Sivananda World News: The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres

It was a busy August. We started a beginners course for Ukrainiens taught in Ukrainien language. It is a big group and the students are very grateful for this opportunity. Several other courses started, among them a yoga beginners course with an inspired group of newcomers eager to learn the basics of asanas and pranayama. Classes and satsangs were also well attended.

We went on our annual summer retreat started in a wonderful location two hours north of Berlin in the countryside called Breitenteicher Mühle. The place is very suitable for our retreats. An inspired group of students joined, most of them students of the center and other cities like Hamburg and Hannover. The retreat followed the classical ashram schedule and everybody tuned in rather easily.

Project-wise, we painted the main hall in the first floor which looks very sattvic again. Many more Karma yogis very supporting with reception, teaching, cookies, polishing and cleaning. We concluded each week with the regular Sunday Satsang with Sunday prayers, the energy was uplifted and everybody felt recharged and uplifted.

http://www.sivananda.org/berlin

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

http://www.sivananda.org/baires

Prayers and Greetings from Chennai Centre,
We had several centre activities in August. Beginners’ courses, both online and in-person, started. We had a nice group of students for the headstand workshop. Our staff team took a day out to visit the Gudur ashram

In an effort to strengthen our community, we have exciting plans to organize cultural programs in the upcoming months. These events will not only enhance our yoga practice but also provide opportunities for our members to connect on a deeper level.

On Tuesday, August 15th, we celebrated Independence Day by hoisting the national flag in front of our center. There was a Ganapathi homam was organised at 5:00 AM at the center to mark the beginning of the Tamil month Avani. we had an exciting opportunity to teach at the Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday. We have announced a special event to celebrate Swami Sivananda’s birthday and Onam on 8th Sep.

Overall, the month progressed smoothly with the blessings of Swamiji.

http://www.sivananda.org/madras

We had various activities including beginner course and meditation course, a purification day with kriyas workshop and simple meal, prenatal yoga. We hosted an information day of TTC for students from Dalat City. Many karma yogis came to give testimonials. We all sat together for brunch that was cooked by the Cooking Workshop students. It feels like a small TTC Reunion in Dalat. Moreover, we taught a class for a group of foreigners. It was a nice experience to share yoga outside, not only at the center. Students gave very good feedback.

Otherwise, the center was busy focusing on the Restorative yoga and Nutritional Diet Course during the past weeks. Students continued to be inspired by the courses.

When there was more time, we could focus on some karma yoga projects such as cleaning the fish pond and deep cleaning the kitchen. Many karma yogis came to the centre to help and also to deepen their self-practice.

https://sivanandayogavietnam.org

With God grace and Guru’s blessings, the centre’s activities are going all well. We started new beginners courses with a good number of students. Open classes as well as advanced classes are going fine. Our headstand workshop was attended by a few enthusiastic and courageous students.

The highlight of the week was the celebration of 77th independence day, all the staff celebrated very nicely, and many students brought different kinds of sweets.

http://www.sivananda.org/dwarka

We have started renovating the rooms in the back building to accommodate additional staff or yoga vacation guests. The work is going quickly and we look forward to welcoming guests there soon.

The new Yoga Foundations courses are picking up and students seem to be responding positively. Staff visited Lodhi Gardens on Sunday to take some photographs for our promotions. We are working hard on promotions and trying to build our student base. Our new website is nearly complete.

Staff enjoyed an outing on Saturday for a movie and lots of treats.

http://www.sivananda.org/delhi

Om Namah Sivaya.

http://www.sivananda.org/geneva

Greetings from Hanoi.
Over the month of August, we continued with beginner courses, positive thinking course and open classes.

Children’s yoga summer course continues beautifully with a good group of children. They are also learning proper ways to do asana, chant, and regulate their energy and emotions. Both parents and children enjoyed the sessions at the centre, that they want to continue to do yoga once a week into the school year after this summer yoga course finishes. The center also plans to keep « yoga for children » once a week.

Sivakami Chaitanya went to Sapa on the first wellness retreat organised by DCT Responsible Travel and Hanoi Sivananda Yoga Center. The trips have a harmonious combination of accessible yoga class and yoga lifestyle workshop, local delicious balanced & pure vegetarian diet, unique travel experiences and access to indigenous knowledge of H’Mong and Day people. The trip was organised at an eco-tourism site, sustainable, fresh nature. We received very good feedback from participants, they asked many questions and showed interest in taking classical yoga practice seriously and wished to go to Dalat Ashram to experience a full authentic yoga life.

Towards the end of August, Hanoi entered early autumn weather, which was very lovely. Students enjoyed the dryer and cooler temperature in yoga class.

We continued our weekly international satsang with Swami Sitaramananda. The teaching was so strong and clear. Staff sadhana is steady.

We welcomed new students thanks to the two newly-opened courses, Kids yoga and Restorative yoga. Alongside throughout the month, the Yoga for Beginners, cooking and baking course, kirtan workshop, open houses, trial classes all went well and were well attended. Our introduction to TTC was specially welcomed.
In the Ayurveda course, we taught the students how to do Neti and use Nasya oil. In the mala beads workshop, the students patiently made their Mala beads chanting their mantra and the outcome was beautiful. Every activity went very well.

About the projects, we continued to make restorative and meditation pillows. More karma yogis came this week. All staff members are doing well and keeping their sadhana steady.

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

The Masters keep sending precious help. The karma yogis contributed with the deep cleaning of the laundry, the altar and the teaching halls. Some newcomers visited the Centre; they appreciated the peaceful mood and the integral aspect of the teachings.

There was a festive mood with the preparations for the special programme with the Acharyas, ‘The nectar of Divine Love’ of end of August. There were many projects of maintenance, logistics, karma yogis planning and promotion in which staff and the karma yogis were all assisting.

Many birds came in the afternoons to the peace Garden to chant and to eat the figues. During the Sunday silent walks, we enjoyed scenic gentle orange light.

http://www.sivananda.org/london

For our Joy of Ayurveda Weekend, Parvati gave a Kitchari Workshop, including making ghee and a brief talk about the 6 tastes. Dr Manjusha Vinjamury gave a very practical and comprehensive talk on Healing Remedies using Kitchen Spices and Herbs. Swami Sivasankariananda gave a Self-Abhyanga Workshop on Sunday. Parvati then offered a Yoga Nidra session.

Swami Sivasankariananda attended the 2-day, 10th Annual Global Homeboy Network conference. They aim to be a positive alternative to the prison industrial complex in the United States and beyond with a commitment to compassion, kinship and connection. Every presentation was an example of Love in action that touched your soul.

For our Holistic Health Retreat: Yoga for Addiction Recovery, we offered workshops on prana and the mind. The highlight of the weekend was a 12-step meeting Saturday evening with a powerful speaker with 37 years of sobriety. The participants shared and benefitted from witnessing each other’s openness and common struggle. We continue getting quotes for painting the exterior of the building.

Our weekend theme was Cultivate Inner Peace, which included workshops on Demystifying Meditation, Pranayama, and Peace of Mind. Discussions around the limbs of Raja Yoga were heartfelt and supportive in real time. Several guests new to the Center were immediately attracted to the Truth and nurture they received.

Loyola Marymount University offers a Masters degree in Yoga. Dr. Chapple, their professor, brought the incoming class to the LA Center for a yoga class and lunch on Wednesday. We all enjoyed the opportunity to share. We attended a reception at Dr. Chapple’s home on Friday to connect with the larger community. Members of the Black Everywhere group joined our Sunday morning yoga class; they have been coming monthly for a year!

http://www.sivananda.org/la

The Center started the August reduced schedule with good attendance. Classes will continue all month and the teachers are taking care of receptions and basic maintenance. Staff travelled on Friday to Aluenda in order to prepare the venue before TTC arrival. On Saturday a nice group of 20 TTC students reached safely and after the inspiring inauguration on Sunday the course schedule has started smoothly. Two yoga vacation programs were taking place parallel: Yoga and hiking and Fit with Yoga. Everyone is enjoying the healthy and positive environment. We are grateful to Master and Swamiji and looking forward to the coming weeks.

http://www.sivananda.org/madrid

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

http://www.sivananda.org/madurai

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

http://www.sivananda.org/montevideo

Om Namah Sivaya.

http://www.sivananda.org/montreal

We had a good month with Yoga 1 and Yoga 2 courses with groups of very motivated participants. The centre stayed open dring the main summer vacation week in Munich. The students who stayed in town were grateful that we offered our full schedule of classes and courses. We have now a good group of students enjoying satsangs. We had well-attended Sunday evening satsangs – the kirtan chanting in a bigger group always gives a lot of energy and joy!
The center-teachers helped to take good care of the center and teaching weekend classes.

http://www.sivananda.org/munich

Om Namah Sivaya from the New York Centre. May the Grace of Gurudev and Swamiji be upon us all. Om Shanti. Om.

http://www.sivananda.org/ny

During the month of August, we had a reduced open class schedule. Courses continued, and we had a well attended cooking workshop. There was a good group of student at our monthly Open House. We continued to work on planning the events for the brochure of the coming months.
Project-wise, staff focussed on deep cleaning the center. The altar peedam were repainted.

Swami Kailasananda visited and gave weekend satsang.

Separately, we had the annual staff outing. It was a very nice time together going to the Ganesha temple, where we asked for a Ganesha puja and did japa; then we visited the Sainte Chapelle, the private chapel where Saint Louis and his mother were praying.

Vasishta took initiation into Brahmacharya in the month of August at the ashram in Orleans, coming back to Paris as Vasishta Chaitanya.

http://www.sivananda.org/paris

Om Nama Sivaya.
During the month of August, we started two new courses: an advanced meditation course on the subject of “Patanjali Yoga Sutras” and also yoga for beginners course. We also started a new yoga for children teacher training course with Guy Dekel.

Planning for the fall Succoth retreat started.

Parvati Chaitanya from the ashram in Bahamas visited the center and took part in teaching and karma yoga in the center. She met yoga teachers that were her students in the TTC in Bahamas.

http://www.sivananda.org/telaviv

We had good groups of students in the Yoga level 1 and 2 courses. Pranayama and Meditation courses also took place with a good group of students who enjoyed staying for satsang after the course. Intensive asana classes had success.

http://www.sivananda.org/toronto

Pranams to all from the gods own country Trivandrum Kerala South of India. All is well by guru’s grace and god’s grace. The highlight was the Meditation Course. We hosted the course both in the morning and the evening. 12 People joined in the morning and 13 people in the evening. Beginner courses were succesful. All other classes are going well. staffs are doing fine and keeping their personal sadhana. Climate is pleasant at the moment.

The whole Kerala is in a festive mood for its upcoming big festival Onam. Everywhere so much crowd people are shopping and lighting the house to make it a big event. On Sunday we celebrated pre Onam with our centre outside teachers and some students.

http://www.sivananda.org/trivandrum

Drop-in classes and especially the satsangs were well attended this week. The students appreciate the good number of weekly classes offered in the summer holiday schedule. Temperatures in Vienna were high towards the end of the month and many students left for the countryside. Trial class was well attended, and we received a promising number of registrations for the upcoming Yoga 1 courses in September. The centre staff went to support the holiday programmes and TTC in the Sivananda Yoga Retreat House in Reith, Tyrol, Austria and the centre teachers are keeping up the teaching activities for the students. Students are happy to practice and are appreciating the teachers’ service.

http://www.sivananda.org/vienna

We are happy that the yoga centre is open at the height of the holiday season, with students coming for asanas and satsangs. Our Yoga 1 participants have all decided to take six classes courses Yoga 2.

We had a lovely visit by Swami Vairagyananda from HQ. She conducted a lovely kirtan chanting workshop on Saturday. After the asanas, everyone had a delicious celebratory meal, lovingly prepared by Parvati. On Sunday morning we had a nice satsang with Swami Vairagyananda, singing the Sunday prayers much to the delight of all. We thank Swami Vairagyananda for this beautiful weekend and sharing the yogic message through her voice and the harmonium.

Project-wise, we delved deeper into book work, and decided to finish the translation of Swamiji’s book ‘‘Meditation and Mantras‘‘ into Lithuanian and publish it as soon as possible. We started organising the weekend Retreat for Vilnius center teachers that will take place by the end of September. We hope to draw inspiration for Sadhana and Karma Yoga, to feel more united. Over twenty teachers have already registered.

http://www.sivananda.org/vilnius