What is Sivananda Yoga?
Sivananda Yoga is a classical, holistic system of yoga derived from the teachings of Swami Sivananda Saraswati (1887–1963) of Rishikesh, India. It was codified for international teaching by his disciple Swami Vishnudevananda (1927–1993). Anyone asking what Sivananda Yoga is will usually find the answer in its five principles: proper exercise (asana), proper breathing (pranayama), proper relaxation (savasana), proper diet (vegetarian), and positive thinking and meditation (Vedanta and dhyana). The system pairs a fixed class structure with a philosophical framework drawn from Advaita Vedanta and the four classical paths: karma, bhakti, raja and jnana yoga. Sivananda yoga meaning, in short, is an integrated way of life rather than only a posture method.
Origins & lineage
Swami Sivananda was born Kuppuswami Iyer in 1887 in Pattamadai, Tamil Nadu. He trained as a physician and practiced in British Malaya. He renounced his career and was initiated into the Saraswati order of sannyasa in 1924 in Rishikesh. He founded the Divine Life Society in 1936 and the Sivananda Ashram on the banks of the Ganga. He wrote on the order of 200 books and promoted the maxim “Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realize.” His pupils included Swami Chidananda, Swami Satchidananda, Swami Sivananda Radha and Swami Satyananda Saraswati, who founded Bihar School of Yoga. Swami Vishnudevananda was sent west in 1957. In 1959 he founded the first Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in Montreal. He established the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch in New York State. He also trained teachers through a Teachers’ Training Course from 1969. He published The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga (1960), still the best-known text of the lineage. Vishnudevananda was also known for peace activism, including flying a small plane over conflict zones in the 1970s.
How it’s practiced
A standard class lasts about 90 minutes to two hours and follows a set sequence. It opens with chanting of Sanskrit mantras such as Om and the Sivananda invocation, then relaxation. Next come Kapalabhati (skull-shining breath) and Anuloma Viloma (alternate nostril breathing). Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) follow, then the 12 basic postures in a fixed order: headstand (Sirshasana), shoulderstand (Sarvangasana), plough (Halasana), bridge/fish (Matsyasana), seated forward bend (Paschimottanasana), cobra (Bhujangasana), locust (Salabhasana), bow (Dhanurasana), spinal twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana), crow or peacock (Kakasana/Mayurasana), standing forward bend (Padahastasana) and triangle (Trikonasana). Savasana is taken between and after postures. The pace is steady rather than flowing, and students are encouraged to hold poses and stay relaxed.
Sivananda Yoga today
The organization runs ashrams and centers in places such as Val Morin (Quebec), the Bahamas, Kerala, Neyyar Dam, Orlando, Paris, Vienna and others. Many offer residential two-week yoga teacher training courses (TTC) of about 200 hours, plus retreats and vacation programs. A typical ashram day starts around 5:30 am with satsang (meditation and chanting), followed by two asana sessions, karma yoga (volunteer work), lectures, and an evening satsang. Meals are lacto-vegetarian. The Divine Life Society in Rishikesh continues separately. Several offshoots exist in the wider Sivananda family, including the Bihar School, Integral Yoga and Sivananda Radha’s Yasodhara Ashram, each with its own emphasis.
Common misconceptions
- It is not a physical-fitness style. Asana is one of five points and a preparation for meditation.
- It is not the same as Sivananda’s other lineages. Integral Yoga, Bihar Yoga and the Divine Life Society are related but distinct organizations.
- It is not a vinyasa style. The pace is slower and the sequence is fixed.
- The name does not refer to the deity Shiva. It honors the teacher, whose name Sivananda means “bliss of Shiva.”
- It is not exempt from controversy. Like many yoga lineages, some centers have faced allegations of misconduct, and former members have raised concerns about authority and conduct in the organization.
How to begin
For sivananda yoga for beginners, an open class at a local Sivananda center is the most direct entry. Classes teach the standard sequence at an accessible pace. A good first book is The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga by Swami Vishnudevananda. For philosophy, read Swami Sivananda’s Practice of Yoga or his Bliss Divine. A one-week stay at an ashram gives the full daily schedule. Those with health conditions should consult a physician, particularly before attempting inversions such as headstand.