Sivananda World News: The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashrams

During the month of November, yoga retreats continued. We had various themes “Yoga and anxiety”, “Detox week”, “Meditation in daily life”, “Fit with Yoga”. A Teachers’ training course started. So far, the students are all enjoying their courses, the pujas and the ashram.

As winter is approaching, we performed the last rituals in the Subramanya temple before closure. For the next few months, a traditional temple painter and decorator will redecorate all the shrines of the temple. We also celebrated Swamiji`s Mahasamadhi puja. It was a moment of heightened energy to remember together Swamiji’s life.

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To celebrate the maha samadhi of Swami Vishnudevananda, we had a beautiful recitation of the Srimad Bhagavatam. Swamiji’s mahasamadhi anniversary being the last day, was celebrated with much enthusiasm.

This month, we started a spoken Sanskrit course started as part of SIYVAM. Students studied for two hours daily. The magic of this ancient language combined with the enthusiasm of the teacher made the process a funny and light experience.

We welcomed eighty high school children, along with their teachers. They had an introductory talk on yoga and yogic lifestyle along with the ashram tour. The teachers and students appreciated the insight into the ashram lifestyle. On another instance, thirty

During the month, we also celebrated Diwali by lighting clay lamps around the temple area and on the satsang stage.

We started a Teachers’ training course and an Ayurveda Wellness Course (AWC). The AWC students expressed their thankfulness to the SIH teaching team for an insightful course in the ancient knowledge of Ayurveda & its application in today’s life.

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Greetings from the Banks of Ganga. To celebrate the mahasamadhi of Swami Vishnudevananda, we organised various pujas, a Bhandara. Bhandara kits, shoes, and thermos flasks were distributed to the sadhus present in thoughtful preparation for the upcoming winter season. After the Bhandara we closed the ashram for the winter, reopening next year in April.

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We celebrated the completion of a Teachers’ Training course (TTC). Yoga Vacationers and the Panchakarma guests are also doing fine and enjoying every bit of their stay and routine.

Other courses started including the Fasting and Detoxification Program (FDP) and another TTC. The ashram is slowly picking up the guest numbers with the onset of season and it is always inspirational to experience the crowd of guests and students uplifting the energy levels of our ashram and surroundings.

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We had a special teachers’ training course on “Anatomy and Asana Corrections” with many staff and new TTC teachers joining to sharpen their teaching skills. At the moment, we are able to welcome a steady number of yoga vacationers. Swami Sitaramananda continued with weekly online teaching of the Self-Healing course and international satsang from Vietnam. Other courses included “Yoga and Ayurveda course”, “Beginner Vedanta”, “Recharge Your Battery with Asana and Pranayama”, “Positive Thinking for Self-Renewal”

The Ashram celebrated Swamiji’s Mahasamadhi day with much enthusiasm with kirtans and readings. We also celebrated Dhanteras, the birthday of Dhanvantari, and we had an afternoon puja at the new Dhanvantari Healing Temple, offering our prayers for healing to all. For Divali, there was a beautiful Lakshmi puja. Flowers and mantras were offered, lamps were lit, and gifts given to all in attendance, with all feeling the Divine Mother’s blessing.

The Ashram was blessed with a very inspiring “Yoga for Joyful Living” Thanksgiving program with a full house of guests and staff.

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The ashram team is officially started the high season, with the inauguration of the November TTC and ATTC courses with great inspiration. There were various special courses such as “Meditation and Intuition through an Understanding of Neurotheology”, “Ayurvedic Lifestyle”.

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Our all Saints retreat concluded well at the beginning of the month. While the retreat house is closed for seasonal maintenance, the yoga and wellness programme in Mittersill, near Salzburg started with a yoga and mountain magic week.

We celebrated the Mahasamadhi of Swami Vishnudevananda at the ashram and online, allowing many students to come together. For Divali, we had a special online satsang, archanam for goddess Lakshmi and reading from Swami Sivananda’s book “Hindu Fasts and Festivals”.

A new online ayurveda course started with two Vaidyas from Kerala. In this 6-month course the participants can explore the health potential of daily nutrition. The ayurveda experts present the time proven wisdom for a balanced and healthy diet combined with viewpoints of contemporary science.

We started our second TTC Online in 2023. The students come from different parts of the world: Germany, Austria, Greece, Bharain, Spain, Italy and Argentina. The students connected well to the TTC rhythm at home and enjoyed the many topics of the first week.

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The All Saints Retreat was a great success. Teachers attended a very nice course “yoga for seniors” during the All Saints Retreat. Later in the month, we had various week long-programmes: “Boost your vitality and mental health”, “Deepen your asana practice” among others. We started a new Teachers’ training course mid-month. The group of students are very focussed and well prepared. The big project for this month and next month is renovating the ashram meditation hall.

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We started a Teachers’ training course with a good number of students. Students came from China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea and Russia to join the course. The Health House continues to have a steady stream of guests, and is offering many classes, workshops and health counseling sessions.

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This month, foundation was laid for the construction of Swamy Ayyappan Temple which is just outside our ashram temple. Karthika Deepam was celebrated; we lit a lamp at the top of the temple for the next few days, it is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. Yoga vacation program is going very well. Maintenance works continued on the ashram.

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