My Guru

Sivananda

Vishnu-devananda

This is a brief introduction to my Guru and organisation that profoundly influenced my life. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and Ashrams were founded by Swami Vishnu-devananda, a disciple of Swami Sivananda, the Great Sage from Rishikesh, Himalayas. Swami Vishnu-devananda was born in 1927 in kerala, South India and named Swamy Kuttan Nair. He first met Swami Sivananda in 1945. He joined the ashram two years later and in 1949, he was initiated into Sannyas(an order of monks in the lineage of Adi Shankaracharya) by Swami Sivananda and given the name Swami Vishnu-devananda. He was appointed as the Hatha Yoga Professor and also Swami Sivananda's personal assistant. In 1957, Swami Sivananda gave him 10rupees and instructed him to go to the west and teach hatha yoga, saying "people are waiting". Thus, began a long journey which took him across the globe teaching yoga classes and giving lectures. He established the first yoga center in Montreal, Canada and published "Complete illustrated book of yoga" in 1960. He started the first ashram at Val Morin, Quebec in 1962 and this Yoga Camp is still the main ashram today. You can see the full list of centres and ashrams on the link http://www.sivananda.org/

At the yoga camp, you can see Swamiji's Peace Plane in the Peace Museum, painted colourfully 60's style by Peter Max. Swamiji flew the plane over Belfast, Northern Ireland with Peter Sellers, dropping leaflets of peace. He flew over the Suez Canal and was very nearly shot down by Israeli pilots, and in 1983, he flew over the Berlin Wall in an ultralight aircraft. There is a beautiful DVD called "In the Name of Peace" where you can learn more on this, and it can be purchased through the Sivananda Centres, available in english, spanish, french and german.

 

Swami Vishnu-devananda's biography and books are available at http://www.yogastall.com/

The Yogi: Portraits of Swami Vishnu-devananda, Gopala krishna

Books written by Swami Vishnu-devananda;

Complete illustrated book of yoga

Meditation and Mantras

Hatha Yoga Pradipika 

The image of Swami Sivananda is from "Glorious Vision. A Pictorial Guide to Swami Sivananda" by the Divine Life Society   http://www.sivanandaonline.org/       

I became more involved with the Sivananda Yoga Centre in London, and moved in with a fellow yogi in april 1988. In July I travelled to the Yoga Camp in Val morin to take the Sivananda Yoga Teachers Training Course, and it is here that I first met with Swami Vishnu-devananda. He had been in mouna(silence) for one year. He had a powerful prescence and I would see him sitting in meditation as I made my way to my lectures in the hall. He was present in our satsangs(meditation, chanting and discourse). Towards the end of our one month course, Swamiji came out of mounam, and gave us some lectures. On July 29th Swamiji conducted the GuruPoornima puja(ritual worship). This is a day which is celebrated every year, saluting all our Gurus. On this day, I was given mantra initiation by Swamiji. It's also the day I married Chandra. Swamiji gave us the marriage blessing immediately after all the initiations(though it's not up to Swamiji to make it work!). 

  The Sivananda Yoga Teachers Training Course(TTC) is an intensive one month residential experience. I would recommend it to every yogi, even if you have no interest in teaching. In my day, it was only available in a few ashrams, but now there are so many locations to choose from, and it is available almost all year round. In fact on this sunday, the very first TTC will take place in Vietnam. Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnu-devananda's mission to disseminate yoga and vedanta worldwide continues, making it available for everyone so we can utilise the tools of yoga in a down to earth practical manner according to our circumstances and ability. My life has been greatly enriched through having the blessings of these Gurus and their teachings. I have met many wonderful people along the way from all walks of life and numerous students from all backgrounds. I taught immediately when I came back to the Sivananda Yoga Centre in London and am now teaching all over London. Teaching Yoga gave me satisfaction, contentment and a sense of purpose. For me, its the best way to center myself, I always feel more energised, more relaxed and meditative after teaching a class. I have learnt a lot along the way, and am very aware of my weaknesses. I am aware when I lose connection due to worries and anxieties, but then the uplifting words of these great Gurus helps me to refocus my energies and keep things in balance.