Our Lineage
Yoga for Children and Families
The Family Yoga Holiday Program at Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat gives families a chance to take a break from their busy lives and come back to themselves. Children get to experience kid-friendly yogic activities during the times when parents participa …
Quotes to Live By: Your Guide to Yogic Wisdom In Bite-Size Form for Further Reflection, Peace of Mind, and Inner Clarity
There are many reasons why Master Sivananda is considered a veritable sage by those in India and abroad. Beyond his exemplary behavior, cheery attitude, and the uplifting impression he left on everyone that met him, there is the sheer volume of writing …
Why Do Yoga Teacher Training Students Wear a Yellow and White Uniform?
In 1969, a master yogi named Swami Vishnudevananda created the first yoga teacher training in the West. Spurred by a vision of training generations of yogic peace ambassadors, he mapped out a curriculum from all he had learned from his guru, Swami Siva …
The Meaning of Satsang
“…the beginner will do well to take the opportunity that comes in his way to strengthen his own aspirations by communion with others who share them.” — Swami Sivananda, Bliss Divine Everyone is encouraged to attend both satsangs every day in the ashr …
A Pivotal Moment in Fish Pose: Sivananda Yoga Posture Stories
By Bea Doyle Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted by Sivananda Yoga …
Grounding through Shoulderstand: Sivananda Yoga Posture Stories
By Sri Devi (Jennie Hastings) Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted b …
The Power of Savasana
By Ali Shevlin (Rukmini) Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted by Siv …
The Wrong Triangle Pose: Sivananda Yoga Posture Stories
By Mark Hanuman Geraghty Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted by Siv …
A Rush of Blood to the Head with Standing Forward Bend
By Nora Sundari Benian Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted by Sivan …
Finding Balance, the Space Between Extremes: Sivananda Yoga Posture Stories
By Daniel Rama Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted by Sivananda Yog …
Lightening up in the Spinal Twist: Sivananda Yoga Posture Stories
By Carolyn Uma Berry Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted by Sivanan …
The Ugliest Bow: Sivananda Yoga Posture Stories
By Katie Ambika Papo Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted by Sivanan …
Learning to Love the Locust: Sivananda Yoga Posture Stories
By Mahadevi (Robyn Hennon) Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted by S …
How Cobra Lifted Me Up: Sivananda Yoga Posture Stories
By Stacie Saraswati Dooreck Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted by …
Paschimothanasana and Breaking My Own Resistance: Sivananda Yoga Posture Stories
By Surya Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted by Sivananda Yoga prac …
How Halasana Became Family: Sivananda Yoga Posture Stories
By Shahar Arjuna Kovetz Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted by Siva …
Making Peace with Sun Salutations: Sivananda Yoga Posture Stories
By Annapurna Devi (Grace Welker) Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitte …
Conquering Headstand at Age 61: Sivananda Yoga Posture Stories
By Padmavati Over time, our experience of yoga asanas evolves beyond the physical — the postures become our teachers and companions, showing us our relationship with ourselves and the world. Enjoy this collection of stories submitted by Sivananda Yoga …
Personal Stories: Connecting with the Sivananda Yoga Postures
We created a series of blog posts that follow the sequence of the Sivananda Yoga practice. All are true stories from brave souls who were willing to share their inner workings and private relationship with a certain posture or practice. Read the storie …
Yogic Holidays and Their Meanings
Have you ever wondered about the history and culture behind yoga? Beyond asana classes, yoga has a rich cultural history, including many holidays that signify many important elements of yoga and its Vedic roots. At the ashram, in addition to honoring i …
You Are What You Eat: The Yogic Lifestyle #3
How many facets of yoga do you know? How many do you practice? At the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas, a destination for yogis from around the world, yoga is based on five points that are practiced regularly in order to achieve wholeness in your …
Think Positive and Meditate: The Yogic Lifestyle #5
How many facets of yoga do you know? How many do you practice? At the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas, a destination for yogis from around the world, yoga is based on five points that are practiced regularly in order to achieve wholeness in your …
Relax Your Body, Relax Your Mind: The Yogic Lifestyle #4
How many facets of yoga do you know? How many do you practice? At the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas, a destination for yogis from around the world, yoga is based on five points that are practiced regularly in order to achieve wholeness in your …
Mindfully Move Your Body: The Yogic Lifestyle #2
How many facets of yoga do you know? How many do you practice? At the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas, a destination for yogis from around the world, yoga is based on five points that are practiced regularly in order to achieve wholeness in your …
Breathe Deeply: The Yogic Lifestyle #1
How many facets of yoga do you know? How many do you practice? At the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas, a destination for yogis from around the world, yoga is based on five points that are practiced regularly in order to achieve wholeness in your …
2016-2017 Welcome from Swami Swaroopananda
As we approach our 50-year anniversary, it is with deep gratitude that we welcome you to the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat. Our mission is to continue to serve the legacy of our Guru, Swami Vishnudevananda, and our Master, Swami Sivananda, by spreading …
The Full Yogic Breath
When the breath wanders, the mind is unsteady, but when the breath is still, so is the mind still. —Hatha Yoga Pradipika Benefits of the Full Yogic Breath Practitioners at all levels benefit from the Full Yogic Breath, which increases lung capa …
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat History: Glimpses of the Beginnings on Paradise Island
On May 14, 1969, Swami Vishnudevananda was quoted in a Bahamas newspaper: “Down there,” he says, pointing to the distant white sand beach, “they stand on their feet and gamble, and we stand on our heads and meditate. They let their bodies get stiff and …
Good Vibrations at the Bahamas Ashram: Healing Connections with the Mystical Past
People visiting the Bahamas ashram, from visiting presenters to Sivananda devotees to yoga vacationers, often talk about its special qualities — with good reason. “For many years, when masters and healers came here, they all saw the same thing,” says S …
Diving into Swami Vishnudevananda’s Five Points of Yoga
In these days of mindfulness, positive psychology and the science of happiness, the yogic lifestyle is the ideal approach to health and well-being. Why? Because much of what we may think of as new has actually been taught in the yoga tradition for mill …
The Sivananda Daily Chant
Chant with us! Please enjoy this video of the Sivananda Daily Chant, led by Swami Hridyananda and filmed during satsang at the Yoga Retreat in March 2014. We hope you find inspiration and return often. Here is the translation: Jaya Gaṇeśa …
