Uma yogini: November 2011

Vishnu Swami in the scorpion in front of Master Sivananda and fellow Gurubais.

H.H. Swami Sivananda said to his young disciple, "Vishnu Swami, one day you must go to America. People are waiting there for you to teach them Yoga." With Faith and Devotion, Vishnu Swami set off on his mission in 1957, arriving first in Sri Lanka where his Gurubai Swami Satchidananda (who later founded Integral Yoga Institute) had a centre in Colombo. Throughout his journey, disciples of Swami Sivananda and devotees took care of him and arranged programmes so he could teach Hatha Yoga and conduct Satsang.

He travelled to Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia. In Indonesia he taught the police force and they were so grateful, they gave him an International Driving Licence! From there he went to Australia, Hawaii and finally landed in San Francisco, where he was met by Mr and Mrs McRury of Oakland. He conducted yoga classes and taught himself to drive. He was the subject of many tests at UCLA, testing muscle strength, changes during pranayama and meditation and so forth. This earned him $50 a day which was a lot of money for him. With only fruits, nuts and water in an old banger, he drove around America getting to know the place and the people. He visited Dr Marcus Bach, Professor of Religion at Iowa University who later wrote the foreword in Swamiji's "The Complete Ilustrated Book of Yoga".

Swamiji was also hosted by Mr and Mrs Massey in Ottawa. Mrs Massey was the daughter- in- law of the Governor General of Canada. He travelled to Montreal in 1959. Dora Henritt attended his first lecture in Montreal. She became his disciple Swami Ramananda and worked with him throughout her life. Sylvia Heck arranged all of Swamiji's programmes and became the first Secretary when the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers became officially established in 1959. The first Center was established in St. Lawrence Blvd where it is still thriving. Though his students wanted him to make Montreal the HQ, he travelled to New York thinking this would be his home base. Here, he began drafting an outline for "The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga". One student took this to a publisher and arranged an advance of $200 for him which Swamiji said literally saved his life and created the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers around the world. Swamiji was now travelling back and forth between Montreal and New York, and decided to get himself a plane and teach himself to fly thinking he would save on commuting expense! That plane is now in the Peace Museum at the Sivananda Yoga Camp in Val Morin, near Montreal.

While in Montreal, he noticed classes dropped dramatically in the summer months and learnt that Canadians were going to the Laurentian Mountains weekends and holidays. He had the idea of arranging a Yoga Vaccation. The first one was held in 1961 at Sylvia Heck's parents summer home in St Hyppolite. It was a new experience for Swamiji to see westerners shunning the comforts of their home to sleep roughly and live simply in their eagerness to learn yoga. He knew they were ready to learn.
While meditating, he often felt drawn by a magnetic energy towards Val Morin and knew something important would happen there. Sure enough, the following year, the first camp was held in Val Morin. Swamiji wanted a permanent site for the yoga camp and came to the current site in Feb 1962. It was a dense forest of maple trees and conifers, but Swamiji knew intuitively that this was to be his camp base. Along with students, Swamiji worked hard chopping trees, clearing up space and preparing for the opening day of the Summer Yoga Camp. Since that time, the Yoga Camp has welcomed yoga students from all parts of the globe, myself included. I first went there in July 1988 to take my Yoga Teachers Training Course, and this was an important turning point in my life. Next year is the 50th Anniversary of the Sivananda Yoga Camp in Val Morin.

Everybody is invited, see http://www.sivananda.org/camp/?page_id=2401
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The International Yoga Vedanta Centers worldwide have flourished with the Grace of Swami Sivananda and the pure devotion, brilliance and sheer hard work and sacrifice of my Guru, Swami Vishnu devananda. He dedicated his life to serve his Guru, and fulfill the Mission given to him by his Swami Sivananda, bringing Yoga to the West. He has enabled thousands worldwide to benefit from the teachings of Hatha Yoga, the wisdom and knowledge disseminated by Swami Sivananda, and all the Sages and Saints of India before him. We take it for granted now that we can go to yoga classes, learn meditation, go to a satsang and chant sanskrit mantras, go to an ashram for a yoga vaccation and learn many workshops and courses relating to the topic of Yoga. The organisation is non-profit and is run almost entirely by volunteers who have come and gone over the years, some are still around. Many people's lives have been touched by the work of this dynamic devoted Yogi, Swami Vishnu devananda, and the Universal Love and profound wisdom of Swami Sivananda. Swami Vishnu devananda never declared himself to be above anyone. In fact he always said he wasn't perfect and made mistakes. It can't have been easy for a young Indian man to arrive in the west with no money, no formal education or work, very few contacts and to quickly familiarise himself with the cultural differences of the western people and facilitate their learning of ancient yogic teachings. He was pragmatic and visionary, slowly introducing them to the practice in a form which they could assimilate into their daily lives. Unstoppable in his service to humanity, nothing was impossible. Understanding that humanity is One, he facilitated the coming together of people from all cultures, celebrating "Unity in Diversity". His work continues in all the Sivananda Yoga Vedanata Centers and Ashrams around the world and through the service of thousand of students who have taken the teachings home into their own communities all over the world.

Youtube video, camp 1962 and 1964

Available in http://www.yogastall.com/

"The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga" by Swami Vishnu devananda
"The Yogi, Portraits of Swami Vishnu-devananda" by Gopala Krishna

Reference: "YogaLife Spring 94" by the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers.
http://www.sivananda.org/

Uma yogini

Sunday 13 November 2011

Amma is coming to London

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Vishnu Swami sent to the West to teach Hatha Yoga, 1957