Swami Vishnudevananda (1927-1993) first studied with the great yogic master Swami Sivananda Saraswati before spending the remainder of his life traveling to bring these classic yogic teachings to the rest of the world. The founder of the family of Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres that began in Montreal and now include locations in Paris, London, New York, Buenos Aires, and the Bahamas (among many other locations), Swami Vishnudevananda was also the author of now-standard works on yoga and the originator of the first-ever yoga teacher training program in the West. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres continue his vital work through a rich variety of in-person and online classes and programs. One of the traditional teachings it offers is an immersion into the practice of Ayurveda, whose name in Sanskrit means “science of life.” Ayurvedic medicine, dating back some 3,000 to 5,000 years, is among the world’s oldest and most comprehensive health systems. It seeks to promote balance and harmony of body and mind by implementing healthier lifestyle modifications and treatments derived from nature. Ayurveda’s therapeutics and detoxification systems make use of a variety of dietary guidelines, exercise regimens, and herb-based treatments. In every case, an ayurvedic practitioner works closely with a client to create a program based on individual needs. The power of ayurvedic treatment at Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre locations is enhanced by the practice of yoga, the relaxing atmosphere, and the accessibility of healthy foods. Ayurveda remains a respected source of health care for numerous people in India and neighboring countries. via WordPress https://ift.tt/3d1IxVb
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Swami Vishnudevananda (1927-1993), a revered yoga teacher on the international scene, particularly among Western audiences, established the first Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in Montreal, followed by numerous others worldwide. These centers, along with ashrams, retreats, and study centers, continue the life’s work of Swami Vishnudevananda and of his own Master, Swami Sivananda Saraswati, in promoting the principles of mental, spiritual, and physical good health through the classical tradition of yoga. As taught through the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and their popular locations such as the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in the Bahamas, hatha yoga is centered on 12 basic yogic asanas, or postures. These yogic poses are designed to engage, strengthen, and tone every muscle, ligament, and joint in the body as well as reinvigorate the functioning of all its glands, tissues, and organs. Many of these asanas are familiar to people with even a casual familiarity with yoga. Well-known asanas include the Headstand (which improves circulation and strengthens concentration, memory, and more) and Shoulderstand (which stimulates the thyroid gland and helps regulate metabolism). Others are less familiar, but also highly effective. While all produce multiple positive effects throughout the body, each has a particular focus. The Plough, for example, helps elongate the muscles of the spine, the Fish increases respiratory capacity, the Locust fortifies the resiliency of the abdominal walls, and the Coba works the deep muscles of the back. For basic information on all 12 essential postures, visit Sivananda.org/teachings/12-basic-asanas. via WordPress https://ift.tt/3jr3wll Dedicated to leading by example, Swami Vishnudevananda was a yogi and spiritual teacher who profoundly touched many lives through the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre. One aspect of practice that Swami Vishnudevananda emphasized through his own experience, training in Rishikesh, India, under Swami Sivananda, was becoming one with the Guru. What this involves is a two-way process of giving and receiving in which the disciple follows the Guru’s instructions, both in spirit and outward action. This awakens dormant energies and abilities within the self, and kindles what some have described as a “spiritual fire.” Along with this inner passion comes virtuous qualities such as calmness, patience, mercy, humility, and endurance. Discipleship also brings with it a willingness to volunteer for tasks with no material reward as a path toward greater self-realization. The “two-way street” aspect of discipleship extends to propagating the Guru’s teachings, once they have been internalized, and conveying the same sense of aspiration and cosmic love to less-evolved souls encountered in life. This process is never finished, even up to the last breath, among those who have deeply and observantly imbibed the Guru’s virtues. via WordPress https://ift.tt/2L4PjOb A spiritual leader who advocated for world unity and peace, Swami Vishnudevananda was a practitioner of the classical yoga tradition. His years of training in Rishikesh, India, under Swami Sivananda Saraswati led Swami Vishnudevananda to establish the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre and his goal of reaching a global audience. As recounted by a fellow teacher and practitioner in the book The Story of Swami Vishnudevananda in His Own Words, one of the yogi’s distinguishing characteristics was that he worked ceaselessly to be the best example of what he expounded. In this way, his yogic activities transcended mere practice to become a “living principle.” One memorable example came in the early 1990s on New Year’s Day at the Val Morin ashram in Canada. At an advanced age and confined to a wheelchair, Swami Vishnudevananda determined that he would greet the new year with a pilgrimage around the sizable ashram grounds. Along the way, he would make offerings at various temples of incense, flowers, and prayer. The fellow practitioner, though decades younger, was at first reluctant to join his teacher on such a pilgrimage, due to the biting winter cold. Despite this, he took inspiration from Swami Vishnudevananda and accompanied the group on their rounds, later describing it as one of the most memorable starts to a New Year. The take-home lesson was that physical limitations and adverse external conditions should never be seen as obstacles when it comes to performing one’s duty. via WordPress https://ift.tt/3sPdEbI Born in Kerala, South India, in 1927, Swami Vishnudevananda began studying at the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh at age 20. A student of Swami Sivananda Saraswati, Swami Vishnudevananda became the first professor of hatha yoga at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy, where he trained numerous Indian and Western students.
A part of the Divine Life Society, the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy is located on the grounds of the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh, India, on the bank of the Holy Ganges River. The ashram, home to monks trained by Swami Sivananda, attracts spiritual seekers from around the world. Students at the Forest Academy undergo spiritual training aimed at helping them live as humane, integrated personalities, focusing on the teachings of the Divine Life Society. The Forest Academy offers English-language courses that help student sharpen their mental faculties through well-established yoga methods, as well as cultivate practical aspects of physical health. Additionally, the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy publishes cultural books, journals, and literature of the Divine Life Society. As founder and leader of the nonprofit International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, Swami Vishnudevananda guided a network of learning centers that included the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in the Bahamas. The classical yoga tradition embodied by Swami Vishnudevananda continues at the retreat to this day.
Inclusivity is at the center of daily practice at the ashram, which exposes individuals to wisdom from worldwide traditions under the maxim "Unity in Diversity.” This interspiritual and interfaith dialogue incorporates perspectives from various artistic and scientific disciplines. Further, symposia and events bring community members together in shared endeavors that emphasize creativity as well as continuous philosophical and spiritual exploration. This diversity of learning is anchored by a unified commitment to fostering a positive shift in consciousness at the planetary level. One aspect of this is attaining inner peace through a combination of asana yoga poses, pranayama breathing, meditation, and shared expressions of joy and devotion through chanting. Not limited to the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, this mission extends throughout the organization’s worldwide reach. |
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