Practice of the Month
Yogavani in Hands, Yoga in Hearts: Moments of Distribution 
In a landmark moment for the Indian Yoga Association, Yogavani was released in its first-ever physical print edition with the February 2025 issue. This tangible expression of our yogic heritage was warmly received as members of IYA enthusiastically distributed copies to esteemed personalities, institutions, and...
Formation of the new committee for the Nagaland SCC 
In alignment with the Indian Yoga Association’s vision to strengthen and streamline its operations across the North-East, a decision was taken during the Executive Council Meeting held on January 28, 2025 under the leadership of the Maa Dr. Hansa Ji Yogendra, President, IYA, to reform...
IYA’s Gujarat State Chapter Committee reforms 
This report outlines the reformation of the Gujarat State Chapter Committee of the Indian Yoga Association, carried out through a Circular Resolution process in response to recent developments and to ensure continued and effective functioning of the Chapter. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the...
Reconstitution of Uttar Pradesh State Chapter Committee 
To strengthen the presence and outreach of the Indian Yoga Association in Uttar Pradesh, a Circular Resolution was passed for the reformation of the State Chapter Committee. The objective is to bring together dedicated yoga professionals and institutional representatives to promote IYA’s vision and facilitate...
New committee appointed for Puducherry State Chapter 
In a virtual meeting held on February 23, 2025, in the presence of IYA Joint Secretary Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, it was unanimously decided to reform the Puducherry State Chapter Committee to enhance the activities of the Indian Yoga Association in the region. Nominations were...
Indian Yoga Association reconstitutes West Bengal State Chapter Committee 
In the Executive Council meeting held on January 28, 2025 under the leadership of Maa Dr. Hansa Ji Yogendra, President, IYA a resolution was passed to reform the West Bengal State Chapter Committee (WBSCC). Nominations were subsequently invited from Life Members, Associate Centres, and Member...
Ananda Chaitanya Foundation’s transformative journey: Empowering minds and uplifting society 
In February 2025, Ananda Chaitanya Foundation (ACF) hosted a series of transformative events that blended ancient yogic wisdom with modern practical applications, touching the lives of individuals from diverse backgrounds. The month kicked off with the Focus – Meditation Intensive Program, a two-day immersive event...
Vedic Kaya Sadhana organises certificate distribution ceremony 
Vedic Kaya Sadhana recently held a certificate distribution ceremony to honor students for their dedicated participation and successful completion of yoga training programs. The event celebrated their progress and commitment to the path of traditional and therapeutic yoga.
A Milestone for the Indian Yoga Association – Chhattisgarh Chapter 
In a significant moment for the Indian Yoga Association (IYA), the Dr. Mritunjay RathoreSecretary, IYA Chhattisgarh State Chapter had the honor of meeting Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji, Chairman of IYA. The delegation sought his blessings and shared the chapter’s ongoing activities and key...
Aerial Yoga Workshop by Krish Yoga Vidhyaalaya and TMS Yoga Studio, Chennai 
Krish Yoga Vidhyaalaya, an Associate Centre of the Indian Yoga Association, in collaboration with TMS Yoga Studio, Chennai, successfully hosted a one-day Aerial Yoga Workshop on 15th March 2025. The session was led by Dr. C. Kamatchi, Founder of Krish Yoga Vidhyaalaya, who shared insightful...



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28 Apr 2025

Blog

Yoga is a Living Tradition that Requires a Living Lineage!
Editorial

Yoga is a Living Tradition that Requires a Living Lineage! 

Yoga, one of the greatest treasures of our Indian culture is a living tradition. It is a mindful and conscious way of noble living that depends on the Guru-Sishya Parampara, the abundant living reservoir of traditional wisdom of this timeless art and science.

This unbroken lineage, the Parampara passes on the undiluted teachings from the realized master to the dedicated and sincere disciple, who then became a master to his disciples. This safeguards such Universal, pure wisdom of the living lineage for generations to come.
As my Guru-father Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj would say, “The real Guru enables the disciple to manifest their own inner un-manifest potential thus becoming a Guru themselves. The goal is to empower the sishya, and NOT to keep them, limited and disempowered as a disciple forever”

Purity, fidelity and clarity of purpose were maintained by such a seamless transmission based on value, trust, love and reverence. The disciple had to first earn the trust of the Guru and prove to be worthy of the teachings before they were imparted the timeless wisdom with heartfelt blessings. Those on the side of the disciple were received with gratitude and transmitted to the next generation in a similar manner. Utopian ideals and a spirit of altruism were the cardinal principles guiding the uninterrupted transmission of universal wisdom.

This was the traditional system through which the highest quality of teaching was sustained. It was a strict quality control mechanism that ensured the highest understanding and practical applications of Yoga were neither diluted nor degenerated into a business model.

To strike water, one needs to dig deep in one place. Maharishi Patanjali in his timeless Yogasutra advises us to follow “Ekatatva abhyasa”, meaning thereby that one needs to go consistently and persistently as deep as possible on the singular path one has chosen towards transformation and liberation. This is the same with any living system of knowledge as the tendency to go hopping from one tradition to another only leads to one becoming a puddle digger. Such a person never gets to the source of water, nor the life enriching teachings.

The Guru-Sishya relationship is a “One-to-One” relationship that encompasses every human relationship under the sun. This is based on an intimate, dynamic, and experiential connection that ignites, sustains and drives one’s Yogasadhana towards fruition. It is based on a sense of freedom and individual choice rather than dogma and bondage.

The space for such enfoldment is the Guru Kula, the womb of the Guru where the Sishya is nourished and inner growth facilitated in a loving, yet disciplined manner. Just as a mother enables her child to grow in her womb, the Guru enables their Sishya to grow spiritually in a safe and nourishing environment.

This inner growth is natural and adequate time is given for it to occur in a spontaneous and Sahaja manner. It is neither artificial, nor externally forced at any point of time. This facilitates the process of an individual’s growth into their Universal Nature.

The Guru never holds on to the Sishya nor lets them hold on to them. The Sishya is not meant to be a replica of the Guru. They are helped to become the “best” they that they can be. This is true freedom. This is true growth. This is true love. Without such a relationship, can true spiritual growth manifest?

However as with any other human hierarchical system, degeneration set in and the misuse and abuse of power by many ‘leaders’ led to a breakdown of this system with generalized distrust creeping into the sacred relationship.

Many modern mega “Guru-s” are the antithesis of this concept as they lack an intimate direct connection with their followers who just put them on a pedestal and “hero worship” them. They have created “Brands” that often lack substance and are seemingly more based on external packaging than content. This is just mass hysteria and “rock star” tendencies clothed in spiritual terms. They are basically just “Spiritual MBAs” and “Spiritual CEOs”. Disciples have become sheep to be counted and used to create empires.

The same can be said about the “Dead Guru” phenomenon where the follower can worship their dead guru and justify everything they think, say and do as being “Approved by the Guru”. This is nothing but an illusionary “Bhrantidarshan” that Maharishi Patanjali quotes as an obstacle to spiritual progress.

In modern times this has manifested in an “Anti-Guru” movement that tries to bypass this time-tested methodology and make it seem redundant. Terms like “Post-Modern Yoga” and “Post-Lineage Yoga” are brandied around as if no one needs guidance on the path anymore. This is the result of the glorification of the individual ego in recent times, and a tendency to think that we know what is best for us. This to me is no more than an excellent illustration of the saying, ‘The blind trying to lead the blind’.

This lacks rationality as the very soul of the teachings is lost when the teachings are debased into mere techniques and theoretical concepts rather than being transformative tools of self-realization. This has resulted in people trying to ‘DO” Yoga rather than “BE” Yoga.
Yoga is a state of being and the attainment of this exalted “state of being” requires Guru Krupa.

Any version of modern Yoga that tries to bypass the Guru-Sishya Parampara is NOT Yoga anymore but is just a cheap plastic imitation that lacks life, light and soul. It may “look” like Yoga, but is not the real deal anymore.

Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani

( Editor-in-Chief )

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