ISSUE 05
1970’s - Bhakti Ashrams Rise Up In the 1970’s a number of yogis such as Swami Shivananda, B.K.S. Lyengar and T. Krishnamacharya brought their particular versions of the ancient practice to the West. Mainly, Bhakti Yoga was introduced in conjunction with Hatha Yoga and teachers incorporated Bhakti along side these thriving physical asana practices. Bhakti became established as its own yoga practice in the U.S. as ashrams and spiritual centers began to spring up across the country. Swami Muktananda, in the 1970’s, brought the Siddha Yoga Meditation path to the West, which deeply incorporated Bhakti Yoga. Muktananda offered Westerners the blessing of initiation and awakening called shaktipat. He established more then six hundred meditation centers, several ashrams and wrote many books through his life in America.
1980’s - Gurumayi The fitness aspect of yoga rose in the 1980’s but along with it Bhakti Yoga silently and sweetly accompanied. In 1985 Muktananda resigned as guru and passed The Syda Yoga Meditation lineage, to Swami Chidvilasananda, better known as Gurumayi. She continued sharing Bhakti Yoga and mediation through her travels and established centers and ashrams across the United States. Also in the 1980’s Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, better known as “Amma” first visited the US. Amma inaugurated her first U.S. ashram in 1989 in San Ramon, CA.
1990 to Now - Hugging amma Through the 1990’s and the new millennium Gurumayi and Amma continued to expand and share Bhakti Yoga. Today Amma is possibly one of the most note-worthy Bhakti Yoga teachers. Amma has experienced an incredible rise to fame in Western countries. She is also known as the “Hugging Saint” or just “Mother” to her beloved devotees. During her devotional events, which involve much singing and chanting, she shares her love with devotees by physically embracing them. In addition, the members of the Hare Krishna sect (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) strongly share Bhakti traditions in the West. This sect, founded by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, is an offshoot of the Gaudîya Vaishnava school of Bengal, which continues the lineage of the fifteenth-century Indian Caitanya. The list of expanding lineages practicing Bhakti is vast and continues to flourish daily in the West. Bhakti Schools are abundant, offering their own unique qualities and contributions to their devotees and this grateful western world.