Our Ministers and Teachers

Nayaswamis Dharmadas and Nirmala

Spiritual Directors of Ananda Sacramento, Lightbearers, Teachers

Dharmadas and Nirmala worked closely with Swami Kriyananda for over 40 years beginning in the 1970s and have taught yoga and meditation on three continents. They helped create four Ananda spiritual communities around the world and were the founding spiritual directors of Ananda India from 2003-2012.

Nayaswami Devaki

Lightbearer, Yoga and Meditation Teacher

Nayaswami Devaki is a long-time member of Ananda who has lived and served at many of Ananda’s communities. Over the years, she has directed and acted in many of Swami Kriyananda’s plays in America, Italy, and India.

A member of the Yoga Alliance, Devaki has taught yoga and meditation at Ananda’s Expanding Light, at various Ananda churches, and at Ananda’s East-West bookshops in Seattle, Washington and Mountain View, California. She is currently a lightbearer and yoga instructor with Ananda Sacramento, where she also teaches “yoga and the chakras” and restorative yoga.

Michelle Dossett

Lightbearer, Meditation and Yoga Teacher

Dr. Michelle Dossett is an Ananda minister, lightbearer, meditation teacher, and Ananda yoga teacher (RYT200). She joyfully serves the Ananda Sacramento sangha in various roles, including teaching Ananda’s 8-week Raja Yoga course. She also works as an integrative medicine physician for UC Davis Health.

Bryan and Carmenza Coleman-Salgado

Lightbearers, Yoga Teacher (Bryan) and Community Manager (Carmenza)

Carmenza and Bryan are Ananda ministers and teachers who have served Ananda’s work in Sacramento for over two decades. Carmenza manages Ananda Sacramento’s vibrant community in Rancho Cordova. With their abundant creativity and deep attunement, they have helped make Ananda’s community and temple beautiful expressions of the Divine Presence upon which Ananda was founded.

Nayaswamis Chandi and Suryadas

Lightbearers, Meditation Teachers

Suryadas and Chandi have been involved with Ananda for over three decades. Both are certified Ananda Yoga and Meditation Teachers, as well as Ananda ministers and lightbearers.

Chandi served at the Living Wisdom School in Seattle for 17 years. Together, she and Suryadas led the family ministry programs there for two decades. They currently help with marketing at Ananda Sacramento, teach meditation and other classes, and offer occasional inspirational programs.

Chandi also manages Namaste Books and Gifts, and Suryadas serves on the Ananda Sacramento Community staff.

Jivan and Sharmila Atwell

Minister (Jivan), Meditation Teachers (Jivan and Sharmila)

Jivan is an Ananda minister, and both Jivan and Sharmila are meditation teachers who have been part of Ananda for many decades. They lead Ananda Sacramento’s family ministry programs, including our yearly family campout, and serve in countless ways. They are often the backbone of Ananda’s efforts—working tirelessly behind the scenes and front and center to make things happen.

Chaitanya Mahoney

Lightbearer, Music Director, Ananda Community Maintenance Manager

Chaitanya Mahoney has been a member of Ananda for over 30 years and has lived and served as a minister and lightbearer in many Ananda communities across the US. He currently directs the Ananda Sacramento choir and music ministry, gracing many with his beautiful, melodious tenor voice.

Chaitanya works as a building contractor, serves as the Ananda Community maintenance manager, and maintains and fixes virtually everything on Ananda’s various properties.

Brahmacharini Victoria

Minister, Healing Prayer Ministry Leader

Victoria leads the Healing Prayer Ministry and has developed the Prayer Council, a group of 25 dedicated prayer givers who pray daily for others and the SOS Prayer Group, a group of over 60 others who pray for people in crisis. Two different Healing Circles have been developed that use Yogananda’s Healing Techniques: the Healing Prayer Circle that meets every second Sunday after service, and a weekly prayer group that meets in the Ananda Community.

As an extension of the Healing Ministry, she enjoys serving and sharing her love for God through teaching classes and through devotional chanting and meditation. Victoria is a founding member of the Sacramento Community.

Nalina Tyminski

Yoga Teacher

Beata Tyminski is certified Ananda Yoga instructor, RYT200. Her love for yoga started after experiencing the gentle style of Ananda Yoga.

She truly believes in Yoga principles, and endeavors to live by them in her everyday life. In her class she focuses on incorporating breath to relax the body, to calm the mind, and to bring each individual deeply inward.

Besides Yoga she loves taking walks, being in nature and spending time with friends.

Alan Ross

Yoga Teacher

Alan found Ananda some ten yours ago at Ananda’s East cost center in Rhode Island. He enjoys and teaches both Ananda Yoga and Tai Chi classes. He lives with his wife Michele at the Ananda Community in Rancho Cordova,

Currently, Alan offers two Ananda Yoga classes on Wednesday afternoons.