Swami Yogaratna Saraswati
Swami Yogaratna Saraswati was trained as a sannyasin disciple of the Bihar School of Yoga (BSY), which was founded by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, a direct disciple of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh. She has also been initiated by Swami Niranjanananda, the present guru.
Swami Yogaratna was born in Paris of Australian parents and raised in India. She went to school in Bombay, and went on to study art, education, and linguistics in Australia. After studying, working, and travelling, Swami Yogaratna committed her life to the spiritual quest. She joined the Bangalore branch of Bihar School of Yoga, Atma Darshan Yogashram, in 1984, and took sannyasa diksha the following year.
She received complete training in all forms of the Satyananda Bihar tradition of yoga, meditation, yoga therapy, and Indian spirituality. She served as a sannyasin sevak (voluntary service) in the ashram for over 20 years by assisting in the running of the ashram from top to bottom, giving therapy and spiritual counseling, and running classes for all manner of people and institutions. She conducted Yoga Teacher Training courses, edited the ashram spiritual magazine: ‘Atmabha’, and established a reforestation project ELA.
In 1997, she went to the mother ashram in Munger, which is the world’s first Yoga University: Bihar Yoga Bharati. In 2004 she returned to Atma Darshan Yogashram in Bangalore and soon after received her Guru’s Blessings to ‘be free as a sannyasin’, independent of the ashram.
Since then, Sw. Yogaratna has given yoga programs all over South India and overseas. She spent several years developing specialized centers and departments focused on fusing yogic knowledge with naturopathy, Ayurveda, and humanitarian work.
Sw. Yogaratna’s aim is to help people relieve their suffering and develop themselves through the awareness and the science of Yoga. She offers individual and group classes and guidance at the Shankar Prasad Ashram, and she travels wherever requested for special programs.
She is particularly appreciated for her talent in leading Yoga Nidra (psychic sleep) and other Meditations from the tantras, yoga therapy, yoga for children, the higher techniques of Chakra Sadhana, Kundalini yoga and many others, including satsangs (talks) and kirtan (group singing).
You can reach Swami Yogaratna by email at shankarprasad.gokarna@gmail.com.
About Swami Yogaratna Saraswati
short bio July 2021
Swami Yogaratna Saraswati is a sannyasin from the tradition of Satyananda Bihar Yoga, where she joined the Bangalore branch in 1984.
Swami Yogaratna has over 35 years experience learning and teaching all forms of yoga from The Satyananda Bihar School including asanas, pranayamas & shatkarmas, Yoga therapy & Stress management, Yoga for Women, Children & the Elderly and the handicapped, Yoga for Cancer Healing, Yoga for augmenting Ayurveda and Naturopathy, Yoga to Connect to Nature and the Elements, and recently, Yoga for Post Covid Recovery.
Swamiji is particularly appreciated for her talent in giving Yoga Nidra (relaxation meditation or yogic dreaming). She has developed courses in Advanced Yoga Nidra and Yoga Nidra Teachers Training.
Swamiji also gives courses in all the ‘Meditations from the Tantras’, the higher techniques of Chakra Sadhana, Kundalini Yoga, Nada Yoga, Attitudinal Yoga, and many others.
Swamiji has given yoga and meditation programs all over South India and overseas and now also gives online courses.
Swamiji was born in Paris, France, of Australian parents who moved to India. She grew up in Bombay. After her schooling she went to Australia for further education and work, and lived there for 13 years. Swamiji returned to India in 1984 and soon after joined the Atma Darshan Yogashram, the South Indian branch of Bihar School of Yoga in Bangalore, taking sannyas initiation and served there for 20 years.
For the last ten years Swamiji has had her own ashram near Gokarna, (on the coast of Karnataka), Shankar Prasad Ashram, which has an organic farm for ashram needs, and a Play school for local children.
Swamiji invites us to Shankar Prasad Ashram, after lockdown, for ashram stays, and Yoga & Meditation retreats, and long term seva volunteering in the ashram, or outside in the community projects such as Animal Care Centre, Beach Afforestation, Waste Management, Herbs & local foods Research, Youth Training, Women’s up-liftment and others.
Thanks to covid and the lockdowns, we can be thankful for so many good things, like this program itself, going online, and being available to people all over India and all over the world, from the comfort of their own homes.
Adapting to this opportunity, Swamiji offers all her meditation courses including Yoga Nidra and Advanced Yoga Nidra and other Meditations from the Tantras, online.
In fact Swamiji is giving a course in yoga nidra, relaxation meditation, or yogic sleep, which is THE BEST relaxation meditation for healing, therapy and giving a deep relaxation which refreshes and recharges the auto immune system.
The next online and offline course is starting on Sunday 11th – Thursday 15st July 2021. For details & enrollment, email us.
Swamiji also offers regular online & offline events for uplifting our souls, such as Havan fire ceremony chanting Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra 108 times for the benefit of all; every Saturday at 5.30pm. There is also Vichar Vimarsh or group wisdom sharing, and daily morning & evening mantra chanting & kirtan and meditation sessions.