Sivananda World News: The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashrams
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Camp, Val Morin, Quebec, Canada
Om Namah Sivaya
We had a wonderful weekend for the Thanksgiving celebrations. Teachers from Montreal and Toronto joined the retreat and gave a lot of support for asana classes and various other karma yoga tasks. During Satsangs and lectures, we covered relevant themes such as Gratitude, Love, Service, Sadhana, Developing good Habits, Ultimate Wellbeing. All guests and staffs really enjoyed this very inspiring celebratory week-end.
During the month, we held various other retreats “The Healing power of sound”, “Increasing Vitality”, “Joy of Cooking”.
We received twenty-five Vanier college students for a yoga vacation program. They enjoyed a bonfire satsang and enjoyed participating in the temple ceremonies. They also had four asana classes during their stay and made good progress from first class to last class.
Our great maintenance team is renovating the front terrasse and the entrance of the lodge building.
The Subramanya Ayyappa temple welcomed a large crowd of devotees on this last long week-end of the temple season. We also celebrated Navaratri in the Subramanya Ayappa temple.
Sivananda Dhanwanthari Ashram, Neyyar Dam, Kerala, India
Yoga Vacationers and panchakarma patients continue to appreciate the ashram peaceful atmosphere.
During Navaratri, we offered Lalitha Sahasranama Archana in the mornings with nama vali. In the evening, along with the Sahasranama stotram chanting at the temple, the reading of Devi Mahatmyam was conducted with a good number of guests joining. We had a beautiful week of devotion dedicated to the Devi.
Works on the Sita room bathrooms is in full swing with extensive painting and maintainance. We are working on improvements of the Ganga dormitory where bathrooms are being added.
Sivananda Ashram, Netala, Uttarkashi, Himalayas, North India
Greetings from the Banks of Ganga.The beginning of the month was filled with spiritual experiences, outdoor adventures, and a transition in the atmosphere of the ashram. The staff team began a memorable 18km trek to Gaumukh, a sacred glacier in the Himalayas. We stayed overnight at the Bhojbasa campsite, located in the serene surroundings of the Gangotri region. After reaching Gaumukh, we immersed ourselves in a holy dip in the Gaumukh glacier, a deeply spiritual experience. Back in Gangotri to spend the night at Sharada Kutir. A homam or sacred fire ritual, was conducted outside Swami Vishnu’s cave for the progress of the and development of the cave. We have plans to begin renovation during this winter. The staff then left from Gangotri to return to the ashram in Uttarkashi.
We welcomed students for the Sadhana Intensive, starting auspiciously at the same time as Navratri.
During daily puja for Navaratri, the Lalita Sahasranama and Mahishasura Mardini stotram were chanted, invoking the divine feminine energy. The weekly medical camp was conducted as usual for the local community around the ashram. The ashram staff is diligently preparing for the upcoming Sadhu Bhandara, a significant event in honor of Swamiji Samadhi Anniversary celebrations.
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Meenakshi Ashram, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Namaste. We began the Panchakarma Detoxification Program on Sunday with a Dhanwantari Homa at our Kali temple. As we have started Ayurveda facility at our Sivananda Hospital, we will be continuing to offer the program and other Ayurveda facilities all throughout. This would help our Yoga vacationers too to avail the Ayurveda offerings during their ashram stay.
We had an eventful Navaratri. Navaratri festivities began at the Kali Temple with more guests joining for the regular Lalitha Sahasranaama Chanting owing to the auspiciousness revolving around the feminine divinity celebration.
The Teachers’ training course started auspiciously and the students smoothly sailed week by week.
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch Colony, Woodburne, NY, USA
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm, Grass Valley, California, USA
During the month, we had a great group of enthusiastic students for the Teachers’ Training Course (TTC). They had special conferences Ayurveda. Students enjoyed kitcheree and greens, Ayurveda treatments and consultations. The students also enjoyed the conference on Vaastu.
We celebrated Navaratri with daily pujas. The highlight of the month was the culmination of the work on the new Dhanvantari Shrine near the lavender fields, landscaping, painting, and decorating. We completed the shrine just in time for the Vijaya Dasami celebration.
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, Nassau, Bahamas
Hari Om! The focus was on repair and maintenance projects to prepare the ashram for the start of the season. Tents were also put up to make more space for karma yogis, guests and TTC students.
After an inspiring nine nights of powerful pujas for Navaratri, we celebrated Vijaya Dasami on Tuesday morning, with the priest blessing our books, and instruments of service from all of the various departments. We also had a grand reenactment of the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana during the Dussehra Puja.
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat House, Reith or Mittersill, Tyrol, Austria
We used the beginning of the month for maintenance and advertising projects, as well as for preparations for the upcoming TTC in Rudraprayag, India. The guests enjoyed longer outings and lectures on different physical and psychological aspects of yoga. The warm fall weather was inviting for afternoon classes on the outside platform and even a short dip in the nearby lakes. Over 100 students joined the next online course “Hatha Yoga – Tap the Source” with Swami Sivadasananda.
We gathered for the Navaratri festival, immersing ourselves in the transformative energy. Our on-site guests and numerous online participants joined us for the programme.
Towards the end of the month, we welcomed guests for the All Saints retreat. Swamis from Munich and Vienna, longtime students and teachers from the centers and new guests arrived for the six day-retreat. Throughout the retreat, guests enjoyed gentle and intermediate asana classes, focusing on physical and subtle aspects of the practice. Lectures and satsangs focused on the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of meditation.
Ashram de Yoga Sivananda, Orleans, France
The Teachers Training Course ended very well. During October, they enjoyed the kriyas, advanced pranayama and had good enthusiasm in teaching classes. They were a focussed group of students.
We had various yoga vacation programme : “yoga and nature walks”, “foundations of meditation”, “yoga and permaculture”, “relaxation and sublimation of stress”. During the All Saints retreat, we had a very nice group of students and teachers. Teachers came to the course “yoga for seniors”. All left very satisfied and recharged.
We are working enthusiastically on the programme calendar for 2024. On the ashram grounds, the walking paths were redrawn and cleared. We are preparing and protecting the grounds for a healthy winter. The kitchen is still receiving a good amount of vegetable from the farm: potatoes, spinach, carrots, figues among others. Everyone is well and happy at the ashram.
Sivananda Ashram Dà Lat, Vietnam
During this month, we welcomed several international guests; the number of visitors we are receiving from outside Vietnam is increasing steadily. The Ayurveda Therapist Training concluded successfully. The Ayurveda house welcomed the arrival of students for the Detoxification course. Staff Hatha Yoga teacher training continues. Landscaping and renovation work continues, now with the upcoming November TTC in view. Staff are well and inspired.
Worship of the Divine Mother provided a strong focus at the ashram, with daily pujas during Navaratri.
Sivananda Ashram Tapaswini, Gudur, Andra Pradesh India
New guests are joining us for Yoga Vacation program from Salem, Hyderabad and Jharkhand. A lot of work took place around the ashram which included new fencing and cleaning up of the vast area on the other side of the ashram, mango trees and the outside footpath.
We conducted a successful Advanced Asanas class at Chennai centre which was well received. Currently preparations are going on for SIYVAM and Swami Janardananda ji will be with us in a few days.
Shojiko Japan Retreat, Tokyo, Japan
The Tokyo center will be officially reopened on the 4th of November with Swami Sitaramamanda and Pandit Samavedula.
Meanwhile lots of activities are going on to have the new building ready. We performed daily Navratri pujas to bring good energy to the center.
https://sivananda.jp/eng/shojiko-retreat/ http://www.sivananda.jp
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Spiritual Calendar
| NOVEMBER 2023 03 Ekadasi 09 Ekadasi 09 Swamiji Mahasamadhi 11 Swamiji Jalasamadhi 12 Divali (Deepavali) 13 New Moon 23 Ekadasi 27 Full Moon DECEMBER 2023 Sadhana is catching hold of one ideal and sticking to it at all costs, even at the risk of life. – Sri Swami Sivananda |
Glossary
Deepavali (Divali)
DEEPAVALI or Diwali means “a row of lights”. It falls on the last two days of the dark half of Kartik (October-November). There are various alleged origins attributed to this festival. Some hold that they celebrate the marriage of Lakshmi with Lord Vishnu. In Bengal the festival is dedicated to the worship of Kali. It also commemorates that blessed day on which the triumphant Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana. On this day also Sri Krishna killed the demon Narakasura.
In South India people take an oil bath in the morning and wear new clothes. They partake of sweetmeats. They light fireworks which are regarded as the effigies of Narakasura who was killed on this day. They greet one another, asking, “Have you had your Ganges bath?” which actually refers to the oil bath that morning as it is regarded as purifying as a bath in the holy Ganges. Everyone forgets and forgives the wrongs done by others. There is an air of freedom, festivity and friendliness everywhere. This festival brings about unity. It instils charity in the hearts of people. Everyone buys new clothes for the family. Employers, too, purchase new clothes for their employees.
Waking up during the Brahmamuhurta (at 4a.m.) is a great blessing from the standpoint of health, ethical discipline, efficiency in work and spiritual advancement. It is on Deepavali that everyone wakes up early in the morning. The sages who instituted this custom must have cherished the hope that their descendants would realise its benefits and make it a regular habit in their lives.
In a happy mood of great rejoicing village folk move about freely, mixing with one another without any reserve, all enmity being forgotten. People embrace one another with love. Deepavali is a great unifying force. Those with keen inner spiritual ears will clearly hear the voice of the sages, “O Children of God! unite, and love all”. The vibrations produced by the greetings of love which fill the atmosphere are powerful enough to bring about a change of heart in every man and woman in the world. Alas! That heart has considerably hardened, and only a continuous celebration of Deepavali in our homes can rekindle in us the urgent need of turning away from the ruinous path of hatred.
On this day Hindu merchants in North India open their new account books and pray for success and prosperity during the coming year. The homes are cleaned and decorated by day and illuminated by night with earthen oil-lamps. The best and finest illuminations are to be seen in Bombay and Amritsar. The famous Golden Temple at Amritsar is lit in the evening with thousands of lamps placed all over the steps of the big tank. Vaishnavites celebrate the Govardhan Puja and feed the poor on a large scale.
O Ram! The light of lights, the self-luminous inner light of the Self is ever shining steadily in the chamber of your heart. Sit quietly. Close your eyes. Withdraw the senses. Fix the mind on this supreme light and enjoy the real Deepavali, by attaining illumination of the soul. He who Himself sees all but whom no one beholds, who illumines the intellect, the sun, the moon and the stars and the whole universe but whom they cannot illumine, He indeed is Brahman, He is the inner Self. Celebrate the real Deepavali by living in Brahman, and enjoy the eternal bliss of the soul. The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon and the stars, nor do lightnings shine and much less fire. All the lights of the world cannot be compared even to a ray of the inner light of the Self. Merge yourself in this light of lights and enjoy the supreme Deepavali.
Many Deepavali festivals have come and gone. Yet the hearts of the vast majority are as dark as the night of the new moon. The house is lit with lamps, but the heart is full of the darkness of ignorance. O man! wake up from the slumber of ignorance. Realise the constant and eternal light of the Soul which neither rises nor sets, through meditation and deep enquiry. May you all attain full inner illumination! May the supreme light of lights enlighten your understanding! May you all attain the inexhaustible spiritual wealth of the Self! May you all prosper gloriously on the material as well as spiritual planes!
From Hindu Fasts and Festivals by Swami Sivananda