Swami Sivananda Radha, took to heart the request of her guru, Swami Sivananda, to start an ashram and many centres of Light in the Western world. She founded Yasodhara Ashram in 1963, and her next mission was to build centres in the city for people to find community and support each other in yoga.

The first centre opened in 1982, in Calgary, Alberta. Centres followed Ottawa, Victoria, Vancouver and Spokane, Washington. Students who trained at Yasodhara Ashram also took Yasodhara Yoga home to other countries including England, France, Portugal, Trinidad and Australia, where other groups have formed.

Originally called ‘Shambhala Houses,’ (implying a place of happiness that comes from spiritual study), from 1990 the centres changed to ‘Radha Houses’ with the opening of Radha House Canterbury, and to ‘Radha Yoga Centres’, to honour Swami Radha. Then, in 2013/14, the name ‘Yasodhara Yoga Teachers & Centres’, was adopted to connect back to Yasodhara Ashram as the source of inspiration and teacher training.

Over the years teachers in cities and towns have been offering classes from their own homes, from yoga studios, community centres and art studios.

Throughout our evolution, the guiding principles have stayed the same: to further the yogic teachings as interpreted by Swami Sivananda Radha and to support the ethics of yoga, including honesty, integrity, moral conduct, non-injury, non-greed, loyalty, clarity of motivation, dedication of the ideals of spiritual life and consideration for others.

Archive photos

Radha Caudet, Gers, in SW France, in 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yasodhara Yoga Development Course graduates April 2016, including Molly, Carol, Jane, Natalie and Liz from Europe

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pakefield, Suffolk in 2010, 2013 and 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ashford, Kent in 2009

 

 

 

 

The Isle of Wight group during Swami Radhananda’s visit in 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

London, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

2005 London

 

 

 

 

 

2005 Swami Radhananda and Swami Lalitananda’s visit

 

 

 

 

 

 

2004 Swami Radhananda’s visit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2003 Pilgrimage to Yasodhara Ashram and 2008 visit

 

 

 

 

 

 

1997 Canterbury

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canterbury 1995 and 1996

 

 

 

 

 

 

1993 and 1994 Canterbury

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1992 London and  Canterbury

 

 

 

 

 

1992 Andanlucia, Spain

 

 

 

 

 

 

1990 The opening of Radha House Canterbury

 

 

 

 

 

The Friends Meeting House, Canterbury, Kent, where Hatha classes began in January 1989.