Sivananda World News: The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashrams

Om Namah Sivaya from the Yoga Camp! In early February we had a range of wonderful teachers come to teach, including Mahadev, Amelie, Narayani and Yamuna. Each with their own teaching style gave us some nice variations for the classes. The guests enjoyed daily activities such as snow shoeing, baking as well as gluten-free baking and workshops, highlighting an array of tools that can be used in our daily activities deepening our comprehension of ourselves and adding depth and meaning to our lives. It was Shambu’s birthday which we celebrated during Satsang at Samadhi Estates. There was another birthday, our staff member Sophia, which was celebrated in Uma’s house. One of our weekend themes was Bhakti Yoga and Kirtan. The guests were very interested and participated in the activities. With the freezing temperatures and lots of snow still falling, the staff has been spending time shovelling walkways and roofs. The wood-fired sauna has been much appreciated! We have also done some work on repairing all the Ashram’s instruments in preparation for the coming Sivaratri. We send warm regards from the bitter cold Canadian winter.

During mid-February we had a wonderful Sivaratri celebration. Staff spent the day taking turns and chanting OM Namah Sivaya until Satsang began. Mr. Mahalingam came with his wife and other devotees to conduct the Pujas throughout the night and also prepare all the prasads and his famous Indian feast. All through the night we had locals coming from the nearby villages and at midnight Sushila came with another 15 students of the Montreal Centre to join in. The chanting went on joyously as the hours passed by and everyone had a chance to participate in the ablutions and offerings during the Pujas. At 5:00 we concluded with arati and served the most-deserved feast to all the 80+ present. Other actitvites continued smoothly. The energy could be felt in the Temple. Another weekend theme was meditation and the obstacles that create agitation in the mind. The workshops were well attended by the guests who not only listened, but participated with questions and practical examples. Now with the worst of the winter behind, the staff looks forward to warmer and sunnier days. All is well in the Ashram. Pranams to all the Sivananda Family.

http://www.sivananda.org/camp

Om Namo Narayanaya. In early February the final week of TTC past smoothly. Special yoga classes including advanced pranayama were taught by Swami Pranavananda, Ananta Chaitanya and Narayani. One of the highlights was the Lalitasahasranama Puja and Archana when all the guests and students participated in the worship of the Divine Mother. The energy was very high after one month of intensive Sadhana and the full moon. As usual there were smiles and tears during the TTC graduation. On the whole, students did well with only 2 Bhooshana. We thank Swami Sitaramananda, Ananta Chaitanya, Gauri Chaitanya and Mahadeva from the Yoga Farm for making this a fantastic course. Swami Sita ji gave useful talks and practices of meditation for the public at the Yoga Festival in Trivandrum. Fifteen Ashram guests were able to attend. Mehrnaz and Venkataswamy joined staff from the last TTC. Previous staff Annapoorna, Pradeep and Sivapas returned after being away for ATTC. Sadly we said good bye to Bhargavi and Bheeshma. The Ayurveda Wellness Course started with 7 students. We held the initiation and the Ganapati Homa for new TTC, with 61 students. We also welcomed Swami Keshavananda, Sita Devi, Isabel, Prajna to the Ashram.

Mid-February the main event was Mahasivaratri. Potti Swami and his team performed the rituals and Pujas. Arun (SIH) dressed up in the form of Bhairava to fascinate the crowd. Chanting went on until final arati at the Dakshinamurti temple at 4 am. The high energy was palpable the next day with the mantra Om Namah Sivaya resonating in the ether. The South India Yatra (SIY) group departed with 15 participants and 4 staff. They will be making a tour of prominent South India pilgrimage places and other scenic spots for the next 2 weeks as far as Pondicherry, before returning to Neyyar Dam. New teachers and staff have been benefiting from Swami Kesavananda’s teaching experience with workshops on how to correct asana postures. His input has inspired the staff tremendously. One Sunday guests went on the wonderful but challenging Kalipara walk. During the same day a group of 20 guests and staff traveled to Thengumvila Bhagavati Temple to give asana demonstration as part of the Temple festival. This was arranged by a ex-TTC student Suresh. S. We welcome new staff Divija, Akilash and Ranjith from the last TTC group. Pranams to all Sivananda Staff.

http://www.sivananda.org/neyyardam

Om Namo Narayanaya. May the Gurus’ blessings of be with us all for 2015. Pranams. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/uttarkashi

Om Namo Narayanaya. In early February the temperatures were slowly setting in with mid days getting hotter. The students and guests were quite involved in their respective programs. Every day had something to look forward to. We experienced an auspicious Pooja in the Temple where one of the ATTC student who comes from an orthodox priest background did the ritual along with our priests explaining, in parallel, the reasons and rationale behind each step. One Wednesday a special chanting session was announced for the students and guests who used the platform to the best expressing their bhakti through beautiful kirtans. We offered Haridas’ Santoor and Deepak’s tabla concert who also guided us musically in meditation. One day was spent on shopping for supplies for the Canada Ashram. Swami Sivabhakthananda picked some interesting items for the boutique while also getting to watch the shopping style in Madurai, a mission it usually is. At the end of the exhaustive hot day we chilled ourselves with a double shot of ‘Jigarthanda’, a milky, icy, creamy drink famed only in Madurai. Saturday talent show was fun to watch, as always. Sunday morning silent walk was a long one in a beautiful serene road. The last week of ATTC and the trainees were going down a bit in their emotional quotient when an open challenge was thrown by Prahladaji to the students, inviting them to the volley ball court to play a match while also strategically provoking with his confidence by already declaring the staff to win. Good enough it was for the students to spring back with a sporty spirit. The game was lost, yet their prana was restored. From then onwards every day was energetic with exciting events, one after the other. Swami Sitaramananda visited the Ashram and spent two days during which she shared a recent footage on yoga which featured frames of Sivananda Ashrams and Centres. One Wednesday night during Satsang the floor was opened for a QA session which is when a question came up asking Mathaji to share her story of joining the Sivananda family. Not only was it an interesting narration with great humour in between but also had several enlightening highlights to ponder. A team of Kathakali professionals arrived from Kollam, Kerala, to stage the fascinating Prahlada Charitham from Srimad Bhagavatham, the triangle of Hiranyakashibu-Prahlada-Narasimma powerfully enacted through extraordinary costumes and colors of this pride art form. Then there was exam day, the last and big day of the course. It concluded with the graduation ceremony and Talent show. The next morning Prahladaji called in for a staff meeting to say the needed words and a good bye. Without choice we had to bid farewell to Prahladaji and Swami Sivabhaktananda, the two people who taught us just by being in their original, practical and spiritual self. The same day Swami Keshavananda left Madurai for Neyyar Dam, along with Kalyaniji, who was with us since a month.

During mid-February we concluded the last of the high season course series. The Feb-March TTC is up close. The Shivarathri night was grand. Two priests arrived from Kerala to conduct the Pooja. The beautifully lit lamps in the Temple, chanting until dawn, harmonium and drums, cardamom tea in between and delicious Prasad in the end were all quite an experience. We were glad to receive Swami Jnaneswariananda to teach the TTC. Janaki-ji who is here since a month already for helping with ATTC will be handling Hatha yoga and chanting. Simultaneously some improvements in the Ashram’s facilities, small and big, are progressing in parallel. For example, our old bamboo laundry basket ; though it had been our plan since long to fabricate a better one we had to work on a new design quickly interestingly because of two tiny baby squirrels who were delivered in the laundry basket. Sorry and thanks to the orphaned squirrel brothers, our pets now, for the new well constructed closed wooden box. Yet another inclusion, as well concerned with laundry, is a more convenient Indian style laundry space which is being built in two places in the Ashram. Swami Satchidananda left for Sikkim and will join us back after a week. We held the TTC inauguration with 46 students initiated into the course and from their introductions it appears to be a group of substance and maturity. We bid farewell to our karma yogis Yamuna, Krishna and Gita who were all a big helping hand in the previous courses. Om Shanti. May Master and Guru be with us all. Peace and Pranams to the Sivananda family. Om Shanti.

www.sivananda.org/madurai

Greetings from the Yoga Ranch! In early February the Ashram was covered in snow with staff enjoying the beauty of Nature in the winter. Aside from the continuous snow blowing and shoveling, we had the opportunity to snowshoe and cross country ski on the property. One Wednesday, our neighbor and local yoga teacher, Satyavati, invited us to her home where we played ice hockey, took a yoga class and enjoyed a meal together. It was a nice break for the staff to go on an outing together and enjoy some recreation. Srinivasan flew to Florida to give programs at the affiliated Centres one weekend. One weekend program at the Ashram was on Yoga and Happiness. Mahadev Chaitanya gave a workshop on the 5 Points of Yoga to a group of 25 beginners. We had more snow on the way. Staff sends Pranams to all! May the Gurus’ blessings of be with us at this time of year.

Om Namo Narayanaya. In early February the Ashram energy remained very high as many guests arrived for the first time during the mild winter months. Karuna devi taught the 5-day Beginner course, sharing Swamiji’s 5 Points of Yoga to a group of eager students. It was nearly a full house for the Beginner Weekend Intensive led by Swami Jnaneswariananda and Sankari Chaitanya, with guests getting their first taste of meditation, chanting, asanas and delicious sattvic meals. The Ayurveda Massage Rejuventation Retreat (AMRR) was offered with Gita Devi giving talks on Ayurveda and the Well Being Centre offering Ayurvedic Massage therapies and Consultations. The Yoga Farm staff enjoyed a “field trip” to our neighbors Mike and Sarada’s home for a tour of their organic gardens, orchard, and explanation of permaculture techniques and life “off the grid”. The Ashram continued to have sunny weather with occasional rainy days. Spring is already arriving with almond trees blossoming and daffodils appearing all over the lush landscape.

During mid-February Sankari Chaitanya and Atmaswarupa departed for San Francisco to get the keys of the new SF Centre location. After a 7-month hiatus and the selfless efforts of many karma yogis and supporters, the Centre re-opens to establish a foothold in San Francisco for Swamiji’s mission and vision of peace, in the same place that Swamiji originally set foot in the West. Swami Dharmananda taught the Yoga of Change course applying Vedantic teachings in daily life to overcome attachments to ever-changing phenomena and providing tools to find stability within one’s Self. One weekend was nearly a full house for the Stress Relief and Relaxation Course, with Sankari Chaitanya, as guests learned and practiced the 5 Points of Yoga with an emphasis on proper breathing and relaxation. The Ashram also thanks Dr. Dennis Chernin for his talk on Bhakti Yoga and relaxation, as he led everyone in several bhajans. Om Namo Narayanaya blessings to all the Sivananda family.

http://www.sivananda.org/farm

Om Namo Narayanaya, Blessed Selves. In early February we held the 8th Annual ‘Yoga for Peace: Changing the World from the Inside Out’. The speakers engaged us in topics which follow Swami Vishnudevananda’s mission of promoting inner and outer peace.
Through his experience as both a Shaman, and a past ‘Economic Hit Man, John Perkins shared his perspective on shape shifting the dream world. Brant Secunda, also a Shaman, shared with us the need for peace, balance, and harmony in life. Charles Eisenstein challenged us to consciously engage in the current paradigm-shift that is occurring within the world’s great social constructs. Sister Greta Ronningen spoke of seeing the divine light in everyone, including those who are incarcerated. Elaine Valdov PhD spoke of her work with the United Nations, while Vicki Robin touched on the impact we have in our world through our daily consumption. Rukmini rounded out, and completed the Symposium with a grounding talk on the relation to activism and Swami Sivananda’s teachings and philosophies – Can we Change the World? TTC students finished week 2. Many guests purified with Manu Dawson’s ‘Winter Cleanse, Detox and Juice Fasting, Program’. Dian Killian PhD’s ‘Freedom from Triggers’ taught Students how to better self-manage emotions, while Surya (Silvia) San Miguel’s ‘Healing You Emotional Body’ taught students emotional control through the teachings of yoga. Elaine Valdov’s ‘Yoga Peace Ambassadors Certification Course’ challenged students to make a direct impact on the world with their own initiatives and projects. The weather has been cool and windy and seas have been rough. We had 2 morning silent walks, followed by a sunrise Satsang on the beach.

During mid-February we had a wonderful celebration of Maha Sivaratri. Our priest Krishnan Namboodiri conducted the event and the many Pujas. With record attendance this year, the energy was strong and lasted throughout the night till dawn. Edwin Bryant, PhD and professor of Hinduism at Rutgers University, gave talks on the Krishna Lila and the Narada Bhakti Sutras. Edwin is a long time friend of the Ashram, and is the author of six books including his translation with commentary of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Arujna shared with us the insight, and wisdom that he gained as a direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananada in a series of talks ‘Practical Spirituality:Life and teachings of Swami Vishnudevananada’. Swami Brahamananda gave morning talks on ‘Deepening Meditation Practice’, practical techniques that can easily be incorporated into daily practice. We also held the ‘Yoga of Chant Retreat’ with Krishna Das. Krishna Das has been preforming at the Ashram for many years. He arrived with a large following of devotees. The weather started off cool and rainy, however, it has slowly warmed up and we again enjoyed the sunshine. Staff are well and send lots of Prem. Pranams and prayers for Peace to all!

http://www.sivananda.org/nassau

Om Namah Sivaya. February saw many inspired participants. The topic was Vedanta. The yoga classes were more advanced. One weekend held a small, further training for Yoga teachers on back-bending asanas. We went into greater details of basic postures and variations, discussed the anatomy of the back and practiced how to correct a student in the asana. The Yatra leaflet went to the printer and a Newsletter was sent out. Another highlight was the Sivaratri night which we celebrated in a festive mood. Also most guests were new they stayed until midnight. We did one Puja to the black granite Lingam and the second on a beautiful metal Siva. Milk, ghee, curd and honey were flowing over the murti accompanied by constant mantra repetition. The night ended with a soft and peaceful energy which permeated the Retreat House even for the next few days. The guest otherwise were lucky with spring-like and warm temperatures which made them stay outside on the Ganesha platform studying spiritual books. A workshop on prana and breathing, a cooking workshop and Satsangs on happiness and mind made it a complete experience. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/tyrol

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February Swami Kailasananda came to the Ashram for a few days to discuss projects and complete the work with the brochure. We had many Karma Yogis to help with many projects, such as reception data entries, temple cleaning, TTC Refresher bookings, inventory, boutique restocking, etc. Gauri came from Paris to assist in the cooking course one weekend with most of the staff participating. She also gave the lecture on diet. Our week-end program was enthusiastically received by the nice group of guests we had. We offered a nice silent walk, very much appreciated by the guests. Kailas went to London for 10 days. The roofers finished the tiling of the roof of the chateau. We also started with some renovations in order to comply with the fire regulations.

During mid-February we had the topic “power of positive thinking”, which included guided contemplation and visualisation exercises. Swami Bhagavatananda gave inspiring lectures and workshops on exercises to develop thought power and concentration. Sivaratri was celebrated with two Pujas, all staff and some guests kept the chanting until midnight. Everybody felt uplifted by the experience. One weekend we had a programme called, “Yoga for Stress Reduction”. Kailas returned from London where he was teaching for a weeklong program. A new glass door has been installed at the Temple. The constructions to comply with the fire regulations continued. Salutations to all. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/orleans

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