Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashrams & Centres, India is dedicated to the teaching of classical yoga and vedanta to promote physical, mental and spiritual health. Recognised as one of the most important and authentic yoga institutions in the world, our network of Ashrams and City Centres in India offer teachings on all aspects of yoga and meditation-including our world-renowned teacher training courses and yoga vacation. Our founder Swami Vishnudevananda synthesised the four traditional paths of yoga into five principles that could be easily incorporated into daily life. Our core teachings, passed from guru to disciple in an unbroken chain to the present day, make the wisdom of the ancient sages easily accessible to beginners and the more experienced alike. These traditional teachings have been and are the mainstay of the teachings of our organisation.

Swami Sivananda, the inspiration behind our organisation, had disciples around the world, owing largely to his having written so many books in English. Swami Vishnudevananda was later able to further his guru’s vision by travelling to the west in steps, teaching and establishing communities of dedicated yoga practitioners everywhere he visited.

Swami Vishnudevananda visited and taught in Australia as he made his way towards North America in the late 1950s. Swami Venkatesananda, also a disciple of Swami Sivananda, and a gurubhai of Swami Vishnudevnanda began teaching in Australia in the late 1970s. Over the years we have trained a number of yoga teachers from the region.

For the first time we are offering dedicated yoga programmes as well as our Teachers’ Training Course (TTC) online for students in Australia and New Zealand. These programmes provide an opportunity to connect with teachers and students from India to learn and practice yoga together.