Leela Mata is an internationally known teacher with great wisdom. She has been blessed since childhood with mystical experiences and teachings from Masters. She comes from the Sivananda lineage, and studied directly under Swami Vishnu Devananda. Leela Mata also studied Ayurveda with Dr. Vasant Lad in both the United States and India. In the United States Leela Mata directed the Yoga Vedanta Centre in Ft. Lauderdale. While directing the centre, she and Yogi Hari developed Sampoorna Yoga and trained hundreds of teachers who practice throughout the world. She has also taught worldwide, including Africa, Europe, India, Canada and South America.

Each year Leela Mata makes a return pilgrimage to India for ongoing education and enlightenment. She actively continues her mission through Leela Mata Foundation for Enlightenment in the tradition of Swami Sivananda and his direct disciple Swami Vishnu-Devananda. Leela Mata permanently provides a new thought-force that helps to promote the peace and harmony of mankind and the prosperity of society.

SWAMI SIVANANDA

Born in 1887 in Pattamadai, Tamil Nadu, South India, Swami Sivananda whose name was then Kuppuswami, was a brilliant boy at studying as well as gymnastics and naturally inclined toward spiritual and religious practices. His natural selfless spirit lead him to a career in the medical field.
The young Dr. Kuppuswami felt a strong urge to go to Malaysia where he felt there was great need. In a short time he was given the responsibility of running a hospital. During these years Dr. Kuppuswami was renowned as being both an excellent doctor and a true humanitarian. Very often he waived consultation fees for patients too poor to afford his services and on many occasions provided medicine for free to his neediest patients.

One day Dr. Kuppuswami had the opportunity to cure a wandering Sannyasin (renunciate or Monk) who then gave the doctor instruction on Yoga and Vedanta. From that day on his life changed, and gradually Dr. Kuppuswami became more introspective and could not stop pondering the great questions of life. Now he felt the need to help people on a more profound level, not just healing their physical body, but helping them to find a cure for all suffering.

Filled with a tremendous desire for spiritual growth and enlightenment Kuppuswami went to North India in search of his Guru. After spending time in Varanasi (Banaras) he travelled north to the Himalayas. There in the holy town of Rishikesh (which means "the abode of the sages") Kuppuswami discovered his Guru who gave him Sannyas (a monk's vows of renunciation). After taking these vows, Swami Sivananda Saraswati, as he would be known henceforth, started an extremely intense daily Sadhana (spiritual practices) and Tapas (austerities) for the next 10 years or so.

From that time Swami Sivananda became one of the most prolific Yoga teachers who has ever existed. Although he rarely left the little town of Rishikesh (with only 2 India tours and no visits abroad) Swami Sivananda's teachings spread quickly throughout our entire planet. He has written more than 200 books on topics connected to Yoga and Philosophy.

Many who read his books felt their lives deeply touched and transformed and so came from all of India, all of the world, to learn from him directly, and to bask in his holy presence. The teachings of Master Sivananda are summarized in these 6 words:
"Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realize".

SWAMI VISHNU DEVANANDA

Swamiji was born in Kerala, in 1927. As a young child one of his main character traits was a strong will and determination. As a teenager without financial resources for University, he turned to joining the army to receive the scientific education he yearned for. During this time as he looked for a lost paper in a waste basket, his eyes fell upon a paper entitled "20 Spiritual Instructions" by Swami Sivananda. The pamphlet began: "An ounce of practice is better than tons of theory". The practicality and inherent power of these simple words lead Swamiji to travel across India to meet Swami Sivananda in far away Himalayas.

For 10 years Swami Vishnu-Devananda continued at the Sivananda Ashram and was trained in all aspects of Yoga by Swami Sivananda. One day Swami Sivananda gave Swamiji a 10 Rupee note (less than a dollar!) and his blessings to travel to the West and spread the teachings of Vedanta. "People are waiting" were the words of the Master.