Sivananda World News: The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashrams

Om Namah Sivaya. The Yoga Camp Ashram is currently open for daily yoga class and will re-open for retreats on July 5th. Visit our website and continue your practice from the comfort of your own home with our online classes/courses from the Montreal Centre, keeping you connected, inspired, and energized. https://sivanandacanada.org/camp/Online-courses/
New to online yoga and practice? Use code: FREE7 at checkout to get 1 week of unlimited classes for free and take time out to rest, recover, and replenish with our virtual yoga classes!
May the grace of God and the guidance of the teachers be with us in extending our service to the aspirants, students and all others who visit the Ashram website. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/camp

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

In early June we passed another quiet week with full lockdown in operation. That did not stop us being busy! Apart from our group Sadhana and teaching practice we engaged actively in sprucing up the gardens and all the pathways. Nature did not stop growing weeds just because of a pandemic!! Online was also busy with our NGO commitments and two heart-warming sessions with our TTC community. The first was a Meet-up with our Iranian friends. So many of them visit repeatedly year after year to attend our International TTC held in Januarys. So we got together our two organizers/translators and held a meeting. We gave an intermediate class and then heard their stories. The second was a Satsang for all TTC students. We held it in the afternoon and had almost an hour of Bhajan chanting. Both sessions were truly uplifting for both sides. Sunil from our Madurai Centre dropped by, it was very nice to see him.

Mid-June went well with lots of preparation for the upcoming International Day of Yoga, with programs already beginning. Suresh ji and Nataraj ji both gave teachings to various groups around the country, and we had a big class of over 700 people for one of our sessions. It is very heartening to see the demand—many groups asking for demos and classes. Nataraj ji was also involved with talks and presentations for the Kerala Chapter of the Indian Yoga Association and for the Heartfulness Foundation, a large organization involved in mental and physical well-being. We said goodbye to Rajeev and Sonal, our married karma yoga team. Hopefully they will be back very soon. The Sivananda Institute of Health received a boost with guests coming in for the Panchakarma program. The staff are in good spirits and doing lots of karma yoga and Sadhana. We hope everyone is well. May all find health and peace of mind. All of us send our pranams. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/neyyardam

Om Namo Narayanaya from Uttar Kashi. We are happy to announce that Sivananda Kutir reopened in 2021. Our Ashram will following the MHA guidelines closely to ensure the safety and comfort of all. The continued practice of social distancing and limited class sizes are to meet these requirements. These guidelines will be posted in all our India Centres and Ashrams. Please familiarize yourself with these safety precautions: MOH Guidelines for Yoga Institutions. We look forward to having you at the Ashram.

Please note we also 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

Meanwhile June began with a beautiful Ganapathi Homa, nestled in the lap of Mother Nature, with all the staffs and students including online transmission, thanks to Zoom. There were many firsts this time, One, the Homa was organized in the open surrounded by mountains and lush greenery bringing forth the beauty of creation in its entirety and Second, the Onsite and Online TTC broadcasted simultaneously. The groups exuded tremendous enthusiasm and positivity. A last but not the least, our Temple Priest began the TTC. Though a small group attending this TTC, the energy levels of the students was stupendous and we really appreciated the efforts each one of the onsite students took to be part of this wonderful course in the midst of the pandemic. Seeking blessings from our Masters for all. Sending Prem and Om to all from our Madurai Ashram family of guests, students and staffs. Om.

www.sivananda.org/madurai

Om Namah Sivaya from the Ranch. After 15 months of Covid-19 lockdown, the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch is opening cautiously for guest stays shorter than a month. We are maintaining the CDC restrictions, requiring all guests to show proof of completion of vaccination, and limiting guest stay to a maximum of 10, maintaining social distancing.
IN PERSON PROGRAMS:
Yoga Vacation is a shorter in-person stay for those who are fully vaccinated.
Residential: We have set up a residential program for those who are able to stay more longer term. The Ashram residential program requires a minimum 1 month stay (29 nights/30 days). https://sivanandayogaranch.org/residential-program/
The Karma Yoga (Selfless Service) Program requires a minimum 1 month stay (29 nights/30 days) https://sivanandayogaranch.org/karma-yoga/

We continue to offer online programs such as TTCs, courses and classes. We are grateful for all your support and connection in these times! It has and continues to be an innovative time where we can see how easily accessible it is to connect & share the teachings with people everywhere in the world! https://sivanandayogaranch.org/

Meanwhile in June a 108 Sun Salutations online workshop was taught by Isani. An 8 week course “Spiritual Awakening: Practices to Awaken Heart & Mind” online interfaith course was taught by Keshava. A Sun Salutations Workshop was taught by Veena. Spring planting was completed in the annual garden and second plantings of lettuce, cucumbers, and beets began. Now the battle begins ardently defending against groundhogs, rabbits, slugs, bindweed, yellow dock and various other weeds to ensure a healthy harvest. Tomatoes were forming in the greenhouse and fruit trees were heavily laden with hopeful abundance. 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 the Online TTC students as they started their first week of TTC. They easily settled into the daily discipline. Swami Sitaramananda led an inspiring series of Satsang talks on “Yoga”, “Health”, and “Thought” with students from Asia joining online. We welcomed our first guests back to the Ashram since closing because of COVID, as well as celebrating the 60th birthday Shastipoorthi Homa/Puja for Radha, one of our longtime teachers. We were joined by Tara Durga Devi, her husband Chandra, Durga Leela and close friends for the event. Swami Vasishtananda led the beautiful Krishna Puja, Navagraha Puja and Ganesha Homa with all swamis and attendees offering ritual bath to Radha. The ceremony was followed by a great feast.

On the 21st of June we sent wishes all for an inspiring International Day of Yoga. Swami Sitaramananda gave a morning Satsang talk to celebrate the IDY with 300 students joining online from US, Vietnam, Japan, and Taiwan. Swamiji’s inspiring talk on “Yoga for Self-Development” gave encouragement to stay steadfast in our daily practice following the 5 Points and 4 Paths of Yoga. Staff and Seva students were well, taking care of the Ashram grounds, garden, kitchen and new garden revamp out front of Swamiji’s house. Meanwhile the Online TTC completed their 2nd week. The group tuned themselves to the teaching and practice. Swamiji gave a Satsang talk on “Love”. We welcomed Dr. Fred Luskin of Stanford University for his talk on “Resilience”. The TTC Talent Show was very sweet with poetry, music, and singing bowl meditation. Swami Sitaramananda also joined the online International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) annual SYTAR conference, leading a guided Vedantic meditation session and also participated as a panelist to discuss how Yoga Therapy is presented internationally in different countries. We were a small group of staff and students at the Ashram, getting ready to open for the July 4 weekend. We are grateful for this opportunity to serve.

Please visit https://sivanandayogafarm.org/yoga-classes-online/ to easily join Online workshops, classes and courses. Your generous support to Swamiji’s mission will keep the Yoga Farm strong and vital during the pandemic. Please donate here: https://sivanandayogafarm.org/donation/ May all feel Master and Swamiji’s blessings. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/farm

Om Namo Narayanaya, Blessed Selves. Due to the worldwide outbreak of Covid-19, the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas has remained closed to guests since March 2020.
Our tentative reopening date is July 1st, 2021. There is still a small group of us on property who are maintaining the Ashram way of life through daily Satsangs, yoga and teachings.
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/

June 2021 in the Bahamas: Early in June the main focus was on the birthday celebration of Swami Swaroopananda. We officially began with a beautiful Pada Puja and touching videos from devotees around the world. To conclude the morning Satsang, we sang the “Thank you, Swami” song of the late Rev. Prince Hepburn. In preparation many efforts went into decorating the Sivananda Hall with ribbons and palm branches, as well as to baking an exquisite cake! The air was filled with good cheer as the Ashram dwellers rehearsed for the evening activities and prepared a delicious feast. The main event of the evening Satsang was a musical produced by the Ashram staff that depicted scenes from the Mahabharata. Many smiles were seen on the faces of the onlookers and those watching on Zoom left encouraging comments. At the end of the evening was the cake ceremony, in which Swamiji gave teachings on the symbolism behind the 3-tiered cake (that each tier represents one of the three states of consciousness, while the chocolate lotus on the top represents the Turiya Avastha).
The Ashram held the “Be the Light: 21 Days of Bliss” symposium of guest presenters in the evening Satsangs in honor of Swamiji’s birthday. We heard a Kirtan concert from Atmarama Das; talks about space, time, and the meaning of life with Dr. Subash Kak and Dr. Menas Kefatos; a presentation from Dr. Marc Halpern about the scriptural conjunctions of Yoga and Ayurveda and an evening of questions and answers with Swami Swaroopananda.

We celebrated the graduation of the May Online TTC. This TTC group was very dedicated to their studies and had a bright and positive attitude throughout the entire course. During the graduation ceremony, they shared a video that they had prepared of themselves reciting the mantras and saying words of thanks. After the ceremony, the students joined us virtually for the traditional graduation feast of pizza and ice cream. The celebratory spirit continued the next day with a birthday celebration for staff member Iswara Chaitanya.

Around the Ashram, the coconut tree trimmers continued to work on the many trees throughout the grounds. After a dry winter, the rainy season began with frequent showers and torrent rains on some mornings. Bhargavi traveled to the US for a few weeks. Lalita returned to the Ashram.

Towards mid month we continued the “Be the Light: 21 Days of Bliss” symposium in honour of Swami Swaroopananda’s birthday. We heard in the Satsangs from many honoured guest presenters. Swami Medhananda Puri gave two inspiring talks about the foundations of Vedanta, including instructions on the practice of prayer and cultivating the desire for liberation. Narayan Jyoti led a contemplative morning concert that integrated ThetaHealing with sacred music, while Ken Whitely conducted a lively evening concert of Gospel music. We heard from Dr. Marilyn Rossner about the journey of the soul and from Master Ou about Pangu Qigong. Dr. John Beaulieu kept the Satsang attendees entertained with his talk on Nada Yoga (the Yoga of sound). Members of the Ashram staff presented on topics such as stories from the Mahabharata and Srimad Bhagavatam, the life and teachings of Swami Sivananda, The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga, and Sure Ways for Success in Life and God-Realisation. Shambhavi and Narayan Jyoti trained a new group of ThetaHealers in the art of sacred healing. Other online courses continued to go well, covering topics such as Vedanta, Raja Yoga, and in-depth study of the Bhagavad Gita. Around the Ashram, the coconut trimming project finished and the canopy looks clean and fresh. We bid a loving farewell to our dear canine friend, Napoleon. Much loved and adored by the staff, he brightened many lives during his tenure as the Ashram dog, bringing smiles to anxious newcomers and playing patiently with the children during family week. He will be missed and we wish him safe journeys in the transition of the soul. 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. Early June the Ashram had a nice group of Yoga Vacation guests. In slightly changeable weather they enjoyed most of the yoga classes on the platform and walks in the beautiful surroundings. In their first week the participants of the TTC gradually got used to the surroundings, the daily routine and the practice. They were interested and diligent.

The online program continued with courses, drop in classes and Satsangs. We saw the continuation of the Hatha Yoga Inspiration course, with Swami Sivadasananda. Also the morning Pranayama group practiced steadily every week with Narayani. Most mornings and evenings we had a combination of on-site and online Satsangs, including the transmission of the readings from various centres.

Mid month was wonderful with warm summer weather. Our TTC group did very well. They studied anatomy, started to teach each other and performed an interesting and entertaining talent show. A group of 6 TTC Online graduates arrived for the 9-days additional module. All of them were happy to practice on-site as they integrated into the group very quickly. Our yoga vacation guests enjoyed outside classes and lectures. We had some very nice meditative walks with TTCs and guests in the evening. Shanti Kumar Kamlesh gave an online lecture as an introduction to his new course “Ayurveda – The Self-healing Power of Nature”. Shankari from Berlin supported the Retreat House for 5 days as a karma yogi. We pray that all remain healthy and safe. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/tyrol

Om Namah Sivaya. 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 OM. We continue to participate in the online European activities. 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. The Da Lat Ashram is open. In early June the Ashram continued to have very few guests, as social distancing restrictions continued in other parts of Vietnam, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City which is home to many of our regular visitors. We continued with increased internal training for staff, with most now well qualified to teach classes in both Vietnamese and English. Many staff supported the online classes offered for students in Vietnam. We were happy to have Satsang with Swami Sitaramananda who joined us online from California. Our current program of renovation work was completed with many areas of the Ashram improved, receiving repairs and fresh paint. Our next focus was the upkeep of the gardens and grounds. Sivakami left to take care of the Centre in Hanoi to return before the July TTC. We were grateful for Guru’s grace in being able to offer courses at this challenging time. Staff remain well, inspired and thankful for Guru’s grace. Om.

www.sivanandayogavietnam.org/

Om Namah Sivaya. Namaste. We are delighted to welcome you to Sivananda Tapaswini Ashram. Our Ashram will follow the MHA guidelines closely to ensure the safety and comfort of all. Every guest/student must arrive with a negative Covid-19 (RT PCR) test. The continued practice of social distancing and limited class sizes are to meet these requirements. These guidelines will be posted in all our India Centres and Ashrams. Please familiarize yourself with these safety precautions. https://sivananda.org.in/gudur/Covid-19-guidelines/

In early June we were busy with the Ashram schedule as we have 3 Yoga Vacationers with us. Guests also took part in chanting the Bhagavad Gita and the Dakshinamurthy Stotram in the Temple. The Online TTC went well during the Hatha Yoga classes and we also attended the online Satsangs with staff and guests. Our Cows were well and the two calves growing fast. All staff are keeping up with their Sadhana.

Mid June was spent mostly on virtual classes and workshops. We pre recorded a Kids Class video for Amway Company to be shared on their social media platform on International Day of Yoga. Thankfully we had a kid to demonstrate for this class. Kriya class was also introduced. It went very smoothly with some obvious challenges due to it being an online class. Students tried the kriyas with a positive feedback. TTC teaching groups also began. We successfully completed classes with Saint-Gobain and hope to take up more such projects in future.

We will also 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