(Integral Yoga Magazine founder, Sri Swami Satchidananda; LOTUS; first book on Yoga.)
On December 22nd, we honor and celebrate the 111th birth anniversary of the founder of Integral Yoga Magazine, Sri Swami Satchidananda (Sri Gurudev). Born in 1914, Sri Gurudev was a visionary whose life became a bridge between East and West, tradition and modernity, the ancient wisdom of Yoga and the universal call for compassion and unity.
From his early years in South India, he exhibited a rare inner calling. Raised in a home frequented by poets, philosophers, and saints, he developed compassion, respect for all castes and creeds, and a deep spiritual instinct. Drawn deeply to spiritual life, he eventually came to the banks of Mother Ganga in Rishikesh, where he met his Guru, Sri Swami Sivananda of the Divine Life Society, and was ordained as a monk in 1949.
From there, his life became a continuous offering of service—teaching Yoga, guiding seekers, and pioneering an interfaith vision that saw the Divine Light shining through all genuine paths. His teachings—embodied in the path of Integral Yoga—offer a holistic way to live: balancing body, mind, and spirit; cultivating ease, peace, Self-realization, and selfless service.
Among his enduring gifts to the world are Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville, a global network of Integral Yoga centers, and the Light of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS) — a physical and spiritual space built to honor the divine light that transcends all religious divisions.
As we mark his birth anniversary, we renew our commitment to the values Sri Gurudev lived by: love without boundaries; selfless service grounded in humility; respect for all paths; and a recognition that beneath all of life’s diversity we all are one in spirit.
Through Integral Yoga Magazine, born of his vision in 1969, may we continue to carry the light and wisdom of his teachings into the world and inspire one another to live our Yoga, moment by moment.
