It has been an amazing 60 years since Swami Vishnudevananda headed west from the Rishikesh Divine Life Society Ashram under the direct guidance of his guru Swami Sivananda. It is a different world from the one in 1957, both by grace of the balancing effects of the Yoga renaissance and in spite of it.
Swami Vishnudevananda set out upon his mission of World Peace with the seemingly simple slogan – “Unity in Diversity”. Yet within this slogan lies not only the essence of the Yoga and Vedanta philosophy, but also a call to action for all who wish to realize Yoga in this life. Philosophy is a powerful tool when it helps us change the attitudes which guide the way we relate to and act in the world.
As we look forward to the celebration of Maha Sivaratri on February 24th, we can gain a lot of inspiration from the study of Lord Siva’s stories and symbolism, through which He teaches us the philosophy and practices to find equanimity in turbulent times and to hold the space for peace in our daily lives.
