September 2025 Newsletter from Srivatsa Ramaswami-- The Dreamer

[Srivatsa Ramaswami]

September 2025 Newsletter from Srivatsa Ramaswami-- The Dreamer

I came to USA a few days back after 6 years mainly to teach a 100 hr Teacher Training Program I had committed to do 7 years or so ago. So, I will be teaching this program hosted by Yoga Soul in Salt Lake City, Utah USA. The program starts on September 22^nd and is available both in person and on line. Apart from teaching the entire vinyaasakrama sequences the program will include word by word study of two companion texts Samkhya Karika of Iswarakrishna and Yogasutras of Patanjali. We ae going through with the program even though the response so far has been lukewarm. Some of the friends who may be interested should register soon. Here is the link

 https://www.yogasoul.org/yoga-teacher-training/srivatsa-ramaswami

100-Hour Vinyasa Krama Yoga Program - yogasoul.org

Join Srivatsa Ramaswami for a rare 100-hour Vinyasa Krama Yoga intensive in Salt Lake City. Deepen your yoga practice and studies this September.

www.yogasoul.org

During the present visit, I am also planning to do two more much shorter programs. One would be at the beautiful city of Victoria in Canada. The program is for one week and will cover important vinyasa sequences pranayama and study of karma yoga , the first six chapters of the Bhagavat Gita. It is hosted by One yoga in Victoria, Canada Here is the link

 https://www.oneyogavictoria.com/new-events/ramaswami25

Vinyasa Krama and Karma Yoga with Srivatsa Ramaswami

Join master teacher Srivatsa Ramaswami in this 40 hour program in beautiful Victoria, BC. The morning session will focus on Vinyasa Krama asana and pranayama. The afternoon will be a study on Karma Yoga from the Bhagavad Gita. Explore the true roots of yoga from one of Krishnmacharya's longest standing students.

www.oneyogavictoria.com

I am also scheduled to teach a short one-week program in Miami Florida from  Oct 21st   . It will cover some Vinyasakrama sequences plus the detailed study of Yoga Yagnyavalkya. It is hosted by Miami Life Center in Miami FL. 

Here is the link

 https://miamilifecenter.union.site/events/miami-life-center-study-practice-with-srivatsa-ramaswami-senior-student-of-sri-krishnamacharya

Study & Practice with Srivatsa Ramaswami Senior Student of Sri Krishnamacharya from Miami Life Center

Srivatsa Ramaswami, is one of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya longest-standing students. He will guest us at Miami Life Center this October. We are deeply honored to host this extraordinary yogi a...

miamilifecenter.union.site

When I started teaching yoga several decades back, I thought that I should bring out a more holistic presentation of Sri Krishnamacharya's teachings. So, in addition to the physical breath oriented vinyasakrama practice I started teaching several ancient original texts taught by Sri Krishnamacharya. Sri Krishnamacharya gave considerable importance to study of the original yoga related texts for a well-rounded yogahood. In this visit I will teach, as you could see, texts like Samkhyakarika, yogasutras, yoga yagnyavalkya and Karma yoga, a part of the Gita, all taught to me in detail by my Guru.

The Dreamer

I was on a long bus journey on a hot day in India. A lady ( she resembled my mother) in the bus was distributing water from a can. I stretched my arm with a tumbler and she poured water into it. Then an 8-year-old girl from a rear seat came up with a cup in her hand but the can by then was empty. The elderly lady advised the child to go back to her seat and she can get water in the next bus stop half hour away. With a tinge of pain in her face the girl turned to walk to her seat. I asked her to show her cup and poured half of the water from my tumbler. I told her I needed the other half. She gave a beautiful smile and said "Appachi (dad)! You gave me water given to you"

I woke up from the dream which I thought was unusual for two reasons. One, I am not a charitable person and even if i give it is not spontaneous. It was different in the dream. Secondly most of the dreams I have night in and night out are unsweet. This one was sweet looking at the smile of the innocent child.

And then I started wondering. Who writes the script for these countless dreams. Who creates the mental space, the objects creatures and people every night for my exclusive viewership?.

And importantly "Who experiences these dreams?" Even a child knows that the person who went to sleep has the dream. But in my case, I Ramaswami while sleeping is having all motor activities temporarily paralyzed and am oblivious to my own physical self. And then, on the other hand, how can Ramaswami --if seeing the dream-- keep quiet watching an imposter masquerading as Ramaswami. He would explode or wake up immediately from the dream. But it does not happen. So Ramaswami is not dreaming. And the fake dream Ramaswami is busy trying to be nice and not observing the dream. Then who experiences the dream?

It is the non-changing immutable consciousness, the real I, that observes whatever Ramaswami does when he is awake and whatever the fake Ramaswami does in the dream. And that real "I" is called purusha by samkhyas drashta by yogis and atman/brahman by vedantins. Think of it. All that is supposed to be experienced by me --by Ramaswami --is witnessed by the mighty Brahman which I, Ramaswami should learn to identify as my real Self.