International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres

The International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres organisation with locations around the world is dedicated to the teaching of classical yoga and vedanta to promote physical, mental and spiritual health. The Organisation is recognised internationally as one of the most important and authentic yoga institutions in the world.

A global network of Ashrams and City Centres offer teachings on all aspects of yoga and meditation-including our world-renowned teacher training courses-yogic studies including raja yoga and vedanta and sacred culture programmes.

Our founder Swami Vishnudevananda synthesised the essence of yoga into five principles that could be easily incorporated into daily life. These comprise the core teachings of the four paths of classical, traditional yoga and make the wisdom of the ancient sages easily accessible to beginner and the more experienced alike.

About Us

Teachings and Lineage

The teaching lineage of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres can be traced back many hundreds of years to the great sage Adi Sankaracharya (788-802 CE) who unified the diverse spiritual practices prevalent at the time into a cohesive system based on the Upanishads of the Four Vedas.

The teachings have been passed from guru to disciple in an unbroken chain to the present day and are the mainstay of the teachings of our organisation.

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The Sivananda Experience

Teacher Training

Gain a solid foundation in the classical yoga tradition in our life-transforming residential courses held at our Ashrams worldwide. You will awaken and strengthen your own yoga practice as well as build a firm foundation in classical yoga from which to teach others instinctively and confidently connecting to a tradition and lineage passed down through millennia.

Yoga Vacation

Join our Yoga Vacation programme, designed by Swami Vishnudevananda and offered in our beautiful Ashrams around the world. Daily yoga and meditation sessions, healthy vegetarian food, inspiring spiritual teachings with like-minded people in an idyllic setting bring mental and physical relaxation and spiritual growth. We are open year-round and we welcome all.

Karma Yoga

Our organisation is run on the principles of selfless service or karma yoga, the act of offering one’s services for the benefit of others and the foundation of all yoga paths. Serving others is considered an essential practice to open the heart; it diminishes selfishness and egoism and brings us closer to understanding the unity underlying all of creation.

“Serve All” Community

Explore the charitable activities and projects supported by the Sivananda Yoga community around the world. Inspired by our teachers Swami Vishnudevananda and Swami Sivananda’s teachings, we support free medical camps, prison outreach, nutrition programmes, yoga in schools, and assistance for the socially disadvantaged.

Locations

Ashrams & Centers

We have more than 25 centers around the world in different locations.  Click here to see them all.

Yoga Life Magazine

Browse in PDF format

2020 – 2021

Spring 2019

Summer 2018

We have been publishing the Yoga Life Magazine for more than 30 years.  Click here to browse older versions.

Testimonial Video

The Importance of Sivananda Yoga with David Frawley

David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) discusses the importance of Sivananda Yoga as a spiritual and healing tradition of classical yoga as a complete system of well-being. He explains authentic yoga as a science for bringing complete peace, harmony and balance to the mind and heart.