Sivananda Vedanta Center of New York

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In a crowded and noisy and stressful city like New York, it is possible to enter and feel the calm immediately at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center NYC. Located on 243 West 24^th Street in the Chelsea area of Manhattan, the Center (https://sivanandanyc.org/) has been offering in-person classes, workshops and courses on Yoga, Yoga Philosophy, and Asanas according to Sivananda’s principles.

A yoga guru and spiritual teacher, Sivananda left his medical practice to become a ‘sanyasi’. Once initiated, he founded the Divine Life Society, Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy, and the Sivananda Ashram on the river Ganges near Rishikesh.

Yoga of Synthesis: Sivananda made a new form of yoga popular, which was a combination of all the four yogas listed in the Gita, and called it the Yoga of Synthesis. In 1950, he traveled all through India and set up branches of the Divine Life Society and promoted the Yoga of Synthesis on a grand scale. Yoga of Synthesis, with elements of all yogas, was easy for everyone as it has a little of asanas, a little of pranayam, a little of meditation, a little of bhakti.

Later called Sivananda Yoga, it is now a part of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers in many countries of the world. However, the Centers are not linked to the Sivananda Ashrams which are run by the Divine Life Society in India.

Sivananda Vedanta Center, NY: True to its logo of a Healthy Body and a Healthy Mind, the Vedanta Center of New York emphasizes Sivananda’s disciple’s addition of five basic principles to be incorporated into daily lives:

Proper Exercise  (Asanas)

Proper Diet (Vegetarian)

Proper Breathing (Pranayama)

Positive Thinking and Meditation (Vedanta and Dhyana)

Proper Relaxation (Savasana)

The Center also offers classes, workshops, philosophical talks and many other activities on a daily basis.

Sivananda Yoga Ranch: These are also the principles on which the Sivananda Yoga Ranch is based. With a mission to spread peace, health and joy through Yoga, the Sivananda Ranch (https://sivanandayogaranch.org/) spread over 77 acres in the Catskills mountains has become a real retreat for New Yorkers and people from all over the U.S. since its inception in 1974.

Courses at The Ranch: The nearness of nature, the mountains and the lakes make courses in asanas and pranayama, vegetarian meals, and working an authentic experience in learning Yoga.

The Ranch’s in-person month-long residential program is introduced recently after the onset of the pandemic and allows a work-at-home life with minimum daily yoga and meditation practice and work at the karma yoga course. This program was specially introduced at the Ranch which was closed to regular visitors and was maintained by a small number of residents.

The Ranch also offers a camping option with visitors bringing their own private tents. The Ranch’s wellness center offers Ayurvedic healing.

The Karma Yoga program at the Ranch is also a month-long program aiming to train people to work for others and be part of the global Sivananda organization.

Other programs at the Ranch include Yoga Vacation: Emotional Intelligence Week; Sweat Lodge: Ecology Weekend; Yoga Vacation: Full Potential Week based on the epic Ramayana; Bhakti Yoga and Kirtan Retreat; Bhakti Yoga to Cultivate Faith; Meditation for Peace of Mind; Yoga Immersion Week for Beginners; Vedanta and Silence; Yoga for Depression; Yoga Teacher’s Training Course; Positive Thinking Weekend Retreat; Yoga for Stress and Anxiety; Essentials of Yoga: Health and Self-Healing and more.