Lineage
H.H. Swami Rama of the Himalayas (1925-1996) 
A disciple of the Himalayan adept, Sri Bengali Baba, Swami Rama (1925-1996) was born and raised in the legendary Himalayan mountain caves where countless generations of yogis have been trained and initiated into the deepest mysteries of yoga. Throughout his childhood and adolescence he lived and travelled with many saints and yogis. At the young age of 24 years he succeeded the great spiritual leader Dr. Kurtkoti as Shankaracharya of Karvirpitham.
He renounced the dignity and prestige of this high office to return to the Himalayas to intensify his meditative practices. After completing an intense, eleven-month meditation practice in isolation, he emerged with the determination to serve humanity, particularly to bring the teachings of the East to the West, and directed his life toward the unification of science and spirituality. He began his synthesis of eastern and western traditions with his research work at the Menninger Foundation in the United States and helped to revolutionize scientific thinking about the relationship between body and mind.
He founded the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy with branches throughout the world, and the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust, a 350 million dollar health and rural development project located near Dehradun in Garhwal, designed to serve this region’s population of millions of people in great medical, economic and social need. From a small outpatient clinic started in 1989, the Trust has grown into a huge medical city that incorporates an ultra modern SOD-bed hospital, medical college, school of nursing, Rural Development Institute and holistic centre.
Through his life and teachings, Swami Rama sought to combine the ancient teachings of the East with modern approaches of the West. He was a great yogi, scientist, philosopher, humanitarian, and mystic poet, all rolled into one. Having reached the heights of spiritual enlightenment, he always strove with seemingly endless energy to attain perfection in his actions in the external world. His life and teachings are the inspiration behind AHYMSIN and Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama (SRSG).
Recent Articles
Progress in Meditation
The student of meditation, without understanding the importance of pratyahara, cannot concentrate the mind and thus is unable to sit in meditation. The mind is in the habit of functioning along the ten avenues or senses. These senses distract and dissipate the energy of mind. But the mind can function without the help of the senses. In such a state, the mind starts turning within. During the practice of pratyahara, the student restrains himself from doing meaningless actions that are not related to this practice.
Mantra is a Spiritual Guide – Remember
Mantra is a syllable or word or set of words. When the mantra is remembered consciously, it automatically is stored in the unconscious mind. At the time of parting, the mantra which is stored in the unconscious mind becomes one's guide. This period of separation is painful to the ignorant. This is not the case with a spiritual person who has remembered the mantra faithfully. The mantra serves as a guide through this period of transition. Mantra is a spiritual guide that dispels the fear of death and leads one fearlessly to the other shore of life.
Living Fully in the World – Serve
Living a spiritual life does not require escaping from the world. It is not useful to look at the flaws of the world and say it is ugly and sinful. Turning away from the world will not lead to spiritual happiness. Live in the world. By living fully in the world with all of its apparent imperfections one can attain spiritual perfection.
The Goal of Life is Spiritual – Love
The goal of life is spiritual. Understand that as the guiding principle of your life. With an attitude of cheerfulness and with full attention, do your duties in life in your role as student, worker, child, parent, member of the community, and so on. Then let go and leave the rest up to the timeless process of spiritual unfoldment. It won't seem like work or duty, and everything will be in harmony. This approach simplifies life and expands it; it purifies the seeker from karmas and attachments. There is no longer any concern for collecting odds and ends from your actions, piling up belongings, or needing reinforcement from others for what you've done. Your needs become less. Your sense of owning and having grows less and less. At the same time you become increasingly selfless. You do your actions greased with love. Great joy comes when actions are done with love. Personal gain is not the motivation behind your actions. Slowly you learn to do your actions selflessly. To do this is a spiritual discipline, a spiritual practice.
Editor's note
This is an excerpt from Sacred Journey by Swami Rama, published by Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, 1996, pages 70-71
Knowledge of Brahmavidyā
In some of the Upanishads, the word Īśa or Īśvara, which is roughly translated as God, is used. But the concept of God as preached by religion is not found in the Upanishads. In the Upanishads, the word Īśvara is used to denote a state of collective consciousness. Thus, God is not a being that sits on a high pedestal beyond the sun, moon, and stars; God is actually the state of Ultimate Reality. But due to the lack of direct experience, God has been personified and given various names and forms by religions throughout the ages.
Mantra – Remember
You often close your eyes and sit down and you don't know what to do next; then you start remembering your mantra. You can remember your mantra all the time, but that's not very systematic. It will take a long time for you. You're doing japa, but you're doing it halfheartedly. If you do the same thing with full concentration, it will definitely give you results.
Swami Veda Bharati (1933-2015)
Mahamandaleshwar Sri Swami Veda Bharati (1933- July 14, 2015), former President of Sadhana Mandir Trust, was a rare Sanskrit scholar of our time, unsurpassed in his profound depth of knowledge, philosophy and practice of Meditation. He was born in a Sanskrit-speaking family and raised in the centuries old Vedic tradition. He taught the Patañjali’s Yoga-sūtras for the first time at the early age of 9 and the Vedas from age 11. Having never attended any school, he received his M.A. from the University of London and a D.Litt. from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands.
From 1952-1967, he spread the Yogic and Vedic teachings in many parts of the world, including Africa and the West Indies. In 1969, he received the highest initiations into the mysteries of Meditation from his Guru Swami Rama of the Himalayas who linked him to the sacred lineage of the Himalayan Yogis. Thereafter he established and guided Meditation groups and centers in all parts of the world. He had access to 17 languages and taught Meditation in all of the major languages of the world and to followers of all religions.
In continuation with the oral tradition of the living lineage of the Himalayan Sages, Swami Veda taught: “योगः समाधिः | yogaḥ samādhiḥ | Yoga = samadhi | Yoga [is] samadhi. He proposed that the entire yoga science must be studied and practiced on the basis of this definition of yoga. All other definitions are subservient to it. He revealed the authentic teachings of Classical Yoga through his 1500 page commentaries on the (first two chapters) Yoga-Sutras. This commentary has been hailed among scholars and practitioners both as the most authentic and authoritative. He has recorded more than 3,500 hours of courses on all aspects of meditation, its texts, and philosophical systems apart from teaching the ancient texts like the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita in an experiential context for meditation. Following on the footsteps of his Guru, he maintained a keen interest in the scientific studies of yoga mediation and subjected himself to a number of researches in the field of Neurophysiology of the Meditative states.
Swami Veda Bharati emphasized the universality of yoga as a science, which transcends chronological time, geographical boundaries, religious discrimination, and manmade sectarianism. Although he always liked to keep a low profile, he was well known for his teaching in different communities and cultures all over the world and for his expertise in instructing students in accordance with their own religion-philosophical background. During his lifetime, he participated in numerous interfaith dialogues, activities, and conferences with an aim of improving understanding among various religions. He found the experience of meditation to be the common ground among all religions. Prepared on the occasion of the United Nations 2000 World Peace Summit of Leaders in Religion and Spirituality, his short work, “Unifying Streams in Religions,” provides a fresh perspective for bringing the different faiths closer together.
In 2002, he founded Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama in Rishikesh, which houses the headquarters of the Association of Himalayan Yoga Meditation Societies International (AHYMSIN) and serves as the centre for his global network among nearly 100 groups in 26 different countries; spreading the teachings of the Himalayan Tradition. We can best repay his extra-ordinary efforts by availing ourselves of the fruits of his experiential teachings to further our own yogic practice for our own enlightenment and the welfare of all.
Recent Articles
Silence Can Be Your Wishing Stone
This is 9th June [1995] morning at the ashram in Rishikesh – 5:20 am here. The sky is full of sounds – birds’ songs, so rich – of which I sent you all a cassette at one time. The intruder into the bird songs is the cawing of crows that is loud, imperialistic, uncaring . . . but the birds continue to sing. I hope that during this recording no other loud sounds will be heard. If they are heard, please ignore them. I should have done this recording an hour and a half ago, but the momentum of working the Yoga-sutra II.52 was vibrant, and I continued typing, and now I am a little late. And I do want to put this into the mail so that it gets to Minneapolis and from there gets to Calgary. Calgary, a place I’m really very, very fond of. In terms of seriousness of studies it is only second to Germany where people are really serious. On the other hand, I may be doing injustice to others who do study and don’t want to bother me with questions because they are capable of answering themselves. This is also true of Calgary, but I am happy for any reason to communicate – a teacher of silence who loves to speak. Perhaps I will close with that theme at the end.
What Is Knowledge
Always remember that there is a difference between information and knowledge. You have read something, that is information. You are debating about it in the mind. That is also based on information.
Heaven, Hell, Reincarnation?
Does a soul after death go to heaven or hell, or does it reincarnate? On the surface it would appear to be a controversial question, but it really is not, once the definition of heaven and hell is better understood.
Getting Rid of Negative Influences
What I have observed, and I’ve come to observe this well because my own family lives in two worlds, is the influence of modern society on our ability to be defenceless. My children live at home in a world which is my world of philosophy, scholarship, thinking gentle thoughts, meditation, and peaceful feelings. Then my children go to school and in response to peer group pressure, they have to build defences and cultivate aggressiveness to stay alive and survive, because gentleness and quietness does not work.
Guided Meditation on Christ-Spirit
Gather the most beautiful flowers of this earth, filling your hands with white, red, yellow, and blue flowers and place them at the Lord's feet with both hands cupped.
Two Blood Cells
“Fellow cells, harken! I must share with you a great vision I have been granted. We are not all apart, each cell having a separate life of its own. There is a great omnipresent being whose life force we share, from whom we are born, in whom we dwell, and into whom we each finally dissolve."
Swami Ritavan Bharati
Present Ashram Pramukha and Spiritual Guide:
Swami Ritavan Bharati has lived a life dedicated to serving Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati since 1970. After having been initiated at the age of 20, he transited through all the three Ashrams of Vedic life (Brahmacharya, Grihastha, and Vanaprastha) under the direct guidance of Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati. He was then initiated into Sanyasa in 2007.
He holds master’s degrees in Management, Education, Holistic Philosophy, and Eastern Studies. A highly experienced yoga meditation practitioner, he has conducted and guided numerous silence and meditation retreats throughout the world and has been instrumental in guiding the international Himalayan Yoga Tradition – Teacher Training Program (HYT-TTP). He is also a Mantra Initiator within the Tradition of the Himalayan Masters. Swami Veda Bharati chose Swami Ritavan Bharati as his successor; as the Ashram Pramukha and Spiritual Guide of SRSG and the AHYMSIN community, before he took Mahasamadhi in 2015.
A man of few words, his primary focus is on the inner life.
Recent Articles
Guru Purnima Message
At this sacred time, we pay homage in gratitude to our Gurudeva Swami Rama, who takes the form of our spiritual guide. A guide who protects us on the journey from this shore to the other shore. A guide who graces our spirit in each breath, to re-cognise our true nature through his gift of mantra—sacred name.
Inspirations from the Life of Pope Francis
The events surrounding the departure of Pope Francis are not merely a time to look back with remorse, but to look forward, embracing the teachings we have received from the life of Pope Francis. We now have a sacred opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the sacred journey emblematic in his life. This reverie of his life is an invitation for us to journey together, bringing together all faith traditions, and drawing ever closer to the ultimate truth and joy that our beloved form of Divinity has illuminated as the path for us all.
Swami Rama’s Birth Centenary Celebrations – 2025
With overflowing joy and profound gratitude, we extend a heartfelt invitation to all members of the Guru’s family to unite in celebration, honouring the birth centenary of our revered Gurudeva, His Holiness Swami Rama. A beacon of ancient wisdom, he seamlessly wove the ancient teachings of yoga meditation from the Himalayan Masters into our lives. As we celebrate and commemorate the centenary of his earthly presence, we bow in loving reverence.
Meditate
Meditate silently and meditate lovingly, where love and silence are one and the same. The secret of love is revealed through meditation in silence. When you quiet the noises of the mind that is silence. When you pacify destructive emotions that is love. The two are one and the same. May your commitment to your spirituality and your commitment to loving become the commitment you make in thoughts, speech and actions toward others through expanding your capacity to love.
Sangha Blessings
We have gathered here, in solemn remembrance and joyous celebration, as we recall the teachings of our Himalayan lineage through our Master Gurudev Swami Rama and the life of our beloved saint, Swami Veda Bharati, and through so many others to whom we give gratitude in appreciation.
Finding a Spiritual Home in the Mind of a Sage-Saint
By continual practice (abhyasa) and dispassion (vairagya), the aspirant concentrates on the progressively subtle and subtler relationship with the Guru. Thus, the dispassionate mind-field of the Guru, becomes the supportive factor in the aspirant’s meditation.