Sivananda (1887-1963)
Scientist and trans-national missionary 1930’s founder of Divine Life Society Ashram sites of education in Hindu culture Influenced by Swami Kuvalayananda and Sri Yoganandra
Only 12 asanas – part of healthy yogi lifestyle
Sivananda actually moved yoga out of narrow national goals and turned his organisation into an international or transnational missionary movement preaching universal peace based on individual physio-spiritual reform (Strauss 2008). He actively sent out the top people from his ranks as missionaries to the West to set up ashrams. In other words he was much more in line with Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo in promoting Hindu culture as a transnational salvation religion. At the heart of Sivananda’s business corporation are the ashrams. The ashrams function today as colleges for students who pay fees in order to become yoga asana teachers. The students’ main interest today is not the Hindu lifestyle, but mostly to get a certificate allowing them to conduct asana classes within public educational institutions. Students believe their style to be hatha-yoga. It is mainly marginalised Westerners who are interested in adopting the whole lifestyle of Sivananda.
Lengthen your sides. Return to center. Repeat on Avoid Yoga terms turning. Stand with your left side a few inches Yoga teacher training from a wall. Yoga terms Lift your left arm high. Test whether you are more comfortable with Yoga teacher training the palm side or the little finger side of your hand on the wall. Firm all arm muscles and retain the upper arm well within the shoulder joint. Inhale, lift up through your torso, and lean sideways toward the wall until your hip and possibly your shoulder area touch the wall. Gradually intensify this side stretch during several breaths. You can step a little farther from the wall for a deeper stretch.
