To commemorate Swami Sivananda's Mahasamadhi (yogi's conscious decision to leave the physical body) day on 14th July 1963, we are going to celebrate it with special Satsang on Wednesday 14 July at 8.00pm. Satsang is free of charge. All are welcome, students can bring their friends and family.
The Short Biography of Swami Sivananda may help you to know him better.

Born on the 8th September 1887, in illustrious family of Sage Appayya Dikshitar and several other renowed saints and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this was a inborn eargerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind. His passion for service drew him to the medical career; and soon he gravitated to where he thought that his service was most needed. Malaya claimed him. He had earlier been editing a health journal and wrote extensively on health problems. He discovered that people needed right knowledge most of all; dissemination of that knowledge he espoused as his own mission.
It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon mankind that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career and took a life of renunciation to qualify for ministering to the soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practiced intense austerities and shore as a great yogi, saint, sage and Jivanmukta.

In 1932 Swami Sivananda started the Sivananda Ashram. in 1936 The Divine Life Society was born. In 1948 the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy was organized. Dissemination of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and Vedanta were their aim and objective. In 1950 Swamiji undertook a lightning tour of India and Ceylon. In 1953 Swamiji convened a 'World Parliament of Religious.'  Swamiji is the author of over 300 volumes and has disciples all over the world, belonging to all nationalities, religions and creeds. To read Swamiji's works is to drink at the Fountain of Wisdom Supreme. On 14th July 1963, Swamiji entered Mahasamadhi.

It was, I should say, by a flash that I came to the conclusion early in my life that human life is not complete with its observable activities and that there is something above human perception controlling and directing all that is visible. I may boldly say that I began to perceive the realities behind what we call life on earth, characterize man’s ordinary existence here bespeak a higher goal that he has to reach one day or the other.

When man get entangled in selfishness, greed, lush and hatred, he naturally forgets what is beneath his own skin. Materialism and skepticism reign supreme. He gets irritated by small things and begins to fight. In short, man is miserable. The doctor’s profession gave me ample evidence of the sufferings of this world. I found concrete proofs of the great saying: “Sarvamduhkhamvivekinah.” I was blessed with a new vision and perspective.  I was deeply convinced that there must be a place – a sweet home of pristine glory and purity and divine splendor – where absolute security, perfect peace and happiness can be enjoyed eternally. In conformity with the dictum of the sruti, I renounced the world, and felt that I belonged to the whole world.

A course of severe self-discipline and penance endowed me with enough strength to move unscathed amidst the vicissitudes of the world-phenomena. And I began to feel the great good it would be to humanity if I could share this new vision with one and all. I called my instrument of work ‘The Divine Life Society’.

Side by side, the stirring events since the advent of the twentieth century had their effect upon all keen-minded people. The horrors of past and possible wars, and the consequent suffering, touched the minds of people. It was not difficult to see that the pains of mankind were mostly brought on by its own deeds. To awaken man to his errors and follies and to make him mend his ways, so that he may utilize his life for attaining worthier ends, was felt to be the urgent need of the time.  As if in answer to this need, I saw the birth of the Divine Life mission, with its task of rescuing man from the forces of the lower nature and raising him to the consciousness of his true relation to the cosmos. This is the work of rousing the religious consciousness, and awareness of the essential divinity of man. 

Not by mere argument or discussion can religion be taught or understood. Not by precepts or canons of teaching alone can you make one religious. It requires a peculiar atonement withone’s vast environment, and ability to feel the deepest as well as the vastest, a genuine sympathy with creation. Religion is living, not speaking or showing.  I hold that whatever be one’s religion, whoever be the prophet adored, whichever be the language or the country, whatever be one’s age or sex, one can be religious provided the true implication of that hallowed term tapas, which essentially means any form of self control, is made capable of being practiced in daily life to the extent possible for one in the environment and under the circumstances is which one is placed.

I hold that real religion is the religion of heart. The heart must be purified first. Truth, love and purity are the basis of any real religion. Control over the baser nature, conquest of the mind, cultivation of virtues, service of humanity, goodwill, fellowship and amity constitute the fundamentals of true religion.  These ideals are included in the principles of the Divine Life Society. And I try to teach them mostly by example which I consider to be weightier than all precepts.

The modern thinker has neither the requisite time nor the patience to perform rigorous tapas and austere religious practice; and many of these are even being relegated to the level of superstition. In order to give the present generation the benefit of realtapas in the true religious sense, to revel to them its real significance and to convince them of its meaning and efficacy, I held up my torch of Divine Life, which is a system of religious life suited to one and all, which can be practice by the recluse and the office-goer alike, which can become intelligible to the scholar and the rustic in its different stages and phases.  This is a religion which is not other than what is essential to give meaning to the daily duties of the human being. The beauty in ‘Divine Life’ is its simplicity and applicability to the everyday affairs of the ordinary an. It is immaterial whether one goes to the church or the mosque or the temple for offering his prayers, for all prayers are heard by the One.

The average seeker after Truth is often deceived by the caprices of his mind. A person who takes to the spiritual path is bewildered before he reaches the end of this journey, and is naturally tempted to relax his efforts half-way. Many are the pitfalls, but those who plod on steadily are sure to reach the goal of life which is universality of being, knowledge and joy. I have laid great emphasis in all my writings upon the discipline of the turbulent senses, conquest of the mind, purification of the heart and attainment of inner peace and strength, suited to the different stages in evolution.

I have learnt that it is the foremost duty of man to learn to give, give in charity, give in plenty, give with love, give without any expectation of consequence, because one does not lose anything by giving, - on the other hand the given is given back a thousand fold. Charity is not merely an act of offering certain material goods, for charity is incomplete without charity of disposition, charity of feeling, charity of understanding, knowledge and attitude to others. Charity is self-sacrifice I different levels of one’s being.  Charity in the highest sense I understand to be equivalent to jnana-yajna.

Similarly I consider goodness of being and doing constitutes the rock-bottom of one’s life. By goodness I mean the capacity to feel with others and live and feel as others do, and be in a position to act so that no one is hurt by the act. Goodness is the face of Godliness. I think that to be good I reality, in the innermost recesses of one’s heart, is not easy, though it may appear to be simple. It is one of the hardest of things on earth, if only one would be honest to oneself.

There is no physical world for me. What I see I see as the glorious manifestation of the Almighty. I rejoice when I behold the Purusha with thousands of heads and thousands of eyes and feet, that sahasrasirshaPurusha. When I serve persons I see not the persons but Him of whom they are the limbs. I learn to be humble before the Mighty Being whose breath we breathe and whose joy we enjoy. I do not think there is anything more to teach or to learn. Here is the cream of religion, the quintessence of philosophy that which anyone really needs.

The philosophy I hold is neither a dreamy, subjective, world-beating doctrine of illusion, nor a crude world-affirming theory of sense-ridden humanism. It is the fact of the divinity of the universe, the immortality of the soul of man, the unity of creation with the Absolute, that I feel as the only doctrine worth considering. As the one Brahman appears as the diverse universe in all the planes of its manifestation, the aspirant has to pay his homage to the lower manifestations before he steps into the higher. Sound health, clear understanding, deep knowledge, a powerful will and moral integrity are all necessary part of the process of the realization of the ideal of humanity as a whole. To adjust, adapt and accommodate, to see good in everything and bring to effective use all the principles of Nature in the process of evolution towards Self-realization along the path of an integrated adjustment of the human powers and faculties are some of the main factors that go to build up a true philosophy of life. For me philosophy is not merely a love of wisdom but actual possession of it. In all my writings I have prescribed methods for overcoming and mastering the physical, vital, mental and intellectual layers of consciousness in order to be able to proceed with sadhana for self-perfection. The self-perfected ones are the ‘Sarva-bhuva-hite-ratah’.

To behold the Atman in every being or form, to feel Brahman everywhere, at all times and in all conditions of life, to see, hear, taste and feel everything as the Atman is my creed. To live in Brahman, to melt in Brahman and to dissolve in Brahman is my creed. By dwelling in such union, to utilize the hands, mind, senses, and the body for the service of humanity, for singing the names of the Lord, for elevating the devotees, for giving instructions to sincere aspirants and disseminating knowledge through the world, is my creed, if you call it one. To be a cosmic friend and cosmic benefactor, a friend of the poor, the forlorn, the helpless and the fallen is my creed. It is my sacred creed to serve sick persons, to nurse them with care, sympathy and love, to cheer the depressed, to infuse power and joy in all, to feel oneness with each and everyone, and to treat all with equal vision. In my highest creed, there are neither peasants nor kings, neither beggars nor emperors, neither males nor females, neither teachers nor students.

I love the life, move and have my being in this realm indescribable.

The first step is often the most difficult one, But once it is taken the rest becomes easy. There is a need for more courage and patience on the part of people. They usually shirk, hesitate and are frightened. All this is due to ignorance of one’s true duty. A certain amount of education and culture is necessary to have a sufficiently clear grasp of one’s position in this world. Our educational system needs an overhauling, for it is now floating on the surface without touching the depths of man. To achieve this, co-operation should come not only from society but also from the government. Success is difficult without mutual help. The head and heart should go hand in hand, and the ideal and real should have a close relation. To work with this knowledge is karma yoga. The Lord has declared this truth in BhagavadGita. I pray that this supreme ideal be a veritable heaven on earth.  This is not merely a wish, this is a possibility and a fact that cannot be gainsaid. This is to be realized if life is to mean what it really ought to mean.

by Swami Sivananda

A systematic introduction to the theory and practice of yoga for beginners or for anyone looking to renew their practice. This is twice-weekly course takes a step by step approach for developing strength, flexibility, good breathing habits, concentration and relaxation through:

We all aware that vegetarian diet is good for our health, especially with hormones injected into animals or genetically modified to make them grow faster or immune to certain disease. All these unnatural processes would pass down to our body when we consume them. We might not see immediate negative impact of consuming animals, however statistics have shown many disease or allergies have built up with prolong of consuming meat products.
Are you thinking of vegetarian diet is just salad, boring vegetable or blunt food? Have you thought about the delicious Thai cuisine also has its vegetarian and more healthy way of preparing? This cooking workshop will introduce you to simple but healthy and delicious Thai meal with salad, Thai red curry and healthy drink. We make it simple and wholesome so you can easily prepare at home.

Date: Saturday 10th July 2010 at 2.30 - 4.00pm

Menu:
- Brown Rice (Kaow som mue)
- Fresh Thai Salad (Yum hed hu noo)
- Red Curry Mushroom (Panaeng Hed)
- Lemongrass drink with Aloevera (Nam Takrai sai wan hang jarakae)

Fee:
$25,- per person
$20,- for Sivananda Yoga Centre's Student

Teacher: Pranava

Pre-registration and payment is required.
Email: info@sivananda.com.sg
Phone: 90679100
           .98386704

Yogic cleansing exercises are also called Kriyas using Water and Air to cleanse our physical body and purify our Nadis (energy channels).
Water cleansing includes nasal cleansing with water (Jala Neti) and with string (Sutra Neti). This exercise to remove excess mucus from the nasal cavity, improving your sense of smell and overall respiratory hygiene.

During Jala Neti exercise, warm salt water is made to flow from one nostril to the other and from the nose into the mouth in order to eliminate excess mucus. 
Whereas Sutra Neti exercise, a rubber string will go through nasal cavity to get rid of stubborn mucus. Neti pot and rubber string are required for this exercise (available at yoga centre).
Air purification includes (not limit to) Kalapa Bhati (active exhalation and passive inhala­tion) and Anuloma Viloma (alternate nostril breathing). Kapala Bhati consists of a series of short and active exhalations, alternated with passive, relaxed inhalations. The intense expulsions of stale air from the lungs increase the uptake of oxygen into the blood, which can be felt especially in the brain, make it an excellent way to improve your concentra­tion, whether you are practicing meditation or need a quick mental boost at work or study. Anuloma Viloma is an excellent way for balancing the nervous system, encourage the absorption of vital energy (Prana) into the body's subtle energy channels (Nadis) and energy centers (Cakras), and enhancing overall vitality and well being. Practicing it can calm you down when you feel hyperactive, stimulate you when you feel lethargic, and centre you when you feel distracted.

Date: Saturday 24th July 2010 at 2.30 - 3.30pm

Who should attend: 
- Current students who still could not feel the benefits described above, or still feel stress­ful during the ..
..practice.                             
- People prone to cold, sinusitis, asthma.
- People who aware of healthy living starts from physical and mental cleanse.

Fee: Workshop $20 per person. A set of Neti pot & rubber string $10.

Pre-registration and payment is required.
Email: info@sivananda.com.sg
Phone: 90679100
           .98386704

Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre Singapore
21B Bukit Pasoh Road
Singapore 089835
Website: www.sivananda.com.sg
Email: info@sivananda.com.sg
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Phone: 90679100 
            98386704

Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate & Realize