What’s it All About

• Svaroopa (pronounced “svah-roo-pah”) is a healing style of yoga that uses a variety of unique poses to create a deep release of tension throughout the body.
  The experience of a significant reduction of tension, leaves the body feeling flexible, supple and rejuvenated. Using props to support the body in a well aligned pose allows for optimal release. From the first pose of every class, shavasana, or total body awareness, the tightest areas of the body begin to release, these soothing effects can be felt everywhere. This release of tension encourages healing, stress reduction and profoundly deep changes creating an inner experience of bliss. The individualized attention to each students alignment makes Svaroopa® yoga adaptable to any body, all ages and physical levels. While other styles of yoga use spinal tightening to be in poses this yoga uses spinal release while leaning into the skeletal system to support the body in all of the traditional yoga asanas or poses. This results in blissful poses while developing a strong and flexible body.

• The word svaroopa comes from the ancient yoga text, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras which states
  “Tadaa Drashtuh Svarupa Vasthaanum”, which translates to mean at the moment your mind becomes quiet you will abide in the bliss of your own being. From the first shavasana (total body awareness) pose at the beginning of class throughout every pose an emphasis is put upon awareness of the state of your body and mind. Quieting your mind toward bliss.

• Svaroopa yoga was developed by Swami Nirmalananda Saraswati (formerly known as Rama Berch)
  she teaches yoga according to the ancient tradition - as a direct path to svaroopa, the bliss of your own being. Her unique approach to working with the body emerged from a “cosmic download,” an initiation which awakened MahaKundalini, moving her body into spontaneous yoga poses, and revealed to her the workings of the spine as a conduit of consciousness. This inner awakening continues to unfold, enlivening her understanding of both the body and of ancient texts and teachings.

• Swami Nirmalananda is the founder of Master Yoga Foundation and served as the founding President of Yoga Alliance.
  She travels extensively to teach internationally, passing on the extraordinary gifts she has received and guiding others to discover their own inner vastness.