Sivananda Ashram India Rishikesh: Sharing the joys of Love
Written By Mr Sacchidananda Das
The Sivananda Ashram India Rishikesh and Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy offer free spiritual and educational opportunities, with morning yoga classes and a two-month Yoga-Vedanta course. While the morning classes are open to all, the two-month course at the academy is now restricted to Indian men only, as a result of past issues with foreign participants not adhering to the strict ashram rules and discipline.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the key points:
Price: Free for both morning yoga classes and the two-month course.
Courses Available:
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- Morning yoga classes (free, open to all).
- Two-month Yoga-Vedanta course (currently only for Indian men).
Food: Provided during your stay.
Certification: Available only to local participants.
The two-month course at the academy is not open to foreigners anymore, primarily because many international attendees struggled with following the ashram’s discipline, such as adhering to curfews and the daily routine. Swamis at the ashram, including Swami Chidananda and Swami Yogaswarupananda, have mentioned that due to these challenges, the course is now only offered to locals.
They also suggested that those interested in a disciplined and comprehensive yoga education might consider Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute in Lonavla, Maharashtra.
If you’re visiting the Sivananda Ashram India Rishikesh, it’s advisable to confirm details in advance, as the information might not always be readily available on-site.
My Sivananda Ashram India Rishikesh : A Spiritual Homecoming
For me, Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh has always felt like a second home—a sacred space that has nurtured my inner being and shaped who I am today. Much like you wouldn’t think to describe your own home, I never felt the need to put into words my experience here. It was simply a part of me.
However, on my most recent visit, something stirred within me—a deep realization, almost like an unseen force—urging me to share the profound impact this place has had on my life.
This shift in perspective came after repeated conversations with a friend who often voiced his dissatisfaction with life. He would say, “It feels like I’m stuck in a hamster wheel, and I can’t seem to break free.” Despite this, he would escape the busyness of New Delhi nearly every weekend, seeking solace and rejuvenation through treks in the Himalayas. But the sense of peace he found was always temporary.
That’s when I offered him a more sustainable path—a slower, yet deeper, solution to his discontentment. I introduced him to the idea of divine living and invited him to experience the peace of Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh, much in the same way I’m now inviting you to explore it.
This ashram isn’t just a retreat from the world, it’s a place where true transformation can begin. It’s here that I discovered a life of purpose, devotion, and inner peace. And if you’re seeking the same, perhaps Sivananda Ashram will become your spiritual home too.
A Journey of Inner Transformation
It’s been three years since the events I’m about to describe took place—three years since I was a student at the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy, nestled within Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh. During that time, I was immersed in learning about divine living and how to transcend the little miseries of life.
Surprisingly, despite how transformative that period was, I’ve never shared my experience of Sivananda Ashram here. In fact, I didn’t even mention it much in my Rishikesh travel guide. It’s not because I’ve lost touch with the place or that I didn’t want to talk about it. I simply never found a compelling reason—until now.
Finding My Way Back to Sivananda Ashram India Rishikesh
To me, Sivananda Ashram is like a second home—a place that has nourished the roots of my spiritual journey and shaped who I am today. Just as you might not feel the need to write about your home, I never felt it necessary to write about this place. It was such a fundamental part of me that I didn’t think to share it.
But something changed during my most recent visit to Rishikesh, where I spent a few nights in the Ashram. A deeper realization—a force of sorts—urged me to share the profound impact this sanctuary has had on my life.
It all began with a close friend who would often express a deep sense of discontent. “I feel like I’m stuck in a hamster wheel with no way out,” he’d say. Despite regularly escaping his hectic life in New Delhi by trekking in the Himalayas, the peace he found was always fleeting. Week after week, the same feeling of dissatisfaction would return.
I realized that his temporary escapes were no solution to his deeper struggles. That’s when I introduced him to the concept of divine living and suggested something more transformative—a stay at Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh. Just as I’m introducing it to you now.
My Path to Sivananda Ashram India Rishikesh
My own association with Sivananda Ashram began in 2015, after a series of personal and professional failures. I had given up a well-paying job in England, only to find that relocating to India didn’t bring me the happiness I sought.
Despite switching between jobs and companies, I still felt an emptiness within me—a void that no change in external circumstances could fill. Planning weekend getaways with friends became my way of coping, but every Monday, I’d return feeling more unsatisfied than before.
Looking back now, I realize it wasn’t the jobs or the lifestyle that were lacking. It was me—an internal unrest that kept growing, an unshakable void that no external experience could satisfy.
Entrance of Sivananda Ashram India RishikeshSix months later, in September 2015, I returned home feeling more restless than ever. It was during a casual dinner with my family that my father suggested a two-month Yoga Vedanta course at Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh.
If you’re not familiar with it, Rishikesh is one of the top places in India to learn yoga and meditation. Often referred to as the spiritual tourism capital of India, it’s a hub for seekers and yogis from around the world. In many ways, it holds more significance than all four Char Dham Yatra temples combined.
And so, my journey with Sivananda Ashram began—a journey that brought me to a place of deeper understanding, peace, and purpose. This is a place where divine living isn’t just taught but lived, and if you feel called to seek something beyond the material world, it may become your spiritual home as well.
How I Found Sivananda Ashram India Rishikesh
Back in 2015, after quitting a corporate job in England, I moved to India, seeking happiness. But the dissatisfaction followed me as I switched between jobs, feeling restless and incomplete. Weekend escapes weren’t helping either. After six months of aimless travel through Bhutan, Nepal, and Northeast India, I found myself back home, more lost than before.
That’s when my father recommended the two-month Yoga Vedanta course at Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh. For anyone unfamiliar, Rishikesh is the epicenter of spiritual tourism in India, especially for those seeking yoga and meditation.
The Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy
Sivananda Ashram has been offering this program since 1948, with three batches every year. The course is designed for 40 Indian men, aged 20-65, regardless of their religious or professional background. For two months, students live within the ashram and adhere to a strict schedule, starting at 4 am.
The routine begins with meditation at 5 am, followed by lectures on Indian scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads. Students also study Indian and Western philosophy, learning from great thinkers like Aristotle and Adi Shankara. The aim is not just academic growth, but a complete transformation in how we view life.
In essence, it’s like a modern-day gurukul, where discipline, order, and persistence are nurtured. This life-changing experience was more valuable than any formal education I had previously received. It reshaped how I perceive life, teaching me that real success comes from inner peace and resilience.
This experience at Sivananda Ashram has stayed with me, and now, three years later, I’ve finally shared it, hoping it can inspire others to seek deeper meaning and fulfillment in life.
Here are some useful factual tips about Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy (YVFA) at Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh:
Course Schedule: The academy runs three batches each year:
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- March-April
- May-June
- September-October
Each course lasts for two months.
Free of Cost: The course is free of charge, including accommodation, meals, and lectures. However, donations are welcome.
- Sattvik Food: The Ashram provides high-quality Sattvik (pure and vegetarian) meals, ranging from fruits to full meals throughout the day. The simple accommodation is minimalistic but kept impeccably clean.
- Spiritual Focus: This course is not for those seeking a yoga teaching certificate or a career in yoga. Its purpose is to instill divine and positive thinking in participants. Expect 5 hours of daily lectures on the Bhagavad Gita, philosophy, and the Upanishads, which can be quite intensive.
- Strict Discipline: Smoking, intoxicants, and dissipating habits are strictly prohibited. Students must lead an austere lifestyle, be mentally and physically prepared, and participate in Karma Yoga, which includes tasks like cleaning and serving food.
- Selective Admission: Each batch has 40 carefully selected students. Applicants must submit an application form, and interviews may be requested as part of the selection process.
- Original Sivananda Ashram India Rishikesh: Be aware that there are multiple Sivananda Ashrams in India (including two in Rishikesh), such as Sivananda Yogpeeth and Sivananda Dhanvantari Ashram. These are independent institutions and are not connected to the original Sivananda Ashram with the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy, which houses Swami Sivananda’s Samadhi Shrine.
These tips should help anyone looking to understand the structure and expectations of the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy experience.
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