Satyananda School of Yoga- Its background and history

[Guest guest]

Hello Uma,

 

I would love to share with you more about the satyananda school of

yoga. I am not so familiar with the other schools, although my first

yoga books were from the sivananda school of yoga. From their books I

quickly learned the basics of yoga in my teenage years. They teach the

12 basic asanas, the basic pranayamas and kriyas and also some

mantras. The sivananda school has 5 important principles according to

sivananda which makes things fairly easy. I ll quickly mention them

here:

 

1. Proper Exercise

2. Proper Breathing

3. Proper Relaxation

4. Proper Diet

5. Positive Thinking and Meditation

 

Coming to the satyananda school of yoga now, I would like to refer to

its history a bit. Swami Satyananda Saraswati was a disciple of the

well known Swami Sivananda, the father of modern yoga if I may call

him like that. He was born in Almorah in 1923. He joined his Guru, in

Rishikesh, and adopted the Dashnami Sannyasa life in 1943.

 

In 1955 he left Rishikesh to travel throughout India as a wandering

ascetic to assess the needs of modern society. In 1956 he founded the

International Yoga Fellowship Movement and, in 1963, the Bihar School

of Yoga (the first University of Yoga). He founded Sivananda Math, a

social and charitable institution to help the weaker, underprivileged

sections of society in 1984 and the Yoga Research Foundation, a

scientific research oriented yoga organization, in 1984.

 

AS far as the teachings and the techniques of this school are

concerned I can tell you one thing, they teach everything. They teach

various types of yogas according to the needs of the disciple and they

also get into much detail about things. Those are: Nada yoga, Kriya

Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Shankaprakshalana, karma yoga etc

Teaching include: yogic lifestyle, the mysteries of the mind, Music

and Consciousness, yoga and family, yoga and emotions etc.

 

When it comes to yoga classes, they are quite easy though, with easy

asanas, trying to develope firstly the awareness of the body. They do

not see yoga as a sport. They see it rather as an instrument for self-

realization. And it is a slow proccess.

 

After participating for at least 2 years in the school, one may apply

for initiation. Initiations take place twice a year usually on the

last day of Navaratri because this day is very auspicious. It is said

that a sadhana given on that day has 1000 times more power than on any

other day. Here in Greece, initiations take place in the satyananda

ashram by Swami Sivamurti Saraswati, internationally known as acharya

of yoga and disciple of Swami Satyananda Saraswati. An amazing woman

actually and a great yogini.

 

I hope this information is enough for the time being, I dont want to

bombard you with information. If there is anything specific you would

like to know, do not hesitate to ask.

 

Om Tat Sat