sivani mata moon francis

Sivani Mata Francis
Priestess Yogini Witch

ABOUT SIVANI MATA

sivani mata hridaya mudra

Sivani Mata is an artist who is moved by a sensory and elemental exploration of life through practice that evokes the liminal experience of trance-like states of consciousness, and the centring of the awareness in heart as the seat of truth within. She believes in this process of deep inner work as a way to cultivate a harmonic relationship with the Earth, and feels that these practices path the way to building the relationship of self love and acceptance which is the foundation to a healing loving relationship with the land.

Photo thanks to Murray Ballard
Stacks Image 964

Sivani Mata is a student of bhakti yoga – the path of union with creation through the heart – particularly through the practice of Kirtan – collective creation of Music as Medicine using the repetition of simple powerful mantra at its core. She has been sharing this practice regularly with groups since 2009 when she began a monthly offering of Kirtan in London, which still runs (although not monthly, now at The Study Society, Colet House), and has released four Kirtan albums: I AM (2012), Shakti Live (2015) and Surrender (2016) (produced by Tabla Tom), and the most recent Jasmine Garden (2017) produced by Turkantam. Her relationship with bhakti yoga is deeply rooted in the tradition of Haidakhan Babaji whose teachings centre around the message of Truth, Simplicity and Love. She is particularly inspired by the Kirtan of GOMA (family band who also follow Babaji), Jai Uttal, Jaya (resident band at Yandara Yoga Institute, Mexico), not only in the musical expression of the practice but in the way of life that centres around service and community.

Sivani Mata also spends a lot of time in women’s circles, exploring responsive yoga practices that support and nourish women in all phases of their life. Since 2012 she has been working alongside
Uma Dinsmore-Tuli, diving deep into this cyclical nature of what it is to be woman, and the healing that comes when we are able to honour and accept our natural rhythms. Sivani Mata co-teaches on Uma’s Yoni Shakti: Well Woman Yoga Therapy Teacher Training as well as sharing Women’s Yoga Circles which include the deeply restorative practice of Yoga Nidra – the lying down meditative practice of “yogic sleep”. Her work with women is passionately rooted in the awareness that to change the relationship with one’s bodies, including but not limited to a freedom from menstrual shame, is to change the relationship we have to the Earth. She is an Eco Femme ambassador, strongly supports the Stop Ecocide campaign and is signed up as an Earth Protector.

sivani mata calling

Photo thanks to Matheus De Laet Bertoni

Stacks Image 1293

Sivani Mata feels strongly about the intention of creating ceremonial space as foundation for all she shares, believing that external beauty of ritual objects collectively gathered in an altar is a powerful reminder of the inner beauty within each of us. Her personal practice includes many different ceremonial practices including fire ceremony (havan), trance dance, weaving (and other textile creation) and work with plant medicines. In particular cacao which she has been journeying with personally since 2012, and sharing ceremonies with groups since 2018 after her Sacred Cacaoista Apprenticeship with Rebekah Shaman. Sivani Mata’s personal healing has also been deeply supported by her work with Brazilian XamAM Alba Maria and her connection to the shamanism of the Mother Goddess.

Sivani Mata is currently immersed in a project called
Faces of the Feminine, a book and drawings of Sacred Feminine forms from different traditions around the world, as an initiation into the acceptance of all aspects of the feminine as something to be celebrated as sacred.

Sivani Mata is grateful for this journey she finds herself on and the practices that support her path.

Stacks Image 1320

Photo at Be Love: 11hour Bhakti Immersion 2013 thanks to Carlotta Mastrojanni

Stacks Image 1318

Relevant training and experience:

2008 to 2012 – Various workshops and home-study
Teacher of Mantra programme with Namadeva Thomas Ashley-Farrand
2009 & 2011 –
Kirtan Camp with Jai Uttal, Daniel Paul and Nubia Texiera
2009 –
Hatha Yoga 200hr Teacher Training at Yandara Yoga Institute, Mexico
2010 –
Yoga Trance Dance Training with Shiva Rea
2011 – organised the
Natural Mystic Bhakti Music Festival weekend gathering in Somerset raising money for charity
2011 –
Shakti Dance: The Yoga of Dance Teacher Training with Sara Avtar
2012 –
Well WomanYoga Therapy Teacher Training with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli (assisting and co-teaching on trainings since)
2012 to 2016 –
Sanskrit Language course with Lucy Crisfield
2013 April & Dec, 2014 May, 2015 Jan & Oct – organised
Be Love: 11hr Bhakti Immersions in London raising money for charity
2013 –
Total Yoga Nidra Teacher and Facilitator Training with Nirlipta Tuli and Uma Dinsmore-Tuli
2013 to 2016 –
Odissi Classical Indian Dance course with Urbi Basi at The Bhavan
2014 –
Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Training with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli
2016 –
Embodying the Power of Love: Prana Flow Bhakti Vinyasa Module with Shiva Rea
2016 –
Intuition and Ethics, Intimacy and Boundaries: How to be a Yoga Teacher and Therapist with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli
2016 –
Yin Yoga Level 1 and Bhakti 100hr Teacher Training at Yandara Yoga Institute, Mexico
2017 –
Absolute Restorative: Weekend Immersion with Adelene Cheong and Lizzie Lister
2017 –
Universal Healing Tao Qi Gong Basic Level Training with Kris Deva North and Anamarta
2018 –
Sacred Cacaoista Apprenticeship with Rebekah Shaman
2018 –
Yin Yoga: Minds, Meridians, Moments training with Norman Blair
2018 –
Embodying Shakti: Healing & Empowering Practices for Women
with Maria Garre, Alessandra Pecorella & Delamay Devi
2018 –
Puja and Havan Immersion at Sada Shiva Dham, Babaji Ashram Holland
2019 –
Shakti Rising: Healing and Empowering Practice Yoga Wellness Training for Women with Shiva Rea
2021 –
Embodying Love - Sensual Health for Women with Shiva Rea
2023 – 
Birthlight Yoga for Breast Health CPD with Francoise Freedman and Liese Van Dam

“Sivani Mata is a natural mystic! Her sweet singing and gentle spirit light up the hearts of everyone lucky enough to sing with her” - Jai Uttal (International Kirtan Wallah)

“Chanting with Sivani Mata opens the heart and lifts the spirit”Jo Manual (founder of The Special Yoga Centre)

“The light that pours forth from Sivani Mata as she sings to God is the voice of God Herself”Venus CuMara (Bhakti Poet and founder of Reclaim Love)

sivani mata with medicine drum
Stacks Image 478

© Sivani Mata Francis 2023
Sivani Mata Visual Illumination (logo design)
thanks to Sophie
@The Firefly Creatrix
Hand drawn Sanskrit above footer by Haidakhan Babaji

This website uses cookies that help the website to function and also to track how you interact with our website.