| At its core,
Sivananda Yoga is geared toward helping students answer
the age-old question "Who am I?" This yoga practice
is based on the philosophy of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh,
India, who taught disciples to "serve, love, give,
purify, meditate, realize." In order to achieve this
goal, Sivananda advocated a path that would recognize
and synthesize each level of the human experience including
the intellect, heart, body, and mind.
In 1957, his disciple Swami Vishnu-devananda introduced
these teachings to an American audience. A few years
later, Vishnu-devananda founded the International Sivananda
Yoga Vedanta Centers, summarizing Sivananda's system
into five main principles: proper exercise (asanas);
proper breathing (pranayama); proper relaxation (Savasana);
proper diet (vegetarian); and positive thinking (Vedanta)
and meditation (dhyana).
There are more than 80 centers worldwide, as well as
ashrams and teacher-training programs, all of which
follow a hatha yoga practice emphasizing 12 basic postures
to increase strength and flexibility of the spine. Chanting,
pranayama, and meditation are also included, helping
students to release stress and blocked energy.
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