Bay Area Studio Highlight: Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center SF.
Studio name: Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center.
Location/neighborhood: Sunset/Parkside.
Parking/closest: Ample free street parking.
Public transportation: L Taraval Muni train to 23rd Ave or #28 Muni bus to Vicente. Bike racks also available.
What was the inspiration behind the studio? Swami Vishnudevananda was sent to the West in 1957 by Swami Sivananda, saying, "People are waiting." He taught tirelessly his 5 points of perfect health: proper exercise, proper relaxation, proper breathing, proper diet and positive thinking/meditation. He wrote "The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga." He designed a Yoga Teacher Training Course and encouraged people to take Yoga Vacations. His mission to help people find inner peace, led him to set up an international non-profit organization where all the ashrams and Yoga Centers in cities are run by dedicated volunteers.
Do you have a mission at your studio? To create a beautiful environment in the city—an oasis of peace in a chaotic world—where people from all walks of life can come to learn the classical yoga and meditation tools for attaining inner peace. This will help enable people to discover their True Self and live a happy and peaceful life.
What style of yoga classes are taught at your studio? Classical Hatha Yoga with breathing exercises, sun salutations and a basic series of 12 postures, taught with relaxation in between. Beginner, Gentle, All-Levels, Intermediate, Seniors, and Prenatal.
Do you offer meditation classes? We offer a 5-session Meditation 1 course and a follow-up 5-session Meditation 2 course. We have public meditation (Satsang) every morning at 6am and two evenings a week (Wednesdays at 7:15pm and Sundays at 6:00pm). Satsang includes chanting and a talk or reading. Sunday Satsang concludes with sharing soup together. There is no charge for Satsang.
Do you have Kirtan at your studio? We sing kirtan at Satsang every day. We have periodic Kirtan events with musicians including Mirabai and Friends and Acharya Mangalananda, as well as chanting workshops.
Do you have a teacher training program at your studio? The Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course is offered at our ashram, Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm, nearby in Grass Valley twice a year, May and October. It is a life-changing 4-week immersion experience including asanas, pranayama, meditation, Raja Yoga, Vedanta philosophy, Bhagavada Gita, Anatomy & Physiology (200-hour Yoga Alliance Certification). We also offer an 800-hour Sivananda Yoga Health Educator Training at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm, accredited by IAYT.
Do you offer special events or workshops? Loads! From Pranayama Workshop to Vegetarian Cooking Workshop. From Diabetes Wellness weekend to Yantra Painting. From classical Indian music concerts to Dosa Night. You can find out about our events and workshops here.
What is your favorite quote? “Health is wealth. Peace of mind is happiness. Yoga shows the way.” Swami Vishnudevananda
Website: sivanandasf.org.
Instagram: sf_sivananda_yoga.
