Sivananda World News: The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashrams

Om Namah Sivaya, Greetings from the Headquarters. The month of July began with our summer season well underway! With the start of our 2 week Yoga Vacation, TTC, and Kids Camp the Ashram was full. There was much energy and movement with everything running smoothly. On top of the high number of guest and student arrivals, we had the pleasure of welcoming back some special guests as well. Swami Rajesharanandaji arrived from Rome to visit us for a couple weeks. We were all so very happy to see her again.  Dr. Sonal Bhatt arrived from Toronto to work with the Ayurveda team providing consultations. We were very happy to have her and her daughter back. Sachdev and Hindole arrived. They held a beautiful performance for us one Saturday night. Suresh arrived from Neyyar Dam and Anoop from Madurai. They stayed with us for a few weeks helping with TTC classes. All of these arrivals plus the arrival of other karma yogis brought much excitement to the Ashram. It is always nice to see old friends. The TTC started off their course with a Ganapati Homa at Samadhi Estate. The ceremony was so beautiful and peaceful. The group was able to start off their journey with some good energy. The Yoga Vacationers have been enjoying their visit as well. Kalyani and Sushila organized the YV programs to a very nice vacation group. One day they were treated to a kayaking/cycling trip. The weather was perfect and they all came back with smiles. The guests were also able to join in on learning with the TTC during the Satsang lectures. The Kids Camp began to fill up with children of all ages. Although it was a bit rainy the sign ups went smoothly and they all settled in nicely. In addition to the Camp, the Temple was also very busy, beginning with Kavaadi Flag Hoisting at the Subrmanya Ayappa Temple. The Temple was alive with devotees during the morning ceremony.  That same night an admired devotee, Alex, invited the Camp for his Pooja. The Ashram went up to partake, returning in time for a Bansuri flute concert, held by Sachdev.  We offered a Guru Purnima Pooja in the Krishna Temple with a full house. That same day was also the Anniversary of the Subramanya Ayappa Temple so many of us went up to the Temple again to join the celebrations. This plethora of auspicious events brought us joy.

During mid July the Ashram continued its excitement and high energy with the continuation of the TTC and the preparation for Kaavadi. We were all very busy. Dr. Visnu and his team offered the next Panchakarma session. We received great feedback from the participants of the program, saying they were all excited to tell their friends.  Meanwhile other Yoga Vacationers enjoyed the Camp and all its programs, including an excursion to the lake for kayaking and cycling. Our abundant Staff at the Ashram were at work with their duties and the preparation for Kaavadi, preparing the Temple and offerings for the big crowd to arrive. The weekend of Kaavadi went extremely well. We had thousands of people come and the energy was very high. We were able to enjoy the celebrations and partake in the traditions and ceremonies throughout the weekend. The TTC were very happy and enjoyed Kaavadi as well. During that same week the Ashram had mantra initiation with many receiving their spiritual names. The TTCs continued to progress really well with the course, finishing teaching all the beginner and open classes.  It is always really nice to see their growth throughout the course. By the end of July we saw the departure of many of our visiting Swamis. It was a pleasure having Swami Rajeshwariananda, Swami Sankarananda and Swami Jnaneswariananda.  They were able to take part in Kaavadi as well. Other Yoga Camp activities and maintenance continued as usual. We were blessed to be carrying Swami Vishnudevananda’s mission. May the blessings of the Divine be upon all. Om Shanti.

http://www.sivananda.org/camp

Namah Sivaya to all. With the arrival of July the Neyyar Dam Ashram saw the departure of a few staff. Satya went home for a week to attend to family matters. Bhima finished his service with a seven day tour of some south Indian Temples. The remaining staff kept busy. Balaji (Chennai printer) stayed with us for two weeks to relax and refresh with panchakarma treatment. This month’s Medical Camp was attended by over seven hundred people. Yoga Vacationers benefited from a neti demo and practice and enjoyed a day’s outing to Kanayakumari.

During mid July, after the exodus of many staff members, we were happy to welcome returning staff Kailash and Omkari. They immediately resumed duties and teaching yoga classes.  Background work continued for developing new website pages for all India sites. Rajeev, our helpful developer and yoga student, spent a few days in the Ashram to focus on the project. Guests enjoyed the day trip to the back waters and Varkala beach. As always, we pray for Swamiji’s protection and guidance. May the Grace of God and the Masters keep us all. Pranams to all the Sivananda Family.

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Om Namo Narayanaya – Greetings from Uttar Kashi. July began with heavy rain as it continued to fall. The power of nature was clearly expressed as Ma Ganga expanded to fill the river bed. The water become high although it is fortunately not up to the compound wall. Students and teachers remained focused on the schedule. The TTC students enjoyed the experience of teaching. The A&P classes are helping with their understanding of some of the benefits of Swamiji’s five points and the Kriyas. A Maha Mrtyunjaya Homa was conducted for purification. 34 out of our 39 students were initiated into Ishta Devata Mantras.

Whilst tidying and cleaning happened on inside the Ashram, following the end of the TTC, the final height of the protection wall outside the compound was reached and plastering begun mid July.  The wall was topped with a decorative piece of metal work matching the Ashram gates. Within the Ashram, a new roof cover was finished to cover the shoe area next to the Temple. Another corrugated roof cover was also completed for the terrace area of Akhanda Kutir. The staff were grateful for this space to relax a little and focus a bit more on their Sadhana. May Swamiji and Master continue to bless all with inspiration. Pranams to all. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/uttarkashi

Om Namo Narayanaya. July was eventful, with the staff very enthusiastically undertaking their Karma Yoga duties both indoors and outdoors. We continued with the cleaning of dorms and ventured into gardening work outside – ultimately a fulfilling karma yoga. Our staff couple Salar and Nasim left after their service to the Ashram for nearly 3 months with the promise of being back soon for their extended stay. The Talent Show saw the guests indulging in games giving them the opportunity to relive the carefree and careless childhood memories. How true seems the quote by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsch in which he says, “There is a child in every man wanting to come out and express itself when time and surroundings permits.” We offered a Guru Purnima Puja at Mahakali Temple, with all the guests and staffs singing Guru hymns in praise of our Masters, invoking their blessings to guide us ahead always. The serenity and purity of the Temple premises granted peace of mind and happiness were really appreciated by our guests. Staff are thanking God and our Masters for their blessings. With prayers and regards from all Ashramites worldwide. Om.

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Om Namah Sivaya. At the beginning of July we were pleased to welcome Swami Swaroopananda, Rukmini Chaitanya and Jnaneshwari Chaitanya who came to join our 60th Anniversary and Independence Day holiday celebration. Lila Lolling and Ananda Devi arrived in preparation to teach the Adapted Sivananda Yoga Course. We had a special Q&A Satsang with Swami Swaroopananda, which was well received and very inspiring for all. We held the inauguration for both ATTC and the Adapted Sivananda course. The ATTC was composed of a group of 8 students and the Adapted Course has 12 students, including a few staff. Teachers for ATTC are Srinivasan (Raja Yoga), Swami Brahmananda (Vedanta), Swami Paramananda (Hatha Yoga), Swami Satyapremananda (Sanskrit), Shyam (Hatha Yoga), and Krishnapriya (Anatomy & Physiology). We welcomed Arjuna, who arrived to lead a program called “From Asana to Meditation.” Dr. Kamlesh also arrived to lead an Ayurvedic Cooking Course. We had a Bharata Natyam performance by Shubanjali School of Performing Arts in Satsang. The Ashram was lively with guests and programs. We said goodbye to a few departing karma yogis, including Lakshmi, Grace, and Rama. We welcomed arriving karma yogis Nataraj, Saraswati, Padmavati, and Chris.

Mid July saw the ATTC in its third week. We were honored to welcome Swami Paramananda’s mother for a visit, along with his sister, Gopi, who served with us for several weeks. We also welcomed Satya, who arrived to lead a weekday positive-thinking course titled “Define You, Define Your Purpose,” which was well received and well attended. Swami Satyapremananda went to New York Centre to give the evening Satsang, while here we had a bonfire. Family week continued wonderfully, led by Arjuna, Ekajyoti, and Gauri Devi. Jared and Bhakti, local permaculturists, arrived to lead a special Satsang on food for the families, guests, and karma yogis. Family week had its closing circle. The 10-day Summer Detoxification and Juice Faster, led by Manu Dawson, began. Swami Brahmananda led a weekend program on the practice of meditation. He also went to New York Centre to give the evening Satsang, accompanied by Swami Paramananda and a few other staff. For the evening Satsang, Shyam and Mohini gave us a lot of inspiration. We were happy to welcome Gopi, Tara, Mahadevi, and Jacob, who joined us in service. Staff are well, ever grateful for the Grace of the Gurus, and send pranams to all. Om.

Om Namah Sivaya. July began with the first Childrens’ Yoga Teacher Training at the Yoga Farm, led by Deviyani, our Kids Camp director. This training gave KC counselors an opportunity to learn about child psychology with Pushpa Autry and develop Non-violent Communication skills with Mike Thomson, learn how to teach childrens’ asana classes and other team-building exercises. The Yoga Farm’s Kids Camp was initiated by Deviyani and Swami Dharmananda, with 33 children attending for the 10 days. The wonderful group of children were not shy to introduce themselves to each other. We have some returning counselors and a few first time: Tandava, Sri Devi, Ishwari Devi, Jayanta, Lalita, Leela, Kumari, Shakti. The weather was very hot so the kids had afternoon pond time to cool off, while the staff enjoyed a trip to the beautiful Yuba river.

This year’s Kids Camp brought great energy to the Ashram with its 33 children. The counselors and children had a wonderful time growing together over the 10 days. Counselors provided many lessons along the way. The Camp concluded with offering to the Gurus, certificates given by our Camp director, Deviyani, and a Talent Show from the kids! Immediately following, the Ashram welcomed families for the weekend Family Camp, led by Tara. This year’s Family Camp was our largest with nearly 50 parents and kids attending, enjoying crafts, Family Yoga classes, the Yuba River, story telling and movie night. Swami Dharmananda taught the Stress Relief and Relaxation weekend course to many first-time guests, learning about the causes of stress, how to manage stress, Prana and how to apply Yoga practices to reduce stress in daily life. We also thanked Uma Reed, and son Matt, for a beautiful and heartfelt Kirtan concert given to a full house with all chanting and feeling great devotion and appreciation. We all felt the grace of Master and Swamiji this month. Om Namah Sivaya to all Blessed Selves, from the Yoga Farm.

http://www.sivananda.org/farm

Om Namo Narayanaya, Blessed Selves. We started July with a beautiful TTC inauguration ceremony for the July TTC group. We welcomed Andrea Seidel, a Professor of dance and certified Yoga Teacher, who presented the program “The Divine Dance of Yoga” during Satsangs and noon workshops. Other Satsang topics included “The Life of Swami Vishnudevananda” with Iswara Chaitanya, “On the Guru” with Swami Brahmananda and “The Art of Positive Thinking” with Swami Shambhudevananda. Parvati Chaitanya taught a 5-day “Essentials of Meditation Course”. The priest conducted an inspiring Ganapati Vidya Homa for a morning Satsang creating a beautiful Yantra for this occasion. We also offered a very uplifting Guru Purnima celebration. There was an all day Akhanda Kirtan held in the Temple and a very festive Puja for the Guru Parampara in the evening Satsang. We also welcomed Swami Ishwarananda, the Acharya of the Chinmayananda Centre in Los Angeles, who gave an address during the Puja.

During mid July several programs were given by the staff of the Ashram. Rukmini Chaitanya talked about “The Yamas and Niyamas” during morning Satsangs, Swami Hridyananda gave a program on “The Power of Prayer” during evening Satsangs, Minakshi Chaitanya’s Satsang topic was “Meditation and Mantras” and Krishna Chaitanya started a new 4-day program on “How to Stay on the Spiritual Path”. We welcomed The Bhakti Connection, a group of talented musicians and artists, consisting of Joseph Ronco, Bermalva and Reaz Bacchus. They shared a multicultural Kirtan experience with us for four days. Rubin Naiman, a psychologist and sleep specialist, arrived to the Ashram leading a program on “The Yoga of Sleep” during Satsangs and workshops, in which he addresses sleep problems and gives experiential practices to learn how to improve the quality of one’s sleep. Parvati Chaitanya taught a 3-day Meditation Weekend Course. Om.

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Om Namah Sivaya. In July Jivana Heyman came to teach the Accessible Yoga course. In a 6-day program the participants learned how to adapt a classical asana class to the needs of students with physical disabilities, chronic illness, the elderly and people with injuries. Everyone was highly inspired by the course and Jivana’s dedication to this specialized field of yoga. Our guest numbers meanwhile grew steadily, so the Satsangs filled the Ganesha Hall to the maximum. We celebrated Master’s Mahasamadhi with an uplifting Puja. We also had a program on asanas for a healthy back. The guests gained information on proper alignment and a plumb line test was done. Students got individual advice on which asanas are especially beneficial to them. In the asana classes we took the time to experience the theory learned. Several guest also came for the TTC prep. The daily schedule and curriculum of the TTC were explained in detail. There was interest for the TTC’s in Reith and Rudraprayag.

We were able to enjoy some glorious hikes for the Mountain Magic week. It was a continuous alternation between sunshine and big storms. We had two further training courses for yoga teachers. First up was Yoga Body-Work. The teachers learned more about muscles, fascia and postural problems and how anatomical knowledge can be used in the class. Several teachers chose to stay for further training – “Yoga During Pregnancy”, led by Padmavati, from Berlin. Her knowledge and especially experience as both a midwife and a yoga teacher were brought together to the benefit of all. The teachers not only learned about the asana adaptations that are needed but also about the beautiful opportunities that teaching pregnant ladies can bring. With so many teachers, the Satsangs in the Ganesh Hall were very lively. Brigitte Addington, a medicinal plant expert with a vast array of knowledge, taught a well-received program on Yoga and Healing Herbs. The group enjoyed the daily long excursions amidst the sunshine, discovering a wide variety of herbs that often grow closer to home than expected. We stepped up work at the Ganga house. The house will be filled to the maximum in the month of August with guests and TTC’s, as the Masters keep sending us more and more students for the August TTC. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/tyrol

Om Namah Sivaya. The beginning of July saw the start of the second week for the TTC and ATTC. TTC’s had their first chanting class. The ATTC students enjoyed the very engaging Sanskrit classes. Jivana Heyman’s teachers training on accessible yoga started with a good group of students. Philippe Bobola gave a certificate course on the topic of “Science and Expansion of Consciousness”, continuing the series of evening lectures with talks about “The Intimate Nature of Time” and “Water and Life” where he described water as the quantum life fluid, explaining the ability of water to memorize the electromagnetic fields of matter it comes in contact with. We also had a Yoga Vacation course about “The Art of Full Attention in the Asanas”. Ananta left for the World Yoga Festival in Reading, UK. Amba joined us again after a week away from the Ashram. We started a new photo shoot series of Ashram life during the sunny days. New cupboards were fixed in the boutique, giving a feeling of fresh energy. New fittings were bought for the new bungalow tents. With four program running, all the platforms and rooms are busy, buzzing with students. The sound system was at full stretch across the Ashram. We offered a beautiful Puja celebrating Guru Purnima. The atmosphere in the Temple was exceptionally soft and rounded. The Masters appeared to be wearing wider smiles that day, radiating a very conspicuous protective presence.

Later in July the TTC went into the last full week and the ATTC had their last anatomy lecture and vedanta revision. The inspiration and dedication of the students remained high throughout the course. The talent show we had one evening was led by two enthusiastic MCs. Now on their home stretch, the students are even more focussed and attentive. For Yoga Vacation, Kamala shared her experience in an “Introduction to Meditation” with an nice group of students. Projects: The Temple and altars were cleaned, the attic cleared and the rental bikes were taken care of and repaired. In the boutique, new t-shirts and hoodies with the recently designed tree logo were displayed, attracting attention and showing a lot of success. Swami Kailasananda left for India with Swami Jyotirmayananda arriving at the Ashram to support us during those next weeks. A highlight was two beautiful concerts with classical Indian music by Nicolas Delaigue & Nihar Mehta. The musicians explained the origins of music from the Vedas and the connection between the vibration of Shiva, Saraswati and Ganesh, culminating in an enjoyable concert. They reminded us that as they play, their state of mind remained aligned with their Guru aiming not become a master but to become the best student. The concert had left many inspired to learning more about Indian classical music. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/orleans

Om Namah Sivaya from the Da Lat Ashram. In early July we made all the final arrangements to welcome 68 participants to our second TTC program of the year. 52 of the members of the group were Vietnamese nationals, while the other participants were from the UK, India, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Germany and France. The course was taught in English with Vietnamese translation. International supporting staff arrived to assist the local Staff and karma yogis making a tremendous effort to have everything ready on time. We welcomed Swami Sitaramananda back to the Ashram. Swamiji jumped straight in to our TTC staff meeting, providing inspiration and tuning. When all participants arrived and registered, initiation of the course was held. A Guru Puja took place on the full moon day of Guru Purina – an extraordinarily, auspicious moment for our new trainees to begin their training. As participants introduced themselves during the following two Satsangs, we were inspired to see that so many of them have sought out and joined this TTC because of a real interest in the deeper teachings of Yoga and the possibility of personal transformation. Staff worked hard. By Guru’s grace all departments of the Ashram ran smoothly to cater and care for more than 100 people in residence.

Mid July saw the TTC group heading steady and firmly into their second week of study and practice. We welcomed Swami Pranavananda, arriving to help with teaching of Hatha Yoga and Anatomy, as Ganga Chaitanya headed back to the Centre in Ho Chi Minh City to return for the final days of the course. Rainy season in Dalat was fully underway, so all kept warm in the mornings with delicious bowls of rice soup served right after Satsang. Along with some challenges, the rain brings plenty of prana, the atmosphere in the pine forests was fresh, invigorating and ideal for practice. In addition to the regular classes the students heard from Dr Hung, director of the Cancer Department of the Institute of Oriental Medicine in Ho Chi Minh City. Groups of Dr Hung’s patients were benefitting from Yoga Practice at the Ho Chi Minh SIvananda Centre for several years. He shared his knowledge of the many benefits of Yoga lifestyle as part of a program to prevent and treat cancer. TTC students offered a talent show one Saturday along with a dance group from a local tribe. Alongside the TTC we continued to welcome a steady flow of international Yoga Vacation guests. Om.