Unified Mind This is a photo, found at the National Archives of Australia. The caption with it read ‘Visiting Swami finds Australians yoga-conscious’.
Satyananda visited Australia in 1968; image courtesy National Archives of Australia, A1501, A8165/2
Swami Satyananda has achieved many great things in his lifetime, he is still. He knows his purpose, is inspired, and has strong will. He continues to inspire many around the world. Inspiration is a powerful force, it is the juice of creativity, unstoppable in the right heart. Everyone has something, the capacity for some quality, natural way of being, that touches the heart of others in some way.
This post is tagged guru, satyananda, teacher
Classic photo! Look at all those beehives! Wondering if He was thinking to teach them bhramari. Does anyone know who it is sitting on Satyananda’s right? I think Roma Blair is on his left. Thanks Yogamanas.
Hey Yogachakra, yes it is a great photo. I reckon you are spot on with Roma Blair, and bhramari! I’ll post it elsewhere and see if some others who have been around a bit longer can recognise them.
I agree roma blair, the male maybe john mumfries?
rest would’nt know
I think mumford not mumfires
Great photo. Thanks for putting it up on your website Yogamanas.
It is Roma Blair (Swami Nirmalananda Saraswati) on Swami Satyanada’s left. The guy on his right is Michael Volin, a yogi and yoga teacher who was one of the key people spreading yoga in Australia from the 1950s. He came to Australia from China in 1949 and is said to have set up the first yoga school in Sydney before moving to Adelaide and setting up the Michael Volin Yoga School there. He eventualy settled and taught yoga in America. He wrote several books on yoga and many of these are in the Saraswati Library at the Rocklyn and Mangrove Satyananda Yoga ashrams.
Not sure who the other women on the couch is but she looks like a yoga teacher luminary also. The women at the back of the couch are probably yoga students – students of Volin and/or Blair.
OM OM OM
Thanks Jyotimitra.
It’s great that you could shed so much light on the characters here.
Om
A little trivia to add.
Around 1964 – 1965 I attended Michael Volin’s evening Yoga Class in Sydney. If my memory serves me well the class was held at the Federated Iron Workers Building in George Street, Sydney.
Hare Om
Netty
Hari Om Netty, thanks for giving us more of the picture of the time.
What a classic photo..
How special is that, being so close to Swami Satyananda. He is shining.
The Australia/Satyananda connection started quite a while ago hey!
You may have alreaday seen this, but if you havent, Rishi Hridayananda has put a wonderful pictorial book together on Swami Satyananda (1968 -1984), with some fabulous photos and some of the history of Satyananda Yoga in Australia. Its a very special book.
Just re started Yoga classes and was trying to recall the type/name of Yoga Roma Blair taught in the 60′s and stumbled on this photo. I attended yoga classes with my mother and sister given by Roma Blair in the basement of her home in Village High Road, Vaucluse. I also participated as a 5-8 year old, in the TV show produced at Channel Nine in the early 60′s. Oh my goodness what fun times this was. I think the photo above was taken on her sofa with the local women/mums in the back ground…one could be my mum?
Hey Karunaji, yes, it is a lovely book, just picked it up a week ago.
Hi Tania, if you find out that your mum is in the photo, do let me know.