Sivananda World News: The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashrams

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February the Krishna Temple was looking nicer and nicer, as we continued with the painting in the lobby, laundry room and kitchen. The advertising projects continued for the Camp and Montreal Centre, preparing for the opening on February 14. The online TTC students remained inspired, producing good marks on their exams. Chandrika from Reith gave two very well received lectures on “Science and Yoga” and “Ayurveda”. Our evening Satsangs online attracted more students who were grateful to be able to attend. We were glad to have some warmer days, allowing us to go into the nature for silent walks.

Mid February and the Ashram re-opened after a two month of lock down. We were happy once more to receive guests. We had just one guest during to start then a nice group of 13 guests were welcomed for program named “Mind – It’s Mysteries and Control”. There was good spirit at the Ashram buzzing with different activities. Much inspiration was felt. Much positivity and appreciation were shared from the guests at the end of the retreat. The online courses such as “Positive Thinking”, “Meditation” and “Yoga for Beginners” continued to be very popular. We also started with an Integral Yoga Challenge online with seven students which includes meditation, pranayama and asana practices. Local students were happy to come back to take regular yoga classes and enjoy dinner at the Ashram. One Saturday we joined Europe for the TTC graduation ceremony online. Some students received beautiful spiritual names. Three Canadian students expressed their desire to come to the Ashram in May and attend the 9 days of TTC module. One of the students, originally from Serbia, will join us for a few months as the staff. Staff were very grateful for this opportunity to serve and to share teachings of our Masters during the past four weeks of Teacher Training Course.

May Blessing of our Teachers be always upon us all. OM and Prem.

http://www.sivananda.org/camp

Om Namah Sivaya to all. Greetings from Kerala, India. Visit www.sivananda.org.in/neyyardam/Covid-19-guidelines We look forward to welcoming you and practicing together. We continue with in person and online classes, courses & programs. Please visit www.sivananda.org.in/weekly-schedule

Early February saw hot weather occasionally broken with some rain. The numbers for Yoga Vacation and Ayurveda treatments continued to grow. One Friday morning walk saw the majority of guests heading up Kalipara Hill for the sunrise and beautiful 360 degree views of the area. The staff were treated to a surprise trip to Varkula to enjoy the sea and sand before buckling down again for the rigours of the ATTC. The Dhanwantari and Siva Hall altars and statues were thoroughly cleaned and received fresh cloth in preparation for the ATTC. Karma yogis continued helping the paid staff out in the garden to stay on top of the weeding and watering. The office was busy handling enquiries and registrations which have been quite exciting in terms of numbers. There was lots of dormitory cleaning; even the men’s temporary dorm was opened and cleaned to accommodate male staff and YV guests whilst the TTC students will stay in the lower dorms.  To reduce the risk of Covid spread, the students allocated a two-bedded ‘cubicle’ each. So even though numbers are still lower than usual, just as much space is being taken up. The reception was then staffed more heavily for the arrivals of students, assistants and teachers. A joyful Satsang initiated 73 students.  We thank Master and Swamiji for the opportunity to serve and pray for their blessings for the smooth progression of the course.

By mid February with the ATTC and AWC beginning, a Ganapathy Homa was offered with a huge yantra alongside the firepit.  All the new students settled into their schedules easily. AWC with Dr Vishnu and his team. The ATTC commenced with Prahlada leading pranayama, 2 pm lecture and pm hatha yoga, Srinivas for Sanskrit and Raja Yoga, Nataraj for A&P and Vijay for morning asana.  We were happy to see the Siva Hall appearing relatively full for Satsangs. Strong joyful chanting and inspiring stories were very much appreciated.  Yoga Certification Board – Level Two examinations were conducted at the end of ATTC in addition to the ATTC exam. Srinivas provided the extra material required for that during a few Satsangs.  The weekly “free day” was shifted to Saturday to enable Swami Gayatri, Prahlada and a few other staff to attend the anniversary Pujas at Madurai Ashram.  Arun went home for a break and some other responsibilities.  SriLakshmi left the Ashram after her service was finished and we were joined by Navpreet.  The weekly devotional chanting of the Sunday Prayers were led by Vijay.

We thank Master and Swamiji for their blessings of the opportunity to practice and share the teachings. We pray for joy and peace for all. May all be blessed. All of us send our Pranams. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/neyyardam

Om Namo Narayanaya from Uttar Kashi. Please note we continue to offer classes, courses & programs online. Details regarding this can be found at sivananda.org.in/Online-sessions. Please like our Facebook page to stay notified about live open classes, Satsangs & other programs. Our thoughts are with you all and we pray that you keep well and positive during these challenging times. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/uttarkashi

Om Namo Narayanaya. Namaste from Madurai. We are happy to announce that we are accepting guests to the Ashram. Pre-booking via [email protected] is necessary. Terms & conditions apply. Visit https://sivananda.org.in/madurai/Covid-19-guidelines/ We look forward to welcoming you back and practicing together. We are continuing classes, courses & programs online. Please visit www.sivananda.org.in/weekly-schedule

Early February was pretty busy with the final week of TTC and students getting into a more serious mood due to the impending exam. The special classes in Hatha Yoga were all covered in the final week. Theory of Advanced Pranayama and it’s practice took the students to one of their greatest experiences of calmness, happiness and peace of mind. We prepared special food on the birthday of one of the TTC students. Both the online and onsite exams were conducted and the students did a wonderful job, result of their hard work and dedication. We had the Graduation and the final TTC talent show. Most of the students went to visit the Meenakshi Temple, one of the major highlights of Madurai city before returning home. Some of them planned to return to savour the Ashram life and yogic teachings with their loved ones in the coming weeks, first step towards spreading the teachings of our Masters and Gurus.

By mid month we started shifting the last of items and amenities to our new Reception-Office block. We hoped to have it fully functional with the upcoming TTC. A shift in TTC teaching staff saw Kapoor ji and Mahalakshmi ji leaving as we welcomed Nirmala ji for the new TTC starting. Our weekends were quite busy with new students arriving for the TTC, this time with 6 students from abroad. After a long gap we were getting to see this many  students from abroad, they on their part utilising their one month visa in the most productive manner possible. A few staff also joined solely for the purpose of assisting and learning by being part of the course. We had the 10th Anniversary celebrations of our Maha Kali Temple which started with purification processes on the previous evening. One entire Saturday was devoted to various Pujas and offerings commencing with Ganapati Homa then Kailasha Puja. In the Kailasha Puja pots containing various anointing agents to be used for consecrating Devi’s idol were used for this Puja. in the evening we had Lalitha Sahasranaama Puja and the festivities concluded with Guruthi, a kind of sacrifice at the Kali Temple outside next to the pond. On Sunday all the aspiring TTC students were initiated to receive the teachings of our Master and Guru.

Ending the month on a happy note with Prayers and Regards to all from our family of guests, students and staffs. May Master and Swamiji bless all the efforts to follow the teachings. Om.

www.sivananda.org/madurai

Om Namah Sivaya from the Ranch. In early February the Ranch was very quiet. Morning Satsang was the focal point for keeping the mission of spreading the teachings. We are ever holding space for practice.

February continued with the Ranch very quiet and peaceful these days with only the three of us. As the weather began to warm slightly, the staff were thinking that anything we can do to help is grace, whether it be in kitchen, housekeeping, general upkeep or the garden it is only grace. If we have a garden this year it is surely grace.

May Masters’ Blessings and Gurus Grace be with us all. Pranams from the New York mountains. Om.

www.sivanandayogaranch.org/‎

Om Namah Sivaya. By the Grace of Master and Swamiji, we welcomed Shakti Chaitanya from the Vietnam Ashram to stay with us for 2 months. Online teaching continued with Swami Sitaramananda’s weekly International Satsang and Q&A Satsang. Students and staff asked very good questions on how to work with emotions, relationships, and Sadhana. We prepared to receive our first guests of 2022 for Yoga Vacation. Many students were eager to come to the Ashram, noting our spring courses were filling up. At the same time online West Coast Teacher Meeting gathered weekly. We had online courses on Raja Yoga Sutras and Upanishads.

As February progressed the Ashram welcomed our first guests of 2022 with the first Yoga Vacation weekend in a long time. We had a wonderful group of guests, most of whom were first time visitors, all very appreciative to be in the sacred Ashram. Workshops and Satsang offered teachings on the 5 Points of Yoga. Guests enjoyed the asana classes, the meals, and the beautiful springtime in the Ashram. Swami Sitaramananda gave International Satsang and Q&A Satsang broadcasts from Vietnam. Swami Dharmananada also began the 4-session online Raja Yoga Sutras Course for Health and Healing. We prepared the Ashram for more weekend guest programs and the upcoming TTC.

We are grateful for this opportunity to serve. May all feel Master and Swamiji’s blessings. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/farm

Om Namo Narayanaya, Blessed Selves. Please visit our Online Program page for the latest schedule. https://sivanandabahamas.org/visiting-the-Ashram/Online-program/ We look forward to continuing to add Online programs, courses and guest speakers to our calendar. https://www.sivanandabahamas.org/travel-update/

February 2022 in the Bahamas: We celebrated the graduation of the January TTC and ATTC with a beautiful Puja, delicious pizza and ice cream, and heartfelt appreciation for the opportunity to host the course onsite again after nearly two years of closure. Not long after bidding farewell to these students, the next group arrived and we had the inauguration of the February TTC. Guests stayed engaged with the daily workshops and Satsangs. The karma yogis were well-immersed in their service. We bade farewell to Iswari Hemda, who had been with us for several months to prepare for the reopening of the Ashram. We hoped to see her in the Ashram again soon!

May all be well and may this be an opportunity to turn inward to that which is eternal and ever-free. Om Shanti. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/nassau

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February the TTCs went deeper into the asana practice, improving their teaching skills and kriyas. The online and on-site group performed an artistic hybrid talent show with a variety of creative presentations. Chandrika gave an introduction into the science of Ayurveda. The Yoga Vacation programme presented “Asanas – Strength and Flexibility” with focus on strengthening body and mind for all-round health.
Three new online courses started. “Asana practice – your next step” for a deeper understanding of the practice in order to improve the awareness of body and mind. In the “Relax deeply” course we focus on how to experience deeper levels of relaxation through conscious use of the five senses. The second part of the online course “Health and Hatha Yoga” which relates extracts from Swami Sivananda’s book on this subject with asana and pranayama practice.

By mid February the last week of the hybrid TTC went very well. We did the advanced pranayama workshops. The onsite how to teach classes finished with a workshop on physical corrections. All participants passed the exam successfully. We had joyful graduation ceremonies on site and online. Some long time students and teachers arrived for a Yoga Vacation weekend. They where happy to join dynamic asana classes, a kirtan workshop and inspiring Satsangs. A new online course “Mind-Body Self-Healing” with Marilyn Rossner started. In this interactive course Marilyn talked about the capacity to heal as a gift of nature. Dr. Kamlesh started the third part of the online course “Ayurveda Cooking in your Home” with a lecture on “How to use vegetable and fruits”, plus the presentation of three new recipes. The participants enjoyed the cooking demonstrations very much and appreciated that he shares his extensive experiences in a very practical and detailed way.

All staff are healthy and happy to welcome well known long-time students and new guests.
We send greetings to all and pray that all remain healthy and safe. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/tyrol

Om Namah Sivaya. By the Grace of the Masters, all went well in February. We had a course on the power of mantras. The energy was very nice between the guests. Only few were on their first visit to the Ashram. All went smoothly and they left inspired. Two of them took mantra initiation. The construction on the Ashram grounds continued. Online, we participated in the online Satsang on Mondays (French only), Wednesdays and Sundays (international Satsang in English). We contributed to a few online asana classes for the London Centre and the Paris Centre. We restarted hosting and broadcasting the online Pujas with Yagneswara on Monday and Wednesday mornings as well as on Saturday evenings. We had regular students for these events.

By mid month the preparation for the TTC and a week of guest programmes, the Ashram closed for four days to reorganise the space and allow the staff team to reset their Sadhana. A small group arrived for the Yoga Psychology course. We continued online programmes, with Pujas, Satsang and asana classes. The permaculture garden project provided a good amount of leafy vegetables and salad greens. As the climate slowly warmed up, the flower plants were also starting to show their buds. Everyone was healthy at the Ashram.

Please accept this invitation to join us for the Unite for a Healthy Planet worldwide meditation – Every 1st Sunday of the month at 2PM Continental European Time, for 30 minutes. https://sivanandaorleans.org/unite-for-a-healthy-planet

The staff were full of gratitude for this opportunity to serve dynamically. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/orleans

Om Namah Sivaya from Da Lat Ashram. In February the Ashram welcomed two large groups of Yoga Vacation guests, with one of the groups organized by members of the Yoga Federation of Vietnam. Beautiful weather meant that we could do many activities outdoors, including a walking meditation at the labyrinth, an evening bonfire, an early morning Satsang to watch the sunrise from the mountainside and a short trek into the forest. The group enjoyed their stay, for many of them it had been a first experience of integrated Yoga practice. As soon as the YV guests left staff jumped into action to prepare everything for the February TTC participants, who were already starting to arrive. Initiation took place with 36 students joining the course. Swami Sitaramananda taught the main lectures of the course, Swami Narayanananda taught Bhagavad Gita and chanting classes, Swami Pranavananda taught anatomy and Swami Adiparashktiananda led the team teaching Hatha Yoga. In addition, all our onsite activities online classes continued, including a daily Open class, and a weekly Satsang led for an international group by Swami Sitaramananda.

By mid February the first week of the onsite TTC went well. Students were diligent and enthusiastic. As a precaution against Covid infection we asked them not to leave the Ashram on their day off, instead we organized a trek into the nearby forest to the mountaintop where they could enjoy a picnic and beautiful views of the city of Dalat. They very much appreciated this experience. On the evening of the full moon, we enjoyed an outdoor evening Satsang on the island in the center of our pond. We continued with a series of online “Taste of TTC” classes for Asian time zone students, this time more that 50 students joined, mostly from China, for an introduction to study of the Bhagavad Gita. We looked forward to the beginning of the online TTC. Ashram staff were busy with landscaping projects once the dry season arrived.

All are well and inspired to serve. We were grateful for Guru’s grace during these challenging times. Om.

www.sivanandayogavietnam.org/

Om Namah Sivaya. Namaste. Praying to Masters to bless us so that we continue on this selfless path.

In early February we completed a Sadhana Intensive course. We thanked Masters for always looking over us through every course. After spending almost 5 months with us at Gudur Ashram, SIYVAM students left for Neyyar Dam Ashram to take part in ATTC. We wished them luck on this journey and will look forward to having them with us again in September. Everything went well here, staff were doing their Sadhana and karma yoga. Yoga Vacation program continued with 4 guests. Athul left for ATTC in Neyyar Dam Ashram. We appreciated his efforts towards the Ashram while here and hope to see him again soon.

By mid month the Ashram was calm and quiet with few Yoga Vacationers from Iran and 1 Work Vacation guest. Fencing work was in progress. Our staff Vishnu travelled to do his TTC in Meenakshi Ashram. Our old staff Sareh brought with her a small group of Iranian students who stayed with us for 3 days before going to Meenakshi Ashram. They then joined their friends who are doing the TTC there. It was good to have international students with us after so many months. Hopefully we will have many more coming in the near future.

All staff are maintaining the Ashram keeping up with their Sadhana.

We continued to offer classes, courses & programs online. Details regarding this can be found at https://sivananda.org.in/online/Ashram/. Please like our Facebook page to stay notified about live open classes, Satsangs & other programs.

Our thoughts are with you all and we pray that you keep well and positive during these challenging times. May Master and Swamiji bless us with true devotion and blessings be with us all! Pranams. Om.

www.sivananda.org.in/gudur