Selfless service as daily practice
Karma Yoga & Seva Study Program
Seva Study is a residential program in which volunteers live at the Yoga Resort and take part in all of its activities for a minimum of one month. Seva — selfless service — is part of every yoga tradition.
Serving others is treated as a practice in its own right. Karma yoga, the yoga of selfless action, is described in the Sivananda tradition as the foundation of the other paths of yoga.
The program is organised around that principle: the work of running the ashram is shared among the volunteers, and doing it is part of the practice.
Participants practise concentration in action — keeping attention on the task in hand — and Swami Sivananda's instruction to "adapt, adjust, accommodate".
Life in the Karma Yoga program
Service with a purpose, in a community.
Practising as a group
Volunteers share one daily schedule, which makes a daily yoga practice easier to keep up than it is alone.
The work is done as a team, and it supports an international network of Sivananda centres and ashrams.
Working in nature
The program takes place at the Sivananda Yoga Resort & Training Center, in the pine-covered hills near Hồ Tuyền Lâm outside Da Lat.
Work is organised in teams, with a staff meeting each day.
Daily practice and guidance
Practice is built into the schedule: morning and evening satsang — meditation, chanting and a talk — and a yoga class each day. Volunteers also meet weekly with senior staff.
The program suits people who are prepared to follow the ashram's daily schedule.
An established tradition
The ashram's daily schedule and the way it is run come from the Sivananda organisation and have been passed on by its senior teachers. Volunteers follow the same schedule as the rest of the ashram.
The organisation's founding aim
Swami Vishnudevananda (1927–1993) founded the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, opening the first centre in Montreal in 1959. The organisation describes its aim as spreading peace, health and joy through yoga.
"Be the change that you want to see in the world."
— Mahatma Gandhi
Head, Heart and Hands Together
The Sivananda tradition describes four paths of yoga — karma, bhakti, raja and jnana. In the Karma Yoga program they are practised together in the course of a day, through work, devotional practice, meditation and study.
Learn More about Sivananda Yoga
Our Mission
Practicing and teaching the ancient yogic knowledge of health, peace, unity in diversity to help all realize their highest potential and find inner peace.
Our Lineage
Our lineage follows the ancient tradition of classical yoga, transmitted from Swami Sivananda to Swami Vishnudevananda, emphasizing service, discipline, devotion, and spiritual knowledge for personal transformation and global harmony.
Our Team
Our senior teachers and dedicated staff are long-time practitioners deeply rooted in the Sivananda tradition.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN from KARMA YOGA
Elevate yourself by elevating others
Schedule
Ready to join us?
Inquire NowRequirements
- This program is suitable for individuals who are ready and willing to follow the discipline of Yoga and can commit to staying for at least one month
- Applicants must be open to receiving guidance from senior staff regarding duties and yogic practices
- Full participation in morning and evening meditation sessions, as well as one daily yoga class, is mandatory
- Alcohol, tobacco, meat, fish, eggs, coffee, and drugs are strictly prohibited on the premises
Benefits of Practicing Karma Yoga
Develop meaningful life skills
Support personal growth and self-discovery
Reduce ego and selfish tendencies
Cultivate love, compassion, and tolerance
Purify the heart and broaden perspective
Find purpose in everyday actions