Founder: Kuppuswami (later changed name to Swami Sivananda Saraswati)
After graduating from medical school, Dr. Kuppuswami ventured to Malaysia where he felt there was a great need for his talent. Often, he would waive fees for patients that could not afford it. One patient that could not afford the fee was a Monk who in return gave him instruction in Yoga and Vedana. This was the catalysis to his life changing purpose.
With his new discovered wealth of knowledge, Kuppuswami went in search of his Guru. He traveled to the Himalayas in the holy town of Rishikesh. Here, he discovered his Guru who gave him Sannyas (vows a monk takes of renunciation). Once these vows were taken, he would now be known as Swami Sivananda Sarawati and began his intense training for about 10 years. Within that time many co-Sadhus looked to Swami Sivananda for his inspiration and guidance.
Even though, Swami Sivananda rarely left Rishikesh, his teachings spanned the globe through his 200 books on topics connected to Yoga and Philosophy. His style of writing was very direct and bursting with dynamic, spiritual energy. As a result many who read his books felt their lives deeply touched and transformed. Many ventured to Rishikesh to learn from him directly, and to bask in his holy presence. The teachings of Master Sivananda are summarized in these 6 words:
"Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realize".
In 1957, Swami Sivananda sent his devoted and industrious disciple, Swami Vishnu-Devananda to the West where he then established the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers.
One of his brilliant touches was to summarize these ancient and vast teachings into five principles of Yoga:
1. Proper Exercise (Asanas)
Our physical body is meant to move and exercise. If our lifestyle does not provide natural motion of muscles and joints, then disease and great discomfort will ensue with time. Proper exercise should be pleasant to the practitioner while beneficial to the body, mind and spiritual life.
2. Proper Breathing (Pranayama)
Yoga teaches us how to use the lungs to their maximum capacity and how to control the breath. Proper breathing should be deep, slow and rhythmical. This increases vitality and mental clarity
3. Proper Relaxation (Savasana)
Long before the invention of cars, planes, telephones, computers, freeways and other modern triggers of stress, the Rishis (sages or seers) and Yogis of yore devised very powerful techniques of deep relaxation. As a matter of fact, many modern stress-management and relaxation methods borrow heavily from this tradition. By relaxing deeply all the muscles the Yogi can thoroughly rejuvenate his nervous system and attain a deep sense of inner peace.
4. Proper Diet (Vegetarian)
Besides being responsible for building our physical body, the foods we eat profoundly affect our mind. For maximum body-mind efficiency and complete spiritual awareness, Yoga advocates a lacto-vegetarian diet. This is an integral part of the Yogic lifestyle.
5. Positive Thinking (Vedanta) & Meditation (Dhyana)
Here is the most important point of all, we become what we think. Thus we should exert to entertain positive and creative thoughts as these will contribute to vibrant health and a peaceful, joyful mind. A positive outlook on life can be developed by learning and practicing the teachings of the philosophy of Vedanta. The mind will be brought under perfect control by regular practice of meditation.
After graduating from medical school, Dr. Kuppuswami ventured to Malaysia where he felt there was a great need for his talent. Often, he would waive fees for patients that could not afford it. One patient that could not afford the fee was a Monk who in return gave him instruction in Yoga and Vedana. This was the catalysis to his life changing purpose.
With his new discovered wealth of knowledge, Kuppuswami went in search of his Guru. He traveled to the Himalayas in the holy town of Rishikesh. Here, he discovered his Guru who gave him Sannyas (vows a monk takes of renunciation). Once these vows were taken, he would now be known as Swami Sivananda Sarawati and began his intense training for about 10 years. Within that time many co-Sadhus looked to Swami Sivananda for his inspiration and guidance.
Even though, Swami Sivananda rarely left Rishikesh, his teachings spanned the globe through his 200 books on topics connected to Yoga and Philosophy. His style of writing was very direct and bursting with dynamic, spiritual energy. As a result many who read his books felt their lives deeply touched and transformed. Many ventured to Rishikesh to learn from him directly, and to bask in his holy presence. The teachings of Master Sivananda are summarized in these 6 words:
"Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realize".
In 1957, Swami Sivananda sent his devoted and industrious disciple, Swami Vishnu-Devananda to the West where he then established the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers.
One of his brilliant touches was to summarize these ancient and vast teachings into five principles of Yoga:
1. Proper Exercise (Asanas)
Our physical body is meant to move and exercise. If our lifestyle does not provide natural motion of muscles and joints, then disease and great discomfort will ensue with time. Proper exercise should be pleasant to the practitioner while beneficial to the body, mind and spiritual life.
2. Proper Breathing (Pranayama)
Yoga teaches us how to use the lungs to their maximum capacity and how to control the breath. Proper breathing should be deep, slow and rhythmical. This increases vitality and mental clarity
3. Proper Relaxation (Savasana)
Long before the invention of cars, planes, telephones, computers, freeways and other modern triggers of stress, the Rishis (sages or seers) and Yogis of yore devised very powerful techniques of deep relaxation. As a matter of fact, many modern stress-management and relaxation methods borrow heavily from this tradition. By relaxing deeply all the muscles the Yogi can thoroughly rejuvenate his nervous system and attain a deep sense of inner peace.
4. Proper Diet (Vegetarian)
Besides being responsible for building our physical body, the foods we eat profoundly affect our mind. For maximum body-mind efficiency and complete spiritual awareness, Yoga advocates a lacto-vegetarian diet. This is an integral part of the Yogic lifestyle.
5. Positive Thinking (Vedanta) & Meditation (Dhyana)
Here is the most important point of all, we become what we think. Thus we should exert to entertain positive and creative thoughts as these will contribute to vibrant health and a peaceful, joyful mind. A positive outlook on life can be developed by learning and practicing the teachings of the philosophy of Vedanta. The mind will be brought under perfect control by regular practice of meditation.
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