Sivananda World News: The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February the Yoga and Music Festival starting and was a big success. Asana Workshops, Lectures and daily Indian concerts uplifted the energy day by day more. Participation in the festival was better than ever, and the Centre was stretched to its limits with Asana Workshops with 60 people. The ground floor asana hall, reception and boutique, all formed one big asana space. We had 2 full days of program with 2 well received lectures by Swami Durgananda. Topics were obstacles in Sadhana and the need for spiritual practice. The evening music programs were well received by all, highlight was the concert one Saturday evening. The Indian embassy sent representatives for this event. Teachers and students from Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and Russia joined the festival and everybody was happy to be able to participate. The Festival continued for two more days, concluding with the Sivaratri concert.

During mid-February the inspiring Sivaratri concert left the student very happy. After the concert we started the Puja for Sivaratri with the ongoing chanting of “Om Namah Sivaya”. There was full prana in the hall. Everybody chanted with lots of devotion. At the end we distributed Prasad with the students leaving inspired. The next morning was the big departure day for the Yoga and Music Festival. The Centre slowly came to its normal rhythm. Another Saturday we had a headstand Workshop and a beginner Crash course. Several courses started Y2, Y5 and Raja Yoga. Swami Gokulananda went to Munich for a short break. All staff are well. Pranams. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/berlin

Om Namah Sivaya. May the Gurus’ blessings of be with us all. Prem & Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/baires

http://www.sivanandayogachina.org

Om Namah Sivaya to all Blessed Selves from the Chennai Centre. In early February we started ladies beginner’s class. Eswara conducted Sunday Satsang which was energetic to all students and staffs. Manoj left to assist TTC in Neyyar Dam. Our regular classes and karma yoga continued smoothly, by the Grace of Gurus. Summer weather started in Chennai. Prahaladji and Swami Shivabhakathanandaji were here at the Chennai Centre. An energetic advance class was conducted by Swami Shivabhakathanandaji. All staffs and students attended the class. We had teachers meeting with Prahaladji. During the session Prahaladji clarified various doubts about yoga classes. Prahaladji led the Sunday Satsang with inspiring talks which gave boost to the positive energy to all. Around 50 students with teachers and staff attended. After Satsang teachers, students and staff had a get-together with nice dinner.

During mid-February we finished a morning beginners class successfully. One sunday we conducted monthly 108 sun salutation with good number of students. After sun salutation we had nice breakfast, prepared by Maggi & Sandhya. Arjun & Swadesh teaching staff, from Trivandrum and Sasidharan from Palghat joined as full time karma yogis. Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu visited our Centre. Weather-wise the climate has changed to hot from hotter. By the grace of masters everything else is going on well. All the staff were happy and continuing their Sadhana, by the grace of Gurus and God. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/madras

Om Namah Sivaya from Chicago. In early February all continued well at the Centre. After a lot of snow and a few days of frigid weather, it was pleasantly mild and sunny. Attendance remained very good. Satsang and drop-in classes were strongly attendened, especially for winter,. We had 7 courses running: two sessions of Yoga 1, two sessions of Yoga 2, Meditation, Positive Thinking, and the Kids’ Yoga course. Our teacher and karma yogi, Chandranatha, installed a new water heater, replacing the old one that had started leaking. We are immensely grateful for that and for all the blessings of Centre life. We enjoyed some frigid February weather. Classes, courses, and Satsang continued to have very good overall attendance in spite of the cold snap. We were grateful for our core of inspiringly steady students, teachers, and karma yogis. Over the week the Positive Thinking and Meditation courses came to a close and both groups were happy, expressing appreciation and enthusiasm for the techniques, practices, and theory.

During mid-February we had a wonderful Sivaratri celebration on Tuesday. Thirty people joined us from the beginning of the evening, 18 of whom stayed for the whole festival, which ended at 5:00am. Srinivasan came from the Ranch to give a weekend program on the Yoga of Relationships, which included leading our Friday-evening Bhagavad Gita study class, a Saturday workshop, and Sunday-evening Satsang. Students, teachers, and staff were all grateful for his presence and wisdom. Our winter weather continued to fluctuate greatly, with several days of sub-zero wind chills, sometimes followed by a sudden 30-degree warmup. Classes, courses, and Satsang remain strong, by the grace of the Gurus. We were still glowing from a wonderful Sivaratri celebration. Staff send their pranams and hopes that all had an inspiring Sivaratri. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi from the Centre in Chicago.

http://www.sivananda.org/chicago

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February the Dalat Centre was very calm and peaceful. As the Tet holiday (Vietnamese New year) approached most all of the Vietnamese students spent more time at home and work to ready themselves for the celebration. As a result the open asana classes were mostly foreigners and very few Vietnamese. We started an Advanced Asana course and Yoga 3, with inspired students. It is wonderful to see how they progressed from their arrival to the Centre up until now. They were stronger and more flexible in body and mind. At the end of week, we welcomed back a former resident from US. He stayed with us for one month and has now returned for another month. It is a gift from the Guru to be able to witness firsthand the change in people once they’ve spent time at the Centre.

During mid-February the DaLat Centre was closed for the week for Lunar New Year celebrations. The staff enjoyed the blissfully weather while focusing on Sadhana. Many local Vietnamese returned home from the city to spend time with family creating a wonderful sense of community. We were in full TTC mode as we wash, pack and organize necessary items to set up for the upcoming course. We looked forward to Swami Sitaramananda’s return to the land of her birth and to the arrival of the TTC staff. Guru blessed us. Om.

https://sivanandayogavietnam.org

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February, by God’s grace and Guru’s blessing everything went very well in the Centre. We started with new beginners course at 6:30am with sufficient numbers of students. The weather was getting warmer. Our students numbers increased also. Wee finished with our regular prenatal class, gentle classes & weekend beginners course. Otherwise all the activities are going very well in the Centre.

Mid-February passed by with an absolutely pleasing weather, better attendance levels- moreover the celestial celebration of Sivaratri. As usual we started with a beginner course and ended another. Better organization of Meditation Courses and other workshops happening at the background to encourage our students to extent and experience different practices of Yoga. We aimed to have increased participation from students as the climate improved. We saw enthusiastic support from Karma Yogis.
Health issues arose which affected the Centre. Our guests we had from last week fell sick and we do miss them in the activities of Centre. Also we regret for not having enough space for a Karma yogi who had appeared without a prior notification after ATTC at Madurai. Saroj ji, our cook, was also unable to come for almost five days of last week due to his ill-health. However the coordination and better understanding of long-term staff could handle all situations to a great extent. We were glad to share that none of this has affected the smooth running of the Centre. In addition, we welcomed Praveen (who is a recent TTC graduate and also been associated to the organization through his uncles) to the resident-staff team. We wished him all the very best to keep up his Sadhana. By god grace and gurus’ blessings everything else going well, ended the month as usual with a divine Satsang. Pranams to all!

http://www.sivananda.org/dwarka

Om Namo Narayanaya. In early February started with two beginners’ course, one at 6:30am and the other at 10:00am. We started the Foundation to Meditation course on Wednesdays. With the Grace of Gurus our regular schedules of open class, gentle yoga, kids class and prenatal continued well. The temperature slowly increased as the winter time is getting over. The number of students also increased. The Sunday Satsangs were attended by good number of people, energizing and motivating.

During mid-February with Grace of the Guru’s we started with two beginners’ course one at 6:30am and the other at 4:00pm. We celebrated Maha Shivaratri with Pooja and Abhishekam on Feb. 17th evening which lasted until mid night. The occasion was attended by good number of students and teachers, celebrated by chanting Shiva’s songs and mantra with devotion. The Centre was filled with lots of positive vibration.
Ishwara ji arrived at the Centre on the way back to home from teaching TTC’s in South India. The Sunday Satsangs were attended by good number of students, teachers and staffs. The remaining activities continued in harmony with the Blessing of the Gurus. All staff are well and send their pranams. Om & Peace.

http://www.sivananda.org/delhi

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February a Y3 and Y1 started. Sarasvati Chaitanya left for the Vienna Centre to support the special program there. We had very nice help from Karma Yogis in many departments of the Centre. The search for a new place continued with their support. The Satsangs were well attended with many new students who are nicely connecting with the Centre.

During mid-February a spiritual highlight was the celebration of Sivaratri with a harmonious and tuned group of teachers and students. We started with 26 attending the first Puja and the chanting remained steady until the end when we were still a group of 11 devotees. The altar was shining with beautiful flowers and the pure and uplifting energy could be felt for days. A Y1 and Y2 started. One Saturday we had a lively day with a very receptive group of students for a Kirtan workshop where students bought books afterwards and signed up for upcoming activities. We send our prayers to all. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/geneva

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February the Ho Chi Minh Centre welcomed a new resident who currently resides in Japan but hails from Canada. It’s always uplifting for the staff to meet new people who are actively seeking ways to integrate yoga in to their daily lives. The Centre finished off the Yoga 1 and Yoga 2 courses with many students choosing to continue their practice, purchasing passes for open asana classes. Many students reported that they felt very confident that they were practicing the safest way possible and eager to continue to learn what the physical body was capable of. Staff and Karma Yogi’s continue to prepare for TTC in DaLat. The energy of the Centre was high as we are all grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve.

During mid-February the Ho Chi Minh Centre was closed for the Lunar New Year holiday. The city was quiet as most everybody travels to various locations in which their families reside to spend quality time with loved ones. Though there are no classes being held at the Centre there is plenty to do as we prepared for a sattvic start to the new year by deep cleaning the entire Centre and organizing our accounts. We are also happy to host our arriving TTC staff as we prepared for the start of the course. Staff from all over the world spent a night or two at the Centre until they departed for DaLat. There was a deep feeling of unity as staff from Russia, China, Japan, Israel, India, Vietnam and The United States as they came together to support TTC and help spread the teachings of Yoga. The Centre ran very smoothly with Guru’s Grace! All the staff were happy feeling Guru’s blessings. We send Pranams to all the Sivananda family! Om Tat Sat.

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February the Centre felt very positive and uplifted after the end of the 7-day special program, The Quintessence of Divine Love. Another highlight was the Winter Yoga festival, combining an Open House with workshops for existing students. We held a talk on “Yoga, The Art of Living A Well Balanced Life’’, an asana workshop and a cooking demonstration. There was a good turnout for all the activities and with the support of teachers and karma yogi’s, the day went well. There was a mood of inspiration in the air. The day ended beautifully with a Bharata Natyam Dance performance.

During mid-February transformative energy of Sivratri was evident in the London Centre. Due to the increased need to respect the legal opening hours of the Centre in view of the proximity of the neighbouring properties, the celebration in the Centre was shorter then usual and allowed staff and a group of students to continue the celebrations in the Shree Ganapathy Temple. The Centre was blessed with the visit of Swami Kailasananda, Kailas and Girija. Lectures, asana classes, 1 to 1 guidance, organisational changes and activities have enthused the staff and student community. The team met to discuss ideas for improving the student experience at the Centre and using the various spaces of the Centre in a more inviting way. Seating arrangements were adapted in the tea room and shop, allowing for informal gatherings with students including meditation, kirtan and general guidance and conversation. The Shanti Kutir was made available for meditation and reflection and the Centre has been noticeably uplifted by the changes. Preparations for the International Yoga Day are in full swing and will take place on a boat, departing from the local pier close to the Centre and sailing on the Thames to the heart of the city. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/london

Om Namo Narayanaya! In early February Swami Omkarananda has just returned after a month away, in New York Centre and visiting family in UK. While she has been away the Centre has been running smoothly under the direction of Janaki and Lakshmana. We prepared for the Sivaratri celebrations and several weekend workshops by visiting presenters. We were blessed with very gentle warm weather and lots of sunshine.

During mid-February Sivaratri brought many to the Centre, some new and also many familiar faces. We started our first Puja with 40 participants and still had 15 by 6am after the last Puja. The energy was high, thanks to the support of local kirtan singers who encouraged lots of participation. Parameshwari led all of the Pujas with the assistance of staff members. Classes continued as usual with Yoga 1 and Yoga 2 courses. We were blessed with warm sunny days and also some rain! All are well. May the Gurus’ blessings of be with us all.

http://www.sivananda.org/la

Om Namah Sivaya, Blessed Selves. In early February we began a new course, with Lakshmi, about control of emotions. Gopala taught a breathing workshop. We had an inspiring visit of the priest Yagneswara. We celebrated beautiful Pujas in worship of Lord Ganesha, Lord Vishnu and the Divine Mother. We also had the second part of the first aid course as a TTC supplement for government recognition in Spain. 17 teachers of the Centre attended.

During mid-February we began a new beginner’s course with 11 students. 35 devotees attended the night of Sivaratri, which was celebrated with three Pujas and chanting the mantra in a quiet atmosphere. The Centre also participated in the Mantras Festival of Madrid presented by Gopala and Vishnu, where staff could enjoy the concerts and distribute programs of the Centre. May the Gurus’ blessings of be with us all. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/madrid

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February we started a morning batch with a few number of students. All our classes ran smoothly which included – Open Class, Beginners Course, Kids Class. Swami Shivabhaktananda and few others had come down to City on 3rd Feb 2015 to get altar and boutique items for Canada Ashram. It was lovely helping him. A Saturday Headstand Workshop, with Sandhya explained and demonstrated the posture. When it was the students turn they were able to do half Headstand. We had a special guest who came all the way from Canada. Staff members of Madurai Centre started getting ready for his arrival, the students as well as the Staff were eager to meet him and know him even more. Finally Prahlada ji arrived with Janaki, Dr. Sunitha, Krishna, Yamuna & Rahul from Madurai Meenakshi Ashram. Prahlada ji’s class was, as always, out of this world. We had a very good number of students and Staff on a Special Sunday Satsang with Prahlada ji. Practitioners for the class were 22 people, Satsang were 37 people and followed by dinner. The Satsang was mind blowing. We have never felt such a strong prana level from any other than Prahlada ji himself. He explained it very beautifully and with quotes “One should see God in everyone, no matter what the situation might be.” “ Just forgive and you will see God in them and everything else too and you only are God”. It was lovely and very true. A challenge to implement it in this Kali Yuga. The Satsand was followed by a dinner, sponsored by two of our old practitioners Madhavan & Kaman, and prasad by Manoranjitham. Staff members thanked each and everyone coming forward and making this event one of the most beautiful moment to cherish. All students appreciated Prahlada ji’s energy, class and overall everything else. We joined the graduation of ATTC at the Meenakshi Madurai Ashram. The students were happy to be called “Acharya”. The weather was pleasant.

During mid-February we felt good vibes from the students. All our classes continued on and well attended – Open Class, Ladies Class, Kids Class and Private Class. We attended the Meenakshi Ashram on Sunday to greet the new batch of TTC – a good number of students and a very smart group. Durairaji came to visit the Centre and spent couple of hours catching up, taking the staff for dinner. The weather continued to get even more hotter. The Satsangs were uplifting, helping the Centre to keep the positive energy by Meditating, Chanting the Gods’ and Masters’ name and also by reading the teachings of Our Gurus. All was good, with our Guru’s Blessings. Pranams from the Temple city, Madurai, to each and everybody in the Sivananda family. Om Shanti.

http://www.sivananda.org/madurai

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February we started the month with lots of energy. Picked up to give their lessons teachers Enrique, Kamala and Anandi. Karina, which was responsible for cleaning, was on leave. Lalita and Laura tried to maintain the cleanliness of the Centre. On Tuesdays a nice group gathers for the pregnancy class. The Centre was busy most of the month. Many people registered for the Wednesdays and Thursdays beginners courses. The Meditation was guided by Lalita. It was attended by people who are not members and students. The energy was beautiful. One Saturday, the people who came to the trial class signed up for the next course for beginners starting on February 20th. The rest of the activities developed normally.

During mid-February two teachers came from Brazil – Narayani (Brazil) and Saraswati (Brazil) and Prema from Argentina to be with us as karma yogis. Prema will stay until March 14 after which she will attend the TTC Refresher in Bariloche, Argentina.
We celebrated Sivaratri with good attendance and delicious prasads. Students and teachers were full of devotion. We continued with the beginners courses with a very enthusiastic group. Guillermo Carter (Gopala) just finished his TTC in Garopaba 2015. He began to assist during asana classes. We began a new Friday beginner course with an excellent amount of students. Atmadev came back to teach at the Centre after his beautiful experience at the ATTC in Garopaba, Brazil. We also had the Open Day, attended by a large group of people where they were very interested in the activities that we presented. It started with Introduction to Meditation guided by Kanti Devi, then followed with Introduction to Yoga dictated by Chandra and finally the Yoga class was conducted by Prema. The rest of the activities continued normally. Om and Pranams to everyone in the Sivananda Family from the staff at Montevideo.

http://www.sivananda.org/montevideo

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February the Centre is operating smoothly. We began two yoga 2 courses, which a large proportion of students signed up for, and the students have a good sense of determination. They have already been talking about joining the open classes. A ‘Positive Thinking’ course began with Sushila. The group included new students that have recently began their asana practice at the Centre. The group was open and have been coming to the Centre throughout the week, including Satsangs. We were reminded of all the paths of yoga that Swami Vishnu offered to students within the organization, which has supported the individuals’ Sadhana. A few new children came to the kids class sand have appeared to enjoy the experience together. We held the winter ‘Montreal Weekend’ at the Ashram. We had a group of about fourteen people, including 5 children from the Centre. It was a wonderful weekend, where they joined the snowshoesing. The children had their own yoga classes that Yamuna came to teach, and activities run by the Montreal staff, which consisted of mainly playing in the snow!! It was a joyous sunny weekend, and for some, it was the first time in the Ashram. There was good feedback and we were pleased to see more people becoming more connected to the Ashram. We were thankful for everyone’s contribution, which made it possible. This is the 4th Montreal weekend offered to the students and the momentum for them is growing.

During mid-February a highlight for the Centre was the celebrations of Sivarathri. It was a blessing to share the evening with students and devotees. Approximately 45-50 people attended the celebration, which consisted of chanting and a beautiful Puja, conducted by Priest Siva. The vibrations were raised that evening and remained high for the whole week. Staff and a group of attendees carpooled to the Ashram in 5 cars. The energy there was vibrant and high and rejuvenated us all to continue chanting throughout the night. The program ended with a large feast and an abundance of sweet prasad. We thank Master and Swami-ji for their continued grace. Pranams to all the Sivananda family. May the blessings of Master and Swamiji be with all.

http://www.sivananda.org/montreal

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February we had a retreat “Stress and Stress Management”, with Chandrika. The participants learned about stress within two lectures – how it develops and how yoga helps to prevent it. Afterwards they had two special asana classes with lots of stretching and relaxation. One of the courses, which we teach for a German health insurance company here in the Centre, had its last class. The next one is going to start in March. Swami Narayanananda went to the special program to Vienna. The cooking class “Vegetarian Dishes for Busy People” was a big success. Swami Narayanananda went one weekend to the special program in Berlin.

During mid-February we had a special program “Prana – Link between Body and Mind” with Swami Sivadasananda. Swamiji taught two 2.5 hours asana workshops “Dynamic Variations in the Forward and Backward Bends” and “Physical and Mental Strength in the Standing Postures”. Two inspiring Satsangs had the topics “Prana – From Breath to Intuition” and “Wisdom Pearls of Mantra Yoga”. One Saturday we also had our yearly teachers meeting in which we exchanged a lot of inspiration about teaching. A further highlight was the celebration of Sivaratri. The chanting of the Siva-mantra and the Pujas created a very strong spiritual atmosphere in the whole enter. We were happy to have Swami Durgananda with us who returned from the special program in Berlin. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/munich

Om Namah Sivaya! In early February new courses started for Introduction to Meditation and Positive thinking, along with Yoga Beginner and Beginner part 2 courses, the courses have been well attended. One weekend an Open House event attracted a good number of newcomers to the Centre. We were happy to have a visit from Srinivasan and Saraswati, on their way to visit affiliated Centres in Florida. They were accompanied by Mahadev Chaitanya who stayed over to teach our Advanced class and join us in a joyous Satsang. We started the first of a series of ten meetings for a group of 12 students to practice and explore further NVC, or Non-Violent Communication. This is held in collaboration with an NVC teaching organization here in New York. The first evening was a success with participants looking forward to much growth and learning in the coming weeks. We also saw the successful conclusion of the Sanskrit workshops held by the organization Samskritam Bharati.

During mid-February the city continued to experience very cold weather, with a fair amount of snow. One Tuesday evening we headed up to the Yoga Ranch directly after closing the Centre in the evening, to celebrate Sivaratri with the staff there. Karma Yogi Raj was kind enough to drive us. We arrived at the Ashram just after midnight to join in with the joyful night’s practice of Puja and Kirtan. We left the Ashram in the morning just after the celebrations ended, arriving back in the city just in time to open for the next day, a little tired but most definitely inspired. We were pleased to welcome Srinivasan for a short stay on his way to the Chicago Centre. One Sunday we welcomed a large group of the Centre’s teachers for a special Satsang, teacher’s meeting and asana workshop with Mahadev Chaitanya. Many useful ideas and suggestions were brought up during the meeting. As always we held joyful Satsangs on Sunday evenings. All are well and full of gratitude for Masters’ and Swamiji’s grace. Om Namah Sivaya from all the staff here at the NYC Centre. Om Shanti.

http://www.sivananda.org/ny

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February a highlight was the arrival of Swami Kailasanandaji from London for a weekend program on “Reconnect with Yourself” and Yagneswaraji, who arrived from Vilnius. Yagneswara gave beautiful morning Pujas for the staff and close students and a Ganesha Puja during the evening Satsang and a Lalita Sahasranama Yantra Puja – well appreciated by all. Swami Kailasananda started her program with a Meditation workshop, plus gave the Sunday open class and led the two evening Satsangs, which attracted many students. One Saturday we had on Open house, many new people came and registered for courses as well as many students from the Centre to get the 10% discount that day. Swami Kailasanandaji came back from London and gave two inspiring evening Satsangs on “Vedanta”, well appreciated by all students, teachers, residents and staff. We had a good headstand workshop one Saturday, taught by Kaivalya assisted by Nadapriya, with 19 participants plus, a workshop on Yoga at Home, taught by Gauri. We updated our webpage and made some posters to announce the next activities of the Centre in March. We sent the new brochure to get ready for printing.

During mid-February a highlight was the celebration of Sivaratri with the priest Yagneswaraji who performed three Pujas during the night, the first two Pujas with the repetition of the 1000 names of Lord Siva and the last Puja at 3am with the repetition of 300 names of Lord Siva. Swami Bhagavatanandaji, from Orleans, joined us for the night. About 90 participants joined the first part until 12pm and 50 participants stayed the all night until 5am. Parameshwara cooked a nice and light Indian break-feast for all. Everyone felt inspired with the spiritual energy of Lord Siva. Swami Kailasanandaji came back from London and gave an inspiring Sunday evening Satsang on “Purity, Master and disciple relationship”. OM and prem to all. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/paris

Om Namah Sivaya from Brasil. In early February the Garopaba TTC finished. Kanti Devi, Chandra and Tandava Chaitanya came to the Centre. A lot of teachers also came to help to put everything in place. The Centre had less students visiting than usual, but the beginners courses were very popular. We started a Beginners 2 with 25 students (a record) and a Beginners 1, with 13 students. We painted the small asana class and prepared to change the floor. Pranams, from all the staff at Porto Alegre Centre. May the blessings of Master and Swamiji be with all.

http://www.sivananda.org/portoalegre

Om Namah Sivaya, Blessed selves, from the Centre in Roma. In early February, due to the weather in Rome, with heavy rain everyday, the attendance was a little lower. When the rain stopped it was our busiest day ever, with all classes full that day.
Mid month saw a very energic week with the celebration of Sivaratri. One Saturday we had an Open House, with many newcomers who registered for the next courses. Karma Yogis helped during the day to make the event very successful. One Sunday we had a special 3 hours yoga class. All the students were very happy to be able to participate in the long, deep and detailed practice. The staff at the Centre are all fine. We pray that Master and Swamiji continue to guide and protect us. Om Shanti.

http://www.sivananda.org/rome

Om Namo Narayanaya, Blessed Selves. After a 7-month hiatus and the selfless efforts of many karma yogis and supporters, the Centre re-opened 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. The grand reopening of the Centre will be on May 3 with an Open House day. In the meantime a temporary asana class schedule will begin Tuesday March 12th. Visit our website for details. May Staff, Teachers, and Students throughout the world see a wonderful beginning to 2015 and that Master and Swamiji guide us in our Sadhana. Om Shanti.

http://www.sivananda.org/sanfrancisco

Om Namah Sivaya from the Tel Aviv Centre. In early February Shankara Chaitanya returned from his month long trip to the Yoga Retreat. Both the staff and the students were happy to welcome him back to the Centre. During the week an Advanced Meditation course started with 14 students and a Yoga 1 with 16. The weekend program attracted many students and the classes were packed. The winter visited us once again with a cold, windy and rainy storm. We started a new Yoga 3and Yoga 1 both with 12 students. A great progress was made with the April-June program and we expect the brochure to be on its way to print in the next two weeks. As the Sivaratri approaches, the energy of Lord Siva is really felt in the Centre, especially during the morning Satsangs’ chanting. Blessings and Peace to all of the Sivananda Family from the Tel Aviv Centre.

http://www.sivananda.org/telaviv

Om Namah Sivaya, Blessed Selves. February is the coldest month of the year in Tokyo, but students who practice yoga eagerly come to Tokyo Centre despite cold weather. We held a workshop named “Yoga and Meditation”, taught by Vishnu. Workshop consisted of 2 hours of class per day, for 2 successive days. We received quite a few inquiries beforehand, and the workshop quickly became fully booked with 22 students. It was nice to know that many people in Tokyo are interested in meditation. Next step for us is planning to start 5 weeks meditation course in the near future. Despite the cold weather, the blooming plum trees tell us that spring is coming. There was a student who came from very far away only to take a class in Tokyo Centre. Staffs were all impressed and were thankful for her eagerness to learn yoga. We sold a lot of Valentine’s Day special version of Sivananda Cookies made with chocolate chips. Those cookies became popular among the students, we had to bake them repeatedly.

During mid-February the weather was still cold, but we got a feeling of the “Spring” little by little after the New Year in the lunar calendar of Japan. Some plants and flowers were ready to bloom. Spring is best season to practice Yoga in Japan. We are waiting for that. One Saturday, we held a workshop of “Ayurveda Cooking” by Padmavati Masako. 8 people joined this workshop who enjoyed the cooking and eating. One Sunday, we had held workshop called “Pelvis Adjustment”, by Tara. This workshop was very popular and had full of reservations – 20 students. They were very much interested in the lecture and listened to the guidance very carefully. Tara prepared to teach the “Headstand Workshop” next month. May Master and Swamiji bless us to be able to provide this. Pranams.

http://www.sivananda.jp

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February a prenatal course started, led by our teacher Padma, who is experienced mother of two boys. It is very nice to see how our prenatal courses don’t just teach prenatal practice but also build a community of new mothers who often stay connected once babies are born and support each other in their Sadhana.
As our online registration is repaired, we noticed more sign ups for upcoming courses and workshops. We continued to offer meals for students twice a week, which are very popular and appreciated as many students come to the Centre straight from work and do not have time to prepare a healthy late dinner.
It was nice to have Ganga, a karma yogi from Montreal, visit for the weekend. She very much enjoyed hospitality of the Centre staff. On Saturdays, after Puja, teen and open class, we have our regular staff lunches to which our teachers and karma yogis are always welcome. Many of them often express that this helps them feel as part of the Centre family and gives them a nice break from their hectic lives. We saw the coldest week of the winter with temperatures around minus 20 C! We started new beginners course and we ended our meditation course on Friday with lots of students signing up for the next level. Our teacher Simone made delicious lasagna for our Tuesday dinner that many joined as a goodbye dinner for Durairaj who is leaving to India for few months. One Sunday ten students attended Stress Management course and appreciated learning yogic tools to manage busy city life. One evening Satsang a close student brought Valentine cake and we asked Durararaj to read a message from Sivananda Upanishad and wished him well for his upcoming trip.

During mid-February Prahlad returned from India where he went to teach Sadhana Intensive and ATTC in Madurai Ashram. We said goodbye to Durairaj who went to India for few months to visit family and help with getting boutique stock ready for Toronto Centre and Yoga Camp. We didn’t have our regular class with teenagers from mental health Centre this week because of the long, Family Day weekend that is celebrated in Ontario. One Friday we started Meditation 2 course with students from the introductory meditation course that ended previous week as well as other students who needed support with the practice. Our teacher Lisa gave Introduction to Vegetarian Cooking workshop this week, in which she taught students basics of vegetarian as well as yogic nutrition and helped them make simple recipes they can easily use at home. The weather continued to be very cold with snow falling daily and although Toronto looks beautiful, driving conditions made it harder for students to get to yoga classes after their work. Pranams to all. We send Om Namo Narayanaya to every one.

http://www.sivananda.org/toronto

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February a Yoga 1 batch for ladies began in the morning and a mixed beginners’ batch in the evening. The current early morning beginners’ batch completed their last week. All other classes went well. Swami Parameshwariananda spent the day with us before returning to the Himalayas. As well as the regular Lalitha Sahasra Nama Pooja we also had Ganapathy Homa for the first day of the new Malayalam month. Prahlad ji visited briefly, having meeting with the staff to useful guidance and advice for running the Centre before returning to Madurai in the evening. Students were introduced to the practices of Jala Neti and Sutra Neti in a Kriya Workshop. Early month Satsang was led by Moni ji.

During mid-February a new Monday beginners’ batch started. All other classes went well. We cleaned the outside of the Centre’s front boundary wall. Suresh ji & the South Indian Yatra Group visited our Centre. They attended the Satsang which was led by Sw. Rajeshwariananda Mataji. They all had dinner in the Centre. Regular Lalitha Sahasra Nama Pooja conducted on Fridays. Moni went home for two days. Surendran ji, a senior teacher led a Sunday Satsang. Pranams to the Sivananda family worldwide. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/trivandrum

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February a highlight was the 4 day special program, On the Wings of Devotion and Wisdom. Preparations were finished just in time of the arrival of the Acharyas Swami Durgananda and Swami Sivadasananda, who arrived with our Indian Guest of Honour and the three accompanying musicians. Also Swami Narayanananda arrived. The programme was a great success. Many students and teachers came to participate and find inspiration. Swami Durgananda gave 2 lectures – one on the importance and necessity of spiritual practice and the other on how to overcome spiritual obstacles. Swami Sivadasananda and Swami Narayanananda gave inspiring lectures and asana workshops. Our Indian Guest of Honour led us to the wings of devotion and wisdom with his soul stirring recitations from the Srimad Bhagavatam. Also part of the program was a teacher’s meeting for the active Centre teachers. Many staff and Karma Yogis had come to support the program and the Centre activities. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya. The departure of the Acharyas, the special guests and visiting staff after the special program went well, despite heavy snowfall during the whole day. The Vienna staff, still supported by Sivani from Reith, started bringing the Centre back to normal operation. 11 new courses started, among them Yoga 71. We had a weekend Yoga 1 course with good attendance and also on a Saturday TTC prep, with very interested participants. Most of them were students from the Centre. All became inspired to start their TTCs this year. Weather conditions in Vienna were quite winterly at the beginning of the week, which reduced attendance in classes and courses. Many Karma Yogis supported the Centre.

During mid-February a highlight was the Sivaratri celebration. Many teachers and students, also some newcomers, joined the Poojas and the mantra chanting. The altar and the room was nicely prepared by the staff. The energy had built up during the whole day and was gentle and strong. Almost half of the devotees stayed until the final Pooja at 3 o’clock, then kicheri was being served for all. Everybody was highly inspired by the celebration. One Saturday we had a workshop on mastering emotions – which was well attended. On a Sunday we had a successful Open House with many, mostly young, visitors. Most of them participated in all of the Open House activities. Drop In classes and courses were moderately attended. Staff almost finished bringing the Centre back to normal operation after the special programme. The Centre had good support from Karma Yogis. Other courses, drop-in classes and Satsangs were well attended. Staff are well. OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/vienna

Om Namah Sivaya. In early February courses and classes went very well. Yoga 1, 2, 3 courses started. Also we created a Yoga 4, morning course, which has started with 6 students. One Saturday a lively group of twenty students came for the cooking class named “Vegetarian Dishes for Breakfast and Dinner”. Students learned about gunas, proper cooking with spices and to prepare balanced meal. We focused very much on different advertisement of TTC in Lithuania, posters and leaflets were done and distributed to Yoga Centres in different cities of Lithuania. We started a Yoga 2, as well as morning Yoga 1 course, with eight students. Inscriptions for the upcoming Yoga 1 continued to come in. Many students were calling and subscribing for the TTC in Lithuania by reading a local magazine, where our advertisement and interview with Acharya were placed. Karma yogis were of great help as well as teachers supporting the Centre nicely by teaching some extra classes.

During mid-February the Centre worked on a reduced schedule because of a public holiday – Independence day in Lithuania. Yoga 1 and Yoga 2 courses started. Sivaratri celebration was very inspiring for all students and staff plus, for those who visited this Centre for the first time. We started with a Siva mantra repetition, followed by a beautiful Puja. Energy builded up very nicely and students offered thanks after feast came into the end. Prasad was lovingly prepared by close karma yogi and the Centre`s Staff. One Saturday we had TTC prep day. 8 students attended lecture and even 3 subscribed for the TTC in Lithuania! Yoga for seniors happened for the first time. Durga Devi came back from Berlin on weekend inspired, sharing some experiences she had. Prem to all! OM.

http://www.sivananda.org/vilnius