. Discover. Serve.
The North American Gurukul (NAG) is a nonprofit organization established to support the awareness and growth of Satyananda Yoga® throughout North America in order to enhance the health, well-being, & human potential of individuals and society.
NAG, (pronounced “nahg”), founded in 2004 with the blessings of Paramahansa Niranjanananda Saraswati, provides a forum to connect the Satyananda Yoga® community, discover the many benefits of Satyananda Yoga® and serve the communities in which we live.
Vision
The North American Gurukul, Inc. is a trusted leader and catalyst for raising the awareness of Satyananda Yoga® in North America. We foster the growth of a collaborative community of Satyananda Yoga® teachers, studios, practitioners, and residential centers across North America that offers multiple pathways for individuals to connect to and discover the benefits of Satyananda Yoga®. Our community engages in service to others and applies yogic principles to daily life. We realize greater physical and mental health, spiritual growth, inner peace, and are better able to cope with life’s challenges. Our tradition contributes to the peace, prosperity and, ultimately, the betterment of the world in which we live.
What is your Vision for the growth of Satyananda Yoga® in North America? Click here to share your vision with the North American Gurukul.
Board
The Board of Directors and Advisors of NAG are a diverse mix of internationally renowned leaders and devotees of the Satyananda tradition. The following board members are actively engaged in NAG’s development.
- Tom Hausman
- Laura Journee (GyanPriya)
- Nim Short (Nityam)
- Beverly Roberts Singh (Atmarupa)
- Ila A. Vidyarthi (Sheelmurti)
Board Advisors:
- Gloria DeNeito (Shivamaya)
- Swami Satyadharma
The board considers candidates for board membership on an ongoing basis. Interested candidates are encouraged to volunteer with NAG for a period of time prior to formal consideration for board membership. Click here for volunteer opportunities.
Thomas I. Hausman, JD, BA
North American Gurukul Board Treasurer
Tom was introduced to Satyananda Yoga® in 2000 and credits it for profoundly impacting his life. He has completed Satyananda Yoga® Level 1 yogic studies courses and regularly attends Satyananda Yoga® classes at the Atma Center. Tom has participated in numerous programs and workshops in both the Satyananda and Anusara traditions.
Tom has practiced business, tax and estate planning law for over 30 years, and is currently practicing with Persky, Shapiro & Arnoff Co., L.P.A. in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Akron in the School of Accountancy and an adjunct professor at Case Western Reserve University, teaching Estate Planning in the JD program. Tom previously served for 12 years as the Administrative Director of the Graduate Tax (LL.M.) Program and was a faculty member at Case Western Reserve University Law School.
Tom received his B.A. from the University of Colorado. He holds a J.D. from Ohio State University, College of Law; and his LL.M. (Taxation) from New York University.
Tom lectures widely and has published numerous articles. He is a member of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation, Partnership Tax Sub-Committee; the Ohio State Bar Association; Federal Tax Specialty Board; and the Ohio State Bar Association. He was the general chairperson of the Cleveland Tax Institute in 1996. He was named one of Ohio’s Super Lawyers in 2006.
Laura Journee, JD, BS, AYT
North American Gurukul Board Member
Laura Journee was initiated as Jignasu GyanPriya by Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati in 2005. She has followed her dreams across continents and professions, culminating in her service as a yoga instructor and life coach.
GyanPriya embraces yoga teachings and traditions as a lifestyle - something she is passionate about sharing with others. She discovered Satyananda Yoga® in 2003, a natural extension of her longstanding spiritual grounding in Ayurveda and Vedanta and 25 year practice of Insight Meditation. GyanPriya completed her Level 1 Satyananda Yoga® Teacher Training at the Atma Center in North America. She completed the 6-month Yogic Studies certificate in India from the renowned Bihar School of Yoga, Yogic Studies 2a certification from Mangrove Mountain, Australia, and Yoga Ed™ training for children and teachers. She also has extensive training from Coachville.
Previously, GyanPriya pursued a career as a consultant and entrepreneur working with Ernst & Young and founding a successful management consulting firm in South Africa. While there, she also designed and manufactured an award-winning line of furniture.
GyanPriya has a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Florida A&M University, School of Business and a Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California.
Nim Short, BS
North American Gurukul Board Secretary
Nim Short received Mantra Diksha in the late 1980s when Swami Niranjanananda stayed with her family during his time in the US. In 2007, she received her spiritual name, Nityam, from her Guru. Following her mother’s example, Nityam has been intimately involved with the Satyananda tradition for most of her life, commencing with her family’s hosting of Swami Niranjanananda and culminating with her role in NAG.
Nityam was one of the first Yogic Studies participants in North American and has completed her home study through 1b. She looks forward to continuing her yogic studies and hopes to take teacher training. Nityam is eager to support the development of NAG as she believes it is part of her life journey to share Satyananda Yoga® with others.
Nityam is Senior Vice President and Business Manager for the Exchange Traded Funds Division of First Trust Advisors L.P., where she has worked for over ten years. She is currently involved with product development, marketing, sales and national accounts. Nityam has represented First Trust at a variety of sales conferences around the country speaking about financial services. In addition, she has been instrumental in building the firm's women's program aimed at mentoring, growing and developing team talents. Prior to her financial services experience, Nityam worked as a merchandise buyer supporting retail expansions for a national department store. Nityam holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Communications from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign.
Beverly Roberts Singh, CRNA, BA, AYT, E-RYT
North American Gurukul Board President
Beverly Roberts Singh received Mantra Diksha and her spiritual name, Atmarupa, in 1995 from Swami Niranjanananda in Rikhia, India. Atmarupa was initiated as a Karma Sannyasin in 2001 in Munger, India. Through her devotion to the growth of Satyananda Yoga® in the United States, Atmarupa founded the North American Gurukul in 2004 and served as an advisor to the board prior to her current board membership. She is one of 22 Bihar Yoga emissaries named to represent the yoga teachings of the Bihar School of Yoga. She is the Education Director of the sole provider of Yogic Studies and Teacher Training courses in the Satyananda tradition in North America, currently licensed under the Satyananda Yoga® Academy of Australasia. Atmarupa is also the Founder and Director of the Atma Center, an award winning Satyananda Yoga® center that opened in Cleveland Heights, Ohio in 1997. She is the first Level Two Accredited Satyananda Yoga® teacher in the USA, accredited since 2003.
Prior to following her passion for yoga teaching, Atmarupa was a certified registered nurse anesthetist for over 25 years and taught anesthesia for 10 years at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Her medical background and her experience teaching thousands of yoga students over the past 12 years give her the insight to create yoga programs that support and improve the health and well-being of virtually any student.
Atmarupa is a registered member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and is registered with the Yoga Alliance at the E-RYT 500 hour level. She has studied over 100 hors of Anusara Yoga and completed Facilitator One training in YogaKids®. She continues an in-depth study of yoga, often traveling internationally to both study and teach.
Ila A. Vidyarthi, RYT
North American Gurukul Founding Board Member and Vice President
Ila A. Vidyarthi was initiated as Karma Sannyasi Sheelmurti in the tradition of Paramahamsa Satyananda Saraswati in 2000. She has been a devoted yoga teacher, student, researcher, and lecturer for over 25 years.
Sheelmurti has completed over 3000 hours of formal yoga education and has instructed over 100 students per week of all ages and levels since 1983. She is a member of the teacher training staff at Satchidananda Ashram. She is a certified Integral Hatha Advanced Level III, Intermediate Level II and Basic Level I Yoga Teacher. She is also a certified teacher in pre-natal, postpartum, cardiac and stress management yoga. Sheelmurti has completed Satyananda Yoga® Level 1 Yogic Studies, and is currently pursuing her Satyananda Yoga® Teacher Certification as well as “Structural Yoga Therapy” certification with Mukunda Stiles.
Sheelmurti has additional specialty training in yoga for fibromayalgia, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, headache and migraines, sciatica and lower back problems, asthma, women’s health, acupressure, and various therapy applications, as well as clinical training in mind/body medicine from Harvard Medical School.
Sheelmurti is the Founder and President of Ahimsa Yoga Research Center. She is a lecturer for Odyssey - Certificate on Aging - program at the Johns Hopkins University. She has served as an adjunct lecturer with Johns Hopkins University, Harrisburg Area Community College and McDaniel College. She has also designed and is conducting case-control yoga research projects with Hanover Hospital.
Sheelmurti is a member of Integral Yoga Teachers Association, the Theosophical Society of America, and the Society of Noetic Science. Sheelmurti is registered at the 500 level with Yoga Alliance and is on the Integral Yoga and Yoga Finder national registries. She is currently producing several guided meditation CDs.
Swami Satyadharma Saraswati
North American Gurukul Advisor
Swami Satyadharma Saraswati is an eminent Yoga teacher who has spent over 30 years in India with her guru, Paramahamsa Satyananda Saraswati. She is an Acharya (authority) in the Satyananda lineage and teaches Yoga and advanced meditation techniques throughout the world. She played a key role in the development of Bihar Yoga Bharati, the first government accredited university dedicated to Yoga and is a member of the Yoga Education Council. She spends part of the year teaching at BYB in India and part of the year touring overseas. In 2002 she was appointed as one of three ambassadors representing the Satyananda Yoga® tradition internationally.
Swami Satyadharma takes a special interest in advanced concentration and meditation techniques derived from the ancient Vedic texts. She is the author and editor of several Bihar School of Yoga books and publications. Born in the United States, she has lived in India since 1975.
Gloria Nieto, JD
North American Gurukul Board Advisor
Gloria Nieto (Sivamaya) received mantra diksha in 1971 and was initiated as Karma Sannyasin by Paramhansa Satyananda in 1986.
Sannyasi Sivamaya was born in Bogotá, Colombia. She met Paramahansa Satyananda in 1971 and has been dedicated to the Satyananda mission in Colombia and the world ever since. Sivamaya worked with Satyananda Ashram Colombia and with Swami Niranjananananda from 1972 to 1982 and has spent long periods of her life in India, close to the Masters. In 2004 Sivamaya was nominated by Paramhansa Niranjanananda as one of the 9 Guardians of Yoga for Satyananda Yoga® Academy Europe. She is currently helping with the development of the Yogic Studies, at Satyananda Yoga Academy in Colombia, where she also teaches.
Prior to her full time devotion to the Masters, Sivamaya practiced law and served as the Colombian Ambassador to India. Sivamaya is a member of the Board of Directors and Academic Board of Academia de Yoga Satyananda, Colombia.
Sivamaya received her Law Degree in 1965 with Especializatión in Labour Law and Family Law in 1965 and 1977 respectively from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá.