THE SIVANANDACOMPANION TO

Foreword by Swami Vishnu Devananda

Written by Lucy Lidell

with Narayani and Giris Rabinovitch
Photography by Fausto Dorelli

I A GAIA ORfGINAL I
A Fireside Book
Published by Simon & Schuster Inc.
New York London Toronto Sydney
 A GAIA ORIGINAL

Written by Lucy Lidell

with Narayani and Giris Rabinovitch
Photography by Fausto Dorelli
from an idea by
lucy Udell

Direction Joss Pearson

Patrick Nugent
Editorial Roslin Mair
Design Tony Spalding
Chris Meehan
David Whelan
Sheilagh Noble

Copyright © 1983 by Gaia Books Limited, london.

Text copyright © 1983 by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center.

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction

in whole or in part in any form.

A Fireside Book
Published by Simon & Schuster Inc.
Simon & Schuster Building, Rockefeller Center,
1230 Avenue of the Americas. New York, New York 10020
FIRESIDE and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon and Schuster, Inc.

f>rullr.r1 rn SrAon lly Artes Grafrr.as Toledo. SA

19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10

Library ol Congress Catalogi11g in Pullhcatoon Data

Maon entry under title:
The Sivananda companion to yoga.
rncludes ondex.
1. Yoga, Hatha.
RA781.7.S584 1983 613.7'0111) 83·9398
ISBN 0·671-47088·4
THE LOTUS

! .�·
THE THREE GUNAS 81
THE PRINCIPLES OF MEDITATION _ _
TRATAK 97
THE HEADSTAND CYCLE 10
THE SHOULDERSTAND CYCLE 115
THE FORWARD BEND CYCLE 121
THE BACKWARD BEND CYCLE 131
THE BACKWARD BEND CYCLE 133
PRACTICE SCHEDULE 163
SPECIAL ASANAS FOR PREGNANCY 167
168 THE CYCLE O F LIFE
THE LATER YEARS 175
 1 90

Index

A see Plough Variations Locust 52-53

Agni Sara 182 Easy Pose 32 Variations 1 24-125
Ankle-knee pose in pregnancy 162 Lord Nataraja Pose 149
see Lotus warm-ups Eye Exercises 33 Lotus 58-59
Anuloma Viloma 73 Variations (Bound Lotus.
F Cock, Foetus. Yoga Mudra)
B Fasting 86-87 1 36-137
Backward Bends Final Relaxation 26-27
in later years 174 Fish 46-47 M
. in pregnancy in pre9nancy 161 Mantras 98-99
Bandhas 75 Variat1ons 114-1 1 5 Maya 1 6
Basti 154 Foetus Moola Bandha 75
Bhagavad Gita 1 3 see Lotus Variations
Bhakti Yoga 1 9 Forward Bend 48-49 N
Bhastrika 77 in later years 174 Nadis 70
Bija Mantras 7 1 , 98 in pre9nancy 161 Neck and Shoulder Exercises
Bound Lotus Variat1ons 1 1 6-1 1 7 32
see Lotus Variations Neti 154
Bow 54-55 G Nirguna mantras 98-99
in pregnancy 161 Gunas 16, 80 meditation 91
Variations 126-127 Niyamas 1 9
Brahman 13, 1 5 H
Brahmari 74 Half Lotus 0
Breathing (pranayama) 68-77 see Lotus warm-ups Om 96, 99
in pregnancy 160 Half Spinal Twist 56-57 One Knee and Foot Pose
Sivananda's Pranayama 172 see also Spinal Twist see Tree Variations
Bridge 44-45 Handstand 144-145
in pregnancy 161 Hatha Yoga 19, 188 p
Variations 1 1 4-1 1 5 Headstand 38-39 Peacock 1 42-143
Butterfly in pregnancy 161 Pelvic Lift 165
see Lotus warm-ups Leg Variations 1 02-1 03 Perineal Exercises 169
Lotus Headstand 1 08 Pigeon 132
c Head to Feet Pose 150 Plough 42-43
Cat 166 Head to Knee Pose 1 1 8-1 1 9 in pregnancy 164
Chakras 71 effect on muscles 178 Variations (and Ear to Knee
Childhood 1 70-171 Pose) 1 1 3
Child's Pose 39 I Prakriti 1 6
effect on spine 181 Inclined Plane 122-123 Prana 70
in pregnancy 1 6 1 , 169 Pranayama
Chin Mudra 92 J see Breathing
Cobra 50-51 Jalandhara Bandha 75 Pratyahara 94
effect on muscles 178 Japa 98-99 Pregnancy Sit-up 160
in pre9nancy 1 6 1 , 169 Purusha 1 6
Variat1ons 1 24-125 K
Cock Kapalabhati 72 R
.see Lotus Variations Karma 1 8 Raja Yoga 1 9
Corpse Pose 24-25 Karma Yoga 1 9 and meditation 89
effect on spine 181 Kneeling Pose 130 Reincarnation 16, 18
in pregnancy 169 Kriyas 1 54-155 Relaxation 22-27
Crescent Moon 1 32-133 Agni Sara 182 in pregnancy 169
in pregnancy 161 Kunjar Kriya 86
Crow 60-61 Kundalini 70 s
Variations 145 Saguna Mantras 98-99
L Meditation 91
0 Leg behind Head Pose 138 Samadhi 89
Dhauti 154 Leg Raises 36-37 Samanu 77
Diamond 1 30. 1 31 in later years 1 74 Scorpion 1 04
in pregnancy 160 in pregnancy 163
E Variations 1 02 Variations 1 04-1 05
Eagle 146 Likhita Japa 99 Shooting Bow 1 38
Ear to Knee Pose Lion Pose 33 Shoulder Exerrcises 32
 191

Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres

Shoulderstand 40-41 Ashrams Sivananda YogaVedanta Centre

effect on thyroid 185 SivanandaAshram Yoga Camp HO 2 Ranjit Road. Kotturpuram
in pregnancy 161 8thAvenue, VAL MORIN MADRA$85
roll-out 40 OUEJOT2RO, CANADA Tel: {044)418-431
Single Leg Inverted Pose 1 09 Tel: (819)322-3226
Sithali 74
ISRAEL
SivanandaYoga Ranch Colony Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre
Sitkari 74 Route l, Box228A, WOODBOURNE 11 Ein Ha Kareh
Sitting Poses NEW YORK, N.Y. 12788 .. TELAVIV 66028
in later years 172 Tel: (914)434-9242 Tel: 370-811
Skeleton 180
Spinal Twist 1 34-135 Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat SPAI N
P. 0. Box N7750, NASSAU
in later years 174 Centro de Yoga Sivananda
Standing Spinal Twist 162
BAHAMAS C/Juan Bravo62, 7A. MADRID6
Tel: (809) 363-2902
Spine 181 (01)402-7467
Splits 1 40-141 Sivananda Yoga Dhanvanthari Centro de Yoga de Vigo
Standing 1 48 Ashram P.O. NeyyarDam
, Progreso 22·3. VIGO
Side Spi lts Twist 120 Trivandrum Dt.. KERALA STATE (89) 227.7321
Squatting 1 69 INDIA 695 776
SWITZERLAND
Standing Pose 150 Tel: (472)54493
Centre de Yoga Sivananda
Sun Salutation 34-35 SivanandaAshram Yoga Farm 1 Ruede Monoteries. GENEVA
in pregnancy 160 Vrindavan. P.O. Box 795 Tel: {22)28-03-28 .
Surya Bheda 77 GRASS VALLEY. CALIFORNIA
CA95945 URUGUAY
T Tel: (916)272-9322 Asociacion deYoga Sivananda
Tiptoe Pose Acevedo Diaz 1525. 1
Centres MONTEVIDEO
see Tree Variations AUSTRIA
Tortoise 120
Tel: 416·685
Sivananda Yoga Zentrum
Tratak 95-97 Rechte Wienzeile 29-3·9 UNITED KINGDOM
Tree 146 VIENNA S1vananda YogaVedanta Centre
in pregnancy 162 Tel: (01)56·34·53 51 Felsham Road. LONDON
Variat1ons (including One SW151AZ
Knee and Foot Pose and CANADA Tel: {081) 780·0160
Tiptoe Pose) 146 Sivananda YogaVedanta Center
UNITED STATES
5178 St Lawrence Blvd.
Triangle 64
MONTREAL, QUE H2T 1 R8 Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center
effect on spine 181 243West 24th Street NEW YORK
Variations 151
Tel: (514)279-3545 .

NY10011
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center Tel: {212)255-4560
u 77 Harbord Street. TORONTO
Uddiyana Bandha 75 ONTM5S1G4 SIVananda Yoga Vedanta Center
Ujjayi 77 Tel: (416)966-9642 12468ryn Mawr. CHICAGO
ILL 60660
FRANCE Tel: {312)878-7771
v Centre de Yoga Sivananda
Vedanta 1 3 123-Boul. Sebastopol Sivananda Yoga Acres
Vedas 1 3 PARIS75002 Rt. 4, Box 112. FORT PIERCE
Ve getarianism 82-83 Tel: (01) 4026-7749 FLORIDA. FLA33450
Vish nu Mudra 73 Tel: (305)465-9976
GERMANY
Sivananda Yoga Zentrum Sivananda YogaVedantaCenter
w Steinheilstr. 1 . 8 MUNICH 2 1600 Sawtelle Blvd. . # 1 4
Wall Stretches 165 Tel: {089) 52-44-76 LOS ANGELES
Warm-up exercises (for later CALIFORNIA. CA90025
years 173 Sivananda Yoga Zentrum Tel: (213)478-0202
Warrior 130 Heilbronnerstr. 21
Wheel 128 1000 BERLIN 30
Kneeling Wheel 130
Tel: (030)211 ·5865
Wind Relieving 36-37 INDIA
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre
y 37/1929, West Fort. Airport Road
Yamas 19 Trivandrum, KERALA695023
Yoga Mudra Tel: (471) 75776
see Lotus Variations
Yoni Mudra 94
192

Authors' Publisher's
Acknowledgements Acknowledgments
"Thy right is to work only; but Gaia would like to extend Picture Credits
never with its fruits; let not the special thanks to: British Museum:
fruit of action be thy motive. nor let Swami Vishnu Devananda for Yogi practising nyasa, p.68
thy attachment be to inaction." his help and support; Lucy, Cliche Musees Nationaux:
. Bhagavad Gita Fausto. Narayani, Giris. Hari. Yogi with disciple, p.176
and the staff of the Sivananda (photo Documentation
We should like to thank: Yoga organization who made Photographique de Ia Reunion
Lucy, who was able to capture the book possible; the des Musees Nationaux)
an idea, and through her illustrators for their skill and Mary Evans Picture Library:
sensitivity, to put magic into hard work; Michael Burman; Yog i with pet peacock, p.17
the words. Peter Carroll; Raj Patel; and A.F. Kersting (photo):
Fausto, who through his the following organizations: E. Wheel from the temple of
perception. was able to Gandolfi Ltd, 150 Marylebone Surya.

j
recreate the feeling of an High Street. London, W.l for Konarak, Orissa, p.18
asana in colours and capture it leotards and tights; Yoga for Ajit Mooker ee:
on film. Health Foundation. lckwell Statuette of a yo i, p.13
Joss, Chris, Ros. Tony and g
Bury, Biggleswade, Beds. for (photo Oriental Museum.
Dave. who through their yoga mats; Barker's of Durham)
combined patience and skill Kensington; and Pot Pourri. Ajit Mookerjee:
helped to spread the idea. Subtle body of the yogi, p.81
Hari Markman who gently Illustrators (photo Thames and Hudson)
spread his asanajai. Lindsay Blow Musee Guimet:
Mahadev for his selflessness. Felicity Edholm Fasting Buddha. p.87
Hamsa Patel, Surya Elaine Keenan (photo Giraudon)
Joplin-Waters. and Ben Tony Kerins Harry Oldfield:
Chissick for spreading their Tony Lodge Kirlian photograph, p.12
widsom of age. Gary Marsh Anne & Bury Peerless (photo):
Sujata Mintz. our Divine Sheilagh Noble Siva as a Mahayogi, p.14
Mother. Rodney Shackle Enlightened Buddha, p.87
All the other aspiring Hatha David Whelan Sivananda Yoga Life (photo):
Yogis: Barbara. Parameshwari, H.H. Sri Swami Sivananda,
Parvati, Chandra, Prem, Cye, Illustration Style p.20
Nataraj, Omkar, Danny, Amari,
Sheilagh Noble Victoria & Albert Museum:
Demian. Zoe and Scott. The Sage and the King, p.15
Rodney Shackle
Sandra Simmons for your (photo Michael Holford)
kindness.
Typesetting by:
Surya Kumari for sharing your
Bookworm Typesetting,
knowledge. . Manchester
Harold Elvin for general adv1ce.
Swami Padmapadananda,
Reproduction by:
Gauri Shankar, Omkar Mintz.
and Mark Le Fanu for their F.E. Burman Ltd London
.•

expertise. .
Or J.T. Vyas MS. FICS. Dr H.
Kulmar MRCP and P. Bardaji
MB. NOOO for their medical
advice.
Rose. Esther, Bernie and Fred
for their patience.
Kanti Oevi and Yashoda who
gave love where and when it
was needed most.
Max. Giorgio, Armando and to
Sivadas and the many other
nameless Karma Yogis who
through their selfless service
helped to bring you this idea.

OM TAT SAT