Yoga, the science of union of individual and univeral consciousness, history spans more than 5000 years.
These ancient teachings have been passed from guru to disciple from the great sages and rishis of India.
One of the great yogis, Adi Shankaracharya, rediscovered the ancient vedantic teachings, reestablishing the sacred path of yoga throughout India.
The Saraswati lineage, from which Swami Sivananda hails, is one branch of a whole tree of yoga teachings which have descended from the teachings of Adi Shankaracharya.
Swami Sivananda, born in 1887 is regarded as one of the great saints of the 21st century. He trained as a medical doctor, this set his course in helping others and fueled his burning desire to serve the greater good. He tirelessly worked and wrote medical journals, joureying all over India and Malaysia.
In 1922, he became Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh and founded the Divine Life Society. He had many disciples and wrote over 300 books on the teachings and practices of yoga. Swami Sivananda left his body in 1963 leaving many disciples who have continued to spread his teachings.
One of his best known quotes is ‘serve, love, give, purity, meditate, realise’, which summarises his greater teachings.
Swami Vishnu Devananda was sent to the west by Swami Sivananda with the message ‘Go People are waiting’.
Alongside setting up the International Sivananda Vedanta organisation and founding ashrams and centres worldwide he embarked on active peace missions spreading the message of ‘unity in diversity’.
Inspired by a vision he created the Yoga Teachers Training Course to train the future leaders of today.
