Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center
Established 1959
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center has been serving the New York City community for the past 58 years. It is part of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, a worldwide organization founded by Swami Vishnudevananda in 1957. Swami Vishnu was one of the first yogis to come to the West to spread the teachings of yoga and start a yoga teacher training course. He was sent here by his guru, a great saint of India, Swami Sivananda. Out of deep love and devotion for his guru, Swamiji named the organization after him.
Sivananda Lineage
International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers
Swami Sivananda
(1887-1963)
Swami Sivananda is a great saint of modern India. After a successful career as a medical doctor, he renounced the world, practised intense meditation and attained self-realisation. Through over 200 books, he made the timeless wisdom of yoga and vedanta known to the whole world. He summarised the essence of his teachings as “Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realise.” Swami Sivananda was the founder of the Divine Life Society Ashram in Rishikesh, Himalayas. He trained many outstanding disciples in his ashram, one of whom was Swami Vishnudevananda. In 1957, Swami Sivananda sent Swami Vishnudevananda to teach yoga in the West with the words “People are waiting”.
Swami Vishnudevananda
(1927-1993)
It was the life’s work and mission of Swami Vishnudevanada to teach yoga in the name of his master, Swami Sivananda. He was sent to the West in 1957 and established the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers at the heart of many of the world’s capital cities. Swami Vishnudevananda was a master in hatha and raja yoga and brought the teachings of yoga and vedanta in its purest form to the West. He was also a great activist for world peace, bringing the message of peace to many troubled spots. Thousands of students were personally trained by Swami Vishnudevananda as yoga teachers and many more have been inspired by his books, The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga and Meditation and Mantras.
Our mission
Our mission at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center NYC is to spread peace, health and joy through yoga. All are welcome to come to our center to learn not only about how yoga can help maintain a healthy body but also how Yogic philosophy, applied in daily life, can help maintain a peaceful mind and spirit. The goal of yoga is inner and outer peace and the realization of unity in diversity.