A yoga organization with 55 years of history in Los Angeles and centers around the world has returned to the west side of the city, opening a new location at 1617 Broadway, Suite C, and already setting its sights on a free beach yoga event to mark International Yoga Day on Sunday, June 21.
The International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with 11 ashrams and roughly 30 centers worldwide, relocated from West Adams to Santa Monica last month, celebrating its grand opening May 17. The organization is planning a yoga class on the beach and a free open house to coincide with the global observance later this month.
For its director, the return to the west side is a welcome one.
"Santa Monica felt like a natural fit — a place where wellness, mindfulness and community connection are already deeply valued," said Swami Sivasankariananda, director of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, 1617 Broadway, Suite C, Santa Monica.
The organization is no stranger to this part of the city. Over its 55 years of continuous service in Los Angeles, the Center has previously operated on Sawtelle, Abbot Kinney and in Marina del Rey — more than 30 years of its history rooted on the west side before a move east. The new location sits beside Co-opportunity market on Broadway.
"We believe that by being next to Co-opportunity, the health-conscious people of Santa Monica will benefit from this traditional teaching for self-development and inner peace," Sivasankariananda said.
Founded by Swami Vishnudevananda and rooted in the teachings of Indian saint Swami Sivananda, who lived from 1887 to 1963, the Center distinguishes itself from the proliferation of fitness-oriented yoga studios by adhering to what it describes as a classical, integral approach.
"Yoga, according to Swami Sivananda, is a system of integral education — not only of body, mind or intellect, but also of the inner spirit," Sivasankariananda said. "It is the art of right living. It is a practical system of self-culture. It is a way of life. It is universal."
That philosophy translates into a program that extends well beyond the mat. Daily yoga classes and a 6 a.m. meditation session anchor the schedule, while free public meditation sessions are offered two evenings per week. Weekend workshops cover topics ranging from Thought Power and the Science of Hatha Yoga to Yoga for Depression and vegetarian cooking. Individual and group yoga therapy are also available.
For those who have never stepped inside a yoga studio, the Center's message is deliberately welcoming.
"You do not need to be flexible, experienced, or know anything about yoga to begin," Sivasankariananda said. "Start where you are. We welcome people of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels."
She added that first-time visitors can expect something that transcends the physical: "Even if you come for the physical practice, you will discover something deeper — a sense of calm, balance and reconnection with yourself. What's outside the door dissolves for 90 minutes."
First classes are free. The Center also offers a five-session Yoga 1 Course for beginners, introduced incrementally in small groups with personal attention from a Sivananda-trained instructor.
What makes the Center's model unusual in an industry dominated by commercial studios is that it is staffed entirely by volunteers — including its director — as an expression of Karma Yoga, the yogic principle of selfless service.
"This model creates a spiritual culture that feels less transactional and more community-oriented," Sivasankariananda said. "It also helps us keep classes and programs accessible while preserving the service-based heart of the organization. It is a joy to serve, without expectation of reward."
The International Yoga Day beach event on June 21 is free and open to the public. Details on timing and location are available through the Center at 1617 Broadway, Suite C, Santa Monica or visit sivanandala.org/programs.