About

     Ram is an experienced and gentle teacher (and student) of Yoga who lives and works under the philosophy of timeless wisdom, modern lifestyle, and connection to the “inner light”. He enjoys teaching various styles of classes and workshops at yoga studios, community centers, office environments, natural outdoor settings, and now over the internet.

     Ram took his first yoga class at the age of 25 to get help for his back pain. After two years of self-motivated practice and exploration, he undertook teacher training at Yoga Works in Costa Mesa, California (alignment/vinyasa/therapeutics).  

    During teacher training, he was greatly impacted by the Yoga Sutras interpretation of Swami Satchidananda, then he went to Yogaville Ashram in Virginia to practice traditional yoga in a community devoted to the yogic lifestyle. In the last few days of his first stay at Yogaville, Ram was fortunate to take a training course in Ayurvedic Yoga with Vedic scholar, healer, and author David Frawley.

It was David Frawley who encouraged Ram to go to India to study more. He has since completed Advanced Yoga and Ayurveda Studies with David Frawley and is currently studying Vedic Counseling with him. 

    Ram was initiated into Kriya Yoga by Swami Janakananda at the Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School in Sweden. He is currently completing traditional gurukul (living with the teacher) studies with Dr. Sundaram Raman at the Ayurveda & Yoga Retreat Hospital in Coonoor, India. He also briefly studied Ayurveda with Dr. Lal Krishnan and Indian martial arts at Hindustani Kalari Sangam, in Kerela.  

    After several Pilgrimages to India and more training in America, Ram Bhakt returned to Yogaville for two more years and completed the Sadhana Immersion Program with Swami Gurusharanananda who is one of the closest living disciples of Yogiraj Swami Satchidananda (Founder of Yogaville). 

    Ram studied molecular neurobiology and music at U.C. Berkeley. He also completed the Yoga of Awareness for Cancer Teacher Training at Duke Integrative Medicine Center – a program that uses the tools of mindfulness and yoga techniques to manage the symptoms caused by cancer treatments. 

In 2019, He published his first book “A Seeker’s Guide to the Yoga Sutras – Modern Reflections on the the Ancient Journey”

     Ram is also a student of the body’s subtle energies from the tradition of Shaolin and Daoist Qigong and had the rare opportunity to complete a week-long training with Master Mantak Chia in Los Angeles on various natural healing modalities.

      He is proud to be a part of the Southern California Yoga community and enjoys sharing the culture and spirit of health, awareness, and well-being with everyone. He also leads Free Yoga on the Beach, Laughter Yoga, and Kirtan.