Swami Vidyananda

Swami Vidyananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT500, was trained by Sri Swami Satchidananda to teach Integral Yoga in 1972, and began training Yoga teachers in 1973. She became a Swami in 1983. She has taught and trained Yoga teachers throughout the USA and Canada, as well as Australia, Europe, and India. Swami Vidyananda lives and teaches at Satchidananda Ashram– Yogaville, in Virginia, where she teaches all branches of Integral Yoga, including Hatha, Raja, and Jnana Yoga philosophy, meditation, and yogic lifestyle. She has taught Yoga for many different populations from college students to corporate managers, children with Down Syndrome, and people with cancer. She has taught Therapeutic Yoga in programs for the Smith Center Cancer Retreats, and Yoga for persons with eating disorders. She has appeared on Fox News Network speaking on Yoga Stress Management in corporate settings.

She served as director of the Montreal Integral Yoga Institute. For many years she travelled with Sri Swami Satchidananda, serving as his French translator. She taught and translated at the European Yoga Union Conference in Zinal, Switzerland, for 10 years. She co-developed the Integral Yoga Stress Management Teacher Training program. She also developed programs on Yoga for balancing the emotions.

Before becoming a Yoga teacher, Swami Vidyananda worked as a broadcast news producer and reporter. Since 1983 she has produced and edited dozens of Yoga Videos, audios and documentaries for Integral Yoga, including Yoga with a Master with Sri Swami Satchidananda. Swami Vidyananda is featured in the audios and videos: Yoga for Stress Management, Hatha Yoga Class for the Emotions, and Deep Relaxation and Guided Visualization for Healing.

Swam Vidyananda founded the Integral Yoga Teachers Association, and serves on the Integral Yoga Teachers Council. Swami Vidyananda has been active in the interfaith movement. She trained as an Interfaith Chaplain at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville. She has produced videos featuring religious leaders of every tradition sharing their teachings. She organized and participated in many interfaith services in the USA and Canada.