Sivananda World News: The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres

Om Namah Sivaya. Teachers and Karma Yogis took care of the center while it was closed for the holidays. Students were happy to be able to practice and a small but inspired group came for the Christmas intensive course. The staff were in the Retreat House in Reith for the Christmas and New Years program.
We had a good group of newcomers for the first trial class of the year in early January, and some registrations for the forthcoming Yoga 1 courses.

http://www.sivananda.org/berlin

Om Namah Sivaya. You can contact us for any questions about practicing yoga at home through e-mail: [email protected] Call: 11 4804 7813.
For any queries, contact us. If changes or news arise, we will inform you. We salute you with a fervent desire for peace and health for all. We hope you are all well. May Masters blessings always guide us. Pranams. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/baires

Prayers and Greetings from Chennai Centre. On 31st December we celebrated Swami Vishnudevanandaji’s birthday with chanting and a grand Kerala Sadhya meal with around 40 attendees. The event was a memorable day for all attendees, and the black forest cake was enjoyed by all. We are chanting Om Namo Narayanaya every evening, Vishnu Sahasranama on Thursdays and Lalitha Sahasranama on Fridays for peace.
The beginning of the year has been quiet, so we have been working on promoting our classes and hope to see an increase in attendance in the coming days. A few people signed up for quarterly and half-year memberships, which is encouraging. We are also planning to start a free trial class in the near future to attract new students. We hope to see more growth in the coming weeks. Wishing you all a successful and joyous 2023.

http://www.sivananda.org/madras

Greetings from Dalat City. Thanks to Guru’s blessing, our center can keep the strong energy to serve the community. All the classes went well.
The last week of year 2022 had many inspired activities. Our workshop of watercolour painting had five students, and all of them enjoyed creating beautiful drawings.
On the night of the 31st December all the staff came to the Ashram and joined the New Year celebration. It was a great time to meet all the other staff and Swamijis and start new spiritual determinations. Satsang at the center on New Year’s Day was a tea ceremony. All who attended experienced the warm and touching energy. We all enjoyed it.
The following weekend was the nine years’ celebration of our Dalat center. The full schedule for the celebration included an Open House, TTC information workshop, Kirtan Workshop, Satsang and birthday party. Also, the Ayurveda massage room opened with some vouchers and discounts for the students.

https://sivanandayogavietnam.org

Om Namah Sivaya. Wishing you all a happy New Year. By the God’s grace and Guru’s blessing everything is going fine in the centre. The holiday period between Christmas and New Year was quiet and cold. On New Year’s Eve we celebrated Swamiji’s birthday with a Homa and Pada Puja, attended by a good number of people. The cold weather continued to affect the number of students in the first weeks of the new year, although we started a new beginner’s course with a few students. Our open classes are doing well. Pranam to all.

http://www.sivananda.org/dwarka

Greetings from the Nataraja Centre. Wishing a Happy New Year to everyone. We celebrated our Swami Vishnudevanandaji Maharaj’s birthday with a special satsang and chanting, then we offered the prasadam to all students. It was a blessed day for all of us.
We started Yoga 1 in the first week of the new year. People were still in the festival mood so the number of students was quite low. We started using the room heater for all the classes and offering tea to all the students. They are happy to have a cup of tea after the class. In early January we added a Yoga 2 to our Yoga 1 class. These are the five-week programs which students are very happy with. Even though it is freezing cold, with temperatures as low as 1.5 degrees, the number of students is gradually increasing.
Otherwise, everything is very good at the centre and staff are doing well with the Grace of the Gurus.

http://www.sivananda.org/delhi

Om Namah Sivaya. The Center was closed for the Holidays; Girija, as well as several teachers and students went to Orleans and Reith for sadhana and rest.
Classes and satsangs resumed on January 9th.

http://www.sivananda.org/geneva

Om Namah Sivaya. Thanks to Guru’s blessing, our center can keep strong energy to serve the community. All classes went well during our festive week. We had Satsang online with Swami Sitaramananda on the topic, How to make a New Year Resolution. We also organized a three-day New Year retreat in a mountain retreat near Hanoi. Twenty-eight people attended and enjoyed many activities such as: satsang, asana, silent walks, and workshops. The workshops included making New Year cards; decorating a peace tree; and talks on topics such as Finding Peace in Family Relationships; and How to Make a New Year Resolution. We had many opportunities to connect within and to nature. Everybody felt relaxed and enjoyed increased energy after the retreat. Students are very happy, and have peace in their mind. All the classes continued to do well in early January. We opened two three-day intensive SYHET Practicum courses on Stress Management Yoga with four students; and Yoga Improves Digestion with five students. On 4th January we celebrated the Second Anniversary of the Hanoi center with 30 students. The Satsang and party had a lot of energy and lovely sharing from staff and students. We also had Satsang online with Swami Adiparashaktiananda on the topic: Spiritual Diary the following day. Staff Sadhana is steady.

Om Namah Sivaya, greeting from Ho Chi Minh City. Everything went well in the center during the festive week, including a Yoga for Beginners course which finished on the Friday. On the weekend, Swami Pranavananda, Ganga Chaitanya and all staff members came to Dalat Ashram to join the New Year Retreat. We prepared very well for the play about Ramayana and performed it successfully. Following our New Year Retreat we had a two-day Yoga Kids’ Course, and a continuation of Advanced Asana on the weekend. In the Ayurveda course, the students had two practical lessons on how to do Dinacharya for themselves, and make typical Ayurveda dishes like Kitchary, CCF (cumin, coriander, and fennel) tea, golden milk and ghee. Moreover, we had three Ayurveda treatments. In addition, we had a three-day workshop on Yoga for Depression as SYHET practicum. Weekly satsangs led by Swami Pranavananda are full of energy as always because many people participated. We are cleaning to keep the center sattvic for the Tet New Year.

https://sivanandayogavietnam.org/ho-chi-minh-center/

Om Namah Sivaya. We had an uplifting New Years’ Eve Celebration in the spirit of the Sivananda Family. The Centre opened on the Friday and the students were happy to come to the Centre after 10 days of holidays. On the Saturday evening, we were a group of 30 very close teachers, students and karma yogis. There was a festive mood and everyone participated giving their best for the special occasion. The celebration started with an inspiring Vishnu Puja followed by a ‘magical shadows’ spiritual play, ‘The King and the Parrot’. There was a healthy and festive meal, a birthday cake, and a perfect Prasad. We chanted and meditated with the peace Mantra. After midnight everyone helped to clean the house repeating mentally Om Namo Narayanaya. On New Year’s Day we chanted Om Namo Narayanaya for a healthy planet with the Sivananda Family led by Swami Kailasananda from Orleans. For satsang we had the Sunday prayers, the New Years’ resolutions, and an inspiring letter of Master to start the year. After the satsang we had a little gathering with a warm soup. In spite of the transport strikes, there was a good attendance for the classes in the first week of the New Year and also for a Beginners course on the weekend. There was a festive mood with the students in the reception area. We all appreciated an inspiring session of the Gita course started on Friday with Swami Jyotirmayananda. For the morning satsang we started to read from Masters’ book World Peace. For the evening satsangs we had inspiring words of Master on the topic of Integrity and two inspiring poems of Master from Pushpanjali. God gave us a peaceful silent walk on Sunday. The Centre runs more fluently with three staff and the karma yogis put a dose of sattva in the house.

http://www.sivananda.org/london

Om Namah Sivaya. We had a rainy drive back to Los Angeles from the Yoga Farm. The next day, we received guests for our New Year’s Retreat, which included a three-day Positive Thinking Course, a Resolves Workshop, and New Year’s Puja. Several newcomers were especially grateful for a sattvic celebration. In the morning, the rain cleared long enough that we could go on our scheduled annual hike to the Santa Monica Mountains, stopping for pranayama overlooking the ocean. We opened our eyes to a beautiful rainbow against gray clouds. We participated in the Taste of TTC day with the Yoga Farm. Satsang guests chose letters from the Sivananda Upanishad as their message for the year. We are inspired to serve.
In the first week of the New Year we had a weekend Ayurveda program, themed Food and Ayurveda, taught by Rashee Rohatgi. She gave a two-hour introduction before taking the students to the kitchen. She gave them each a spice kit and thorough handouts. The resulting meal was quite varied and delicious. Swami Hamsananda arrived this week to support the Center for 10 days. She was a big help organizing details around our new program in San Francisco—weekly classes and monthly Satsangs. We also started a new Meditation 1 and Yoga 1 course in LA. The yoga students are complete beginners. It is a joy to serve.

http://www.sivananda.org/la

Om Namah Sivaya. The Center remained open during the festival week and the first week of January with a reduced schedule. Students enjoyed the online Christmas program offered from the Seminarhaus in Reith and translated into Spanish. Many expressions of gratitude and New Year’s good wishes were exchanged during the week. Om shanti.

http://www.sivananda.org/madrid

Om Namah Sivaya to all. We thank our Masters for all blessings and support bestowed. May all be blessed with equanimity and steadiness in practice. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/madurai

Om Namah Sivaya from the Montevideo Centre. We are happy to serve, love to all. We pray intensely for peace and harmony in this world. May the Grace of Gurudev and Swamiji be upon us all. Om Shanti. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/montevideo

http://www.sivananda.org/montreal

Om Namah Sivaya. Our staff went for the Christmas and New Year’s Special Program to the Sivananda Yoga Retreat House in Reith/Tyrol/Austria and the teachers took care of the center and taught our main Open classes. Many center students then joined the beautiful online New Year’s celebration. We also supported the special online program by teaching a couple of asana workshops. The following Sunday we had the first onsite meditation evening after Christmas – a good start into the new year! Om shanti.

http://www.sivananda.org/munich

Greetings from New York. After opening up from the holidays we got off to a flying start with a very successful Open House on the 7th, attended by 20 people. The Center was quite a beehive of activity – with students and Karma Yogis jostling about – even as the regular Open class was going on. All of the participants in the Satsang were first timers and we had an interesting discussion on the purpose of Meditation and Satsang. The online Gita classes continue. The weather has been co-operating. It was unusually pleasant. Om shanti.

http://www.sivananda.org/ny

Happy New Year to All. The main project for the first week of the New Year was the cleaning of the cellar which created a good dose of sattva, both in the cellar and in the center. Swami Kailasanandaji gave the 6.30 pm Yoga class on Tuesday and guided the evening satsang Wednesday night on “How to Live 100 years” from Swami Sivananda’s book. Our other project was planning the courses and workshops for the next three months. We had a busy teaching Saturday with good attendance of students for a new Yoga 1 and a Headstand workshop. We had a good participation of the evening satsangs during the weekend. Om shanti

http://www.sivananda.org/paris

Om Nama Sivaya. On Sunday the 25th December we lit the last candle of Hanukkha with the students. Afterwards we had a beautiful satsang on the subject of “Peace” from Bliss Divine dedicated to Lord Jesus – a prince of peace. We opened an Advanced Meditation course and concluded a Yoga for Beginners course. On New Year’s Eve we celebrated Swami Vishnu Devananda’s birthday and the New Year. We had a beautiful puja. Many teachers and students came to participate. Lots of prasad was prepared by the staff and also by guests. Swami Swaroopananda gave a beautiful teaching on Swami Vishnu’s life, his devotion to Master Sivananda, the vision he had and the peace missions. We were inspired and uplifted. At 12 midnight we repeated the Mahamritunjaya mantra for a good and blessed New Year.
On New Year’s Day we had an evening satsang with Swami Shambhu Devananda. He gave a beautiful teaching on one of articles of Swami Sivananda from the Daily Readings. We opened a new Yoga 2 course and prepared for a weekend retreat on the subject of “Taking Decisions for the New Year” in which all the staff members were to take part and give a program. Happy and blessed New Year to everybody! May the blessings of the Masters be upon us all! Om Shanti

http://www.sivananda.org/telaviv

http://www.sivananda.org/toronto

Pranams to all and wishing you all a very happy New Year. May Sat-Gurudev’s Blessings be our guide in this year and throughout our life. On the 31st December we conducted a pooja and special satsang in the morning. Though it was a long holiday from Christmas to New Year, still many Yogis kept their regular practice especially in the morning class. It was nice to receive New Year wishes and cake from many students.
We began an evening Beginner’s course with some participants. There were fewer Open class students, however, because people had time to visit relatives and families. Sunday satsang welcomed Swami Gayatri along with Aman and Pooja from the ashram and it was good. The weather was moderate in the first week of the year, and all our regular classes went well, including the Kid’s class. Our Sunday Satsang was attended by all centre staff and few outsiders. The Staff are doing well and keeping busy. Om shanti.

http://www.sivananda.org/trivandrum

Om Namah Sivaya. During the Christmas Holidays the center was offering drop-in classes every day with the exception of Christmas Day. Students were grateful for the opportunity to practice. As the Staff were supporting the Christmas programme in the Sivananda Retreat House in Reith, Tyrol, Austria the teachers took care of the center. They were happy for this opportunity to serve. During the 2nd week of the Christmas vacation the center was offering Yoga classes every day. The students appreciated the Christmas schedule very much, and the classes were well visited. For the first time in a long time we also offered a trial class during the holidays which also was well attended. Many newcomers came and put their New Year’s resolves directly into practice. As the Staff were still supporting the Christmas programme in the Sivananda Retreat House in Reith, Tyrol, Austria the teachers again took care of the center.

http://www.sivananda.org/vienna

Om Namah Sivaya. The center was open only for three days between the Christmas and New Year holidays. The last Satsang of 2022 on Wednesday had a special atmosphere – the mood of ending the uneasy year and lots of hope for more peace and spirituality in the New Year. Staff worked on planning a new website. On Friday Durga Devi left for Reith to reconnect with gurubhais and the Sivananda Europe family.
The first week of January brought a very good start for the New Year. No courses so far, but a very good number of students for the Open Classes and Satsangs. It is good to know that the centre’s teachers can take excellent care of the yoga centre and students under the wonderful guidance and care of Mama Parvati. Om shanti.

http://www.sivananda.org/vilnius