Introduction to Sivananda Yoga Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Yoga Popular Types Introduction to Sivananda Yoga By Ann Pizer Ann Pizer Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes. Learn about our editorial process Updated on September 28, 2021 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Sara Clark Reviewed by Sara Clark Sara Clark is an EYT 500-hour certified Vinyasa yoga and mindfulness teacher, lululemon Global Yoga Ambassador, model, and writer. Learn about our Review Board Print John Freeman/Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images Sivananda Yoga comes from the lineage of Swami Sivananda, as brought to the west by his disciple Swami Vishnudevananda in the late 1950s, making this style of practice an important part of yoga's first wave of popularity outside India. Sivananda (1887-1963) was well-known in India in the 1930s, when he founded an ashram in Rishikesh. He had previously been a practicing physician. He was sought after by western students who wished to study yoga and Vedanta. He founded the Divine Life Society in 1936 to organize and disseminate his teachings. Important Disciples Sivananda's yoga and philosophies traveled west courtesy of several influential disciples. One was Swami Satchidananda, who founded Integral Yoga. Another was Vishnudevananda, who came to North America in 1957 and soon started the first Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in Montreal, Canada. The key philosophical points and yoga methodology associated with Sivananda Yoga were the efforts of Vishnudevananda on behalf of further spreading his guru's messages. Today there are Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers in major cities in the U.S., western Europe, South America, and Asia, as well as eleven ashram retreats. Philosophy The Sivananda method is based on five principles for optimal health and spiritual growth, as described by Vishnudevananda. They are: Proper exercise (Asana, focusing on twelve poses in particular) Proper breathing (Pranayama) Proper relaxation (Savasana) Proper diet (Vegetarian) Positive thinking (Vedanta) and meditation (Dhyana) Basic Sivananda Yoga Poses A typical class begins with pranayama exercises. After warming up with sun salutations, the focus is on mastery of the twelve basic poses in the following order: Headstand Shoulderstand Plow Fish Seated Forward Bend Cobra Locust Bow Seated Spinal Twist Crow or Peacock Standing Forward Bend Triangle Savasana closes the class. The poses are ideally done slowly and with control to stretch and strengthen the body as well as open the chakras. The 12 basic poses of Sivananda include a little of everything: inversions, backbends, forward bends, twists, balances, and hamstring stretches. As students become proficient in the 12 basic poses, variations may be introduced. Is Sivananda Yoga for You The goal of this practice is to promote physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. The asana system is fairly fixed, so you must enjoy working slowly and methodically to fully master the prescribed poses. If you'd like to dive deeper into Indian philosophy, Sivananda will be supportive of this. The Most Popular Types of Yoga Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Pandurangi AK, Keshavan MS, Ganapathy V, Gangadhar BN. Yoga: Past and present. Am J Psychiatry. 2017;174(1):16-17. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16080853 Strauss S. The master's narrative: Swami Sivananda and the transnational production of yoga. J Folklore Res. 2002;39(2/3):217-241. By Ann Pizer Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Related Articles Try Gentle Yoga Styles for Stretching and Stillness What to Expect From a Hatha Yoga Class What Are the Most Popular Types of Yoga? Where Is Your Third Eye Located on the Body? The 6 Best Yoga Teacher Training Programs of 2022 31 Yoga Poses for Beginners How B.K.S. Iyengar Influenced Yoga The 8 Best Yoga Retreats of 2022 Past the Basics: Yoga Poses for Intermediate Levels What is an Asana in Yoga? Stateside Retreat Centers for a Rustic Weekend of Yoga Introduction to Vinyasa Flow Yoga The 9 Best Yoga Books of 2022 Best Online Yoga Classes of 2022 How Power Yoga Can Give You a Real Workout Inside the Mysteries of the Kundalini Yoga Practice When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept All