Paramacharya gives his presentation, and offers valuable digital resources for all present
Flying over Germany reveals a landscape of countless small towns and farmland, separated by foothills and wind turbines
Several large buses take attendees from the airport to the ashram
Yoga Vidya Ashram in Bad Meinberg is one of Europe’s largest yoga centers, set in a forested campus offering classes, events and quiet retreat.
Each day of the congress included new speakers and topics. Here, Swamini Atmaprakashananda from the UK gives some inspiring words
Our monks got to stay in a 3rd generation, family-owned hotel in the German countryside, with farms on one side and woodlands on the other
After long flights, a walk among meadows and flowering cherry trees is greatly appreciated
There’s friendly, wild bunnies and deer everywhere you go
The air here is perfectly fresh, imbued with the smell of spring blossoms
A nice use for an old well as a flower planter
This pony lived behind the hotel, he wasn’t much of a talker. Maybe he only knew German.
Our monks gave their presentations on the final day. Here, Paramacharya begins his talk.
Earlier in the morning Tillainathaswami guided the group meditation. In the afternoon He gave a talk about personal practice and sadhana
Even the graffiti here is worshipful
Jai Ganesha!
Our two traveling monks have recently returned from a short trip to Germany, where they attended the 2025 European and World Yoga Congress. Paramacharya Sadasivanathaswami and Sannyasin Tillainathaswami made the eight-day journey across the globe and back. They arrived in Germany on the 24th to begin the event on the 25th. The venue was the Yoga Vidya Ashram in Bad Meinberg. This ashram is one of the largest in Central Europe and follows the Saivite Hindu teachings and lineage of Swami Sivananda. The event included speakers from Germany, Portugal, the UK, India, Venezuela, Iceland, the US and more. Of the hundreds of attendees, the majority were deeply devoted to their meditations and daily spiritual practice—not merely interested in asana (hatha) yoga, as one might have assumed from the name of the congress. When asked about the ultimate goal of their yoga practice, each responded, “Self-realization,” of course.
